A/N-
Hey all, thank you for the reviews follows and favorites, it means a lot to me. I really appreciate any critiques and reviews that you leave; thanks in particular to . .goodness for mentioning that I had some grammatical errors, I went back to find them and noticed that I had accidentally written Max's POV in third person contrary to Chloe's First Person. I'm rewriting Max's POV to be in first person, it should be out withing the next couple of days. the story line is the same just some minor changes to how it's told.
Anyways, here's Chapter 2 of 'life just got hella strange,' enjoy.
-Chloe-
As soon as I had gotten into my room I flopped onto the bed and pulled one of my joints out of my little lunchbox under it, Max nervously stepped in just as I went to light it.
"Hey hippie, wanna throw on some tunes for a sec? I'm gonna have a quick smoke."
"Is that weed?" Max asked timidly
"Yep."
"Oh... Isn't that illegal or something?"
"Yea, so?"
Max didn't respond, instead the silence was broken by the soft tunes of my green day soundtrack.
I lost track of what Max was doing as I puffed the joint, but I knew that she must be bursting with awkwardness... and questions.
"Hey nerd, silence is killing me here why don't you put on some music? I should have a some CD's lying around somewhere in this shithole."
"Oh, um o-okay."
'heh, cute she still stutters when she's nervous.'
after a few moments I hear my stereo start playing some green day, I smiled 'Why excellent choice Max, I could use some angst filled music right now.'
I looked over at her and to my horror I saw she was holding a photograph, one of the few I had of Rachel.
"Dude what the fuck! That's private give it back!" I couldn't hold back the anger in my voice, as I snatched the photo from her hands. The look of shame and a hint of embarrassment flashed across Max's face and I felt kinda bad for lashing out like that but still, it was hidden for a reason.
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to snoop I just..."
"It's okay Maxie, I'm sorry, I just overreacted on you, and freaked out." I don't even really know why I freaked out, maybe I was just embarrassed of my previous relationship with her, I wasn't sure if Max would find it weird that I was gay.
"Rachel, the other person in the picture is Rachel." 'Well, I have to tell Max about her anyway.' "You two look really happy in this picture, you must've been really good friends." Max murmured sadly.
"We were, after dad died and you left, I didn't have anyone and Rachel... she saved me, she kept me from falling off the deep end."
"She sounds like a good person."
"She was, she was my angel."
"What happened?"
"We got into a hella bad fight the other day. Sorry but I really don't want to talk about that shit right now." I breathed in the last of my joint and stubbed the stub out in my ashtray.
"Anyway enough of this depressing bullshit, lets party!" I jumped off the bed and cranked up the volume on the stereo, now it was playing a song called Ace Of Spades.
Max's face lit up a bit at my change in attitude as I jumped onto the bed and started jumping up and down to the beat for the music, she took out her camera and took a picture, much to my amusement.
"C'mon Max shake that bony white ass!" I laughed and she started swaying back and forth a bit. Suddenly Max took a step back, arm raised as if she was reaching for something.
"Max... are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost." I stopped dancing and stepped off the bed, eyeing Max.
"I didn't know you had a step-father Chloe." I froze 'How could she possibly know about David?'
"H-how did you know about him? I didn't-"
"Chloe! I told you to stop blasting that punk shit!" the gruff voice of 'Private Dickhead' roared over the music.
"Shit, shit shitshitshitshit." I hastily ran over to the stereo and turned it off. "Max you gotta hide, he doesn't like strangers."
"We need to talk! I'm coming upstairs."
"I know Chloe, hide your ashtray he's going to flip when he sees it."
"What? How could you possibly know that?" The thuds of Davids footsteps were growing closer to the stairs but I was still trying to figure Max out, he pounded on the door and Max darted to my ashtray, she picked it up and looked around as if trying to find somewhere to hide it.
"Chloe I'm coming in." I bolted over to the door and slammed against it keeping it closed. "Chloe!"
"Chill dude, I'm trying to get dressed! Just give me a sec!" I waved my hand at Max trying to signal her to hide in the closet or something but she didn't move, she had apparently managed to hide the ashtray in time though since it was absent from her hands.
"It's okay Chloe he's going to find me anyways." Max sat down on my bed and gestured for me to open the door. I stepped away, reluctantly turning the knob and opening the door, allowing step-douche in.
"Chloe one of my- who is this?" David pointed at Max and looked at her as if she was planning to rob us or something.
"She's one of my friends, duh! What, am I not allowed to have friends now?" I was already getting mad at him, it was easy for me to dislike him and being in the same room as him only shortened my temper.
"I don't like you bringing strangers into this house Chloe!"
"The fuck dude, I just said she's my friend and she's actually been here a lot more than you have." David glared at me as if he wanted to say something further about Max but he switched topics.
