"Sunrise" by Hannah Telle
There was a faint drizzle smacking against the bus window as Max Caulfield leaned her head against the glass. The CD player in her lap softly imbued her ears with listless indie rock, music meant for the open road, and she glanced out to observe the seemingly endless cavalcade of trees as Arcadia Bay loomed in the distance. She smiled at the familiar sight of the lighthouse, a shaft of concrete and steel that pierced through the woods. Afternoon adventures and day-long trips to the beach reflected in her eyes as she thought back to days from months ago, when she still lived in the small oceanside town and spend almost every waking moment with her best friend, Chloe Price.
Chloe, Max thought, I… I hope you're okay.
Max had not heard from her friend for a few days, a short call before the silence from Chloe where she said that a trip to Seattle for the weekend was "statistically impossible". They had not seen each other since that weekend where they explored the Space Needle, but had kept in a near-constant state of contact. Texts of "Good Morning", with intermittent messages throughout the day until their respective schools let out. Max was true to her word and sent an envelope full of Polaroids to Chloe every weekend, Chloe sending a pic of her smiling as she held the photos through her phone. Max flipped open her phone, checking out the last picture Chloe had sent – a shot of her as she was skateboarding. Max cringed at that view, her imagination running roughshod as the idea of Chloe with a busted ankle or worse flashed across her vision.
"Uh, hey, Mom," Max said, having dialed her house after removing the earbuds for the CD player, "Um, tiny problem…"
"Max?" Vanessa asked, a little worry in her voice. "…You didn't actually ask Joyce if it was okay for you to come down, did you?"
"Well, um, not just that…," Max said, wincing as she heard the sigh of disappointment from her mother, "Look, Chloe could… She could be in trouble, o-or worse. I-I can't just stay home and sulk. You're always telling me to not shut myself up in my bedroom-"
"Yeah, but your father and I want you to go out here, in Seattle," Vanessa replied, Max practically hearing the sound of her mother's hand resting on her face, "…Wait, what else is wrong?"
"I kinda forgot to pack my phone charger."
"Shit."
"M-Mom!"
"Sorry, though in retrospect and fairness I am pretty sure Chloe cusses around you more than anyone alive," Vanessa said, not being able to help herself when a chuckle escaped her, "I will call Joyce, okay? Give her a heads-up. As far as your phone… It's one of those that has a unique type of plug, isn't it?"
"Y-Yeah," Max replied, her eyes drawn to the sign that welcomed visitors to Arcadia Bay as they entered the town limits, "Um, I'm here. In town, I mean. And my phone's letting me know it's about to die."
"Maxine Caulfield, when you get home you and I are going to have a talk about lying to your parents," Vanessa said, a little steel in her voice, "Can you do me a favor while you're down there?"
"S-Sure!" Max replied a little too quickly, eyes wide at the thought of punishment and what would happen when she did return home.
"Give Chloe an extra tight hug for me."
"Will do, Mom! Gotta go, though. The bus is parking," Max said, waiting for her mother to reply before she glanced at the screen and only saw black, "Crap."
As the bus came to a final stop, Max opted to wait until everyone else was off the bus with their luggage. The strangers on the bus had been nice enough, smiling kindly at a small girl like her, but she still did not feel entirely comfortable about the whole situation. Thank God no one sat next to me, Max thought as she finally got out of her seat and pulled her Legend of Zelda backpack out from under it, I would've had a panic attack if that'd happened. Smiling a little awkwardly when the bus driver just looked at her with a mild annoyance, the brunette exited quickly and grabbed her small suitcase from the storage compartment. Rolling her luggage along as she crossed the parking lot, Max shouldered her backpack and took a good look around. She had never been at the bus station itself, though Chloe and her often road the local service around the town when they really needed to get somewhere and their parents were busy. Finding the old, repainted school bus on the other side of the station, Max hurried as fast as she could and had to clamp a hand down on her head when the wind kicked up. She did not want to lose the snapback Chloe had given her.
"Where to?" the bus driver asked, his smile friendlier than the other driver. "Hey, I know you. You always come on here with that taller girl, right?"
"Uh, yeah," Max said, nodding as she looked down the vacant bus, "I'm the only passenger?"
"Quiet morning, I guess," the bus driver replied, "Destination?"
Max rattled off the bus stop location nearest Chloe's house and took a seat near the front, resting her chin on the seat in front of her. She took in the sight of every house, every business, as they wound through Arcadia Bay. Seattle had been fun, or rather it had been when Chloe was there, but Arcadia Bay still felt like home to Max and she frowned when they drove past what had been her home for the longest time. Eyes getting just a little wet, Max sighed and leaned back in the seat. It's like time freezes here, everything is the same. Well, mostly, Max thought as she cocked her head while glancing outside, I still can't believe we don't live here anymore, it's so surreal. Months in Seattle, but I still want to wake up and meet Chloe at Two Whales for breakfast before we head off to school. Go to the lighthouse. See a movie at the old theater in the town square. Did I make the right call coming here, coming back? I want to see Chloe, but will this be too much? Also, Mom's gonna serve me my final meal before carrying out whatever sentence she and Dad see fit when I get home.
"Young lady?" the bus driver asked, snapping Max out of her thoughts. "This your stop, right?"
"Oh, uh, yeah!" Max replied, a bundle of nerves as she grabbed her things in a rush and tried to get down the narrow walkway between the rows of seats.
