Max:
"Why look, an otter in my water." My eyes flew open to see Chloe leaning on the doorway, smiling that lazy smile that always made my heart go into overdrive. I sat up, the blanket cocoon falling from my shoulders, my head suddenly clear. Glancing at the time, I saw that it was seven PM. I'd been sleeping for two hours.
"Sorry!" I blurted. "I came to visit Brooke for some advice, and um, she had to leave for a date with Warren, and um, I was so tired I just crashed on the nearest bed, and, um-" Chloe laughed.
"It's fine! Happens to the best of us." She launched herself onto the bed and looked at me expectantly. "How was your day, Supermax?"
"Um, well, it was pretty long." The truth is, I hadn't been all that tired, until I went back to the dorm to visit Brooke for tech advice and spotted Chloe's bed in the corner. It didn't hurt that the bed smelled comfortingly like her, a mixture of leather and smoke and the mint air freshener in her truck. She raised an eyebrow.
"Is that it?"
"Um, yeah. I guess all the stress from procrastination and stuff is really catching up to me." That was true, Mrs. Grant had assigned a powerpoint I'd stayed up last night finishing.
"And you tell me to be responsible." Chloe let out a yawn, kicking off her boots and discarding her jacket on the floor. "I'm pretty beat, too." She grabbed the blanket cocoon I'd built. "Share the love, Caulfield." Confused, I let go of the blanket cocoon and lean against the headboard as she tucks herself in besides me.
"Chloe?" I flinch when she reaches up and pulls me closer. "What're you doing?"
"Sleeping, doofus." She yawns, to emphasize her point. "Why're you so tense? You look like a deer in the headlights." I swallow nervously. Maybe because my massive crush is currently snuggling up to me like we're both still innocent tweens and isn't cuddling like this a couple thing?
"L-like I said, long day. And Mrs. Grant assigns hard projects." Chloe's currently trying to burrow her way into my right side while trying find a comfortable position, and eventually just gives up and settles for sort of spooning me. I mean, we'd cuddled before, but that was five years ago, and Chloe seemed to have changed her opinions on personal space drastically since.
"Say, Max..."
"Yeah?"
"D'you wanna watch Blade Runner tomorrow? If you have free time?" Sounds like old times. We tried to have a Skype movie marathon once, using the tv on her side, but she threw her laptop during The Nightmare on Elm Street. Only Chloe would be scared by The Twilight Zone.
"You could come over at ten thirty and bring snacks. I'll provide the netflix."
"Hmmm. Can't argue with that." Her sentence trails off as she loops an arm around my waist. She still falls asleep really quickly when she cuddles. Soon, her breathing is even and I gently run my fingers through her hair. She's so... Cute when she sleeps. Not angry at all. Just Chloe.
Before I know it, I've twisted a small, thin braid into her hair. Revenge for falling asleep on me, lazy bones. Braids aren't exactly very punk rock. I let my eyes close, enjoying the warmth pressed into my side. I hope Brooke won't be mad if I end up staying the night like this.
Rachel:
Brushing my hair behind my ear, I send yet another text to Chloe while tapping my foot impatiently. Seriously, Chloe, you promised that you wouldn't lose that pair of boots. You better not be hoarding them. I wait a few seconds longer. Forget it, I'm going in. I grab the handle to her dorm room and surprisingly it's unlocked. I see the boots on the floor, and I've already picked them up before freezing at the scene in front of me. Nice one, Price. Smirking, I unlock my phone and take a picture as I back out of the room. They're so cute together. I think gleefully.
Chloe:
When I wake up, Max isn't there, but the spot where she'd been sitting was still warm. Getting up, I flop into the office chair. Propping my feet up casually on the desk, I check my phone for notifications. I was getting a lot of Instagram notifications, apparently, since Rachel had tagged me in a photo. Probably something that wasn't even related to me that she just wanted to make sure I saw. Or maybe she really wanted to piss me off. I should comment on her post that she should stop tagging me in random posts. A few taps and I'm left gaping.
I'm sleeping peacefully in the picture, one of Max's hands is intertwined in my hair while we sleep and my hand is resting on Max's hip suggestively, not to mention the fact that I'm practically welded to her legs. Max's also sleeping, but her other hand is around my shoulder protectively. We look happy, content, and we're both sort of smiling in our sleep.
What... How did Rachel take this? I tap the picture, and I realize that Max's hands were wrapped around something that looked like a braid. Reaching up, I ran my fingers over my hair until I felt the braid and a small smile tugs at my lips. Leave it to Max to find such a dorky hipster way to prank me... But firstly, I need to yell at Rachel. Exiting the app, I catch sight of the caption and nearly choke.
"Rachel." I growl, standing up and pushing the chair back with a loud clatter. You're so dead.
Max:
"Hey Max!" Kate greeted enthusiastically. I flashed her a smile and hugged her back.
"Hi, Kate. How're you doing?" A strange, knowing smile spreads over her lips.
"Well, Max, I feel pretty left out that you haven't told me about this... Development." I blink, confused.
"What development?" Kate smiles again, which was rather unsettling.
"Check your Instagram." So I do.
And I'm flooded with likes from a photo that I was tagged in.
I blink. Once. Twice. Thrice. Heat rushes to my face as I look up and stammer something, and Kate's watching me with a sympathetic look. I want to die of embarrassment. Or crawl into the ground at Rachel's caption.
