Chapter 1: A Change of Fate
June 10th, 2008
"Here we are, Chloe," William said as he parked the station wagon. "Now I trust that you'll behave yourself."
"I will, Dad. Cross my heart!" Chloe said ecstatically.
"Well then, I guess I have no other reason to keep them waiting." He said, unlocking the car doors. Chloe jumped out and waved to William's car as it rounded the corner of the street. Wasting no time, Chloe ran up to the house she's seen a thousand times before, knocked on the door and waited. As she was about to knock on the door again, the door opened, revealing a small, freckled brunette. Max.
"Chloe!" She said, hugging her. "I was wondering when you would get here!"
"Hey, Maximus!" Chloe said, happily returning the hug. "Dad literally just dropped me off."
"Well then what are you waiting for, come on in, Che!" She said, clasping onto Chloe's hand and guiding her into the home. "My Dad went to pick up my Mom from work. They should be back soon." Chloe had been to Max's house before, but not as often as Max coming to Chloe's. Max pretty much knew the whole layout of Chloe's house, while Chloe knew so little, she would probably get lost in the front hall had Max not been her personal guide.
As Max reached the final banister of the staircase, they turned off into her room. Max's room was much smaller than Chloe's, almost in the shape of a perfect cube. On the peach-colored walls were hundreds of posters ranging from movie posters to posters of indie bands. In the right corner of the room was Max's bed, with a dresser sat right next to it. A small desk sat near the window, similar to Chloe's room, although not as cluttered. Chloe couldn't help but notice the Polaroid camera sat on the corner of the desk.
"Does Max have more photo's to show me?" Chloe thought, and as she finished that thought, Max came over with a small box. Max sat down beside her and opened the box, revealing hundreds of Polaroids. Chloe picked up one Polaroid, an action which made Max squeal with joy. It was a photo of the sun setting on the horizon, the Arcadia Bay Lighthouse sitting to the left of the picture while the sun casts a reflection onto the bay.
"Oh! I took that one a couple days ago! What do you think of it?" She said, beaming at the blond girl with her light blue eyes and a wide smile.
"It's beautiful, Max," Chloe said flabbergasted. "I'm starting to run out of original compliments to give your pictures." Chloe picked up another photo, placing the other one she just held in the box. "Oh wow! I really like this one!"
"Really?" she asked, confused by her friend's statement. The photo in question was at the beach, it encompassed the whole beach, facing towards the harbor, which could be seen in the foreground. The picture looked to have been taken at midday.
"Yeah! It's really good! It encompasses the whole beach, not just a select portion of it." Chloe said with an enthusiastic smile.
"Thanks, Chloe!" Max said hugging her best friend. This was the side of Max Chloe was so happy to see. When she showed her pictures to Chloe, she was always so eager to describe them to her.
"Man, I'm gonna miss you when you leave for Seattle," Chloe said. She looked up at Max, her expression now gloomy and sad. Yesterday, after Max told her she was moving to Seattle, Chloe had shouted at Max, told her to die among so many other statements she wishes she could take back now. Visibly cringing at the memory, Chloe sighed and continued. "Look, I'm sorry I freaked on you yesterday, I shouldn't have said any of that shit to you."
"I'll come and visit every Summer, I promise," Max said in a quiet tone, "I'll keep in contact, send you a text when I get to Seattle."
"I know, Max," Chloe said while hugging Max tightly. "Now, let's stop with this mushy stuff, your folks should be getting home soon." Max slid the drawer of her desk out and placed the box of photos into the drawer and closed it. Max and Chloe left the room, closing the door behind them.
It had been an hour since Chloe arrived at Max's house. Max was visibly worried, it usually took 10 or so minutes for her parents to get home from where her mom worked. Chloe saw this and put a reassuring arm around Max's shoulder.
"It's okay, Max. Maybe they're in traffic." Chloe said, trying to calm Max down. Though Chloe was just as, if not more anxious than Max. Chloe knew that Vanessa's workplace was close by. She couldn't help but think of what could be taking so long, whether it was traffic, or something much worse. Chloe pushed those thoughts back, she didn't want to worry Max anymore than she already was. Vanessa and Ryan both had sturdy jobs. Ryan worked at the lumber mill, while Vanessa worked at Pan Estates, a job she hated with all her heart. Suddenly the phone began ringing, startling Max. Chloe got up from her seat.
"Don't worry, Max, I'll get it." Chloe got up from her seat and picked up the handset. "Hello?"
"Chloe? Is that you?" It was Vanessa, a sorrowful tone evident in her voice. "I-Is Maxine with you?"
"Yeah, Max is with me," Chloe said, trying to hide her confusion at the sound of Vanessa's distraught voice. "What's going on?"
"Could you put her on the phone, please?" Vanessa sounded close to tears.
"Max, it's Vanessa," Chloe said turning her head to Max. She shot up from her seat instantaneously, moving to the phone and grabbing it in one swift action.
"Mom?" Max began, concerned. "Are you okay? Whats wrong?" She heard loud sobs on the other side of the phone.
"Oh, Maxine." Her mother said in-between sobs. "It's your father, Maxine."
"What do you mean? What happened, Mom?" Max was scared of what Vanessa would say next, she was beginning to panic.
"Maxine, I'm sorry, he's gone."
Max was frozen in place, visibly shaking. Tears began to flow from her eyes, there wasn't anything stopping this monsoon of feelings. Max placed the phone back on the hook and began wailing. Chloe rushed over to her, enveloping the brunette in a bear hug as she cried into her shoulder.
"Max, what happened?" Chloe asked as Max's grip tightened.
"C-Chloe, he's dead! Ryan's dead!" Max said, still crying into the taller girl's shoulder.
"Oh god, this can't be fucking real! Ryan? Why!?" She thought. Chloe was furious at the world at that moment, but she still cradled the brunette in her arms.
"Max, oh my god Max, I'm so, so sorry." Chloe tried desperately to retain her strength, but soon enough, she began crying as well.
AN: I'm sorry for this being so short, but I promise the next chapter will be longer
Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in the next one!
