A/N I decided to write this purely fluff two shot because after episode four, everyone needs some light-hearted cuteness.
"Goddammit Chloe, don't be such a pain." Max whined, practically dragging the punk behind her. Chloe huffed, stomping her feet in an attempt to delay the inevitable. The duo were on their way to the diner. Though it seemed that the small walk from the parking lot to the front door was going to take years with the way Chloe was acting. Luckily it was warm for mid-February, but staying outside was something Max wanted no part in.
"But they're not even my friends!" Chloe grumbled, huffing like a petulant child. Max just rolled her eyes at the immature display. She was excited to introduce Chloe to some of her friends. Hopefully all would go well and everyone would love her. Chloe was normally stoked to meet new people so her sudden reluctance made absolutely no sense.
Chloe didn't want to annoy the brunette, she was just nervous. What if her friends didn't like her? Would Max just ditch her and hang out with them instead? It was stupid to be so scared about such an unlikely scenario, Chloe knew that. But knowing that it was ridiculous didn't take her anxiety away.
"No, they're my friends, but I would like them to be yours too." Max came to stop in front of the blue haired teen, looking at her with poorly veiled confusion.
"C'mon Girl Wonder, what's up?" Chloe's eyes darted down to the hand wrapped tightly in her own, before looking up into blue eyes.
"N-nothing. Let's go." Before the nerves returned, Chloe made her way to the door, pulling Max behind her by the hand. The photographer took the lead once they entered the diner, leading Chloe to a booth that had two patrons sitting in it.
"Maximum Overdrive!" A brown haired boy cheered, instantly shooting up and pulling Max into a hug. The girl he had been sitting next to smiled at the interaction before her gaze landed on Chloe.
The punk watched as the boy, Warren, squeezed Max before pulling away with a blush. He leaned close to the photographer, whispering something in her ear that lead her to glance over at Chloe. Pink flooded Max's cheeks as she playfully pushed his shoulder. Chloe glared at the duo for a couple moments before noticing she was being watched. The punk dropped her gaze to her boots, kicking her foot around before crossing her arms and meeting the quiet girl's gaze.
"Yo... Kate, right?" It felt like the girl was trying to figure her out, her gaze seemed scrutinizing and contemplative. Chloe wasn't sure how to react to the look she was getting so she chose to ignore it.
"Yeah, you must be Chloe. Nice to meet you." Kate was definitely soft spoken, her voice soothingly gentle.
"You too." Chloe rubbed her bare arm, sitting across from the girl and choosing to ignore the loser that was probably hitting on Max. Kate smiled, her face inviting. It was interesting how warm the girl was, considering all the shit she had gone through.
"So, uh, Maximus told me you and her go out for tea sometimes?" Awkward topic but better than silence or hitting a touchy subject. The girl seemed to light up at the choice in conversation, telling Chloe about the tea shop she would drag Max to and what kind of tea was her favorite. Tea was not something Chloe enjoyed, but she didn't have the heart to tell Kate that.
"Max mentioned that you like skating?" Kate piped up after it seemed Chloe had become lost while talking about different types of teas and their uses.
"Oh hella yes!" Chloe grinned wide, she loved discussing skateboarding. It was one of the reasons she still talked to Justin. Chloe rambled about skateboarding, oblivious to the other two joining them at the table. Max rolled her eyes at the skateboarder but smiled wholeheartedly at her enthusiasm. Skating was one of the few things Chloe still loved from their childhood. At least there was something besides Rachel Amber and weed that made Chloe happy.
"And like Trevor can't tre flip, but he tries anyway and he busts himself right in the nuts." Warren laughed at the story while Kate smiled, obviously lost. Max just looked at Chloe with a small grin.
"I've seen him rack himself so many times it's not even funny anymore." Warren spoke, adding to the conversation. Kate nodded, obviously unsure what she could add to the odd topic. Max shook her head, deciding to talk about photography for a while so Kate could contribute.
