Second Date
Two Whales Diner was currently in the midst of a breakfast rush. Chloe, having the day off, had reluctantly agreed to meet Rachel Amber at her place of employment as a neutral ground for the one subject Chloe could not seem to stop asking about. It's been days, Max. Why the fuck haven't I seen you again? Why have you only sent me a few texts? Fuck my life, nerd, you better get that cute lil ass of yours in hella gear tonight!
"Soooo," Chloe cleared her throat as she returned her attention to Rachel and the bacon omelet on her plate, "Um, how is she?"
"How's who?" Rachel Amber asked with a sickly-sweet voice, teasing a bit as she innocently picked at her Belgian waffle with a fork while intermittently sipping her coffee.
"Um…," Chloe started, caught off-guard until she saw Rachel's neutral expression crack from a stifled snicker, "Fuck you, too. You know who I mean, asswipe."
"Max? You're asking me about Max, aren't you?" Rachel's feigned tone of exasperation only succeeded in getting a frustrated sigh from Chloe and a slump of the bluenette's shoulders.
"It's been a week, dude. I told her I'd give her some time to process, but holy fuckballs. A week? After…after everything, she just shut down and bailed. Again. One text in a week, Rach. One."
"D'aww, Chlo-Chlo is crushing hella hard, huh?" Rachel asked, a concerned smile on her face as she downed the cup of coffee, "Max's switch flips back and forth as much as yours does. You two go from being apart for five years with super-sized drama and feels only getting bigger to making out and being dorks for nearly an entire weekend. She's taking everything in. Also, it's been a kinda hard week for the little nerd. School does not come as easily to her as you and I, Chloe. She's processing in her own, albeit different, way."
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked with a mouthful of eggs and bacon, her brow furrowed in curious puzzlement, "By the way, I like to think I process just fucking fine. Thanks for that, dude."
"Yeah, we're great fucking role models, Chlo. We get high and turnt when it gets to be too much. Max does that, too, but more as recreation," Rachel told Chloe, reaching over to playfully jab a finger in the bluenette's cheek. "Don't fucking pout, whiner. Look, you want to see how she works through things? I want to help you. Want, not have to, so I'll totally hook you up."
Chloe's eyes lit up in delight before she retreated behind her mask of cool and collectedness, eyeing Rachel warily out of habit. Dude, if you are playing with me I swear you will never get any weed from me EVER AGAIN. Knowing she had a metaphorical ace up her sleeve, Chloe relaxed a bit into the seat with arms crossed.
"Yeah, pssh. Okay. Cool," Chloe said, her voice stiff as the forced calm wavered under Rachel's watchful eye.
"You sure you want to? I don't think you could process how Max deals with stuff. She's not the little kid you remember," Rachel's protective tone caught Chloe by surprise. I had no clue you and Maxaroni were that close, Rach. You don't talk this way about anyone except for Kate and me. Well, us and Max now…I guess…
"Challenge accepted, dude. I am hella down for any and all activities," Chloe said, her tone shifting into one of supplication at the sight of Rachel's incredulousness, "Unless it involves a complete abstinence of beer, weed, and donuts. Also, kisses and potential sex."
"Potential sex?"
Ugh, that's not what I meant, Rachel. Like, I dunno, future kissing and shit like that. Dude, you know I'm not the best at talking about this kind of crap," Chloe pulled at her beanie, a nervous tic she didn't seem to notice, "Besides, it's Max. I don't see the little hippie getting into too much trouble, even with you as one of her partners in crime."
Chloe was preoccupied getting her wallet out so she didn't see Rachel bite her lip to stifle the laugh trying to come out. Dropping a $10 on the table for her mom, waving at Joyce as she left with Rachel in tow, Chloe scratched at her beanie before taking it off and quickly running a hand through her dyed hair. It's cooler out than usual today, Chloe thought, Hella cool. I wonder if Max is cold, if she's wearing those same hoodies she used to all the fucking time. Little nerd waltzing about like, well, a cutie. Ugh, what the fuck am I saying? Chloe, you need to chill and let Max come to you.
