Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual assault, abuse, violence.
Chloe angrily barged out of the bathroom stall. She snapped the thin stick in two, breaking it right down the tiny plus sign.
Chucking the broken halves into the trash can, Max watched the blue-haired girl rest her hands on top of the sink. She slumped her shoulders and let her head hang, her blue hair falling past her face and sticking to her clammy skin.
"… Chlo?" Max softly said as she gently paced over to her girlfriend, her worried face reflecting in the dirty, graffitied mirror.
After Max had mentioned the possibility of … you know … back at Chloe's place, Chloe got mad. Hella pissed. She denied it all at first. Then she dissected even the possibility of it being probable. It was not unlikely. Over and over, Chloe had tried to convince herself that it couldn't have happened. At all.
And then the shock hit her.
It was awful for Max to watch her go through it all. Especially when the sadness came. It was quick – a panicked cry, full of nervousness. And then she circled back to being hella pissed again.
Which leads us to here. In the Two Whales Diner bathroom.
"What did it say?" Max asked. She knew she didn't even have to ask. She already knew the answer.
"It said …" Chloe began as she slightly looked up at the mirror in front of her, her eyes shadowed beneath her hair, "It said Nathan's a fucking dead man."
I … I don't even think …
It killed Max to even see her girlfriend in such pain and anger. Mostly anger, but she could see the hurt deep down. The way Chloe pursed her lips, the way her eyes grew dull and dark. It killed her watching her suffer.
Just …
Watch your words, Max. She needs you now more than ever.
Max approached the punk and cautiously placed her hand on her arm.
"Chloe … I – I can't believe it."
Chloe furrowed her brows and yanked away, Max's hand falling back to her side.
"That makes fucking two of us, Max. Fuck this shit. Just fuck it! FUCK NATHAN AND THIS TOWN AND FUCK ALL OF THIS!" Chloe yelled as she turned around and slammed her foot into the trash can, its contents spilling out onto the dirty bathroom floor.
Chloe strode over to the bathroom door and yanked it open, stomping out.
Fuck, Max!
"Chloe!" Max exclaimed, rushing to catch the closing door and quickly follow her girlfriend before she did anything she'd regret.
Not that she would regret much at this point anyways.
The thought raced across Max's mind as she used the sleeve of her grey hoodie to quickly wipe at the hot tears that were beginning to form.
Max rushed out of the bathroom and anxiously looked around. People were staring. Her eyes fell on her blue-haired girlfriend ahead, watching as she stomped towards the door and slammed over a small stand of Arcadia Bay brochures. She angrily shoved the entrance door open and briskly walked out, heading to her truck.
Chloe.
Max panickedly glanced around. Everyone was having their breakfast. They were looking at Chloe under their eyes – probably thinking she was making a scene. She could see it. Silently judging Chloe. Knowing that they cannot expect much from a law-breaking drop-out like her.
Assholes.
Every one of them.
Max could feel her face heat up. Her eyes pin-balled from pair to pair of disproving eyes as she briskly followed Chloe out of the diner.
Thank god Joyce isn't working the front cash today …
Running out, Max could see that Chloe had already gotten inside of her truck. She heard her slam the driver door. Max ran across the parking lot until she finally reached Chloe's truck. She could see Chloe gripping the wheel and looking straight out, her knuckles whitened from the grip. Her shoulders were tight and heaving up and down. She could tell that Chloe was much more than angry.
Max opened the truck door and got inside.
Holy crap. I can't even imagine what Chloe …
Chloe's breaths were heavily with anger.
Max watched Chloe fumble with the keys and finally start the engine.
She wants to …?
No. No way.
Not in this state!
"Chloe!" Max exclaimed, grabbing Chloe's hand away from the wheel. Chloe was pissed and had every right to. But Max couldn't let her pull anything reckless. "Stop! You're furious and confused as hell – I get that! But I know what you're thinking! Listen to me." Max lowered her voice. "You can't just snap like that. It's too dangerous. I … I can't let anything happen to you again. Not like this. Especially not like this."
Chloe continued to stare ahead. She pulled away and set the truck into Drive. "Me? Yeah fucking right. It's not me that anything's going to happen to. It's that douchebag Nathan. I'll make sure of it. I'll hella make sure of it, Max."
And with that, Chloe stepped on the gas. She U-turned out of her sloppy parking spot and sped towards the parking lot's exit, the wheels leaving skid marks behind them.
No!
"CHLOE! Wait!"
The blue-haired punk abruptly drove on the curb and was just about to pull a sharp turn onto the main road when –
HONKKKKKKKKKKKKK!
Chloe slammed on the breaks as both girls lunged forwards and quickly snapped back into their seats, bringing the truck to a halt in the middle of the turn.
HONK HONKK!
A massive delivery truck wailed as it drove around Chloe's truck, flipped them off, and continued driving.
"Holy crap! Chloe! Look at me – are you alright?!" Max turned her core towards Chloe. The blue-haired girl had turned an off-white shade. Her hands were shaking.
In a low whimper, Chloe responded, "I …" Chloe looked straight ahead, her knuckles greying from her grip on the wheel. "S-s- … I'm sorry. Fuck … We almost got fucking ... I'm – I'm –"
Oh Chloe …
And just like that, Chloe broke down entirely.
Her shoulders collapsed as the sobs erupted from her chest. They first came slowly, but they quickly built up more and more as they quickly became uncontrollable. Her breaths became quick and needy. Gulping for air as the tears streamed down her face.
They remained there on the side of the road, the truck still, as oncoming traffic drove around them.
It was one of the hardest things, watching her girlfriend completely break down like that. Half of her wanted to erupt and scream her hatred for Nathan as loud as possible, and the other half wanted to burst into tears and sink into Chloe's sadness.
Max hardly knew what to do, so she did the only thing she could think of. She reached out and rubbed the shaking girl's back, holding back her own tears and fury.
The traffic subsided and cars slowly drove around the stalled truck. Max considered that they were in a dangerous position and should probably keep driving, but quickly dissolved the thought. Chloe was more important. And she just couldn't right now. The few cars around them will just have go around the truck.
Chloe gritted her teeth as the tears streamed down her face. Max slowly drew her hand up and down along her girlfriend's shuddering back.
Her cheeks wet, her eyes clenched shut. The sobs built up, released, and built up again.
Max continued rubbing her girlfriend's back and whispering to Chloe in an attempt to comfort her.
"I love you Chlo … I know, I know … let it out … I'm here and I love you …" Max whispered as Chloe burrowed her face in the bend of her arm. The sobs continued.
Max's eyebrows creased as she swallowed back her own tears. She just felt so heavy. As if a hundred tons were placed on her chest. Heaving.
She couldn't bear to see Chloe endure this pain.
As Max gently rubbed Chloe's back, she couldn't help but look up at the bright sky and simply ask Why? An accusation. Why does every fucked up thing always happen to Chloe? A question. A question which would undoubtedly go unanswered. A plea. To please, please make it stop. A plea which was probably hurled into nothingness. She tossed out the plea, threw it like a fastball at heaven, if there is such a thing. But it only bounced back to Earth, back to Max. Or it spun out into space, unheard of ever again.
"I'm here Chloe … I'm here. Always …" Max sweetly cooed as she continued to comfort her girlfriend.
To the soundtrack of Chloe's cries, Max was stuck by another type of pain.
Is this how Chloe was like when William passed away? Oh god, it must have been so much worse. Poor Chloe … no one to be there for her. She didn't deserve it. Crying all alone, hurting herself, scarring her body. And you … weren't there for her. Fuck you, Max. You left. How could you be so … selfish?
Never again.
Chloe's back trembled as the tears ran down her face.
Fuck. Never, Max silently promised to herself. Never again.
After what seemed like forever, Chloe's sobs turned to quiet cries. Luckily, there was now hardly anyone on the road. A few random cars coming into the Diner but otherwise, it was mostly just them.
Max was patient. She knew Chloe was grieving for herself and Max would be there for however long she needed. She would be there for Chloe. No matter what. Always.
Eventually, Chloe's breathing quieted and her cries simmered. After a few minutes of sitting in silence while a few cars drove past them, Chloe turned towards Max and finally said, "I … I can't."
"I know Chlo, I know," Max softly responded. She rubbed the top of Chloe's thigh. She watched as Chloe roughly wiped her streaked face with the back of her hand. Max was hurting for her girlfriend, watching her like this.
"Max … Just … I hate this."
Max nodded as her doe eyes searched Chloe's. Chloe's eyes were more of a dull blue.
They lost their intensity.
Helpless.
Chloe went on, "Fuck," she said shaking her head slowly as she let out a quivering breath. "Promise me we'll fix this Max. I … I need you to promise me that. … Okay?"
Max felt a pang of guilt – Chloe would never even have to ask such a thing if she never left, if she never abandoned her … if she never left her all alone and made her question those who were supposed to be there for her … But before Max would let the blame sink in, she swallowed and replied, "Of course, Chloe. I love you." Max followed Chloe's eyes as they slowly met her own. "Do you want to, you know, get rid of it? We'll go. Right now, Chlo. If that's what you want." Max eyed Chloe, trying to read her response. She knew that although Chloe was furious with Nathan, the real problem was it. Being inside of her. Max thought that that scared Chloe most. Nathan could be dealt with after. "Just say the word."
Chloe furrowed her brows as if trying to not tear again. She quickly nodded. She was certain, despite the anger, despite the hurt. She knew that this was not what she wanted.
"Okay," Chloe softly said.
"Okay …" Max followed, eyeing Chloe's hesitance.
"Then ... fuck this. Let's go now, Max." The brunette watched as Chloe blinked her tears away, adjusted her mirror and shifted the truck back to Drive.
Like .. now now?
No way in hell can she …
"Uh, Chlo?" Max placed her hand on Chloe's arm. "This is coming from a place of love, but you're impulsive as hell and I don't want you driving like this."
Chloe turned towards Max, a smile forming and breaking into a chain of teary giggles.
With one hand on the wheel, Chloe wiped her face with her arm and put the truck back into Park.
"What? You don't trust my driving Caulfield?" Chloe slyly asked in-between sniffles.
Humour. Good. This is good.
Sounding like Chloe more and more.
Max smiled at her blue-haired girlfriend and replied, "Exactly, Price, exactly. How did they even give you your license?"
Chloe adjusted her beanie and wiped the remaining tears. "Ha! Ouch, Max. Didn't know you could be such a fucking bully," Chloe joked.
"A bully?" Max countered, flashing Chloe one of her innocent grins. "Never."
"Pfft," Chloe grinned, her eyes beginning to shine again, "I should probably be taking notes, Caulfield … learn a thing or two about being a hella bigass meanie butt."
There's the old Chloe.
Max let out a flow of giggles and brushed her hair behind her ears. "Right. A 'bigass meanie butt'. Chloe dahling, you surely have a way with words."
Chloe chuckled as she fidgeted with her hands on her lap, outlining the faint lines on her palms with her fingers. Without looking up, Chloe quietly stated, "Thank you, Maxine."
Max reached out, slipped her fingers between Chloe's and rested her hands on her girlfriend's lap. "You have nothing to thank me for," Max genuinely said. "You really don't, Chlo."
And she meant it.
Max wasn't doing Chloe a favour of any sort by being with her right now. She wasn't trying to 'fix' her or change her. She merely wanted to protect her.
"No, Max. I do. For … still being here and shit. Despite all this bullshit." Chloe brought up their intertwined hands and placed a simple kiss on the top of Max's hand.
Chloe eyed Max as she shook her head in an attempt to genuinely protest that no, she did not have to thank her. But before she could, Chloe started again, "And don't even try to deny it, Max. Now let's get this bullshit situation sorted out."
Max eyed Chloe cautiously.
"You're 100% sure, Chlo?"
"Fuck yes. 2 million and 2% sure. I feel hella better now anyway."
She definitely does seem like it. She totally sounds calmer now that she let out all of the stress and anger that she was bottling up.
With her hand resting on the gear stick, Chloe was waiting for Max to give her the 'okay' so they could leave already. As much as she felt a helluva lot better, she needed Max to feel safe too.
I mean, she doesn't seem to be tense or strained any longer. She looks and sounds way more … okay … than before.
She actually seems kinda detached, as if she disconnected from what actually happened and firmly decided to deal with the aftermath – going to the hospital and getting shit sorted.
And she doesn't look like she's about to a) emotionally shatter or b) hysterically go on a raging murder hunt for Nathan.
I guess that's all you can ask from her right now, Max.
She's better, she's calm. Let's just go and get this over with. The sooner the better, Max.