"I took so many pictures yesterday. Kate, do you wanna see them? I need your professional opinion." Kate smiled at Max's help, she knew the brunette was just trying to change the subject to things she understood and she genuinely appreciated it. Max laid her photographs out on the table, there were some of Chloe, some of both of them and other random subjects.
"Wow Max, this one's really good." It was a photo of a rabbit sitting under a rotten log in the woods where Chloe had taken her hiking the day before. Chloe looked at the pictures all over the table before her eyes settled on Max. She loved when people talked photography to her best friend. A twinkle would come to Max's eye as she talked lighting, and shot dimensions.
"You can have it if you want. This one's my favorite." Max looked around on the table for said picture but Chloe was distracted. Anytime Max talked about her passion she became infinitely more attractive to the punk. She briefly wondered if Max had been thinking the same thing when she was discussing skateboarding earlier but quickly dismissed the thought.
She was brought out of her thoughts by a nudge to her shin. Her eyes darted away from the side of Max's head to meet Warren's deep brown eyes. He covertly nodded towards Max, who she realized was talking to her.
"-one's your favorite, Chlo?" Max turned to look at her, a brow raised in question.
"Uh…" She didn't want to say she hadn't been paying attention and insult Max; so she quickly scanned the table, grabbing a random photo of her and Max before smirking. "This one." The brunette rolled her eyes, gently backhanding Chloe's shoulder.
"You ass, you're just saying that because it was my favorite." Warren tried to cover his laugh with a cough but one look at Chloe's face assured him he had failed. She glared openly at the boy before meeting Max's eyes again and putting her arm around the smaller girl.
"You're my favorite." So it wasn't Chloe's best comeback, but it did cause Max to blush and scoff so she considered it a victory. Warren shared a look with Kate as if saying I told you so before looking back at the duo across from him. He grabbed a photo of sticks and rocks, saying it reminded him of the Blair Witch movie.
The group conversed about movies for a while after that, Warren's eyes hardly ever straying from Chloe whose eyes never left Max. Max wasn't sure why he was so enamored with the punk but figured he would tell her eventually.
"Hey, we should go to the movies. I mean, assuming you ladies want to?" Warren stated with a grin, happy when everyone nodded in agreement. Joyce took care of the bill for them as celebration for Chloe making some 'respectable looking friends' and they were free to leave. As soon as they made it to the parking lot, they split into two groups.
"Warren is acting so damn weird, isn't he?" Max asked, pulling the door closed. Chloe glanced over at the photographer, shrugging.
"I don't really know him Super Max. For all I know, he's always high." Chloe shrugged, starting her truck and focusing on driving to the small movie theater.
"Maybe, or maybe he likes you." She didn't need to look over to know Max was wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Chloe snorted, she knew there was no way in hell Warren was crushing on her.
"Bullshit dude, he is way too into you. I'm pretty sure he's just waiting for me to leave so he can steal you away and marry you. Just think, you'd be Max Graham... Mrs. Warren science-nerd Graham, that's you." Max shot the punk an unamused glance before shaking her head.
"You're calling Warren a science nerd? Do you own a mirror?" Chloe simply shrugged, knowing the statement was true. Science was the only class she had ever liked and she wasn't ashamed to admit it.
"Touche, Time tripper, touche." The conversation died out after that, the truck housing the comfortable silence. Max focused out the window, thinking about what Warren had whispered in her ear. She is definitely cool enough for you, and hot. You should ask her to the drive in sometime. We could double date, or maybe I'll ask her.
Though the idea of having a double date with someone who used to be enamored with her was awkward beyond measure, it was a solid suggestion. And since Warren had started going out with Brooke more, the two seemed to really hit it off. Yet he still seemed to like Chloe.
"Yo, space cadet, we're here." Chloe spoke, her hand gently shaking Max's shoulder. The photographer looked around to see the familiar lights of the cinema just outside the truck. Ignoring Chloe's questioning gaze, she quickly unbuckled and left the vehicle.
