Chapter Eight: Out of Time, Part 4
With the nail biting scene over, they all relaxed. So much had happened in the last few hours, an exhausting experience. How had Max coped basically on her own? Little did they know the worst was still to come.
Chloe's truck pulled up outside Blackwell, rain pelting down from an overcast sky. Instead of getting out, Max turned to the bluenette. "Thanks for the ride, Chloe. Right on time for my art lesson."
"Thanks for coming with me. Sorry to be so boring…" Chloe replied with a mischievous smirk.
"Nothing exciting ever happens to us, right?" the younger girl asked wryly.
Exciting wasn't the term Max would use now – terrifying, traumatic and soul destroying… those were much better words. By Wednesday, she had felt nearly invincible. How completely wrong she'd been…
A moment of silence and the blue-haired punk spoke again. "Listen, your rewind power has to be connected to that snow yesterday. That might explain your tornado vision…"
"Explain what?" the other girl asked. "Snow equals a ginormous twister that takes out Arcadia Bay? You're high."
"When isn't she?" Rachel announced with a smug grin, her rhetorical question met with a disapproving grunt from David and a dirty glare from Chloe.
"Wake up, Max. You saved my life twice now," Chloe pointed out. "You altered the course of my destiny, yours, and whoever. Do you know about Chaos Theory?"
"This is creeping into my territory now," Warren mentioned with an eager grin.
Rachel offered him an amused smirk. "I don't think I have ever heard someone so proudly announce their nerdy tendencies."
He shrugged, sounding as casual as possible. "Oh sure, it's earned me some scorn over the years. Nothing I couldn't handle though."
"Impressive," she chuckled at his nonchalant display.
His grin was wiped off immediately as Chloe gave him an intense glare. She got jealous easily – sometimes it was cute, other times a pain in the ass.
"What do you know about Chaos Theory, Miss 'I hate Math'?" Max asked with surprised amusement.
"Five years ago, asswipe," Chloe clarified, narrowing her eyes. "Some people change… and your situation is the perfect storm for quantum physics."
Her expression turned troubled. "Why me? I'm just a geek girl in some town."
"A perfect example of 'strange attractors'. Don't they teach you kids anything at Blackwell? We have a tornado, rewind power and freak snow… Hello Armageddon! So let's party with your powers, rock star!" Chloe sounded almost too excited about the prospect of the world ending.
The predictable answer made Rachel smiled. "Glad to see you're already ushering in mass destruction with such glee. Very punk rock of you."
Chloe merely shrugged. "Anything to make Arcadia more exciting."
"Unlike you, some of us have a life worth avoiding that." Victoria's caustic remark earned her an equally insulting response.
"Oh right, I forgot. Being a total bitch is a very important use of time. It makes you so unique and special. My apologies, your Highness." The unrestrained sarcasm oozed from her mouth, making Victoria bristle up.
To stop the oncoming fight, Max deliberately cleared her throat snapping them from their little antagonistic world. While it did shut them up, it didn't stop the death glares. Small victories…
A smile danced across the brunette's face at her friend's eagerness to welcome looming doom. "Like you said, Professor Price… a superhero needs a sidekick."
Chloe sat there, giving her a truly happy smile. "How can it be such a shitty week and yet one of the best of my life?"
"Because we're back in action again!" Max exclaimed excitedly as they shared their secret handshake.
"Cute," Rachel mentioned, knowing it would drive her mad.
"What did I already say about saying that?" Chloe sighed in irritation.
"I'm waiting for my beat down. Don't be too rough with me," she replied with a suggestive smirk.
Warren awkwardly cleared his throat as Kate looked away shyly. Max didn't react visibly. Internally, she felt jealous, sad and guilty – Chloe would feel so betrayed soon.
"You sound a little too pleased about that," the bluenette pointed out.
Rachel's grin widened, mischief twinkling in her eyes. "I can sound more disappointed or even scared if you want. Whatever works for you."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Does that messed up libido of yours ever switch off?"
"Not with you around," the blonde replied with a wink. Thankfully, the spiral of chaos stopped there. Not a moment too soon either.
Getting out of the truck, she waved Chloe off as she drove away then headed to the photography classroom. Along the way, she managed to sweet talk Courtney into getting her VIP entrance to the Vortex Club party, all thanks to her powers. Not only that but she had a borderline civil conversation with David and helped Warren with a science experiment.
Heading out of the science lab, she noticed Kate and Mr. Jefferson having a heated discussion outside the classroom.
"So you can't help me?" Kate asked, her voice quivering.
"Maybe this is your way of getting attention," Mr. Jefferson cruelly remarked. "I'm trying but you have to understand my position…"
"Why? You don't understand mine. Nobody does… nobody…" the blonde interrupted, storming down the hallway.
After witnessing this exchange, Max ended up getting roped into a conversation with him about David Madsen, Nathan, Rachel, and Kate. She expressed her worries about Kate, but he didn't seem too concerned about the whole thing. He even went so far as to blame her for the whole thing - being so pretentious as to quote Shakespeare.
Of course he would try to blame Kate, cover up his tracks. He didn't give a shit about her… or any of them. He played his role of concerned teacher well, too well for anyone other than David to suspect. Max had looked up to that bastard, trusted him. The audio distorted, reacting to her spiraling emotions. She couldn't let him get to her, not now.
