"You Don't Know What You Got" by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
The coffee shop was nearing close, the last handful of stragglers having taken off half an hour ago. The sound system playing songs from The Julie Ruin, the barista at the counter was finishing up giving the display case for the baked goods they also sold a good wipe-down and looked at her phone for the time before glancing down towards the back area of the small brick-and-mortar coffee place.
"Max? You don't have to stick around all the way to closing, kid. You can go ahead and take off if you really want to, y'know?" the barista asked, blowing some lose strands of blonde hair out of her face before she wound up fixing her sidecut altogether. "Uh, Max…? Did you fall asleep back there?"
"O-Oh!" Max blustered out, poking her head around the corner with an embarrassed grin as she popped an earbud out. "Sorry! I was just listening to my music while cleaning up back here. One of the customers spilled their coffee on the couch and didn't tell anyone, the dummy."
"Ugh," the barista said, rolling her eyes as she stood up, "Well, when you're done back there just go ahead and bail. You're a really hard worker, kid, but since you're only 15 three hours a day is the time limit."
"I know," Max groaned, "I just really like it here, and I don't feel like going home yet. I'll just go off-the-clock once I'm done back here and hang out if that's okay."
"You just want whatever cookies are left at the end of the night," the barista teased, chuckling to herself when Max's face turned red before she disappeared again, "What a goofball."
Max plugged her earbuds back in and untied her apron before she dropped it on the floor before she really got to work on the couch. Coffee on leather was not that difficult to the brunette, but the stickiness was almost unholy to her in how all of it never seemed to quite go away. Gritting her teeth as she scrubbed with all her might, Max alternated between the sponge and dish towel before she wiped the moisture off. Waiting a few seconds, Max put a hand to the clean spot and sighed with relief when there was not a trace of the overly-sweetened cappuccino that had been there a few minutes before. What a jerk, Max thought, wiping the sweat from her brow with a forearm as she put a hand on her hip to observe her handiwork, Not telling anyone because of embarrassment – that I could get. Easily. But to leave the cup here, too, and the whipped cream dribbled in a little trail from the table to the couch… Certifiable jerk status achieved. The slight variable in her scowl, brows additionally furrowed, Max sighed before easing up as she began to collect her cleaning products when a tap on her shoulder made the brunette scream.
"The fuck?!" the barista shouted, looking down the store's interior as she had begun to count the register's contents, "Chloe, can you stop scaring your girlfriend, please?"
"Sorry, Amanda!" Chloe fired back, her apologetic smile earnest before she mouthed Ouch with emphasis when Max hauled off and slugged her in the arm. "That actually hurt, Max! Fuckin' ow!"
"Listen to Amanda then, and stop spooking me at every convenience," Max replied sticking her tongue out before the irritation turned to amusement as she poked at the spot where she had just landed a punch, "Did I hurt poor widdle Chloe?"
"Har har, Caulfield," Chloe replied, though she did wince when Max turned the poke into a finger jab, "Miss me, beautiful?"
Max smiled, grabbing Chloe by the collar of her leather jacket before she pulled the taller girl out of sight from Amanda before she hit the blonde with a kiss that left her breathless. Their lips collided, parted, and met again with eager intentions as Max went the additional step of leaping up into Chloe's arms while her girlfriend pressed her against the brick wall. Ending their little moment of bliss with a chaste peck, Max gave her girlfriend a toothy smile before leaning her forehead against Chloe's.
"Two months was too long, Chloe," Max said, her voice soft and weak like it always was after they kissed, the brunette licking her lips at the taste of her girlfriend's strawberry lip balm, "If not for those Skype sessions and all the phone time… I don't even want to think about it…"
"Then don't, babe," Chloe said, letting her diminutive girlfriend down so that Max could straighten herself up, "Goddamn, though. I dunno what it is, but you in that white button-down just… Yeah, um, how about we get your shit and bail?"
"Sounds like a plan to me," Max replied, slipping her hand into Chloe's as they came around from the corner to find Amanda approaching with Max's camera bag and hoodie, "Oh, u-uh… Thanks, Amanda…?"
"Go home already, or just leave," Amanda said, the knowing grin on her face leaving Chloe looking away and Max blushing as she just chuckled, "You're off for the weekend, right?"
"Yeah!" Max replied, the over-eagerness in her voice quickly subdued with a smirk from Chloe. "I mean, well, that's why I worked every day this week…and did a full 18 hours last week. Chloe and I have to time our work schedules, so-"
"Yeah, yeah, I wasn't asking for a treatise on the dynamics of you two's relationship," Amanda teased, hand to her forehead, "Just get outta here, Max. I'll see you Monday afternoon, after you're out of school."
Cringing a little under the power of her boss's knowing smugness, Max booked a hasty exit with Chloe somewhat dragged behind her. Once they were out of the coffee shop, Max heard the click of the door being locked and turned around to see Amanda winking at her. Shuddering, the teasing from her boss was so constant, Max felt an arm come around her shoulders. Smiling up at Chloe as the blonde smiled back, Max reached up and tugged gently on that stripe of blue to get the taller girl within reach of kissing.
"A kiss in public, on the sidewalk no less?" Chloe asked, the mock astonishment on her face result in a scornful grimace from Max. "Max Caulfield, I am all aflutter. Quick! Just take me now, right here! This is the moment, my truest love!"
"O-Oh my God, Chloe!" Max exclaimed, her face scarlet for the third time in ten minutes as she shoved Chloe away from her and quickly glanced around before she slapped at the laughing punk. "If…If someone had been within earshot, you fuckin'-!"
"Relax, babe," Chloe said, bracing herself against the tide of small hands that slapped down on her as she chuckled, "It's hella late for this part of Seattle, and I… Fuck, Max! Stop trying to beat me up, you goof!"
"Oooooooh…!" Max said, a warning finger pointed at Chloe with a scrutinizing glare accompanying it before she fully relented and hesitantly put an arm around Chloe's waist. "Wowser, you are so mean."
"Says the person who was physically attacking me!"
"T-That's different! You started it!"
"Whatever you say, beautiful," Chloe replied, Max's rebuttal coming to a grinding halt. Max knew that Chloe had figured out that particular nickname all but secured victory at this point, "C'mon. Let's head to your house."
