Life is Strange: The Dark Side of a Passion
Chapter 12 of my Life is Strange story, enjoy.
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Now onto the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Life is Strange or its characters.
Chapter 12
Up in her room, Chloe lay back on her bed, she let out a sigh. Outwardly she appeared to be deep in thought, inside though, she was fuming, a boiling storm that wanted to be unleashed. But she reigned it in. Normally she'd fly off the handle and swear revenge on whoever hurt Max, but that wouldn't help in this situation.
'Can't believe this has been happening, right under out noses...Max...' She thought sadly.
She pondered her wish to help her friend, but truthfully she could only see one option, one she never imagined she'd even think of in the first place, but here she was. She got up off the bed and began to make her way downstairs; she shook her head.
'I can't believe I'm even considering this.' She thought, appreciating the irony.
She didn't hesitate however and instantly made her way to the garage and entered. She shifted awkwardly but prepared herself; sure enough she saw David, working away.
"Hey..."
He looked up at her, surprised before becoming suspicious. "Chloe."
She sighed and quickly explained. "Listen, I know you and me, we're like fire and ice but...This thing with Max, I can't just leave it and an extra set of hands to help, that's gotta be worth something right? Why don't we work together, find answers...for Max."
David looked at her in surprise, there was a long silence following her speech and Chloe wondered if her words even got through.
After some time, David sighed.
"You're right, good plan...Alright then, let's get started." He said at last.
Chloe smiled, relieved and when he gestured for her to join him, she did so. He had a collection of documents spread over the counter in front of him. All of them relating to the incident currently going on, copies of the pictures that were causing Max such grief and a few others.
"Alright, this is what I've been able to find out." He said. "Whoever took these was careful, they worked on them carefully and made sure it wasn't immediately obvious. The shower ones were a malicious prank designed to spread things further, sadly they're real. The last one...took a while but finally proof is spreading that it's fake. The original photo, the one started all this. We still need to find out who photo-shopped it, find the real one too and then, well, we'll see..."
Chloe sighed as she took this in, then finally spoke. "Speaking of suspects, my money's on Victoria."
"I thought about her, but that's just, kinda obvious." David replied.
"Exactly." Chloe replied. "That's what's she's counting on, it's so obvious it's her, nobody would consider it. But I'm sure it's her."
"We'll need proof." David replied.
Chloe looked determined as she replied. "We'll find some, somehow."
David knew that look and knew nothing would stop Chloe now. He actually had to admit, he was impressed.
Later that night, Max lay in bed, spending another restless night. Her mind raced and whirled as she tried to calm down. But nothing was working, she was too worked up, too afraid.
'Urgh, I'm never getting to sleep like this...Just, thinking about what could happen tomorrow?' She thought sadly.
She sat up and sighed, she had been tossing and turning for hours with no results. She was exhausted, the mirror showed she looked terrible, yet nothing she did helped her get to sleep. It was then she heard the soft knock on her door and then it opened. Kate entered, smiling softly.
"Max?"
Max bit her lip. "Hey Kate, I'm sorry I woke you up again."
Kate shook her head, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. "It's fine...Everything will be fine Max."
"I wish I could believe that." Max said sadly.
Kate bit her lip, not so long ago, she recalled saying those exact same words. She didn't hesitate and moved so she was in fact fully sitting on the bed, right next to Max, she hugged her friend and spoke, gently but strongly.
"Max, I'm with you, Warren's with you, so many others...You're not alone, never forget that. That's what you showed me, remember."
"Yeah." Max replied softly. "You're...you're returning the favour now, huh?"
Kate almost laughed at that, Max did have a point. "I guess I am, but not just that."
Max looked at her confused and Kate clarified.
"You're my friend, I want to help you."
Max smiled at that, relieved.
Kate remained where she was as Max lay back down, doing her best to ease her friend to sleep. As she did so however, her gaze fell on something that scared her. Max's camera sat on her desk, covered in a thick layer of dust, it hadn't been touched in some time.
'Max always uses her camera, takes it with her.' Kate recalled. 'But now, no...she's, she can't...'
It actually scared her how much Max was affected by all of this; the unused camera serving as the ultimate testament to the depth of her suffering.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.