Chapter Eleven
Bzzt. Bzzt. The sound of Chloe's phone vibrating on the bedside table wakes the girls up at around 7:30 on Tuesday morning. They had stayed up past midnight and none of them felt like rising just yet. Rachel grumbles and rolls away to face the balcony as she snuggles her pillow, while Max glances at the red numbers of the alarm clock and stuffs her head under her pillow in reaction to the time. Chloe tries to ignore the phone but it just keeps buzzing and buzzing until she gives in and answers it.
"Oh my God, mom, it's too fucking early." She whines, her voice very scratchy from all the singing and beer she had the other night. "This shit better be important."
After some silence Chloe tosses the sheets off and throws her feet over the edge of the bed to sit up, her tone shifting from agitation to disbelief. "What? Mom, April Fool's Day is over… are you being serious right now?"
Max emerges from under her pillow and lifts her head to peer at Chloe, watching the tension build in her face and seeing her free hand grip the edge of the bed so firmly her knuckles go white.
"Jesus… is it on the news?" Chloe's eyes begin to shimmer with emotion as she meets Max's gaze, then she stands and turns to the TV to switch it on and flip through the channels.
Chloe soon finds what she's looking for and sits on the foot of her bed, the other two girls sitting up to watch as well. A breaking news story about Arcadia Bay is being broadcasted state wide. An hour ago, at around sunrise, local police raided a barn owned by the Prescott family and arrested Mark Jefferson on the scene. They discovered evidence in the bunker beneath the barn of him drugging, kidnapping and photographing girls he had been taking from Blackwell Academy over the years, usually his very own students. Further evidence linked Nathan Prescott to the more recent crimes, who was apprehended from the Prescott Estate half an hour ago. Sean Prescott is under investigation for any possible involvement in the crimes, being that his barn was used and his son was involved. The reporters continue to repeat the same details over and over as they wait for further information.
Photographing? I thought the letter said they were being raped. Did my future self lie to me and David, or are they lying on the news to protect the victims or the ongoing investigation?
"Yeah, I'm still here, mom. I'm watching it, but the TV didn't mention… Listen, I just woke up. I need caffeine. Can I call you back? Is that OK?" Chloe sounds so very concerned and hurt. "Alright, talk to you in a bit."
As soon as Chloe ends the call Max slips out of bed. She glances at Rachel who is staring down at the sheets in dismay, her face seeming very pale as she processes the news. Max walks around Chloe and Rachel's bed to take a seat on the corner, just left of Chloe. A tear rolls down Chloe's cheek as she just stares at the TV with a hopeless expression.
"Chloe… what's wrong?" Max braces herself as she asks for whatever awful news Joyce shared that the TV did not.
"He… he was there." Chloe speaks so quietly Max can barely hear the words, her eyes still on the TV. "David's dead."
Max goes wide eyed and drops her jaw in shock, guilt immediately wracking her body and making her shrink into herself where she sits. "No…"
I'm a murderer… I sent David to his death. My God… what have I done? It wasn't supposed to happen this way. What did I do wrong?
"I called him a junkie…" Chloe leans forward to rest her elbows on her knees and buries her face into her hands. "I made fun of the PTSD he got from serving his country. That's always going to be the last thing I ever said to him!"
"Oh, Chloe…" Max reaches over to rub Chloe's back. "I'm so sorry." Her eyes go over to Rachel who still seems to be stunned by the news, staring down at the bulges of her feet under the sheets. "Rachel?"
Rachel looks up from those sheets to meet Max's gaze as her name is spoken. "Huh?" Her eyes dart between the two girls on the front of the bed and she realizes she's needed, so she crawls forward over the sheets. "Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts." She takes her place by Chloe's right side and pulls her sobbing girlfriend into her breasts to try and comfort her.
While Rachel holds Chloe and gives her soothing back rubs, Max just sits there staring at the TV for a few minutes, all of the girls suffering from the news for different reasons. Eventually Max stands and moves over to the hotel phone to look through the house numbers. "I'm going to order breakfast and coffee to the room. I don't think any of us feel like going anywhere right now."
