Chapter 1: No Below
Chloe took a long drag of her cigarette, exhaling a plume of grey smoke through her teeth. The summer air was warm-if not slightly damp-as if before a rainstorm. Taking a seat on the porch step, she hunched over, elbows pressed against her knees. The crickets were singing with vigor, breaking the silence of an otherwise quiet night. She'd take another drag, idly picking at the fraying holes in her jeans. Her mind wandered to the events that had occurred in the days past- the macabre memories sending a chill through her. With a shudder, she pushed the intrusive thoughts back. Rachel was home now, and that was all that mattered. Her blue eyes gazed across the landscape, taking in the decorum of the Amber household. Nestled in the thick woods of Arcadia Bay stood the ostentatious house- home to the District Attorney. Chloe was shocked that after all that had happened, James Amber would even allow Chloe to set foot on the property again. Truth be told, Chloe still didn't like Mr. Amber much, but she would do anything to keep Rachel safe, and had begrudgingly agreed to keep her meeting with Sera a secret.
With a flick of her fingers, she launched the cigarette into the dewy evening grass. The sound of a sliding glass door tore her from her thoughts.
"Hey Chloe, everything okay?"
Chloe turned to see Rachel stepping onto the deck, arm bound in gauze. Chloe turned back, watching the cigarette extinguish.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Rachel gingerly plopped herself down beside the blue-haired girl, resting her cheek against Chloe's leather jacket, sticky from the damp air.
"You should be inside with your folks," Chloe muttered, burying her face in Rachel's thick blonde hair.
"They're just cleaning up, its cool. Besides, I'd rather be out here than in there- it's so fucking awkward."
Chloe groaned. The dinner with Rachel and her family had been particularly more awkward than usual. There was a silent effort to have things go back to normal, but it was so forced that it just came across as uncomfortable. Chloe could tell James and Rose were still working through the week's events and were straining to be pleasant in front of the girls. She didn't blame them-well, she didn't blame Rose at least. It wouldn't be easy forgiving a man who had kissed another woman-even if that woman was Sera.
A thick tension hung in the air as the setting sun lay darkness across the tall maple trees surrounding the property.
"So, what's the plan for the night?" Rachel posed, playfully bumping Chloe with her shoulder. Chloe laughed, bumping the girl back.
"Plan? The only plan for you is getting into bed and getting rest." Rachel scowled at her girlfriend.
"Chloe Price, where is your trademark sense of adventure? No parties? No concerts? No junkies to beat up?" Chloe smirked. "Okay Little Miss Sunshine, where do you want to go? I can take you to the 7/11 to get a candy of your choice, I can take you to the store to look at yarn, or I can take you to the bookstore to pick out a word jumble puzzle book. All perfectly safe, perfectly legal activities."
Rachel shot a telling glance from the corner of her eye.
"How about the junkyard?"
"I can do that."
"And that one is Cassiopeia.." Rachel extended a finger, tracing the shape of the constellation in the sky. Chloe smiled, listening to Rachel's soft voice listing all the constellations the girl knew, and probably making some up too. She's a fucking good actor. They lay in the cab of Chloe's truck, scratchy wool blankets underneath them, the truck radio playing quietly in the background:
And though once I said I was better off just being dead, better off just being dead without my old friend.
"And that one's the Big Dipper…."
Chloe extended her hand toward Rachel, enthralled in her recount of the stars and their stories. Clasping her hand in her own she pulled the girl closer.
"Look who's being saucy!" Rachel giggled.
"Rach..." Chloe grumbled.
Rachel looked into Chloe's deep blue eyes, sensing trouble. "Chloe, what's with the doom and gloom attitude? Everything is okay now."
Chloe averted her eyes. Rachel could see right through her, and she didn't want to give away anything more.
"Yeah, I guess."
Rachel rolled on top of Chloe, straddling her. In a flash, she had both of Chloe's wrists pinned to the cab floor.
"No more fucking moping Chloe! We have so much to do and look forward to! We're going to find my mom, and then we're going to save up some money so we can all get out of this shit kick town and get to LA."
Chloe's tongue felt heavy. She had to know about Sera.
"Rachel your mom…"
"Chloe, it's not your fault you couldn't find her. I know I asked way too much of you and that was so selfish of me. We'll find her, together." Rachel planted a firm kiss to Chloe's lips.
"Now wait 'till you hear about the Lion's constellation. Meow."
True I once said that I was better off just being dead
But I didn't know you yet.