Sleepover
"Hi, Max!" Kate greeted as soon as the door opened.
Max smiled. "Hey, Kate."
"This better be good, Maxine," Victoria snapped from behind Kate, only a slight hint of annoyance in her voice. In her hands were bottles of vodka, which Max eyed curiously. "Stole them. Just in case things get boring."
The girls walked in and Max closed the door behind them.
Kate waved at the blue-haired girl leaning on the banister. "Hey, Chloe."
"Hey, it's Kate! Literal precious marshmallow," came Chloe's greeting from the stairs. "Hey, Icky Vicky."
"Clever," Victoria said sarcastically. She eyed Chloe's oversized shirt and the jean shorts peeking out from underneath. "Jesus, Chloe, put some pants on."
"Oh Vicky, you know I can't keep my pants on when Super Max is around."
Max coughed, blushing madly. Not noticing, Victoria looked around as Max took the bottles from her and placed them on the kitchen counter.
"Cozy!" Kate said, smiling as she looked at the blankets laid over the carpet around the small coffee table, and the pillows strewn everywhere.
"This place looks a lot better than the last time I was here," said Victoria.
"It's all Mom," Chloe said, walking down the stairs, two steps at a time.
"Where is she?" Kate asked, dumping Victoria's bag and her own on the couch. "I haven't seen her around."
"She's on a holiday trip with step-dude," Chloe said. "He got a new job and all that crap."
"That's good for them," Kate said. "Who else is coming?"
"Juliet, Dana, Brooke – I think – and Warren…" Max trailed off. "I don't know, really."
"Warren?" Chloe asked pointedly.
"M-maybe. I'm not sure. Why?"
Chloe waved her off. "Nothing."
Victoria groaned. "If no one else comes, you two better not gay it up and make us thirdwheel."
Kate giggled.
Chloe grinned. "No promises. Hey, come see the back. We got a pool!"
"I know, you only told me to bring something to swim in 47 times." Victoria rolled her eyes. "But fine, I'll look anyway."
"Oh yeah!" Chloe said, walking Victoria to the back door. "You coming, Super Max?"
"In a sec," Max called back as the doorbell rang. Chloe and Victoria disappeared to the backyard and she went to open the door.
Juliet and Dana waved simultaneously. "Hey, Max."
"Hey, come on in," Max said, smiling. "Hey, Warren."
"Hey, Max!" Warren greeted. "Thanks for—"
"That's okay, let's go in."
Warren nodded, stepping inside. Max closed the door and led him to the living room.
"You can leave your bag there."
"Thanks. Hey, where's the bathroom?"
"Upstairs. You'll know which one."
"Sweet. Thanks," Warren said, heading upstairs.
Max turned around to see Dana and Juliet leaning against the counter, staring at her with knowing smirks.
"Gosh, he's totally in love with you," Dana laughed.
Max shook her head.
Meanwhile, Chloe and Victoria sat on the edge of the pool, a pack of smokes between them. Chloe wiggled her toes in the water, looking anywhere but Victoria.
"So what's the deal, Price?" Victoria asked, breathing out smoke. "I thought you hate me."
Chloe looked up. "No shit."
Victoria rolled her eyes.
"I hate everyone. Don't take it personally."
"Right… Did—" Victoria hesitated. "Did you want to talk? About something?"
A steady stream of smoke spewed out of Chloe's open mouth. She shrugged.
"Are you PTSD about the whole "end of the world" thing that never actually happened?"
"Little bit."
"Max?"
Chloe stiffened visibly for a second, then shook her head.
Gotcha, Victoria thought, stubbing out her cigarette.
"Okay, if you say so," she said, craning her neck to peek inside the house. "Wow, a pillow fight? How lame… Oh, Chloe, you have to see this!"
Chloe leaned over slightly, just in time to see Warren grab Max's arm and try to steer her away from Juliet and Dana. "What's that Wally kid think he's doing?"
Victoria smiled to herself, and faking a nonchalant voice, said, "Warren? Looks like he's trying to tell her something. Seems urgent."
"Urgent my ass," Chloe muttered.
"That guy's totally hot for Max," Victoria teased.
"He's so fucking in love with her."
"Like you are," said Victoria.
Chloe's head whipped back so fast, Victoria thought she might get whiplash.
"I don't know what you're on about," she said lamely, taking a drag and blowing a smoke ring.
Victoria watched her, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah right."
Chloe sighed. "I've got to ask her out."
"Damn straight," Victoria said. "Or in your case, damn gay."
Chloe looked at her incredulously before she burst out laughing.
"What? I'm just tired of you two pining after each other all the goddamn time."
"Aww, Victoria, you do care!"
"Ugh."
"You're not as bad as I thought you were, Chase."
"Yeah, yeah," Victoria said, a small smile gracing her lips. "God, my hands are fucking freezing. You got a plan, Price?"
