A/N: Just to let you know before you read on, cocktails have very fanciful names. Sex on the Beach is a famous one, but there are other more... interesting ones that I have mentioned in this chapter. Hope you can identify them and not mistake them for anything else ;)
Max awoke to the sound of cupboards outside her room opening and closing roughly and frantically. She opened her bedroom door and rubbed her sleep-ridden eyes, trying to focus on the chaotic scene in front of her. Plastic bags were strewn all over the kitchen floor and stacks of cupcake mix lined the counters. Flour seemed to be in every bowl except the actual mixing bowl and Caroline had batter on the side of her face.
"Caroline?" Max asked confused, "What on earth are you doing?"
"Good morning Max!" Caroline chirped, "I'm just trying to find the electric mixer. Do you know where it is?"
"We don't even have an electric mixer!" Max exclaimed, progressively getting more confused, "I meant, what are you doing with all this stuff?"
"I'm making cupcakes of course! Just trying to help you out since you slept so late last night. You must be exhausted. Why don't you go make us some drinks?"
"Drinks? In the morning?" Max asked incredulously, her eyes fixated on the spot of cake batter on Caroline's rosy cheeks.
"Well, it's 12:01 PM now so technically it's the afternoon. Come on! It'll be fun and I want you to relax," Caroline smiled cheekily. She seemed so enthusiastic and bubbly. Max couldn't help but soften her demeanour and let last night's events slip past.
"I can't say no to drinks," Max grinned, "Plus, I've always wanted to try out that cocktail shaker that Sophie gave us!"
As she walked over to retrieve the cocktail shaker, Max held a finger out and wiped the batter off Caroline's cheek slowly, slightly startling the blonde girl.
"Oh!" Caroline gasped. She blushed furiously and kept her face fixed on the batter she was mixing, hoping that Max would not notice. From her peripheral view, she could see Max bring her batter covered finger to her lips, and Caroline couldn't help but turn around to steal a gaze. Max slowly inserted her finger into her mouth, her perfectly plump lips brushing against her finger as she sucked her finger clean of the batter. With her heart racing at a million miles per hour, Caroline couldn't help but think of tasting the batter that was on Max's tongue with her own.
"Mmm… pretty good for a first attempt, Blondie," Max said slyly, although the batter was severely lacking in flour, she didn't want to spoil the moment. She proceeded to make a cocktail for her and Caroline using the alcohol they 'borrowed' from the diner.
As Caroline placed the cupcakes in the oven to bake, Max brought over the cocktail glasses and held hers up in the air between them.
"Here's to both of us. And a Screaming Orgasm." Max said coyly. After clinking their glasses, Max threw her head back and downed the cocktail.
"Wow, is that how you have a Screaming Orgasm?" Caroline asked, her glass still three quarters full.
"What, you don't like my Screaming Orgasm?" Max replied, thinking of how the conversation would've went if she made a Slippery Nipple.
"No, it's actually one of the best I've tasted. I just like to drink like a lady."
"Well, I told you before. I'm a dude."
Caroline smiled at this, "To be honest, I was pretty turned on with what you did back there." She immediately realised that she was not drunk enough to have this confession without feeling any hint of embarrassment and awkwardness. She then proceeded to gulp the entire contents of the cocktail glass down.
"That's more like it!" Max encouraged, her smile growing wider. "What did I do back there?"
"That bit when you…" Caroline's head started to feel light and fuzzy. Gosh, she was such a lightweight. "… When you licked the batter off your fingers."
"Well hey now, Blondie. You seem to be quite easily turned on by women. Got something to tell me?" Max adventured, remembering the times Caroline mentioned she was aroused by certain things girls did (Max herself included) such as at the strip club or at the cinema.
Caroline was tipsy but not drunk enough. She definitely needed another one. She grabbed the cocktail shaker and poured out the remains of it into her glass and chugged it all. As she felt the alcohol make its way through her body to her head, she wiped her mouth and sighed, "I don't know, Max. This isn't easy to talk about."
Max was taken aback. She didn't expect Caroline to go all serious about it. Did she just cross a line with her motor mouth again? Max stepped forward and placed a hand on Caroline's shoulder, trying to ignore the electric sparks flying in between them. "Hey, are you alright? I'm sorry if I said something."
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just… I don't…" Caroline was stammering. Her face was slightly red, and Max wondered if it was from the alcohol or something else. "No I'm not fine, Max. I'm confused!"
"About what? Your sexuality?"
"No, I mean kind of… I mean, shit. I don't know, Max!" Caroline faltered, her eyes starting to shimmer. "This sounds so stupid. Just let me think about it myself."
"No Caroline, I think you should tell this to someone you trust. And I know we have that sort of trust. So can you tell me what is bothering you?"
Caroline took a deep breath and leaned against the kitchen counter, her long golden legs stretching out beneath from her grey pyjama shorts. With another breath she said, "I used to only be interested in guys. Back in school, I only ever dated guys and I was all over them. I was never interested in girls. I mean, yes, I did think some of my girlfriends were hot but I didn't want to date them! I even told you right? I kissed a girl before on a dare and it wasn't really that enjoyable." Max nodded, leaning on the counter next to Caroline and unconsciously moving her hand to the blonde's hair and stroking it gently.
Caroline continued, "But recently, I don't know what's changed. But I find myself being attracted to women more and the concept of being with one less unappealing. God! That is so wrong! It's totally not me. I don't know what's wrong with me, Max."
"So you are a latent bisexual," Max smirked, her brain still processing what Caroline just told her.
"Max, it's not funny. I can't be a bisexual. I am Caroline Channing, daughter to Martin Channing. Do you know how much further that would damage our name if word got out?"
"What's wrong with that? We're living in the 21st century, girl. It's not like they're gonna lock you up with other hulking lesbians just for being one of them," Max replied.
"I am not a hulking lesbian!" Caroline exclaimed, lightly slapping Max on the shoulder.
"Oh right, sorry. You're just a lesbian, you skinny bitch." Max laughed, secretly jumping up and down on the inside. "Plus, no one is going to judge you for that. Look at Cara Delevingne. She's bi, she's still famous. It didn't hurt her reputation."
"That's true," Caroline mused. Max did have a point there. Why was Caroline so afraid of embracing her sexuality? Maybe it wasn't such a big deal after all. This is why she loved Max. She could always depend on Max for making sense out of her irrational insecurities and worries. It was only then that she realised that Max's hand was behind her, lightly brushing her fingers through her blonde hair. Shivers crawled through the roots of her hair all the way down her spine. She turned towards Max and asked, "Have you ever kissed a girl?"
Max stopped stroking her hair and placed her hands on Caroline's waist, turning her body around so that they were face to face. She could feel the thickness in the air, the sound of their rushing heartbeats, the sweet smell of the sugary cocktail still lingering in their breaths. "I have, and trust me, it is much better than kissing a guy. Softer, sweeter, more sensual."
"Why trust what you say when you can show me," Caroline purred and in one fluid movement, she brought her hand up to Max's face and pulled it closer, pressing her lips onto Max's softly at first. The kiss then deepened as their bodies drew closer to each other, filling every possible space that was between them. Just as Caroline opened her mouth to allow Max's tongue to slide in, a horrible screeching noise filled the room.
Max's eyes flew open. She was lying on her bed, staring at the peeling grey plaster on the ceiling of her grubby Brooklyn bedroom. The alarm clock continued to shriek incessantly on her nightstand. But all Max could think about was the empty, remorseful feeling that it was only a dream.