Convinced that Chloe seemed to be more clear minded now and won't do anything reckless, Max gave Chloe a supporting smile and said, "Let's go."
Chloe pulled the truck into the visitor's section of the Arcadia Bay General Hospital parking lot. On their way here, the drive was surprisingly quiet. Max did most of the talking in an attempt to keep Chloe calm. She even suggested visiting Kate while they were here. Chloe quietly listened and, to Max's surprise, drove slowly – as if she wanted to take her sweet time getting here. No maniacal swerves, no hostile turns.
Max unbuckled her seat belt and gathered her book bag in her lap. She watched as Chloe turned off the truck. But then she watched Chloe's knuckles whiten as her hands anxiously gripped the wheel.
Are you sure we're doing the right thing?
Chloe let out a short, nervous exhale.
Yes, definitely.
She seems nervous, sure, but not uncertain. It's what she wants. She's sure of it. It's the right thing to do.
With her white-knuckled hands still on the wheel, Chloe lowered her head and glanced out through her blue hair in front of them. A few families were walking in the main entrance, carrying flowers, Get Well Soon balloons, cards. A few nurses were having a smoke break near the side. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Chloe sunk her head back down and tensed up her shoulders.
"Hey," Max softly said as she rested her hand on Chloe's thigh and gently rubbed. "I know this is scary and messed up, Chlo, but I'm here with you. We'll book your consultation and get this over with once and for all."
Chloe eyed Max and gave her a nervous smirk. "Yeah, I just never thought I'd ever be doing this shit."
Max nodded and replied, "I know, Chlo … We can always turn back though."
Chloe instantly shook her head wildly. "Fuck no. I'm doing this. I just … I hope no one sees me. If they tell my mom it'll hella break her heart. Like … more than I usually do. And oh man. If the step-douche finds out somehow, I will legit be a dead man." Chloe ducked her head and anxiously shot her eyes around the parking lot in case she saw anyone she recognized. "OhhhfuckmylifeMax, I hope no one sees me."
Max squeezed Chloe's thigh and gave her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, Arcadia is totally a small town. But … I mean, if anyone asks, we're here to see Kate, right? Even if someone does recognize us, no one will know why you're here, Chlo. Only you and I, okay?"
Chloe sighed and furrowed her eyebrows.
"You're right, Max." Chloe set the truck in Park and took the keys out of the ignition. "Fuck. Okay. Let's go before I chicken the fuck out."
In one swift move, Chloe adjusted her beanie, unbuckled her seatbelt, and jumped out of the truck, loudly shutting the door behind her. Determined, but scared shitless.
Max quickly followed behind Chloe as they walked through the automated doors of the hospital.
Okay, let's do this.
Chloe immediately slowed her pace when the sharp, sour smell of disinfectant hit them. The hospital was more or less empty. There was busy nurses briefing doctors, a couple of children playing with the wheelchairs while their parents patiently read outdated, water-stained magazines, the odd person busy on their phone. Otherwise, the hospital seemed nearly empty.
Wowzers, Max thought to herself as she took in the familiar grey-white walls. I haven't been here since the time Chloe fell off her skateboard and broke her wrist. Holy crap. Max remembered years ago when Chloe was learning to skateboard and insisted on popping an ollie because she had seen it in Tony Hawk and that's the only thing she'd play on the PlayStation. She remembered Chloe sitting on the curb with a swollen wrist while waiting for Joyce to come pick them up. She remembered freaking out and crying while Chloe was attempting to cheer her up by telling lame jokes, even though Chloe was the one in pain. The bittersweet memories hit her while passing by the pasty surroundings. Wow, that seems to be ages ago.
She eyed the narrow hospital hallways, the stray nurse carts, the IV hooks, the uncomfortable chairs which are practically designed to be uncomfortable so you can stay awake.
Chloe looked around wearily. "Hospitals always freak me out."
"I hear you," Max responded, squeezing Chloe's arm reassuringly.
Chloe plunged her hands inside her pockets and looked around, trying to dissect the many signs on the walls. Max joined her in an attempt to find Kate's section. Perhaps they could go see Kate first and then book Chloe's consultation. Max eyed the various signs.
The maternity ward.
The ICU.
The emergency room.
The post-operative recovery ward.
The information desk up ahead.
Ah, there. The psych section.
Max squinted to see the sign saying 'Psychiatric Rehabilitation' pointing right behind the information desk.
Poor Kate.
Max pulled Chloe off to the side. "So do you want to head to the info desk to book you an appointment first or head over to visit Kate first? Up to you, Chlo."
Chloe shook her head. "No, you go ahead and chill with Kate. She'll … she'll be stoked to see you. I gotta do this on my own."
Max bit her lip hesitantly and softly responded, "Are you sure? I can come with you and wait until you book it."
"Nah, I just want to go in and get out." Chloe looked up ahead. "And you gotta go see Kate yourself. She's needs you … no point in me coming. Anyway," Chloe said as she nodded towards the Psych sign, "I see the ward she'll be in. I know where you'll be. I'll just meet you back here or some shit."
Give her space, Max. Don't insist.
She needs to do this herself.
As long as she knows where to find you.
Max gazed at Chloe and finally said, "O-okay." Max patted her pocket, making sure her cell phone was there. "Then … text me when you're done, Chlo. Or if you … if anything."
"Thanks," Chloe said, giving Max a soft smile, her eyes burning into Max's. And with that, Chloe made her way to the front desk, waiting to be directed to her doctor's waiting room to book a consultation.
Damn, I hope Chloe will manage …
You can support her all you want Max, but she doesn't want you to hand hold her.
Guess that's fair, but I can't help but be nervous for her.
Max thought to herself as she slowly made her way towards the section Kate would be in. While she was certainly nervous for Chloe, she was also uneasy to see Kate.
I can't imagine what Kate feels like being in here. But I'm so glad I get to see her again.
I hope it's not too weird for her, Max thought as she walked past a few doctors closely examining a clipboard. She walked past the doors – some were open, others closed. Luckily, they each had the patients' names written outside on the room log.
McCally … Nillson … no, no … nope … Abeldeen … Truong … no …
Max wandered past a few more rooms with unfamiliar names, until finally …
Marsh! This must be Kate's room!
The door was slightly open, so Max went ahead and gently pushed it, her head peeking to take in all it could.
The plain hospital bed, a few balloons, scattered cards here and there.
Kate! Max smiled as her eyes landed on the brunette. She was sitting cross-legged in front of a widely-lit window, the white light shining on her drawing. Her hair was still up, sketching. Same old Kate.
Smiling, Max took a few steps towards her friend and Kate looked up.
"Max!" Kate's face immediately lit up as she rushed up from her seat by the window to bring Max into a big hug.
"Kate," Max beamed, returning the hug and rubbing her back gently.
Kate looked intently at Max and her smile faded, a worried look becoming evident on her expression. "Oh Max, I thought I'd never see you again. I feel so ridiculous … I am so sorry."
Max shook her head gently. "Kate, listen to me. You have nothing to be sorry about. Other people do." Max bit her bottom lip and genuinely smiled. Kate seemed great. Healthy, even. She went on, "You do not know how happy I am to see you … Is it a stupid question if I ask how you're doing?"
Kate covered her mouth as she giggled. "Now that you're here," Kate began as she walked over back to her seat by the window, "I'm doing even better. I'm so grateful to you for coming up to the roof to talk me down. Max, I felt so lost and alone … but when I saw how much you cared, how hard you were trying … you made me realize I wasn't alone. Thank you."
Kate smiled and Max smiled back. Max watched Kate sit back down and place her drawing book back in her lap.
Oh, Kate. Thank Dog for my time rewind. Otherwise …
"Kate, there are so many people who love you and want to help you."
"I know – you should see all the letters and postcards." Kate glanced over her shoulder at the sprawled out Get Well Soon cards and balloons beside her bed. "I gave most of the flowers to other patients here because they need them more than me. I'm keeping the balloons, though," Kate grinned sweetly, shuffling the sketches in her lap. "One of the nurses gave me some pen and paper so I could do some drawings."
Oh man, it's so awesome that Kate's drawing again.
Max remembered how Kate used to constantly doodle in class. They were always so sweet and cartoony and animated. Typical Kate. "I love your illustrations."
"They got kind of dark there for a while," Kate shrugged, "but I have an idea for a new children's book about bullying. I was thinking of having some photographs in there too."
Max grinned and replied, "I hope that's a subtle hint that you'll let me take the photographs for the book."
Kate chuckled. "Was that subtle? You better take the pictures, Max!"
Aw, what a sweetheart. Same old Kate. Thank god.
Max smiled and watched Kate curiously follow her hands as they brushed her short hair behind her ears.
"Um, Max?" Kate began, "You know I don't like to pry, but you ... put blue in your hair? It suits you."
She had almost forgot about that. She grabbed her elbow nervously and chuckled. "Oh, yeah – because of Chloe."
Kate's eyebrows knitted close together.
"You know ... Chloe?" Kate shook her head unknowingly. "Have you met her?"
"Hmm, I'm not too sure. Does she go to Blackwell?"
Right. Chloe was a year ahead before she was expelled. Kate probably wouldn't have known her from Blackwell unless she's seen her around.
"Not anymore, but you probably have seen her around Arcadia. She's the only one around here with blue hair," Max nervously blushed.
Kate's face lit up. "Oh! Rachel Amber's friend. I remember seeing her hanging around with Justin and Trevor. And ... well ... I haven't heard the best things about her, but I don't judge, Max." Kate smiled. "Is she a friend of yours?"
Oh shit. Kate ... doesn't know yet. Damn, Max. You have some explaining to do. Max hesitated and briefly worried whether Kate would judge – being religious and all. But it was Kate. The kindest person Max knew.
"Uh," Max started, "Have you seen Facebook lately?"
Kate shook her head and smiled. "Oh, I haven't. They don't really give us internet access here. Why?"
Max bit her bottom lip. Her stomach flip-flopped.
Max. You can tell Kate.
The fact that she's religious shouldn't matter. Hopefully. Probably.
Max. Common. It's KATE.
"Right," Max nervously responded, feeling silly all of a sudden, despite knowing it was completely unfounded. "W-well..."
Just say it!
Max began to talk. Fast.
"IknewChloesinceIwasreallyyoungandthenImovedawaybutcamebackandshedyedmyhairand –"
Kate laughed. "Max?"
Max let out a weary exhale, shifted her eyes, and replied, "We're together. Together."
Ohmydogcringeee.
Max watched as her friend went through a visible jolt of surprise, wide eyes staring back, her mouth slightly gaping, speechless. Max's anxiety was short-lived though as Kate's shock turned into a warm smile.
"Wow, Max, that's ... beautiful," Kate quietly said, smiling.
... She ... She thinks ...
Kate's support didn't exactly come to a surprise to Max considering Kate was amazing in all ways. Still, though, Kate was the first person she'd told about this. The. First. Person. Ever. The worry, while short-lived, could have easily arose from the fact that Max was pretty much coming out for the first time to a real person that is not Chloe or online. It made things so much more real. Especially knowing that she should be saving up her time rewind, which meant that there was no way to save her ass from humiliation or potential disapproval.
"Kate, I ... am really glad to hear you say that." Max smiled in relief.
Kate grinned and placed her hand on Max's arm excitedly. "I am really happy for you, Max. You seem really thrilled to be with her. I don't know much about her, but I'm happy you're happy." Kate looked out the window with beaming eyes and glanced back at Max while fiddling with the tiny golden cross hanging around her necklace. "I just ... Well I guess I didn't know you ... What I mean to say is ... I thought you and Warren had –"
"Oh nonono," Max shook her head while chuckling. "Warren is super smart and silly but ... no. He and Brooke seem really perfect though. But I get what you're saying, Kate. I ... didn't really know. I don't really know s-still ..."
"Love is love, Max," Kate replied, shooting Max a soft smile.
Wowzers, Max thought to herself as she relaxed more and more. She was overall happy she went through with it. She had actually told someone.
But with everything that's going on and Chloe somewhere in the hospital willingly doing something awfully scary and alone, Max was definitely worried about what Kate would think since it would add to the stress, but it would not keep her up at night. Especially considering that her nights were probably numbered. She had other things to worry about. And let's face it. Kate was religious, Max knew that. But Kate was also accepting and wonderfully supportive. Max had bigger things to worry about. Plus, telling someone was actually quite liberating more than it was worrisome.
Max smiled back, her eyes beaming. "You're awesome for understanding. Seriously, Kate."
"For what? You are just being you. And it's perfect," Kate gently replied.
