Rachel and Chloe danced and sang for the rest of the night to Firewalk. They even took a cute selfie together to immortalize their time there. Rachel's mind couldn't even process that her plan had worked, too lost in the moment with Chloe fucking Price, or that Chloe had kicked the other guy in the nuts. He had punched her in the eye, but Chloe didn't seem to be in pain, probably because of the alcohol they'd drunk.

They hadn't had time to really talk, the music too loud and too good, but that was fine. They were enjoying each other's presence. Going alone to a concert didn't sound fun at all, at least not after this.

"Thank you for coming, Oregon," Firewalk's singer exclaimed. "Until next time!"

The crowd cheered and the band left the stage. Rachel looked at Chloe, hiding a few messy pieces of hair behind her ear. "We should probably head out before we can't."

"Yeah," Chloe agreed, a huge grin on her face, the whole adrenaline not gone. Rachel grabbed her hand and led her out, making her feel even more driven, zigzagging through the sea of people.

Once they made it out of the sawmill, they sat around the campfire by the front, the flames reflecting orange beautifully on their faces. "I didn't know you were into Firewalk," Chloe started.

"Well, it's not really public knowledge," Rachel answered, suddenly feeling too hot and taking her jacket off.

Chloe observed her carefully. Still feeling tipsy, her eyes darted to Rachel's bare arms and then back at her face. She was sure she would be drunk of joy for a while. "How did you find out about the gig? That's not public knowledge."

Fuck... Ignore Chloe totally checking you out and don't expose yourself as Miss Arcadia Bay. "Uh, online."

"Uh, me too," Chloe mocked her tone and then grinned again. It was like she couldn't stop. "You look bitchin'."

"Thanks, you too... Well, you do every day." Rachel wanted to face-palm herself. Don't expose yourself as Chloe's biggest stalker, too.

Chloe didn't seem to think much about it. "If you don't look bitchin' every day, then why do you even?"

Rachel genuinely laughed, even if it wasn't even that funny. It has been a while since she has been genuine with anyone, like her subconsciousness didn't want to show Chloe someone she wasn't. Good. "So... how did you get here? Arcadia's not that close."

"Snuck into a train. I was thinking about standing in the middle of the tracks on the way back. But then you happened."

Rachel couldn't tell if Chloe was joking or being honest just because of the alcohol. The latter scared her. "I'm... glad. The world would suck without Chloe Price."

Chloe looked doubtful, but didn't comment on it. "I don't wanna go home."

Rachel groaned. "Don't remind me. If my dad knows I've been drinking..."

"Blow me."

"What–?"

"Air. Blow air to my face."

Rachel pursed her lips and then let her breath out.

Chloe sniffed suspiciously. "You definitely smell like beer. Let's find a store on our way back and buy some mints." She stood up and stretched out her hand. Rachel took it and her crush helped her up.

They rode a train back and walked on the empty streets of Arcadia Bay. Rachel loved this time of night because there wasn't anyone to impress, anyone to worry about. Obviously, there was Chloe. But Chloe wouldn't judge her.

They didn't speak until they bought mints and water, being comfortable with the silence and the fresh windy air. They were closer to Chloe's house so Rachel dropped her off, not accepting Chloe's offer to stay over. As much as Rachel would have loved that, she had promised her parents she'd be home before two after midnight. She already felt bad about lying to them.

"So..." Chloe put her hands inside her pockets, looking at her feet.

This was the realization that their night had ended. Neither of them wanted it to. "See you tomorrow at school?" Rachel asked, hoping Chloe wouldn't skip for once.

"Yeah, sure," Chloe said and then took a step forward.

Rachel gave her a goodbye hug. Chloe felt stiff at first, as if she hadn't been embraced by someone in a long time, but then warmed up to her. When they pulled away, Rachel watched as Chloe climbed up to her bedroom window. She waited until she was inside to make her way back.

When Rachel was on her sidewalk, she noticed the lights in the living room were on. She gulped and quietly opened the door. There was no one in sight. Maybe her mom left the lamp on to not have her walk into a dark house. Thanks.

She went to the kitchen and grabbed some pills in case she had a hangover in the morning, though she doubted—she'd thought it through, not having an empty stomach. And Rachel was used to drinking too, usually (and secretly) taking her parents' alcoholic beverages to feel numb for a little while.

She started through the hallway to get upstairs, but then noticed that her father's office was unlocked. She peeked through the door and he wasn't inside. Rachel knew she shouldn't, but she entered.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for a cellphone that wasn't her dad's on top of his desk. She frowned and turned it on. That's when Rachel realized this was a burner phone. It couldn't be evidence since it was out in the open.

Rachel clicked on the messages icon and it only had one contact, a private and unnamed number.