Chloe's truck pulled into the driveway of the Caulfield residence and Max just flopped back into her seat at the sight of the lights still being on. Rolling her eyes, she leaned over once the idea of her parents waiting for her had passed to give Chloe a gentle kiss. Smiling as she looked into Chloe's eyes, those azure pools filling her with bliss, Max poked her girlfriend on the nose before she started ushering the tall punk to get out of the truck so she could. Looking into the truck bed as Chloe pulled a military surplus duffel out, the brunette slung her camera bag over her shoulder and caught up to Chloe after she had recovered from her momentary spacing out. Hands linking up with their fingers interwoven just as they reached the front door, Max pulled out her house key and unlocked the door before she led Chloe inside.
"Hey, Mom," Max said, catching sight of Vanessa in the kitchen before she closed and locked the door, "Where's Dad?"
"Yo, Mrs. C," Chloe said, dropping the duffel before she aimed a pair of finger guns at the older Caulfield woman.
Max frowned for a second when Vanessa came into the living room to greet them with a tired smile, the tumbler of scotch in her hand a clear indicator that the quicker they got into the bedroom the smoother things would likely go. The law firm Vanessa was in had lost a pricey client a few days ago, with the resulting stress doubling down on her mother. When Vanessa retreated back into the kitchen after pleasantries had been exchanged, Max not even getting an answer about her father, Max grunted when she hefted Chloe's duffel and motioned for Chloe to take the lead.
"I'm surprised that your folks still let us share a bed when I come up now," Chloe said once the door was closed, Max putting the bag down just off to the side before she stretched her back a little, "You're 15 now, and I'm 16. We must be a scandal at this point. …Your mom looks like hell, Max. Trouble in the Caulfields' paradise?"
"First, my parents do not want to incur my wrath if they opted to try and make you sleep in the living room," Max said, sauntering over with a mischievous grin only to push Chloe onto the bed before she took a seat at her desk when the blonde whined at the loss of potential smooches, "As to the second thing… Dad works late almost every night now, a-and with Mom's problems at work the mood here has left me wanting to just run as fast as I can for work. I-I even felt better once I was at school, and that place is no joy."
"Some of those little shits still giving you a hard time?" Chloe asked, siting up with a cigarette instinctively in her lips after a moment only to shrug when Max scowled at the sight. "Forgot. No smoking in the Max Cave. But, uh, answer the question, babe. What's up?"
"I made a couple friends in the past month," Max said, the hopeful smile on Chloe's face getting a smirk from Max when her girlfriend gasped and put a hand to her chest, "Yes. Max Caulfield actually made a couple friends at school. Shocker. Kristen and Fernando are nice, though I feel like a third wheel since they've been friends since last year."
"Rachel knows all about that," Chloe said with a snort, Max cocking her head in reply, "What? She does. She just doesn't complain about it because we're not making out to the point of throwing it in people's faces. Also, Steph has helped some in that regard. ….God, Rachel…"
"What?" Max asked, her turn to be inquisitive as she leaned in when Chloe averted her eyes. "Oh no you don't, Chloe. Rachel is my friend, too. Spill, punk."
"Her home life just continues to go to shit, Max. Her dad is practically a warden at this point, he even called the cops to my house when Rachel didn't answer a few of his phone calls for a 'welfare check'. Asshole."
"How many is a few phone calls, though?" Max asked, hands up in defense when Chloe's barbed expression reminded her just how protective Chloe had been of Rachel since last spring. "You know I'm not taking his side. Be real, Chloe."
"…Sorry," Chloe said, reaching out to take Max's hand and bring it to her face. A pleasant smile on her face, Chloe bit her lip from the touch and Max beamed in response before her girlfriend continued, "Rachel's been alternating between crashing with me and sleeping over in Steph's dorm room for almost a month now."
"Wowser…," Max replied, her thought processes whirring as she steepled her fingers together and brought them to her chin, "That explains why she has declined all my requests for a Skype call, though. Save for the ones I've had with you where she's there, too."
"Yeah, well, she has a plan now so this shit'll fucking stop," Chloe said, the grumble in her voice getting a quirked eyebrow from Max, "She's moving into the girls' dorm. Ugh, can we talk about something else now? I didn't come here to go on some tangent about another girl, babe."
"O-Oh, uh, of course," Max replied, a little flustered from the plaintive tone in her girlfriend's voice, "So, what do you want to do tonight? We could play some video games, watch movies, snack on whatever's in the kitchen-"
"I may have a better idea…," Chloe said, the devilish grin on her face making the brunette gulp in response, that look had become an ominous bit of foreshadowing, "Don't chicken out already, Max! C'mon, give your girlfriend a chance!"
"That look always means you have something in mind that I might wind up regretting…," Max said, the hesitation in her voice only making Chloe's grin more pronounced, "My getting drunk earlier this year being a red flag."
"Well, there's no booze and no pot involved in this Chloe Price Challenge," Chloe said with a wink, walking over to her duffel to retrieve a small shopping bag, "No peeking, though. And, for safety's sake, I would like to request we go to the treehouse for this."
"We haven't been up there in years, Chloe," Max said, the disbelieving smirk on her face turning into a chuckle when Chloe gave her an excited grin, "Am I going to hate myself in the morning for this?"
"Absolutely not! And, if by some chance you do, feel free to make me walk the plank!" Chloe teased, opening the bedroom door as she ushered a very restrained Max Caulfield out into the hall. "Let's grab some sodas from the kitchen and then I will share my plunder with you."
"Plunder, eh?"
"Well, you know how much I want your booty, Max."
Max groaned, rolling her eyes as Chloe led the way towards the kitchen with that devilish grin still on her face.
"You never did tell me how your new job at that music store in-" Max said, nervously playing with the laces of her sneakers as she sat cross-legged in the treehouse as Chloe admired their handiwork of paint markers and glow-in-the-dark stars before giving her girlfriend the side-eye.
"Don't try and distract me, Caulfield," Chloe said, the smirk on her face only leaving Max even more nervous, "Now, it's simple. Just a game."
Chloe reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of pink dice that were still in the packaging. When Max saw the "Couples' Play" on the small band of cardboard, her eyes widened and she had to use every ounce of willpower in her small frame to not try and leap out the window for the safety of her room. Broken leg and all, probably, Max thought, glancing at the window for a moment as Chloe tore the package open.
"Now, when the dice land, there's an action and a location on the body," Chloe said, lighting up a cigarette as the treehouse was fair game in terms of cutting loose, "These are pretty PG-13, maybe a hard one, so there's nothing super lewd about them. Also, if it does get to be too much for you, I'll let you roll again until you feel comfortable with what comes up. Fair?"