Blue eyes watched the hasty exit, the punk wondering if she had said something to offend her friend. She replayed the conversation in her head, trying to find the moment that made Max so silent only to come up blank.
With a groan, Chloe took her keys from the ignition, grabbed her hoodie from the back and joined the group. She immediately noticed the stare down between Max and Warren, Kate looking fairly amused from the sidelines.
"What up?" Chloe questioned, pulling her sweatshirt on as she looked over at the reserved girl.
"They're arguing over which movie to watch. Warren wants a sci-fi movie and Max wants to see a comedy. I don't mind what we watch." Kate filled her in quickly and as soon as the words left her mouth, the punk was being cornered by the boy and her best friend.
"Come on Chloe, tell him we should see a comedy. I know you love comedies." Max stared up at her with big doe eyes and a pouted lip.
"No way. Max told me you love science! You can't impune science." Warren added his own pout to the equation and Chloe smirked at the absurdity of it all. It was nice to worry about the small things again, as opposed to life threatening storms and murderers. Though, Warren had another thing coming if he thought she would vote against her Max.
"Comedy it is." Chloe grinned as Warren's face crumpled in defeat and Max beamed up at her. What she didn't expect was the hand that gripped her necklace and pulled her down. She furrowed her brows at a smiling Max, about to ask what was happening when soft lips quickly pressed against her cheek. When the brunette pulled away and released her, Chloe stayed hunched over, her face a bright red. When had Max become so hella smooth? She quickly shook off her stupor, standing straight as she followed the others into the theater.
"Hey Max, why don't you and Kate get the seats and Chloe and I can grab the popcorn?" The punk shrugged when Max looked nervously over at her.
"Don't worry Spider Max I know what you want." She understood why Max seemed hesitant so she offered a confident smirk that seemed to placate the brunette. The four split up, Warren looking over at Chloe curiously.
"You aren't how I thought you'd be when you texted me a few months ago." Warren confessed, looking over at his companion who seemed to be ignoring him.
"What did you expect?" Chloe asked, debating if she wanted to get candy or just popcorn. Max would probably love her if she got the brunette gummy worms. That being the deciding factor, Chloe grabbed them and looked over at the boy.
"I don't know. What'd you think about me before now?"
"Well it was badass you headbutted Nathan that one time. Why? Are you crushing on me or something?" Warren sputtered, his cheeks becoming pink. He scratched the back of his head nervously before awkwardly chuckling.
"No. It's just…" Warren paused, not wanting to bring up Max's obvious crush on the punk. "I have a girlfriend." He amended, looking off to the side. "I just have always been curious about you since Max seemed to be… Fond of you. I think we could be pretty good bros." Warren mentally facepalmed at his awkward ramble but Chloe seemed genuinely amused.
"Dude, I think we became pretty good bros the day you beat the shit out of Nathan, even though Max stopped you." Warren nodded, trying to think of another topic. He didn't really like to remember the time he had hulked out.
"So what's you favorite subject in science?" Nerdy topic change but Chloe didn't seem to mind and they discussed different theories while paying for their snacks.
In the theater, Kate and Max sat in the back row, as close to the middle as they could get.
"So what do you think of Chloe?" Max asked, looking at her companion.
"She's cool. It's surprising you two are so close with how different you are." Kate smiled over at her. "She seems like a good person." Max's face lit up in a grin, she wasn't sure why she was nervous about Kate's opinion but she was. Hearing that she approved made her happy beyond reason.
"She really is." Max agreed, falling into a comfortable silence as some previews played. It wasn't long before Max spotted Warren and Chloe. She waved so they could find her and the duo raced up the stairs, a race Chloe won.