"One of my guns is missing, did you take it?" I was taken aback, not expecting that question at all. I hadn't actually taken one of his guns but I wasn't about to let him get away with accusing Max and I.
"Chloe didn't take any of your guns sir, I've been with her all morning, there was no way she could've taken it." Max's sudden rush to my defense took me even more by surprise, I didn't expect her to lie for me or even speak for that matter. I glanced back and forth between the two, David looked mad, but Max looked determined... and tired as if she had been up all night with very little sleep.
"Well then who did take it?" David directed his question to the both of us.
"How the fuck are we supposed to know? Unlike you we don't care so unless you have anything else, get the hell out of my room!" I shouted at David, he looked like he wanted nothing more than to continue fighting with me.
"Fine, I have to go report this to the police anyways." he turned to leave. "I don't want to see her when I get back." he slammed the door behind him and stomped back down the
"C'mon Maxi-pad I'm getting hella hungry, lets go get something to eat and you can explain why you're acting so weird." I spun my keys on my finger and spun around beckoning Max to follow.
I pulled up to the Two Whales Diner and parked in my usual sloppy manner and jumped out of the truck, the stress of dealing with David was still on my shoulders and I felt like Max was about to add to that.
"Hey Max, why don't you head inside real quick? I'm gonna have a quick smoke." I said pulling out my cigarettes. Max nodded and headed inside as I placed a cig in between my lips and lit it.
I leaned back against the cool metal of my truck
"Speak of the devil and she shall arrive." Joyce's familiar southern drawl rang out from the corner booth where she was evidently holding Max hostage.
"Hope you're not looking for another free meal." I rolled my eyes and plopped down in the seat across from Max.
"Nice to see you too mom." I hadn't meant for my voice to sound so sarcastic but it did anyways.
"Well you're only getting one piece of bacon today missy." She turned and walked back behind the counter.
"Okay Max, You wanna tell me exactly what's going on with you today?" I asked, turning to face the Brunette, she paused and sipped on her coffee.
"I can rewind time Chloe." I blinked, unsure of how to react.
"Um, what?"
"Here I can prove it, I'll tell you the next few events that happen."
"You're going to predict the future?" Max smiled.
"Not technically, I'm going to live it and then rewind to tell you."
"Alright whatever you say Maximus Prime." I couldn't help but grin, I was exited to see if she really did have superpowers, 'Maybe I should tell her about-"
"Joyce brings us our food, My Belgian waffle and your french toast and bacon, more than the one piece I might add. The truck driver asks for a refill and Joyce goes to get a fresh pot of coffee, then Trevor and Justin um, well either they are both really high or they are actually gay for each other cause they kiss each other." Max finishes her prediction and looks over just in time to see Joyce bringing over two plates of steaming food. I wasn't too surprised that she guessed the dishes, I usually got french toast for breakfast.
"Here you go kids, enjoy." Joyce put down our plates and walked back towards the counter.
"Hey Joyce, you mind topping me off?" One of the guys at the counter waived at her as she stepped behind the counter and picked up the pot of coffee. I nervously turned over towards the door and saw Trevor and Justin in what looked like an argument, I was about to call Max out on it but before I could Justin grabbed Trevor's shirt and kissed him. I felt the blood drain from my face, there's no way she could have guessed that out of everything else.
"Max... what the hell was that?" I turned back and saw that Max was already chowing down on her waffles, she swallowed the bite she was working on.
"I told you I can rewind time."
"That was hella cool, c'mon you have to show me more, something different so there's no doubt." Max looked down at her coffee thinking.
"I wonder if I can..." Max started but then let her words trail off as she reached out and took my hands in hers. My skin felt strangely hot where Max touched and my stomach turned.
"M-max what are you doing?"
"I haven't done anything yet. I was going to see if I could rewind with you though."
"Oh. Cool." 'I can't seriously be crushing on her can I? We've only been back in action for a day, what the hell is wrong with me?'
Max's face contorted slightly in concentration and I suddenly felt a little dizzy. Everything around us had suddenly started moving backwards, sounds were distorted as the entire world flowed backwards as if someone was rewinding a movie. My dizziness got worse and I tried to pull away from Max hoping to make it stop, the world started moving in the same direction again and Max let go of my hands. The room was spinning in my vision, I closed my eyes and held my head in my hands trying to settle myself.
"Oh god, Chloe are you alright?" Max gasped.
"Yea-yea I'm fine just a little dizzy, I'll be fine." Several seconds passed before I felt comfortably stable and I opened my eyes. At some point Max had reached over and was now holding my arm with a worried expression on her face. Mine on the other hand burned at the contact, I pulled my hand away and looked out the window hoping Max hadn't noticed.