Max scrunched her eyebrows. "I want you to know I'm this close," Max stated as she pinched her fingers together to signify smallness, "to getting all the info I need about Nathan."
Kate's head fell and she glanced out the bright window from underneath her bangs. "Nathan Prescott has to pay for what he did. And we have to stop him from hurting anybody else."
You are so right Kate, Max sadly thought to herself as she remembered the reason why Chloe was in the hospital booking a consultation in the first place.
"I think his family is totally protecting him. Or worse," Max stated.
Kate shook her head intently and glanced up at Max. "I never say this about people ... but Max, there's something evil about the Prescotts."
Trust me Kate, I'm trying my hardest. For Chloe's sake. For Rachel's sake. For your sake.
Chloe ...
"Kate ...?" Max hesitated but then quickly followed, "Can I ask you something?"
Kate's eyebrows raised. "Always, Max."
You. Trust. Her. Max.
"I know this is weird of me to ask, Kate ..." Max furrowed her brows and pursed her lips, "but what does the Bible say about abortion after being abused?"
Kate was frozen in shock, her eyes wide as saucers. She blinked rapidly a few times and regained herself enough to quickly ask, "What? Max, why? Is everything alright?!"
"Yes ... No. I mean yes. I-I'm alright. I just have a strange feeling that Nathan is pulling off some messed up things ... and it's fucking scaring the hell out of me, Kate. You were right."
"I believe you, Max. More than anyone ... the way you believed in me when no one else would. Just ... know that you can always count on me."
"We're going to stop him. And Chloe's going to help us," Max spoke in a lower voice. Kate was now visibly tense. Or sad. Or both. "I already found a bunch of things on Nathan. Long story short, I … kinda broke into David's things and found a hell of a lot of surveillance shit – coordinates, car plates, things on tracking Nathan. I … I think Nathan was heavily involved in drugs from what I can tell. I'm pretty sure I can get dirt on him from his dealer. I know we can prove that he drugged you, Kate. And possibly other girls …" Max briefly paused and watched Kate furrow her brows in anger. "David is keeping surveillance on everyone, Kate, and I mean everyone. I just have to find Nathan's room number, get inside and get the clues I need. I am almost certain I can find dirt on him."
Hella certain.
Kate's face lit up. "Max, please let me help! I can get the number and I'll text it to you, okay?"
Kate. Is. The. Best.
"Of course Kate ... I can't do this without you!" Max smiled in relief.
"Now it's time for Nathan to watch out for us."
Bzzzz Bzzz
Chloe.
She must be done, Max thought in a rush as she shoved her hand through her pocket, fumbling to take out her buzzing cell phone and almost dropping it from uneasiness.
She swiped at the screen and opened the incoming text. It was from Chloe.
Chloe: max i'm done come meet me
Max read it once and then once again, her heart momentarily stopping and the world blurring around her.
Max: Coming right now Chlo
Quickly typing a reply, Max shoved the phone back in her pocket and looked up at Kate, who was intently watching her and fiddling with the pen and drawing paper on her lap, rolling the paper in a tube.
"I have to get back to our … our mission," Max smiled. "You don't know how much it means to see you again."
Kate grinned that kind smile of hers and said, "I do. That's why I love you, Max. And thanks for taking care of my bunny." Kate got up and brought Max into a warm hug. "Thanks again for visiting me, Max."
"Bye Kate, text me when you can about the dorm number," Max said as she started briskly walking to the door as Kate sat back down and got back to drawing.
Max left the door slightly open the way she found it and quickly made her way down the hallway back to the lobby to meet Chloe. She sped walked and almost jogged, slowing down to a regular pace when passing by the odd nurse or doctor.
After quickly reaching the end of the hallway and turning the corner, she finally reached the lobby. Max glanced around hurriedly until her eyes landed on her blue-haired girlfriend pacing back and forth near the vending machines off to the side.
Max quickly made her way to Chloe, who raised her head when seeing Max approaching her. Nearing Chloe, Max could better see her girlfriend's expression. See seemed a little paler, her mouth slightly frowning at the corners, her eyes wider than usual.
Chloe seemed distraught, jittery even.
Vulnerable.
Oh Chloe.
Chloe stopped pacing when Max reached her. The lobby seemed emptier than before, which was good for Chloe's sake, Max supposed.
"Chloe," Max said in a low voice as she reached out and gently touched her hand to Chloe's. Chloe didn't look angry – not as much anymore. A little sad, a little relieved, but ultimately glad to see Max. Her eyes lit up.
Chloe looked down to where her hand was touching Max's and interlaced her fingers through the brunette's. Her ice cold fingers were warmed by Max's. It calmed her.
"Max," Chloe stared intently at Max, her blue eyes piercing into Max's. "It's booked," Chloe said, her voice quieting.
It's booked.
It's. Booked. Chloe …
Two syllables Max never thought she'd hear from Chloe in that context.
Max's wide doe eyes stared into Chloe's, one eye to the other and back. Trying to read her.
Max heard herself say, "W-when is it bo–"
"I don't want to talk about that. Not here. Not now. Let's go back to the truck, Max," Chloe said as she turned and tugged Max's hand towards the hospital exit.
Max dropped it and obliged. It was booked and that was that. Max would be there for her when the time came. But for now, Max dropped it. Chloe didn't say it in a salty way, just in a not-wanting-to-talk-about-it-anymore way. And that was completely fair.
Max tagged after Chloe without breaking their grasp as they walked out of the stuffy, sterile hospital and into the crisp Arcadia Bay air.
Max shot her head in both directions as Chloe tugged at her hand and sped walked past the parking lot towards the truck. Max was almost jogging as she tried to keep up with Chloe. She tried to glance around and take in their surroundings – mostly to make sure no one they knew would see them. But before Max could properly look around, they had reached the truck. Chloe just wanted to leave – especially after what she just put herself up to. And, again, that was completely fair.
Chloe unlocked the truck and jumped in, shutting the door behind her. Max followed and did the same thing, getting into her seat and buckling the seatbelt. Chloe fumbled with the keys as she tried to put the keys in the ignition, but her hands were shaky.
Max arched her eyebrows in concern and placed her hand on Chloe's, lowering it away from the ignition. Max told herself repeatedly that they would not leave in a panic again. Either way, they were safe now. Alone in the truck. No one around. Reasonably far from the hospital. The parking lot nearly empty.
Max opened her mouth slightly, speechless for a few moments until she finally asked, "Chlo … Are you alright?"
Chloe tightened her lips and turned to Max. Her blue eyes pierced through Max's and when she said that yes, she was better now, Max almost believed her.
But the brunette was patient. She merely tightened her grasp on Chloe's hand and sat in silence, waiting for her girlfriend to tell her. And Chloe appreciated that. Her hand remained in Max's and she used the space Max gave her to process her thoughts.
Chloe seemed confused – her mouth opening as if to say something but then quickly closing again. After what seemed like a few minutes, Chloe began.
"I'm … fine. For real," Chloe squeezed Max's hand. "Dude, I just can't believe it. The whole time I was like 'holy fuck as if I'm doing this shit'. I can't believe I had the balls to do it though and I honest to god can't fucking wait to get it over with."
Max nodded as she listened patiently. "I can't wait for you to get it over with too, Chlo," Max softly replied.
Chloe smiled, as if sensing Max's worry. "But I'm okay now, I guess. It was just booking the appointment. It's freaking crappy and fucked up but ... I did it."
Chloe turned her head away. One hand remained on the wheel and the other in Max's hand. She was turning herself off, hardening. Max could tell – the way she was detaching, as if to protect herself. As if too much emotion would ruin her. Building up dams to prevent the spill. The chaos. Chloe knew the routine all too well. The only difference was that she wasn't doing it in spite of Max. She trusted Max and knew she was always there for her. It wasn't Max she was building a dam against. It was against the situation. And, quite frankly, she couldn't help it. Old habits die hard, presumably.
But Max knew Chloe just needed space. To process, to take it all in. She trusted that Chloe knew she'd always be there for her. She wouldn't pry.
"Did you ... see anyone you knew?"
"Nah," Chloe calmly responded. "What about your friend ... Kate? How was it?"
Max smiled as she traced the dip and rise of Chloe's pale knuckles. "She's still Kate, thank god. And she'll even help us with Nathan."
Chloe turned over to Max and genuinely smiled. "I'm glad you visited her," the blue-haired girl said. Chloe reached up and played with the bullets hanging around her neck. Max glanced at her girlfriend's bare collarbone and couldn't help but lose her train of thought.
"M ... me too, and I'm so proud of you Chlo." Max smiled.
Chloe bit her bottom lip and her eyes turned a shade of cool blue. "Dude, thanks for coming with me. I owe ya, Maxine." Her free hand slid to Max's neck and pulled her mouth to Max's. Taken slightly by surprise, Max didn't protest. She lost herself in the way they just fit. Her lips gently insisted on Max's and a familiar buzz filled the brunette's chest. Chloe's kiss was hard, yet soft. So Chloe.
Pulling away, Chloe smirked and placed a butterfly kiss on Max's nose.
Max found herself blushing again. "You ... can thank me any time, Price," Max said, giggling.
Chloe chuckled and fingered the truck keys that had fallen in her lap. "Hah, you wish," the blue-haired girl said as she inserted the key into the ignition. Max eyed her girlfriend and concluded that she seemed way less shaky. The truck started with a putter and a subsequent hum.
As Chloe shifted the gear stick from Park to Reverse, she squinted her eyes predatorily and said, "Now let's go pay a visit to Nathan Prescott. That little prick is not going to be glad when he sees us."
The ride from the hospital to Blackwell wasn't as bad as the ride to the hospital, that was for sure. To Max's relief, Chloe was past the stage of sad. She was now pissed. Hella pissed. She actually seemed to be eager that they were paying a visit to Nathan, in a sick kind of way. Or at least, a revenge-that-is-sure-to-produce-some-sort-of-satisfactory-high kind of way. Chloe had a whole lot of anger stored up and saved just for Nathan.
The two girls parked a few side streets away from Blackwell's parking lot – just in case they get spotted and questioned – and swiftly made their way to the dorms.
The sun shone on in an annoyingly bright manner as Chloe and Max entered the boy's dormitory section of the Blackwell campus. It shone as if to conceal the many things that were going wrong at that moment, and, interestingly enough, it was doing a great job. Max looked around the front yard of the boy's dormitory and watched a few students hanging around mindlessly. A few guys from the upper grades were hanging around the far side, smoking what looked like to be a joint. Reasonably so, seeing as there was no Blackwell officials in sight. It was late afternoon and most people were most likely in class. The only students around were those skipping class or those who simply had no class at that time.
Thank dog, Max thought to herself as she triple checked to ensure that the coast was clear from anyone who could question what they were doing there. Especially Chloe. The fact that the blue-haired girl had been previously expelled may likely raise some questions. Criminal record and all. Yet, Max spotted no one of concern. No Principal Wells, no David, no Samuel, no teachers.
Just dummy Blackwell bro-holes, Max thought as she eyed the jocks throwing around a football back and forth. No matter what, everyone around was easily distracted and not paying attention to the two awkward girls approaching the boy's dormitory.
"Damn, the dude's dorms hella look the same," Chloe said as she paced behind Max, shoving her hands in her pockets as she looked around. She did have a point. The boy's dorms looked almost identical to the girls' from the outside.
"Hmm," Max said as she made her way on the pathways near the building's walls. It was the first time Max had stepped near the boy's dorms. "Yeah, weird right?"
As the girls silently made their way past the few guys who were distractedly hanging out near the front, Max and Chloe were about to take their last few steps on the pathway when someone called her name.
"Max?"
Turning around, Max already knew who it was before even checking. Daniel DaCosta was sitting by a tree in the shade sketching.
"Daniel, hey," Max said as she cautiously looked around in case anyone had seen them.
"Max, wow! Your hair. It's really neat," Daniel said as he eyed Max's blue streaks and then glanced back at Chloe, who had zoned out and was checking out some of the graffiti on the walls.
He must be wondering …
Oh.
OH.
Max smiled and fiddled with the strap of her book bag. "Thanks, Daniel. Uh, that's my frie –," Max stuttered. "Chloe. That's Chloe."
"Cool," Daniel replied as he gave Max a knowing smirk. "Hey, are you two –"
"Uh, have you seen Nathan?" Max interrupted. "I … we have to … talk to him," she interrupted, lying.
Daniel looked to his right and then shook his head. "I haven't seen him. I heard about his suspension, Max, but I am pretty sure he comes into his dorm sometimes at night."
Well, it isn't night yet. Please let the dorms be Prescott-free.
