Max had almost made it back to her room after a ridiculously long Monday when Kate's door cracked open, the blonde sticking her head out of the door and looking up and down the hall. When she spotted Max, she smiled, opening the door the rest of the way. "Max, hey, you still needed that book for Photography, right?" she asked, giving her a little wave.
Max nodded, perking up as she walked towards Kate's door, leaning on the door frame as Kate bustled back into her room to retrieve the book. "Oh, yeah, thanks Kate." She watched Kate digging in her desk, stomach clenching for a moment as her frame became a silhouette in front of her windows.
She had been tempted to ask Kate out on date - a real date, an explicitly romantic date - for the past few months. Every time she thought she was ready to ask, she had chickened out, or been interrupted. Her nerves were not aided by Chloe constantly asking about when Max was going to "make her move". With the end of the school year creeping closer and closer, Max was beginning to wonder if it was even worth asking anymore.
Kate finally came back to the door with the book in hand, although her joyous expression quickly turned into a frown as she studied Max's preoccupied expression. "Are you okay? You look pale."
"Oh, yeah, no, just distracted." It's now or never, Caulfield. She took a deep breath, shaking her head and trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. "Hey, uh, would you want to go to dinner, Friday, maybe?"
Kate's face brightened quickly, nodding enthusiastically as she passed Max the book. "Oh, sure! I know Warren was talking about us going to-"
No, fuck Warren! This already seemed to be going downhill. "I mean, just us, like, on a date," she blurted out, cheeks starting to burn.
For a long, heart-stopping moment, Kate's brows furrowed, and her jaw dropped slightly in surprise. She stared back long enough that Max began hoping the hallway would spontaneously collapse and take her with it. Or maybe someone would walk past them and say hello. A fire alarm, a phone ringing, something, anything.
Before Max could start stuttering and backtracking, Kate's face split into a brilliant smile, one that, honestly, didn't help with Max's nerves at all. "Yeah, I'd like that," Kate agreed, looking very pleased, even as Max felt herself turning a darker shade of red. "So, Friday night?"
"Sure, yeah," she forced out, nodding and trying to hold back the brewing scream in her lungs.
"Okay." Kate stood somewhat awkwardly in her doorway, rocking back and forth on her heels slowly before pointing back into her room. "I should probably get to bed. Got that test with Mrs. Hoida tomorrow, and-"
Max took a big step back from the door, nodding enthusiastically. Her heart was still thundering in her chest. "Totally, yeah, no sweat, sleep well."
There was still a content little smile on Kate's face as she started closing her door. "Night, Max," she called quietly.
As soon as the door closed, Max was almost sprinting back to her room, a string of "oh shit"s running nonstop in her mind (and possibly from her mouth) as she retreated and slammed her own door behind her, tossing the book from Kate blindly onto her couch. Panicking, she yanked her phone out of her pocket, hitting the speed dial before she could think any further.
She was still muttering out loud to herself when Chloe answered the phone, something her best friend quickly picked up on. "What the hell did you do now?" Chloe brazenly asked, already chuckling.
"I, uh..."
Chloe was making an impatient sound as she listened. "Max, use your words, we don't have all night."
"I asked Kate out," she finally blurted, aware of how hard her heart was pounding in her chest.
"Oh, thank god, finally." There was a pregnant pause, as if Chloe was expecting more. "And?"
Max frowned, momentarily forgetting her panic. "And what?"
"What the hell did she say, hippie?"
"Uh, yes. She said yes." Holy shit, she said yes.
Chloe was snorting in her ear, obviously enjoying herself. "Then why are you panicking over there?"
"What am I supposed to do?" Her voice cracked as she spoke, wavering.
Chloe sighed dramatically, and Max could almost picture the shit-eating grin that was spreading across her face. "Well, you see, young Max, when two girls find each other hot as fuck, they just start ripping clothes off each ot-"
"Chloe, no!" She wasn't sure what was worse, the dire situation she had put herself in, or the cackle on the other side of the line. "I mean, what do I wear? Where do we go?"
"You're acting like you've never gone on a date before." Max's breath caught in her throat for a moment, a silent confirmation that probably sent Chloe gawking at her phone. "Wait, seriously?"
"I mean, we did a group date up in Seattle before homecoming last year," she said quietly, wincing at how lame that sounded. It certainly hadn't been a fun "date", either - mostly Max sitting off in the corner of the booth, avoiding eye contact with the actual couples at the table.
All remnants of Chloe messing with her seemed to evaporate, a determined tone setting into her voice. "Okay, what are you going to do? Dinner, a movie, what?"
Should I have asked for more than dinner? Max cleared her throat, trying to relax her shoulders. "I, uh, asked about dinner."
"Okay, good. Where are you going?"
"I-I don't know, I didn't say." Why the fuck didn't I say where we're going?