Ryan's expression darkened. "That hardly counts as a responsible reply from a teacher. Glad to know it's not just Wells."
Vanessa didn't say anything, in utter disbelief at how bad things had been – not just for Max.
"I agree. Just what the hell is going on at Blackwell?" Joyce questioned angrily.
"What always happens…" Chloe added bitterly. "The Prescotts get away with it."
She was partially right but didn't have the entire picture. While Nathan must've been the one to drug Kate and bring her to the Dark Room, he wouldn't have done it without Jefferson.
Mr. Jefferson got a call, ending the conversation.
Just who was he calling now? Max hadn't paid it much mind before. Maybe Sean Prescott. He had to know what was going on it that underground bunker. After providing Jefferson with a place for his fucked up obsession, he would pay.
Entering the classroom, Max noticed Nathan and Victoria at her desk just waiting to mock her. After trying to rile her up unsuccessfully, they moved and she sat down. Staring out of the window, she noticed David hiding behind a tree taking pictures of Kate.Okay, why is David taking photos of Kate? Now this is so wrong. And weird…
Joyce's brow furrowed. Just what was David playing at? To spy on his own family was one thing but harassing a Blackwell student? There was no excuse. Over the years, she had forgiven a lot – knowing how much he struggled re-adjusting to civilian life – but this was too far.
David watched himself stalk the blonde. There just had to be a reason, all his decisions made with the best intentions; he tried his damn hardest. This level of paranoia had to come from somewhere. Kate felt uneasy at her behavior. In the past, she had been mocked for her beliefs but nothing like this. However hard she tried to ignore the cruel comments, they hurt. This degree of bullying must be unbearable.
Warren came into the classroom, expressing his concerns over Kate. The bell went, Jefferson making an appearance. "Okay, I know you love me, but if you're not in this class, beat it." Warren, Nathan, and Dana left, everyone else getting settled."Everybody else, please sit down. We have a lot to cover today and so little time as usual... I see all the usual suspects here…" Mr. Jefferson prowled around, pointing over at the empty chair. "Anybody seen Kate Marsh?"
"I think everybody has seen Kate Marsh by now…" Victoria commented, earning a spiteful laugh from her blonde minion.
Taylor winced at her eagerness to follow the crowd, shooting Kate an apologetic glance. Kate seemed like a nice enough girl, not deserved of the excessive torment. Every mean comment would build up, pushing the poor girl further into despair. Even knowing that, she had participated. They all had. Victoria looked away while her taunting mockery filled the room.
"She's not feeling good," Alyssa called out, shooting daggers at the blonde.
He sat on the desk in front of Max. "Sounds like you're giggling about a video gone viral. Maybe it involves a student, or friend. I wonder how it would feel to have false images of yourself shot out all over the world for people to judge." Her phone vibrated but she couldn't check with Jefferson staring at her."Usually, people need something to judge so they never take a good look at themselves. We can thank reality TV for some of that. In the end, we can only blame ourselves for participating..."
This was complete bullshit. Jefferson just regurgitated the 'correct' response here, upholding his image and nothing more.
With his back turned, Max checked the disappointed text from Chloe about Frank taking the gun. "Speaking of participation, there are a few souls here who have yet to enter a photo in the contest. Like Max Caulfield, for example. Who I know can't wait to enter, right?"
"Yet more appropriate behavior from our dear teacher," Rachel sarcastically commented. He had been this way with her, too – guilt tripping into playing by his rules – but the blonde had been too headstrong to submit to such underhanded tactics.
"The whole passive aggressive approach. Great," Warren muttered under his breath.
"It doesn't seem fair to single Max out like that," Kate mentioned softly, suspecting that it would make the brunette anxious.
Ryan just shook his head. "I would say I'm surprised but after all we've seen, this is to be expected."
With that gripe out of the way, he finally started class. "I'm sure you read the syllabus like it was a Harry Potter book, so you must know today we're studying 'chiaroscuro' - that beautiful word about the contrast between light and dark, the shadowplay that gives photography such… visual power."
As he lectured on, she glanced at the empty chair.I guess Kate will miss class now… I'm worried about her.
Kate never missed class, not even for illness – how she had maintained her high GPA. When the blonde ran away, Max should've followed without hesitation. It was all so obvious now. Tears stung at her eyes, humming static coming from the speakers. Her guilt soon intermingled with other nagging doubts and fears, all eating away at her. Could one person really change everything? Could she? Banishing those questions to the back of her mind, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She had time to fix this.
"It's basic yin and yang," Mr. Jefferson continued. "Black and white images are effective precisely because of their contrasts. Although we don't technically 'see' in monochrome-"
His words were cut off when Zach burst into the classroom. "Yo, some crazy shit is going down at the girl's dorm! Check it!"
"Zachary, do not come into my class like that ever again…" Mr. Jefferson sternly commanded, everyone rushing to their feet. "Listen! Everybody remain seated-" Now alone, he sighed deeply. "Dismissed."
The only person who knew what was going on was Max. The rest of the group could only guess, using the hints. Kate had to be involved; the brunette had drawn so much attention to her ordeal. If that was the case… they feared the worst.
Max followed her classmates to the Prescott Dorm building. A large crowd had gathered on the grass, all staring at the rooftop. Her feet moved of their own accord, rain lashing against her skin. Mutters could be heard, ranging from shock to mockery. Some had their phones out, pointed to the sky.
