Chapter 14 Then

Chloe

April 19th, 2013

6:55 AM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

AB Harbor

After barely loosing the cops from the carnival, me and Rachel drive back into town as it was going on seven in the morning. I'd assume my Mother and Step-Fucker would find out I snuck by now. The only significance of that would probably be a text message from either of them asking where I've gone. When we approach the docks of Arcadia, I tell Rachel to pull over.

"Rachel, pull over."

"What?"

"I said, pull over."

"Chloe, come on. Can't it-"

"Pull over now!"

Rachel pulls the bike over to the harbor located near my Mother's diner and parks it. I'm officially pissed with Rachel for nearly getting us busted again and start scolding her for it.

"For fuck sake, Rachel. You almost got us in trouble again!"

"Hey, that's not fair, Chloe. I should've known better not to go there if the cops would arrive."

"Yeah, you should've. What's also unfair is not having the maturity to know that would happen. That is one of many reasons we get in trouble."

"Excuse me, Ms. Price. There are times when you get yourself into trouble, you know. It's even more unfair when you take it out on me all the time. I try to do something nice for you despite the trouble. So don't talk to me about maturity, just be grateful I took you someplace amazing."

"You're beginning to sound a lot like my parents now. My Step-Fucker especially."

"Oh, poor fucking me. I'm beginning to sound like Step-Fucker giving you a lecture. What's new?"

"Yeah, what is new. It's not like I'm the High Honor Roll celebrity of Blackwell bringing the Vortex Club down."

"Oh, no. You're a fucking rebel who got herself expelled from Blackwell. You're just a stoner feeling sorry for herself because everyone bails on her. Such as dead Willy who left her all alone."

"Don't you dare fucking bring my Dad up! You hear me?! How fucking dare you!"

"Just admit, Chloe! You don't love me, do you? You never like the things I do for you because I get you in trouble all time. Isn't it?"

"Rachel, as much as like hanging out and sneaking out with you all the time, I'd hate for both of to get busted again. What really bothers me is that you always tend to get me in trouble on purpose."

"Well I don't get you in trouble on purpose. You know I wouldn't. I did my hardest not to when all I wanted to do was just have some fun with you. And we did. Assuming the cops wouldn't arrive for our troubles."

"Well they did arrive for our troubles. You knew they would be there. And you knew we would get handcuffed and thrown back in police holding again for breaking into a place we weren't supposed to be. Do you know how naive that sounds?"

"You want naive, Chloe, how bout not having the nerve to talk me out of sneaking out with you if you were too afraid of getting in trouble again. Let alone just saying no."

"Oh fuck you, Rachel. I think you just don't have the nerve to do nothing at all. Problem solved."

Rachel is almost insulted by what I say and tries saying something back, but remains silent. I turn away from her with my hands crossed officially fed up with blaming each other for our shenanigans. I was more worried the police would call my home and inform my parents about what we did. Best case scenario, they don't.

The sun is rising and my parents would probably be up by now finding out I left the house without saying anything. I had spent five years of my life being a rebellious teenager committing vandalism and getting stoned. All because of my Father's passing, Max's departure, and my Mother's marriage to David that made me who I am.

Me and Rachel had three years together in Arcadia. Just to make my life not so miserable. I knew Rachel meant well, but she had to think about the consequences of every move we made before doing something we weren't supposed to do. I didn't want her making my life hell the way David always had. Or otherwise the way I alone had. Whatever the case, if Max couldn't be here to show if she still cared, Rachel was always the one who did. The question was, would we always be together?

"If you had to look me in the and tell me your a good friend who knows how to be a good friend, would you swear on my life on that," I ask.

"Can't say I wouldn't," replied Rachel. "Perhaps we overstayed our welcome at the carnival and that's what made the cops come. You know I'd do anything to make you the happiest person in Arcadia Bay. When I graduate from Blackwell, we'll be living large in LA getting high and getting laid. I'll be the next Kim Kardashian on the red carpet and you can be my celebrity manager like we always dreamed of."

"I think your missing the point, Rachel. I'm more worried about not doing illegal shit than I am living the dream in LA."

"Says the girl who hits up the bong in her room which is a fine example of illegal shit."

"For fuck sake, Rachel. Are you even listening to me?"

"No, Chloe. It's who needs to listen to me. I'd hate to sound like Step-Douche, but maybe he was right about you. He always has. There are times when you blame people so unfairly for own actions-"

"This was not my action, Rachel. It was yours. Even when Step-Douche tries and lays us down, you always step up for me. This sneak-out we just pulled off is on you. The cops rolling out on us is on you."

