Chapter Six: The Abdication of Rachel Amber

…

Objectively speaking, wearing Chloe's clothing was probably not the finest example of Rachel's decision making abilities.

In a matter of a few short hours, she was officially back at the top of the rumour mill of Blackwell. Now, this was not a new thing for her to experience. Her… popularity meant she would draw the attention and ire of her fellow students who did not know her, and usually did not even attempt to know her. They based their rumours on the assumptions half-truths they heard, and in turn they spread their own rumours based on this. At this point she had a running list of titles. The latest being dyke, but the classics were easily whore, anorexic, manipulative, teacher's pet, little miss perfect...

It might have been hard to believe, but that last one actually hurt the most...

All of these titles were false, but would never be shaken from her reputation for the duration of her stay at Blackwell. All she could do was carry on and pretend like none if it bothered her, even though she was bugged by them. Even if more than once she ended up hiding in the bathroom, at home or school crying as she tried to swallow all the shit she dealt with back to a supressed state. The only way she could survive this constant torment was to pretend to be things she wasn't.

It was probably one of the reasons why things between her and Chloe had jumped leaps and bounds beyond her original envisioning of their friendship. Chloe didn't just give a shit about all the titles and rumours she undoubtedly heard about her. Chloe had helped her overcome so much of the bullshit she was hung up on. She had someone at her side who gave zero fucks about anything, and for the first time in her life, Rachel had felt unrestrained by the expectations.

For the first time in very long time, she was finally free to just be herself.

Stepping out of math class, she paused only long enough to wave and smile to Justin, who was red eyed and squinting as he seemed to be looking for his skate group. If he was less stoned, he'd have noticed Trevor was just across the hall from him trying to wave him down.

She started to walk, her hand running through her fucking awful hair. She ignored the looks she got to the best of her ability. She was so over today.

"Rachel, hey! How are you doing?!" a bubbly voice called behind her

Rachel slowed down as Dana's huge strides blew by her. For a girl of her height, she was graceful as she seamlessly transitioned to walking backwards.

There were few people in Blackwell, whom Rachel held any sort of real attachment for. Dana Ward was one of those few people. More than once she had gotten Rachel through a crying session in their junior year, and for that Rachel never forgot it or her. She could be a little… well… bubbly, but it was a quirk that she was happy to live with. In spite of her friendship with Juliet Watson, she was probably the only other person she'd trust with the knowledge of Sera Gearhardt to.

For now, however, it was just nice that at least one other female student at Blackwell didn't actively harbour ill will towards her. Well, except for Steph Gingrich; but judging from this morning, there might have been motivation why.

Inwardly, Rachel couldn't help but find it adorable to have seen the reaction Chloe tried to hide this morning from her; it was as though Steph had for a moment become competition. She had dealt with the rivalry before, but for the first time in her life, it was from someone who actually mattered...

"Hello Dana, I'm fine," Rachel returned as she drained those thoughts out of her mind. "You were wonderful on Saturday, by the way. I am sorry I left so soon after the performance."

Dana flashed Rachel a radiate smile.

"Chloe sounded serious in her texts that night," Dana informed her. "I tried to call you about the after party, and got a hold of her after the tenth time. I hope everything was alright."

Rachel nodded immediately. She wondered briefly why Chloe hadn't told her about, but she supposed she wouldn't have cared, and with everything that had happened, how heavy it had gotten that night between them as they tried to push away the inevitable world shaking consequences of Sera Gearhardt existence. Parties for plays had been forgotten.

"Oh yes, it was fine," she lied, feeling actually bad for doing so to Dana. "Chloe and I were just… hanging out."

Dana stopped moving, forcing Rachel to a stop least she collided into the tall girl. She eyed Rachel, like she had just known that was a pile of shit.

"Yeah… okay…" Dana teased, her mouth half smirking as she placed her thumbs in her jeans. "Because all of this is something that happens when two friends hang out," her hand gesturing to Rachel's neck. "They wear their friends clothing and bite each other. That's totally a besties thing, right?"

Pressing her hand to her neck and willing herself not to blush, Rachel remained silent for a moment. What was she supposed to say here?

If she denied it, not only would it dig her into the rumour pit deeper, but it would feel like a fundamental betrayal to the absent Chloe. Like, she was ashamed to admit that something special was brewing between the two of them which they were exploring as they built on their connection. But if she were to confirm Dana's suspicions, all she would be doing was potentially opening up questions she had been trying to avoid herself for the time.

