Sorry for the late update, as previously said I have written a lot of this story, however, there is a lot I stupidly have skipped to write aspects later in the story because that's how I seem to roll...
So here I was at 2 in the morning trying to figure out how to transition in to the next part of the story and here it is. So, sorry in advance for any spelling/gramatical errors.
Anyways, I hope you like it.
Prepare yourself for the Pricefield to come in the following chapter.
Max stood at the light house, her eyes transfixed on the ocean. Its deep blue waves were slowly washing in on the bay, and crashing against the rocks below her. She studied the distance as if waiting for something. Anything. Just some sort of sign that would help her. The light was finally beginning to die, casting orange shadows over Arcadia Bay and making Max's eyes look like they were on fire with determination.
Her eyes dropped to that of the rocks below her. She could disappear. In this instance, she could just step off the ledge and disappear. There was a chance it could be quick, when she hit the rocks below. Or, the water would take her. She wouldn't fight it, so it would be somewhat serene. Max had always found comfort in water. How the liquid ran off her skin, or comfortably enveloped her. Either way would be perfectly acceptable to her.
It would be easy.
With a sigh, Max shook her head and looked back out over the ocean. There was still more she had to do before that could even be an option. She wanted to be selfish, yet she could still not take her mind off everyone else. Her Parents, Warren, even Kate. She remember back to when Kate had almost killed herself, in front of a fair portion of the student population of Blackwell Academy as well.
'Blackhell…' Max mused to herself, a small faint smirk tugging the corner of her lips. That's what she used to call it. Max had never fully understood until everything went down. Though, Chloe can't have been the easiest student.
Up until this point she had never comprehended how someone could take their own life. To her, life had never been that bad. She had had a good childhood and knew that no matter what, her parents would always be there for her, to pick up the pieces if something ever tore her down. Even when she left Arcadia Bay six years previously, she was sad but it was still all okay because she knew that Chloe would be fine. She knew that Arcadia Bay would be fine. She found a lot of comfort in that in her saddest times and eventually, even though she never forgot about Chloe, she made her own friends in Seattle and that helped to distract her and developed her hobby of photography in to something that would one day be a career.
But after everything, she finally understood. That constant sick, sinking feeling that was impossible to shake. No matter where you were, no matter what you were doing, it would never fade. And that was at times impossible to live with. However, Kate was able to come out of it, she was the strong one. Max knew she was not nearly as strong as Kate had been. Even while she was ready to jump, she could still see the light at the end of the tunnel. Max may have been there saying what she needed to hear, but without that hope there is no way that she would have stepped down from the roof of the building.
Max had quite simply lost that light.
Again, her attention was drawn to that of the water, transfixed on the movement of the waves. For a brief moment it took her back to Blackwell. To when Chloe and herself and broken in to the school pool for a night swim.
They were both so uninhibited then. Shedding their clothes and jumping in the pool as if they had not a care in the world, because Chloe knew that if there was an issue, her 'Super Max' would fix it. And Max knew that with Chloe by her side, she could accomplish anything. Chloe had always made her feel that way, even when they were young children. She was always making her be better, always making her be more confident. And when she finally moved away, she lost that. She became shy, and moderately introverted however never losing that quick wit that Chloe and she used to share.
They had splashed each other, their laughter becoming contagious as they joked about the schools swim team and Jaws. They kept close, never straying far from one another but even to Max that still wasn't close enough. She could never be close enough to Chloe.
The brunette closed her eyes. She recalled how her gaze kept dropping to that of Chloe's body that had become distorted in the water, her pale blue eyes illuminated by the light's surrounding them. Her eyes followed the contour of her legs, up her flat stomach and lingered for far too long on her cleavage, her three bullet neckless carelessly hanging between her breasts. She had only been broken from this gaze by Chloe splashing her with the chlorine filled water.
Reaching up, she tightly curled her fingers around the neckless that had now become hers. One of the only items that brought her a slight amount of comfort. She wasn't sure what she would do without it. Releasing her grasp, she slowly trailed her fingers over each bullet, taking in each line and groove, even though by now she had it memorized.
Laying on their backs, the girls effortlessly drifted, their eyes staring up at the darkened ceiling. Max gently moved her arms around the water, the coolness of it making her feel more relaxed than she had in a long time, that and she was here with her best friend. That would always make her feel at ease. She slowly tried to steer herself to Chloe, fearful that they were drifting too far apart.
And then the blue haired girl had said the one sentence that would make Max's heart sink.
"I wish Rachel were here."
Max closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she listened to Chloe speak.
Rachel.
