Chapter 2
Sad Excuses
Passing several other students on the Commons, she made it down the steps to the lot. After walking a bit, she saw Warren in front of his car. "Max!" he shouted, "Get over here!" Max hurried up, "Hey Max, what's up? How are you" asked Warren. Warren opened his arms for a hug, but Max held out the flash drive and Warren, still with outstretched arms, stopped himself, and took the flash drive with a slight look of embarrassment. "Whew, thanks Max," he said, "I didn't think you'd ever come." Max replied, "I'm really sorry Warren, I got caught up with some other things." "Don't worry I'm alright." Warren said, "No problem. Check out my new wheels." Warren pointed to his car. It was an old blue station wagon. "Cool," said Max, "Very old school." Warren patted the hood. "Now we can go to the drive-in. There's one in Newburg just sixty miles away." Max shook her head, "Just sixty?" she replied, "You're in the wrong time Warren. But then so am I…" "You OK?" asked Warren, concerned. "Yeah," replied Max, "It's just been one really strange day." Warren chuckled, "I bet. I saw Victoria sitting on the dorm steps soaked. I'd pay money to see a photo of that." "Really?" replied Max, "I wish I would've known." Warren laughed, "You could've probably set up a Kickstarter fund for just one photo of her drenched." "Had I know that…" Max trailed off, "Anyway, Victoria took down my embarrassing photo, so the drama ended well." Warren raised an eyebrow. "You're not one for drama Max I know that. Well anyway, I've been wondering, I've been wanting to learn how to draw people for a while now. I wondered if you'd let me draw you." Max was flattered, though a little bit doubtful that Warren only wanted to improve his craft. "You can draw?" asked Max, "I thought you were blinded by science, not art." Warren was a science geek, and not afraid to say it. He aced anything he took in chemistry or physics, and he had won several awards in the school's science fairs. "Well," said Warren attempting a salvage, "Art is science. Music is math." Max chuckled. "So you must use a computer to draw." Said Max. Warren nodded, "Of course. I'd love to tweak one of your selfies with some cool graphics." Max smiled. Warren sure wasn't thinking about art, but Max was happy to know that there was at least one boy at Blackwell that liked her. "That might not look bad." Said Max. "I'll let you know." Warren nodded, "Oh, by the way, did you see any of the movies on the flash drive?" Max shook her head, "No I've been way too busy with class…and life." There was a brief pause. Warren broke it, "Well maybe we could take a cruise in my car to a movie this week…But you seem distracted." Max sighed, "I need to talk to somebody. Just to get it out of my system." Warren looked concerned. "What's the matter Max? You can tell me, it's alright. I won't prescribe you any meds." Max walked over beside Warren and leaned against his car. "Really Warren, this is between you and me. Not social media." "Trust me," replied Warren, "I would never." Max knew he wouldn't. "Well. I had this incredibly bizarre experience in Mr. Jefferson's class today. Have you ever had a dream, so real you thought you were really living it?" Warren looked at the ground, and was about to reply when somebody said Max's name. "Max Caulfield right?" said the voice, who sounded irritated or angry. "You're one of Mr. Jefferson's photo groupies?" Max knew who it was. It was Nathan Prescott. "I'm one of his students." She replied. "Whatever." Said Nathan shoving Warren out of his way. "I know you like to take pictures. Especially when you're hiding out in the bathrooms. You'd better tell me what you saw. Now!" "What are you talking about?" asked Max. Max frantically tried to think why Nathan would accuse her, or how he knew, but then thought about her shredded selfie. Nathan must've seen it! Nathan rolled his eyes, then redirected them right back on Max like a smart bomb. "I know you're new here, but don't even try to play the idiot with me." "I'm not new," replied Max, "I used to live here." "Then you should now," said Nathan through clenched teeth, "That the Prescott's own this garbage heap of a school." "Then you shouldn't have to worry about me," said Max back, "Worry about yourself." "Do not analyze me!" shouted Nathan. I pay people for that! Worry about yourself Max Caulfield!" Warren suddenly got between them. "Get away from her Nathan!" shouted Warren. Nathan threw a vicious punch to Warren's mouth. Warren fell to the ground. "Get away from him!" shouted Max. Nathan lurched over to Max. "Nobody tells me what to do!" He put both his hands on Max's throat and began strangling her. "Not you! Not the teacher! Not anybody!" Max clawed at Nathan's eyes with her fingernails and he let go. A large tan truck suddenly