"Chloe's… a real sweetheart," she gently murmured to the wide eyed cheerleader observing her carefully. "Next party you throw, you should totally invite her and you'll see yourself. I think you could end up friends with her as well."

"Nice idea," Dana agreed happily. "If you want me to vet your friend, you just had to ask. I'm totally on it!"

Rachel cracked a small smile. She had to hand it to her persistence's. It would pay off one day, but for it would have to wait. The two girls heard "Dana!" get called and found Taylor Christensen and Juliet Watson calling her name. They both were trying not to stare at the sight of the disheveled Rachel.

Dana rolled her eyes and giving Rachel a small hug, she pulled back and walked quickly to join the other girls, all three of them collapsing into deep conversation.

As narcissistic as it might have seemed for her to assume it, it was still in all likelihood involving her.

Sighing, Rachel decided it was probably wise to text Chloe and see if she had got her badass scrap heap truck running so that she could get a ride. Last thing she wanted to fucking do right now was call her Dad for a ride. She'd call her mom… but then conversations would happen that she was still trying to wrap her mind around would start before she was ready.

The Amber family was all fucked up now, and the most unspoken aspect to it so far was easily her mother… or was it step mother? Adopted mother? This was such a shit show.

However this meeting with Mom today would go down, her Dad would be right about one thing at least: she would always be her mom. Sera would never be able to replace her.

As she dug through her school bag to look for her phone, she paused as she felt something thin and plastic that wasn't in there usually. Frowning, she removed both her phone and the foreign object. She found herself looking at a small plastic ziploc bag. Its contents were a lighter, three cigarettes and a folded up piece of paper.

Tilting her head, Rachel opened the bag and removed the folded piece of paper and found herself looking at chicken scratch writing.

The Rachel Amber Blackhell Survival Kit

Directions:

Step one: Smoke often to deal with bullshit people

Step two: Fucking repeat.

-three guesses who

PS: It's Chloe not some random freak. they are totally safe to smoke

PSS: 70 percent sure

Even with all the shit that was on her mind, she couldn't help but smile at the note. There scrawled in the corner of the note the words 'We shall fly beyond this isle - the corners of the world our mere prologue'.

Chloe Price, the sentimentalist.

She was too cute for her own good at times.

Her phone beeped in her pocket. Rachel felt that familiar flutter in her pit of her stomach as the thought of Chloe already messaging her so soon after school caught her off-guard. Four days in and they were already reading each other's thoughts.

She reached into her jeans and tapped the screen.

Rachel emitted a groan at the picture of the pixie haired blonde girl smiling on her screen. This was the last thing she needed right now.

Oh for Fuck's sake...

Victoria Chase - Rachel Amber

Squinting at the message for a moment, she looked up and found none other than Victoria Chase standing way the fuck down the hallway near the science labs. She looked… well beyond pissed. The only reason she was texting and not screaming at her was she was still jockeying herself as the leading girl of Blackwell, and no one ever got to that position by being a screaming, spastic mega bitch right out in open public. Cutthroat behavior was saved for the digital world.

If she was supposed to feel bad about Chloe swapping the tainted tea, then she must have missed the memo. Everything that happened to her was a long fucking time coming.

Looking back at the screen, Rachel smirked as she started to type. She supposed she could play along for the time being.

You - Victoria Chase

You - how are you feeling?

That… well, that was probably not the wisest icebreaker she could have used...

Victoria Chase - Watch your fucking back.

Victoria Chase - You and that punk bitch Price are fucking done from now on.

Rachel blinked and glanced up to see Victoria was burning a hole through her. That escalated quickly. She supposed that the fact Victoria Chase was lucky that she didn't shit herself while being that stoned on muscle relaxants was probably a primary motivation for the rage.

You - I think you're greatly overestimating how much I actually give a shit.

Victoria Chase - You should.

Victoria Chase - I'll fucking destroy everything, you have you dyke bitch.

You - Who was the one who spiked the tea again?

You - You realize that's criminal right?

She watched as Victoria's face contorted into an expression of guilt and shame, if only for the briefest of moments. Knowing she had only a limited window before Victoria pressed, Rachel twisted the knife.

You - Victoria

You - If you want to be pissed, be pissed at me

You - fuck all knows why

You - Leave Chloe out of it

You - She was protecting me

You - One day I hope that you find a friend like I found one in Chloe.