"Let me help," the bus driver said, putting the bus in park before offering a hand to Max, the brunette hesitating a moment before she handed him the handle for her suitcase.
"Thanks!" Max said, waving as the bus drove off to its next stop.
Taking a deep breath, Max gathered her courage and began the short walk to the Price residence. Max had started herself on this path, albeit by lying, so she had to see it through. As she turned the last corner before Chloe's house Max slowed her pace a little and took a moment to catch her breath. Her heart was beating a little faster than normal, the anxiety simmering inside of her. It's just Chloe and Joyce, Max thought to herself, little hands clenching into fists, There's nothing to be scared of, Max. Just… Go already! Steeling herself as much as she could, the little brunette walked the rest of the way until she reached Chloe's house and found Joyce waiting for her at the front door. The warm smile and soft eyes were undermined by the circles beneath those pools of light that shone upon her as Max approached. Being met halfway across the driveway, Max enveloped Joyce in a warm hug and smiled when the older Price woman returned it. Pulling back, a sheepish grin on her face, Max cradled her elbow as she tried her hardest to not look down at her shoes.
"Hi Joyce," Max said, her voice soft and apprehensive as Joyce's friendly demeanor took on a more stern expression, "I-"
"Max Caulfield, little troublemaker," Joyce teased, half-chiding the young girl as she put a hand on Max's shoulder, "Lyin' to your folks, Max? You've never done somethin' like that before? Chloe worth that much trouble and fuss?"
"…Even more than that," Max said, unable to not smirk when she looked up into Joyce's eyes, "I-I promised I wouldn't leave her, that we were forever. And… I got worried."
"Come on in, you little hellion," Joyce said, taking Max's suitcase, "Chloe's asleep in her room, but you can have somethin' to drink with me before you surprise her."
"How've you been holding up, Joyce?" Max asked, hands curled around a glass of iced tea as she sat across Joyce at the dinner table.
"…It's been hard, Max," Joyce confided, her tone low and exhausted as the glow that Max had been greeted with diminished, "I… I miss him every day, and Chloe's… I think the only thing keepin' my daughter smilin' is you. The photos you send – she'll wait by the front door until the mailman comes every Wednesday, like clockwork. School's been rough, too. She's strugglin', Max, and…and gettin' into it with some of her classmates."
"…Chloe…," Max said, looking over her shoulder in the direction of the staircase that lead to the bedrooms, "I'm so sorry, Joyce. I know what I told Chloe months ago, but I really wish we hadn't left when we did."
"I know, Max, and I'm grateful that you reached out to Chloe. That girl has lost enough in her life, William passing away when she's still just a teenager. I can't imagine what it would be like if you didn't call when you did," Joyce replied, nursing a cup of coffee, "She… We're strugglin', too. That, though, she'll probably tell you herself at some point. I'm just afraid of losin' my baby girl…"
"You won't, Joyce," Max said, reaching across the table to lay her hand over Joyce's, "You're her mom. She'll always love you, even if she's in a lot of pain right now."
Finishing the last of her iced tea, Max put the glass next to the kitchen sink and walked back to give Joyce another hug before she headed upstairs. Tip-toeing her way up to Chloe's door, Max smirked at the new addition of a red "Keep Out" sign and with a gentle twist of the knob she was in.
"Wowser…," Max mumbled under her breath as she looked around from the doorway while Chloe laid asleep on her bed.
The room was essentially the same, just messier than when Max had last seen it. Smiling as she crept forward, Max kneeled and brushed her fingertips over the small charred spot where they had blown up their old dolls. The smile turned into a pained expression rather quickly, though. The day William died, Max thought grimly as she stood back up, I need to help Chloe, and Joyce. This house used to be such a happy place. Slipping her backpack off as quietly as possible, Max set it beside the bed and walked around so as to lie beside Chloe while her friend slept. The small frown on Chloe's face as she dreamed gave Max pause. I can only begin to imagine how terrible her nightmares are, everything is still so fresh, Max thought, reaching out to carefully take Chloe's hand. When the blonde squeezed it while still asleep, Max could not help but smile and a few minutes later a slight groan escaped her best friend's lips as Chloe scowled before opening her eyes.
"Ugh, what…?" Chloe asked, stretching her free arm before blinking the sleep out of her eyes, "…Max? What are you…?"
"Time to wake up, Buttercup," Max said, giggling a little when Chloe's eyes snapped all the way open and she latched on tight to the brunette's hand.
"Max!" Chloe squealed, delight and wonder on her face as she let go of the small hand only to pounce on her friend as she wrapped Max up in a tight hug. "You sneaky little nerd! How…?"
"I…might have just set myself up for a life sentence of grounding," Max said, cringing at the thought of herself in an orange jumpsuit with bars where her bedroom door used to be, "I kinda lied and told my parents that Joyce told me it was okay to come down…"
"You what?" Chloe asked, shock on her face that turned into a crooked grin that might as well have been from ear to ear. "Max Caulfield, fugitive on the run…"
"Yeah…," Max replied, biting her lip before she looked up from her hands to Chloe when they sat up, "I… I had to see you. You stopped messaging after saying you couldn't come up again, a-and I got worried."
"Ah, shit," Chloe said, smacking her forehead, "I was just pissed at the time and I forgot to actually explain why I couldn't come. I'm sorry, Max."
"So what happened?" Max asked, already knowing at least a bit from Joyce's information and some theorizing of her own.