Warren waited with bated breath, suspecting this would be a rough ride. The closer Max got to the crowd, the more obvious it became to him… and the more he regretted wanting to find out. Rachel and Chloe exchanged brief glances, hoping their shared prediction was wrong.
The Vortex Club trio remained silent, their eyes locked on the screen. Color slowly drained from their cheeks, the harsh reality dawning on them. As for Kate, she couldn't think properly. Part of her wanted to run but morbid curiosity compelled her to keep watching. If Max was showing this to them, it had to mean something. David didn't move an inch; crowds meant trouble. Joyce's face fell as the realization hit her. Max's parents glanced over at her, just in time to see the practiced mask of calm crack.
Suddenly overwhelmed by the surge of negative thoughts and feelings, Max felt her composure slip away. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, throat dry. The panic was beginning to show externally, screen flickering, sounds going in and out of focus.
As the brunette walked around the corner, her eyes fell on the rooftop… Kate teetering on the edge, then hurtling to the ground.
A sense of paralyzing dread coursed through the blonde's veins. There were no words to describe her distress. The other person most affected, aside from Max, was Victoria. Now, she could finally witness the drastic consequences of her thoughtless bullying. It was a harsh wake-up call. Some looked away as Kate took a nosedive, others stared in disbelief. There was only so much one person could take before they turned to drastic measures. People never listened… until it was too late.
The screen went crazy. Warped screams accompanied the jerky looping fall fueled by a surge of fear, panic, and desperation. It had already been burned into Max's mind, plagued her sleep. Whirring and distorted backward whispers rang out, colors bleeding into one another. Brief flashes of the oncoming storm pierced her thought as the fear rose.
A hand on her shoulder broke through the distress. Turning, Max was met with Kate's concern filled expression. Hazel eyes begged her to calm down before she hurt herself. The brunette just had to remember her friend was okay… in this timeline. If she wanted to keep it that way, she had to focus.
As the screen and sounds settled, Max took several deep breaths. She couldn't let her emotions rule, someone would get hurt. In control again, she offered Kate a reassuring smile and turned back to the task at hand. She had to face this. There was still some interference on screen, nowhere near as intense as before. All she had to do was keep a cool head. She couldn't afford to expend unnecessary energy to reign her powers back in.
Just as the blonde was about to hit the ground, Max thrust her hand out and rewound. She could only go so far – just before Kate jumped – before clutching at her head, blood gushing from her nose. Not again, not now…When she lifted her head, she caught Kate's body plummeting to earth again.
I have to try something… I won't be able to rewind again and again… Gritting her teeth, Max rewound through the pain, watching Kate ascend to the rooftop in slow motion. As her feet hit the edge, the world jolted, hazy as everything froze around the brunette.
Warren did a double take, not believing his own eyes. This was impossible… then again, so was everything he had seen up to this point. Just what was Max capable of? For Kate, this was so surreal. Despite the dire situation, it was heartwarming to know someone cared about her this much. Without Max… she wouldn't be here.
Victoria and her minions were rendered speechless, probably for the first time ever. Taylor sighed in relief, Courtney relaxing ever so slightly. Maybe there was still a chance to save the blonde, to partially rectify their grave mistakes. Both Rachel and Chloe were gob smacked, a rare occurrence.
Although Max's parents and Joyce were worried, they felt proud. Max was doing everything she could to save a friend – just like she had with Chloe – putting herself at immeasurable risk. Her body and mind must be in excruciating pain, more than they could ever imagine. David remained stoic, knowing his constant harassment was at least partly responsible for this outcome.
The young time traveler stood in awe for just a moment, examining the still figures. She had to get to Kate. As she pushed through the crowd, head pounding, she noticed familiar faces. Victoria and Taylor stood there, filming the whole thing on their phones. Dana and Juliet were huddled close, expressions filled with horror. Brooke covered her eyes, while Alyssa buried her head in Warren's shoulder. Nathan was at the front, staring up in disbelief – an unexpected reaction. David was the only one trying to help, suspended mid-sprint outside the door, face stiff with determination.
You… can… do it… She forced her legs to move, getting all the way to the top. Yes. Her victory was short lived, her power cutting out. Blood poured from her nose as she tried to pause time again, groaning in pain.
Kate turned, a brief flash of shock replaced by despair as the brunette tried to unsuccessfully rewind. "Stop! Don't come near me!"
Not now… It won't work… I don't have any power… Now I have to do this by myself.Max took a deep calming breath and closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself.
With Kate's life hanging in the balance, Max forced herself to watch. She felt so responsible for the pain, not just the blonde's. Her powers had made them suffer a thousand times over… and she'd do it all again to keep them safe, especially Chloe.
Everybody watched, hearts in their throats as this tentative, life-threatening exchange got underway. Regardless of what they believed, a few silent prayers were made in that moment.
Shuffling back, Kate glanced down at the ground. "Max, seriously, don't some near me. I will jump."
"Okay, okay. I'm right here. Kate, please…" Max pleaded with her.
"Oh Max, I know you want to help me…" The sorrow on her face faltered momentarily, realizing at least one person cared. "I love that you stepped up to David, but it doesn't matter now. Nothing matters."
The brunette took a very tentative step forward, watching for the other girl's reaction. "You matter. And not just to me."