"…I guess," Max replied, eyes tightly shut as she sighed in surrender, "You want to go first?"
"Sure. Just let me finish this," Chloe said, leaning back against the treehouse wall as she puffed away on her half-done cigarette, "It has been a while since we were in here. Heh, your mom's gotta be loving this – we come up here with some drinks and a mystery bag. Hella suspicious, Caulfield."
"She's probably on her third glass of whatever, so it's fine," Max said, the angst in her voice getting a look of concern from Chloe, "She's been drinking like crazy the past month. Not an angry drunk or anything like that, Chloe. Relax. It just worries me."
Chloe nodded, the thoughtful look on her face disappearing once her cigarette was gone and the dice were in her hand. A wicked grin on her face, mischief in her eyes, Chloe gave them a good shake, blew on them, then shook them again to the point that Max was starting to wonder if she was being messed with. When Chloe did finally drop them, she chuckled and Max wilted a little.
"I get to take off an article of clothing!" Chloe said, excitable in spite of keeping her voice down so as to not raise suspicion. "Hella yes!"
"So, um, what are you going to take off?" Max asked, cradling her elbow as she looked over at Chloe.
"Oh ho-ho, Max, you don't get it," Chloe said, leaning forward as though she were divulging a secret, "I get to take of an article of your clothing."
Max stammered incoherently, scooting away until she was in a corner opposite of Chloe in the treehouse. Eyes wide as her chest heaved, Max thought she might have an anxiety attack right then and there. Seeing the disappointment in Chloe's eyes was almost a soul-crushing moment, though, and Max willed herself to calm down before she slowly returned to where she had been seated.
"…You said this was PG-13."
"I said hard PG-13, Max."
"So, um, what do you want me to take off?"
"I am the one who gets to take it off, Max. Annnnnd," Chloe said, tapping her chin as she genuinely did seem to process her choices to Max's silent lamentation, "I think I'll have your shirt. Always wanted one of yours, you've 'borrowed' so many of mine."
Max whined, the pleading look in her eyes ignored as Chloe leaned over with a wolfish grin. Acquiescing to Chloe's choice, though, Max was just thankful she and Chloe had as much privacy as they did when she lowered the blind so her mother could not see. Lifting her arms, Max forgot for a second she was still in her work clothes and blushed really hard as Chloe took her time in unbuttoning the shirt. Thankful she had a tank-top on underneath, Max did get a little smug when Chloe wilted a bit at the fact there was a second shirt. Her moment of victory was reduced to cinders, though, when Chloe handed her the dice. Not only can Chloe do stuff to me, Max thought as she looked down at the small pink items in her hand, I have to do stuff to her. It won't be so bad, right? I mean she said I could roll again if I want to…
"Your roll, Max," Chloe said, her turn to grin, "Hit me with your best shot! Fire awaaaaaaay!"
Max let out a little chuckle, knowing that Chloe was likely just trying to lighten her considerable reluctance and tension. Taking a deep breath, Max shook the dice and dropped them after a moment. Both girls looked down to see what she had rolled, the double-sized sleeping bag partly concealing the results with its material.
"Holy…," Chloe started, eyes wide as she looked up at Max, "Y-You don't have to do that, Max. Seriously. Even I know not to push you that far."
Lick. Nipple, Max thought as she read the results over and over, her mind a total blank as the heat in her face was complimented by the sound of her heartbeat swelling up in her ears. Opening her mouth, Max could have sworn she was going to say something but not a single thing came out except for a slight squeak as she breathed.
"Fuck, did I break you?" Chloe asked, leaning over to put a hand on Max's shoulder. "Earth to Max. You there, babe?"
"I-I'm here…," Max replied, the flat tone signaling that she registered the question, "Yeah, I'm gonna roll again.
"For sure," Chloe replied sitting back as the dim lighting hid just how red her own face had been.
Max repeated the motion of dice-throwing, shake and toss, and when it landed she almost sighed in relief at the results.
"Turn around," Max said, confidence rising in her as Chloe grinned before scooting closer and turning around, "Time for a shoulder massage."
"Can you imagine what would've happened if you got something like 'Massage Nipple'?" Chloe asked, wincing when Max's hands clamped down. "Uh, I'll be quiet now. Fuck, though, the advantages of a girlfriend with small hands… Shit, Max, you're good at this…"
Max smiled at the compliment, working the tension out of her girlfriend's shoulders after a good ten minutes. Waiting until Chloe was satisfied, the brunette had to nudge Chloe to get her girlfriend to move so they could continue the game. It was feeble, and very slim, but Max hoped that she just rolled that result every time from there on in. As Chloe rolled the dice, Max felt her phone vibrate and she pulled it out before rolling her eyes and ignoring it.
"Bad news?" Chloe asked, pausing just before she looked ready to throw the dice.
"School's canceled on Monday because of a gas leak," Max replied.
"I'd think that would be cause for celebration, Max."
"I-It is. At the same time, though, I…don't really want to be here because Mom's also taking Monday off."
Both girls were quiet at that, Chloe breaking the somber mood with a flash throw of the dice. When Max read the result, she actually felt a little happy as she laid down on her stomach while facing a smirking Chloe.
"Get in here, Chloe," Max teased, watching Chloe awkwardly make her way over, "Attend me."
"Whatever, dork," Chloe replied, sitting next to Max before she began to massage her girlfriend's back, "This is turning out way more PG than I would have liked."
"Fine by me," Max countered, moaning pleasantly as Chloe's stronger hands worked wonders on her, "Are you quitting, Chloe Price?"
"Fuck no. I just want something more sexy, less sappy."
"Massages are romantic."
"Goop."
The game continued for another half an hour, Max eventually reduced to a mess of blushing and giggles with Chloe scowling in annoyance. Max had lost her skirt, panties visible, with some faint kiss marks on her face, neck, and feet while Chloe was in her bra and jeans with a few hickies on her neck. Chloe had grumpily declared Max the winner, Max's smugness only riling her up more as the brunette pointed out a few times the fact that Chloe had been forced to kiss her feet. Putting their clothes back on once Max had alleviated Chloe's sour mood with some kisses and a loving smile, they retreated down the ladder and headed back inside. Averting her eyes from her mother as she and Chloe had to walk right next to where Vanessa was in the kitchen, Max bit her lip and followed along behind her girlfriend with her breath held. Finally exhaling once they were back in her room with the door locked, Max thought they were home-free until the door knob rattled.