screeched to a halt right in front of Max. She got off the ground and clambered up the grille. The person inside was the girl from the bathroom. "Max?!" said the girl with wide eyes. It all came back to her now. The girl inside the bathroom she couldn't quite recognize was Chloe, her best friend who she hadn't seen in five years. "No way." Said Nathan. "You again!" He was about to force himself inside the truck when Warren grabbed the back of Nathan's shirt and threw him to the ground. "Go Max!" he shouted, before punching Nathan in the face. Nathan got the better of him, and began slamming his enraged fists in Warren's face. "Get in Max!" shouted Chloe, and she leapt inside the truck. Nathan scrambled off the ground and kicked the truck door shut, Max just getting her leg out of the way. "Get out of here!" shouted Nathan at the top of his lungs, "Nobody messes with me! Nobody!" Max and Chloe drove off, and looking behind her, she saw Warren make a safe getaway. Exiting the parking lot, Max sat back in her seat. "Man," she said, "Nathan is messed up. And dangerous. This day never ends." "Oh and thanks Chloe," said Chloe with sarcasm. "After five years you're still Max Caulfield." Max suddenly felt a prick of guilt. She had finally met back up with Chloe after all this time, and was wondering how she was going to act. She looked ahead, staring at the road and the swaying dreamcatcher hung up on the rearview mirror. "Oh don't give me the guilty face," said Chloe, "At least pretend you're glad to see me." Those words hurt Max, finally realizing that Chloe wasn't even sure she was glad to see her anymore. "I am seriously glad to see you Chloe, really." Said Max, meaning every word. "It makes perfect sense I'd see you today." Chloe nodded, "Yes it's been that kind of day. So what did that freak want with you?" "Hopefully nothing." Max replied, "So how do you know Nathan?" "He's just another Arcadia loser. Your friend really took a beat-down for you." Max nodded "Warren? Yeah I owe him bigtime. I thought things would be quiet here. It seems so weird to be back." "So I guess Seattle sucked hard?" asked Chloe. "No," replied Max, "It's such a big and bright city for artists. Great for taking pictures." "Yeah," said Chloe, "Must be hard to come back to a hick town like Arcadia again." "Not after seeing you." Said Max trying to lighten the mood. "Please girl," said Chloe, "You came back for Blackwell Academy." "Of course," replied Max, "It's one of the best photography schools in the country, and my favorite teacher Mark Jefferson teaches there." "So you came back to Arcadia for a teacher, not your best friend." Said Chloe. "Don't you think I'm happy to see you?" asked Max. "No." Chloe said bluntly, "You were happy to wait five years without a call or even a text." "I'm sorry," said Max, "I know things were really tough on you when I left." "How do you know?" said Chloe, "You weren't even here." "I didn't ask my parents to move just to tick you off Chloe. I had no choice about moving." Max said. Chloe retorted, "You've been at Blackwell for almost a month without letting me know. 'Nuff said." Max was running out of excuses, "I just wanted to settle in first and not be such a shy cliché geek. I totally would've contacted you Chloe." Chloe called her out, "I'll bet you don't use these sad excuses on Mr. Jefferson. Please don't use them on me Max." Max sat back. There were no excuses for what she had done, and she knew it. She was just shocked how badly Chloe doubted their relationship anymore. They had practically been family, and now Chloe wondered if she even missed her, but Max knew that she would've wondered if Chloe had done the same to her. She sighed, and looked inside her camera bag. Opening it, she took out her camera, and realized with a wave of sadness that it was broken. Max reckoned it must've happened when she fell down after Nathan pushed her during the fight. Chloe looked at it, saw Max's downcast face and said, "My step-dunce has a boatload of tools at his house. You can fix it there." Chloe's step-father was far from the kind and loving William Chloe had grown up with. Chloe never called him her step-father, but numerous other derogatory names, often far worse than step-dunce. "I need very specific tiny tools." Said Max, "Nerd alert." Said Chloe with a smile. "Don't worry, he's got dozens of small screwdrivers and stuff. You can fix it at my place." Max smiled, "Thanks Chloe." She said. Chloe smiled and said, "Welcome home Max." After a while, they pulled into Chloe's driveway. A flood of memories came back to Max. Hundreds of hours playing in this house as a kid. It had almost been her second home. The memories were made even more potent since the house looked almost exactly the same. When they entered, yet another wave of memory came over