While her blind date with Max had ended on a rather high note, the girls reconnecting somewhat with heartfelt kisses and a conversation that lasted well into the next morning and a weekend of intermittently meeting back up, the text Chloe had received on Monday morning had been far more reserved. Chloe had nearly cussed her phone out by the time their exchange of words reached the end of its course.
Max: Chloe. You there?
Chloe: For you? Hella yes
Max: we need to talk
Chloe: shit
Max: it's…it's not BAD, Chloe
Max: I just...
Max: I need some time and space to process all this
Max: You tell me you loved me after I kissed you, we spend a chunk of the evening bickering and making out, another evening bantering and playing around, then finish off Sunday with one more make-out sesh and touchy-feely bonding. I never thought you'd talk to me again, much less a confession and kisses. Need some serious time to sort this shit out.
Max: Still want to believe, tho
Chloe: so you don't trust me just yet. That it?
Max: finish reading my texts before you speak, dork. Your text etiquette is ass-like
Chloe: Oh…uh, sorry.
Max: wowsers, you still speak before you think
Chloe: Hey! You're fucking mean, Max. I miss my shy friend who played pirates with me…
Max: Look, give me time and you can have a hella lot more of mine. K?
Chloe: sure, Max. Whatevs.
Max: Ugh. TTYL Chloe
Yeah, and a week later you haven't said shit, Chloe thought as she climbed into her truck. I'm here in Arcadia Bay and you're at fucking Blackwell. It's not rocket science or quantum physics, Max. You're avoiding me. While Chloe couldn't blame the freckled brunette for needing time, barely even hearing from Max for the past week had begun to irritate the bluenette to no end. Chloe felt Max was purposefully avoiding Arcadia Bay and pointedly her. That, or Max was intentionally avoiding the places she knew Chloe went to. Looking over at Rachel as the other girl climbed into the truck's cab, Chloe wondered if her best friend was helping the brunette avoid her. Et tu, Rachel? Et fucking tu? Either way, Chloe's pissed demeanor had weaned Kate off of her company and now a forlorn Rachel typically showed up by herself whenever they hung out.
"Hey," Chloe said as she strapped herself into the truck's seating, looking over at Rachel in sudden realization, "Where are we headed? I do have to know something of the deets, Rach."
"Bay Gym," Rachel said with an amused look and equally amused tone, "Max is usually there on Saturday mornings."
"Jazzercisin' it up, eh?"
"…Something like that…," Chloe heard Rachel say as she pulled out of the diner's parking lot.
"Um… Where is that, exactly?
"If you're going to leave yourself open like that, you're gonna have a bad time." Laughing at her own joke, Max was on an adrenaline high as she sparred at Bay Gym.
Max Caulfield bounced on the balls of her feet, hopping back a few paces to miss the right hook aimed in her direction after connecting a jab to her sparring partner's face. Getting a little too cocky for her own good, the feeling of a fist colliding with Max's ribcage sent all thought out of her head with a violent exhalation of breath. Tensing her abdominal muscles a second too late, the hit shook her hard instead of what could have been a slightly milder impact.
Max Caulfield took the punch to her side with a wince and guarded the ribs on her left side a little more, jarred from the sudden lack of air more than anything else. Wowsers, you hit like someone took a sandbag and swung it right into me. This isn't Fist of the North Star, asswipe. Grunting as she straightened back up, Max looked across at her sparring partner. That's right. Do your little shuffle. Let Max the Merciless show you how it's done. Snickering at how she was complaining about the taunting after she had just done so a moment before, Max popped her neck with a twist and put both her hands up in a proper her sparring partner on while smiling, Max dodged a few straight jabs before landing a left hook. Having learned her lesson for the time being, Max hit her opponent square in the jaw with a right-handed uppercut. Booyah! Get the ref! Get the water! Get me a fucking smoke!