"Max? Max, you know that when Chloe stays the door is not to be locked," Vanessa said, the mild slurring of her words concerned both girls before Max reluctantly unlocked the door, "That's better. Goodnight, girls."
Sighing in relief, visibly shaken over the possibility her mother might barge in, Max grabbed some sleep clothes and changed in her walk-in closet while Chloe did her thing. Returning in an oversized Firewalk t-shirt Chloe had bought her for her birthday, Max traipsed over to the bed and joined her girlfriend as Chloe had just changed into an old Misfits tank-top and some boxers. Snuggling up against the taller girl, Max smiled when Chloe draped an arm around her as she played little spoon to Chloe's big spoon. Satisfied with herself in terms of their evening together, Max was half-asleep when Chloe cleared her throat.
"…Chloe?" Max asked, blinking her eyes a bit when she looked over her shoulder to see the punk looking down at her. "Wha…? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong," Chloe said, reaching over to stroke Max's hair with a fond smile, "Hey, what's say you and I take off tomorrow for Portland? Day trip, y'know, go and explore another city?"
"You're asking me this now?" Max asked, the incredulous smile on her face making Chloe a little visibly anxious before the smaller girl leaned up to give her girlfriend a chaste kiss. "Sure, Price. What'd you have in mind?"
"Well, um, there's a band from Arcadia Bay playing at this club in the downtown area. We'd have to print off directions, but aside from that it's up to you. I've got a chunk of money saved, and I am willing to bet you have barely spent a penny of your income since landing that job."
"Chloe…," Max said, shuffling around so that she could sit up to properly look Chloe in the eye, "I thought you were saving that all for your apartment. Getting out of the house? Ring a bell? You didn't get your GED at 16 just to hang around the house with Joyce when you're not working…"
"I know, but I want to treat you," Chloe explained, chuckling a little when Max played with her blue streak of hair, "Besides, we can stock up on beer, weed, and donuts! Epic win!"
Max scoffed a little, but it was good-natured. Chloe always had some angle to her ideas, but she also knew that her girlfriend's heart was always in the right place. When she did catch sight of Chloe averting her eyes and biting her lip, though, the brunette knew something else was on Chloe's mind.
"You're up to something…," Max said, eyes narrowing as Chloe's widened in response, "Don't think I don't know my girlfriend and best friend. Spill, Chloe Elizabeth Price."
"I… I am thinking of getting a tattoo…," Chloe said, leaning her head back when Max's jaw dropped, "What? Tattoos are cool!"
"You're 16, Chloe," Max said, the chastising tone in her voice making them both cringe, "I just mean that, well, you can't even legally do it, so-"
"I have a plan, Max," Chloe said, her chin back to where it had been resting on Max's shoulder as the brunette had laid back down, "And I am just thinking about it. Like you would actually stop me."
"I would…make sure that if you did get a tattoo that it would be at a decent enough place," Max conceded, rolling her eyes when Chloe's eyes sparkled, "That doesn't mean I think you should get one tomorrow, Chloe."
"Yeah, but it's incentive for the future to know that you're five-by-five on this," Chloe said, the conversation evidently over to Max as her girlfriend leaned in a little more and closed her eyes.
Getting out of the house had been tricky, Vanessa wandering around in all her hungover glory as Max and Chloe waited for the opportune moment. The brunette knew it was not a matter of whether or not Vanessa would let her go to Portland; with Chloe beside her and being old enough to handle a part-time job, the reins had been loosened on Max's restraints considerably. While her parents always did worry about her, they no longer blocked her from doing as many things as they did before since she was being a responsible young woman. My own mother's words, Max thought at that, 'Young woman'. She still calls me 'Baby', yet somehow I am now old enough and mature enough to be referred to as a young woman. I fucking give up. Feeling Chloe's hand on her shoulder as the blonde peeked out of the door, Max took one look down at herself and the other reason for her apprehension just reared itself again.
"You look awesome, so don't even think about changing," Chloe said, Max looking up to see Chloe eyeing her while the door was still cracked open, "Ugh, can't we just go through a window? This is so goddamn lame, I feel like we're little kids again trying to get away with my mom's vino…"
Max giggled at that memory, but shook her head at the suggestion. Glancing out her sole window, it nestled just above her bed, the rather thick bush right in front of it was a rather prickly obstacle. Looking back over at Chloe, Max peeked over her girlfriend's shoulder to see her mother put a hand to her head before sighing. She worried about her parents, they had been a little strained with each other for the past week with her father home late so much. When Vanessa went into her bedroom and closed the door, though, Max and Chloe's eyes widened in unison before they tip-toed down the hall.
"Bye, Mom! We're going out for the day!" Max yelled as she closed the front door, her face red as a neighbor was picking his newspaper up from the sidewalk. "Uh, hi-"
"C'mon, Max!" Chloe said, grabbing her girlfriend's hand as she ran for the truck. "Unless you want more witnesses…"
Max adamantly shook her head at that notion, not even caring that Chloe was far more focused on getting them out of the driveway than her at the moment. She could not believe they had made it without her mother catching them, but she was even more stupefied that Chloe had convinced her to wear the outfit Rachel had bought her over summer vacation. A long coat over the top, Max felt a little more at ease. The leather jeans and platform ankle boots were so obvious, though, that Max thought she might turn into a puddle from just how hot her entire body was from all the anxiousness. Forget a step outside my comfort zone, Max said, trying to smile when Chloe grinned at her once they were on the highway, I pretty much shot myself out of it with a canon.
"I feel so awkward right now…," Max said, looking at herself in the passenger side mirror once she angled it right, "C-Chloe…"
"Dude, you are frickin' hot as hell right now. You need to learn to take chances, be bold and shit!" Chloe said, reaching over to give Max's hand a squeeze. "I'm not leaving your side, okay? If anything gets to be too much I want you to tell me and I'll pull us both out of whatever we're in the middle of. I love you, Max. Remember that. I wouldn't fuck with you."
"I love you, too, Chloe," Max said, her voice soft as the weight of her girlfriend's protectiveness became what felt like an invisible blanket, her confidence boosted slightly as she slid over to sit next to the tall punk, "I really don't know about this top, though. It's cool an' all, but it's totally not me."
"Well, we shall just have to find you something that is decidedly Max Caulfield."