They're so in love :) Wonder who's going to tell them...
That's before I catch sight of Chloe's comment underneath.
Emoji_Assassin
Rachel get your head out of your ass and stop posting stupid photos. We are NOT a couple.
preservedinamber
Oh, but you are ;)
Emoji_Assassin
Are you fucking with me NO EMOJI!
preservedinamber
I totally called it. Justin, you owe me money :D
Emoji_Assasin
Stop.
preservedinamber
You two look at each other with puppy eyes it's honestly disgusting and you're just in denial XD
Emoji_Assassin
Can we actually have a conversation that makes sense Rachel we are not in love I've told you this repeatedly
preservedinamber
You've also told me repeatedly that you think freckles are really cute and that her hair always smells like coconut mango shampoo, you have a crush Price just admit it ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )
Emoji_Assassin
This is ridiculous Rachel. And STOP FUCKING USING EMOJIS!
preservedinamber
I bet if I got you drunk you would admit a lot of things ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° ) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )
Emoji_Assassin
You sick little weasleshit.
My throat is suddenly dry and Kate puts her hand on my shoulder sympathetically as she reads over my shoulder.
"This is ridiculous." I'm saying it to myself more than I'm saying it to Kate. Kate sighs.
"What's ridiculous is how much you two are in denial." My face is scarlet as she sighs. "You should go talk to her."
Later, sitting in my room, I'm still staring at the photo. Tentatively, I start to type.
ChoirofFuriesinWaterfalls
rachel please remove this photo
preservedinamber
You two are really cute together you two will be the cutest couple ever
ChoirofFuriesinWaterfalls
... rachel we are not a couple
preservedinamber
You're not fooling anyone I have eyes I can see you checking out Chloe every time you're in the same room
ChoirofFuriesinWaterfalls
i do not think of chloe that way we are friends, and only friends
Emoji_Assassin
Aye, 'tis slander upon our good name.
preservedinamber
I speak only the truth :) And you said our :)))
ChoirofFuriesinWaterfalls
rachel stop trying to be a matchmaker just because you sort of got victoria and kate together doesn't mean you can mess with us like this
preservedinamber
us
Your ship name is Pricefield from now on
Emoji_Assassin
WTF I can't date Max she's like my little sister
Well, if one thing was certain, Rachel just helped destroy my last remaining hope that maybe Chloe felt the same. She thinks of me as a little sister. A child.
ChoirofFuriesinWaterfalls
i thought i was your partner in crime not your kid sister
Emoji_Assassin
Shit
ChoirofFuriesinWaterfalls
you insult me, price
Emoji_Assassin
Sorry, mad max.
Queen-Chase
Lover's spat?
Emoji_Assassin
Fuck off Chase
Queen-Chase
Fuck you too
fluffyrabbitsanddelicioustea
Vic that's not nice apologize
Queen-Chase
Ugh, sorry
preservedinamber
whiiiiiiiiipped
Rolling my eyes, I put my phone down and flop onto my bed to fiddle with the photos on my wall. A few minutes later, I hear her familiar knock. Two quick taps, one slow tap. She's the only one that knocks that way.
"Come in." She twists the doorknob and steps in tentatively.
"Uh, yeah. So... Blade Runner?" She has an adorable blush on her face, but I blink and remind myself that she just declared that she saw me as her sister. She stands there, fidgeting.
"You kept the braid." I blurt. Her hand shoots up to the right side of her head, where the braid flashes neon blue. She grins easily.
"Honestly, if I fell asleep on anyone else they'd draw a dick on my face. You gave me a hipster braid." I smile back.
"I'll give you another if you forgot about the snacks." Chloe laughs.
"Good thing I brought your favourite." She holds up a huge bag of pop corn(Xxxtra buttery POP!corn), the same brand that we used to get when we were kids.
"I guess you're pardoned." The smile stretches bigger when she beams back excitedly. It's always so easy to smile around Chloe. For some reason, I just feel... Lighter. Maybe Rachel was right, maybe we could be a thing.
She rips open the bag and tosses a kernel high into the air, catching it with her mouth. I reach for my laptop, and everything, for now, feels perfect.
Chloe:
Max is nodding off by the time the movie ends. Her head's tucked into the crook of my neck, and I shake her gently.
"Maxaroni? Wake up, I have to go back to my own room sometime before midnight." She raises her head and blinks sleepily up at me. Fuck, that's cute.
"Midnight... You're supposed to do something at midnight..." She says.
"Are you thinking of Cinderella?" I smirk.
"Maybe." She smiles, and I'm suddenly aware of how close our faces are. So close we could... I push the thought away.
"Okay, Max... Good Night?" I suggest, pulling back a little.
"Don't." She says, reaching up and pulling my head down. My eyes widen in shock and is this happening? And her lips are so soft and I'm threading my hand through her hair like how I'd imagined a thousand times and she's gently tracing circles on my hip and I'm kissing back like my life depends on it.
Somehow she ends up pinning me to the bed and damn how did I not realize?
Finally, Max pulls away for air.
"Okay." She says in a small voice. "Definitely not tired anymore."
"Nope. Not tired at all." I agree, heart pounding at a thousand miles per hour. "Does that mean I'll be staying over tonight?"