"I'm grounded for the weekend," Chloe grumbled, looking over her shoulder towards the door, "I got into it with some other students at Blackwell. No big, though I'm pissed that Seattle is a bust."
"Chloe…"
"I don't really want to get into it, Max," Chloe said, the weariness in her voice conveying enough that Max did not push. When Chloe's face lit up from another grin, though, Max could not help but smile in return, "I can't believe you're here, though! So fucking cool! We have to, I dunno, bust me out of teenager jail!"
"And how do you propose we do that, jailbird?" Max teased, hitting Chloe on the shoulder when the blonde hit her first. "Joyce is right downstairs and I am not going to try and climb down the roof again. I like having the use of all my limbs."
"Dude, it was one time and we have the lattice on the side of the house now!" Chloe exclaimed, motioning towards the window her desk was nestled under before Joyce came in. "Uh, hey, Mom…"
"In light of Max's…impromptu arrival at our house for the weekend," Joyce said, her tone very severe before she grinned, "I suppose, this one time, I can lift your being grounded. Consider yourself out on future good behavior, young lady."
Chloe screamed in elation, Max laughing when her friend practically leapt off the bed and hugged her mother close. When Joyce left, Chloe so giddy that she was bouncing from foot to foot, the blonde turned around and the excitement on her face left Max smiling almost as hard.
"Easy there, parolee," Max said, letting out a cry of surprise when Chloe ran over to yank her off the bed, "Pull my arms out, why don't you?"
"Relax, hippie, I just wanna revel in how fucking awesome this is!" Chloe said, walking over to play a CD in her small boom box. "I get let off the hook and it is because my best friend pulls a Houdini to show up here! Fuck yeah, I'm celebrating!"
Max giggled as Chloe danced, swinging her arms above her head before bringing them down hard to air guitar. When Chloe grabbed her hands, Max let herself go with the motion and the pair danced together through a few songs. Max could not take her eyes off Chloe's smile, the light in her eyes. Her face felt a little warm after looking too long and she glanced away when the blonde smiled at her in return. She's so pretty…, Max thought, biting her lip before glancing up shyly to see her friend still eyeing her with a curious smile, Fuck, Max! Keep your shit together!
"Uh, peekaboo, Caulfield," Chloe joked, letting go of Max's hands before she walked over to shut the music off, "God, you are so fucking cute sometimes."
FUCK!
"Uh, so what do you want to do now that you're no longer imprisoned?" Max asked, changing the subject to something Chloe definitely had an interest in. "We could play video games, o-or go out back, or-"
"I wanna hit the beach!" Chloe said, excitable as she walked over to her closet and began to peruse through her clothes. "Go swimming, explore, all the shit we haven't gotten to do in months!"
"You're unstoppable," Max said, the chuckle in her throat getting a smirk when Chloe looked over her shoulder, "Alright, then. Beach it is. Let me grab my suitcase from downstairs. Be right back."
"You better, Max. If I come down there and find you went 'Poof!' like a ninja I'll be epically pissed!" Chloe replied, sticking her tongue out when Max rolled her eyes before leaving the bedroom.
Max returned with her suitcase and could not help but laugh when Chloe was already dressed for the beach. Swim trunks and flip-flops over a one-piece bathing suit, Chloe struck a pose reminiscent of Lara Croft from Tomb Raider before leaving the bedroom so Max could get changed. The brunette had packed a swimsuit, and she put the pink one-piece on before grabbing a straw sun hat from her suitcase. Sliding on flip-flops of her own, Max left the bedroom and nearly jumped when she found Chloe waiting right out in the hall. Hand to her chest, Max groaned when Chloe just winked at her before the walked down the stairs hand in hand.
"Going to head to the beach, Mom!" Chloe shouted from the door, smiling a little apprehensively when Joyce popped her head out from the kitchen. "Going to head to the beach, Mom, please…?"
"Be back in three hours, you two," Joyce replied, her face stern in spite of the smile when Chloe looked as though she might fire back with a retort, "Do you want it to be two hours? Future good behavior, Chloe."
"We'll be back in a few hours, no problem," Max said, mediating before she opened the door and pulled Chloe along with her, "Bye, Joyce!"
"Freedom!" Chloe exclaimed as they ran for the bus stop. "Max Caulfield, whatever would I do without you?"
"Aside from still be grounded?"
"You're so mean."
Max squealed when the surf hit her feet, the cold water sending a shiver up her spine while Chloe kicked her flip-flops off to wade right in. Biting her lip, Max stood in place and shifted her weight between each foot as she watched Chloe dip down below the water's surface. When Chloe did come back up a minute later, she looked over her shoulder and smiled wickedly at Max.
"No, Chloe," Max said, backing away a little as Chloe began to head towards her, "Chloe Price, don't you dare!"
"Dun-dun…," Chloe said, eyes full of mischief as she got closer and closer, Max frozen in place, "Dun-dun…"
"C-Chloe-!"
Max yelped when Chloe splashed her, outright screaming when the blonde was able to pick her up and carry her into the water. With a plop, Max was dropped into the chilly ocean and she pouted when Chloe just took the sight in with a huge smile on her face. She was only waist-deep in the water, but it might as well have been neck deep as it sent chills all through Max's body.
"Jerk."
"Wuss."
"…Asshole…"
"Wow," Chloe said, balking a little before she giggled, "I don't think I've heard you use that one before. Max Caulfield, what will the neighbors think, such language?!"