Max looked at herself in the mirror and nodded approvingly. The top was definitely an improvement from that other one, and it was still pink; Max looked down at the long-sleeve top with its mesh sleeves and midriff with a grimace. Rest in peace, shirt. May someone come in here and take you home with them, Max thought before she took another look at herself in the mirror. The cotton felt great on her skin, it was so soft, and the graphic was just the right amount of what Max thought of as cool with her own unique sense of style. The white doe was cute, on the tail end of "Jane" in big white letters. Checking herself out in the mirror one more time, she smiled. The leather jeans she could get used to, in time, but the brightness of her shirt looked more eye-catching. The boots are no problem, and Chloe actually grumbles over the loss of a couple inches' advantage when I wear them, Max thought as she opened the door to find her girlfriend waiting with a large cowboy hat on.
"Are you cereal?" Max asked, wincing as Chloe replied by doing some god-awful attempt at what Max could only imagine was line dancing, "That's awful, Chloe. Put it back."
Chloe put the hat on top of a table by the dressing rooms, nodding in her own approval at Max's new shirt before she pulled out her smartphone. Cradling her arm as she averted her eyes, Max tried to ignore the fact that she was having her photo taken.
"Lookin' sick, Max," Chloe said, "Get you in a club. They won't know what hit them."
"Ready for the mosh pit, shaka brah!" Max said, a little attitude in her voice as she cocked her hip and placed a hand on it before a deep frown lined her face. "Oh God, you're not taking my picture. Y-You're recording this…!"
"That was too goddamn cute, and funny," Chloe said, slipping her phone into the pocket of her jeans quick enough that when Max tried to reach for the device there was nothing in her hands, "Also, please, don't say that ever again."
"But you recorded it…!" Max said, half-protest and half-statement as she tried to get her hand into Chloe's jeans. "Gimme your phone, Chloe. I want to erase that!"
"Hell no, Caulfield. That is for future reference and ammo to embarrass you if you ever tease me too damn much! Ah! Max, get your hand out of my pants!"
The girls froze, their faces red as they looked around the store and realized that Chloe had said that with enough volume in her voice that she attracted the attention of everyone within earshot. Max, the fingers of one hand halfway into the pocket with Chloe's phone, pulled away quick and was such an embarrassed mess that when she and Chloe headed up to the cashier's counter she nearly walked right outside without paying. With the tag getting scanned before Chloe tugged it off, the transaction was completed and the two were outside and heading towards the car with enough briskness in their steps that it looked as though they were powerwalking.
"That was awful," Max said, her face despondent even after Chloe kissed her on the cheek, "God, if someone I knew had been in there…"
"Uh, yeah. Might not go back there for a little while," Chloe said, agreeing as she scratched at her hair, "Still, though. You do look pretty sick. That shirt suits you."
"You think so?"
"Yeah, Max, I do. Rachel has some interesting tastes in clothes, but that top her cousin or whatever picked for you was a little too much for my budding brunette. You did look sexy as fuck in it, though."
Sheepish grin on her face after what Chloe had said, Max was a little pleased with herself that she was attractive to her girlfriend. She knew there was attraction already, but it was usually Max who was telling Chloe how cool or pretty she looked. She calls me "beautiful" sometimes, but I dunno if she means it or is just doing it because she knows it makes me really happy, Max thought as Chloe pulled her truck out of the parking lot. Feeling a hand on her thigh, Max looked down and gave it a light squeeze as they drove through Portland.
"I've only been here once or twice my entire life," Max commented as they rolled through the uptown area, "Dad took me to Powell's for my birthday one year and I bought A Wrinkle In Time."
"That was a great book," Chloe said, Max remembering they had read it together, "I've always been meaning to come up here since I pieced this truck together. I just… I wanted to do it with you."
Max's heart swelled a little at that, leaning over to kiss her girlfriend on the cheek before she gasped when they actually pulled up to Powell's. Eyes wide in an almost dreamy quality, Max looked at Chloe and smiled so brightly that the blonde punk looked away as she blushed. Taking Max's hand once they were parked, Chloe helped the smaller girl out of the vehicle and they crossed the street to enter the store. The walls were lined with so many books that Max thought it might take her years to browse through every row if she were to give each book an actual chance. With Chloe's hand wrapped around her own as they scanned the enormous selection, Max got lost in the wonder of such a wealth of literature. Her fingertips brushing against cover after cover, the brunette got increasingly indecisive as there were just too many titles for her to choose from. She had almost forgotten that Chloe was even with her, she was so enamored at the selection of knowledge before her that when Chloe gave her hand a light squeeze Max got a little startled from the sudden knee-jerk pull back to reality.
"You're such a goddamn nerd," Chloe teased, getting a little grumpy when Max giggled after pointing down at the few manga that Chloe was carrying, "S-Shut up, Caulfield. I need my yuri fix. Besides, it's cool if it is from Japan-"
Chloe growled when Max took her manga and ran off, yelling after a giddy Max when the brunette turned a corner and disappeared into the stacks and shelves. Max turned the whole affair into one giant game of hide-and-seek, squealing in delight every time she had to run off when Chloe spotted her. The times when they were like this, two girls in love and just having innocent fun, really filled her up with an intense warmth. She lost track of time, though, and when Chloe did finally manage to get ahold of her the brunette was all red in the face from laughing and running so much. Her girlfriend's grouchiness almost palpable, Max frowned and stood on her tip-toes to give Chloe an Eskimo kiss before letting the blonde have a real one. While their lips were locked together, though, Chloe did manage to retrieve her manga to the smaller girl's mild chagrin.
"Fuckin' Max Caulfield," Chloe grumbled, her pout sticking around even after Max had taken her hand, "Stealin' my fuckin' manga like a little brat. Fuckin' bullshit… You had me chasing you for two hours, Max. Two fucking hours."
"You know it's serious business when you say 'fucking' so many times," Max said, having to take the potshot at her girlfriend when the blonde just grumbled even more, "Oh, stop, Chloe. It's not like I went and hid your books. Besides, who am I to deny my girlfriend her three volumes of Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink?"
Chloe went scarlet at that, Max's smug grin faltering a little when the blonde turned to look at her very slowly with a pointed glare. Shrugging after a moment, Max took one of Chloe's arms and held onto it after the punk gave in with an eyeroll. With three manga in Chloe's hand and a couple books in Max's, they paid for their selections first before heading over to the coffee shop portion of the store. Flopping into her seat with a black coffee and muffin, Chloe swiped Max's books when the brunette took her seat with a cappuccino and buttered croissant. Seeing Chloe take a gander at her choice in literature, Max paid it no heed until Chloe put the books back onto the table.