"Thanks. It doesn't surprise me, honestly. It seems like Nathan can get away with a shit ton of things around here," Max replied, thinking about Chloe. "We gotta go now, though. See you, Daniel."
"Okay, see you around."
Phewf.
Max smiled and offered a friendly wave, which was returned with a kind grin and a head nod. Turning around, she grabbed Chloe's arm and rushed her into the boy's dormitory, making sure no one else's eyes were following them as the entrance door shut closed.
Once the door shut completely and the two girls confirmed that they were the only ones in that hallway, Chloe walked in as if she owned the place.
The blue-haired girl scoffed. "The inside of the damn thing looks like the girl's ones, too." She looked around and giggled. "Even though I went to Blackwell, I never needed a dorm, living with the rents and shit … but man, even if I did live in dorms, I wouldn't be caught dead in the dude's dorms. Fuck that."
Max looked her way and gave her a weird look. Chloe went on, "I'm not trying to come here to suffocate. This place reeks. And I hella don't have money for a gas mask."
"Gross," Max giggled as she stepped over the rotting sandwich and the old t-shirt with sweat stains that was lying along the edge of the hallway. "Now we just have to find Nathan's room and … you know … not die. I don't want to really use up my time rewind because you're suffocating from the stench."
"So hella raunchy."
Max and Chloe looked past the many posters that were pinned on the walls until finally spotting the dorm layout chart. Walking over, the two could clearly see that the floor layout was pretty much illegible. Graffiti charted the floor layout completely and the names of the boys and their dorm numbers were almost unidentifiable underneath the blanket of curse words and graffiti.
Chloe took one look at it and turned around, kicking at a fallen Vortex party poster and deciding she didn't have the patience for deciphering the floor plan.
Max eyed the … colourful … graffiti scrawled on the chart: no homo … huge penis … BLOW ME … GAYniel DaCosta … fuck off my dorm …
Max furrowed her brows in frustration and said "Oh, how lovely and completely useless" under her breath.
Chloe was a few steps away, putting her ear against one dorm, but she must have heard Max's frustration. "Whatever. We'll just check each one of these dorms until we find that fuckhead Nath –"
Bzzzz Bzzz
Both girls turned to each other, hearing the slight vibration of Max's phone.
Max's face lit up as she quickly dug around her pocket to obtain her buzzing cell phone. "Please please be Kate."
Seeing Kate's name on the front of her phone brought an urgent smile to Max's face.
Kate: Super-Max, in case you still need it, Nathan's room number is 111
Yes! She came through! Ohh, Kate brings it! So Room 111 is the magic number …
"111! His room is 111, Chlo!"
Swiping right to quickly reply, Max took a moment to thank Kate for saving their butts at the most perfect moment.
Max: Kate, you are so AWESOME. Thank U!
Kate almost immediately replied.
Kate: I love that you bring out the rebel in me.
Max: You already are a rebel. Trust me.
Seriously, after all she's been through and is still so determined to get his ass.
Kate: Always! And please be careful, promise?
Max: Of course! I'll keep you posted!
As soon as she sent that, Max immediately felt a pang of uncertainty. It might be a promise she could not keep. Nonetheless, the thought was quickly chased away with Kate's almost-immediate response.
Kate: I know you will! :)
Already making her way down the hallway, Max sent her last text.
Max: (^ ^) /
Max put her phone away and trailed behind Chloe, who was already up ahead searching for Room 111.
As the girls turned the corner, they could see Room 111 at the end of the hall.
"Now let's get into Blackwell ninja mode," Max whispered as she looked to the left. No one there. She looked to the right, ditto. They were all alone.
But maybe not for long.
Chloe went to rush over to the door, but Max grabbed her arm. She immediately became hesitant when considering the potential of getting caught.
Max bit her bottom lip and said, "Wait here. I'll go." Upon Chloe's confused face, Max continued, "I-In case Nathan shows up, give me a signal so I can get the hell out of here."
Chloe's face slightly fell but the blue-haired girl quickly got over it.
"I mean, I kinda had plans to hella trash his room just now sooo you're probs right," Chloe walked over and leaned up against the hallway wall, crossing her arms and putting one boot up against the wall. "I won't let you down Bat Max. I'll keep a look out … and by keep a look out, I mean I'll, you know, kill him if I see him." Chloe smiled predatorily.
"Oh, I know you will," Max suppressed a smile and turned the corner, rushing down the hall to Nathan's room. Passing by a few dorms, Max could hear that they were indeed not alone.
As long as it's not Nathan …
Rushing by, she got a nice, strong whiff of pot as she passed by Trevor's room. She heard Trevor laugh and, a few seconds later, she could have sworn she heard a female's voice in there too.
Ughh, gross, Max thought to herself as she was almost certain that she had heard Dana's voice.
Shaking off the smell of weed, complete with the faint sound of video games and Dana's dreamy whispers, Max repressed the thought of what could be going on in that room right now. Completely disgusting.
Was what even more disgusting was the whiteboard right across.
THE PRESCOTTS RULE THIS TOWN was aggressively and boldly written on the whiteboard.
This can only be Nathan's room.
No doubt about it.
Only he is as big of a self-absorbed prick to write that. Asshole.
Max reached out and attempted to open the door. Locked, unsurprisingly, but Max wanted to try just in case Nathan was stupid enough to leave it open.
Locked … nothing a good ol' fire extinguisher can't resolve! Max thought to herself as she grabbed the heavy red cylinder laying right beside the door and brought it smashing down upon the door handle.
Once, twice … three time's a charm. Max crashed the handle one last time, hearing the tingle of the fallen hinges and smiling to herself as the door cracked open.
Not even going to rewind to fix the damage … definitely not for this ass.
As Max quickly sneaked inside the door, she could have sworn she heard Chloe chuckle and mutter something along the lines of "She learnt from the besttt … obviously."
Of course you would be proud, Chlo. Max smiled to herself as she shut the door behind her and flicked on the light switch.
It was a dull, grey light coming from the few lamps in Nathan's room. The lights flickered once before illuminating the room, as if hesitating to show Max its secrets.
Wowzers …
Max took in the surroundings. Everything was dark. Dark and moody. Blacks, greys … murkiness, dimness. Yet, it was clean. Sterile … almost.
Oookay, this isn't creepy at all.
Right in front of her, Max was faced with dark walls peppered with various disturbing portraits. To her left, a desk was scattered with expensive photo equipment. Quickly glancing above the desk, Max spotted a sweet little certificate with "Best Son In The World" penned on it.
Guess this is Nathan's soft spot …
Max kept looking around, taking everything in. A black leather couch beside the table, a computer with a creepy black and white screensaver, a projector, a –
A projector? Seriously? A freaking projector?
Max brushed away the annoying thought of rich-white-boy privileges and set herself right in front of the computer. High tech, yes. Expensive, most likely. Password?
Nope.
Max bit her bottom lip in anticipation as she opened up Nathan's existing tabs. A few open tabs were just school research stuff, which was surprising because Nathan doesn't do homework.
Ah ha, emails. Max clicked around and gave the page a refresh. The most recent emails were from …
Daddy Prescott?
Probably Nathan asking for more money … or he reached his credit limit … Bastard.
As the inbox loaded and opened, Max immediately knew how mistaken she was.
From: Sean Prescott
To: Nathan Prescott
Nate, I know this has been a stressful week and your mother and I are here to talk if need be. Just call my new admin and she'll make an appointment for you. I also took care of your suspension. Like I take care of the rest of your shit. Nate, you know I need you to be calm and quiet with my new development underway. I can't honestly understand why you endure to be an unceasing fuck up. The Prescott's have a lot on their plates; we do not need a disgrace.
Your mother told me you've run out of your prescriptions yet again. What the hell do you do with them all? Pop a few on the hour? You're lucky Doctor Bill and I were old desk mates, otherwise he would not be pulling the endless amount of strings that he persists to pull for you.
Speaking of pulling strings, why have I been billed for a one-way ticket from Express Airlines? I have yet to fathom who the fuck you think you are. Money is certainly not an issue; nonetheless, purchases such as these cannot be made what with the development being processed. Scandals are what the press feeds on. You know that, son. Expensive or not, I quite honestly don't care. I just need you to not decay my business.
Your mother and I send our best. Be calm, be composed. I will not ask you twice.
Don't fuck it up, son.
Your Father
Holy crap! Max thought to herself after she quickly read through the email.
Oh man, Sean Prescott might be Nathan's real problem. Talk about daddy issues.
No wonder Nathan's so fucked up …
Still surprised, she closed the email. Max did not have the time to linger, so with wide eyes, the brunette kept searching.
Documents? School stuff, music files, random documents. Nothing there.
Recycle Bin? Ditto.
Hmm, if I were a rich boy fuck up, where would I keep my favourite dirt …
She opened up the browser again and clicked on the yellow star.
The favourites folder, obviously. Bingo.
The folder was heavily populated. Max skimmed through the saved websites. It was somewhat surprising, but not really. Nathan had a hell of a lot of sick fetishes. And it showed.
Bondage videos? Max thought to herself as she scrolled down the endless list, inundated by his many, many saved BDSM videos.
Finally, the brunette reached the end of the favourites list, her eyes falling to the most recent saved sites – and her heart falling with it.
What. The. Fuck.
Wiki How: How to Trap a Female
AnonForum Editorial: Knocking Out a Knock-Out and Getting Away With It.
How-To: DIY Flunitrazepam [Date Rape]
Ask: Question closed. What is the best kind of rope to tie someone up w/o leaving marks?
Max suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Everything just felt surreal. Site after site, all similar in nature.
This can't be real.
Max skimmed over the links once more, as if the third time would sink in. To an extent, it did. Little by little, the sites brought back the all-too recent memories of Chloe's pain, Chloe's hatred.
A thin sheet of sweat began forming alongside Max's face. A throbbing headache began to pound. The brunette swallowed in an attempt to get rid of the lump in her throat. In one angry movement, she closed down the browser and got up from the desk in disgust. She couldn't take it. Her hands were shaking and her face turned the colour of dirty, greyed cotton.
Max wiped her sticky, cold hands on her pants and looked around the room anxiously. Despite feeling utterly and completely filled to the brim with disgust, she couldn't help but focus on the voice echoing in the back of her head.
It's not enough, Max.
Max's eyes darted around the darkened room.
"It's for a science project, Principal Wells" … "I was doing research, calm down" … "I wanted some tips on my dark photography series project" …
Max smacked herself with tons of potentially believable things that Nathan would say to cover his ass.
No. it's not enough. Browser history is damn sketchy, but it doesn't prove anything. Daddy Prescott could easily bust Nathan out from this. Bastard.
Max let out a sharp exhale and tucked her hair behind her ears.
Okay Max, you need to keep going. There HAS to be something on Nathan. There has to.
She looked around and stepped up to the bookshelf. Max ran her shaky finger across the tons of DVD boxes, skimming over the titles.
Horror. All of a sudden, a cold shiver ran through Max's body. But she ignored it, thinking that Chloe was right outside in the hallway, and kept searching. She found solace in Chloe having her back.
She eyed the row of framed photographs beside the DVDs, the grey light reflecting on the glass of the pictures. More portraits lined the wall. Girls in bondage, dead animals, black and white, dark overtones, knots, bonds, and more black and white.
Such a creep … Nathan likes his tortured subjects way too much …
Max brushed her hair out of her face, the sheen on her face getting wiped along with it. It was too quiet. Max could hear her own breathing.
Nothing. Max walked back to the centre of the room with feelings of anxiousness and pressure heaving down on her body. Time was running out, ironically, and she hadn't found anything concrete.
Max's eyes darted from the projector back to the bookshelf, to Nathan's crisply-made bed, to his drawers, back to the desk –
The drawer.
Max rushed to the side of the room and yanked the top drawer open. Clothes were neatly folded in two separate piles. Nothing much to see … except for the tiny white piece of paper poking from underneath the folds of two maroon cashmere sweaters.
What's this? Getting sloppy … I hope.
Max lifted the sweaters, shivering as the back of her hand brushed along the softness of the sweater. The sweater that lined Nathan's chest. Max felt unsettlingly nervous. She quickly grabbed the sole sheet of paper, fumbling to open it and almost dropping it in the process.
It was a crumpled piece of paper that seemed to be torn out of a notebook. Max's eyes darted from word to word.
HEY ASSHOLE
we need to talk
or I'm going to tell
everybody what
you DID
and you're going to
pay motherfucker
That is so Chloe …
The message was underlined in a messy chicken scratch writing that could only be Chloe's. It must have been the note that Chloe threatened Nathan to meet with in the Blackwell bathroom.