ANONYMOUS: When can we meet? We need to talk.

Tomorrow at the overview, her father had written. 12pm.

Rachel checked the date. Her dad was meeting this person later today. Could this be what—or rather who—he's been hiding from her? These past few weeks, he has been uneasy and tenser. When Rachel had asked why, he said it was "just work". But this wasn't work. Remember her stalking skill? It hadn't been learned by having crushes on gorgeous badass ladies. It was because Rachel had been keeping an eye on her father's cases.

When Rachel was a child, she played detectives with her dad. She had picked up a thing or two, like knowing when a person was lying to her. Maybe that's what bothers her. Everybody lies. Even him.

She used to be so afraid that someday a criminal would get out of prison and try to get revenge on her father for putting them there that Rachel kept tabs on him. Could this anonymous person be threatening him? Can this anonymous person have something over him?

Rachel decided it was best to stop wondering and see things for herself tomorrow. She got out of the office, leaving the burner phone like she found it, turned off the living room's lamp, locked the office and went to her bedroom.

The first thing she did after changing to her pajamas was post her selfie with Chloe, typing "Firewalk!" as the description, though a single word couldn't describe how she had felt. Honestly, this has been the best night of her life. She wished things would change in school. But wait. They will. She made sure of it by asking Chloe to come tomorrow. So what are tomorrow's plans? She has to show her drama teacher her costume of Prospera for the play "The Tempest". Rachel was such a great actress that Mr. Keaton changed the protagonist's sex to give her the role. Then she had to get to the overview somehow. But that would ruin her school day with Chloe. Eh, Chloe didn't care about school. They can ditch together. Maybe Rachel can even show her her costume. She looked hot in that, too.

She tucked herself in bed and closed her eyes with a smile on her face. For once, she had something to look forward to. Well, someone.

Like she assumed, Rachel gratefully didn't wake up with a hangover. She turned on her laptop to check Miss Arcadia Bay. She planned on writing a short post about Firewalk and how they rocked. No word from Chloe there. Well, Chloe probably fell asleep right away and is still sleeping until now. Rachel smiled at the thought and decided to check her emails anyway. Her selfie with Chloe had gotten lots of comments overnight, ones complementing her and others asking who was the girl she was with.

Were people really that forgetful? Chloe Price sure avoided everyone, but she wasn't invisible. Rachel thought she was quite the sight and was persistent of making the world know that. The world started with Chloe.

For now though, instead of lashing out at all these ignorants, Rachel decided to get ready for the day, taking a shower and dressing up with a blue flannel and ripped jeans. Her bag was already packed with her Prospera costume so she just took it downstairs and left it by the entrance.

She walked to the dining table and was instantly greeted by her mother, who was pouring juice on her glass. "Hi, sweetie. How was the concert?" Rose asked.

A genuine smile formed in Rachel's lips at the thought as she sat next to her. "It was awesome. The band is as good as they are on studio, if not better."

"Good to know it was worth it," her dad James, who was sitting at the end of the table having breakfast, commented.

"It really was." Rachel glanced at him, thinking about the burner phone, and then started eating her food quietly, remembering what she would do today. Rachel had never, ever, ditched school. She had a perfect record. But one day would be nothing, right?

Her father drove her to school on his way to work. Thankfully, he hadn't made small talk and turned the radio on instead. Rachel wouldn't know how to talk to him properly knowing she was about to spy on him. If it were anyone else, she wouldn't mind ranting about how the concert was the best of her life and would never be topped, but just thinking about his disappointment after finding out she didn't go to school...

"We're here, Rach," James said, giving her a funny look.

Rachel blinked, getting out of her ocean of thoughts. "Thanks for dropping me off. Goodbye, dad." She hopped off the car and walked towards school, having her acting class first. By the end of it, she changed into her costume of Prospera as others recited their lines to Mr. Keaton. When she exited the dressing room and looked out the window, she noticed Chloe had just finished talking to Steph and Mikey and was walking towards the Blackwell's entrance.

Rachel didn't see Mr. Keaton anywhere so she ran to the double doors, ready to casually bump into Chloe. But then she heard more voices outside. Drew North's and Nathan Prescott's pissing each other off. Damn it.

"Relax, you both can be losers," Chloe intervened. Rachel didn't understand why she would get involved if she hated the two guys, but she decided to keep listening to Chloe kicking ass.

When her crush got them to back off, Rachel forced herself to remember what she was doing. Bump into Chloe. Bump into Chloe. She waited a few seconds and precisely opened the door when Chloe did. "Oh, good. You're here." She grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the drama club.

Dana and Hayden were rehearsing the scene Dana was so so frustrated about the other day. Rachel tried not to cringe as Hayden struggled to say some of his lines and shared a look with Chloe.