"Into The Wild and Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, huh?" Chloe asked, her amusement evident as she took a drink of her coffee. "You have hella weird tastes, Max."
"I like those children's books, and this is an anthology so I don't have to go looking around for the other volumes," Max explained, satisfied with her small haul as Chloe took another look at Into The Wild, "You'd like that one, though. It's sad, though. This boy essentially abandons most of contemporary society and just lives as something of a vagabond. He travels all over and-"
"Ugh, don't tell me the whole plot if you're gonna let me borrow it later," Chloe groaned, though both girls had to giggle, "Oh fuck, do you remember when we read Game of Thrones at Rachel's grandma's house last summer? Rachel did so many spit-takes."
"Yeah," Max said, face lighting up as she crinkled her nose from the broad smile, "Though the ultimate one was when she found out that we first read that book when you were in junior high and I was in grade school."
"Not our fault that your pops just left it lying around on the coffee table," Chloe said, reaching over to poke Max on the nose, "Sneaky Max, taking the book when he wasn't looking."
"Well…," Max said, averting her eyes as she bit her lip.
"Anyway, what's say you and I rent a motel room after we're done here?" Chloe asked, laughing when Max's face turned red. "Get your mind outta the gutter, Max. I'm tired, and it's hours until the show starts. I just want to kick back and take a nap or whatever."
"Oh, okay," Max said, shrugging as she took a drink of her coffee, "So long as it is somewhere that isn't a dingy mess smelling of disinfectant and cigarettes."
"No promises, babe."
The Days Inn was not as bad so far as Max thought it might wind up being. The room was clean, the bedspread did not smell like bleach, and the air just had that odd smell from the air conditioner running continuously. Chloe renting a room that allowed smoking, Max relaxed in the bed while Chloe lit up a cigarette and sat by the window as she relaxed. Noticing the pensive look on her girlfriend's face, Max turned around so that she was lying down with her head at the foot of the bed so she could reach over and poke Chloe in the shoulder. The blonde grinned, looking over her shoulder to blow Max a kiss before she returned her attention to the view from their window. Pulling her phone out after a little bit, Max texted her mother to let her know she was fine and in Portland with Chloe before looking up what her small group of friends were up to. Rachel had posted a video of her and some boy at their drama class at Blackwell. Max thought he seemed sad, though it was easy to see how much he liked Rachel by the way he kept stealing glances. Scrolling down, she caught sight of Steph's latest pic of what looked like a cast being removed from someone's leg. Liking the photo, Max had to smile when her message indicator lit up. Speak of the devil, Max thought, opening it up to find a message waiting for her.
Rachel: Max! Where you at, girl?
Max: Portland. With Chloe.
Rachel: Oooh, so daring, Caulfield.
Max: haha, Rachel
Max: What are you up to?
Rachel: Eh, I finished moving into the dorm
Rachel: Hanging out with Steph in her room
Max: "Hanging out", huh?
Rachel: Like you're one to talk
Max: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Rachel: Nerd. Ttyl, tho. More "hanging out" to do.
"Who you talking to?" Max heard Chloe ask, the brunette showing the other girl her phone's screen. "Cool. Glad to see Rachel and Steph are getting time together. Less shit piled on me."
"Why, Chloe Price, you almost sound happy to not be hanging out with Rachel," Max said, her teasing falling short when she caught sight of the irritation on her girlfriend's face, "Uh, sorry. I-I didn't mean to-"
"It's not that, Max," Chloe said, removing her boots from the window sill as she got up and stretched a little, "Rachel is great, don't get me wrong. She's… There's this aura around her, something that almost pulls you to her. I just… I'm tired of being in the middle of all her crap when I have my own to deal with, y'know?"
"I get that," Max said, patting the spot beside her only to smile when Chloe joined her on the bed, "How is the home life?"
"Crap, as usual. David has decided to try and act as though we're all in his platoon or whatever," Chloe said, groaning as she put her head down, Max stroking her hair in response, "He… He actually said to me a few days ago that I'd had a long-enough break from not having a father figure! W-Who the fuck does he think he is?! I am trying, Max. I really am. I am just so incredibly tired of going to that house and watching as he inches his bullshit deeper and deeper into…into…"
Max pulled Chloe to her, the two shifting around as Max played big spoon. She held Chloe tightly, chin on her girlfriend's shoulder, as the blonde struggled with the tears as she cried. Max had not gotten much of a chance to talk to Joyce, but she knew from her talks with Chloe that the new marriage had taken a toll on Joyce and Chloe's relationship. Chloe still deeply loves her mother, but I know her. She sees it as a betrayal to William, Max thought, pulling the jacket down a little so she could give Chloe's bare shoulder a kiss, I guess I do as well, in a way. That house used to be so bright and happy, with barbecues every weekend and long summer nights of movies, popcorn, and cookies. Pirate adventures on our "pirate ship", that poor couch. When Chloe's shaking came to an end, Max took one look at her girlfriend's face and knew that the wall the blonde had been building up inside herself had started to come up again.
"Don't shut me out," Max whispered, her lips not that far from Chloe's ear, "Please, Chloe."
"Never," Chloe said, turning her head to give Max a smile in spite of her bloodshot eyes, "Not in a million years, Max. You're the only one I really have left."
"You look marvelous, darling!" Chloe cheered, going so far as to clap while Max just stared at herself in the mirror. "Would you fucking stop worrying, Max? You look badass!"
"My mom is going to kill me, I don't care what you say," Max said, frowning as she looked at her reflection. "I really need to stop letting you talk me into shit."
"Max," Chloe said, turning Max around so that they were face-to-face, "You are a beautiful young woman. I don't give a fuck what anyone says, or what shits they give. Do you like it?"
"Well, yeah. I do. I-I wouldn't have agreed to it if I didn't think it was cool."
"Yes. Exactly. Besides, I did it, too. So you and I are in this together, okay?"