After placing three orders Max decides to shower, giving Chloe and Rachel time alone to hold each other and cope with the news. The events of Friday night and Saturday morning run through Max's mind over and over again as she cleans herself.
I'm a failure. If I had just been able to stay awake and leave the note out over night, then David would have had it sooner. He would have acted sooner, and he'd still be alive. But, I took that picture by the mailbox. My future self will be able to come back and fix this, right? Can this be fixed? Well, not until October at the earliest. I have to take care of Chloe until then… and Joyce. Poor Joyce. She deserves so much better than this.
Max comes out of the bathroom in her grey jeans and light green t-shirt, spots Chloe and Rachel still right where she left them, and approaches to try and help. She brushes a hand through each girl's hair, Rachel's feeling like silk while Chloe's is thicker and warmer. "Breakfast will be here soon… is there anything else I can do to make either of you feel better?"
Rachel raises her face to offer a grateful smile. "You're already doing it, Max." Her eyes shift back to the TV when it shows a picture of Mark Jefferson, her expression shifting to repulsion and horror.
As she realizes the news can only upset them further Max fetches the remote and changes the channel to an old comedy re-run, but lowers the volume quite a bit. "Alright. We'll just take things one step at a time. Breakfast will be here in a minute." She places the remote on the dresser next to the TV and turns back around to continue petting her distraught friends, running her fingers through their hair and massaging their scalps with her little fingertips.
Soon there's a knock on the door and Max goes to collect the three breakfasts and coffees she ordered, then escorts the tray of food and beverages to her bed and passes everything out. The girls eat and drink in silence, Max watching Chloe slowly improve from the hopeless guilt that had gripped her, but something seems to keep Rachel looking disturbed and distant.
"So, do you two want to go shower?" Max asks with a delicate tone once breakfast is finished. "I know you may not feel like doing the chore now, but you don't want to feel gross all day. And maybe some hot water will help you feel better."
Rachel offers Max a soft smile and slowly pushes herself to her feet, gripping Chloe's arms and pulling gently upward. "Come on, Blue. Max will give us more hugs today if we're clean."
After Max watches the two slowly walk into the bathroom she stands up and heads to the sliding glass door, letting herself out to the balcony to feel the cold, crisp morning air on her bare arms and feet. She ponders as she watches the grey clouds slowly wander the skies.
Well, I don't need to worry about making Plan B anymore… but this isn't an improvement. How can I explain the writing on my arm and the letter to Chloe now? She'll know I gave David that note. She'll know my actions led to his death. How will she feel about me then? And what's going on with Rachel? She did seem really into Mark Jefferson when I first met them. Maybe she was having student teacher fantasies about him and now she feels disgusted with herself after learning what he is. I need to figure it out if I want to help her get through this.
Her cell phone rings as she's thinking and when she sees it's her mom Max answers. Vanessa knows that Max is in Portland, but when she heard the news she couldn't help but be a mother and worry about her little girl. Max lets her know the three of them are OK, at least physically, and asks for some motherly advice on how to help Chloe and Rachel get through the day. When she hears the two girls exit the bathroom to rummage around their suitcases for clothes she concludes the call and steps back into the room.
"I was just talking to my mom, and she said the best therapy for us right now is to stick together and find a happy environment to be in. So, you two should call your moms and talk a bit, and I'll see what I can find for us." Max offers her best comforting smile as she speaks to her friends, receiving a small smile from Rachel and just a nod from Chloe.
While Chloe and Rachel spend some time talking on their cell phones Max searches the net on hers, looking through her options. In about fifteen minutes Rachel finishes her call and sits with Max to help brainstorm, ruling out some of the options and adding some ideas. After another twenty minutes a tearful Chloe finishes her call, but doesn't seem interested in anything other than moping in the hotel. It takes time, but Max and Rachel finally sell Chloe on the idea of just going for a walk through downtown Portland with no aim or destination, just to get out of the room.