her. Joyce, Chloe's mother, wasn't really into changing furniture, and the interior had changed very little over the five years Max had been gone. They went upstairs into Chloe's room. This was the only part of the house that Max had no memory of. It had changed drastically. The walls were covered in posters of rock bands, a beer poster, and old cigarette advertisements. There was an American flag draped over the window, with white walls, and a cluttered floor. Her bed was unkempt, with unmade sheets that didn't quite fit the bed. It almost made Max sad to see how her personality had changed. She had always been so neat and tidy before. "My room probably looks different than last you saw it," Cloe addressed. Max looked around, almost scared to enter, "Well, at least we can chill out here," Max said. Chloe huffed, "This isn't exactly my 'chill-out-zone.' My step-Fuhrer makes sure of that." Chloe laid down on her bed and looked at Max still lingering in the doorway. "Come in and close the door." Said Chloe. She did, looking around. "Would you mind putting on some music?" asked Chloe. Max nodded, "Sure. Where's the CD player?" "Over there." Chloe pointed over to the other end of the room. She plugged it in. "There's a CD in that box below me." Chloe pointed to a small metal box below her feet, just jutting out from under the bed. She walked over, and opened the lid. Inside the box was the CD. She picked it up, but then noticed something. There was a photo of Rachel Amber. Curious, Max picked it up, wondering why it was in there. It was the same picture of her that was on the missing person's posters at Blackwell. The picture was also folded in half. She unfolded it, to see Chloe on the other side, smiling with her arm around Rachel. Without warning, Chloe snatched the picture, "Hey give me that!" she snapped. "Sorry," said Max, "I wasn't trying to be nosy. Obviously she was a good friend." Chloe sat up, putting one hand to the side of her head, and the other, holding the picture, drooped over the bed. "That's putting it mildly." Chloe said. "That's Rachel Amber." Said Max, "Her missing person's posters are all over Blackwell." "Yeah," said Chloe, "I put them up. She was my angel. After my dad died and you moved I felt abandoned. Rachel saved my life." Chloe had such a horribly sad face on, Max was feeling more and more guilty. She knew that not contacting Chloe had been a mistake, but now she fully realized just how badly she had let Chloe down. "Man" said Max, not quite sure what to say, "I had no idea." "How could you?" said Chloe, "Rachel and I were best friends." "I never forgot about you." Said Max, "I'm sorry I was such a scumbag and didn't call you. At least you had Rachel." "Rachel had my back." Said Chloe, "We were going to kick the world's butt. You would've laughed at how different we were. Rachel wanted to be a star." "She looks like a model," said Max, "That was her plan." Said Chloe, "Get the heck out of Bigfootville and move to Los Angeles." "So what happened?" asked Max, "Did your mom try to stop you?" Chloe's face hardened, "She was too busy getting hooked up with Sargent Swine." "I feel the love," said Max, "Now, when did Rachel disappear?" "Six months ago." Chloe answered, "Without a word. Without…me." "How do you know she disappeared? Maybe she wanted to start afresh somewhere else." "Unlike you, she would've told me." Chloe snapped. "Sorry," said Max, "I believe, you, I'm just trying to figure out what happened." Chloe said, "Right before she left Rachel said she met somebody who changed her life. Then poof." "And you haven't heard anything from her since?" asked Max. "Like everybody in my life." Chloe said simply. "My dad, you, Rachel…gone. Can you put on some music now?" Max put on the CD, and soft guitar music filled the air. Max was expecting some heavy metal, but this was the kind of music she herself would listen to. Chloe laid down on the bed and lit a cigarette. "You can find tools down in the garage to fix your camera." Max stepped up to Chloe, with concern in her voice. "Chloe," she said, "Are you OK?" "Yeah I'm awesome." She replied, "I just want to be alone for a moment." Max nodded and left the room. She sighed. Smoking as well? Chloe would've never even thought about picking up a cigarette before Max left, and now she was. She began going downstairs when her phone buzzed. It was from Kate. It read, "Thanks a bunch for helping me out earlier today. I really appreciated it." Max smiled and texted her back: "You're welcome Kate. Anytime. Hopefully he doesn't bother you anymore." At the bottom of the steps was a corkboard with photos of Chloe pinned up on them. They were pictures of the Chloe that Max remembered, the carefree, smiling, laughing Chloe that Max was afraid didn't exist anymore. Photos of her skateboarding, flying high on her old swing set, and feeding pigeons in her backyard. Max passed the telephone just outside the kitchen. It rang. She didn't answer, just waited to see if anybody would leave a message. After the beep, a message came. The voice on it sounded angry, "Chloe, if you're listening, Pete was cruising home off-duty when he saw you near that garbage dump. Now I've ordered…Told…you to stay away from that place. It's dangerous! And you got no idea what kind of trailer trash are in there stay away! I'm serious." The answering machine beeped. Max thought she recognized something in the voice, but it was a little bit too fuzzy for her to put a finger on it. She passed by. 