Chloe gave Max a kiss, pressing the smaller girl against the bathroom sink. Max moaned into the kiss, her body trembling as Chloe placed a hand on her hip and really leaned into it. While the feel of her girlfriend's lips on her own did not distract Max from her current predicament, when Chloe pulled away, Max grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and pulled her back in for another kiss that was far longer. Her openness to pushing the envelope of their relationship came in little bursts here and there. The kisses had started off chaste, small, and quick; Max even had little problem with a quick kiss out in public now, having built up enough of a skin that she did not care as much as she used to about people staring at her. This was not one of those quick, chaste kisses, though. Not entirely knowing what she was doing, Max panted and moaned as Chloe whined before the blonde let out a long moan when Max grabbed her ass and timidly slid her tongue into the other girl's mouth. The progression of the kiss sent a flood of emotions and sensations into Max that she had not felt before, a warmth pooling up inside of her that seemed to radiate throughout her entire being. Her mind was abuzz with the scent of Chloe's body spray and the taste of cigarettes and coffee on her tongue.
"F-Fuck…," Chloe said in a gasp when Max let go of her, the punk taking her time as she reoriented herself with a wide-eyed luster in her eyes, "M-Max… That…That was…"
Max was at a loss for words, her face and ears warm as she just leaned her head against Chloe's chest and placed her hand's inside of her girlfriend's. She did not entirely know what had come over her, but she had liked it and she licked her lips at the lingering taste of Chloe's lips. Only when Max had recovered and she lifted her head did she remember what she had been plaguing her before the intimate moment. Glancing over her shoulder, Max eyed the mess of pink hair on her head and the blue hair on Chloe's. Seeing how red her face was, the look of bliss on Chloe's face, Max returned her attention to Chloe and just smiled when the blue-haired punk grinned down at her with a light in her eyes. Max was willing to do anything to protect that light, and the girl in which it rested.
"Still love me?" Max asked, the bashfulness and humor in her voice breaking the odd tension she felt when Chloe responded by hugging her again. "I-I'll take that as a 'yes'."
"God, that's one hell of a 'yes', Max," Chloe said, the wonder in her voice putting a smile on Max's face, "Holy shit. Uh, do you still even want to go to the show…?"
The club was a little dingy, Max taking the stairs down with caution as Chloe led the way. When the bouncer eyed them with more than a cursory glance, Max felt very exposed and was thankful that Chloe flashed the message she had from the guitarist that she knew. Being let in, albeit with Xs on their hands to signal they were underage, Max walked in and was immediately taken in by how dimly lit the whole place was. Save for the stage, it's so dark in here, Max thought, instinctively clinging to her girlfriend a little bit as Chloe looked over her shoulder to smile enthusiastically at Max before they headed towards the bar, If we'd had to stand before that bouncer any longer, I think I might have cried. Thank Dog for Skip Matthews, whoever he is. When Chloe tried to order a beer, her "tough punk" expression in full force, Max did giggle when the bartender just rolled her eyes before offering them both a can of Cherry Coke in response.
"Nice try there, dork," Max teased, opening her soda as Chloe scowled down at her own drink, "Like a legit bartender would actually serve you a beer, Chloe. You're underage. Get over it."
"Yeah, yeah," Chloe grumbled, lifting the can to her lips for a drink, "Just hoping for the whole experience, y'know? You, me, a club, and a decent band about to hit the stage. Couple of riotgrrrls in love, dude."
"I'll toast to that," Max said, toothy grin on her face as she lifted her can and tapped it against Chloe's, "How long before they come on?"
Max's question was answered by the mild cheering of those who were already waiting by the stage as Pisshead walked on. Laughing when Chloe put two fingers between her lips to whistle and wave at who Max assumed was Skip, Max took note of there not being very many people actually in attendance. Feeling her phone vibrate in her camera bag, Max pulled it out and shot her mother a quick text to assure her that she was fine. It is a little late, Max thought, explaining to Vanessa that she would be staying overnight in Portland with Chloe, Oh, fuck!
"Chloe…," Max said, tugging on her girlfriend's jacket sleeve to get the blue punk's attention, "Chloe…"
"Yo?" Chloe asked, looking at Max before her brow furrowed as she took note of the anxious look on her girlfriend's face. "Max? Max, what's wrong?"
"My mom wants me to come home now," Max groaned, hand on her forehead before she showed Chloe her phone, "She didn't think we'd be gone this long."
"Fuck that, man," Chloe replied, Max scowling in reply seeming to cause the punk to remember the situation, "…Can you text your dad, maybe? See if he'll back us up?"
"Chloe…"
"Max. I'm not trying to push you, o-or force you to stay. If we have to go back to Seattle, then we have to. But your mom seriously needs to chill, pull the booze from her lips, and realize that even if we left now it would take two hours just to arrive in Seattle. Never mind the traffic or anything."
Max sighed, agreeing with Chloe. It was not a matter of Chloe trying to pressure her into staying this time. Max actually wanted to stay and listen to the band play, wanted to get away from her house for one night. The visual image of her mother sitting in the kitchen with a drink in her hand left a bad taste in Max's mouth and she decided to text her father and see what would happen.
Max: Dad?
Ryan: Hey, kiddo. I just pulled into the drive.
Ryan: What's up?
Max: Well, I'm in Portland with Chloe. We spent the day here, visiting Powell's and just being together. We're at a show for a band Chloe knows right now. Mom wants me home now, but it's two hours away!
Ryan: Punkin, please don't do this…
Max took a deep breath, the visual image of her father frowning burned into her face as she noticed that Chloe was now watching her intently. Seeing how distressed Max was, the pink-haired hipster was relieved when Chloe took her and pulled them to a more quiet and private area in the club as Pisshead finished warming up.
"I'm right here, Max," Chloe said, squeezing Max's hand, "It is totally your call, babe."
Max leaned her head against the taller girl's chest, visibly torn. After a minute or two, she lifted her head and looked down at her phone.
Ryan: Max? Max, talk to me.
Max: I don't want to go home, Dad. Mom is getting drunk every night and I just CAN'T be home tonight.
Ryan: Max…
Max: No, Dad, it's not cool! I'm not trying to be mean, or act out, but the house is just not a great place for me right now, let alone Chloe. Please, PLEASE, be okay with me staying here for the night. If you are okay with it, even if Mom isn't and I get in trouble, that's fine. I just want you to believe and trust in me. PLEASE.
Max knew that might have just very well stuck a knife into her own father's back, but every word she had typed was true. She was tired of seeing her mother drunk every night lately, was tired of her father never seeming to be home long. Max was left in a miserable position, and it had gotten to be too much for her to handle.
