Chloe had been prolonging a conversation for far too long. It's been two days since she promised Rachel she would tell her mother about her problem. The day she did that compromise, it was mother's day, it was understandable why she didn't. The next... her mom had woken up in such great mood, stills from yesterday's high. Who knew spending quality time with her would make her forget it was Monday and her daughter wasn't supposed to be at school because she got expelled? Not Chloe. She considered having more Mom days now that she and Rachel were staying for a little longer, but then that walking mustache came downstairs and she remembered why they couldn't have nice things.

Joyce was in the dining table sat with Stepdouche. Their plates were already empty, but they were still talking.

"Mom..." Chloe approached her slowly, her hand scratching the back of her neck. "Can we talk?" She glanced at David, who had moved in a few days ago. "Alone?"

Joyce noticed her behavior, her way of speaking. This was her Chloe. "Of course, darling."

They walked outside to the yard, her mom closing the glass door behind them. Chloe hadn't been here a lot since her childhood best friend Max moved away, just here and there to have a smoke when her room felt like it was closing in on her, usually after she had one of her night terrors and needed some fresh air to contaminate.

She sat on a swing and Joyce took the one next to her. Chloe rocked nervously back and forward, a tiny squeak could be heard, probably because of the rusty metal. "I think I know why I've been making everything hard..." Her mom's look intensified, if that was even more possible. Well, Chloe wouldn't know, her eyes were adverted to the ground. "The reason I'm struggling so much is because I've been having nightmares every day... since dad died."

"Honey..." Joyce reached out her hand and placed it on her knee. Surprisingly, Chloe didn't pull it away.

"I-I can't keep living like this..." her daughter sobbed. "I need help. I want to be a better version of myself." For you. For me. For Rachel. "And I know we've been struggling with money, so I never asked..."

"No matter what it is, you have to tell me this stuff, Chloe. We'll figure this out together, okay?"

Chloe finally glanced back, her eyes shiny and wet, full of faith. "Okay."

"You don't have to tell me your nightmares, but you'll have to tell someone for you to get diagnosed."

Chloe nodded, expecting that.

"I'll see what I can do ASAP." Joyce stood up but was held back by her daughter's hand.

"Thank you." Chloe looked at the sky. It was past noon, so the sun was up high. But it was still a bit chilly because of the spring. "And I was wondering if we could have a girl's day... every week. Sunday was fun."

Joyce smiled her brightest. "It sure was. Just set a date and I'll make time."

"Okay." The woman started walking away. "And mom?" Chloe added and she turned around. "I love you."

"I love you too, Chloe. Always."

After another long day at school, Rachel waited on the parking lot for her dad. She'd gotten out a few minutes early, so she had a little time to mentally prepare herself for this scene, even though she didn't have a script. Maybe she should improvise more with Chloe.

James' car suddenly arrived, right on time. He lowered Rachel's window because he knew she liked the wind in her hair and opened the door for her from the inside.

Calm down, Rachel. He's still a piece of trash. "Hey, dad," she said simply. She'd considered calling him James, but being cold wasn't going to get her what she wants.

"Hi, sweetheart," he greeted back, not driving but looking at her as if he'd realized he had lost something huge. Good, you did. "How was school?"

"It was alright." Small talk, but not too small. "I got an A on my biology test." Rachel was so lucky she had great memory because she hasn't been in the right mind to study; breaking her usual, hard routine.

"I'm so proud of you." James gave her the tiniest of smiles—a very rare sight—and then he started driving away from Blackwell.

Rachel wondered where he was taking her, he wasn't exactly welcomed at their house anymore.

"You can pick the station."

She reached out to the radio and fumbled. Can You Feel The Love Tonight? by Elton John started playing, feelings of nostalgia surfacing on her heart. Rachel froze. Of fucking course.

"Do you remember this song?" James asked, his mind going there, too.

"You and mom's wedding." Rachel had seen the videotape of their slow dance thousand times. She used to imagine herself one day in their shoes, now it was just another tainted memory.

"Mhm," he hummed. "That was a great day."

Was it? Did you forget your vows were in vain? Rachel clenched her fists. She wished she didn't feel like losing it, but she made a promise.

His dad stopped the car, still looking straight ahead. "I made a mistake and I'm not about to beg you to forgive me. I do love your mom, but it's not the same—"

"I don't want to hear why you cheated on her," she interrupted him, her voice breaking and her fists hitting her knees instead of the half-open glass window. "You lied to me, to her. There's a right way to break things off and surprise! it doesn't involve cheating."

"I didn't want you to be in the middle of a divorce."

"But now I am, aren't I?" Rachel sighed.

"I know this doesn't cut it." He turned to her. "But I am very sorry."

"Me, too." She glanced over her surroundings. They were outside Pinolo Gelato. He always took Rachel here in their midnight adventures to get ice cream whenever she got a good grade, which happened often. But as he got busier and busier, these trips stopped. Now she knows why. What was with this emotional train wreck anyway? It was messing her up. She put her mind on blank and recalled her objectives. "I need a favor."

"Anything."

"I need you to get Chloe back in Blackwell. Scholarship and everything."