Max folded it back to how she found it and lifted the sweater to shove the note back where she found it. Except …
Except there was more.
Max pulled out the visibly glossy rimmed sheet which she immediately recognized as a photograph.
Oh my GOD … Chloe …
Max visibly gasped at the horrifying scene. Chloe was curled up on the floor in fetal position. Someone standing above her obviously took the photo. Her beanie was beside her on the floor and her mouth was slightly gaped open. She was fully clothed, but there was definitely struggle or resistance going on before this photo was taken. Broken furniture cracked on the floor beside her and Max could partially see a spilled over trashcan with its contents cluttering the ground in the photo's corner.
It didn't take two seconds for Max to put two and two together.
She was right. Max let out a distressed sigh, wishing there was something more she could have done. The whole idea of the asshole drugging her somehow and assaulting her was just ... an idea. This just made it so much more real. Oh Chloe …
Max was just about to shove the photograph in her book bag when her eyes fell on the night stand beside the bed.
The broken lamp. It must be it.
It looked just like any other bedside lamp. Only someone specifically looking for the crack would see it. Max was filled with revulsion, which was quickly replaced with a bit of relief. She was glad she was the one seeing this all and not Chloe. Max lightly traced the crack in the lamp shade with her forefinger as she foresaw how Chloe would have torn his room apart bit by bit had she been the one in here.
I would too, if I didn't actually think of …
The greater mission.
Focus, Max.
Max then backed away from the bed, immediately feeling dirty or … unclean in some way. She wanted to leave. She was getting worried and Chloe had been out there for quite some time.
Still, she was feeling discouraged. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, but she didn't find whatever it was in a cracked lamp, messed up websites, or a photo of Chloe on the floor which could be interpreted in any way the Prescotts wished.
The Prescotts could mold the minds of anyone in this town with their money, ugh.
She was just about to turn around, get out of the dorm, find Chloe and get the hell out of there …
Until her foot stepped on something and nearly fell over. Luckily, the tiny cylinder was much too small to do anything worse other than merely throw Max off balance.
… And peak her interest.
What is this? Max thought to herself as she bent down to examine the object of her stumbling.
The tiny cylinder was not merely a tiny cylinder.
An empty prescription pill box.
Max recalled how Sean Prescott, Nathan's father, had complained about Nathan's … overuse … of his prescription pills. The floor underneath the small prescription box had a few little white pills peppering the floor, right beside a short, yet wide, bottle of alcohol.
Chasing them down with liquor ...
Max shook her head and furrowed her brows.
Damn, they sure as hell do not seem to be helping him.
She got down on her hands and knees and began collecting the small, white pills in the palm of her hand. They had spilled onto the floor when she almost tripped on the prescription box and was intending on putting them back and leaving the room exactly as she found it. She quickly pinched the scattered pills back in the box, one white pill after the other. She thought she had gotten all of them until she saw one that must have rolled across the room and under the couch. Max swiftly crawled to the last remaining escapee when her hand brushed along a few scuff marks.
What the hell are all these marks on the floor?
They were faintly carved into the floor, as if something heavy was dragged. She could have easily missed them had she not felt them with her fingers.
Max snatched the last white tablet from the foot of the couch. She fumbled closing the prescription box and shoved it back to where she found it.
She crawled back to the couch. The marks were indented right in front of the foot of the couch. The couch must have been pulled out to make them.
Max was immediately revisited by a wave of nausea. It could most certainly be nothing, and she knew that. But a little part of her knew that Nathan was hiding something. And this was it.
Let's find out what you're hiding, Prescott.
Max's mind immediately flashed to what it could be. She pictured Nathan tying up girls to the furniture, their screams silenced and only their yanks, pulls and struggles remaining. She pictured girls trying to run, grabbing at the couch. She pictured girls tied to the furniture, wrists reddening from the rope.
She almost threw up right then and there. But when she bent over and peeked underneath the couch, she didn't find much. At least, she couldn't see much. She shoved her hand in her book bag and grabbed her cell phone. With a quick touch of the button, her phone's built-in flashlight was shining underneath the couch in seconds.
What ... is ... that?
She could see the corner of something poking out from the very back. Whatever it was, it was at the very back crevice of the couch – tape to the outside perhaps?
Wait a minute ...
Max placed her cell phone on the floor and got up, reaching for the edge of the couch. She pulled back the couch just enough to be able to glance at the back of the sofa, where a sole journal was taped to the couch's backing.
She reached her hand behind the sofa and tugged the tape off, freeing the spiral grey notebook.
What is this ...
Max held up the old, beat up notebook and examined it. She turned it over and noticed the bunch of loose papers that were sticking out of it. The notebook was bound by a large, beige elastic.
Wowzers, I can't see Nathan keeping a diary.
The more Max looked at the notebook, the more she thought it looked like less of a notebook and more like a rugged folder holding a stash of other loose papers – some torn, others bent. She could tell there were a few photographs tucked within the pages of the book, their edges peeking out from the notebook's pages.
Tugging the elastic off, Max centered the notebook on the flat of her arm and opened it. The first thing she saw was not surprising. A small packet of unidentifiable pills were taped onto the inside of the notebook's cover. Max shuddered at the thought of them being some sort of roofies or related drug that Nathan uses. Max ran her fingers over the packet, disgusted at their possible use. Around the taped baggie was a ton of messy, scratched up scribbles and doodles on the cover. Most of them were unreadable but one thing was for sure. They were angry. Angry and rushed. Max remembered the note they found in Principal Wells' office the night her and Chloe sneaked it. The Rachel in the dark room scribbles were almost akin to the style on Nathan's notebook. That was for sure.
On the very first page was what seemed like a letter.
At least ... it was a letter, Max thought to herself as she opened up the folded letter.
To Daddy Prescott? Max glimpsed over the letter. It seemed to be nothing more than a draft. Unfinished, fragmented.
Father,
I'm not going to bore you with the bullshit. You probably don't have time to listen to it all anyways. You probably won't even read this. Just get your dumbass admin to summarize the main points to you. Asshole.
I'll just get straight to the point. You hate me, I get it. I fucking get it. But I swear to you, you'll never hit me again. Punching me out is something you do have fucking time for, right?
And then you get pissed off at me for getting into shit. Yes, I get into fights. I OD and I fucking like it. So much that I do it to other people. And yes, I like fucked up photography. Hurting others and capturing it. Remembering I can. Remind you of someone? Like the sadistic prick you are.
You think I'm a hopeless failure of a fuck up, right? I tried to be good. But where do you fucking think I learned to be like this? Who fucked me up so much other than you? So congratulations, this is all you.
You pay for school, you bought me the car, you give me unlimited funds and you expect me to worship you and do whatever the fuck you ask? Sorry, no way in hell.
Well you don't have to worry about that anymore because
Well I'll never have to fuck it u
The letter stopped abruptly. Nathan never finished it. The last sentences were scratched out angrily.
Holy crap. Max had no words. Not that it excused anything, but Max felt guilty all of a sudden. She traced the scratched out sentences.
Maybe this was never meant to be sent to Nathan's dad. Maybe he just wanted to vent ... Max almost felt sorry for him. Almost.
She folded the unfinished letter back up and turned the page. The next few 'pages' were a bunch of tests and exams.
Chemistry, biology, physics, history. All failed.
Hidden from Daddy Prescott, figures.
Max hastily flipped through the school stuff until she got to a series of photographs wrapped with an elastic band and shoved in the crease of the notebook. Max thumbed through them quickly.
Black and white photos of dead animals. Side of the road, in a park, alongside the beach.
Poor things.
Max tucked away the photos and kept sorting through the loose papers. Most of them were printed emails from his father, some from his sister, and none from his mother. Some had doodles on them. Most of them resentful, all of them in black ink.
Max rushed through them knowing she did not have anywhere close to enough time to read them all. A few more failed school assignments, a sticky note with the hyperlink for Kate's video, a prescription from his doctor.
Near the back of the notebook, Max came across a ripped up menu from the Two Whales Diner. Max wondered why Nathan would have a menu hidden away in the crevices of his secret journal when she saw the phone number scribbled in the corner.
541-263-9980 frank 4 tranqs + roofies
Bingo.
Frank must be his dealer. That's not surprising.
All the more reason to pay him a visit today. Chloe still has to pay him back. Maybe we can use that to our advantage and only give it to him if ... if he spill dirt on Nathan.
She turned over the menu. Her fingers brushed against something stuck to the back.
A post-it note was stuck to the backside of the menu. It was a small list. Nathan's writing, nonetheless. The list read off as a bunch of names. Max didn't know what they were, but it was quite obvious that they were a list of drugs. Probably hard drugs, too.
Some had check marks beside their names, as if it was some sort of disturbing grocery list for the ultimate druggie.
Max turned over the menu and the post-it note and went on. She began rushing now, her fingers fumbling through the more miscellaneous or illegible loose papers. She knew she was close to overstaying her welcome. Really close. Chloe could only watch the door for so long before someone came into the dorm. Classes must be ending soon and people would be heading back.
Max rushed turning over the pages when the corner of a glossy paper nicked her finger. Max squinted to read the writing that was cut off at the bottom.
"–achel"
Photo paper?
Max thumbed the corner and turned the pages to a photograph. At least, what was left of a photograph.
Oh my dog. The feathered blue earring was evident. She'd seen it a hundred times before in the missing posters around town.
Rachel, holy shit, it's you.
And ...
The photo was ripped in half, right down the centre. But it wasn't fully ripped. It was as if the person was angry and began to tear it but decided against it at the last minute, leaving the photo partially torn.
Nathan?
The rip ran right through Nathan's face. The photograph had the words me + rachel written at the bottom of the photo's white border.
No way. No way in hell.
It was a selfie. It was a reasonably happy selfie. Rachel was the one taking the photo, her arm extended outwards holding the camera. A lit blunt entangled in her fingers halfway up to her mouth. Nathan had his arm wrapped around Rachel's shoulders with a drink in his hands.
Rachel hung out with him?!
The flash was bright, so it wasn't the easiest figuring out where they were or what was going on. They were at a party, though. That much was obvious.
A Vortex party maybe?
Oh, Rachel.
All of a sudden, Max flinched as she heard the front entrance slam open. Nathan's dorm was far from the main doors, but the walls were paper thin.
Keep going, Max!
She rapidly turned over the photo, in hope to find more.
... A ton more.
A series of photos populated the next few pages of the notebook. Most of them looked like they were previously crumbled up but then flattened out from being inside the notebook. None of them ripped, however. Nathan and Rachel partying, Rachel's hands raised up as her light brown hair covered her face. Nathan and Rachel taking shots. Rachel getting hazy, her eyes half-lidded and bloodshot. Rachel ...
Holy crap.
Rachel passed out on the floor. Nathan taking a selfie with her unconscious body. Another selfie. And another. And anoth–
Max flinched. Muffled voices from outside the dorm echoed in the hallway. Chloe's? It was hard to tell.
No no no no NO!
Max jerked up, the notebook and all its contents almost spilling out of her hands.
You're so close, Max!
Max reached the last photo of Rachel. She was totally knocked out. The glossy photos had heated scribbles on it. Black, scratchy ink covering her peaceful face.
Max fumbled as she turned over the last photo in hurried disgust. She had reached the end of the series of photos. One last thing remained.
A letter?
In a rush, Max opened the paper, tightly folded three times. It looked more like a stream of consciousness than a letter. It wasn't written to anyone in particular from what Max could tell. It wasn't as neat as the letter to Sean Prescott. No, this one was much messier. Harsh, stressed font cluttered the paper. Random scrawled poems. Half-finished sentences.
Max quickly began reading, her eyes anxiously scanning the writing.
Oh man, it's all about Rachel!
miss amber, you didn't think you could just
Rach, you should have told me about that prick Frank who
Bad Rachel, looking so angelic when you're
but guess who I get my crank from? the exact kind I use to show you who's in control. funny how things work out when
A voice rang from outside the dorm.
"Fuck off!"
Chloe's.
It was loud and clear, the thirst for destruction evident in her voice.
No! Not yet!
Max kept going, trying to sponge up as much information as she could before she had to get the hell out of there.
tear you up, you bitch
Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel Rachel
I see the way you fucking look at me
Max wasn't even done reading half the letter. It was much too hard to read among the scratches, the scribbles, the sketches.
She heard a muffled voice, angry.
Oh god. Nathan's.
She had to go.
Right now.
Max stuffed the letter back into the notebook and slipped the elastic back on, fully intending to take Nathan's secrets with her. Straight to the police. As soon as she got out of here.