Max watched her sparring partner backpedal with his chin nearly pointing straight up at the ceiling before falling on his ass. Grunting in appreciation of her successful TKO only to wince as she stretched her bruising side a bit too much, Max felt a hot stickiness from just above her eye before a drop of blood and sweat cascaded directly across her vision. Max groaned and gingerly tapped at the cut from earlier in the practice match while her sparring partner slowly got to his feet. Some bruised ribs, a cut here and there. All in a typical day's practice for Max Caulfield. Dog, I need to get high. Bumping their gloved fists together in mutual respect, Max dropped to the mat and rolled out from under the bottom rope to greet her ringside supporter.
"Max?" Kate Marsh asked, looking up at an irritated Max from ringside with a grin on her face. She had been in Max's corner for every practice as of late, sometimes bringing Rachel along. "You want some water?"
"Why thank you," Max said as she gasped a little from her bruising side, spitting her mouthguard into an empty bucket at her corner before reaching for the offered sports bottle, "Kate Marsh, what would I do without you?"
"Die horribly, with no one to cheer you on despite the inevitable failure."
"Holy shit, you're such a positive influence in my life," Max said with a chuckle before sipping from the provided water bottle, "So, how was I?"
"I think it pays to have a US Marshal as a dad, Max. Didn't even realize you were into this until a couple weeks ago. Is this where you've been going every Saturday morning?" Kate asked, both astonished and concerned at how someone as little as Max could deliver and take such punches.
"Pretty much. I mean, I try to get here as often as I can. Blackwell has a heavy bag and a speed bag in their gym, so I can at least get some practice in on daily basis. This place has an actual ring, though, so I like it here more. When I was in Seattlemy dad wanted me to pick up something more physical so that I could better defend myself. Seattle's great and all, but-"
"It can be a real dickpalooza when it wants to be," Victoria Chase finished, cutting Max off as she approached from the cardio area with a spare towel for her friend, "Remember the first time you actually decked a guy, Max?"
Kate looked back and forth between Max and Victoria with a smirk on her face. This was how it always was for the three of them, finishing each other's sentences and sharing long talks or spending their afternoons in one their dorm rooms or another since getting together at Blackwell. Seeing Kate's curious look and sly grin, Max giggled before looking over to answer Victoria's question with a sigh.
"That was not my fault, Vic! He was scooching up too close in that house show and the music was so loud I totally wasn't able to think straight. Never mind the fact that, hello, I'm not straight. Creepers gonna creep. Skeevy asshole."
"Max, he was trying to get past you so he could use the bathroom. You didn't have to literally beat a boy away," Victoria said, laughing while holding onto her side, "He…wow, look who Rachel dragged along…"
Max spun around toward the front entrance to see Rachel pulling a despondent Chloe Price along. Chloe?! H-Holy shit…I look like a, well, a b-boxer? Why would you bring her here, Rachel? You trying to make my head explode from embarrassment or something? Crap! Max's shoulders slumped as she turned back to regard the surprised look on Kate's face. Attempting to flee toward the locker room, Max wilted under the gentle hand of Kate Marsh placing itself on her shoulder. Nononono, I don't want her to see me like this! Ugh, this sucks! She's gotta be mad! Fuck!
"At least you had nothing to do with this, right? Right?" Max said, frowning to an apologetic-looking Kate, "Seriously, you and your girlfriend are fucking evil sometimes, Kate."
"Oh my God. Max, I don't think Chloe realizes that you're the one standing with us," Victoria said, leaning over to whisper in Max's ear, "She's fucking checking you out."
Max felt her face get incredibly hot, practically able to feel Chloe's eyes on her, and kept herself turned away from where Rachel and the bluenette stood. She would be lying to herself if she didn't entirely mind it, but it was also making her somewhat uncomfortable. Wowsers, Chloe, I was going to call you today. What, you couldn't wait? Rachel had to stick her fucking nose in something that isn't really her business. I'm the snoop, Rach, not you. Dog! Relinquishing herself from Kate's grip, Max was about to try and make another run for it into the locker room when she heard one of the two approaching gasp. Aw, shit. Her advancement towards the back halted, Max hung her head in defeat as she turned to face a stunned Chloe.