'Well I see why Chloe hates her stepdad so much.' Max thought to herself. She walked into the kitchen, where a thousand meals had been cooked by Joyce, Chloe's mother. Joyce had grown up and lived in Georgia for half her life before she moved to Oregon. Her rich and friendly Southern accent, and exquisite cooking skills stayed with her though. 'I do miss Joyce's cooking.' Max thought to herself as she looked at the empty kitchen. She went into the living room, which doubled as a dining room, and looked at the small stack of cooking magazines on the table. 'I haven't been here for five years. It seems like forever.' Max thought. She opened the glass sliding back door out to the backyard. There was a door that opened into the garage, but it was locked as well. She went back inside, but not before pausing a moment at the backyard BBQ grill. She remembered William's delicious burgers and hot dogs he'd cook for his family or Max when she was over. She missed that as much as she missed Joyce's cooking. Walking into the house, she looked and saw a side door that was open. She entered the garage. There was a huge metal tool vault full of tools of all shapes and sizes, but not the kind she needed. The countertop had a laptop on it, as well as some files and paperwork. She opened a wooden cabinet above it, wondering if anything was inside of it. Instead of finding tools, she found something she wasn't expecting at all. There was a small TV inside, which had images from surveillance cameras playing on it. Max looked in horror. Almost all of the rooms were covered, except Chloe's room and the bathroom. 'Chloe's stepdad has serious trust issues!' thought Max, 'Does Joyce or Chloe even know about this?' She closed the cabinet, not wanting it to look tampered with. She went back to the task at hand looking for tools. There was a tool drawer right below her. She opened it. No tools, but instead, a picture of David Madsen, the head of security at Blackwell. Max wondered why it was there, but then it all came together. Chloe's stepfather was none other than David Madsen himself. Max covered her mouth with a hand. Max now understood why Chloe hated him so much. Closing the drawer, she looked in another cabinet. More personal files, with a picture of Mr. Madsen in full army uniform. Beside the drawer was a gun cabinet, with an arsenal of pistols. She went back to the cabinets and opened another one, but all it had was just food. She walked over to the other end of the room and beheld a tower of boxes above the washing machine. At the highest point, was a box of precision screwdrivers. After thinking about what to do for a while, she turned the washing machine on, and it began to vibrate. The screwdrivers fell to the floor. Max grabbed them. Nothing else for her to do here. 'Got the tools,' thought Max, 'now I need to get back upstairs before Chloe freaks.' She went back upstairs and showed Chloe the box. "Sweet, you found the tools," Chloe said, "Now you can just sit at my desk and fix your camera." Max sat down and began to work.
An hour later, and Max gave up. She couldn't fix it, it was beyond repair. She was extremely upset, and Chloe got up when Max slumped down in her chair. Chloe took off her black jacket and walked over. "So?" she asked. Max sighed deeply, "I can't fix this thing." She said with hard disappointment. Chloe walked over beside Max. Max had put her photos she had taken that day on the table when she took her camera out of her bag. "Are these your new photos?" asked Chloe brightly. "Yeah," said Max, still sad, "I just took them today." "Let me see." Said Chloe as she picked one up. Unfortunately, she picked up the photo of Kate being harassed by David Madsen. "Are you kidding me?" said Chloe with disgust. "That dirt bag is everywhere!" She threw the photo back on the table, and then picked up the photo of the blue butterfly Max had taken in the bathroom before Chloe and Nathan had met. Chloe looked hard at the picture. "Wait…" she said, "I've seen this before. No way! Where did you take this?" Max didn't respond, "You took this in the bathroom didn't you!" Max