"Hey, listen, Max…"
Max grimaced internally. Warren has been sputtering in front of her for God knows how long. "Yes?"
"I really—"
"Hello, naughty children," Chloe said, obnoxiously loud, as she strolled in. "Time for movies."
Warren's face fell. "Oh, right."
Max offered him a small smile before joining Chloe on the couch.
"You guys up for The Cabin in the Woods?" Juliet asked, turning on the hi-fi.
"I'll get the drinks… and make popcorn too," said Dana, getting up and walking to the kitchen.
Chloe watched Juliet finish setting up the movie. "Who hasn't seen this?"
"I haven't," Max said, scooting closer.
"Me too," Kate said, already in her sleeping bag. She was sidled up near an armchair occupied by Juliet. "I'm a little spooked out now."
"It's a horror comedy," said Warren.
"I hope it won't be too scary."
Victoria rolled her eyes, grabbing her sleeping bag and settling down next to the couch. "Why don't we just watch a goddamn Disney movie?"
"I'll be fine," Kate squeaked. The menu screen popped up and Juliet pressed play, scooting back to her spot.
Warren grabbed his sleeping bag and dragged it over next to Kate. "Don't worry, it's not that scary."
Dana came back from the kitchen with a tray laden with drinks and popcorn. She set it down on the coffee table and sat on the armchair next to Juliet's. "One of the characters is called Dana too."
"The virgin?" Victoria said, grinning.
"No talking, guys," said Juliet.
The group fell silent, getting engrossed in the movie.
Towards the end, Chloe glanced down, accidentally making eye contact with Victoria. The latter grinned mischievously and returned her gaze to the screen. Confused, Chloe dismissed it.
As the giant hand onscreen burst from the ground, Victoria wrapped an ice-cold hand around Max's ankle and tugged, making her scream. The group laughed collectively.
"Jesus!" Max hid her face on Chloe's shoulder, gripping the back of her shirt tightly, embarrassed and trying to calm her racing heart.
Chloe chuckled as she put an arm around Max. "It's alright, Super Max."
"S'not funny," came Max's muffled response.
The doorbell rang and everyone froze.
"I'm not answering that," Kate said, a pillow clutched tightly in her hands.
"You're all so chickenshit." Juliet rolled her eyes. She got up and opened the door. "Hey, Nathan. Jesus, you look like shit."
"Thanks, Juls."
Juliet let him in and shut the door. "Why are you late?"
Nathan grinned. "Scored some! Let's blaze this bitch!"
"Maybe later," Chloe said.
Victoria nodded. "It's still pretty early."
"Whatever," Nathan shrugged, finding a place to sit.
"Everyone cool with playing seven minutes?" Victoria asked, eyes on Kate.
"I could just host the game," Kate said.
"You all better not do it on my bed," Chloe added. "Use the guest room."
Kate had been eating ice cream and watching cartoons, but now she was being made to hold a hat. They sat in a circle, eight pairs of eyes trained on aforementioned hat. So far, Dana and Victoria had had a turn, then Victoria and Nathan, and then Nathan and Warren (which just ended up in a fight).
Kate offered the hat to Warren.
Warren inhaled nervously as he drew a piece of paper out. "Max."
"Okay, then…" the brunette said, slowly following Warren into a room.
"Alright…" Max started as he closed the door. "What the hell."
Warren smiled. "So…hey."
"Look, I know what you've been trying to tell me," Max said.
"You do?"
"Everybody knows, Warren."
"Oh."
"Warren, you're a nice guy," Max sighed. "You're really sweet. I'm lucky to have you as a friend. I don't want to lose that, okay?"
"Okay," Warren shrugged. "Y-yeah, I get it."
"I'm sorry…" Max bit her lip. "If it makes you feel better, there's other girls crushing on you, and they deserve you more, honestly."
"Really?"
"Totally."
"So...you and Chloe, huh?"
"Uh… Oh Dog. Can we just play patty cake till this is over?"
And they did, until Victoria called them back.
"Did you guys even do anything?"
"You bet we did," Warren answered as he sat down. Max put a hand on her forehead.
Victoria and Chloe shared a look. Max rolled her eyes.
"We just played patty cake."
"Okay, Max, your turn," Kate said, holding out the hat to the brunette.
Oh Dog, Max thought as she reached into the hat. She pulled out a slip of paper that felt like it was folded differently from the others. She unfolded it, heat rising to her cheeks as she read the name silently.
Max made her way to Chloe and grabbed her hand. Chloe let herself get dragged towards the stairs.
"Game over," Victoria muttered.
Warren's eyes followed them until they disappeared upstairs. "What do you mean—"
"They're going to Chloe's room. Come on, you know they're going to take longer than seven minutes," Victoria said.
"What?"