"I do want to believe that…" Kate managed, emotionally exhausted and resigned. Desperately, she wanted that to be true but wasn't convinced.
Swallowing hard at how close Kate was to the edge, Max continued. "Kate, your life is still yours. And we can get through this together… Let me help. Like I helped by erasing all that crap people wrote on your room slate..."
"I'm glad to hear you worry about me… That makes me feel better…" the blonde admitted weakly.
Hearing this, Max stepped forward. "Of course I worry. You're my friend, Kate."
"I did feel better talking to you on the phone. I always feel like you really listen."
Sensing she was breaking through, Max pressed ahead. "Kate, please trust me. Come stand by me, okay? I can help you now… I know I can. This morning I erased the web link to the video… It was written on the shower room mirror..."
Several pairs of eyes flitted over to Victoria then, who pretended not to notice. If only she had known the teasing would lead to this, she wouldn't have pushed so hard.
Tears intermingled with rain on Kate's cheek. "Are you serious? Thank you so much… The fact that you don't care about that video and would come up here to stop me means a lot…"
"I care about you because I believe you were drugged," Max insisted, desperation taking hold. "We will find out who did this and make them pay."
"You sound so persuasive, Max… If only…" the despair filled blonde mentioned softly, glancing back again.
Picking up on it, Max put herself about two feet away from her friend. "Kate, I believe you. Will you believe me? Please… you don't have to do this…"
Kate's face crumpled. "Max, I'm in a nightmare and I can't wake up… unless I put myself to sleep. Then everybody can post pics of my body… I'm already on the internet forever."
Rapidly running out of ideas, Max reached deep inside to find something… anything. "Kate, this is our chance to beat the bullies. This is the only way we can win against them."
"Can we really, Max? I don't believe in miracles anymore either." This statement was made ten times worse by the heartbreaking tone.
This really hit the point home. Clearly, Kate's faith had never been shaken to this extent before. Through all the worst times in her life, she at least had that to cling to. Thanks to the reactions of her supposed friends, family, and Church, it had poisoned that unwavering source of support and strength… which left her with very little.
"Now I do," Max shouted over the rain, shivering from cold and fear. "You're part of the reason why. If you come down with me, I can tell you more…"
"You're such a good person, Max." Kate's shoulders slumped, eyes closing. "Even if you're full of crap. But I'll come with you… You're my friend."
With another step, Max was within touching distance. "Forever. Can we hug on it?"
Staring at the brunette's outstretched hand, Kate wavered then grabbed onto it. Before she could change her mind, Max tugged her away from the ledge, both girls collapsing.
"I'm sorry… sorry…" Kate apologized over and over again, sobbing her heart out as she clutched on tight.
Without hesitation, Max held her tight – confirming the blonde was here and sheltering her from the worst of the rain. "What are you talking about? You saved me from talking in class!"
A collective sigh of relief echoed through the room, the tense atmosphere fading slightly. Processing all this properly would take time. The immediate reactions ranged from a brief moment of solace to so many questions suddenly emerging. Most of all, they were just happy to see Kate out of immediate danger.
With Kate safe, Max, Nathan, Mr. Jefferson and David headed to Principal Wells' office. After a long pause, the balding man turned to those present, speaking with deliberation. "Now I know today was difficult for everybody, but I'm so proud of the way Blackwell pulled together to save a young girl's life."
"What the actual fuck?!" Chloe spat, frowning. If anything, Blackwell had pushed her to that roof. "This is total bullshit!"
Rachel shook her head in disbelief. "Oh, I can't wait to see how Wells came to that conclusion."
"Talk about taking undue credit for other people's actions," Warren mumbled under his breath, leaning back in his chair.
Ryan was practically shaking with rage. "Just when I thought this couldn't get any worse… now this?"
"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Joyce remarked incredulously.
"This is…" Vanessa couldn't even finish her sentence, that was how ridiculous she found the statement.
Even Victoria could see the transparency in the claim. David had expected as much; people like Wells rarely took responsibility but were eager to get the credit. Kate remained quiet, the utter shock of the last twenty minutes or so still sinking in.
Max noticed this, reminding herself to have a private chat with Kate when she could. The poor girl would need some support after that. Also, she felt like she had to explain herself.
Then, his eyes focused on the brunette. "Of course, you're quite a hero for getting Kate to come down, Max."
"I didn't do much…" Max mumbled, slumping back in the chair. She looked like she would rather be anywhere else right now, not that anyone could blame her.
"She's modest. Like a real hero," Mr. Jefferson added proudly.
"Yeah. 'Real hero'," David grunted bitterly.
The word 'hero' made Max grimace. She certainly wasn't that. Heroes didn't exist, idealized standards to make people feel better about themselves. What she had done in trying to help, that should be expected of anyone. It was nothing special. Society had it backwards, just like trying to blame Kate. So much hypocrisy and double standards. It made her blood boil.
At times like this, it was tempting to let the world burn in her wake, only saving those she deemed worthy; her faith in humanity had been shaken that much. She wasn't perfect but at least she was trying, unlike some people. Jefferson calling her a hero made it a thousand times worse, feeling more like a taunt than a compliment.
"As principal of Blackwell Academy, I take my duties seriously. I take the well-being of every student more seriously," he announced in his deep, booming voice.