"Nice try dude, but I always win." Chloe grinned as she plopped down next to Max. Warren scoffed but had a smile on his face as well as he took a seat next to Chloe after handing Kate her drink. "Here Maximilian, grape soda cause you're a freak." Chloe handed the girl her cup, a smug smirk on her lips. The photographer watched as Chloe took a drink from her slushie with a raised brow.
"You're one to talk." Max stuck her tongue out, taking a drink of the purple fizzy liquid. Grape soda was the best thing about going to the movies for Max. For some reason it always tasted better. She wasn't surprised to see Chloe still ordered red and blue mixed slushies though. She looked away when Chloe glanced at her from the corner of her eye.
"You'll never guess what else I got." Chloe continued, grabbing onto the package in her pocket. "The best candy in the world. Gummy worms." With that, Chloe pulled out the bag of gummies and offered them to Max.
"No way! You are the best. This is why I keep you around." Max smiled at her friend before opening the pack and grabbing a random worm.
"And here I thought it was my badass attitude and hotness." Chloe scoffed, reaching over to pluck one of the candies from the bag.
"Thank you for my drink Warren." Kate spoke up, smiling at the boy who shrugged it off.
"It's no big deal, everyone needs a drink at the movies." The four were rather quiet afterwards, only talking to comment about an upcoming movie.
When the movie finally started, Chloe tried her best to focus on it but it's attempts at humor just weren't to her taste. She took to periodically looking at Max from the corner of her eye. Taking in all the small details. The way Max's face lit up when she laughed, or how serene her smile was when she was just slightly amused. Or how her brows immediately furrowed when an action scene began. The brunette was so beautiful even when she wasn't trying to be.
Naturally, she noticed right away when Max seemed to huddle in on herself, goosebumps barely visible in the dimly lit room. Without so much as a thought, Chloe shed her hoodie, immediately becoming aware of the coolness of the theater. It was chilly, but bearable. She quickly handed the article of clothing to Max who jumped at the unexpected contact. Blue eyes darted from the sweatshirt to Chloe and back.
"Go ahead, you're hella cold." The punk reassured. Max pulled on the hoodie, not minding the way her hair stood up with static.
"Thanks Chloe." Max whispered, pulling the hood into place and burrowing into the fabric. She tried not to notice the way it was still warm or how it smelled like Chloe.
The punk enjoyed seeing Max in her clothes more than she probably should have. There was something adorable about the way the clothing dwarfed Max despite their only slight size differences. Staring at her best friend wearing her clothes was cliche and she would deny doing it later, but in that moment Chloe didn't care.
Warren watched the two with a quirked brow. How could Max not feel the holes being drilled into the side of her head? Chloe changed into whole different person when she was looking at Max. She no longer seemed like a pissed off rebellious teen. Her lips wore a gentle smile and her eyes were impossibly soft.
If love could be described with a single expression, it would be that kind of look. It was unbelievable that Max and Chloe were so oblivious to the other's feelings. He should probably drop a hint to Max sometime, otherwise they would never figure it out. That thought in mind, he turned his attention back to the movie.
As the end credits rolled, Chloe quickly stretched, trying to play it cool. Warren flashed her a knowing smile before shaking his head, ignoring the finger she gave him. The four discussed the movie, and despite the boy's best efforts to cover for her, it was still abundantly clear Chloe had not paid attention.
"It's almost midnight, we'll have to sneak back into Blackwell." Kate piped up with a glance down at her phone. Chloe mentally thanked the girl for saving her from answering Max about why she didn't watch the movie.
"No problem, Max Payne and I are pros at this!" Chloe said, throwing an arm around the brunette and pulling her into her side. She smiled down at the shorter girl who shook her head.
"Oh yeah you delinquent, that's something we should be proud of."
"Well it is kind of cool." Warren piped up, shoving his hands into his pockets and grinning. He had never had rebel friends so it was a nice change of pace to be around someone like Chloe. Most of his friends followed all of the rules, all the time. And while Warren didn't think of himself as a bad boy, he did like the idea of breaking the rules every once in a while.