Mr. Keaton stopped him and scolded him, saying he had a lot of time to be off-book. Hayden apologized and the teacher cut him off. "Don't apologize to me. Apologize to your scene partner, who has been very accommodating." Dana offered a silly smile. "And to your other fellow actors. And most of all, to yourself."

"Mr. Keaton!" Rachel stepped in, loving how dramatic her teacher was. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but does this look better? I had my mom take it in a bit." She did a couple of twirls and winked at Chloe, who'd been behind her staring.

"Mrrowww! Looking good Rachel," Dana gushed.

"Very cool," Hayden said.

"Exquisite, Rachel," Mr. Keaton agreed. "As always."

Rachel tugged a strand of hair behind her ear. Too many compliments at once.

Dana faced the teacher. "Mr. Keaton, I'm still having trouble with My affections are then most humbled, I have no ambition to see a goodlier man. I mean, does she really mean that?"

"Especially because I just straight out told her I've been banging all the ladies," Hayden added.

Rachel sighed. "That is hard. We've talked about that line forever." She turned towards Chloe. "We need a fresh perspective." Rachel put her hand around Chloe's lower back, bringing her to light. "The question is: Are Miranda's feelings of instant passion for Ferdinand just inexperienced and dramatic circumstances or... has she actually just met the love of her life? What do you think?"

"Sometimes—" Chloe started, gazing at Rachel. "—when you meet someone who's going to change your life, you know it, I guess..."

Rachel let out the tinniest of gasps, blushing a little. She did not expect that from Chloe Price. She liked it.

"Also, you've got parents coming to see the show, right?" Chloe added, as if she'd realized she was being weird. "At twenty bucks a ticket, it's got to be true love."

"Wow, a romantic and a cynic," Dana commented. "That actually kinda helps me, thanks." The bell rang and she and Hayden got off the small stage. "Thanks, Mr. Keaton. See you later, guys!"

"Later," Hayden mumbled.

Mr. Keaton complained about having an improv. class full of freshmen and left, too.

Rachel slowly turned back to Chloe, the two sharing two longing looks. "Your eye looks fabulous, where'd you get it done?"

"Uh, what?" Even though Chloe was given shit about her black eye ever since she woke up, she couldn't process Rachel's words.

The blonde laughed. "I'm just kidding. That asshole really clocked you "

"It wasn't a big deal."

It really was, but Rachel thought that Chloe didn't seem to want to talk about it. "I'll just be a minute," she reassured her and started walking towards the dressing room. Rachel stopped her tracks for a second and pointed to the back of the classroom. "Oh, could you grab my belt for me? I think it's in my bag."

Once Rachel was out of sight, she suppressed the urge to squeal, still not believing Chloe Price had really said that about true love. And yes, she knew she could have gone herself for her bag that was totally not far, but they couldn't waste time.

She was putting on her jeans behind a partition wall when Chloe's voice called her, "Uh, Rachel... is this your belt?"

Rachel turned around and took a peek out, not caring if she was just in her bra. "Yes, thank you!" She finished putting on her pants and searched for her T-shirt.

"I really liked your costume."

Rachel turned around, startled, and Chloe was standing in front of her. At least she didn't throw the belt to her face. "Thanks. So... did you bringing flowers to my dressing room?"

"I guess I owe you." Chloe handed her the belt. "I'll let you finish changing now."

When Rachel did, she stepped out and noticed her crush was just looking around. "Chloe Price."

"Rachel Amber?"

"Last night was amazing!"

"I'd never seen Firewalk live. Pretty fierce show."

"We'll have to do it again. To tell the truth, I went to bed last night wishing it never had to end. But then I thought: Why? Why does it have to end?" Rachel put a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled, hoping she didn't just embarrass herself. Being honest was weird.

"Maybe it doesn't," Chloe said a little too quickly. "Have to end."

"Exactly!" Rachel exclaimed. "How would you like to join me on a little field trip?"

"Fuck yeah, I was born to ditch!"

"I hoped you'd say that. Now about that eye... It's a hell of a battle scar. Do you want me to cover it up with some makeup?"

"Yes, please. People won't shut up about it."

Rachel put cream on Chloe's skin. Chloe winced, but then let herself be touched, though she didn't seem to enjoy makeup. But it was a win-win. She bet no one could say they put makeup on Chloe Price... or their hands on.

"That's a lot of makeup."

"That's the price of valor." Rachel grabbed a brush. "Close your eyes." When she was done, they glanced at her masterpiece through the mirror. Rachel knew they looked good together. "Much better."

"Holy shit."

Rachel patted her back and then picked up her costume. "Let's get the hell out of here."


After Rachel jumped on the train and helped her crush up, she looked at Chloe with the world behind her. That's when she really knew this was going to be the ride of their lives.