"That's good, Max, gives you time to get a reservation, without breaking any promises." She could hear Chloe taking a drink in the background, followed by a thud of glass against wood. "So, where are you thinking?"
Her mind automatically jumped to their usual hangout. "I mean, I guess we could go to the Two Whal-"
"Oh, oh no no no no. Max, holy Jesus fuck, thank god you called me." She could hear Chloe shifting in the background, sighing heavily. "You do not, under any circumstances, take a girl you're interested in having sex with to the Two Whales."
"Chloe!" She wasn't sure what was worse - Chloe's utter rejection of the best burgers in town, or the implication that something might happen.
Holy shit, something might happen.
Chloe had let a laugh slip out before clearing her throat. "I am serious, Max! You take a significant other that's stuck with you at the end of the night to the Two Whales, not someone you're interested in!"
"Kate and I go there all the time," Max muttered darkly.
"Which is exactly why you shouldn't go there for your first real date." She heard Chloe moving the phone around, with her next sentence sounding rather far away. "Fuck, I don't know what to do with her."
"I heard that," Max said loudly, feeling a little smile creeping onto her face.
The phone shifted again, and now Chloe's voice was back to its normal volume. "How fancy are you wanting this to get?"
"I mean, not real fancy? I-I don't know." The smile had vanished again as she bent forward, using her free hand to keep herself from face planting into her knees. "I feel sick."
"Well, just wait until the actual date night," Chloe remarked, snickering. "What about that Italian place that just opened up down the road? It's no five stars, but I've heard it's decent."
Max huffed, a little surprised by the suggestion. "How would you know it's decent? You've been in San Fran for two months."
"Yeah, well, I know other people in Arcadia than just you, dork." Even though there was a snarky tone in Chloe's voice, there was also a warmth to it. "Look, get a reservation there, let her know where you're going, and clean yourself up. Look sharp."
"You're acting like I know how to do that," Max quipped, falling backwards onto her bed.
"Then ask one of the fashion people. Isn't one of Bitchtoria's posse obsessed with fashion?"
"I mean, yeah, Courtney's supposed to be good with it, but-"
There was the sound of a door closing on the other side of the line. "Oh, hey, Steph's home. Get your reservation. Get yourself looking fine. I need to go, okay?" Before Max could respond, Chloe had already hung up.
Max let her phone fall next to her in bed, turning to look at the only other living being in the room. "Lisa, what am I gonna do?"
Fortunately for Max, her plant didn't start talking back.
Max liked waking up and heading to the bathrooms early, if only to avoid seeing another breathing soul for a few more minutes. She missed the privacy of her bathroom back in Seattle, but at least there were ways to avoid being naked in the same room as her classmates. All girls or no, it was still an uncomfortable concept.
What she did not expect to see as she walked into the bathroom was Kate standing at one of the sinks, brushing out her long hair. Max promptly stopped walking, letting the door close behind her as she froze in place, eyes wider than usual. She hadn't planned on ignoring Kate since asking her out for dinner, but being alone with her had suddenly entered the top ten things that she was hoping to avoid.
Kate turned to see who had entered the bathroom, a bright smile spreading across her face when she saw who it was. She had let go of her hair, and Max found herself distracted by it, watching those long blonde locks sway. Her hair almost reached halfway down her back, impossibly long when compared to the bun it was normally in. "Oh, hey Max," she greeted warmly, eyes flickering between Max and the mirror as she continued brushing her hair.
Max's tongue felt larger than normal as she tried to remember how to speak. "H-hey Kate," Max forced out, aware of how distressed she sounded.
Kate noticed it as well, pausing her brushing again to turn and frown at Max. "Are you okay?"
Oh my god Max, get it together. She shook herself, hoping it looked more like a shiver from the AC vent above her. Not that she was cold in the slightest - the exact opposite, in fact. Holy shit, it's hot in here. "Oh, yeah, just surprised to see anyone in here this early."
The concern melted from Kate's face, replaced by a relaxed smile instead. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing." She started turning back to the mirror, using the brush still in her hand to gesture towards her head. "I was just, uh, finishing doing my hair."
Max nodded, watching Kate start brushing it again. "I didn't realize how long it was. You always have it up." Why do you always have it up?
Kate shrugged, running the brush through a few more times before starting to gather it into its usual bun. "I usually keep it shorter than this; that makes it easier to handle." With a little flourish, her hair was back to its everyday appearance. Max hadn't realized it was possible to feel betrayed by a hairstyle until that moment. "I just haven't had time to get it cut, with school and everything."
Max nodded, realizing that her mouth was hanging open. She closed it quickly, scratching the back of her neck with her free hand. "Uh-huh."
Kate looked over at her again, an amused grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Are you just going to stand there all morning?"