"See? Even Warren approves." Chloe beamed, throwing a thumbs up to the boy who returned the gesture with a laugh. It seemed as though the two got along better than Max could've predicted.
"Fine, but let's not sneak into the pool again, deal?" Max asked, shrugging off Chloe's arm and walking ahead with Kate.
"Don't make that face, you loved it!" Chloe shouted after her, walking at a slower pace with Warren. The boy actually turned out to be really cool, despite their initial rivalry. She was sure the boy would have harbored a grudge over Max kissing her all those months ago, and her gloating text, but it seemed he didn't remember it.
"You two do a lot of cool stuff. Was that the reason she texted me about blowing up doors?" Warren remarked, laughing as he remembered getting the text in the middle of the night and how long he sat awake waiting for an explosion. He recalled paying extra attention to the doors the next day, but none seemed any worse for wear.
"Yeah but no need, my step-douche's keys got us into the pool." She still had no idea how much of that week Warren knew about so it was better to play it safe. Warren laughed, a bright smile on his face that made her wonder why Max had decided to turn him down. He was everything a girl could look for in a guy, if Chloe was looking for a guy, which she wasn't.
"You know, you spent all night staring at Max." Warren stated, making a simple observation.
"Dude, the fuck?" Chloe retorted, as eloquent as always. Surely there was a better way to respond but she couldn't come up with anything witty. She ignored how hot her face felt, choosing to focus on glaring daggers at the boy.
"Not judging, just something I noticed. Does she know?" Warren raised his hands in surrender, stopping so their conversation couldn't be overheard by the other two girls. The punk groaned when she realized he wouldn't just let it go. Cold brick dug into her clothed shoulder as she leaned against the theater. She fixed him with an defensive glare.
"Know what?"
"We both know you're too smart to play dumb." Warren spoke low, his face very serious. It was almost a compliment if he hadn't been scolding her. Chloe briefly wondered why she felt the need to discuss this with him at all, she could just kick his ass and move on.
"Fine.. But if you say one word of this to her, I will kick you right in the dick…" She narrowed her eyes at the boy who shook it off.
"I promise. Not a word, go on." He urged, glancing behind Chloe to see Kate and Max talking next to his car a good distance away.
"She doesn't know. I don't want to do anything weird." She means too much to me. Chloe added in her head, not wanting to completely let it all out in front of Warren. Part of her was slightly wary of the boy.
"Why not?"
"I've known her for forever dipshit, I'd rather not fuck it up." Chloe griped, folding her arms and glaring away from the boy. Warren watched as Max glanced over at them, obviously wondering why they had stopped.
"I get it, I really do. I went through the same thing." The boy chuckled humorlessly, his eyes staying on the photographer. When Max waved uncertainly, he returned the gesture with a thumbs up. "Granted, Max and I were friends for only a month before I decided to make a move."
"Your month's got nothing on my years."
"Then look at it this way. You've only known this Max for four months. Isn't that less daunting?" Brown eyes snapped to blue and Warren was relieved she was no longer glaring his way.
"Dude this is how she's always been. Hella cute, nosey and shy. It's not like I ran into a completely different person." It was surprising that such a usually confident person could talk herself out of admitting her feelings for someone.
"If it'll make you feel better, lemme tell you a story... Max rejected me, she flat out refused to date me."
"Gee way to lift my spirits there, champ." Chloe said with an exaggerated eye roll.
"No, listen." Warren's voice was stern, a sound Chloe thought impossible coming from such a meek kid. In fact, it would probably piss her off if she wasn't so shocked. "She told me no, but she still hangs out with me. I know she was oblivious for a while, but she definitely figured out how I felt about her and she is still here." He looked over at the brunette with a smile.
"The thing about Max is she… She doesn't let things like that get in the way of friendship." His eyes didn't stray from the girl in the parking lot. "She's my best friend. It was my pleasure to have my heart broken by her." Warren added, finally looking over at Chloe, grin still in place.
