Life is Strange with Magic

Chapter VII

May 9th, 2010

Chloe laid beside Rachel long after the other teen had cried herself to sleep. The night had been magical she'd been a stand-in for Juliet who'd been delayed by the fire. Her acting was uninspired, but she'd been able to handle it. When Rachel went off script, her heart started beating wildly in her chest. She didn't know if she'd meant the what she'd said about running away together. The thought had crossed her mind more than a few times, but she had her doubts, and when she expressed them Rachel had kissed her. Not a chaste kiss on the lips but proper kissing and it was currently the best moment of her young life. Sadly the good feelings died half an hour later at her house. She'd stayed for dinner and during dinner, Rachel had gone off on her father. James had taken it rather well, and he'd explained that the women the pair had seen him kiss were, in fact, Rachel's biological mother. Sera was very much like her daughter, charismatic and radiated light that the world around them looked grey in comparison. Sadly she'd also had an addiction to heroin which had put Rachel in danger as she'd let drug dealers and other questionable people into the same house as her toddler daughter. So he'd divorced her and left with Rachel. It was clear that Sera wanted to see her daughter again, but James wouldn't have it and told the teen that her mother had taken the money over her for the last fifteen years. That had hurt Rachel, and the pair had retired to her bedroom. She'd calmed the girl enough to promise to help her find her mother before another wave of sorrow washed over the girl.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket forcing her to sit up for a moment to retrieve it. It had gone off a few times while she'd been consoling the other girl and she hoped it was her mother and not Max. She scanned the messages on her phone and sighed in relief as Max had just started to text her. She quickly scanned thru the two messages her mother sent her learning that she'd be spending the night at Harry's. That was a relief she wouldn't be sneaking into the house in the morning.

Max: sorry its late are you still up

Chloe: yup

Chloe answered her phone a few seconds later when Max called.

"Hey," Chloe whispered, "I'm glad you called."

"Yeah me too. So how was your day?"

"Uhm well I started the day at Blackwell getting expelled, but then my mom's boyfriend offered to get me back in."

"Oh, your mom's dating again? How are you taking it?"

Chloe mentally shrugged. "He's growing on me, but my mom adores him and vice versa."

"That's good so what happened next?"

"I spent a little time at American Rust which is this junkyard along the tracks leading toward overlook park. I found a rusted out truck that I might be able to get working again."

"Oh no Arcadia Bay isn't prepared for Captin Blue Beard and her sloop o rust."

"Ha you know there is no Captian Blue Beard without her trusty first mate Long Max Silver, but you're not far from the truth I imagine." She chose to skip the incident at Blackwell as she continued with her tale. "Then I met with Rachel at Blackwell before the play."

"Oh, who's Rachel? If you don't mind me asking."

"Uhm," their kiss a few hours ago flashed before her mind leaving her stunned for a second. "It's complicated is about the best way I could describe it."

Max was silent for a moment. "So the play was it good?"

Chloe frowned she was always putting her foot in her mouth. "It was the Tempest, and somehow I got rangled into playing Ariel for a scene. I'm not that good an actor but the drama teacher like my performance for some reason."

Max laughed. "Oh, I would have paid to see that."

"Oh, I'm sure you would have Caulfield. I've told you about my day now spill."

"Compared to your day Chloe mine was simply boring."

"Surely you did something interesting today Max."

"Na I just finished my homework ran some errands with my mom and spent my afternoon in an art gallery."

"Sorry I asked." Chloe joked.

"Alright smart ass don't make me call your mom."

Chloe laughed softly. "Oh running to Joyce like always when I get the upper hand."

"Something like that yeah."

"Okay okay, I give."

Max laughed before she pulled her phone away, "Shit sorry Chloe I've got to go, my mom's giving me the third degree for staying up so late."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "God your moms such a tool."

"Good night Chloe I'll call again soon."

"Later Max," Chloe replied before ending the call.

"I'm glad you got to talk to your friend." Rachel said beside her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't worry about it Chloe it wasn't a restful slumber and I had a nightmare to boot." the teen said sitting up in her bed.

"If you say so," Chloe said gently rubbing the other girls back from her place on the bed.

The other teen just looked at her for a moment before slipping back into the bed facing her. She moved closer kissing Chloe chastely at first, but soon it turned passionate.

Chloe was in heaven she wasn't inexperienced with kissing or in this case making out, but the other teen was something else. It left her breathless and light head, and it was the best feeling in the world. She lost track of time as the pair made out and when they finally separated she felt like the light had left the world and left her in the dark. Slowly the real world came back into focus Rachel's room, where thousands of stars painted the walls from the make-shift night light she'd made. Rachel snuggled tightly beside her with a gentle smile on her face. "You're amazing," she said still a little shell-shocked. Rachel gentle smile and her snuggling closer was the other teen's response. Suddenly the day caught up with the pair, and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

She'd woke well before dawn and slipped away from her and left her a note before making her way downstairs.

"Good morning Chloe," James said from his chair by the door. "I hope you slept well."

Chloe laughed nervously. "Mr. Amber you scared me for a second there."

James turned the lamp on beside him. Chloe could tell the older man hadn't slept at all though he was wearing different clothes from the night before. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay, and yeah I slept okay."

"I know my daughter, Chloe, if she asked you to help her find her mother. I'll not stop you, but you've got to promise to protect her." Chloe just nodded. James looked at the clock on the wall taking note of the early hour. "Do you need a ride?"

Chloe shook her head. "No thanks, I'm not going far."

"Bye Chloe," James said picking up the book he'd abandoned earlier in the night.

Chloe made her way out the door before starting the walk to home. She'd not been walking for five minutes before Officer Berry pulled up in his squad car.

"What's up!" she asked as he rolled down his window.

"Just doing my rounds. What are you doing out so late?" he asked as he slowly rolled along as she walked on.

"It's not late for me just early, and I'm on my way home after catching a nap at a friends house."

Officer Berry nodded. "Can I offer you a ride home."

"Sure." She said coming to a stop.

She slipped into the back seat as the patrol car came to a stop beside her.

"So," she said as the car started down the road "Were you on your rounds are did Mr. Amber call you."

"You always were smart Chloe. Yeah, he called the station asked if someone could give you a lift. I'm glad for the distraction some nights are just monotonous."

A few minutes later after some meaningless chit chat Officer Berry dropped her off at her house before taking off with a wave goodbye.

Half an hour later Chloe was freshly washed in a clean set of clothes and more than ready for the day to come. She waited for the sun to kiss the eastern sky before collecting her father's toolkit and starting her walk to American Rust. Unsurprisingly it took her over an hour and a half to get there and fix the truck. Finally when she'd turned the ignition, and the engine roared into life nothing could have stopped her smile. She tore around the junkyard before making her way on to the main road leading back to Arcadia Bay proper. She might have been horsing around in the junkyard, but she was an attentive driver as she made her way to Harry's house.

A/N

Sorry for the delay, and the short chapter, but I've got a health issue temporary as it may be, does make it hard to concentrate.

toile grant - Good

ellainaparker - Good to know the classics never die. I recall fondly of my youth in a dark house, late at night and the only sound was some soulful country music. This was the late 80's before country music got too pop or rock, and in the south, I doubt any stations would have run stuff like that late at night.

Aaron Leach - your constant support is appreciated.