"No, I can't make this choice!"
"No, Max. You're the only one that can."
Those words. The so called final words of the blue haired friend of Maxine Caulfield seem to have gotten all over her head. She just couldn't believe what was going on right now. Arcadia Bay. her home, was just minutes away from being eaten up by the storm she had caused. The storm that would kill hundreds. The storm. That was created from the many times she had tried to save Chloe. Her best friend and love that was very close to accepting her fate.
Death.
After everything she has done to keep the punk alive, she was going to die either way. Whether the brunette liked it or not. And she hated it. She hated it so much that she wanted to attack something. Anything. She felt. Broken.
Like all she has done for her friend has been for nothing. And not to mention, Mr. Jefferson's reveal only made matters worse. From her almost getting hit by a train to her getting shot in the head. It only made her question about her fate all together. Soon, she started to ask herself the number one question of all of this.
Why? Why out of all the citizens of Arcadia Bay. Out of everyone who were close to death. Was she the only one that was perfectly okay.
Chloe has died many times, well almost. Warren even had his shares of almost dying, Kate nearly committed suicide and Nathan died from the hands of Mr. Jefferson. Soon, him and Victoria will have their moment to come face to face with a horrible death. Yet. Not her. Max would probably live a peaceful life until she grows old and breathes her final breath. Which is good and all, but when she thought about it, she didn't want that sort of life. The life where she would be lonely. She wanted her friends to live. She wanted them to have good lives. But of course that would never happen...
That is if she wanted to do what her mind was ordering her to at the second. Save Arcadia Bay and Chloe.
But sacrifice yourself.
A very risky idea indeed. But it might actually work when she thought about it. All she had to do was help the citizens to safety. Take them out of the city and... And just say goodbye to Chloe one more time if she can. She could just let her survive and take her place into the afterlife. Make it be like they had never met. Or like, she was never there. Either way, it would mean safety to all. To the Blackwell students and her friends. She didn't matter what the cost of doing so would be. As long as everyone was safe. As long as they kept breathing.
She had to do this. She had to make this one last commitment to her home. To her. Family.
"It's your choice. And I know you will make the right one," She heard from her punk friend before sighing to herself. She took in the scenery of destruction for a while. The devastating storm that came towards her home town made her want to vomit in a way. It made her want to cry. It made her want to just die already at how things have just changed. It was disgusting. So disgusting that she just couldn't take it anymore, she had to close her eyes. And through the sound of winds blowing harshly around her, she replied to Chloe with a quiet no.
"What?!" The teen asked out loud, causing the other teen to turn to her with a face of horror mixed with anger.
"Chloe," She called out. "I won the everyday hero contest for one reason. And it's not because of those stupid photos!" She shouted to the top of her lungs while waving around the picture of the blue butterfly she had, the one that caused all of this, in front of the blue haired in rage. She had so much rage though that in just seconds, she tore the picture in half to her friend's surprise. "Damn it, it was because I have a gift. And that gift wasn't time travel. It was the fact that I am a hero. I'm everyone's hero... I'm your hero... And that's why I can't do this."
"Max, yes you can. It's easy, you can just-."
"Too late. I tore it up. And besides, I have to do what my heart is telling me to."
"Max, w-what are you saying?" Chloe asked in a shaking voice, but Max was too busy looking at the ground, thinking to herself. Soon, the brunette didn't have to say anything. The blue haired could already tell what she was thinking. Or at least get a clue as to what it was. And it wasn't a good one at all since it made her eyes wide in horror and her mouth suddenly drop to the floor. She couldn't do it, she thought. She just couldn't. So she grabbed her friend by the shoulders and yelled out, "You are not going to do this! I won't let you!"
"It's the only way, Che. Besides, the storm is not that far away. But it will definitely give me enough time to help everyone else."
"But Max! What about you- W-What if this doesn't work!?"
"It will. I promise."
"No it won't! I know how these things go down and they're not good at all! Think about this- Think about the state you are putting yourself in!"
"I am," Max smiled at Chloe, causing her to be lost into her eyes one last time by the shade of blue they gave off. The feeling of determination it had too. But not of happiness at the minute. Just of sadness and guilt. Before she could convince her one more time, the brunette touched the teen's face lightly and continued, "Chloe, you have to let me do this."
"Please," The blue haired pleaded with watery eyes. The ones that made Max just want to do the same, yet she didn't. She just kept her smile on. "Rachel left me. And I can't lose you as well."
"Chloe... You will never be alone. I'll always be with you. I let you go once, and I'm not going to do it again. I know this will be critical. But I have to do this. For Warren. For Victoria. For Nathan. For that fuck, Mr. Jefferson... And for you. the one I have always loved."
The teen couldn't take anymore. She had finally broke down into tears at what was about to happen. She let the water work down her cheeks and onto the already soaked ground below with quiet whimpers. She pleaded in a stutter, "Max, please. I-I-."
But before she could continue, her speech was cut off by a pair of lips. Max's lips. And it formed into a kiss. But not one that was only meant to be for a dare. No. This kiss was more better then the last one as it was filled with passion and care. But at the same time, filled with sorrow. Angst. Grief. Yet, they didn't care because the kiss went on for a little longer until Max broke it softly and whispered, "I have to go. They need me..."
With those last words, Chloe wiped her eyes and tried to stay confident for her friend even though this was going to be the last time she would see her. She held up a smile on her face and whispered back, "Good luck. Super Max."
"I'll need it... Goodbye..."
