Max POV


Chloe waves goodbye to her mom and we walk out of the diner together. She unties her apron as we go.

"Another day, another dollar."

"Yeah, thanks for inviting me to hang out with you."

"No prob, Bob. Besides, I couldn't pass up the chance to check out the cool mystery chick from out of town."

I try not to show the hurt on my face as we walk to a car in the parking lot. Chloe pulls the keys from a pocket in her skirt and unlocks it. It's a reasonable four door sedan, not what I would picture Chloe behind the wheel of.

"Is this your ride?"

"Umm...yes and no. It's my mom's but she lets me use it from time to time. I just have to come give her a ride home when she closes at eleven. I'd die to have my own car but I can never seem to scrape the funds together."

I swallow as I slide into the passenger seat, the image of Chloe hooked up to a ventilator flashing through my mind. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.

Chloe nonchalantly unbuttons her dress to reveal a tank top and shorts she was wearing underneath. She throws her uniform in the back and climbs in on the driver's side.

"And we're off! I'm taking you to my special place. I have a feeling you're gonna dig it."

We head towards the highway, the diner fading away into the distance.

I glance over at Chloe for the third time. She seems like she's in a good mood. She's driving a bit more slowly than normal. But overall her personality seems about the same. Thank God.

I think back to that afternoon when we were in her ginormous pickup making our getaway from Blackwell and Nathan Prescott's fists of fury. I still can't wrap my mind around all the strange things that have happened between then and now. It doesn't seem real. To be honest I'm starting to wonder if anything has been real ever. Maybe I'm just insane.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare."

Chloe flashes her impish grin.

"I'm just teasing you." She winks. "Besides, I don't mind you staring. I know I'm hot."

I roll my eyes.

"And so modest."

"Ah, yes. One of my finer attributes."

"I do like the streaks in your hair."

"Thanks! I did 'em myself. I wanted to go full-on punk rock and dye my whole head."

"You should." I interject "You would look so good with blue hair."

"Dude! That's what I'm saying but my mom-ster wasn't having it."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Some shit about it not looking professional. Bull! As if the fisherman and hicks that come in there give a damn." There's that Chloe temper. "Anyway my dad stepped in, like he always does, and 'proposed a compromise.' The rest is history."

I look down at my lap and adjust the straps on my camera bag. I'm smiling. Even in this jacked up alternate universe where we've never met, where I don't even technically exist…talking to her still feels so natural. Call me a sentimental fool but it gives me hope. Like maybe we're somehow really meant to be together.

Chloe hits a button on her radio and a soft male voice drifts out of the speakers.

To all of you...American girls...It's sad to...imagine a world...without you.

"I love this song."

Her eyes brighten.

"No shit. I thought I was the only one! I swear everyone in this town has piss poor taste. This is why I need to pick up more cute tourists."

I lean back in my seat.

"So, not to sound completely lame but tell me more about yourself."

I want to understand this Bizarro Chloe. Maybe if I can find out more about her, identify the bits and pieces that got changed...maybe I can get us back home somehow….

Ok. I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know where we are or how we got here and I have no idea how this writer is supposed to help me but I'll figure it out as I go. It can't hurt to ask all the questions and gather all the information.

"Ummm...ok? I was born March 11th, 1994. My dad's name is William. You met my mom at the diner...I have a weird phobia of trains. Don't ask me why….Um what is it you want to know exactly?"

"Do you…."

My voice trails off. Shit, Max, how do I word these questions without sounding like a total weirdo?

"Do I...have a girlfriend?"

"Huh?"

"What you were struggling to ask. I thought I'd help you out there. The answer's 'no' by the way. Not anymore."

"Oh," typical Chloe stepping in to save me when I'm sticking my awkward foot in my awkward mouth "but you did?"

"Yeah." She seems quieter now and less cheerful. "Rachel. You would have liked her."

I steel my nerves before asking this next question. I'm terrified of the answer.

"What...happened to her?"

Chloe becomes less serious.

"Nothing. She just moved away. Finally got out of this crummy town. We tried to do the long distance thing for a while but it just didn't work out."

"Oh! I'm sorry." I couldn't be more relieved. It sucks that Chloe got left behind but...Rachel's alive here and William is too.

"Don't be. We're still friends. Besides, I get to go on this fun little adventure with you."

"Yeah." Despite the circumstances I'm actually having a nice time. "Do you have any other friends who are closer?"

Chloe nods.

"There are a couple cool people here. There's Warren. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed but he can fix anything in a car. He's saved this shit-mobile from the scrap heap more than once. Victoria's super shy but sweet, and there's Nathan. His family is poor as dirt but he is hella nice. If you're not busy later you could come hang out with us. There's a bar on the outskirts of town that doesn't card minors."

"That sounds like fun."

Ok; a dumb Warren, a sweet Victoria, and a poor but kind Nathan? I have to see it to believe it.

"Well, here we are." The car comes to a stop and Chloe unbuckles her seat belt. "My favorite spot: the lighthouse."