Her hands were shaking and she was on edge.
Rushing, she clutched the notebook in her arms and was just about to rush out the door when she noticed her cellphone.
Still on the floor, where she had left it before. Right beside the indented scratches by the couch.
Max did a double take and jolted back to get her phone. She could not leave it there. In one rapid movement, Max aggressively bent down to grab her cellphone.
When she felt herself lose her grip on Nathan's book, Max fumbled. As if in slow motion, she grappled as if wrestling with the air, the book evading her grip.
Nathan's notebook, which she thought she clutched securely, slid out of her hand, hitting the floor with a loud snap.
"Crap!" The curse word scraped along Max's throat as she lunged to pick up the fallen evidence, accidentally kicking it even further away.
Max watched in horror as it skid across the floor.
Under the bed.
Way under the bed. She heard the faint slam of the book hitting the furthest wall underneath Nathan's bed.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! Max cursed herself under her breath as she rushed to the bedside.
"Way to go, Max!" She cursed between her grinding teeth. She was just about to drop to her knees when she heard the voice again.
Nathan, for sure.
Less muffled this time.
As if they were closing in.
"What are you doing in my dorm hall?!"
Fast to follow up, Chloe snapped back with anger treading her voice, "What are YOU doing in your dorm hall, asshole? Max got your prick ass suspended!"
Chloe!
Craaappp!
Max dropped down on her hands and knees, shoving her hand underneath the narrow underside. Too far away. Wincing in pain, Max shoved her shoulders up against the bed frame as far as she could.
No luck. The notebook could be miles away.
Max's stomach sank, anchoring, in a panic as she realized that it was much too far away to reach it right this moment.
What to do, Max, what do DO?
Max knew that she'd have to get on her hands and stomach to pull it out. Something she did not have time for right now. She had to get to Chloe.
Immediately, she told herself that she could come back later.
Right. Come back LATER, Max.
You have to go! Now!
She'd read the letter more carefully when they come back later for it. The Vortex party is tonight and Nathan would be there, after all, which means he wouldn't be in his room.
Max pushed herself up off the ground, grabbed her phone off the floor and darted out the door.
What she saw next was intense.
Nathan was closing in towards Chloe, yelling profanities, and Chloe was backing up in the hallway. The space between her and the wall was diminishing fast. But Chloe was not backing down. She looked pissed.
They must have not heard the click of Nathan's door shutting – it was probably too dull over the sound of their yelling.
"You better get the fuck out of here bitch, before I ruin you," Nathan spat out, his voice sharp and piercing. His arms were outraised as if to dare Chloe to hit him. His gaze was psychotic.
Chloe yelled right back. "You mean before your daddy ruins me?" Snarky laugher. Nathan's lip curled up in a snarl.
No!
Max did not want to start up anything with Nathan. Not now. Not yet.
Max ran out towards the ruckus in the hallway.
The ruckus that Chloe was fuelling. Fighting fire with fire. Flame to the gasoline.
Max dashed to Chloe's side, grabbing her arm aggressively and slightly yanking her back.
Nathan's eyes flashed towards her, fuming.
Spotted.
"You're such a nosy bitch, Max!" Nathan exploded.
"Yo, you better shut that rich boy mouth!" Chloe yelled back, leaning back as if she were a coil about to be let loose. It didn't take Max long to realize that Chloe was about to dive. Her hand fisted and ready to impact Nathan's face.
NO! … She'll get in so much troub–
"Chloe!" Max found herself interjecting as she clutched onto Chloe's arm and yanked her back. As if by instinct, Max raised her other hand, channeling her thoughts into stopping time.
The world stopped spinning, stopped rushing past her, and came to a stop.
Her raised hand was shaking.
Realizing that her girlfriend had frozen the moment, Chloe's fist dropped by her side and she turned towards Max. She was angry. Mostly at Nathan, but somewhat at Max.
"MAX! What the fuck was that?! I-I had your back!" Chloe exclaimed in a panic.
Max kept holding onto her by the arm. She couldn't let go, otherwise Chloe wouldn't come with her in time stops and rewinds. Her arm was tight, flexed, ready to lunge. About to lunge.
Or was about to lunge, that is.
"Chloe! You –"
"Look Max," Chloe turned her face away, ice cold, "I know you care for me and shit but I fucking got this. I can take his ass. Make him feel sorry for even –"
Max shook her head quickly. "Wait, you don't understand –"
"No Max, YOU don't understand. You don't think I can take him. I get it."
"CHLOE! Listen to me! I found shit. In his-in his room."
Chloe's face softened. But she kept staring outwards, right at Nathan. Frozen in time. Leaning forward, predatorily. Face twisted up, contorted, nostrils flaring, eyes bulging.
But that didn't matter. It was just her and Max. Right now. Their own little bubble. And Chloe had to know what she was up against.
Max continued, "You were right. Fuck, Chloe. He's a giant addict. I'm almost sure. And … he's connected to you."
The blue-haired girl softened at the confirmation of what she already knew, hopeful of the evidence that Max must have found in his dorm. Her eyes following the minute piece of hope that Max was dangling in front of her.
After a few seconds of complete silence, Chloe finally said, "Boom Nathan. We got you by the balls, fucker."
Max bit her bottom lip. "And to … and to Rachel. I'm almost sure of it. He had some sketchy shit in his dorm, Chlo. I didn't get to see it all but I know he –"
To the sound of Rachel's name, Chloe softened as if touched by rose petals. But it was quickly replaced by fire. Scorching hot. Max had hit a nerve.
"Fucking prick," Chloe said under her breath. She furrowed her eyebrows and slanted her eyes. She grew tense, her body growing with white hot rage.
"I'm … I'm almost certain," Max followed up, looking Chloe straight in the eyes. Max could feel her girlfriend tensing up. She felt her girlfriend's arm tighten up underneath her own grip.
"Then … why the fuck did you stop time, Max?" Chloe had it out for Nathan now – even more so than before. For her, for Rachel. Mess with her, okay. But mess with the people she cares about and it's on.
Max's large doe eyes looked up at Chloe, full of uncertainty. "Because, Chlo," the brunette softly said, "I couldn't get my hands on anything. I-I suck … but I promise you, Chloe. We'll come back for it. Fighting Nathan won't solve anything. He would … Just, we wouldn't stand a chance against him without any hard evidence."
Chloe's lips tightened. "Fuck that, Max! What, you find all this shit on him and expect me to walk away? Fuck. That. Hella fuck that!"
Crap, Max! You just expected to tell Chloe that this asshole was involved with her angel and that's it? Walk away? How could you be so stupid?!
Max pursed her lips in frustration. "NO! No. It's just that we've got nothing solid. Yet, Chlo. We have to play this smart. And I know … I know you can't just leave it be. After knowing what he did ... to her. To you. We just need to play it out a little bit more. That's all, Chlo. A little bit more." Max tried to make contact with Chloe's eyes, but they were drifting. Staring Nathan down. Angry. But Max went on. "We need to see Frank to get more info on him. He's his dealer so we'll make him spill. I'm sure of it."
Chloe let out a loud Ha! – certainly not because Max was comical. But because Max was sounding more and more ridiculous by the minute. "So you just want me to walk away? You're probably right but I'm sorry Max, no way. Nathan is hella getting his."
Max didn't completely expect Chloe to give in. Impulsive? Yes. Irrational? Definitely. But undetermined? No way, not when it comes to Rachel.
Chloe wanted her revenge. Right now. And despite Max's attempts, Max was water and Chloe was fire. Except that Max was more of a sprinkler and Chloe was pretty much an unyielding, colossal flame.
Max bit her bottom lip before she finally said in a quiet voice, "I … I know, Chlo."
To the sound of Max's undemanding voice giving in, Chloe's angry face molded from determined rage to something more … open.
Her piercing blue eyes softened at first before growing wider. Brighter.
"Wait. Max," Chloe said carefully. "What if … what if you let me riot his ass but then you …"
Pause.
"I know you're trying to save up your time rewind, but what if I take him out and you rewind back? It's just that … I fucking need this, Max. For Rachel."
Max could see Chloe's eyes beginning to tear. But Chloe went on.
"I could hurt him for a while and you rewind back and no one will ever know it happened. I just, I need, I just can't see him get away, I just can't …"
Crap, Chlo. Max felt Chloe's pain. Her hatred.
I'm so sorry you ended up this way and I hate to contribute to this but …
... But I get it. I love you and I get you. And she really did. She understood. She couldn't bring herself to not give Chloe this.
Oh man, how can I even say no? Knowing I would hurt you.
After a long pause, Max finally responded. In a soft voice almost inaudible, she said, "Okay."
Chloe's mouth slightly gaped open before turning into a livid, sly smirk. Almost excited to unleash her rage onto Nathan.
Slowly, Max closed her outraised hand and lowered it down. This most definitely wasn't her definition of doing the right thing. But this was for Chloe.
For Chloe.
The world began to move again and before she knew it, Chloe wound back and smashed her fist to Nathan's un-expecting face. Like a rogue freight train.
Again and again. It all happened to fast. Her knuckles clashing into his nose. His head snapping back from the unexpected impact, the sting of her fist.
His knees buckled and he lost balance. He went down, slow, slow, slow motion.
But then Chloe jumped on top of him, grabbing his crumpled defensive hands away from his face and continuing to crash her fists into his face, her knuckles colliding with his probably-broken nose. It all happened so fast. Lightning fast. The sound of Chloe's fists, thunder strong.
"Chloe!" Max yelled as she lunged towards Chloe, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her off. It all came crashing back at her. What she just let her girlfriend do. Immediately, she grabbed Chloe by the collarbone, holding her back, and raised her hand up.
And rewound.
Max barely had the chance to think through what just happened, but one thing was for sure. That was it. Chloe got her fix. They needed to get out of here.
Rewind the dirty feeling of guilt away. Un-see what she just let Chloe do.
In just a few moments, Max watched everything in reverse. Blood returning to Nathan's nose. Nathan rising from the floor, defensive arms dropped, brought back to a fuming psychotic dare.
Chloe hardly had any time to process anything until Nathan was right back in front of the two girls, arms outstretched, inviting a fight. Back to square one. His stance was angry again, daring her to fight him.
Max's head began to throb. She didn't know whether it was from rewinding or from what she just let happen.
She lowered her hand and time began up again.
"You're such a nosy bitch, Max!" Nathan was wild. Max shot her eyes at Chloe. Her hands were still fisted and bloody. Ready to strike. For the second time.
But Max had to defuse this. Now.
She quickly stepped in front of Chloe and raised her hands, as if to submit.
"I-we have nothing. I was just here to see Warren and … and didn't know which room he was in. I have nothing of yours, I swear it, Nathan. You could check my bag and –"
But before she could even finish, Chloe lunged out from behind her. "You piece of shit Prescott! I know you did something to Rachel!"
Max drew her breath as she stumbled backwards, watching in horror as Chloe snapped her fist into Nathan's unexpected face. She watched the whole thing repeat in front of her for the second awful time.
The crack of her punch to his nose. The crash of his body falling from unbalance.
"Chloe! Stop!" Max heard herself shout, all to no avail.
She heard a muffled yell escape Nathan's mouth. His eyes shut tight, head turned away. Away from Chloe's rage.
Adrenaline. Chloe was fuelled by it. Seeing the source of her problems weak, under the rule of her fist. A hint of blood. And then a little more. The dark liquid trickling down, coating the underneath of his nose. It fuelled her. He deserved this and she fully took advantage of it. For herself, for Rachel. Rachel. Chloe's fist pounded down his jaw at the thought of Rachel.
Max's head was swimming. She did this.
But he goddamn deserved it! Max's head spun as everything happened so fast in front of her eyes.
For Chloe?
Max lunged forward and grabbed Chloe, yanking her backwards.
But no one deserves THAT!
One hand on Chloe's arm, gripping her backwards. One hand raising up, palm outraised. Eyes clenching.
Focus Max!
Everything came to a halt for the second time around.
Before Chloe even had the chance to realize what she'd done, what she couldn't help herself from doing, Max yelled, "CHLOE! STOP!"
Max's eyes were wild and pleading.
Chloe looked down at her bloody knuckles. She uncurled her fist slowly, watching in shock how far she had gone.
Chloe turned towards Max. "Max, fuck ... I ... I'm sorry." She wiped the back of her hand on her pants and looked down at the crumpled Nathan below her.
Her face scrunched up. "But that dick deserved it."
Max followed her gaze down to the bloody mess at her feet but quickly turned her head away. "Chloe ..."