"... Goodbye..." With that, the girls parted their ways as Max ran down the hill and into the town below that was getting closer and closer to the storm. But she didn't care. She had people to save. People who needed her. So she ran through the screaming crowd of people and did her best to calm them down. Which didn't work until Chloe's step father had helped with a simple gunshot. After telling them an idea she had, the citizens didn't even try to argue about it. Instead, they did exactly what she said and followed her to Blackwell high school.
To the buses.
When everyone made it in one peace, the brunette told the principal that it would be smart if they were to use all their buses to get out of the town and use the big bumblebee like vehicles to get out of the place. He almost argued until the people of Arcadia Bay and their mayor argued that he was acting rude and wouldn't do so. So what did they do. Well, what goes around comes around. The Mayor made the police snatch the keys to the transportation and drove almost all the citizens out of the town. Justice was served. And Max liked it.
That was until she heard a male scream from a far. She followed the source of sound only to find herself entering the boys dorm and stopping at the restroom, where the callings of help continued to go on and on. There was someone trapped in the chaos and she had to get them out of there anyway possible. She just had to. So she kicked the door, which didn't work at all, just hurt her foot. But that still didn't that stop her from trying to do so again and again. She kept kicking and kicking until the door finally fell down to her surprise and out came the boy who was trapped.
Warren, in a cold sweat.
"Are you okay, Warren?!" She asked, earning a nod from him.
"I'm fine. I was just trying to see if anyone else was in trouble but. I guess I locked myself in the bathroom. Heh heh."
"Yeah. Um, there's one more bus about to leave, maybe you should get on it."
"I will. Are you gonna come with me?"
"No. I-," Max almost told Warren about what she was going to do until it hit her head like a brick that if she did, he would try to stop her. And she really didn't feel like stopping at the minute. She really had to finish all of this. And she wasn't in the mood for any more protests. To save time and her cover, she told him, "I'm gonna see if there's anyone else in the building. You just get on that bus quickly."
"But-."
"NOW, WARREN!" With only that certain outburst, the boy ran right outside to the others and headed for the exit of Arcadia Bay. Max ran around the school as fast as she could for any students. There was none to her surprise but relief. So she headed for the next location. The town. She dashed through the wreckage to see if anyone else was stuck in a tough pickle. But no one was in sight. That was until a certain dirty blonde called out loud for help through the roars of lighting around both of them. And that dirty blond was none other then.
Joyce Price, Chloe's mom.
And she seemed to be stuck between the sign of her diner and the ruble underneath her. Max had no choice but to check it out. So she ran towards the woman to check out the scene. There was no blood, thank god. But it looked like it would be a huge problem for her to get her out of this situation. But hey. It wouldn't hurt to try right. Besides, this was her best friend's mother after all. She had to get hurt out of here. She just had to.
"Oh Max! Thank god you're still here. I need to get out of this!" The lady stated out loud in horror to the teen while trying to get out of the tight spot, only resulting in loud screeches of pain.
"Don't move," Max told her in a calm tone. "I'll get you out of this." Joyce said thank you a couple of times as the teen tried her best to lift up the sign on top of the lady. It seemed like a problem for how much it actually weighted. To be honest, she thought she could never get the mother of Chloe out of the chaos. But never say never. She just couldn't give up. This was her best friend's mother for Christ sakes! So she continued to put all of her muscle into holding up the sign, until she was able to get it up to a reasonable height and help Joyce out. The two shared a hug before Max pulled away quickly and yelled, "The storm is getting closer and I bet David is still here. I need you to get to the school asap and find him."
"But what about you?"
The brunette looked down for a second before answering in a whisper, "I'm not going."
"What?! Max, yes you are! I can get you a ride. David can ride you. Hell, I can call Chloe if she still has her cell and-."
"Please... I. I need to see if everyone is really out of town. I-I need to do something before I go! And all I need for you to do is not care about where I am until the storm is gone."
"But-."
"PLEASE! JUST GO! GO FIND CHLOE AND DAVID AND GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Joyce stared at the young girl in shock from her outburst. But at this moment, she had to ask herself. What else could she possibly do to convince her? To convince everyone? She could tell she was hurting. But she could also tell that Max really had something to do. Something. Personal. Even though it broke her heart, she hugged the teen quickly and yelled before walking away, "Please be safe!"
"I will!" With that, a police car finally came to the lady's aid. David's police car. Max couldn't see but they were having a conversation. And she could tell it was about her. She could tell David wanted the girl to come along, but his wife told him not to and just to drive away. He almost protested until the brunette called out to them, "I'll be fine!... And Joyce, David. Tell Chloe that everything will be okay. And. That I love her..."
"I will," The woman replied one last time before she drove out of Arcadia Bay along with all the other citizens.
This was it. The town was finally abandoned. Forgotten. And only one teenager. Max Caulfield. Stayed there to look at the storm face to face. This was her destiny. For all of her anger and determination to be put into this one natural disaster. To be hit by her emotions in one single swap of a tornado. She would think Karma really kicked her in the ass this time. But instead. This felt. Good. It felt refreshing. She was ready for the consequences. She was ready for this moment.
She was ready to die.
And before she died, all she could do was close her eyes, breath in and out slowly.
And sing one last song...
Unforgettable
That's what you are,
Unforgettable
Tho' near or far.
Like a song of love that clings to me,
How the thought of you does things to me.
Never before
Has someone been more...
Unforgettable
In every way,
And forever more
That's how you'll stay.
That's why, darling, it's incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am
Unforgettable, too.
Unforgettable
In every way,
And forever more
That's how you'll stay.
That's why, darling, it's incredible
That someone so unforgettable
Thinks that I am
Unforgettable, too.
"Good bye, Arcadia Bay. Good bye, guys. Good bye...
Chloe..."
Don't worry, there's still more and I promise it's not sad at all! Epilogue coming soon... :)