"Max…?" Chloe's bewildered smile only managed to get an irked look from Max before the brunette leveled her intense gaze at Rachel.
"You and I will talk back at school, Rachel Amber," Max warned, waving her boxing glove with a still-taped hand before addressing the bluenette standing before her, "You, on the other hand, can come with me if you want. I need to cool down and take a breather. We can talk some while I'm doing that."
Chloe was flabbergasted, going from not seeing Max in a week to finding her decked out in boxing gear. This is how she deals with her stress and shit? Amazeballs, Max, you're all…umm…, Chloe mused as she felt her face start to warm up. Not realizing she was gawking at the short brunette, Chloe was startled when a finger lightly jabbed her in the shoulder. Seeing Max jerk her head toward a bench set along the back wall, Chloe numbly followed. Max said she just wants to talk and I guess it's just a matter of convenience since I'm already here. This is so fucking cool! Chloe shook her head at the thought of Max fighting in the ring. She wished her and Rachel had made it sooner, Max having just finished a bout. Fighting the warmth building in her chest, Chloe remembered that Max hadn't tried to contact her in a week after their not having seen each other for five years. No, Chloe. Be mad, be hurt. You opened up to her and she shut herself away. Again! She's…oh, fuck, she's so goddamn hot. Max is hot. I'm so screwed…
"Stop leering at me, Chloe, and come the fuck on," Chloe heard Max say with a hand on her hip as they arrived at the shower area.
Chloe sat on the bench with Max sitting alongside, the brunette wiping at her face with a gym towel. I finally get to see her again and of course I have zero clues as to what I should say. Of course. Goddamnit.
"So…you box, huh?" Chloe asked, her voice a little shaky from nerves as she mentally facepalmed, "I'm sorry. Fuck, that was a dumb question."
"It wasn't dumb, Chloe. Not like you've seen me do this before, y'know? You give yourself too much shit," Max's teasingly chided. "Some things never change, I guess. You're always such a hard-ass, trying to look and act all cool when we both know better. Pastel punk. I-I'm sorry for not calling you any this week, okay? I know it was a shit thing to do. It's just...I've just been trying to process our date and last weekend, never mind the feels left open from both of us. I j-just never thought that I would see you again, Chloe."
"I wish you would have texted more than once or twice, Max. You could've come by Two Whales and I'd have hooked you up. I'm wicked on the griddle, yo," Chloe said, her anger dissipating under the weight of Max's crestfallen expression, "C'mon, Mad Max, no pouts. Pouts are bad. If you're gonna pout, do it because you missed me in a uniform. I am hella sexy, after all."
"Guh, what a dork," Max said, the sour mood broken with a snicker as Chloe brought her of the momentary funk. "You work at Two Whales?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Chloe Price…working at Two Whales…"
"I said I did, Max."
"I, heh, I'm just trying to imagine it. You rocking the same outfit as your mom does. Holy balls, you working with your mom on the same day and you're in the same getup…"
"Max…" Chloe's warning tone only succeeded in getting an impish smirk as Max chuckled to herself. Max's increasingly cheerful disposition brightened Chloe's mood a bit, a happier Max being far better to the blue-haired punk than a pissed-off Max.
"That…oh Dog, that is priceless."
"You outgrow so much, Max, and yet the puns remain," Chloe facepalmed, "This is why you have no friends."
"You're an asshole, and I have hella friends," Max said, lightly punching Chloe in the arm before awkwardly giving the bluenette a kiss on the cheek, "I sowwy, Che. I gotta head into the locker room. Wait for me at ringside?"