nodded, "You're the one who set off the alarm! That's why Nathan raged after you. It totally makes sense! Max, you saved my life. Tell me the truth Max, were you there?" Max replied, "Yes. I was there. Hiding in the corner." Chloe said, "You're a ninja!" Max scoffed, "A ninja would've tossed a throwing star at Nathan's head. I just took a butterfly photo." "That is so awesome!" said Chloe, still impressed. "I almost had a heart attack when I saw the gun." Max said. "So did you recognize me?" asked Chloe. Max shook her head, "Not at all. Your hair and clothes are so different." I hope so." Replied Chloe, "I'm sure this is all so weird for you coming back." "Like you said," Max answered, "It's been that kind of day." Chloe said, "So you must've overheard our conversation." Max decided to risk it, "Just a bit," she said. Chloe rolled her eyes, "There is no way you didn't hear every single vowel." Max shook her head, "Only something about money…drugs…but that's it." "Now the big question," Chloe said, "Have you told anybody?" Max replied, "I wanted to. What if Nathan goes on some psycho rampage?" Chloe brushed it off, calling Nathan several unsavory names. "He would've shot you Chloe." Said Max, "I know it. I should tell the principal." "Are you still twelve?" asked Chloe incredulously, "That idiot is only interested in cash for Blackwell Academy. Don't trust him. The Prescott's give him almost all the money, and getting their son in trouble wouldn't sit well with them." "I seriously didn't tell anybody," said Max, "I promise." Chloe breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank God. I'll tell you more later, and I owe you Max." Chloe looked at the ground, and then went over to the shelf where the CD player sat. She rummaged around a bit before taking something out. It was an old-school Polaroid camera, exactly like Max's, but blue, not tan. "Here," said Chloe, "This was my real father's camera. I know it was your birthday a few weeks ago. I want you to have it." Max was touched. "I'm so glad you remembered my birthday but I can't take this." "Yes you can," Chloe insisted. "My dad would be ticked if I never used it, and now I know it'll be used awesomely. And," she snatched the picture of the blue butterfly from the table, "I'll use this photo as a symbol of our reunion. Cool?" "Yes!" said Max, feeling much better about everything, "It's very cool! This camera is so great!" Chloe sighed, "Well now that we got that mushy crap out of the way I feel like dancing!" Chloe returned to the CD player and put on some lively music. She jumped up on the bed, laughing and dancing, "Come on!" she said, "Take a picture with your new camera!" Max snapped, and looked at it. This was the Chloe that Max remembered. Smiling, laughing and dancing. "Can't dance Max?" Chloe said with a laugh, "Come on!" Max had never really danced before, and never took the opportunity if it ever presented itself. Just this once though, she made an exception, and began to dance in a way that most people would laugh at, but she didn't care anymore. They danced for only a few moments before they heard a yell from downstairs. It was David Madsen. "Chloe!" David shouted, "Are you up there!?" "Turn it off! Turn it off!" Chloe hissed. Max quickly switched it off. "How many times have I told you to quit blasting that punk garbage!?" "Dude the music's not even on!" Chloe shouted back. A few tense moments passed, "I'm coming up; we need to talk!" Chloe rolled her head back, "Oh no way!" she said. Chloe went up to Max, "Max, you need to hide! Now! My stepdad will kill you if he finds you here!" Max heard several thundering steps up the staircase. "Chloe, what are you doing in there?" asked David. Chloe blocked the door. "Chill I'm changing is that OK?!" she lied. "Chloe," David said, sounding increasingly annoyed, "What are you doing?" Max saw the closet and opened the door before hiding inside. "I'm not screwing around soldier!" said David, "Chloe, open this door right now!" Chloe opened it. "Geez I'm just trying on clothes," Chloe lied, "you're so freaking paranoid." "Yeah," David said with narrowed eyes, "Combat will do that to you." Mr. Madsen stomped to the window and Chloe sat on the bed. "One of my guns is missing." Said David, "Did you take it?" Chloe rolled her eyes, "Oh Lord I didn't take your stupid gun," she said with a sarcastic tone of voice, "You do know I believe in gun control?" "I'm sick and tired of your disrespect!" shouted David, "Did you take it or not!" "Me and mom are not your family platoon!" Chloe said angrily. "Hey!" David said livid, "Leave Joyce out of this!" Chloe dropped the bomb, "I wish you'd leave Joyce! Like now!" David lashed out, and slapped Chloe with the back of his hand. Chloe stepped back, her hand on the side of her face. David lurched his