"Did… Did you just quote the goddamn Fault in Our Stars?" A blonde eyebrow arched at the boy, Chloe looking physically offended. "Dude don't make this gay." She halfheartedly pushed the boy's shoulder, unable to stop the laugh that bubbled out of her. Warren chuckled as well, happy to lighten the mood.
"I might've quoted it, but you knew the quote!"
"I read the book back in junior high for a class, what's your excuse?" Mushy conversation over, the duo began walking once again. Warren shook his head, not wanting to admit he had read the book. When they were a few feet from the others, he laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Think about it, okay?" Chloe met his eyes with a shrug.
"Yeah whatever." With that, they made it to Kate and Max who looked between the two with curious expressions.
"What were you two talking about?" Kate spoke, looking to Warren for an answer. Max kept her gaze fixed on Chloe, wondering if she had been right about Warren's crush. It seemed unlikely but she wasn't sure.
"He needed advice with his girlfriend." Chloe piped up, putting the boy in a half hearted headlock. "Advice only I, a lady killer, could give him." Warren laughed from his spot against Chloe's shoulder, not even struggling in the punk's grip. She released the boy with a grin, glad he didn't seem to mind the attack.
"Yeah, she was really helpful." Warren added, trying to play along.
"You asked Chloe for… Dating advice? Why?" Max asked, her brows furrowed. Warren paused in answering, trying to think of a way to respond.
"Because I know shit about girls?" Chloe shrugged, playing with her bracelets, feigning disinterest. She could feel Max's gaze on her, the brunette was probably thrown off. It wasn't like Chloe to help someone she didn't even know, or give serious advice.
"Oh. That's cool." Max stuttered out, facing Warren with a huge grin. "So you and Brooke huh?" The boy flushed at the astute observation before nodding. "I figured you two would make a good couple."
"Yes, you're both really good at science so it makes sense." Kate added in with a smile.
"I guess we just have chemistry together." Chloe groaned at the horrid pun while Max and Kate shook their heads with small smiles. The urge to be a smartass was strong, but Chloe reigned it in. She had a good night, she didn't want to hurt his feelings now.
"We should go back to school, but we're so going to talk about this." Max threatened the boy, already taking the steps back towards Chloe's truck. Chloe saluted the duo, joining Max in her truck. As soon as both of their doors closed, the punk could practically hear the thoughts running through the photographer's head.
"Fire away Maxwell, I can feel you thinking." Max sighed, trying to think of something to say only to come up with nothing. Her thoughts seemed all jumbled up, her mind racing. She was happy about Chloe getting on with Warren so easily but also confused.
"I'm just confused about Warren. I'm happy he has someone though. Kind of a bummer he didn't tell me about it." The punk scoffed at her friend.
"Of course he didn't. Girl, you guys have history, he's gotta fly solo for a bit. He'll come around. It's obvious you two are tight." Max reluctantly nodded, her friendship with Warren was very important to her. Perhaps it was unfair to expect him to trust her with his personal life after everything they had been through. After all, she hadn't told him about her time traveling powers.
"I getcha, thanks Chloe." It was silent for a few beats, Chloe's face cycling from curious to determined to unsure before finally settling on apprehensive.
"Hey, just curious, but how come you didn't like Warren… Ya know the way he liked you?" The question threw Max for a few moments as she wondered where it had come from.
"He was nice and all but… I don't know. I guess I never really saw him the way he saw me, does that make sense?" Chloe's nod was hesitant but she seemed to understand nonetheless.
"Yeah, that's how Rachel and I were." A quiet confession, the first time Chloe had mentioned Rachel in weeks. The admission caused a flare of sadness to shoot through Max. Unable to form words, she laid her hand on the punk's shoulder.
Her reassuring smile didn't quite reach her eyes, but then again, neither did Chloe's.