"Christsakes, Warren, they're going to fuck," Juliet said exasperatedly.
"Oh."
Max had barely closed the door when Chloe pushed her up against it, hands on her wrists, pinning them against the wood.
"Whoa, Chloe, what—mmpf!"
The door clicked shut, the sounds inside the room now inaudible to the group downstairs.
"So," Victoria started. "Who's up for a swim?"
Max opened her eyes to light filtering in through the window from the streetlight outside. Chloe's arms were around her, a blanket thrown over the two of them. She turned onto her side in Chloe's embrace to face her and smiled.
Chloe kissed the tip of the brunette's nose. "Hi."
"Hi," Max's voice was scratchy from sleep.
"It's getting loud," Chloe mused, scooting to the end of her bed and bending over to grab her discarded bra off the floor.
Max hummed a response, grabbing her camera from the bedside table and looking (more like squinting) at the bluenette through it.
"I think they broke out the booze," said Chloe as she sat back up.
"You should probably check on them, see if they're all still alive."
Chloe turned slightly to look at her and laughed.
Perfect, Max thought as she pressed the shutter.
"Hey! You took a nude—"
"Not really, but…yeah, technically." Max smiled as she looked at the picture. Chloe was looking at the camera, blue hair tousled and mouth slightly open in the middle of a laugh, her tattooed arm barely covering the curve of her breast. "You look beautiful."
Chloe threw on a The Kinks shirt, hoping it was dark enough that Max couldn't see her cheeks redden. "You're not so bad yourself, Super Max."
"No… It's so you," Max said, holding up the photo. "I love it."
"I'll pretend I know what you're talking about," Chloe said flippantly, pressing a kiss on her temple.
Max smiled. "Okay."
"I'll go see what's going on outside," said Chloe, giving Max another kiss before pushing herself off the bed and heading out, closing the door behind her.
Moments later, the door flew open and Victoria burst in. "Aha!"
"Jesus!" Max cried, scrambling to pull the blanket up to her chest.
"No, just me," Victoria said. "So you and Chloe totally hooked up!"
"Dude, I'm naked, get out!"
"Fine." Victoria rolled her eyes before walking towards Chloe's closet. She pulled out a flannel and tossed it at Max. "Get dressed. I want every detail later, okay?"
"Yes! Geez."
Max waited until Victoria was gone and put on Chloe's shirt.
"The lesbians have claimed you," Warren said over his shoulder as he walked past Max into the house, smiling.
"Ha, okay, Warren," Max laughed, looking around the backyard.
Kate, Dana and Juliet were playing Marco Polo. Nathan was stationary in front of Chloe, who was sitting sideways on the poolside downing alcohol, joint in hand. Nathan splashed some water on her and swam away, whooping.
"Asshole!" Chloe fumed.
Max sat beside her. "Hey."
Chloe looked at her, eyes smouldering. She leaned in and whispered, voice low and hoarse. "Do you know how bad I want to rip that shirt off you right now?"
"Chloe!" Max hissed, blushing scarlet.
"You're so fucking adorable," Chloe laughed. "Shotgun?"
The brunette scrunched up her face in confusion. "What's that?"
"You'll know."
"Okay."
"Hold still," Chloe said, before taking a hit and moving in close.
Max parted her lips slightly on impulse. They were almost touching Chloe's as she breathed the smoke into Max's mouth. The brunette blushed furiously as she took it in. Her mind was racing with thoughts of kissing Chloe, the feeling of Chloe's skin on hers—
Click!
A flash went off, and a grinning Victoria shook the film in her hand. "Hot."
Max straightened up, cheeks red, as Victoria walked over to show them. She looked at the picture. Chloe looks so cool…
"Oh, Max, you already look high," Victoria teased, leaving the photo with them and standing up to roam around.
Max cleared her throat. "Chloe?"
The bluenette turned to face her. "Yeah?"
"Could you…um…could we…" she trailed off, eyeing the joint in Chloe's hand.
Chloe smirked. "Come here."
Max scooted closer to her, settling between her legs. Chloe leaned in and exhaled smoke into her open mouth. To her surprise, Max closed the gap between them and gave her a vicious candy kiss, her hands in Chloe's hair. Chloe smiled against Max's lips and kissed her back, her free hand tracing lazy patterns on the small of Max's back.
Another flash. This time they didn't break away.
"Whoa, try not to swallow each other," Nathan teased.
Chloe pulled away to flip him off.
"This actually turned out good," Victoria said as she sparked a joint.
Suddenly, the lights went off, bathing the group in darkness.
"Whoa."
"What the fuck?"
"Well this is just fucking great."
"Man, I can't see anything."
Max groaned internally. Power's out.
"I just had to say something, didn't I?" Victoria snapped, frustrated.
to be continued! maybe :-) pls tell me if u liked it