Chloe shook her head. "I went hella too far. I just ... couldn't stop myself. Asshole had it coming."
Max looked up at Chloe, no longer tense, no longer blinded by a blanket of fury. Chloe saw the worry in Max's large doe eyes. After a long pause of silence, Chloe let out a long exhale before saying, "Look, I don't know what happened. I got my fix but when I saw him back up again and I thought of Rachel, I just ... couldn't."
Max searched Chloe's eyes. "I know, Chlo. I get that. It's okay ... I did this for you."
Chloe let out a sigh. Her eyebrows pinched upwards in concern. "Thank you, Max. For real. I needed this out of my system." She reached out and gave Max a swift hug.
"Now let's get out of here before I fucking bawl my eyes out," Chloe remarked with a smirk on her face, along with a hint of honesty.
Despite the overwhelming pressure of what just happened, Max gave Chloe a small smile and nodded.
And for the last time, Max rewound.
Max and Chloe watched as everything reversed. Blood disappearing, the punches erased, the fear gone.
Max forced herself to keep rewinding. She squinted past her blurring vision, trying to see past the flooding lens of black and red. Past the pulse in her head.
Nathan rising back up in front of them, shock from the first hit fading, replaced by daring anger.
This time they were ready.
Both of them. And it was time to go.
Max felt she was on the verge of getting another one of those nosebleeds, but that didn't matter. She rewound far enough.
Abruptly, Max lowered her hand, bringing them back to where they were before the mess, pre-anger outburst Chloe.
Time began up again, everything playing as it should as if it were a broken record.
"You're such a nosy bitch, Max!" Nathan yelled, for the third time.
Max was just about to jump to their defence when Chloe was already a step ahead of her.
"Dude, calm down! Max just went to find what's-his-face, Ape Boy Warren." Chloe gave Nathan a sly smirk, pushing aside his outstretched arms and walking past him nonchalantly.
Max went with it. "I honestly walked into the wrong dorm, Nathan. The dorm floor plan is fucked up and Warren's room is right across from yours."
Nathan lowered his arms and scoffed. "Beauty. A nosy bitch and an idiot!"
Chloe arched her eyebrow. "Chill, Prescott –"
"It was an honest mistake," Max reassured calmly as she walked past Nathan towards Chloe, casually inching closer to the main doors.
Pleasepleaseplease be stupid enough to believe it.
Nathan turned around and let out a sarcastic jolt of laughter. "I'm sure Wells will believe that, bitches."
Chloe scoffed. "Yeah totally, right after he finds out that you saw us because you were in the dorms when you should be suspended and off Blackhell grounds. Right. Hella great thinking, Prescott."
Nathan's lips tightened into a firm scowl and his eyes burned with frustration. "Yo fuck you! Who the fuck do you think they'll believe?"
Chloe grinned. "Well, Max probably. Only one here without a record." And with that, Chloe walked towards the door. Noticing that Nathan was definitely not following them, she calmly opened it. "Let's go Max. Don't waste your breath on Prescott territory."
Max started towards the blue-haired punk while cautiously eyeing Nathan. He had a snarky expression on his face. She heard him yell, "Yeah! Get the fuck out of my face!" then turn the corner and mutter to himself, "Fucking cunts ..." To her surprise, Nathan began walking down the hallway towards his door. He had apparently decided that they were not worth the hassle, to Max's astonishment. And to her delight. She didn't even care that he might go tell Wells at this point. She was just glad they got the hell out of there.
The girls walked out of the dorm and heard the click of the shutting doors behind them. They both acted calm and collected, but they were slightly terrified. Who knows what he could have done? You can't expect anything from Nathan. He could have had a gun and killed them right then and there.
As soon as Max stepped outside, she realized just how freaked she was. The cool afternoon breeze felt cold against her clammy skin and gave her a wave of shivers.
"Fuck yes. We made it, Bat Max," Chloe said as she jumped over all of the stairs in front of the entrance and strode towards the side of the building. Chloe seemed kind of okay ... considering what just happened. Max rushed behind Chloe, following quickly behind her. The front lawn was definitely emptier than before – to the girls' relief.
"Holy crap, Chlo. As if that happened ..." Max heard herself say under her breath. She was being honest. She really did have a hard time believing that a) they were right all along about Nathan, b) she let Chloe absolutely lose it on Nathan's ass, and c) they were actually getting away with it. They clandestinely snuck out of the dormitory grounds and made their way past Blackwell's front lawn. Empty, too. Minus a few unrecognizable students walking out of the pool hall after practice had just ended, Brooke fiddling with her drone and some random skaters hanging out off to the side.
Max allowed herself to relax a bit when she and Chloe had walked across the front lawn and off school grounds without anyone noticing or questioning them.
Wowzers, Max thought to herself, letting out a sigh of relief. The two walked in silence as they turned the corner, leaving Blackwell out of sight. They had to get back to Chloe's truck.
Chloe.
How could I? Draining my time rewind for Chloe's need to kick Nathan's ass! Max frowned, but Chloe was already way up ahead of her. On the one hand, she regretted using it. She was annoyed with herself for listening to Chloe on using her power on something stupid. Thinking back, she thought of the many ways she could have put her time rewind to use.
Max thought how they'll have to return to Nathan's room later that night to find out the rest. You could have used it to buy yourself more time and read the evidence on Rachel in Nathan's book ...
But you wasted it on something stupid as Nathan getting his.
Overcome by guilt, there was a hint of reasoning. She thought of Kate. She thought of Chloe. She thought of Rachel.
She needed this, Max thought to herself. And for the sake of Chloe's sanity, it was worth it. She looked up ahead at Chloe digging the truck keys from her back pocket. Max thought that Chloe must have been really shaken up herself, judging by how fast she wanted to get out of there.
You would feel shitty too, Max, after just watching yourself lose control and beat someone to shreds!
Max quickly ran to catch up to Chloe just as she was inserting the keys in the truck door.
"Chloe ..." Max said as she approached Chloe from behind and softly brushed her hand around Chloe's slim waist. To her touch, Chloe flinched and turned around.
"Max," Chloe said with a soft voice. She didn't seem terribly affected by what just went down, but Max thought about how much Chloe liked to suppress and bottle up her feelings.
Max looked up at her girlfriend and bit her bottom lip, not knowing where to start.
Chloe smirked. "I know, I know. I'm a dummy with anger issues."
Max let out a soft giggle before saying, "I'm just glad we made it out. But what happened back there ... can't happen again, Chloe."
Chloe looked down at her scabby knuckles and nodded. "That makes two of us. It was hella ballsy but it coulda gone hella wrong ..."
"Yeah," Max agreed, "And this all solves nothing. We need to make sure there's actual accountability. Real accountability, not time-travel-beating-up-accountability."
Chloe nodded as she fiddled with the truck keys. "I know Mad Max. It solves fuck all. Except I feel pretty damn good now that that's out of my system." Classic Chloe smirk. Which quickly fell into a frown. "Just sucks balls that he still gets off free, Max. You know? After all that crap."
"We'll get him, Chlo. We'll get that journal thing of his and give it in the cops. It'll prove what he did to Rachel. It will. It has to."
Chloe tightened up and exhaled. She opened the truck door, crawled in and came back out with a cigarette in her mouth and a lighter in her hand. Bringing the flame to her lips, she took a long drag before finally blowing the bitter nicotine smoke in the air above them. She took the cigarette in-between her fingers before finally saying, "It just won't prove what he did to me. Fucker."
As much as she didn't want to believe it, Max heard some truth in that.
Oh Chloe.
I mean, the only 'proof' you have is ...
"The baby," Max whispered.
Chloe took another drag of the cigarette. "What?"
"It's the strongest kind of proof."
Chloe arched an eyebrow. "Uh, earth to Max."
"You can use the baby to bust Nathan. You can bust his ass, Chloe! If you go through a pat test to prove it was his and that he drugged you and did awful things to you ... you could get compensation! And-and use that to leave this dump!"
"Max, you know I'm not going through with it." Chloe looked numb. "I don't want anything to do with his dirty money. It's what almost got me killed that first day in the bathroom ..."
Max watched the smooth cigarette smoke curl around Chloe, reflecting in the electric blue of her eyes. They looked sad.
Max, you insensitive dumbass. She instantly regretted even suggesting such a thing. Chloe undoubtedly saw the uncomfortable look of regret on Max's face, but she simply smiled as she took one last quick drag and flicked the cigarette stub.
"It's hella whatevs, Max. If I can't get justice, at least Rachel will. And your friend Kate."
"Yeah, I guess. We'll have to go to the Vortex party. Nathan, though suspended, won't miss it. That's for sure. And he might try to do it again to someone else." Max looked up at the familiar Arcadia Bay afternoon sky. It was getting late. "But first, let's pay a visit to Frank."
Chloe nodded, following her every word. "Good, let's get this over with. I have to pay him off anyways. The cash I took from Blackhell is in the back of the truck."
"And we can get him to confirm that he's Nathan's dealer and then get more dirt out of him, too."
Chloe climbed into the truck and Max got in from the passenger side. The bluenette inserted the keys into the ignition and turned up the radio. "Now let's get the fuck outie."
The two girls pulled up to the grimy sand banks near the water lining the outermost patch of forest. Garbage littered the sand and the 'No Parking' signs were bent and fallen over.
"Wow, this is literally the edge of Arcadia Bay," Max said, wide eyes taking in everything. There wasn't too much to see considering it was pretty much dark out. But from what she could see, Max didn't exactly feel the most comfortable.
Lots of sand, barren, empty. Except for Frank's RV in the distance.
"Figures this is where he hides out. Out of sight ..." Chloe said as she set the truck in Park and unbuckled her seatbelt.
After sneaking out of Blackwell, Chloe had called Frank. She still had his number so they managed to not fight for two minutes and set up a meeting location right away. Frank didn't hesitate to tell Chloe where to come. She had his money, after all.
The drive over wasn't too long either. It was a little rough, however. Chloe had to drive through a few jagged roads to actually get to where Frank sets up his RV. By the time they got there, the sun had pretty much set.
Max unbuckled her seatbelt. She decided to leave her book bag in the truck, just in case.
Oh yeah, this is so not at all sketchy ...
Just paying a visit to a drug dealer at night in the middle of nowhere ...
Totally cool, Max.
Chloe reached behind her and pulled out the wad of cash from the back of the seat. Max watched her as she sat there looking nervous as hell.
Finally, after a long sigh, Chloe looked at the brunette. "Max, look. I need you to be the one to ask Frank about Nathan. I'm ... hella on edge the closer I get to that scumbag. I can't stand thinking that Rachel lied to me about this piece of shit. And knowing that he's the one that probably gave Nathan shit to drug me with ..."
Max nodded and ran her hand down the blue-haired girl's arm. "Chloe. Of course."
The two got out of the truck and began walking to the RV. The RV, dirty and beat up, was parked closer to the edge of the forest. As they got closer and closer, they could see Frank was sitting in a folded out lawn chair, his eyes closed, head leaning back, neck tattoos exposed as he smoked what could only be a joint. The smell was slightly familiar to Max and definitely familiar to Chloe.
As they approached Frank, he raised his head and opened his eyes, grinding the end of the joint on the side of his lawn chair.
Chloe held the wad of money in front of him. "Dude, I have your black cash," she spat at him. She threw the stack over and Frank caught it in his lap unexpectedly.
He stood up and shoved the wad in the back of his pants. "Well, if it isn't Bonnie and ..." stifled laughter, "Bonnie? Or is it Bonnie and Clyde? You're probably the Clyde, huh Price? Being manly as fuck 'n all."
Chloe's jaw stiffened. "Yo you better shut your mouth, Bowers!"
Frank began to slowly saunter to his RV door, chuckling. "That's why Rachel liked me more, huh? I'm more of a man than you ever fucking will be," Frank laughed as he opened the door to his RV. "Oh, and thanks for the cash."
That's it?! No Max! So much for you talking to him!
"H-Hey Frank?" Max heard herself say.
Frank turned around. His smirk was dangerous and his eyes were bloodshot. "Hm, I remember you. The girl with enough balls to shoot me. What the fuck do you want?" he demanded.
Max stepped closer to Frank nervously. "Well, um, since we kept our side of the bargain, we were wondering if ..."
If you could spill the beans ...? Hah.
Max, what the fuck. Focus!
"... If you could tell us about Nathan."
Frank arched his eyebrow and shut the RV door, apparently deciding to actually see where this goes. "Nathan? That Prescott rich kid?"
"We know you're his dealer," Max said firmly, channeling the last bit of courage she could find. Chloe nodded.