"I'm sorry Chloe." So damn sorry I couldn't save her. Though the words were unspoken, Max believed that Chloe knew. There was nothing to say in light of the tragedy, so Max just settled on being there for support.
"It's not your fault Super Max… You can't save everyone." The entire atmosphere of the truck had shifted. It left Max unable to form any reassurances as Chloe just stared straight out the window and ignored the moisture pooling in her eyes. Rachel had been a good friend, but she wouldn't want Chloe to dwell on it. Maybe it was time to honor Rachel's wishes and let her go. No matter how much time passed, the girl would forever be her angel… One of them anyway.
They made it to Blackwell in silence after that, Chloe and Max both exiting the truck. With a deep breath, Chloe willed her thoughts to more pleasant things.
"I can sneak in myself you know." Max stated with a quirked brow, not sure why Chloe had decided to join her.
"Oh c'mon rebel girl, you'd be caught in a minute flat without my awesome skills." Warren and Kate wandered up to the bickering couple; both looked out of place in the dark campus. If Chloe had to guess, she'd say they had never snuck out in their entire lives.
Sneaking into the dorm area was easy enough, considering there were no drunk principals for them to worry about. A few close calls with David had been enough for Warren to throw himself on the ground in a panic. His antics amused Chloe greatly, while Kate looked as terrified as he did. Max did her best when she tried to assuage their fears, though her attempts mostly fell flat.
"Two roads diverged in a wood." Warren stated, looking towards the door that led to the boys dorms.
"And you're taking the one less traveled by?" Max finished with a grin, one the boy wholeheartedly returned. Chloe scoffed at the dorky banter and rolled her eyes.
"And that has made all the difference. Goodnight Max Frost, you too Kate and Chloe." His eyes locked with Chloe's for a few extra moments before he departed. They watched as he disappeared behind the door before they continued on their way.
Getting to the girl's dorm was quick.
"Thanks for the fun night, I enjoyed it. It was nice meeting you Chloe." Kate's eyes drifted to the blue haired girl who was leaning against Max's door.
"Ditto Kate." Chloe smiled at the shy teen, happy when the girl seemed to return the gesture.
"Good night you two."
"Good night, sleep tight." Max said as Chloe replied with a simple;
"Night."
Kate waved as she entered her room and closed the door behind her. When Max turned around she came face to face with Chloe. The punk held the gaze for a few minutes before shuffling her weight back and forth.
"You gonna open the door, hippie?" Max didn't dignify her with a response, pushing past her best friend to unlock the door and get into her room.
The room was dark and Max seemed content to keep it that way as she flipped on the power bar next to her photo wall. Chloe followed her, glancing around the dimly lit room before falling onto the photographer's couch.
"Chloe, what are you doing?" Max spoke from her spot on her bed.
"It is cool if I crash here right? Or, shit, you probably have classes?" Before the punk could stand up and make a break for the door, Max held up her hands.
"Whoa, you're fine. Geez, since when does Chloe 'Badass' Price care about school?" Max laughed, watching the wheels turn in Chloe's head.
"Since I did a lot of shit to make you almost get expelled." Chloe looked away, eying Max's guitar that sat against one of the armrests. The photographer scrutinized her friend, Chloe acted almost, guilty. She didn't have much to feel guilty over, given that Max had always made her own choices.
"No worries, everything turned out." Max assured, leaning against her pillows with her eyes closed. After all was said and done, she was just happy Chloe was alive and well. For a few moments there, she was terrified that something would happen to make the punk stay dead. Luckily, the worst had not come to pass and they could both continue to live their lives.
"Hella yeah it did." Chloe agreed, glancing over at her best friend before closing her eyes as well. For the first time in years, the punk felt genuinely happy. She was alive, with Max, and life was good.
Life would be better if she would take Warren's advice and stop chickening out but that was a problem for another day. She was very content to just relax with Max again.