"Can't Say I'm a fan of time travel though so I'll leave that to you I guess." I replied managing a chuckle.
"I'm sorry Chloe I didn't hurt you did I?
"Nah, I just got a bit dizzy there for a sec it's passed now though." 'That was hella cool though, I should probably tell her my secret since she told me hers.'
"Hey let's go ahead and eat, I wanna show you something, I dunno about you but I don't like adventuring on an empty stomach."
-Max-
I was concerned about Chloe, One minute she is practically bouncing off of the walls over my "rewind power" and now... Now she was quiet, nervous, even anxious. Something was bothering her and I was having to bite my lip to keep myself from asking her what went wrong.
I watched the trees zip past us as we traveled along the beach, Chloe turned and we were now driving into the forest, she eventually pulled to a stop at the base of a trail and jumped out.
"Chloe?" I couldn't hold back any longer I needed to know what was wrong. "What's up? You're acting weirder than I was with David."
Chloe bit her bottom lip, and didn't respond right away. Instead we started walking up the trail leaving me to follow closely behind.
"Do you remember when I mentioned that I was in a bad place when you left Max?"
"Y-yea, you said that Rachel saved you."
"Well, 'bad place' is one hell of an understatement. I felt lonely, abandoned, two of the three people I ever loved and who ever cared about me left me in the space of a fort-fucking-night." Chloe paused, her voice had gained a slight tremor to it as she spoke. A cold breeze brushed past us through the trees making me shudder but Chloe didn't even flinch.
"Oh god, Chloe I'm so-"
"Joyce tried to help me, she even got me to see a therapist but they just gave me pills to try and make me feel better... they didn't do shit to fill the void you left. I gave up, six months after you left and I hadn't improved at all, I found myself at the edge of a cliff, this cliff actually."
As if on cue we emerged from the trees into a large cliff-side clearing, the trail continued a short ways on the other side leading to a large lighthouse. There was a bench in the middle of the clearing overlooking the 50 meter drop to the ocean below.
"So... what happened? Between you and R-rachel I mean." I asked hesitantly wondering if she was ready to talk about it yet or not.
"She..." Chloe paused and then sighed looking dejected. "She was hiding a relationship from me for several months, I though we-" She cut herself off and looked away but I saw her neck was turning red giving me a small suspicion that I had to ask.
"Did- did you have f-feling for her Chlo?" Chloe didn't move but my suspicion had been more or less confirmed anyways.
"She lied to me about it that's all that matters."
"This is where you met her right?" A small sliver of fear grew inside me partially worried about Chloe and partially about falling off the cliff, I gripped her hand nervously and she looked at me with a soft smirk on her lips, and tears lining her eyes.
"Scared Mad-Max?" I shook my head hoping that my lie wasn't to obvious, when I looked back at Chloe her eyes were still on mine. She pulled me closer and gave me a strangely comforting hug, it was warm and I felt strangely safe in her arms.
"Don't worry Max I've got you. ...No, I didn't meet Rachel here Max. I didn't meet her until a year later once I finally got back to school." Chloe pulled away from me and I suddenly felt very sad, I didn't want her to let me go.
"She wasn't here to stop me from jumping off." Chloe murmured, her eyes were distant as if deep in thought. 'Wowsers, her eyes are the same shade of blue as her hair- wait what the? Where did that come from Max?'
"Wait... so if Rachel didn't stop you, who- or what- did?" I asked confused at her wording.
"Nothing, I did jump Max. I literally jumped to my death."
My confusion only deepened how could she have jumped she was standing right here in front of me she couldn't have jumped she wouldn't have survived the impact.
"Okay Chloe, you're pulling my leg, how could you be here if you jumped?"
Chloe's face lit up in her 'I'm about to do something I really shouldn't face.' and I immediately regretted asking.
"Why Max, I'm so glad you asked." Chloe let go of my hand and started walking backwards, right towards the edge of the cliff.
"Chloe, please be careful, you're almost at the edge." I whined, pushing myself to follow her.
"Relax Max, I'll be fine I just need you to promise me something."
"What?" I stopped, Chloe was now right on the edge, I was about 5 meters away but my legs seemed to have forgotten how to work.
"Don't rewind this, I promise ill be fine but you can't rewind otherwise we'll be here a while."
"What? Chloe please just get away from the edge, I-"
"C'mon Max please? I'm not going to move unless you promise." She teetered on the balls of her feet looking anxious and mischievous at the same time making me feel like she was going to fall.
"Fine. I promise now please come back." Chloe broke out into a full grin and Laughed.
"Alright geek I'll come back." Chloe dramatically raised her leg, as if to mimic a soldier but immediately something went very wrong. Her opposite foot slipped backwards, making her stumble... right off the edge of the cliff.