"Rachel—"

"I need to know I can count on you again."

He spaced out for a moment, considering. "You can count on me."

"I hope so." Rachel thought about staying, but she didn't want to hold on to the past. It was dead. This was about her future with Chloe. And he wasn't part of it.

She walked out of the car, too overwhelmed. He seemed to understand somehow because he didn't follow her. Well, Rachel never looked back. But no one was stopping her.

Rachel found herself in front of Chloe's house. She had never entered and she hadn't told her crush she was coming, but her feet took her home. She couldn't have asked her father to drive her here because he didn't know who her new safe place was and she didn't want him to know he had no real chance by refusing ice cream. Or maybe Rachel just couldn't handle it. Him. Couldn't handle being fake anymore, pretending nothing had happened.

She pressed the doorbell and waited, those tense seconds feeling like an eternity. Finally, a screech and a surprised face.

"Oh, hello, Rachel!" Joyce beamed, a phone against her ear, just ringing. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Hi, Joyce. I wanted to see Chloe."

"Of course." Chloe's mom let her in. The first room leads to a hallway, upstairs and what seemed to be a garage. There were pictures and a rack on the wall. It felt cozy and warm. "Chloe's room is up, first door to your right."

"Thank you!"

Joyce offered her a smile and walked towards the hallway, apparently whoever was on the other line had finally picked up. "Good afternoon. Yes, I'd like to make an appointment."

Her voice faded. Rachel took a fast glance at some of the photographs. A young happy Chloe with another little girl by her side, she assumed it was her old best friend Max. Some others of her mom, Chloe's dad, and Bongo. Then Rachel finally followed Joyce's directions and knocked.

"Mom?" Chloe asked.

Rachel opened the door. "Just your favorite therapist."

"Oh, lord, you're here." Chloe had been laying in bed smoking, but she straightened her back at the sight of the most beautiful girl she's ever seen, putting out her cigarette."I'm sorry my room's a mess."

"It's fine." Adapting. "It's so you, I love it." Rachel walked in and looked at blue eyes for permission to sit next to her. Instead, they got lost in hazel. Gazing. Swimming. Loving. That's just what she needed.

Chloe was the first to snap off, blinking. "I'm sorry, here." She moved her butt backward, towards the wall, her legs straight.

Rachel sat on the edge, it didn't feel like enough. "I talked to my dad," she started.

"How did it go?"

"He's gonna do it, but you were right. He means something to me and I got hurt."

Chloe scooted closer, grabbing her hands and her brows lifting with worry. "Hurt?"

"Down memory lane. There were so much reminders of when my family used to be one, happy. Now there's a line drawn between us and I almost crossed it. I don't want to care, but I do."

Chloe caressed her cheek, Rachel hadn't even realized it was wet. "Listen, your dad once was a good man. It's okay to still feel love for the person he used to be. But we all change for better or worse and we all struggle to accept that. But we can't let ourselves believe they are still the same."

Rachel nodded repeatedly, taking everything in. She threw herself in Chloe's arms and was caught gracefully, her back on her front. "You're right..." she whispered. "I just wonder... how do you know?"

"Some of my nightmares are very insightful... and they make me question whether or not I had the perfect dad. To me he was, at least all the time we spend together. But I was the one to change for worse. He wouldn't be proud of who I became. What I don't know is how he'd treat me, like his little girl or his big wreck."

"I think either way, he would be there for you." Rachel leaned her head back to glance at Chloe. "For the record, he would be proud of who you are becoming. You're a badass and who doesn't know is missing out."

Chloe smiled. "The only one who matters is you, though."

Rachel leaned in, but cellphone rang loudly in her pocket, making them jump. She took it out and the screen read DAD, her face flushing. They shared looks and she picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi, baby. I've got great news: Chloe can go back to school. But in the fall with her scholarship back."

"That is great, I guess. Thank you."

"When I told you you could count on me, I meant it."

"Good. Well, I'm studying right now, so..."

"Don't worry about it. Have a goodnight, I love you."

"Goodnight." Rachel hung up. "He did it, he got you back. But before you get excited, you can reinstall back in the fall."

"Shit, that was fast. And I'm not upset, it works, I'm seeing a psychologist soon. Better get my shit together before then."

"He probably already had dirt on Wells." Rachel trailed her fingertips down Chloe's arm. "So you're replacing your shock therapist? Bummer..." She grabbed her hand. "I'm just kidding, I'm glad."

Chloe still seemed a bit flustered, but managed to get her game face back on. "Maybe my shock therapist should have gotten a license."

"Chloe Price going the legal way? Never thought I'd see that day."

"Therapy doesn't mean I won't smoke weed... Maybe just not as often."

"Well," Rachel changed subjects. "Where were we?"

"I think you were doing something like this..." Chloe took her hand back and placed it on her own cheek. "Then we closed our eyes." They both did at the sound of her soft voice. "And..."

Rachel connected their lips. The kiss was slow and tender. It started with a few long pecks, their foreheads now against each other. Then she didn't remember how, but they ended up laid in Chloe's bed. Rachel back in her arms, head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat. That's when they fell asleep, too drained with the difficult conversations faced today.