"I'd hate to see him not giving a shit then," Chloe mentioned acidly.
Ryan's face twitched with suppressed rage. "I don't know how much more of this crap I can actually listen to."
"I'm sure he's so worried about all of us. That's why he lets Nathan get away with murder. It all makes perfect sense now. How could we not all see it before?" Rachel's biting sarcasm was laced with bitterness. She doubted Wells had lost any sleep over her own disappearance.
There were no words to express the collective level of disgust over Wells' behavior. Kate had nearly died, but he was acting as if nothing had happened.
"What happened today should never happen in a hall of wisdom and knowledge. Mr. Madsen, as our head of security here, those roof doors should always be locked. That's just standard operating procedure. They were not. And that is indeed your responsibility." David didn't argue this point, jaw tightening. "Mr. Jefferson, I know you can't be expected to know what your student are going through, but Kate assisted you in class, so you should have known something was amiss."
Chloe's short, sharp, agitated laugh filled the air. "Glad to see he's taking the appropriate responsibility for all this. What a fucking great principal."
Under different circumstances, Joyce would've reprimanded the bluenette but Wells deserved it. David merely grunted, his predictions coming true. Ryan shook with fury, ready to lose it. Vanessa, on the other hand, seethed in silence. She had no sympathy for the man who did everything to avoid actually doing his job. Kate found it hard to see his redeeming qualities in this moment. Rachel had expected this – people like Wells always laid the blame at other's feet to save their own ass.
After a brief pause, he turned to Nathan. "Mr. Prescott, since you are responsible for the Vortex Club parties… And since Miss Marsh did attend your last party, you'll have to answer some more questions."
"Oh, come the fuck on. It's so obvious that asshole has something to do with this shit," Chloe scoffed, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
Anybody in their right mind could see that Nathan was trouble. Somehow, he always managed to get away with it. All thanks to his father's money and influence. That was the only way. If she tried to pull that shit, she'd get shut down so fast, kicked out and sent packing from Blackwell. Just like she already had been.
Warren slumped back in his chair. "Anyone else would have been suspended way before now. Especially with the gun incident. I know I would've been."
"Welcome to the Prescott's reign of terror," Rachel sardonically remarked. Despite being a bit of a rich kid asshole on occasion, Nathan just wanted a good time. In the past couple of months, however, he'd started acting very strange.
Ryan's eyes became steely. "The Prescotts have always been bad news, but this…"
Vanessa shared his feeling, not missing the Prescott's influence in Seattle one bit. Joyce had no words, William would be turning in his grave. She couldn't blame Chloe for wanting to leave. As much as Victoria hated to admit it, Nathan was getting shadier by the second. Doubting a friend was horrible, but even she couldn't deny the mounting evidence.
Wells sat down in the chair behind his desk, steepling his hands. "Miss Caulfield, why exactly were you on the roof with Kate Marsh? Did she tell you her plan? Or anything at all? Please, tell us everything."
"Did I miss something here? When did Max become the bad guy?" Warren asked incredulously. Wells sounded almost accusatory, as if Max was somehow at fault. She had seen her friend jump from that roof twice before saving her, not that Wells would know, and he was giving her the third degree.
"Now, apparently," Rachel replied.
"Makes sense. It's not like Nathan is the shady fuck here or anything," Chloe spat, words tinged with bitter sarcasm.
Yet another decision screen appeared, this time with three options: NATHAN DOSED HER, DAVID BULLIED HER and JEFFERSON MADE HER CRY.
They were so close now, then Max could rest. "It's decision time again."
"I think you know who I'm voting for," Chloe answered immediately. Not like the brunette could blame her. Nathan made the most sense, even if it had ultimately been the wrong choice.
Rachel found Jefferson's involvement a little… odd. Compared to Nathan and David – drugging and stalking Kate – his contribution paled in comparison. What he had done, dismissed her claims, was horrible… but not the main cause. Was there a reason?
The blonde couldn't help the twisted smirk as she cast her vote. "Let's throw Nathan under the bus. It probably won't do anything, but we can try."
"Agreed," Warren stated. That's all they could do in the end.
Kate didn't have the energy to engage in the discussion, simply nodding. The sooner this part was over, the better. Above all else, she needed some fresh air and time to think.
Again, Victoria abstained. She didn't want to condemn Nathan but there was little choice. It would happen with or without her vote. All leads pointed to him as the culprit. Both Taylor and Courtney were thinking along similar lines – Kate's account condemned the boy more than anyone else. Whether it would be that simple in the end, they didn't know.
The adults followed suit, each voting to blame Nathan. Max's parents would've done it simply based on his countless threats to their daughter. David had already suspected him, nothing new there. His policy: guilty until proven innocent. Joyce had the added incentive to make him pay for nearly killing Chloe, too.
In reality, they had all been partly responsible for Kate's suicide attempt – watching the video, passing it around, talking about her behind her back, ignoring the bullying, so on so forth. Max had managed to avoid watching it, even though she was the nosiest person in Arcadia, if not Oregon and beyond. By watching that video, she would've betrayed Kate's trust. She could not bring herself to do that.
Glancing over at the blond boy, the words tumbled from Max's lips before she lost her resolve. "All I know is that Kate went to a party and Nathan dosed her. She got wasted and kissed some boys on a viral video without a clue."