hand back, as he realized what he just did. He sighed, "Look Chloe. I care about your mother, but you just keep pushing me." Chloe's eyes were full of hate. "By the way," she said, "I have proof you got all up in Kate Marsh's face today. Surveillance proof." "What?" said David with a scoff, "You best stay out of my work!" "Then stay out of my life," Chloe replied. David shook his head and as he walked out of the room all he said was, "Someday you'll grow up," before slamming the bedroom door behind him. Chloe raised her hand, as if commanding him down the stairs. Timidly, Max emerged from the closet. "Are you OK Chloe?" asked Max. Chloe didn't reply. "I'm sorry." Max said. Chloe shook her head, "For what?" she said, "He would've been an even bigger jerk if he caught you in here." "That's hard to believe." Max said. "Anyway," said Chloe, "Let's sneak out the window. There is one place we can go in this hick-hole." She got up. "Well," said Chloe stooping down to a box, "Want to see my new toy?" Max raised an eyebrow, and Chloe put whatever it was quickly behind her back. "I'm Price." She said, "Chloe Price…Bang!" She stretched out her arm and pointed a pistol at Max's head. "Geez Chloe!" said Max, "Put that thing down." "Chill Max," said Chloe, "It's not even loaded yet." Max knew some things about guns, and the number one rule was, never point it at anybody. Ever. Even if it was unloaded. "I thought you just said you believed in gun control?" said Max. "Yes," replied Max, "I believe I should control the gun." "Please put it back." Said Max, "Hey," said Chloe, "It's only dangerous if somebody gets in my way." "Please don't talk like that." Said Max. Max wasn't against guns. Far from it, she had no qualms about them, and though she personally didn't like to be around them, she didn't give anybody trouble about owning one. She did however have a problem about guns when they were in the hands of people who didn't respect them enough, and just judging by Chloe's display of pointing it at her head, Max knew Chloe didn't respect this gun enough…if at all. "You think I want to?" asked Chloe, "I'd much rather be in LA with Rachel than hiding a gun. But I do feel much safer with a nine-mil in my pants." Max agreed, though she was still unsure about how trustworthy Chloe was as far as guns were concerned. After that, they hopped out the window, and left Chloe's room.
"Isn't this awesome?" asked Chloe happily. "Totally reminds me of when we were kids!" Chloe had taken Max down to the trail leading up to the lighthouse above Arcadia Bay. The sun was setting, and a doe jumped across the path and into the woods. "Come on slowpoke!" Chloe shouted back to Max. "Hold on!" Max said back. 'I haven't been here in years,' Max thought, 'So why do I feel like I was just here?' Max then suddenly realized. 'Oh…This is the path I took in my nightmare in class today.' She walked up the wooden steps when her phone buzzed. It was Warren. The text had an attached selfie with Warren doing a thumbs up in front of his bruised face. The text read, "Hello Max. Your White Knight here. I know you were worried about me." Indeed Max was. She texted back, "IOU. Thanks for today. I'll call you soon. I swear!" Warren buzzed back, "No Problem. You still have to tell me your big secret." Max smiled. She had reached the top of the trail. She stepped out and looked in awe over the beautiful sunset, bathing Arcadia Bay and the ocean below in a soft golden light. She saw Chloe sitting on the bench. "Sure you don't want to be alone?" asked Max, still unsure how to act around Chloe. "Have a seat!" Chloe said cheerfully. "My pleasure." Max replied. "It feels nice to relax here after all that drama." Chloe sneered. Max said, "David is indeed a step-troll." "I'm sorry you had to experience it firsthand." Chloe said. "You have to live with him!" Max said boggled about how hellish that would be. "Has he always been like this?" Chloe replied, "Ever since my desperate mom dragged him to my house. I never trusted him." "I'm glad I took a photo of him and Kate…Just in case." Max said, grateful she thought fast enough to do it. "Why was he all up in her face anyway?" asked Chloe. 