You - Someone who doesn't take you and your rising alpha bitch status at face value

You - someone you can be vulnerable with and know that your deepest fears can be safe with someone else so you don't have to feel so alone all the time

You - Being the Queen of this school isn't going to make your loneliness go away

You - But you can try, I guess. Good luck.

Victoria seemed almost… petrified, her mouth was hanging open slightly as though Rachel had somehow pushed through the bitch barrier just enough to startle her confidence, as she had with the tea comment. Rachel knew Victoria very well. Victoria was easily something Rachel could have ended up being if she only thought about her life one year at a time.

She was not going to fucking peak in high school, like Victoria seemed all too willing to do if she didn't back the fuck up and stop playing the game.

Rachel exhaled and slung her bag back over her shoulder. That would have to be enough for today. She didn't have time for this schoolyard bullshit at all-

Her phone lit back up.

Victoria Chase - fucking stop texting me at any time cunt.

Victoria Chase - Go find your bull dyke and do whatever the fuck you dykes do.

Victoria Chase - Teach the bitch to shave her pits

Victoria Chase - be her weight lifting spotter

Victoria Chase - whatever

Victoria Chase - This school is mine now

Victoria Chase - Thanks for destroying yourself for me, you grimy dumb bitch

Victoria Chase - K love you bye!

Rachel pocketed her phone and exhaled. As she had to pass by Victoria to, she bit the bullet and with her head held high, she stepped forward towards Victoria, who remained still, her armed clutching her books as she glared at the girl who had played a role in humiliating her on Saturday in front of the entire drama club.

With very little difficulty on her part, Rachel forced a bright smile for Victoria and gave her a wave.

"Hey! Have a good day, Victoria!" she greeted the total fucking cunt with as much of her malice for the girl channeled into a warm and friendly tone.

Victoria returned the smile with one just as horrifically fake and forced as her own.

"Oh you too, Rachel!" Victoria spoke just as sunnily and just as loud back. "Say hello to your expelled girlfriend for me! You know, she's so cute for a gangly, butch, poor person!"

The immediate vicinity surrounding Victoria was composed primarily of Jocks and cheerleader; all of them members or prospective members of the Vortex Club, and all of them very much curious to hear Victoria's opinion on the subject of Rachel Amber and Chloe Price. Next to her was Courtney Wagner, who was trying not to laugh at Rachel's expense.

Inside the group of Cheerleaders were Dana and Juliet, both of them looking like this was the last place either of them wanted to be.

Ignoring the urge to punch her in the mouth for slandering her friend, Rachel instead widened her smile. She stepped forward and clutched onto Victoria's shoulder.

"She is a keeper, I'll make sure to collect my bet from her," Rachel returned, unblinking as she spoke with a voice she only reserved for stage. "I know she won't be happy, but personally I think it's so good of you that you didn't actually shit yourself in front of Drama Club on Saturday night. Boy... that would have been reeeally embarrassing!"

Patting the mortified Victoria's arm gently as the gathering broke down into laughter; Rachel stepped back and pushed her way to the exit. Right now she was very grateful for Chloe's care package.

…

…

Chloe - runnin late. Went 2 the 2 whales to tell mom.

Chloe - Shes flipped shit excited

Chloe - b there in 15min k?

You - Not a problem. Mom pride is the worst. Mom everything is the worst, really.

Sitting next to the Blackwell swimming center, and inhaling a mouthful of smoke as saw Chloe do many times, Rachel choked and silently cursed herself for being too prideful to ask Chloe how to smoke.

It seemed so simple; fucking breathe in and out, but even after last night, it still felt like she was breathing in fire every fucking time. And probably the worst part of it was that Chloe probably knew exactly she was screwing up, but wasn't saying anything just to be polite. Maybe it was a private joke, the clever, lovable bitch.

For now she was just going to have to trial and error. After Victoria more or less forced a sort of abdication on Rachel's position, all she wanted to do now was just get out of here. Under any other circumstances, she would be able to deal with the shit that was Victoria Chase. She had been doing it for a long time now, but that was before all of this was dumped on her.

Silently, Rachel watched as Nathan Prescott walked by her. He did not spare her more than a glance. He seemed focus on the small girl sitting under a tree. She believed her name was… was it Samantha? Whatever it was, she was seemed like a genuine cutie as she looked up and scooted over so that Nathan could join her.