Back then she never could help but wonder if things would have been different if she were still around. If Chloe would have even had time for her. She never knew exactly what Chloe and Rachel were to each other, or how far their relationship went, but from Chloe's actions, and desperate search for the girl, Max knew that she must have meant a lot. That they must have been a lot. Even if Rachel were more so in love with Frank, that didn't change Chloe's feelings for her.
And deep down that hurt Max.
Rachel had been there for Chloe when she had not been. And in a way, she was grateful for that. That someone had been here to take care of Chloe in her absence. But at the same time, Max was angry that that person had not been her. She could have had so many more years with Chloe, if only she had not gone. The thought filled her with a deep jealousy and rage that on some days, she found it hard to contain.
But life had a funny way of separating those meant to be together. However, it was fate that had brought them back to each other.
Max scrunched her nose tightly, taking in a deep breath of the salty ocean smell, mixed with the pine from the forest and thought back harder.
The two girls leant their elbows against the pool, using the side to support their bodies in the water. Max being shorter than Chloe, had to gently kick her feet to keep afloat. It was a while before one of them finally spoke.
"Your power is changing everything, Max. Especially you. I can already tell." Chloe finally said, looking down. "You're not so chicken shit anymore." She said with a small smirk.
"Thanks Girlfriend." Max retorted with mock hurt.
"You know what I mean." Chloe replied, turning her head to look at her younger friend. "You're becoming like, this force of nature."
'A force of nature', Max inwardly mused. More like a freak of nature. However her words had resonated with Max. Maybe she was finally becoming the person she wanted to be, all with the help of Chloe.
Chloe continued to talk, encouraging Max. Each of her words making Max feel more and more important, like she had finally found the place where she belonged.
As Chloe continued to tell Max that she was 'going to make the world bow' one day, Max looked upon Chloe, finally reaching a point in the conversation where she could say what she really wanted to say without it being out of line, without it being questioned.
"As… long as you are there with me..." She stated, keeping her gaze on the other girls face to gauge her response to this request as if looking for some kind of validation.
And then it happened. The first time Chloe had said the words that Max heard now every day of her life. The biggest lie that now haunted her insignificant life.
"Don't look so sad. I'm never leaving you…" Chloe trailed off, looking at the distance to avoid eye contact with her friend, feeling slightly embarrassed about being so sentimental.
Max rested her cheek on her arms, a smile creeping upon her lips as she watched this perfect girl say exactly what she needed to hear.
Max outwardly cringed. Chloe had left her.
With a sigh, Max took a step closer to the edge of the cliff. It had all been a lie. Everything Chloe had said, about her no longer being a chicken shit had also proven to be false. Sure, she was brave for a while but when she finally needed that bravery, truly needed it to get through this, it was gone. And no matter how deep she dug down for it, it was nowhere to be found.
She scuffed her feet against the dirt, her toes finally peeking over the edge. With a deep breath, she steadied her balance. In this instance, she felt an ounce of courage. To finally do something for herself.
And then, something didn't feel right.
Her eyes looked back out to the ocean, snapping open. The calm orange sky was now replaced with dark purple and grey storm clouds. Thunder boomed loudly, and lightning struck points in the ocean. The serene waves were now big and harsh, breaking against the shore and spraying their sea salt far up the shore line. She could feel the spray of the water grace her face before it finally started to pour down with rain, instantly drenching her in cold, heavy liquid.
It was almost as if it was all happening again. She went to take a step back, as if to distance herself from the fast approaching storm.
"This can't be happening…" she whispered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief. "Not again…"
And then it happened, a strong gust of wind took her, pushing her forward. Her eye were wide open in shock and she threw her arms out, trying to catch her balance. Futilely she tried to correct herself, but it was all too late. The wind had been too strong and she was far too close to the edge to save herself.
And this time, there would be no one there to save her.
She turned as she fell, her feet finally leaving the cliff face and she desperately reached out her hand to try and grasp something, anything but her fingers found nothing.
This was it. This was how she went.
She looked up to the sky, trying to look beyond it to see her fate. She didn't feel ready, she still had loose ends to tie up, but maybe after everything this needed to be it. This needed to be the way she went. She had struggled too hard for too long to ever see any other outcome and maybe this was fate's way of telling her she had been taking too long to finally get to the end point. To the point that she was inevitably going to end up. She had known it all along.
Closing her eyes softly, she took one last deep breath and she continued to fall. The breeze stung her cheeks, and surprisingly she felt tears escape her eyes as her hair whipped fiercely in the wind.
The only thing left was to accept it.
And as she continued her decent with a small, barely there smile on her face, finally, there was nothing.