Chloe mutely nodded, blushing as Max turned and headed through a set of double doors. Getting to her feet, Chloe sauntered over to the corner she'd seen Max at. Chloe paid no attention to the fighters already in the ring as she brushed a finger where Max's lips had connected. She kissed me. Sure, it was on the cheek…but her lips were so warm. She was so hot in those shorts. They look like something more in my taste. Damn, though. No, Chloe, you've got to act chill. Drop your ladyboner down a notch and just enjoy being with her. Getting flustered from the conflicting thoughts and feelings, Chloe pulled out her phone.
"When all else fails, just be yourself," Chloe murmured with a mischievous grin as she began to type.
Chloe: Max!
Chloe: Maximus! I am NOT entertained!
Max: I'm going pee, Chloe! You fuck-ass!
Chloe: heh, send me some dirty pics when ur done
Chloe: pics or gtfo
Chloe: Show me dat sweet booty
Max: ur fuking terrible
Max: How the hell are you taller but not any more mature? Ugh, dirty-minded shithead.
Chloe: dirty pics 4 a dirty grrl! C'mon, show Momma some skin!
Seeing an image file delivered in response, Chloe hurriedly tapped on the small icon to get a shot Max's sweaty gym clothes.
Chloe: wtf
Max: Dirty picture ;P
Chloe: NO EMOJI
Max: pffft, I can knock u teh fuk out.
Max: Don't mess
Chloe: Bring it, tiny. My forearms are longer than your whole body. Come and get wrecked!
"You are incorrigible, Chloe Price!" Max exclaimed as she came from behind, sniggering as the bluenette jumped in response. "Seriously, though. You don't want to fight me. You have no-"
"Dude, I will totally whoop that ass," Chloe cut Max off mid-sentence, ending her retort with a smack on the smaller girl's ass that was loud enough to get them noticed by the boxers currently practicing.
Getting more than a little irked at the sudden attention and the reason behind it, Max shoved Chloe with enough force to surprise the bluenette as she nearly fell over. What the fuck, Chloe?! Seeing Chloe nearly fall backwards, Max grabbed the girl by her jacket's collar and pulled her upright with a strength that only garnered further attention. Seeing the shit-eating grin on Chloe's face as she turned her attention away from the boxers leaving the ring, Max let go of Chloe's jacket and the taller girl landed on her backside with a dull thud.
"Ugh, you suck," Chloe said as she got to her feet. Rubbing a hand on her bottom, Chloe playfully shoved Max before her stomach fell at the sight of Max's menacing grin.
"You want to play with me? Okay, Chloe. Let's play," Max said, tossing a roll of athletic tape at the bluenette's chest, "Do as I do. Wrap it like this. No, like this. Don't be a spaz, Che."
Max bit at her lip while helping Chloe into the ring. Having taped up the bluenette's hands, Max pulled the protective headgear onto Chloe before preparing herself. You're so going down, Chloe Elizabeth Price. Chloe having taken off her boots and jacket, she was bouncing around in the ring in her jeans and tank-top. Always with the damn bouncing, Max though with a stifled groan as she unzipped her hoodie and peeled the sweat-soaked garment off.
"D-Damn, Max. You're fucking sick," Max heard Chloe say, turning around to see the bluenette looking on in admiration.
Wearing only a sports bra and her boxer's shorts, Max's faint six-pack and lean arms flexed as she stretched before putting on her own set of gloves. Smirking at Chloe as she tightened the last glove up, Max came up with an idea.
"Okay, Chloe. Here's how it is going to go down. Three rounds, ninety seconds each. If you can avoid a single punch, you pick what we do tonight-"
"Yes! Date night! Finally!" Chloe's cool demeanor gave way to the idea of spending an evening with Max, both girls giggling at the sudden exuberance.
"Yeah, yeah. A date, with all the trimmings. If you can't knock me down once, though, I get to choose what we're doing. Sound cool?" Max's question ending as she bumped her gloves together and began to bounce in the ring to match Chloe's movements. Now I'm doing it. Great.