Good for him Rachel thought. It was nice to see Nathan trying to step out of the shadow of his father's expectations. Maybe it would help bring him out of that winded up state he was always in. He needed all the help he could get, and if this Samantha girl could play a part, then she fully supported it.

Taking another drag, Rachel stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. She'd re-situate herself in the parking lot. That way Chloe didn't have to do a lot of waiting, and they could continue their day together. Fuck, it was hard it believe it was still only Monday.

The feelings of the past few days were creeping back into her thoughts again, eroding her motivation to do the basic things she wanted to do with Chloe: Fix up that shack, play table top with Steph and the North's, see Chloe's inherent dorkiness flourish…

It just felt… wrong to want to do simple things when so much was left unsaid. Mom needed to know that she loved her, Sera needed to how fucking angry she was that she wasn't good enough to be her daughter. That the drugs had precedence over her up until a year ago, and a year ago wasn't a lot of fucking time. Her Dad had been the focus of her rage for so long, that she hadn't really put a lot of thought what she would say to her biological mother; because as much as she was mad at him, she was madder at her.

Dad was a piece of shit for lying, but at least he had had his reasons, and Sera was a total piece of shit as well for not even trying until now.

"Hey Rachel," a masculine voice spoke behind her. "Can I talk to you?"

Quickly wiping her eyes, Rachel rounded back and found the last person she wanted to deal with right this moment. Victoria Chase she knew how to handle, Eliot Hampden, however, remained a total mystery, except for one primary motivation she knew and absolutely hated the boy for having.

He wanted Chloe for himself.

She wasn't sure still why that was so infuriating, but as Chloe had been with Steph, so too was Rachel was with this Eliot, but this was something altogether different. Chloe knew how to control her feelings, but with Eliot, Rachel could feel her control slipping through her fingers. Perhaps it was because it was a different thing altogether. Steph was only a potential problem in Chloe's eyes, and Steph seemed to understand and respect the boundaries of others, even if she was nursing a crush.

Eliot was a long standing problem to her and had no understanding of boundaries.

Months now as she worked up the nerve to approach Price, she had seen the boy clinging onto Chloe like they were something official. It was made all that much worst by just how clearly uncomfortable Chloe was to be around him. Like... she thought that she had no one else and just had to settle on him hanging off her every move.

For the longest time, she had sort of felt this awkward mixture of surging anger, and sadness for the boy. He got Chloe, but he never got Chloe.

"Eliot… right… what can I do you for?" Rachel spoke, her resting bitch face mode activated as she continued to walk.

"Have a good time with Chloe last night?" he asked her, without missing a beat. "Or was it the whole weekend by the looks of it… might need to get a tetanus shot."

Rachel remained locked in silence as Eliot gestured to the mark on her neck. She didn't like the implications he was making. Like he thought that all they did the whole time was fuck or something. She especially didn't like the fact that he had sounded personally offended by it, and was attempting to mask his contempt for her with light humor. Like he thought it was cute or something.

"Hey, I'm sorry for this morning," Eliot continued, sounding like it had been rehearsed instead of holding a genuine desire to reconcile. "I was just hoping to talk to Chloe, didn't mean to be strange or disruptive or anything. Your Dad is pretty hardcore protective though."

Rachel nodded, her lips curling into a small smile in spite of the company. Watching her Dad stand there and blow this kid off like he was flicking away a bug was definitely a high light to her day. As mad as she was, she was grateful that he was so quick to intercede and protect Chloe. More people needed to protect Chloe more often. She deserved that.

If it was genuine, if Dad actually wanted to stand by Chloe…then perhaps that would go a long way towards their reconciliation... eventual reconciliation.

"Yeah, that sort of comes with being a District Attorney seeing a young teen girl get that uncomfortable," Rachel spoke, forcing her annoyance out of her voice. "What is that you want to talk to Chloe about? I'll relay it for you."

Next to her, Eliot sort of shrugged. Telling her was clearly the last thing he wanted to do.

"Just a few things," he said as casually as he could."She's… blowing off my texts."

Rachel eyed him for a moment before she brought her emergency cigarette to her lips. What a real fucking shock right there, a real headscratcher why she'd do something like that. If Chloe Price was ghosting him, then something wrong had to be happening on his end.

"Just a few things…" she repeated as she stepped down the stairs to the parking lot proper. "I take it I'm involved in that just a few things?"