"I learned it from you, Chloe!" Max fired back, laughing as her body got used to the chilly water. "For cereal, though, that was cruel and unusual punishment."
"Well I did just get released from prison…," Chloe said, splashing Max with a handful of water, "I missed this. You, me, and the beach."
"It's only been a few months, Chloe," Max replied, crying out in triumph when Chloe yelped at getting splashed in retaliation, "We've… We've kept in touch, and the Seattle trip was the bomb."
"I gotta update your vocabulary someday," Chloe teased, smirking before she just stood in the water and looked off towards the lighthouse, "I just mean that I am here, in this town, and it doesn't feel so bad for the first time since…since Dad died. It's nice, y'know?"
"Yeah…," Max said, wading over to stand by Chloe and take her hand under the water, "Hey, remember when we came here as kids with our pirate costumes?"
"We did that a lot, Max."
"Yeah, but that one time…"
"Oh," Chloe said flatly before her mind caught up with the rest of her, "Oh! You mean when we accidentally fucked up that one family's picnic? Dude, that was… Well, it was funny for us. I don't think their food was edible by the time we ran through with our sand-covered feet."
Max laughed, nudging Chloe with her shoulder and the blonde could not help but laugh when she saw the twinkle in Max's eye. Heading out of the water, Max wrapped herself up in a beach towel and put the flip-flops back on as Chloe did the same. With Chloe's arm around her shoulders, Max looked up at her best friend and smiled before they headed down the beach. They walked around together for the remainder of their time at the beach, holding hands as they explored areas they already knew by heart. The fact that they had been to the beach several times over the years did not matter to either girl – it was the time together which mattered, Max's hand with Chloe's, as they wandered around.
"Well, I think we have an hour left?" Chloe said, going through her backpack to find her phone. "Yep, just under an hour. What do you want to do, Max?"
"You're asking me?" Max asked, her face a little in shock. "I thought you'd have some grand plan to spend every second before we had to go back to your house."
"Eh, I'm just going with the flow. Enjoying time with my best bud, dude. Living the high life," Chloe replied with a shrug, though she did get a little impatient when Max thought it over for a couple minutes, "Losing daylight, Caulfield."
"W-Well, um, how about fries and shakes at Two Whales?"
"Mom would probably rescind my un-grounded status if we ate an hour before dinner," Chloe said, her tone playful, "C'mon, Max. You're here, in the 'wondrous' Arcadia Bay. Pick your poison!"
"…How about the lighthouse?" Max suggested after another minute, "I… I have an idea…"
"Oh? Keeping secrets from your co-captain, eh?" Chloe replied, a smirk on her face before she took Max's hand. "If we hurry, we can actually go up there and basically not have to head right back home. Show me the way, Max."
The lighthouse loomed over both girls as they reached the clearing atop the hill, Max always in awe over just how the structure stood out across the entire area. Ever since they were kids, Max had been fascinated by the towering building; not thinking she would see it again, not for a long time, the brunette began to head towards it when she was pulled in the opposite direction by Chloe.
"Chloe…!" Max cried out, nearly tripping over her own feet before their short trek came to a sudden halt. "Uh, hey-"
"We did this a week before you left, remember?" Chloe asked, looking down at the tree stump.
Max glanced down to see their names still rather fresh in how they had been carved into the aged trunk, moving to stand right beside Chloe as they both gazed down at it. Watching Chloe, Max saw the pained look on her friend's face and interwove their fingers together. I'm right here, Chloe. I'm not going anywhere, Max thought as she gave her friend's hand a gentle squeeze.
"With everything that's happened, I've been thinking a lot…," Chloe started, her tone pensive as she looked down at their carving, "Dad, you, Mom, everything. I don't want to wind up stuck here, Max. I know I'm only 14, but sometimes it feels as though I've been here forever."
"Chloe, I honestly can't see you not getting out of Arcadia Bay," Max said, her smile soft as Chloe looked over at her for what seemed to be reassurance, "Really. Besides, you promised that we'd go see the world together. My bodyguard, remember?"
"Yeah," Chloe said, the dry chuckle in her throat breaking the tension Max saw in how Chloe was holding herself, "Like Lara, but kickass. You with your photography, and me with my badass-ness."
When Chloe moved to step away from the stump, though, it was Max's turn to hold her with their joined grip. Max looked at the stump, letting go of Chloe's hand so she could squat down. Pulling her Polaroid camera out, Max took a photo of their carving and slipped it into her backpack after a good shake. When she stood up, Chloe shot her a confused look that Max responded to with a sheepish grin.
"For when I'm back in Seattle," Max explained, Chloe nodding, "You have this here, but I want one for myself back at the house."
"And we'll come back here every year!" Chloe said, reaching forward to take Max's hands once the camera was put away. "An added engraving for every year, to commemorate our friendship."
"Sure," Max said, smiling as she nodded in agreement, "That sounds awesome, Chloe. So, I'll see you in 2009, then?"
"Hell no, Caulfield! You'll see me right now!" Chloe said, mischief in her eyes again as she reached in and began to tickle the smaller girl. "Threaten me with a disappearing act, huh? I'll leave my mark on you so that you will always remember me!"
Max squealed between fits of giggles and managed to break free. The girls ran after each other, something of a tickle war and two-person game of tag. Max weaved her way through the smaller spaces among the nearby trees and narrower trails as they began to descend towards the base of the hill, Chloe calling after her as the taller girl took the more usual route while scanning the woods for signs of her brunette companion. When Max leapt onto the main trail a short distance ahead, Chloe sprinted in earnest. The girls wound up tumbling down the hill a bit when Max paused her escape while Chloe tried in vain to come to a sudden halt.