The girls make their way south from the hotel and find all the major shopping venues to browse through, spending the remainder of the morning walking around in Nordstrom, Banana Republic and Mario's. Rachel has another one of her SoCal cravings around the lunch hour, so they all head east to find their way to Chipotle Mexican Grill. The food cheers her up, but Rachel still randomly becomes quiet and distant, and the recovering Chloe joins Max in wondering what's going on with her.
After lunch the girls find more retail across the street, visiting The Fossil Cartel, Tiffany & Co, H&M and Forever 21, but soon all the window shopping starts to become boring, especially to Chloe. After searching the local area on their phones Max discovers the perfect venue for them and leads the other two to Glowing Greens. The indoor pirate-themed mini-golf course is in a basement and lit by black lights, all the structures and golf balls glowing bright, neon colors. During their golf round Max channels her childhood persona, Pirate Captain Calico Max, and that really does the trick to put a genuine smile back on Chloe's face.
After burning the afternoon away with shopping and mini-golf the three of them start thinking about dinner. Their eyes need some time to adjust to the real world again after being in the black lit basement for a couple hours, and in that moment Rachel spots the Veggie Grill across the street. So, they decide to go cruelty free and enjoy a healthy, vegan dinner. It begins raining while they eat, so on the way back to the hotel Max gratefully huddles under Rachel's umbrella with her while Chloe just pulls her beanie down and stuffs her hands in her pockets to deal with the rain like a true Oregonian.
"Well, I gotta admit, that mini-golf was hella cool." Chloe shows her gratitude as they arrive back at the hotel room. "Thanks for saving me from a day of sitting in bed and doing nothing, Super Max." She tosses her soaked beanie and jacket on the floor next to her suitcase.
"Of course." Max responds with a warm tone and smile. "Anything for you." She looks to the floor and blushes after letting her loving feelings for Chloe slip through a little.
Chloe wrinkles her face up in an awkward smile as she looks Max over, then shakes her head and strolls over to the side of her bed to take a seat. "Don't get all weird about it. I appreciate the effort, though." Her eyes shift to Rachel. "But, speaking of being weird, what's up with you, Rach? You've been keeping something from us today."
As Rachel is putting her umbrella and coat down she's caught, staring at Chloe like a deer in headlights. "Uh… have I?"
Max moves to sit just to the right of Chloe, each of them facing the bed that Max has been sleeping in. "Yeah, Rachel, it's been pretty obvious. Ever since you saw the news this morning you've been really… inside yourself. We can't help you if you don't tell us what's bothering you. Would you like to sit and talk it out?" She gestures her hand toward her own bed.
Rachel hesitates and fidgets, then slowly makes her way to sit where Max sleeps, her worried eyes bouncing between the two girls in front of her. "I don't know if I should."
"Come on, Rach. My step…" Chloe catches herself before saying douche. "Stepfather died today. I'm dealing with it. Whatever's going on with you, it can't be that bad. Just tell us and we'll help you get through it."
Max reaches behind Chloe to rub her back, proud of her for saying stepfather, but her caring eyes remain on Rachel. "You don't have to, but we can't help you if you don't open up to us. Please, let us help you."
Rachel sighs heavily and casts her worried eyes down at the two pairs of shoes worn by the girls sitting across from her. "Alright. I'll just come out and tell all. Please try not to freak out on me." Her apologetic eyes rise to meet Chloe's. "I'm sorry, Chloe."
Chloe leans forward to rest her elbows on her knees and watch Rachel more closely, her expression confused and growing very concerned. "What? Why?"
"The reason that news story disturbed me so deeply is because… I've been sleeping with Mark Jefferson." Rachel casts her face down at her knees in shame after she admits it.
Oh, gross. I knew it the moment I met them. I hoped it wasn't true, but I could feel it. This is so bad… Max panics internally as she watches Chloe's face contort from the pain of betrayal.
"You cheated on me?" Chloe leans back and rubs her thighs through her shredded jeans as she tries to breathe through the pain. "How long? How fucking long!?" She can't keep from raising her voice.