Eliot jumped down two steps, and stepped out in front of Rachel, making her come to a full stop only half an arm's length in front of him. It was much too close for comfort.

"Sort of; you can't deny this is all strange," he argued, a smile which never met his eyes crossing onto his mouth. "You just dropping right in front of Chloe, inserting yourself into her life like you always belonged. Her just… eating up everything you say without questioning it… doing all that you say. It's … weird that you took an interest in her."

Rachel narrowed her eyes up at the boy, her fingers tapping her cigarette.

"This might come as a surprise, but Chloe is allowed to choose who she wants to hang out with. She's allowed to have friends you know," she snapped back at him, losing any politeness she was trying to maintain.

If the boy wanted a war against, he would get it.

"Yeah, and friends are great, but not in the way you're trying to be friends with her," he returned. "She doesn't belong to you as your latest plaything."

"And… what… she belongs to you?" Rachel said, unable to keep herself from laughing at the madness of them. "She's her own person, allowed to make her own choices. Why the fuck do I need to explain such a basic concept to you?"

Taking one last drag of her cigarette, Rachel dropped the cigarette between the two of them, and inadvertently swallowed the mouthful of smoke. Her eyes watered as she felt sick, but she refused to acknowledge her fuck-up.

"Eliot, do yourself a huge favour and take a hint… I don't think she likes you in the way you like her," she got out through her queasiness. "I think that… whatever you had with her was nice for you, but maybe not what she wanted. If she wants to be your friend, that is up to her, but Chloe Price is moving on, and maybe you should follow her example, now… if you'll excuse me…"

While she was done, Eliot wasn't. As she tried to blow by him, Eliot reached out and grabbed Rachel by the risk. He turned in place, almost pinning her against the cement wall.

The two of them were silent. Eliot's expression was empty as he stared frightfully hard at Rachel. Rachel, on the other hand, felt a current of fear as the grip on her wrist seemed to slowly tighten. She did not give voice to her fear. She was far too proud for that.

"Chloe doesn't deserve the humiliation of your eventual boredom," Eliot stated, unblinking as he held her wrist over her head "Please… go back to your own little world before someone gets hurt…"

Rachel exhaled unsteadily as the adrenaline started coursing through her body. Her expression contorted into rage. Tilting her head, she leaned in closer until they were almost touching noses.

"I'm going to tell you this once: get your fucking hand off me Eliot" Rachel growled lowly back, her body shaking with her open fury. "Walk away now and pretend we don't know each other from now on. And if you ever come around Chloe again without her expressed approval, I'll make sure that whatever you think you're going to put in Chloe will probably never work again."

The rumbling of a truck screeching to halt behind them averted the response Eliot was going to have to the threat. Rachel looked up and nearly sighed in relief of the sight of the rusty yellow shitheap truck that had screeched to a halt right onto the curb. The door flew open and out climbed an extremely filthy looking Chloe Price, fresh from another round of truck maintenance.

The anger in Chloe's face was easiest the hottest expression Rachel had ever seen in her life.

"The fuck is going on here?" Chloe all but roared at Eliot.

With a short stride, Chloe maneuverer herself in between Rachel and Eliot; her hand gripping the front of Eliot's shirt as Eliot had Rachel's wrist. With her free hand, she pushed back Rachel enough just in case a fight broke out between the two taller former… whatever they were.

"Eliot was just leaving, right?" Rachel spoke to Chloe, still staring up at Eliot defiantly.

Eliot did not answer her. He looked at Chloe with a faint smile, like none of this was particularly wrong. He just seemed… happy to have Chloe in such close vicinity as him. It took all Rachel's efforts not to go violent. She was not about to risk Chloe's return to Blackwell over this fucking asshole. No matter how much she wanted to kick his head in.

"Let go of her, right fucking now…" Chloe spoke again, her voice shaking as she continued to shield Rachel.

Eliot held firm for only a short while longer before he slowly released his hand off Rachel's wrist. Rachel stepped back, rubbing her bruising wrist, but Chloe remained still, her body still shield Rachel from Eliot's line of sight.

Not that Rachel mattered anymore to Eliot. He had gotten the attention of the only person that seemed to matter to him.

"She's a lie, Chloe, and that's all she will ever be for you: a lie," Eliot replied. "Its nice feeling, but she's just here to toy with you until she gets bored and finds something new. Someone else who'll further her agenda. All you are to her right now is her vicarious rebellion. She'll get bored of it sooner than you think."