"I dosed her? Without a clue?" Nathan repeated incredulously. "Have you seen the video? Whatever. Kate was loaded and playing the field-"
"You're a liar. You told Kate you took her to the emergency room!" Max countered, relaying Kate's account.
He just rolled his eyes. "I said I was going to take her to the ER. She sobered up eventually."
"Bullshit!" she blurted out with uncharacteristic force. "Something happened to her, and you know it! How about we talk about you waving a gun around in the girls' bathroom-"
"Damn, Max. Going straight for the jugular," Rachel added, impressed by the direct attack. Maybe it was in the heat of the moment, but few would dare go against Nathan.
Chloe was shocked, knowing that the brunette avoided confrontation like the plague. Still, she always stepped up when she had to. It had always been that way. Max's parents and Joyce were equally as surprised by this outburst.
"Hey, that's total slander!" Nathan interrupted angrily. "I could sue you and this school so fast! ...I already have a personal lawyer."
This statement inspired a twisted grin to form on Max's face. He would need much more than a lawyer to escape retribution.
"Careful, Mr. Prescott," Wells cautioned sternly. "I have been told about this alleged gun incident. And I have to admit that the video in question was sent to me by multiple sources."
"So, being a snitch really does pay," Warren said to lighten the tense mood. "I've been lied to all these years."
"Including me," David swiftly added.
"And since Mr. Prescott does appear prominently in the video and was responsible for the party, I have no choice but to suspend him until further notice," Wells confidently ordered.
This outcome was unexpected, especially considering Wells' earlier resistance to follow up on the boy's behavior. At most, they had expected more non-committal statements. While these might be empty words, it was a small victory.
The brief shock turned to suppressed rage. "Whatever. See you in court."
"Not so confident now, are you fucker?" Chloe smirked with mild satisfaction at this sliver of justice. It wasn't much, but it was a step in the right direction.
"Maybe we should take a picture of this moment," Rachel commented. His face was a picture right now. Clearly, he had been expecting to get away with it, like always.
"Excuse me," Mr. Jefferson interrupted, "I think Max and Nathan need a break before we grill them further. A friend and student just tried to kill herself… They don't need this forum right now."
Like he cared whether Kate lived or died. In fact, it would've been better for him if she did jump – tie up loose ends. His concern had all been an act.
"Yes, I'm kinda devastated right now. I'd like to be with my family," Nathan stated with a put-on tone.
Chloe just shook her head. "Just when I thought I'd heard everything…"
"He could at least try to make that sound half-believable," Warren mumbled under his breath.
"That would require him having an actual soul and emotions," Rachel replied sharply.
"All right, Miss Caulfield, please sign here to confirm what you've just told us." Wells rotated a piece of paper on the desk. "I'll continue this investigation from there."
My head is killing me, but I think I can use my power again.
A sentiment the Max sitting in this room also shared. Although, she didn't think that she would survive another rewind this time.
Giving it a quick once over, she signed it. Wells took the paper back and stood, tone regretful. "Well, I think we know less now than when we started. We'll be assisting the police with further inquiries. I know this has been a stressful day… I wish I had the power to change it all for the better… so thank you, for coming in."
This experience was like an endless taunt for Max, a personal attack on her decisions. It felt like every sentence was spoken to fuck with her head. Out of all the possible outcomes, this one had been the best at the time. For someone like Wells to think he could've done a better job made her feel so angry. Especially when she knew what he really meant was that he'd make it better for himself, not Kate. He had no fucking clue what a "stressful day" really was. Nor did he have any idea what she had been through. She didn't want people to applaud her, far from it. All she wanted was for this madness to stop.
Max met up with Warren and the pair sat on the grass at the front of the school. The sun hung low in the sky, yellows and oranges blending seamlessly. "I couldn't even believe it was happening. It was literally slow motion as I grabbed her hand… and then I could feel her grabbing mine..."
"Max, that was the greatest thing I've ever seen. Ever," Warren began excitedly. "You reached out, she reached out… Hugs, tears, applause… Like a superhero!"
"Not quite," Max objected softly. "Look at me, I'm a mess."
He shook his head at her self-dismission. "You're glowing. Seriously. A human halo. I'm pretty sure you've earned your wings today."
Wincing, Max wanted people to stop praising her for this. None of this would've been made possible without her power or Kate's will to keep on living. She hadn't wanted to commit suicide. All she wanted was for someone to listen and help, for everyone to stop blaming her. If more people had been there, it wouldn't have gotten to that stage. If Max had been there more.
Instead of pointlessly arguing the point, Max let it go. "I'm still worried about Kate. She did try to kill herself. All over a video…"
It hadn't been just a video for Kate. That video had been a catalyst for a shitstorm of criticism and scorn, driven her to the edge. Totally devastating. That should've been more than enough to validate Kate's emotions and reaction.
"'Viral' is the right word. Like a disease," Warren mentioned wistfully.
"So you watched it?" Max asked, glancing at him.
He seemed uncomfortable but answered truthfully. "Just one-and a half times…"
Warren's face fell. Even he had succumbed to watching, not just once either. Any faith he'd had in himself was crushed in that moment. He was no better than anyone else. His actions had contributed in some way. He'd become part of the problem. It was a tough thing to face. At least he hadn't tried to hide the fact, unlike some. Not that it made it any better. Kate obviously hadn't wanted people to watch it. Why would she? Why would anyone, for that matter?