Max grinned sheepishly back, twisting the arm holding her shower caddy to draw attention to it. "Uh, no, I'm gonna shower," she admitted, looking down at her feet for a moment.
One of Kate's eyebrows raised, eyes giving her a once over. "I'm not stopping you," she commented, that amused grin just growing wider.
"Right." Max took a few steps towards the stalls, walking backwards so she didn't lose sight of Kate. "I'll, uh, talk to you later?"
Kate smiled widely back at her before grabbing her things from the sink - Max hadn't even realized she had her toothbrush sitting there as well. "Sure thing," Kate responded, taking one last glance at her hair in the mirror before heading towards the door.
Max stood in the stall for a few minutes, fully dressed with the water off, before she remembered that she was there to shower. Using the bare minimum of conscious thought, she stripped down before standing as far away from the shower spout as she turned it on, waiting for it to heat up.
What if she came back into the bathroom? There was a fantastical twist in her gut at the thought, quickly followed by the more scandalous thought of Kate deciding to join her in the stall. Like that'll ever happen, she scolded herself as she grabbed her shampoo.
It took Max a full day before she was able to catch Courtney by herself. Although Max's relationship with Victoria and her friends had definitely improved since the beginning of the school year, she was typically against talking to any of them if possible. She had peeped through her door for the last two hours, aware that Courtney would have to leave Victoria's room at some point.
Finally, the door opened, and Max opened hers as well. "Hey Courtney, I need a favor," she said, stepping out into the hall as Courtney closed Victoria's door behind her.
Courtney was eyeing her up, crossing her arms and obviously trying to decide whether or not to engage. After a few moments of hesitation, she sighed, shoulders slouching as she rolled her eyes. "This better have something to do with your outfit, Lamefield."
Max grimaced, hand automatically reaching across her own chest to grab her other arm. "Actually, it does," she admitted quietly.
Courtney's whole posture changed in that moment, suddenly upright and alert. "Oh." She gave Max a once over, expression quickly turning thoughtful. "What's the occasion?"
"It's, uh, it's a date," she said, becoming very interested in the lack of pattern in the carpet.
She could almost hear Courtney's intrigued expression. "Ooh la la. Do I know them?"
Max nodded, twisting her feet against the floor. "Well, yeah, you know her," Max responded, shrugging.
"It's Katie, isn't it?" Before Max could even try to speak, Courtney made a little excited screech, followed by her feet tapping rapidly on the floor. "Oh my god, you two are so cute together!" Without further ado, Courtney wrapped a hand around Max's wrist and pulled her across the hall, back into Max's room.
"Is this really necessary?" Max asked weakly, letting herself be dragged without further complaint.
Courtney either didn't hear her, or didn't feel like giving Max an answer. As soon as Max's door closed, she clapped her hands together. "Okay, where are you going?"
Max wandered to her couch, moving a couple of books to have enough space to sit down. "Amico's."
"Oh, that place is so good, good choice!" Courtney's upbeat attitude changed just as rapidly as it had appeared as she peered into Max's closet. "Oh, no, no no, none of this is going to work. How do people like you even survive?"
"Comfortably," Max muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.
Courtney didn't seem to hear her, too busy digging through Max's clothes and making a variety of odd noises. "Okay, between this and my closet, I think we can make something work." She slowly turned around to look at Max with a hopeful expression on her face. "Unless you are willing to let me take you shopping."
Max couldn't repress the shudder that ran through her at the thought. "I really don't want to make such a big deal with this, Courtney."
Courtney smirked, but nodded as she clapped her hands together again. "Say no more. Now, strip! We have a lot of work to do!"
After having gotten both Courtney and Chloe's approval on her outfit (a pair of her own slacks she had forgotten she owned, and a blouse that Max suspected Courtney had stolen from Victoria), Max sat nervously on the bench outside of the dorms. She had thought meeting away from their dorm rooms would be slightly less nauseating - what if one of them was ready before the other one? Would they just sit in each other's rooms until the other was ready? - but instead, she now had more time to fret.
Maybe Kate isn't coming, her brain tried to tell her. Maybe she's going to stand you up.
Max shook her head, glancing at her phone quick to check the time. She's still got five minutes, we agreed on six o'clock.
The door to the dorms finally opened, and Max forced herself to take a deep breath before turning around. She had done the same thing three times already since coming outside, but this time, it felt right.
Kate's hair was partly down, only the top half being wrapped up in a bun. The way the loose hair was waving gently from the wind did odd things to Max's stomach. She hadn't thought that Kate even owned a dress, but here she was, in a simple but flattering dark blue dress, paired with a light tan cardigan. Max had to remind herself not to stare at Kate's figure, trying to keep her eyes on her face instead.
She beamed at Max as she walked closer, surveying Max for a moment. "You look so nice tonight," Kate said cheerily, reaching forward to give Max a hug.