"Shit, are you okay?" Chloe asked, wincing at the scrape on her knee.
"I think so," Max said, hand to the back of her head before her eyes widened, "My camera!"
Max opened her bag and sighed in relief after a moment. Nestled in their mess of beach towels, the camera had come out unscathed. Lying back on the dirt path, Max stared up at the sky and began to giggle.
"You just had to try and catch me."
"We were at war!"
"How's the knee, Chloe?"
"Shut the fuck up, Max."
"Oooh, language!" Max replied, the sing-song quality of her voice causing both girls to laugh a moment later when they took in how much of a mess they were. "We better actually head back now. Need to get that scrape taken care of, and I think I have a bump on my head."
"That's just your head, Max. No loss."
"You jerk!"
Max got out of the shower and began to dry her hair off, using the green pirate towel that Chloe had also just used. Slipping on the clothes she had worn before their beach and lighthouse adventure, Max tried to turn her head in a way that might let her see the bump. Wincing when she touched the sensitive area, Max jumped when a knock on the bathroom door startled her. Rolling her eyes in spite of the smirk on her face, Max unlocked it and eyeballed Chloe for a second before she resumed her attempted examination of the sore area on her head.
"Max, it's just a bump on your head," Chloe said, reaching around Max to grab the antibacterial spray and a bandage as she had slipped into a tank-top and jean shorts, "You'll live, given your history of clumsiness. Wait – is it history if it's still happening…?"
Max gave her best friend a good-natured shove with an admonishing smile before she just looked at herself in the mirror one more time and sighed.
"My litany of injuries is getting added to your tab, Price," Max said, making it as though she were pulling a list out of her back pocket, "Just wait until you get the bill."
"Ooh, scary," Chloe replied, the smile on her face getting a little wider when Max grumbled, "Relax, hippie. We can put an ice pack on it later if it's really bothering you."
"How's your knee?"
"Well, it hurts," Chloe said matter-of-factly before looking up bandaging the small abrasion, "It stings a little, but other than it's fine. C'mon. Mom's sure to have dinner ready by now."
Heading down the stairs with Chloe on her heels, Max yelped a little when Chloe tickled her for a moment and stuck out her tongue in response before they headed for the dinner table. With Joyce finishing things off in the kitchen, Max opted to go and gather the plates and cutlery for the three of them. Eyeing Chloe until her friend groaned and stood up from the table, Max walked back to the table a little smugly as Chloe went into the kitchen to gather glasses for them. Settings for the three of them taken care of, Max walked back into the kitchen while Chloe plopped back into her chair.
"Do you need help with anything else, Joyce?" Max asked, rolling her eyes when she looked over her shoulder to see Chloe simulating gagging. "We would love to help if you need it."
"Objection!"
"Overruled!"
Max smiled when Joyce laughed at her and Chloe's banter, helping the older woman by carrying a bowl laden with buttery mashed potatoes while Joyce herself held a platter of homemade chicken strips and a bowl of corn. Laying the spread out, Max took her spot next to Chloe and elbowed the blonde when she received a poke in the side. When Chloe reached for the chicken, she paused when her eyes caught sight of the wetness near her mother's own eyes. Glancing over at Max, the brunette frowned when she noticed it as well. Biting her lip, Chloe got up and walked over to hug Joyce. Taken by surprise, Joyce quickly responded in kind.
"…Sorry for being a little shit," Chloe said, her voice soft, "I… It's hard, Mom."
"I know, Sweetie," Joyce said, Max looking away as the Price women had a moment, "We'll get through this together. And that includes you, Max."
"W-What?" Max asked, looking back at the two women before Joyce reached a hand across the table. Taking the offer, Max held on and her sad smile was met with two similar expressions. "I wish I could be here as much as I used to, before we moved…"
"I know you do, Max," Joyce said, giving Max's small hand a squeeze, "But we have to be thankful for the time we are given with our loved ones. You never know when those opportunities of time shared are gone."
"Yeah…," Max said, pulling her hand back when Chloe moved back to her seat, "Um, everything looks really amazing, Joyce. My dad is always trying to give you a run for your money."
"Your pop comes in a distance second when it comes to the skills my mom has," Chloe replied with a snort before she spooned up a portion of mashed potatoes, "His kitchen game is good, but it's the silver medal for him. Every time."
When dinner was finished and the plates and bowls were clean and put away, Max and Chloe wandered out to the back yard. Max glanced over at the remains of where the time capsule had been months before, the dirt replaced. The months away had given her time to think as well, the brunette moving to join her friend at the swing set. Chloe was easily too big for the swing, her last growth spurt wielding dangerous consequences when they had tried to use the set and Chloe had lost her balance and fell on her backside. Now, with Chloe just sitting on the swing, Max took the other one. She's been a lot more thoughtful lately, a little more reserved, Max thought, glancing down at her shoes.
"Hey, Max?" Chloe asked, her voice quiet.
"Yeah?" Max replied, looking over to her friend.
"What do you want to do when you grow up? I mean, I am already grown up."
"You're taller, Chloe. And a little older. That doesn't make you an adult."
"Whatevs. You know what I mean, though," Chloe said with a perturbed look, "We talk about all these adventures we'll go on, but we've been saying that since we were little kids. I'm talking reality, Max."