Silence passed between them, Max sighing. "Warren, I don't mean to sound weird, but there's something ominous going on at Blackwell…"
"Today proves that," he agreed.
Determination crossed her face. "And I'm working on proof that Kate Marsh is connected to Rachel Amber… somehow. Along with Nathan and Mr. Madsen."
"I'm not a big conspiracy guy, but I wouldn't doubt it. Nathan did scare me yesterday and Madsen is a straight-up dickhead," he remarked before asking, "So… what do you think is really happening?"
Before she had the chance to reply to him, something strange caught her attention. "What the hell is this…" Her eyes focused on the sun, which was slowly being eclipsed.
Another song began to play from the speakers in the room, yet another indie classic. There were no snide or joking remarks this time, though. This coupled with the weird snowstorm from before – and the oncoming storm – could not be a coincidence. Messing with time had its consequences.
"The weather confirms this weird day. Feel that chill…" Max hugged herself to keep out the cold.
Warren was extremely confused. "Max, there was no eclipse scheduled today… I would know. I would."
When she rubbed her arms to combat the chill, Warren scooted over and put an arm around her. "I believe you, Warren… I'll believe anything this week…"
As with last time, they saw with the others were doing now. David and Joyce were stood in the backyard, the man's head resting on her shoulder as his shoulders slumped. Next, Principal Wells having a discussion by a car in the parking lot, cut off when the car drove away mid-conversation. Victoria was in her room, crying. Nathan arrived, expression tender when he noticed her. The beach was the next location, Frank sat there scratching his dog's head. Then, Kate's hospital room came into view, the bed surrounded by balloons, flowers, and cards all wishing her a speedy recovery.
Finally, Chloe was sat up on the cliff, feet resting on the main plank of a bench as she looked out over the calm waters. Glancing at her phone, she brought a cigarette to her lips, exhaling the smoke cloud deeply.
Chloe: Sorry about Kate. I hope you're ok.
Chloe: This eclipse freaks me out…
Max: Let's find out what's going on!
Max: Together!
In keeping with last time, the final scene included a shot of three red binders, Rachel's visible again. Instead of cutting out, the focus shifted to a desk. There was a glass filled with amber liquid, pill bottles, and another red binder. This one had Kate's name on it, alongside a black and white picture of the girl.
The group sat in silence as the screen faded to black. Each part added a new ominous layer to the mystery. Kate and Rachel were involved somehow, that much was certain. How it all came together… they would have to wait and see.
After what seemed like an eternity Max stood, all eyes turning to her. "We'll have a break now. This one will be longer I suspect. I shall need to have a word with some of you." Her eyes focused on Kate. Realizing she was up first, the blonde followed Max out of the auditorium.
"Well, fuck…" Chloe sighed, rubbing her face with her hand.
Rachel closed her hazel eyes. "You can say that again."
"I'm not sure what to be more worried about," Warren finally managed. "This storm, those weird binders or Max."
All three were interlinking points for discussion; you couldn't talk about one without the others.
The storm was presumably a consequence of Max's power, whether a catalyst or a component. Where had the power even come from? And why? The binders were connected to Kate and Rachel but how? And Max herself inspired a whole new level of layered questions.
"I think it's safe to assume we should be worried about all of them equally," Joyce pointed out tiredly. "Although, I am getting very concerned about Max."
"You're not the only one, Joyce," Vanessa softly muttered. She so desperately wanted to take her daughter to the hospital, as did her husband. Who knew what damage she had done to herself?
"At least she didn't suddenly collapse on us this time. That's something," Joyce noted reassuringly.
"Yeah…" was all Ryan could manage.
Warren ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. "Instead, we get a crazy screen freak out."
That had been scary, sensing the spiraling loss of control. Not just on screen but in the room, too. Air charged with electricity.
"Max's emotions must have a direct effect on however she's showing us this," Rachel theorized. That made the most sense considering what they had seen.
Warren stroked his chin, contemplating "Makes sense, I guess. But it does beg the question as to how she's even doing this."
"It must be some extension of her powers," Victoria stated in her usual condescending tone. "How else would she do it otherwise? She's basically showing us memories of things that she experienced in another timeline."
"Well, yeah. But is the connection wired from her mind somehow, or is she directly transcribing it over from the timeline in question. Isolating it and projecting it. Or something else?" Even just thinking about all the possible ways made his head hurt, but also fed his insatiable desire for knowledge.
"How am I supposed to know that?" Victoria grumbled in irritation, her harsh tone making him wince.
"I thought you knew everything," Rachel challenged, knowing the challenge would annoy her to no end. This comment earned her the desired reaction – a disapproving glare and a deep frown.
Joyce interjected here to prevent a huge fight, something none of them needed right now. "However she's doing it, it can't be doing her any good."
"Constantly messing with time would give you more than a headache. That's for sure," Warren agreed sadly.
It was impossible to know what this was really doing to Max, physically, mentally or emotionally. How she had held on this long without going into a coma or worse was a miracle itself. Sheer will power and a disregard for safety would only carry her so far.
"She'll be fine," Chloe abruptly announced. "She has to be…"
Even if it was a lie, it made her feel better. She couldn't think otherwise. If she started, she wouldn't be able to stop. Max had done so much, all to keep her sorry ass from getting hurt. If the brunette got hurt in any way, it would be Chloe's fault. She couldn't deal with that.