"With him? Only the last couple of weeks." Rachel speaks quietly, barely able to look up past Max or Chloe's shoes.
Chloe runs the words in her mind several times before issuing her agitated demand. "What the fuck do you mean, with him? Were there others? Who have you been fucking behind my back, Rachel!?"
Rachel leans back to sit more upright, but her shoulders slump and arms fold up in her lap to nervously rub at her inner thighs. Her eyes tear up and she struggles to give her confession. "Frank Bowers over the fall and winter. A few guys from the Vortex Club, but those were just hookups."
"Hookups!?" Chloe is almost screamingly angry now, standing up and throwing her hands out as she yells at Rachel. "That doesn't make it any better! You're a fucking whore, Rachel!"
"Chloe…" Max reaches up with her left hand to try and pull Chloe back, but her arm is just slapped away.
"Why are you sleeping with all these guys? I thought you loved me, Rachel! Don't I mean anything to you? Or are a bunch of dicks more important to you?"
"Of course I love you, Chloe!" Rachel's voice rises as well, though hers is purely filled with sorrow and regret. "But I can't help what I am. Chloe, I'm straight."
"Wh…" Chloe steps back and almost falls onto the bed as she huffs a few breaths, so much confusion and pain swirling inside her. Her volume lowers but the hurt in her voice elevates to replace it. "What are you saying, Rachel? You were just pretending with me this whole time? Why? How could you do this to me?"
Rachel reaches up to wipe the tears out from under her eyes as she sniffs and clears her throat. "When I turned sixteen and you wanted to get involved, I was so scared to say no. I didn't want to lose my new best friend. I was afraid you'd try to kill yourself again."
"Tssshh!" Chloe gives a shocked and exasperated expression as she gestures toward Max sitting next to her.
Rachel shakes her head. "I already told her."
Chloe sends a horrified look down at Max and clutches at her tank-top, suddenly feeling so naked in realizing that Max knows about the suicide attempt. Her eyes shift back to Rachel and fury starts to bubble up anew. "You fucking told her!? You promised me, Rachel! That was our secret forever! You were my Angel!"
"I still am, Chloe! Everything I did was to protect you! I've done everything I could to keep you safe and happy all this time because I love you… but I'm not IN love with you. I can't settle down and spend the rest of my life with a girl. It has to be with a man. But it's OK now, because I've found someone who really is in love with you and wants to spend the rest of her life with you." Rachel stands and slowly steps toward Chloe, reaching out for her. "Chloe, Max is…"
The crisp sound of Chloe's right palm firmly slapping into Rachel's cheek cracks through the room. The slap is so surprising and hard that it knocks Rachel back into sitting on Max's bed, the girl gasping and reaching up to cup her left cheek as she trembles there, her eyes and mouth wide with shock. Chloe had heard the slap and felt the sting on her palm before registering that she swung her arm around, just as surprised as the other two. Something had just snapped in her after a day of learning her stepfather died, her most shameful secret had been shared without her permission, and her girlfriend is both straight and cheating on her.
"Rachel!" Max cries out, shoving off the bed and moving around Chloe to slide in next to Rachel and hold her protectively. She casts a disappointed look up at Chloe. "Violence is never the answer!"
A flash of remorse peeks through all of Chloe's pain and anger, but it's too late. The teen doesn't know what to do in this situation other than apologize, and she's in far too dark a mood for that, so her flight mechanism fires.
"I'm fucking done with this shit! I'm outta here, and don't try to stop me from leaving!" Chloe yells over her shoulder as she hastily fetches all her belongings and stuffs them into her suitcase.
Max continues to hold Rachel for the moment, but she protests. "Chloe, no, you can't end it like this! Please don't leave! Where will you even go?"
"Away from you two. Just fucking drop it, Max. You don't want to talk to me right now." Chloe quiets down and her tone darkens as her mind defends itself from all the pain, replacing it with more and more anger.