"I'm sorry, I believe I heard a we somewhere. There's a we now and you're saying it's on me?"

"Aye, yai, yai, Rachel. Bottom line, good friends don't get others into trouble!"

"And good friends don't blame others for their own actions, Chloe! Now grow the fuck up and start looking on the bright side for once despite our troubles. Just be lucky we didn't get busted. Better yet, we'd be lucky if the cops didn't find out who we were and tell our parents. How does that sound?"

"Sounds to me you rely to much on luck, Rachel. It just may only get us into more trouble than it actually seems. Obi-Wan Kenobi once said that in his experience there's no such thing as luck. I too have very little experience with luck."

"We're taking advice from movie characters now? I mean come on, Chloe. Sometimes I don't think you take anyone seriously for those you try and provoke your life with self-discipline. Even me. You got broken Mom, a dead Dad, a barbaric Step-Dad, a bad reputation from your former education at Blackwell, and an asinine attitude of yours you never let go of."

"Shut the fuck up! That - right there - is exactly what friends don't say to each other! Right there!"

"Then I guess we're no friends at all, are we?! You could've prevented all your troubles if you would've just for once stopped feeling sorry for yourself and started getting your shit together. And you know it."

I take a breath to calm my anger away and stare at Rachel in the eye. Frankly, Rachel had always tried being a supportive friend over the years since my Father died and Max left Arcadia Bay for Seattle. Nevertheless, I kept running away from my pain. The more I kept running, the more I kept suffering.

I had not spoken to Max in years. She never wrote to me, never sent me postcards, never called, never face-timed, never anything. Since then, I never imagined that she even cared. I assumed she just moved on with her life knowing she may never see me again. How I missed the good old days of me and Max living happily together in Arcadia Bay. At least someone came to me one day and started making my life proud. That was Rachel Amber.

"I've always wanted to ask you, Chloe. But I never found a reason to. What if that Max Caulfield comes back to Arcadia hoping to find you. And what if you're not there and she regrets leaving you."

"What are you saying, Rachel? Why would she come back to Arcadia anyway?"

"I don't know. Let's just say we do start a new life in LA and Max finds out we left town. Whatever the reason she comes back, I know she may want to see again. I'm pretty sure she hasn't forgotten about you. Even if she hasn't tried communicating with you for the past five years."

"There must be a better reason you're asking me this question."

"Well, let's just say what if I'm not here. Not that I eventually won't, but what if I'm actually not. What if I just disappeared and never came back. What would you do if that ever happened. What would you do?"

"You're asking me this like this is the last day we'll see each other. Why Rachel? Why does this question sound like a big deal to you?"

"Chloe, listen carefully. It doesn't matter why I'm asking you this. What matters is that if something happens to me, know this. I'll always love you, Chloe. Nothing will ever stop me from loving you. And even if I'm not there, I will never abandon you."

These were Max's exact words before leaving me. Did this mean Rachel was leaving me too? Now she was starting to scare me.

"Rachel..."

"Chloe, I know you're confused, but you must understand. I have unfinished business with someone. That someone is Jefferson. As I've told you earlier, he had made an offer I couldn't refuse. He had always looked up to me and wanted to make my dreams come true. So if I'm not around, promise me this. Promise me we'll always be friends and I'll be sure to keep that promise. Promise?"

Rachel holds her pinky up close waiting for my pinky to holds hers. And I do.

"Promise," I say squeezing our pinkies. "So what do we tell my parents if they find out what we did."

"We tell them the truth," she replied. "We wouldn't have a lot of choice really. We say what we have to."

"You've got to admit, Rachel. You've been the best thing that's ever happened to me these past three years together. You really have. And I'll be damned if you go away like Max did. Now that we've made our promise, we'll always be together. Right?"

"Right."

Note: Only one more chapter to go folks! Can't believe I'm almost done with this episode! Now in this flashback, Rachel is not saying she's actually leaving Arcadia. She's saying something to Chloe just to prepare for the worst. Because Rachel is fearing for the worst. Frankly, you'll understand more in the future of this story.

Just for a heads up, prepare yourselves for the last chapter. For Max is about to learn what the price she has to pay looks like in the final chapter of this episode. Bring a box of tissue just incase so you can come prepared. Maybe a bowl of ice cream, too. LOL

Until next time, stay tuned!

P.S. A moment of silence for remembering 9/11.