Nobody contended the point. It wasn't like Chloe would accept it, however hard they tried. They'd just be wasting their breath and they all knew that.
"Regardless, we should keep an eye on her condition," Rachel gently suggested.
For a moment, it looked as if the bluenette might protest. Instead, she just sighed in resignation. "Yeah… I guess."
Meanwhile, Max and Kate had stopped a short way from the auditorium. The young time traveler tried to search for the right words, drawing a blank. Instead, she did the only thing she could think of. Taking a step forward, she drew Kate into a hug. The blonde seemed shocked and Max remembered how they were practically strangers in this timeline. Just as she was about to awkwardly pull away, she felt her hug returned.
Something warm and wet splashed onto her neck, Kate shaking in her arms. Her heart dropped as the poor girl sobbed, tightening her grip. It must have been tough for Kate to watch everything. Hopefully, these would be the only tears she had to cry in this timeline. Max rubbed soothing circles into her back, reassuring her as the tears dried.
Even after she had calmed down, they were reluctant to part. The brunette smiled tenderly as her eyes met Kate's again. Everything had already been said from the film, further words redundant. Besides, one hug could say more than words ever could. Kate took a deep breath as she dabbed the remaining tears away with a tissue, always organized.
Then, they heard footsteps approach. Turning, they saw Victoria poke her head out of the auditorium. Without hesitation, Max approached her. There were so many things she could say now, most adding insult to injury. Victoria already knew what she had done wrong, her behavior in the aftermath of the other timeline proved that – she wasn't heartless. Still, it was tempting to rip into her, let go of the pent-up frustration, however unfair. Kate had managed to forgive Victoria and Max wanted to respect her decision.
Victoria must have sensed the longing to tear into her, body tensing for the onslaught of rage. Max stopped a foot in front of her, taking a deep breath as she stared into Victoria's eyes – now filled with resigned guilt.
Swallowing her pride, Max simply said, "Do right by her this time."
Before she could change her mind, she strode away not looking back. She did, however, quickly glance over her should, seeing the taller blonde look awkward. There was nothing to worry about. Kate was the kindest, most forgiving person Max knew. If Victoria's apology was sincere, it would be accepted without question.
Leaving them to it, Max made her way back to the others. She needed to check in on Chloe now. When she popped her head around the door, she couldn't find the bluenette or Rachel. Figuring they must be outside, continued around the corner. She found them, leaning against the wall smoking in silence.
"Max…" Chloe called out tiredly as she approached.
"Just thought I'd check in," the brunette said as she came to stand in front of them. "How are you guys doing?"
Rachel let a large smoke cloud from her mouth. "Why does it suddenly feel like I'm third wheeling?"
"You're not," Max assured her. "The question was aimed at both of you."
The blonde must be feeling the pressure now, anxious to know her fate. The red binder reveal sure hadn't helped. "Could be better. Could be worse."
That described Max's time travel adventures well, although she ended up leaning towards the former sentiment by the end. Then, she turned to Chloe, who scuffed her boot along the ground as she smoked.
Just when it seemed like she wouldn't answer, the bluenette lifted her eyes. "To be honest, I don't know what to make of any of this," she admitted wearily. "It's just… so fucked up. All of it."
Max offered up a melancholic smile. "On that, we can agree." And Chloe hadn't even seen the half of it yet.
"I keep trying to get my head around it all. Just when I think I've got it, something else comes along and blows everything out of the water." She brought the cigarette back up to her lips and inhaled deeply, letting it all out in one long breath. "More importantly, how are you coping with all this?"
The brunette just shrugged. "Doesn't matter really."
"Of course it fucking matters, Max," Chloe snapped, regretting the outburst immediately. "You've already passed out on us once and don't think we didn't all notice that weird screen flickering shit earlier. You're always so worried about how other people are feeling and not enough about you."
"You want to know how I'm feeling, huh? You really want to know?" Max didn't sound angry, just scared.
Her hands shook as she waited for the reply. In truth, she felt fucking awful. Her head was in a constant state of pain. The more time that passed, the harder it was to concentrate on anything. Every now and then, her limbs began to tingle and even feel numb, especially in her right arm. Whenever she stood, it felt like she was about to fall over. Not to mention the waves of nausea. Emotionally, she was all over the place.
Chloe flicked the remainder of her cigarette to the ground, stomping it out with her boot. "I'm not trying to back you into a corner here, Max. I'm just… really worried. And I have a reason to be."
"I know you are," Max sighed, "The thing is, however I'm feeling, I have to get to the end of this. Worrying about it all isn't going to help. Just know that getting through this as quickly as possible will help me."
After a moment of silence, Chloe shook her head. "Okay, Max. If you think you can handle it, then I guess I just have to let you do it. It's not like I can really stop you. Trying would probably put more strain on you, anyway."
The agreement was unexpected. Sighing, the blue-haired punk pushed off the wall and wandered back to the auditorium. Rachel just shrugged, throwing her cigarette to the ground and following.
Max watched the still smoldering embers glow a faint orange. She so desperately wanted to sleep but now wasn't the time. After a second or two, she rolled her shoulders and headed back to the group.
There was much to do before the day was over.
And 'Out of Time' is done. Join us next time for the start of 'Chaos Theory'.
