"Wait, please, let me explain!" She tried to convince us. In the back of my mind, I really wanted to hear what else she had to say. At the same time, I was hella ready to beat her.

I gave Chloe a look, "Let her talk. She can't redeem herself anymore, but let her say her piece before we get her out of here."

She folded her arms, "Fine. You got two minutes."

The pizza girl sitting at the dining table deeply sighed and then interlocked her fingers, "When I first met Kate, I was lovestruck. Like, I saw her, met her in the same dorm, and knew I wanted to be married to her. Have you guys felt that way?"

Chloe could agree, but she sneered instead. I certainly haven't, but change "marry" to "date" and that was how I felt about Kate. I was still angry just listening to her and trying to save herself from what she did, but the damage was done. She was constantly on my mind talking to her ex. I never want to learn her name; there was no reason to.

After we didn't reply, she continued, "I really wanted to be with her. She's so nice and so sweet to everyone, I couldn't let her be anyone else's. That senior year, after our first time, I couldn't let that bad experience ruin that! I didn't know at the time, but I did force her and did push myself onto her... I didn't know it was bad at the time... Kate was so... numb and emotionless after what I did. Every single time. I had to convince her she was okay and I thought she really believed it. I saw it in her eyes. She was always up late and she lost interest in everything. I kept doing what I did... She seemed to smile more, but I know she was just hurting more. By the time it was graduation, she was attached to me. I had to let go and know that I was a piece of shit. I mean, I am. She forced saying "I love you" to me, but I just never asked for her to be my girlfriend and she never asked me. I can't imagine she feels better now."

"She doesn't." I blurted. "She's hurting and confused. She keeps coming to me for help and just wants to understand why. Now she'll know and at least you know that you're shit." That was aggressive, even for me. It was true, though.

"I wish I could fix it, but there's nothing I could do anymore. I know that." She couldn't make eye contact anymore.

Chloe and I made eye contact, looking at each other with an uncaring, "don't give a shit" look. We both had the same thought in our heads: "Victoria's after your ass now."

"And," I added on, "You apologize to Kate, then you'll never, ever speak to her again."

She hesitated, but said, "Okay..."

"Right here. Right now." I pulled my phone out and called her number, putting it on speaker.

"Hello?" Kate's voice was tired, but had a hint of happy.

A moment of silence past.

"Max?"

"Uh, h-hey," she started, "Kate. I met your... friends."

"Oh, good evening. You met Chloe and Max? That's nice." Kate is pissed off. She had to have a million different emotions going through her.

She hummed, "Anyway, Max wanted me to apologize. To you."

"... Oh." She sounded somber again. "I'm listening."

"I apologize for... what I did to you. All those times I hurt you... physically, emotionally, whatever else. I understand if you never want to talk to me again or see me ever again. I'll understand if you don't even want to accept my apology! I know I'll never forgive myself. I'm truly sorry for what I did."

"I-I..." Kate tried to say something. She forced out, "I do forgive you. But, I think it's for the best that we never interact from now on. I hope you think about what you did and that it'll help you become a better person."

A wave of silence washed over us. No one could say anything; I couldn't think of anything to say. I grabbed my phone, turning the speaker off and leaving out the room into the hallway.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked first.

"I feel... I feel fantastic." She said with a happy tone. "I feel like a weight just lifted off my shoulders. Thank you, Max."

"Anything for you, Kate. I'll see you when I get back, okay?"

"Can't wait."

I walked back and Chloe was already grabbing her by her shirt and dragging her out.

"I'll get you guys that pizza again." She reassured as she looked at the box and slices lying at the front door.

"Forget it. Heard it was shit." Chloe opened the front door and threw her out.

After slamming the door, she looked down at the floor covered in cheese and pepperoni, "Shit. She's a fucking mess."

We were reluctant to clean it up, but we did so, tossing the slices in the trash bin and, sadly, none could have been saved. Not even the Coke left outside, that burst open as it fell down earlier. Chloe took her phone out from the plant, turning the recording off and putting a thumbs up to me. After cleaning, we went back up to Chloe's room, needing some sleep. She landed on her bed on her belly and I simply lied down on my back.

"I fucking hate her." Chloe said one last time.

"Me too, but we'll never see her again and Kate could rest easy."

"If she tries to talk to her, I'm driving back just to kill her."

I punched her arm, but I had to agree.

"I'll explain everything to her. It all sounds crazy, but she needs to know."

"Okay," Chloe turned around to lie on her side towards me, "So then, tomorrow, we'll drive around, see Blackhell, maybe even drive out to see Kate's Jesus school, then we'll head out again. Sound good?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Fuck, we should hella break in again and use that fucking pool."

"Chloe—"

"Please," she begged, "Just one more time and that's it."

I thought about it. After this, we have to have some stress released from our systems. "Okay, tomorrow, we'll go and swim again. You always have crazy ideas, Chloe."

"That's why you love me." She said with a smirk.


On this day, Chloe decided to take her truck and cruise in it. We were standing in the Two Whales parking lot after breakfast, both of us were relieved that Frank's van was long gone.

"Okay, so we'll drive around for a bit now and then I'll start the Breaking into Blackwell Plan by getting David's keys." Chloe explained as she unlocked her truck.

"Sounds good." I said as I folded my green plaid shirt's sleeves. It wasn't my style, but everything I was put in was growing on me, to say the least. I was still standing next to her, wanting to talk to her face to face as she was saying the plan so openly.

"I'm hella ready!" Chloe swung her door open.

"Oh," we heard. It was behind Chloe. "Without bringing me along?"

My eyes widen as I recognized the voice.

Chloe, with a growing, but quivering smile, "Rachel?"