"Well," Max said, pushing herself off on the swing, grinning in victory when Chloe looked at her and grumbled, "First, we need to finish high school. After that, we're on to college, and from there it's basically the whole world."
"Just like that."
"Just like that," Max said, bringing her momentum on the swing to a skidding halt, "Well, I mean we'll both have some growing to do first."
"I'm pretty sure you hit your last growth spurt in 6th grade, Max," Chloe said with a chuckle.
"Oh ha ha, Chloe," Max shot back, sticking her tongue out, "I'm talking reality, too. If you pushed me out into the world now, I'd have an anxiety attack and pass out the second I was out the door."
"True, true," Chloe said, tapping her chin.
"God, you're such a bully!"
"Aww, it just means I care," Chloe said, that mischievous sing-song tone leaving Max grumbling, "But you're right. We are nowhere near ready to take over the world now. Let's make a pact."
"Sure."
Chloe ran to the pile of gardening equipment and pulled out a trowel. Running over to the water faucet, she rinsed it off and had it clean before she returned to Max.
"Blood pact."
"C-Chloe-"
"No. No, we do this. We're already best friends, but I want to seal this particular deal with something…definitive," Chloe said, pricking the palm of her hand with a sharp point on the small gardening shovel, "Now you do it."
Max winced, taking the trowel as Chloe egged her on. They had been best friends since they were starting grade school. Chloe had been the first kid in Arcadia Elementary to approach her. Biting her lip, Max took a deep breath and pricked her hand. Seeing the small drop of blood form in the center of her palm, Max offered her hand to Chloe and they slapped hands before bumping fists. The brunette looked down into her hand and saw the visible smear of crimson; she and Chloe had made the pact. Dropping the trowel where she stood, Max let Chloe put an arm around her shoulders.
"Now we're totally bonded for life," Chloe said, triumphant smile on her face as she and Max headed inside with the setting sun basking them in the final rays of daylight.
Max woke up to the sound of wailing, the jarring means of being woken up making her disoriented. Remembering she was in Chloe's room, Max looked over to see her friend crying in her sleep. Sliding over, Max played big spoon to Chloe and gently rocked them both.
"It's okay, Chloe," Max cooed into Chloe's ear, the heartbroken look on her face only surpassed by the look of emotional destruction on her friend's face, "It's just a dream. Just a dream, Chloe."
Chloe whined, Max pulling the taller girl in closer. When her friend's eyes fluttered open, Max kindly smiled when Chloe looked up at her before the blonde turned and let Max hold her. Chloe's face buried in her shirt, Max patted and rubbed her back. She heard the sound of footsteps out in the hall, figured Joyce had heard Chloe's sobs, but with them silenced Max listened as the footsteps came to a halt. Kissing Chloe's head, Max felt tears trickle down her face. She's broken, Max thought, bitterly rolling her eyes, Of course she is, dumbass. Her dad died and you bailed. But I'm here now. I need to be here for Chloe.
"Max?"
"Yeah?"
"…Can you let me sleep like this?"
"Sure."
Max woke up and was alone in the bed, sitting up after she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Looking around, not seeing a trace of Chloe's whereabouts, the brunette shuffled out of bed and padded over to the door. She could smell breakfast from the hallway, scents of waffles and bacon wafting up and into her nostrils like a seductive lure. Hearing something coming from the bathroom, though, Max walked in to find Chloe shuddering as she stood at the sink with a pair of scissors.
"Chloe… Chloe, put down the scissors," Max said, her voice calm in spite of the anxiousness that instantly plagued her.
"…Uh, I was thinking of cutting my hair, dude," Chloe replied, looking over her shoulder with a confused look before her eyes widened, "You… You actually thought…?"
"I-I got scared and-"
Chloe dropped the scissors and pulled Max in for a hug, the blonde kissing Max on the cheek before she pulled away. The stern look on Chloe's face, however, did little to alleviate Max's anxiety. I actually thought Chloe might hurt herself, Max thought, biting her lip as she tried to look away from Chloe, She's suffering, in pain, but I really did believe for a moment she might do something dangerous. Does that make me a bad friend, or just an overly-worried one…? Snapped out of her head by Chloe smacking her on the forehead, Max blinked before putting a hand to where Chloe had landed the gentle blow.
"What was that for?" Max asked instinctively.
"Being a dummy. A loving, anxious-as-fuck, dummy," Chloe said, a scowl on her face before she turned back to the mirror, "Dad loved my hair, how long it was. I… I don't know if I want the reminder."
"I get that," Max said, putting her hand over the one Chloe had with the scissors, "Hair can always grow back."
"Really? I thought it was that one-time thing like one of our dolls."
"Always with the sass, Price."
"I have a patent on it," Chloe replied, smirking before she slid her hand out from under Max's to put the scissors away, "I'm going to think this over. Not like I don't have time. Meanwhile…"
Max took a few steps back as Chloe turned and began to stalk her, a predatory grin on her face before running past the brunette once they were both out in the hallway.
"Breakfast!" Chloe yelled, laughing as Max huffed before following her down the stairs.
Waffles and bacon properly eaten, Max nursed the last of her coffee before taking the cup to the sink. Chloe had said she wanted to get something and had been upstairs for around half an hour. Coming out of the kitchen, Max leaned on the railing and looked up for signs of her best friend.
"Chloe, I'm heading back to Seattle!" Max shouted, grinning when she heard movement from upstairs. "It's already Sunday!"