"Hey, get your ass up here Price... That's what I was going to say before." Chloe jumped at the sudden command, surprised the brunette would take the initiative to ask her onto the bed. Nevertheless, she picked herself up off the couch and stumbled through the quasi-darkness towards Max. She paused before joining the girl, deciding to poke a little fun at her best friend.
"I think you actually meant to say my cute ass. I mean, have you seen it?" Stupidly confident Chloe was the Chloe Max envied. With Chloe's help, her confidence was building but self assurance doesn't magically appear overnight.
"Oh my sincerest apologies, your hotness. I can't believe I forgot to note how superb your ass is." Chloe didn't need lights on to know Max had a shit-eating grin covering her face. The punk folded her arms, dramatically looking away from the photographer.
"You know you earned brownie points for the suck up, but lost them for being a total smart ass."
"Oh shut up, you love me."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night Caulfield." Chloe choked out, plopping down on the bed and trapping the smaller girl under her. Max didn't even struggle at the weight being placed on her and simply patted the blue haired teen on the head.
"You help me sleep at night… Because I'd rather be unconscious than deal with you." Chloe snorted, positioning herself so she was hovering over her friend in indignant outrage.
"I'll knock you out." Chloe piped, narrowing her eyes.
Max was the first to notice the sudden close proximity. Her heart immediately beating faster, blood rushing to her face as Chloe cluelessly looked down at her. The lamps against the wall next to them cast a romantic light over the duo. Had the circumstances been better, Max would've loved to kiss Chloe and she nearly did when she met adoring blue eyes. Before she could act on her outrageous thought, she turned her eyes towards the wall.
Chloe grinned down at her friend, ready to continue the snark contest when all methods of communication left her brain. It shouldn't have been a big deal. She was just teasing her friend, but that was before the brunette's eyes darted from her eyes to her mouth and back. The idea to kiss Max flitted through her mind like a butterfly. She quickly ignored the thought when the photographer's eyes were abruptly aimed towards the wall. It was an intimate moment, one Chloe was suddenly unsure if Max wanted. Her eyes softened for a brief moment before she pushed herself off her friend and against the wall. Her back hit the wall with a loud thunk.
"Goddammit."
"Karma's revenge." Max laughed despite the punk's very heated glare. "And I didn't even have to do anything." She continued, sticking her tongue out at the older girl who pouted.
"Yeah but you could've helped a sista out by rewinding, asshole." Chloe sulked, turning to face the wall.
"You are such a baby today." Max snarked, immune to the punk's high jinks. "Oh no, looks like Chloe needs a hug." The photographer cooed, wrapping her arms around the brooding skater. She hugged the girl close, burying her nose against Chloe's form fitting t-shirt.
"You're shorter than me Caulfield, you don't qualify for the big spoon position." Chloe mumbled against the sheets. Her protests were weak as she found it very relaxing to be held by her best friend.
"Damn, how will I survive?" Max quipped, pressing her forehead into the back of the punk's neck. Her mood shifted from playful to serious in seconds. "I'm…" The brunette paused, eyes clenched shut and grip tight. She was struck with the urge to show her best friend affection, to let her know they were both alive and okay. "I'm so glad you're alive." Her shaky words caused the punk to try to twist in her grip, an action Max did not allow.
"Max." The name spilled from Chloe's lips before she could stop it. "C'mon Max, loosen the death grip… Pretty please." The moment the brunette let up, Chloe rolled over. Her arms wound around Max's shoulders as the hug was returned.
"Chloe." Max whispered, trying to swallow the lump in her throat, her breath hot against the skater's sternum.
"I'm here Max, I'm not going anywhere." Chloe promised, trying to ease her friend's doubts.
"I'm not either Chloe. I'm never, ever, leaving you. If you go, I go. Anywhere." The words Chloe wanted to hear five years prior had finally been spoken. A mere whisper against her chest in the middle of the night that echoed in the punk's ears for moments long after she had fallen asleep.