Frank walked forward and sucked at his teeth. "What of it?"
Max refused to back away. "Did he seem ... off to you? Or talk about things he does with his ... purchases from you?"
Frank glared at Max and Chloe as if to analyze whether he could trust them. "Why should I tell you two Blackwell bitches?"
"Because –" Max began.
Just tell him. It's bound to go public sooner than later.
"– We think he drugs girls and then takes advantage of them," Max divulged.
Frank raised an eyebrow and scoffed after muttering, "That perverted asswipe rich boy" under his breath. After a moment's pause, he looked straight at Max. "Me and Nathan used to get high together. You know, pass along a joint or two while he comes to pick up his poison. He would talk about doing shit to girls but I thought he was fucking with me. No way would a rich kid pull that shit off. Too much to lose and all that shit."
Max felt like a weight had been pulled off of her, only to be replaced by a larger, much heavier weight.
"What kind of things did he say?" Max waited for a response but could see Frank's hesitation. "Frank, this is important. Please."
"He joked about doin' shit to Chloe,"
Chloe flinched.
"– some Katie girl,"
Kate!
"– and Rachel ... but the fuck if I will ever believe that. Especially Rach. I was seeing her so he'd never actually fuck with my girl."
Yeah right, you would think.
"So ... Do you sell him stuff like date rape a lot?"
Frank chuckled slyly and only after a short pause he said, "He said he takes them to help him sleep or some shit. He gave me this goddamn sob story about how he always runs out of his insomnia meds and crap. Says it helps knock him out. Thought it was a load of bullshit but fuck it, he's probably just a rich boy junkie covering his tracks."
He definitely is a druggie!
Frank scratched the side of his neck and went on, "Anyways, he's comin' round tonight and wants another order so if you can go the hell away before you scare off my customers ..."
All of a sudden, Chloe stepped out and burst, "So he could do it again! That motherfucker!"
"The fuck you talking about?" Frank spat at Chloe, scowling.
"You fucking piece of shit! You gave Nathan the drugs to knock his ... his victims out and then abuse them? Do you realize what a sick prick that makes you? You're giving him the fucking tool to do this to helpless girls. What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"Calm the fuck down, Price. I do my job. Not up to me what he does with it. He could shove them up his ass if it were up to me. I don't give a fuck."
Chloe clenched her teeth. "He is a PSYCHO! A fucking psycho. And you helped him!"
"Look bitch," Frank angrily yelled, "You should have come here alone if you have crap to say to me about the way I run shit."
Chloe let out a loud cackle and threw up her hands. She couldn't believe this. "And you don't even give a fuck!"
"Why should I? The only thing I give a shit about is myself and mine ... and you getting the fuck out of my face!"
"Calm down, Frank! Let's just talk it out –" Max interjected.
Frank whipped his head to her. "Don't you ever tell me what to do, Blackwell bitch!" He lunged forward, grabbing Max by the shoulder and yanking her backwards. "Get it bitch? Get it?!"
As if it all happened in a single flash, Chloe bolted ahead, pushing Frank off of Max. "Step the fuck back!"
Max stepped back and watched in shock as Frank looked at his arm that was pushed by Chloe, smiling. He slowly reached into his back pocket and brought out a switch blade. Calmly, he said, "How do you like my knife, kid?"
In the span of seconds, he charged at Chloe and jerked the knife. The flash of rusty steel. Closing the space between them, digging it into Chloe.
With wide eyes, Chloe instinctively grabbed at the wound in her side, her white tank stained by crimson. The searing pain was unreal, the cold burn of the knife jerking through her whole body.
Max gasped, her hands raised to her mouth. "NO!" She wanted to yell, but her throat tightened and nothing came out. She watched Frank psychotically smirk as he examined the blade tainted by blood and look her way. Chloe clenched her eyes shut and bent over, a small stream of blood trickling through her fingers.
She couldn't.
Not again.
She immediately raised her hand and concentrated.
And she rewound.
The headache came instantly.
The pounding, the heavy throbbing hit her much faster this time.
But she pushed herself, past the blood red vision, past the pulsing, past the aching pounding.
She knew she couldn't push herself much further. She felt the slow trickle of the nosebleed, but she kept pushing until she felt she was going to run out of air and pass out.
She let her hand fall down against her side.
And resumed time.
Her vision cleared, hardly. But just enough to see Chloe.
She's okay.
She's ... okay.
"– he's ccomin' round tonight and wants another order so if you can go the hell away before you scare off my customers ..." Max heard Frank say.
Need to ... stop Chloe ...
All of a sudden, Chloe stepped out and burst, "So he could do it again! That motherfucker!"
"The fuck you talking about?" Max heard Frank spit at Chloe for the second time.
Before she could let anything go on, she swiftly latched onto Chloe and raised her hand.
One last time.
"Chlo..."
"Max?! You're bleeding!" Chloe turned around to face the brunette at the realization that she had paused time yet again. Something was wrong. She pushed herself too far, Chloe thought to herself in a panic.
Max concentrated on holding it. Her fingers were shaking in the air, outraised. Holding the time freeze. The throbbing and blindness diminished since she was not actually forcing herself to turn back time, but they were still present. And aching.
"Listen, Chloe, I can tell you for a fact that this will not go well."
Chloe's face grew worrisome as she wiped the blood underneath Max's nose. "Max, I should have known you would be kind and rewind." She exhaled slowly. "So tell me exactly what I need to do here."
Max tried her hardest to concentrate on Chloe. Her eyes.
"You ... won't like this, but please watch your mouth. You have zero social skills in this situation and you will piss Frank off immediately."
"No man, I don't like this at all ... but I trust you. And girl if anything happens, you better rewind fast."
Max let out a soft smile as if to promise that she would even though she very well knew that she couldn't quite possibly do that again.
Lowering her hand, time came back to her.
"I said ... what the fuck you talkin' about?" Frank spat out impatiently.
Chloe stepped forward and slightly raised both of her hands, as if to signal innocent surrender. She meant nothing by it. At least, she wanted Frank to know that.
"Nothing, dude. Nothing. He's just a fucking whiny rich kid." Chloe looked up at Frank. "K, you have your money. We gotta dip. Let's go, Max."
Chloe slowly turned around and eyed Max. Walking on eggshells.
"Yeah, get out of my sight, Price. And your damn bodyguard there with the lady balls," Frank muttered as he opened the door to his RV and started climbing. "Send my regards to the Prescott kid. And remind him to come pick up his order for tonight ..."
Chloe tensed up, but said not one word. She kept walking.
And he was gone. Back in his RV.
Max felt a wave of relief overcome her as she and Chloe sped back to the truck. Away from what could have gone very, very wrong.
Somehow, the pounding in her head faded, along with the blurring, distorted vision.
Or maybe it was still there, but Max was too focused on getting out of there alive that she just didn't notice.
They both got into the truck and sat in silence before Chloe finally said, "Damn, Max. It took like all I had to shut the fuck up with Frank back there."
Ohh, I know how it feels to strain, my dear, impulsive Chloe Price.
Max let out a chain of giggles as she ran her hand down her burning face. "Trust me, Chlo, I know. But at least we confirmed what we suspected."
And thank god you're here. Thank. God.
I can't lose you again.
Chloe nodded as she shoved the keys into the ignition. "So I guess this means we should probs head back to Blackhell?"
"Yeah, the Vortex party will be starting soon and I'm sure –"
Max stopped in her tracks.
What was that?
BOOM!
Thunder?
"What the hell?" Max urged up in her car seat. "It was fine just a moment ago ..."
BOOMMM! The thunder rumbled overhead, shaking the truck.
"Meh. It's cool, it's just rain," Chloe smoothly said as she set the truck to Drive.
It was already quite murky but Max could see the clouds rolling up ahead. Fast. Rushing, tripping over one another as if to race who gets to break loose first. The steel grey clouds looked angry as they collided above the beaches of Arcadia Bay.
All of a sudden, Max got a chill.
And then the rain started falling. Smoothly at first, but then outweighed by a ton of anger. The rain quickly turned heavy, so much so that Chloe squinted past the windshield. The girls sat in the truck in silence as the rain belted down onto the truck. Visibility was quite low now, but Chloe was determined to leave. The blue-haired punk turned on the high beams of her truck, threatening the downpour.
As if it was a response, the rain fell even more ferociously. The overbearing clouds. It was almost complete darkness.
Oh noo, Max ... oh no ... Max's thoughts chanted over and over. No way could they leave now. Not in this freak weather.
Lightning split the sky. For a moment, the lighthouse was visible off into the distance. Gone as quickly as Max blinked.
Back to heavy darkness, suffocated by the merciless downpour.
Chloe glared her eyes, not daring to move the car. She was used to heavy Arcadia showers. But not this. This was savage.
As if on point, the rain beat down even harder, complimented by freakishly heavy winds. The truck shook from side to side as the wind coiled around them.
Lightning.
A glare of light on the window ...
What the fuck?
"No way. Chloe. Did you see that?" Max urged.
Chloe looked up. Nothing but darkness. "I'm just trying to get a signal here but my phones dead and –"
Lightning.
"The fuck?! Max!" Chloe bolted forward in her seat. "The rain ... It's ..."
For a moment, the lightning illuminated the windshield, displaying the rain.
Which was not really rain at all.
"Is that blood? What the fuck, Max?!" Chloe exclaimed, her hands tightened on the wheel.
The window was covered in crimson red rain drops. Pouring down on them.
"... 'It was night and the rain fell ... it was rain but, having fallen, it was blood' ..." Max heard herself whisper. A flash, a memory.
Kate reciting a poem by Poe for English.
It's me ... oh man, it's me ...
"What?!" Chloe shouted.
"Red rain ... Chloe," Max raised her voice over the sound of the heavy rain pounding on the truck, "This is messed up!"
Flash of lighting. Chloe's face was worried. The light shining from the crimson windshield tainted her face an odd shade of red.
"Hella fucked up ... We have to wait it out!" Chloe shouted over push of the unrelenting winds.
CRACKKKK.
"Chloe? What was–"
BOOM!
Lightning. A tree had fallen over up ahead. Split right at the base.
And then, as if giving up, it just stopped.
The clouds slowly pulled back and the rain turned into a moderate drizzle. And back to water. Max could see the rain washing off what was left of the smeared red from the truck's windows. The redness getting sponged up into the sand, into the black forest floor, the dark Arcadia waters. As if nothing ever happened.
The wind calmed down and they could see the fallen tree a few feet away. Chloe was panting.
"What the fuck was that?!" Chloe exclaimed, her fingers fumbling with the windshield wipers button.
And then it hit her. "It's ... It's me," Max said numbly. She couldn't deny it any longer. It had to be her.
Chloe scrunched up her face. "What are you talking about, Max?"
Max turned to Chloe. "The snow? The eclipse? The dead animals?"
"So? The fuck does all that freak of nature crap have to do with you?"
Max went on, almost in a whisper. "Y-you keep dying and I keep saving you and then weird shit happens! Chloe, don't you get it?"
"Max, don't you dare blame yourself. This shit has nothing to do with us!" Intense blue eyes, piercing right at Max.
Max shook her head wildly. "Frank! He killed you! And-and I rewound ... You were dying ... You were ..."
Chloe flinched. She said nothing, but arched her eyebrows in worry and reached out to Max, her hand stroking Max's hair.
Fuck Max, how could you be so blind!?
The signs were all there ... the signs ...
Chloe kept stroking, trying to calm her girlfriend down.
The ... the ...
Max looked up towards the crying sky.
Tornado.
And then she looked over at Chloe in a panic and said, "It's coming."
A/N: So things got dark in this chapter ... :\
Seriously, this chapter was quite hard for me write considering how freaking heavy it was. If you've made it this far, a) thank you and b) I'm sorry!
Interestingly, half of you want pure smut (*nods head smugly in your direction*) and half of you want plot. You're getting both, but this story will definitely be plot heavy as of now. Also, because my story is following the actual game plot, it included a few scenes from the actual gameplay, but I altered them quite a bit. Speaking of the game, I can't believe it's done. Thank goodness for fanfiction and fanart that give me my Pricefield fix after the game has ended. Another thing I forgot (forgot = failed) to do was keep my promise and publish sooner. School took over my life but news: I finished my undergrad and got into law school :DDD
Anyways, to make this A/N a short as possible, I wanted to let you lovely individuals know that I have about two more chapters planned for this story, so stay tuned. ALSO. I got tumblr lels Lightthewayahead. tumblr .com ... I barely know how to use it and barely post #noob lyfe, but feel free to say hi!
Oh, and pwetty please let me know what you think about this chapter!