Max pushes off the bed and chases Chloe as she hauls her suitcase out of the hotel room and starts marching down the hall to push the button and wait for the elevator. "Chloe, wait! I still need to explain the writing on my arm, and my behavior… you need to know the truth! Please, at least call me when you get wherever you're going."
Shrouded in the darkness of hatred over what she's suffered today, Chloe can't help herself. Max just set herself up perfectly. She turns her piercing, deadly gaze to the little brunette and speaks with enough venom to kill. "Of course… we're best friends forever."
Hearing the words attached to her deepest regret used against her strikes Max like a bullet, the girl curling her arms over her stomach and crumpling to her knees. She watches Chloe disappear into the elevator and descend to the lobby. "Aaaauuuugh!" She screams out in pain as she collapses to the left, her shoulder and head thumping into the wall. "Chloe… why?"
Rachel emerges from the hotel room a few minutes later to investigate and spots Max crumpled against the wall sobbing. "Max!" She rushes over to kneel behind the girl and wraps her up, pulling Max into her lap and cradling her head. "Are you OK?"
Max just shakes her head. It takes a few minutes of cradling her and brushing her hair before Rachel can will Max to her feet long enough to make the short trek back into the hotel room. They sit on the foot of Max's bed and lean into each other for a while, just crying over their loss. But, eventually the tears run out and the emotionally drained teens decide to take turns getting ready for bed.
After brushing, flossing and changing into her night shorts, Max sits in her bed chronicling both the pleasant and the painful memories of the day in her journal. Rachel spends some time on her phone trying to contact Chloe only to realize that her cell phone is turned off. She tries calling Joyce to ask if she had heard from Chloe, which she hadn't. So, Rachel simply warns her that there was a fight and Chloe left, and she might turn up home later that night.
The lights are all turned off and all the pillows are transported to the bed Chloe and Rachel had been using. Max cozies herself into the pillow nest while she sets the TV on to some old movie to softly light the room, though it's muted. Rachel has her t-shirt and panties on from the day and she curls up into Max's right side, wrapping her arms around the girl and using Max's little breasts as a pillow.
"I'm so sorry about this evening. I screwed up your road trip." Rachel sounds like she's still on the verge of tears.
Max reaches up to gently brush her fingers through that three toned silky hair. "It's OK, Rachel. I mean, it's not OK to sleep around. You should never do that again. But, I forgive you for this evening. I'm proud of you for being brave and telling the truth."
"Thank you." Rachel utters just over a whisper as she gives Max a little squeeze. "You're such a sweetheart. I'll never get myself into that situation again. I hate lying to people, especially ones I care about."
"Yeah, I have a hard time with that, too." Max sighs as she thinks about the letter from future Max for a moment. "So, is your face OK? Has Chloe ever… become violent before?"
"What? No, of course not." Rachel almost seems offended that Max would even think such a thing. "I've lied to her so many times. I never gave her a reason to be that angry with me before. But, she's not that kind of person. She isn't violent. I've never seen her hit anyone before. I'm pretty sure that was a one-time thing. And I'm fine, it was just a slap."
"That's good." Max stares at the silent TV for a minute before speaking again. "Do you think she drove all the way back to Arcadia Bay?"
Rachel takes a while to respond, sounding very sad and defeated when she does. "I really don't know. I hope she went home. I hope she's not going somewhere to… end it."
"No, Rachel, don't think like that." Max wraps both her arms around Rachel to rub and comfort her. "She packed all her things. You don't need that stuff to commit suicide. She went home, OK? Don't worry about her. Just think about what we're going to do tomorrow, if we want to stay here or end the trip."
Rachel stares at the TV for a while as she considers it. "I think we should stay here tomorrow, at least until lunch. Just in case she's still in Portland… in case she comes back. Then we'll figure out what to do next."
"OK, Rachel. We'll do that." Max leans her head back to think before sleep claims them.
I reassured her, but I can't help but worry, too. What if Chloe does kill herself over this? Or what if she went home and hates both of us forever? I can't believe how screwed up everything became today. Please, God, if you're real and you can hear me… keep Chloe safe tonight.