'He has like this weird agenda." Max said, still not sure why herself. Chloe rolled her eyes, "He has a crap ton of secret files. Step-Rambo still thinks he's gathering enemy intelligence. He's a total surveillance freak. I worry there are spy cams in my house." "I knew you didn't know." Said Max, "Chloe, your house is under surveillance." "What?" Chloe said with a raised eyebrow, "What are you talking about?" Max replied, "There are cameras all over the house. I saw it on a monitor in the garage." Chloe shook her head, "I knew it!" she said angrily, "He's so stinking paranoid! I'll keep this a secret for now." "Sometimes ignorance is bliss," said Max. "No wonder I'm so miserable," said Chloe, "Everybody in this town knows everybody's secrets." "What's Nathan's secret?" asked Max. Chloe sighed, "He's just a rich conniver who sells drugs and trash to kids at Blackwell. He…He dosed me with some in his room." Max gasped, "What?" "I met him at a crappy bar at the other end of town." Chloe said. Max said, "You need to tell me what happened Chloe. Now." "I needed money badly," answered Chloe, "Thought he'd be an easy score. He was too rich for the place and too wasted." "You need money that bad?" Max asked. Chloe replied, "Actually yes, I owe bigtime. Thought maybe he'd have enough money for me and Rachel if she showed up. I drove him back to his house, and I laughed all over his rich kid bull crap. He was one step ahead of me and he put some drugs in my beer." Max was appalled. "What happened then?" she asked, not sure she wanted to know. "Well when I woke up he had stolen all my money. He was smiling and he crawled over and laid his hands on me. I kicked him in the face and I managed to get out. I figured I'd make him pay me to keep quiet so I met him in the bathroom." "And he brought a gun." Said Max. "Well that was his last mistake." Chloe said. Max said back, "He's still dangerous Chloe. Not just to you." "Good thing you didn't tell anybody," said Chloe. "Nathan Prescott better watch his back now!" "Just be careful Chloe," said Max, "I won't always be there to save you." Chloe looked right at Max and said, "But you were there for me today Max! You saved my life! I'm still tripping on that. Seeing you after all these years feels like…" "Destiny?" finished Max. Chloe slumped forward. Max patted her on the back and she got up. They both stepped towards the sunset. "If this is destiny," said Chloe, "Then I hope we can find Rachel. I miss her Max. This garbage pit has taken away everyone I've ever loved. I'd like to drop a bomb on Arcadia Bay and turn it into glass!" Max stepped back. Suddenly her head began to pound. She heard strange noises and suddenly she was back in the storm. The wind once again began to scream overhead, trees groaning and creaking. Thunder split the skies. 'Oh no!' thought Max, 'Not again! Why is this happening to me? Is Chloe still up there? I have to find out!' She was back on the lighthouse trail. She was still unsure whether this was reality or not, but it sure felt like reality. She finally made it to the top of the lighthouse trail. Once again, the boat slammed into the top of the lighthouse. She ran over to the edge of the cliff and the top of the lighthouse slammed into the ground, missing her. The massive tornado was tearing right for Arcadia Bay. She saw a newspaper fluttering on a post. She looked to see the doe was gone. She looked over the newspaper. It was dated for October 11th. Max realized with horror that was only four days away. The newspaper fluttered out of her hands. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Snapping back to reality, she was once again with Chloe at sunset. Chloe was looking at her with concern "Max what's going on? You totally blacked out." Max said, "Chloe this is for real. Oh Chloe it's for real. I had another dream. Arcadia Bay is going to get wiped out by a tornado!" Chloe looked skeptical. "Oregon gets about five tornados every 20 years. You just zoned." "No! No I didn't!" Max said back, "I could actually feel the electricity in the air." "Max, don't freak out." Chloe said, she was about to say something else but she stopped. Max felt something on her face. Something cold. She looked up and saw something crazy. Snow was falling. "Snowflakes?" said Chloe, "How? It's like 80 degrees outside!" "A storm is coming." Said Max. Chloe stood back, then said, "Max…Start from the beginning. Tell me everything."
All over Arcadia Bay, people were looking out their windows. Mr. Madsen, who was working on his house gutters, looking in amazement. Joyce, washing the countertop in the Two Whales Diner where worked, stopped, and stared. Warren, working on his latest science project, walked away from his laptop and stared in wonder, trying to think of any sort of scientific explanation. Inside her dorm in school, Kate didn't notice the snow. Her face was covered in her hands, tears making them wet. Her sobs going unheard by those outside. In a trailer, a man called his dog inside, but then stared himself up at the sky. In the school campus, Victoria took a poster of Rachel Amber, stared at it, and threw it on the ground, before looking up. Inside his classroom, Mr. Jefferson was working on grades when he stopped work and looked out the window. He stood up and walked out, before taking a photo. Nobody knew what it meant but Max, and she was determined to do all she could to stop any further tragedies from happening.