A/N: Sorry I took so fucking long to upload, my computer got busted and it took a while to get a new one. This isn't fantastic tbh, but I'm tired and I wanted to post something to let the world know I'm not dead or anything. Remember to review
"MAX, WAKE UP! LEMME IN," A voice calls from outside, followed by:
"PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SLEEP HERE, IT'S SIX IN THE FUCKING MORNING!"
"YOU'RE WELCOME FOR THE WAKE UP CALL, VICTORIA!" The original voice outside Max's door calls back. Rachel Amber, who else?
Bang, bang, bang, and Max is not surprised.
"'M coming, I am," Max rolls out of bed and stumbles to the door. With a turn and a click, Max blinks twice and rubs the sleep out of her eyes.
"Max, finally. Class is in, like, an hour, you should be awake or thanking me, or both works. I come bearing food and an award winning smile as a bonus," Rachel winks and enters Max's bedroom, tidy for once while the early morning light bathes it in a warm yellow glow.
"Rachel. Hi. What time is it?" Max murmurs.
"Not a morning person, huh? Don't worry, me neither, but I've had, like, five cups of coffee, so it's whatever. It's six, didn't you hear Icky Vicky?" She laughs with a lilt.
Rachel Amber, not a morning person. Looking her up and down, Max can't help but think that's a lie; Rachel is an anytime person. "I'm… not dressed. Oh, fuck, I'm not dressed," Max realizes, face reddening.
Rachel Amber, the legend herself, is in Max's bedroom while Max is in nothing but her pajamas.
God, they're the stupid ones, too. The ones her mom sent her with little eggs all over them, saying stuff like, "You must be YOLKIN' me!"
Jesus hates her. Maybe she should take that up with Kate.
"Dude, what are you talking about, what you're wearing right now is fantastic, like, never wear anything BUT that. Those are literally the best things I've ever seen," Rachel eyes her up and down.
"Hilarious," Max mutters, but she's smiling none the less.
"But alas, the reason I came here was not to tell you how I feel about your sleepwear."
"I think you're using the word alas wrong," Max points out.
"That's totally not the point. The point is that I am going to give you the Real Live Official Tour Of Blackwell. Your experience here is not complete without it. Max Caulfield, are you ready?" Rachel jumps up from Max's desk and towards Max.
"Um, sure? Yeah, I guess," Max agrees.
"Okay, fantastic. However, first we need coffee-"
"Didn't you say something about already having coffee?"
"Don't worry about it. Here, take this," Rachel hands her a large cup of steaming coffee and a danish. "Fuel, my darling. The only way you can survive.
Max can't exactly argue that, so she changes out of those god awful pajamas and joins Rachel on a caffeine high.
So, walking through the hallways with the most popular girl in school is disorientating, to say the least.
"Rachel! Holy shit, where've you been?" Dana yells, bolting across the hall to embrace Rachel in typical teen girl fashion.
"Los Angeles. Fucking awesome. How've you been?" Rachel leans in, immersed in the conversation. Maybe that's why Rachel is so popular; She makes you feel like she's listening.
"Great, cheer team tryouts are next week, the choreography's been handed out, you'll help me practice, right?"
"Definitely. Oh, I'm giving Max here the Official Tour, any input?"
"Show her the closet, Rachel, that's the best. It's practically good luck, and totally a right of passage."
"Will do," Rachel says, and they keep walking.
"That's the art room, Where Alyssa punched Logan in the face last year. Ask her about it if you see her, she's still proud of that. He deserved it, I think."
"And the Science rooms; They're conjoined, both of them. And one time Ms. Grant started yelling when David came in during class. I don't remember exactly what about, but I think someone has a video of it somewhere that you can find if you ask around enough."
"Ms Grant is the best," Max laughs softly.
"I know, right? Oh, the Janitor's Closet. That's where I lost my virginity, along with the rest of Blackwell academy. It's famous for that, but all I'm saying is don't go in there with a blacklight, Max, trust me on that. Chloe and I did once. I'll never be the same."
"Wait, there's a virginity closet in the middle of our academic building?" Max asks in awe.
"Yeah. I mean, the teachers don't call it that, and if they even know that the reason it's there is for sex, they've never said anything. But it's general knowledge around these parts."
"That's… Wow," Max raises her eyebrows.
"Out there," Rachel says, pointing out the window, "is where the Dude Bros™ skate. Also, I'm positive Justin is in love with me."
"I'm pretty sure half of Blackwell is in love with you," Max says, and the realizes that she said that out loud.
Rachel falters, then laughs quietly. "Thanks, Max.."
"Ooh," she resumes, "we've gotta go in the basement. That's where Juliet and Dana definitely fucked. The second time, I mean."
"This is more educational than I expected. I mean, the more you know," Max says.
"What is school for, Max? Education. That's why we're here, see, we're here to fucking learn, and we're gonna do it right. Basement ho!"
"Is that what you called Dana and Juliet when you found them down there?" Max asks with a small smile.
"Oh my God, she's funny, too. The total package," Rachel drapes an arm around Max.
"I didn't know Blackwell actually HAD a basement," Max says, confused.
"You've gotta take the elevator. There's no button, since they don't want us to know about it, but you have to press up, up, close doors, down," Rachel explains.
"What, like a cheat code? Bizarre," Max mutters. The two girls take a turn down a barren hallway. "I didn't even know this hall exsisted."
"It's hard to find. Honestly? I'm half convinced Blackwell is like a less interesting Hogwarts and the hallways turn around sometime. Actually, that'd explain a few things, now that I think about it," Rachel ponders.
"Ladies first," Rachel gestures, pressing the open button on the elevator. Max takes a step inside, and Rachel follows. "Up, up, close, down."
With a rattle the old metal box begins to move downward. "Max, get ready to venture a place where only the best people have gone. I think you deserve it."
The elevator comes to a halt and opens. "Wow it's.. dark," Max says, blinking.
"Aw, don't be afraid. I'll hold your hand," Rachel laughs, but apparently it's not that much of a joke because she loops her slender fingers in Max's own, and they take a step together into the basement.
There are boxes stacked from floor to ceiling with writing on them that's hard to read, with old textbooks and desk chairs scattered around and papers littering the damp floor.
"Mostly it's just storage, but it's a good place to get away seeing as nobody EVER comes down here. It's dark and it already smells like wet cement so there's no way anyone will bother catching you smoking weed."
"You're fearless," Max says without meaning to as she marvels at how Rachel can do something without worrying at all about the consequences.
Rachel lets out a short, bitter laugh. "Not entirely." She leaves it at that.
Way to go, Max.
"Alright, I'm bored," Rachel says after a few minutes of maneuvering around the castles of cardboard boxes. "Let's go back upstairs."
"Have we missed class?" Max gasps, realizing class probably started at least thirty minutes ago.
"Absolutely, my darling! But only in the name of education, I promise. Besides, we have the same class. Just trig, useless anyways. Do not worry about it," Rachel chides as they enter the elevator and it screeches up.
"That's… unsettling," Max says.
` "When it get's angry it yells," Rachel explains, as if it makes sense. (It doesn't.)
The doors open, and Max's heart drops, because what else could possibly happen? "Well, look who we have here."
David Madsen, the one and only. Of course.
In the lobby of the office, Rachel looks at Max. "Well, that could've gone better," She laughs easily.
"You think so, huh?" But despite being in indefinite amounts of trouble, Max smiles.
It'll be a long year with friends like these.