Chloe came rushing at Max, throwing all her weight into an awkward swing that her opponent easily dodged. Hearing Max giggle from behind her, Chloe hurriedly ran away as a small gust of air blew across the back of her head. Jesus, she's fast. Ease down, Max Ali! I'm not as pro as you! Turning around to face Max, Chloe let out a gasping squeal before running to another corner of the ring as Max playfully waved a gloved hand in her direction. Wait. Is she toying with me? Are you fucking with me, Max? Imma knock you the fuck out. Taking advantage of Max's playful mood, Chloe feinted running to a third corner and swiped at Max's head. Grazing one of Max's temples, Chloe let out a whooping cry of victory before narrowly dodging a jab. Shit, she's pissed!
I was only fucking around, Chloe, Max thought as she rubbed a gloved hand on the spot where her opponent had managed to connect. Max hadn't taken Chloe seriously because, well, it's Chloe. While she had no doubt that Chloe could take care of herself, Max was in shape and had actual training. The truth is I just don't want to hit you even once. The grin on your face, the look of giddiness in your eyes. You're beautiful, Chloe. You're-
"Ow! Fucking ow! You hib me in de noz!" Max's romantic thoughts disappearing entirely at the impact of Chloe's gloved fist swiping at her face. "How de fuck can you take me out if I haf a broken noz?"
"Max, I'm sorry," Chloe said, immediately regretting what she'd just done. Shit. You look so hurt. Not hurt-hurt, but you look like you might cry. "Please don't be sad Max. I…"
Chloe ran around the ring as Max began to fight more earnestly, not letting the bluenette get a moment's rest. Is it ninety seconds yet? Let it be-
"Quit fucking running!" Max called out, her irritated tone only making Chloe run and dodge with increasing desperation, "Stay still so I can drop you on your ass!"
"Fuck that! You're pissed and I like my ass just the way it is, thank you very much! No deconstructive surgery needed, Dr. Max!" Chloe replied, yelping as Max began to chase after her.
Feeling arms wrap around her from behind, Chloe cried out in utter surprise when Max lifted her off the ground. Let me the fuck down! While she had initially been turned on by the idea of Max all sweaty and fit, the actual reality was much different. Her childhood friend being strong enough to lift Chloe off her feet with a fair amount of ease was alarming to the bluenette in her sudden clarity. Afraid for a moment at what Max might do, Chloe flinched when the brunette dropped her back down and took a swing.
"I'm sorry! Uncle!" Chloe said with eyes closed before feeling a light tap on her nose. Opening her eyes, Chloe watched as Max came within inches of her face and kissed her on the lips. Breaking the kiss out of surprise, Chloe looked at Max in confusion. "Max…?"
"I win," Max said with a crooked grin, "Theater's playing a horror movie marathon. Pizza and some scary movies, Chloe. Get your Pampers ready."
"Noooooo!" Chloe exclaimed, dreading the idea of watching movies she knew would just scare the crap out of her before melting into another kiss from Max. Feeling the brunette roughly pull her close so that they were pressed against each other, the idea of watching nightmare-inducing films suddenly didn't seem so bad. If I get more of this, I guess I can make do. "You suck, Max Caulfield."
"As a matter of fact, I rock. Play your cards right," Max said, suddenly awkward and blushing as she gave Chloe a quick kiss on the lips, "I-I might just rock you."
"Fucking nerd."
"Complete dork."
"Cheater."
"Weak sauce."
"My date!"
"My date!"
Author's Note –
So, part one of this follow-up to Blind Date is done. I'm still working on The World I Used to Know and hope to have the next part of that story up some time next week.
I saw this fan art of Max as a boxer on Tumblr, I can't remember whose it was, and got the idea of Max and Chloe play-fighting only for Max to get serious when Chloe landed a couple hits before running around the ring.
Hope you enjoyed this, maybe got a laugh or two.
Review and I'll see you all later!
Stay hella, Cinnamon Rolls!