"Whatever, Caulfield!" Chloe fired back from somewhere. "Can't get home if you don't have the means! I'll just take Mom's car keys!"
Laughing, Max heard a loud bang and raised an eyebrow as the closet door across from the staircase opened before breaking into a fit of giggles. Chloe was layered in cobwebs and dust, a cringe on her face as she pulled some of the sticky webbing out of her hair before hefting a box with a wink.
"…Dungeons and Dragons?" Max asked, an amused smirk on her face. "We haven't played that in years, Chloe."
"Yeah, but it is still pretty cool," Chloe retorted, leading her friend to the dinner table, "There's this girl in my class, Steph, and she will sometimes play out in the courtyard. We were late for class one time because we got so caught up in the campaign."
"Sweet," Max said, taking a seat as Chloe began to get everything ready, "So, the adventure of Maximus the Paladin and Chloe the Sorceress resume, I take it?"
"Fuck yeah!" Chloe said, smiling apologetically when Joyce looked over her shoulder from the kitchen.
"Why do you guys even have a swear jar anymore? It just perpetuates the cycle of violence," Max teased, "Money goes into jar, Chloe asks for money, money goes into jar-"
"Laugh it up, fuzzball," Chloe said with a grin as she put their respective character pieces on the table, "I'm gonna make you eat that sass."
"Bring it, Price."
"Consider it brought."
They were well into the afternoon by the time the campaign was concluded, Chloe crying out in victory as Maximus was vanquished by Trogdor the Burninator. Rolling her eyes before she tipped her piece over, Max could not help but grin at the elation in her best friend's face. These were the moments she loved the most, when she and Chloe were just two girls having a really fun time. Chloe always lost herself in these moments, everything else from the outside world suddenly unimportant as they were just carefree. Helping Chloe pack the box back up, Max dusted the lid off and smiled before pointing the scrawl of "Max and Chloe's! Do not touch!" in permanent marker. Chloe laughed a little, carrying the box to the shelf built into one of the living room walls. Nestling it in place, the blonde looked out the sliding glass door and frowned.
"We spent the whole day inside?" Chloe asked, a slight plaintiveness in her voice. "I… I was hoping we could go to the skate park or something."
"There's always next time, Chloe," Max said, a hand on her friend's shoulder as they locked eyes, "It's only a weekend."
"Yeah, I guess…," Chloe said, "Well, my butt certainly provides evidence of us sitting down so long. I can't feel it. Have you seen my butt?"
"Chloe, don't you dare…," Max said, eyes wide as she ran down the hall while Chloe gripped her jean shorts, "Chloe, no!"
"Awww, but Max…," Chloe said, that mischievousness in her voice returning, "I can't find it anywhere. I need to know if you've seen my butt…"
Max ran upstairs with Chloe hot on her heels, the brunette making it into the bedroom with just enough time to lock the door behind her. When Chloe pounded on the door Max laughed and that only had the both of them busting up in chuckles as Chloe pounded even harder.
"Password?" Max asked, pressing her cheek against the door. "This is a butt-free zone. Fair warning."
"That is my room, Caulfield, and what you ask for is physically impossible," Chloe griped, though Max all but knew her friend was smiling as wide as she was.
"I dunno, Chloe. I've seen some pretty gross videos on YouTube-"
"Aww, man! Don't tell me about that shit!"
"Chloe!"
"Sorry, Mom!"
The girls shared a giggle before Max unlocked the door and was knocked onto her back when Chloe pounced upon the thin divider between them being removed.
"Prime position for tickling, Caulfield," Chloe teased, her threat complete with a wiggle of her fingers.
"Come on, Chloe! You've been tickling me since I got here!" Max complained, her pleading look only intensifying when Chloe tapped her chin as though in thought. "You're being an asshole…."
"Language, Max!" Chloe said, hand to her mouth before she used it to make a fart noise. "Hey, help me out with something."
When Chloe offered her a hand, Max took it and grinned as she was hoisted back onto her feet. Brushing herself off, Max followed the blonde into Joyce's bedroom and cocked her head to one side when Chloe started to unplug the monitor from the computer.
"Uhh…"
"Relax, Max. Mom said I could take it," Chloe replied, carrying the monitor, "I need it for school and she doesn't really use it. It was… It was Dad's. For work."
Silently, the girls took the separate components of the bulky desktop computer and brought them into Chloe's room, Max helping her friend sort through the contents of her desk before they situated everything. Powering up the computer, Max watched as Chloe became fixated on the monitor. The computer's reasoning for being in the room, however, brought something from the other day back into her mind.
"Chloe, i-is school going okay?" Max asked, wincing when Chloe's shoulders stiffened. "I'm not trying to snoop, I swear to Dog. I just-"
"…Some of the other students in my class are being shits," Chloe said after a groan, turning around in her seat to look up at Max, "It… It started off small, just a bump in the hallway or a shitty look. It didn't bother me. But things got worse and they figured out I was there on a scholarship. A number of the students there come from money, and they kind of lord it over those of us who don't."
"That's awful," Max said, taking a seat on the bed as Chloe nodded, "Why don't the teachers do anything?"
"They do, but it's only so much, Max. Can't watch over us 24/7. That'd just be creepy," Chloe said, a cynical look on her face, "I got into it with some of them, calling them on their bullshit. That got the principal's attention, of course, and I was the one reprimanded for it. 'I expected better of someone with such an exemplary scholastic record'. Gee, thanks."