"Y-you too," Max responded, cursing her tongue for betraying her. Kate was warm, arms tight around Max for a moment. C'mon, Max, you should be lauding her beauty, not stuttering like a loser. As Kate pulled away, Max swallowed hard. "That's, uh, I, I like your hair."
Max you absolute idiot.
Kate, to her credit, just beamed brighter, giggling a little. "I thought so, you seemed a little...entranced the other day in the bathroom."
"Uh-huh," Max agreed, smiling coyly towards the ground.
They stood there awkwardly for a minute before Kate cleared her throat and pointed towards the street. "Should we get going?"
"Oh, right, yeah." C'mon Max, keep it together.
They walked side by side, talking as they headed towards the restaurant - it was only a few blocks away, and neither of them had a vehicle of their own. Max had very briefly considered asking Warren if she could borrow his car so they wouldn't have to walk, but she was also not entirely sure she wanted to have the dating conversation with him yet. I have to break it to him some time...but one thing at a time. You're with Kate right now.
Max let Kate take over the bulk conversation, and it gradually moved on to something related to school - Max wasn't entirely sure, because her stomach was clenching uncomfortably and her palms felt sweaty. Can palms even sweat? Don't say that out loud, Kate already probably thinks you're being a creep-
"Max, are you okay?" Kate's voice sounded far away - or maybe Max's heartbeat was just abnormally loud.
She felt a little nauseous, wondering how many ways to Sunday she was messing this up. She felt her hands starting to flail nervously, eyes looking everywhere except at Kate. "I-I'm sorry, I'm just-"
Kate reached for her, a hand wrapping around Max's quickly before it could turn into a fist. The sensation sent a shock through Max's body, and she reflexively stopped talking and walking. "Max, it's still just me, okay? Just because we're on a...on a date, that doesn't change that." Kate's voice was soothing, and when Max let herself look up at Kate, she was greeted by a shy little smile. "If it makes you feel better, I'm just as nervous as you are."
Surprisingly, it did - a wave of relief rolled through her as she exhaled, not aware she had been holding her breath. "Oh," she breathed, feeling less anxious, but at the same time, more stupid.
Kate squeezed her hand, and Max's eyes shot down to look at them conjoined, a little surprised to see it with her own eyes. "Do you need a minute? We can sit down if you want."
"No, I'm-I'm good. Sorry," she reflexively added.
"There's nothing to be sorry for." A little smile was pulling at the corners of Kate's mouth as they began walking again, and she ducked her head slightly. "If anything, it's sort of flattering."
Max felt her own smile spreading across her face. "Really?"
Kate hummed in agreement, still smiling as they continued walking towards the restaurant, hand-in-hand. Max kept glancing down at their hands every now and then, still feeling a little floored by the sight. She could feel Kate trying to hold back a giggle every time she did it, which felt like an extra reward.
By the time they made it back to Blackwell, stomachs full of decent Italian food, the sun had set and most other students had already retired to their dorms for the evening. Holding hands, the two of them continued chatting as they walked towards their dormitories, watching fireflies flitting around them. All in all, Max wasn't sure why she had been so nervous earlier - Kate had been right, of course. The friendship they had built up to this point was still perfectly solid, even if that friendship had developed into something more.
As they walked up the steps to their floor, Max wondered what stage of "something more" they were at. Are we, like, dating now? Max wasn't sure if she should ask.
Before she knew it, they were standing outside of Kate's room, and Kate's hand finally left hers. "I had a great time tonight, Max," Kate said as she unlocked her door, pushing it open but staying in the doorway, watching Max.
Max nodded, forcing herself to swallow. "M-me too, Kate." Kate was looking at her expectantly, and Max felt a flurry of butterflies in her stomach. She certainly didn't want to make a move on Kate if she didn't want it, but if she wanted a kiss or something and Max didn't do it, was that better or worse?
C'mon Caulfield, the girl held your hand for the last two hours. It was a reassuring thought, but she felt the butterflies begin to flutter harder, her nerves threatening to get the best of her as she wondered if she should just-
Before she could make a conscious decision, Kate leaned forward and pressed her lips against Max's cheek. For something that was so chaste and innocent, Max felt like her whole body was suddenly aflame.
Kate's face was a little red as she withdrew, biting her lip nervously. That little bite only fanned the flames in Max's stomach as she stood there, slightly baffled. "Goodnight, Max," Kate said quietly, giving her another smile before slipping into her room.
"Night," she responded automatically, standing awkwardly outside of Kate's door as it slowly closed. After a few moments of stunned stillness, she turned towards her room, walking at a snail's pace as she reached a hand up to touch her cheek. She absent-mindedly struggled to put her key into the lock, walking towards her bed in a daze as her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Chloe: So how'd it go hippie?
Max fell backwards onto her bed, grinning madly as she wondered where to start.