The crickets chirped quietly into the night. Planet of the Apes played on like a familiar friend. The air surrounded the viewers with heavy silence. Two figures sat silently in a blue SUV.
It had been a week since Chloe Price was shot. She was the blue haired wild child. Warren distinctly remembered her as a character in Arcadia Bay, notorious for screwing around and vandalizing school property. He had no recollection of ever holding a conversation with her, but he knew enough to tell that Max was in love with her.
Warren glanced nervously at his companion. The movie was one of his all-time favorites, but he couldn't tell if Max was genuinely interested or if she was just being nice by coming.
Her eyes were closed but she kept a tight grip on his hand. She was curled up onto the seat of his car and he didn't move in case he startled or worse, woke her up from her sleep.
Had she always been this small? Since when had they started holding hands?
He deduced that it must've been from when she was about to drift off. He remembered how much Max had cried since Chloe's death. How many sleepless nights she had and the hurricane of tearful calls he received from her about her ghastly nightmares.
She was always raving about 'time travel' and how she couldn't save Chloe, even when she had the 'powers'. The doctors all told her that she was just suffering from trauma. After all, she did witness the murder of her best friend.
He knew better than to vocally support her. Deep down however, he embodied a strange illogical inclination to believe her.
His favorite character Taylor was on trial by an ape tribunal, but for some reason he could not tear himself away from Max's face.
She seemed so peaceful.
Carefully and gently, he reached out with his other hand to brush a lock of hair that had fallen over her face.
Had she always been this beautiful?
'Dammit!' someone screamed.
Warren jerked, shaking Max awake at the same time.
The trucker next to them opened his car door to pour out his spilled drink.
'Sorry I woke you,' Warren said hastily. 'I was surprised by the guy…' He trailed.
'No worries Warren,' Max smiled and put a finger to her lips. 'Thanks so much for being with me through all this too', she gave his hand a little squeeze.
Then she shot him a guilty sideways glance. 'Also, sorry about falling asleep.'
How could he be angry with a face like that?
'Nahh it's all good,' He grinned. 'I must've had some magic in me or something to let you sleep'. There was a pause. 'After all those nights when you couldn't I mean' he added quickly.
'You are magic, Warren' She declared. Max didn't miss a beat.
That was what he loved about her. She never mocked his lame jokes but always laughed with him instead. Her words had a certain kindness toward him in anything and everything that was talked about.
Perhaps that was all that was needed. A solid friend.
Even 10 years later, when Stella Hill became the one he kissed every night, he never forgot his beloved friend Maxine.