Victoria spoke, "Alcoholics have to make amends. So should I."

Max sighed. She squeezed Victoria's torso, "Not with me. We're square okay?"

Victoria cast her eyes towards her feet. "We're not square Max," She said, "But okay Max. Kate though. . . I told her this morning I was sorry. I need to do more. I basically ruined her life."

"You do." Max said.

Chloe cleared her throat. "Hey I'm glad you are having a revelation or whatever," She said, "But maybe you could make amends some other time when we aren't. . . I dunno. . . investigating? Whatever the fuck we're doing here…"

"It's important Chloe. . ." Max said. Her eyes narrowed at her partner, disappointed.

Chloe felt somewhat shamed by Max's glare. ". . . Fine," She said.

Victoria looked to Chloe, "Rachel," She said.

Chloe quieted, turning from Max. She held her eyes on Victoria, waiting for more words.

Victoria fell silent at an awful realization. Her eyes began tearing up. She spoke, "I'll never be able to make things right with her…"

Chloe looked to the left, not wanting to absorb Victoria's grief. She was looking at an old photograph. A young couple. She began wringing her palms on her jeans idly.

Max stood, crossing from the bed to the container Chloe was sitting on. Max sat. She took Chloe's right hand in both of her own. She squeezed, running her thumb along the back of Chloe's hand.

Chloe let out a long breath. She squeezed tight, letting Max know she was okay.

"You know," Chloe said, turning back to Victoria, "Rachel never mentioned what you two fought about. You said that you thought she told me. She didn't, even though I asked her. She never talked about Blackwell much. She said she hated you, but that was about it."

"You two were. . .together?" Victoria asked, wiping her eyes on the shirt again.

"Yes," Chloe said.

Victoria was quiet.

Max could sense indecision.

"Tell us everything," Max said.

Victoria looked grave. "Okay," she said, "Rachel and I didn't get along from the start." Victoria looked up, trying to recall something, ". . . It was Nathan that first introduced me to her. He brought her to the vortex club one afternoon. Everyone loved her. Courtney wanted to let her in the vortex after only one day hanging with us. It was the same jealously I felt about you Max but ten times worse. Rachel was everything you were, honest, humble, herself. The scary thing is she was everything I was too. She was popular, talented, tapped into the art scene. She was superior to me in every way, and it didn't seem like she was even trying. She had Jefferson's eye just like you did too. It was driving me crazy. I'm so fucking petty."

Victoria continued to speak, "Then the rumors started. . ."

"What rumors?" Chloe asked, "About Rachel? About her being gay?"

"No," Victoria said. She looked grim.

Max knew what Victoria was referencing. Her stomach hurt. She had heard the rumor last week. Who told me that? she thought, I don't remember.

Victoria said the words carefully, afraid of Chloe's reaction, "There was a rumor that Rachel was sleeping with Mr. Jefferson."

There was silence. Only the quiet whirring of the wooden fan blades above could be heard. Had they grown louder?

Chloe broke the silence with a short burst of air from her nose. "That's a stupid fucking rumor," She said, shrugging the words away.

Victoria looked to Max. Chloe followed her gaze. Max frowned at her partner.

"No," Chloe said. Her words were faster now, "That's horseshit. That doesn't make any sense."

"Chloe. . ." Max started.

"No Max!" Chloe interrupted. She felt flushed. She stood. Her voice had gained in volume now, "I know what you're going to say."

Max stood, awkwardly putting left hand on the crook of her right elbow. Max didn't know what to say.

"Frank was one thing," Chloe said, "We were close to Frank, he was our friend. That makes sense. I can handle that, even if it hurts. But there's no way Rachel slept with that fucker Jefferson."

Max stepped forward. She reached for Chloe's hand. Chloe pulled away.

"Don't," Chloe said. She glared, "You didn't even know Rachel Max. Don't you dare. . ."

"Stop!" Max snapped. She was more confident now, "Listen to me."

Chloe was quiet. She crossed her arms, refusing to look at Max.

Max spoke, "I believe you. Anything to do with Rachel, I trust you Chloe. You're right. I didn't know her. You knew her better than anyone else."

"Chloe look at me," Max demanded. Chloe complied. She looked Max in the eye.

Max continued to speak, "If you tell me that Rachel didn't have sex with Jefferson I will believe you, but I want you to think about it for a moment. It could be important Chloe."

Chloe was breathing heavy, her hands still cupping the elbows of the opposite arm. She looked toward the ground and closed her eyes. Victoria and Max waited. It was apparent the tall woman was considering things.

"I don't know," Chloe said.

Victoria looked as if she was going to speak.

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!" Chloe screamed. She wound back her foot and kicked the container of clothes they had been sitting on. The object flew into the closet door making a loud clatter. The lid flew off, spilling several pieces of clothing across the room. She turned to Victoria.

For a moment Max believed Chloe would strike the short haired girl.

"Fuck you!" Chloe yelled. She turned and made for the door quickly.

Max grabbed for her, "Chloe wait"

Chloe pushed Max's shoulder, preventing the girl from grabbing her.

The door opened. Fernando was standing in the door way.

"What was that noise?" He asked. He could see tears forming in Chloe's eyes. He tried to touch her shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"Don't fucking touch me," Chloe belted. She pushed her way past him, through the kitchen. David was standing, looking alert. Chloe glared at him and walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Fernando turned to look at Max, his eyes wide and questioning.

Max shrugged. She sat down on the bed next to Victoria. She let out a long breath, trying to rid herself of some portion of her stress.

"I'm sorry Max," Victoria said.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Max said, "I heard that rumor too."

"I wouldn't have brought it up," Victoria said, "But I did something terrible. . ."

Victoria's eyes went from Max to Fernando and back. Her unease was apparent.

Fernando understood. "I, uh, I'll step out," he said. Fernando closed the door as he left the doorway.

"Ok," Max said, "I'm a little scared about what you might tell me."

"I blackmailed Rachel," Victoria said.

"Victoria. . ."

Victoria spoke, "I told her to stay away from Jefferson and Nathan. I threatened her, manipulated her. I said that I knew about her and Mark. I said I had photos. I was lying. I didn't have photos. I didn't have proof. All I had was jealousy."

"Jesus Christ Victoria," Max said. She breath deep into her lungs, unable to fully look at the girl. Is this why Rachel wanted to leave Arcadia?

Victoria laid back across the bed. She brought her hands to her head. "It's my fault she's dead," she said. Tears had started pouring down her face again, "I think I pushed her right into Jefferson's arms. I got her killed."

"You don't know that," Max said.

"It has to be true," Victoria said.

There was pause in the conversation, both women listening to the ceiling blades whirling above, lost in thought.

"You can't tell Chloe that," Max said, "Not yet at least. We need to know the truth. We need to learn everything about Rachel once and for all. I have to talk to Chloe." She stood from the bed. She made towards the door.

". . . Max," Victoria called, "Am I a monster?"

Max paused to turn back and look at her rival. "No," She said. She stared at the blonde girl for several seconds, ". . . Maybe."

Minor Writer's Note - Another smaller sized chunk of writing. I start working a regular schedule tomorrow. Hopefully I can start pushing out writing at a more consistent pace. I'm aiming for 1k words a day ^_^