Ryan: I will talk to your mother, but just be safe, please? I know I haven't been home much lately, and I'm sorry you've had to see your mom like this. But, when you two get back here a talk will be had. I love you, your mom loves you. We just want you safe and happy. Goodnight, kiddo.
Max felt mixed at the messages from her father as she put her phone away, Chloe's hand on her shoulder providing almost no relief in spite of her giving it a slight squeeze. She knew her words likely hurt her father, knew she might have just gotten herself into a world of trouble, but a very small part of her did not care. I want to be a teenager, go out and do things like a normal girl, Max said, building up her resolve, I just… Fuck it… Taking Chloe's hand, a smile on her face, Max led her girlfriend towards the small crowd and they lost themselves in a sea of music, dancing, and fun. That night, Max was just another teenage girl having the time of her life with her girlfriend, Chloe Price.
Vanessa had not really reacted to Max's appearance when she and Chloe came through the front door late Sunday morning. Max had been more than a little relieved at her mother just looking a little surprised over the sudden change in her daughter's appearance. It was when she and Chloe were asked to sit down on the couch by Ryan once they had put their bags from the shopping they had done the day before away that the dread and panic Max usually felt in these situations took effect. Holding hands with Chloe as they walked back out into the living room, Max felt the tiniest amount of reassurance when the blue-haired punk gave her a gentle squeeze of solidarity. Sitting down on the couch, hands locked together, Max looked down at her shoes under the indiscernible look on Ryan Caulfield's face.
"Max, Chloe, I-" Ryan started, tensing up a little when Vanessa cleared her throat from the kitchen, "I am just glad you are home safe. We were worried about you two, and-"
"You should've come home when I said, Max, not messaged your father," Vanessa said, coffee mug in her hand and a weary look on her face, "What were you thinking? Playing us against each other was-"
"That's not what Max did!" Chloe blurted out, face a mixture of defiance and panic as she registered the changing look on Vanessa's face. "She comes home from school, comes back, and what does she find? Her dad's not home, and you're nursing a frosty beverage, Mrs. C. She's scared to be home."
"Do not talk to me like that, Chloe Elizabeth Price," Vanessa warned, the dark countenance on her face not helping matters as it only riled Chloe up more, "Max is our daughter and-"
"She's my girlfriend, and my best friend!" Chloe fired back, Max barely looking up with an expression on her face of someone who's on the verge of tears. "I…I just wanted to take her out for the day, let her live a little. She's doing everything right, getting better grades in school and even handling a part-time job. What… What more do you want?"
"Please. Please, stop…," Max said, her voice so quiet that no one heard her as Vanessa tore into Chloe and Chloe stood up for herself. Meeting her father's gaze, eyes welling up, Max gritted her teeth, "Please stop!"
Chloe immediately went quiet, Vanessa startled by the pain and anger in her daughter's voice as Ryan just looked upon his daughter with a saddened grimness. Max was so upset that her body was trembling and it took everything she had to remain where she was and not go hide in her bedroom.
"Y-You can't treat me like I'm a little kid anymore!" Max said, the fervor in her voice increasing. "I-I haven't done anything wrong, Mom! I-I just see you drink so much lately, and…and Dad is always busy with work… I just wanted to have some fun. I wanted to feel like just another teenage girl…"
Head buried in her hands, Max sobbed and flinched a little when Chloe rubbed her back, a faint whine escaping her as the blue-haired girl just looked after her pink-haired girlfriend. Vanessa opened her mouth to reply, but when she looked over to see the warning gaze of her husband she clamped her mouth shut and went into their bedroom before closing the door. Max heard her father get up from his recliner, her eyes closed as she cried, and when she felt his large hand on her shoulder she broke down even further just from the kindness of him.
"I-I'm sorry…," Max said, the words coming out as little more than a choked moan, "I-I'll be good, I swear. Just please don't be mad at-"
"I'm not mad, Punkin," she heard her father say, Max looking up from her hands to see Ryan take a knee so that they were face-to-face, "Max, I wish you had said all this sooner. Goddammit, if I had known what this was like for you…"
"I-I just want to be with Chloe, to be able to be with her," Max said between sniffles as she fought to catch her breath, the taller girl now holding her quietly, "Please don't take me from her again, Dad. Please."
Ryan Caulfield was a lumberjack of a man, tall and broad with a kind smile. When Max heard what she had said come out of her own mouth, she felt as though some of that height had been cut out from under her father as the words seem to both hurt him and reveal her feelings all at once. She was angry and bitter over leaving when Chloe had needed her most, was tired of watching Chloe get hurt time and again while they were hours apart. It showed on her face, it registered in her voice, and it burned through her eyes as Max became the manifestation of her own inner demons for a moment.
She felt guilty and hated herself for being pulled away from Chloe.
"God, Max, I'm so sorry," Ryan said, his own voice a little thick with pain as he clamped a hand over his mouth, "I… We just had to be here too soon. That's… God… Girls, just…just go to the bedroom and rest. I…I need to talk to my wife, please."
Chloe slowly led Max to the bedroom, the punk taking her time as Max looked and felt as though she were about to break apart. Only halfway paying attention to anything, Max saw the look of intense concern on Chloe's face as she glanced over her shoulder at Max multiple times until they were in her bedroom. She did not even have a chance to speak, Chloe pulled her in for the tightest hug Max had felt from the taller girl once they were alone with the door to her room locked.
"Fuck, Max," Chloe said, sniffling as she leaned down to kiss her girlfriend repeatedly on her pink-haired head, "Goddammit… I'm…"
"Please forgive me for leaving, Chloe!" Max wailed, Chloe following her down as Max's legs gave way and she fell to her knees. "I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to leave you, I swear I didn't even want to! I cried so much, I thought I was losing you forever….!"
Max cried, deep choking sobs while Chloe held onto her as though their lives depended on it. They knelt there, in Max's room, until the smaller girl had the strength to get up and curl into bed with her girlfriend. Feeling Chloe's arms around her tightly, Max clung to the punk fiercely and buried her face into Chloe's shirt before she let loose a scream that was only partly muffled by the tank-top.
Max and Chloe forever, Max thought, desperate as her heart felt like it might rip itself apart, Max and Chloe forever, so fuck you.
Author's Notes
Shit got real this time, my dudes. Even I got choked up on this one, and I'm the one writing it.
Stay Hella, Cinnamon Rolls.
See you next chapter.
Rowan.