"What about the other kids?"
"They basically got slapped on the wrist!" Chloe barked, frowning when Max cringed. "I'm sorry, Max. Don't meant to take my rage out on you. It's just annoying. I got there because I'm essentially a genius, yet these morons who wouldn't know how to wear their jeans without a half-dozen butlers or whatever showing them just throw cash around. Pisses me off."
"Well, at least you have one friend there. Steph sounds like fun," Max said, Chloe pausing as she opened her mouth to speak before nodding.
"Yeah, she's pretty cool. We don't talk much, but the D&D stuff is pretty sweet."
The silence between them lingering, Chloe turned back around and proceeded to clean up the computer's hard drive and install software updates while Max just laid down on the bed. She had been the victim of Chloe's wrath before, albeit with many apologies afterward, but Max had also seen firsthand just how fired up Chloe can be. She decked that one kid in 2nd grade who stole my milk, Max thought with a smile, Can't remember his name, but it's hard to forget his bloody nose as Chloe just proudly handed me back my chocolate milk. William was upset, but he took us out for ice cream that evening because she stood up for me. I wish I could do that for Chloe, stand up for her against these Blackwell assholes.
"Chloe?"
"Yo."
"When I go back to Seattle…," Max started, her words very measured as Chloe flinched, "Would you help me out with my homework? Not do it for me, obviously. Just give me a bit of advice or help with a problem?"
"Like you need to ask that," Chloe replied, looking over her shoulder with a smart-ass grin that Max could not help but chuckle at, "I was everything but your tutor last year."
"Thanks, Chloe."
"Not a prob, pal of mine."
Max laid awake in the bed as Chloe's chest rose and fell softly while she slept. Staring up at the ceiling, the brunette thought about the weekend, and all the weekends past. That note she had received from her future self also bugged her – she had looked at the letter before leaving, seeing that the text itself had remained unchanged. Does that mean I haven't done enough? Max asked herself, glancing over to the sleeping blonde. I didn't abandon her, thanks to that message. Fucking chickenshit, though. I shouldn't have needed a reminder to actually keep in touch with my best friend, but it is just so scary sometimes. My anxiety gets the best of me, and then comes the constant worrying. Never mind that I'm grieving too. Sighing, Max looked over at Chloe again and slid out of bed quietly enough that she did not wake up her friend. Tip-toeing around to the desk, Max tapped the mouse and the screen came to life. Glancing over her shoulder, Max spent a few minutes online as she blazed through the Internet. Traditional school subjects gave her problems, but if it was online Max somehow did perfectly fine. With a few more clicks and some lip-biting, Max wrapped up her secret mission and powered the monitor back down before she got back into bed with Chloe none the wiser.
"I wish I didn't have to leave, let alone so soon," Max groaned, leaning her head against Chloe's shoulder as they sat in Joyce's car while heading to the bus station, "Wish it could be a longer stay."
"Fraught with peril and adventures at every turn?" Chloe asked, slipping her hand into Max's. "Like you said – Next time."
"Yeah. Yeah, next time will be just as great as every time we get back in action," Max said, that momentary resolve from months ago back on her face again, "In the meantime, beware UPS drivers bearing gifts, Chloe Price…"
Max got out of the car once they were at the parking lot, a mischievous grin of her own when Chloe just looked at her with a quizzical expression. A toothy grin, several hugs, and a few tears concluded Max's visit as she got onto the bus. When Chloe put a hand up to the side of her face, miming a phone, Max nodded eagerly before her eyes widened.
"Shit! I didn't call my mom at all this weekend!" Max blurted out, looking around in embarrassment for a moment before she resumed looking at Chloe while the bus started to pull out. "I'm so dead…"
When Max did finally arrive home, she did not even get to her bedroom before she was chastised by both her mother and father over just how dangerous it could have been. The lying also took both Ryan and Vanessa aback, the disappointment evident on their face. Max was semi-grounded, with no movies or games for a week. The brunette was thankful the punishment was limited at those restrictions, though, as a full-on grounding at the Caulfields' also included loss of her cell phone. I don't think they would ever go to that point, though, now that it's the main way Chloe and I can still reach each other, Max thought as she wheeled her suitcase down the hall. Unloading everything from the luggage and her backpack, the brunette plugged her phone in and let it charge while she laid down in her bed.
Max and Chloe kept in their usual, near-constant contact after Max was back in Seattle. Texts of "Good Morning", with messages throughout the day as they could, followed by long talks whenever possible. They never seemed to run out of things to say, each place where the other lived providing some new means of gaining their mutual fascination. A few days into the school week, though, Max was on the bus after school when a loud chirp emanated from her phone. Pulling the small device out of her backpack, Max flipped it open and saw Chloe had sent her a picture. A sly grin on her face, Max opened the message and could not help but laugh when she saw Chloe hoisting the webcam over her head like a trophy.
Max: See you got the thing I sent you.
Chloe: Hell YEAH I did!
Max: Skype tonite?
Chloe: You know it
Max: : D
Chloe: NO EMOJI!
Max laughed and closed her phone up as she sat in the bus, pulling out her Polaroid camera as she caught sight of a blackbird on a street sign. Smiling to herself, she took the shot.
Author's Notes
Well? Two chapters in two days! I hope you're happy, Life is Strange! I learned it from you!
Hope you enjoyed this chapter – looking forward to what's coming next!
Stay Hella, Cinnamon Rolls!
Rowan