The words were a lashing that actually hurt Rachel to hear. Eliot had swallowed all the stories about her, and added a new dimension. That she was some sort of parasite, who would latch onto others for her own survival. That wasn't who she was at all. That was the last she would ever want to be for anyone... especially for Chloe.

"-She'll hurt you in ways you cannot begin to imagine," Eliot continued on, like he was trapped in a daze. "It's not even her fault; it's just in her nature to destroy others…"

Rachel shook her head in furious, but futile denial. She knew the boy would never sway.

"You don't know a goddamn thing about me…" Rachel breathed quietly.

Thankfully for her, it seemed as though Chloe wasn't buying that. Looking at Eliot like he had lost his mind, Chloe released her hold on Eliot's shirt. She stepped back; her hand reaching back in Rachel's direction. Rachel took it gratefully and squeezed it with both of hers. She tried pulling Chloe back to the truck, to no avail. Chloe had planted herself in place like she was ready for a fight.

"Dude, I don't know what exactly you think we are, but I know for fucking certain I'm not your girlfriend, and I don't need you saving me," Chloe informed the boy, before she turned back and added. "Rachel, forget him. Get in the truck."

Ignoring the tinge in her stomach at the soft, but commanding tone Chloe possessed, Rachel nodded and released her hands off Chloe's; she stepped back slowly until she bumped into the side of the truck.

"I forgive you, Chloe," Rachel heard the bastard say as she climbed inside. "I get it's hard to see anything but her… When you wake up and see her for what she is… I'll be here for you."

Chloe took another step forward, her finger pointing Eliot in the chest.

"Eliot, I'll make this clear: we are so fucking done in every fucking way that matters," she heard Chloe reply. "You were a friend… but that's fucking over now."

Chloe retracted her finger and stormed around to the driver's side as Rachel slammed her own door shut. She could see Chloe's eyes were full of tears. She refused to acknowledge Eliot as he stood there motionlessly watching as Chloe revved the truck back to life and pulled it out of the Blackwell Academy parking lot and sped off.

The two of them remained silent for a while, their encounter with Eliot still in the forefront of their thoughts. They both knew it would be awkward bad, but they hadn't expected it to be that borderline stalker bad. Maybe it was time to get her Dad officially involved. She really didn't want to go to him. She was trying to cut herself off from the temptation of running to Daddy the moments things got hard.

All that she knew for certain was that they definitely would have to do that if they had another incident. Maybe Eliot was just having a bad fucking day like she was. She didn't know a damn thing about the boy to know if that sort of intensity was a commonplace.

She would have asked Chloe, but as came to a red light, she looked and found Chloe still threatening to cry. Exhaling, Chloe turned to face Rachel. She was bleary eyed and physically shaking. Still, she refused to cry, like it would be a weakness she wasn't allowed to have... or show.

"I'm so sorry about all of this," she struggled to speak, rubbing her eyes furiously. "Eliot… fuck, he was a strange circumstance. I was mad and alone… Eliot was nice to me. My Dad... he just died, and I thought that it was just something girls ended up doing... pairing off with boys and just moving the fuck on. I … never understood why I didn't like him, like the others. Then there was you…and... And I didn't think he was… this... I don't know what..."

Unable to find words, Rachel instead looked up at the devastated looking Chloe. She gave her a small smile and tapped her forehead. It was enough to get a laugh from her. Chloe sort of snorted and thankfully got the hint. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against Rachel's forehead.

Smiling slightly wider at the small affection that made her feel so much better, Rachel pushed her head into Chloe's side; her hand squeezed Chloe's tighter. They would have to solve this Eliot problem as soon as they could.

If it were up to her, she'd bury the bastard in the junkyard.

…

…

I wish I could make Eliot likeable, but I can't. he was doomed from the start.

Another chapter down, this is basically an introduction section to the story at large. I'm thinking it'll be concluded at 10 to 12 chapters before we jump to Max.

Disclaimer: Victoria Chase is not for bullying. She is for tender loving and a gentle stripping through her barriers. Right now for story sake I must be mean though. I am sorry. But I got the perfect person for that job.

Next Chapter: Rachel and Rose reunite and Chloe finds out she's not going to be able to hide from a Dad's prodding just because she's a girl.