Chloe woke up. Another shitty day to be lived. Or she thought so until something different caught her attention: Max Caulfield was asleep on her bed. The blue-haired girl couldn't help but stare at her friend.
"She's hella cute when she's asleep." Chloe thought for herself. Carefully, not to disturb Max's sleep, she sat on the bed. That's when the events from the night before started to come to her mind.
Flashback:
Chloe and Max were in her bedroom, watching a movie (Pirates of the Caribbean, for the old time's sake), both sitting on the bed.
"It was soo cool when we were kids and ran through Arcadia Bay pretending that we were pirates.." Max started to talk.
"Good days, those ones... Nothing to care about... And not that I'm not liking to talk with you but we are missing the movie Maxipad" Chloe said.
"Uhh yeah right... But if we don't speak, you will end up falling asleep." Max answered.
"No, I'm not! I swear!" "Ok. I'm giving you this chance!" And with that, Max changed into a more comfortable position, which happened to be with her head on the punk's shoulder.
The said punk tensed a bit at the intimate contact but didn't move. Instead, she focused her attention on the movie that played in front of her.
"I really love this" - Suddenly Max broke the silence again, after some time. "Like be with you, hang out and have some fun together."
"I really love this too Max"
"I love you, Chloe" - Max said out of nowhere. That got Chloe pretty nervous. So nervous that her body froze. Her body, not her mind. That started to work even faster. Of course, Max meant it on a best friend way. Then, why did she got all panicked after hearing those words?
"You're all right? It looks like you've seen a ghost..." the girl that put her like that asked concerned.
Finally, Chloe got the courage to talk: "Gosh! Don't you scare me like that!"
"What? I did nothing to scare you" Max asked pretty confusedly.
"You said you loved me…"
"Ohh sorry. I wasn't really thinking. Just forget about it." the brunette apologized a bit embarrassed and slightly blushing.
"Of course I won't forget it! I... I love you too" Chloe said the last words a bit uncertain about the meaning she wanted to give them.
"No, Chloe! You can't say that. I'm sorry but I didn't mean it that way..."Chloe started to feel fear and hope at the same time.
"What do you mean?" Chloe asked trying not to sound too affected by Max's words.
The girl took a deep breath and next talked:
"I mean that I love you more than my best friend ok?! Sorry if that's not what you expected from me. You can stop being my friend and never talk to me again if you want!" Max was crying by now.
Well, surely Chloe wasn't expecting this from Max. Maybe from herself, but never from her best friend. Nevertheless, something inside her burst with joy. She couldn't take the huge smile that appeared on her face. And that's when she knew.
She wanted to comfort Max, telling her that they wouldn't stop being best friends but no sounds came out of her mouth. So, she opted to show it to her. On a way that either could end up perfectly or really bad. It was a risk worth taking.
Chloe grabbed Max, lifted her face and looked at her straight in the eyes while cleaned up her tears with her thumb. And before Max had time to process what was going on, she planted a kiss on the other girl's soft lips.
Max, of course, got a little shocked at first. But after some seconds responded to the kiss that started to get more passionate by the second. Until both of the girls had to break it for lacking air.
Max, still shocked didn't say a word, so Chloe talked instead:
" What if I meant it in the same way as you?" Chloe asked, with her confidence back on.
But Max did the same as Chloe had done before. She didn't say a word. She kissed her again.
The movie had got forgotten for a long time and of course, Chloe didn't keep her promise and both fell asleep.
End of flashback
Chloe looked at Max once again. They had said those words to each other and all. But she wasn't really thinking. What if Max meant those words by now, but then regret it?
They were best friends, yes, but lots of things changed in the past five years. Max already saw some of them, but what would she do when she saw the rest of the things? Would she still love her?
Because one of the things that most changed was Chloe herself: her style, her habits, etc... The truth is that most of these changes were only on the outside. But those were to hide the real changes: she wanted to show people that she was strong, so she started having a more intimidating visual, doing drugs and smoke to look like she didn't care about anything anymore. But the only thing she wanted really, was don't be disappointed again. She didn't want to pass through everything that happened again: Her father's death, Max abandoning her, Rachel's disappearance. Every time she felt connected to someone, the world managed a way to take that person away from her. And what if Max realizes that? What if Max realizes that she isn't the same old Chloe and want to leave her?
She was so distracted with her thoughts that she didn't notice the girl she was thinking about, waking up.
Max realized that too, so she took the opportunity to steal a quick kiss that brought Chloe back to the present.
"Good morning!" Max said with a huge smile and happy voice. Chloe couldn't help but smile herself too. She couldn't say she wasn't enjoying being with Max.
"Hey! You're all right? You seem a little distracted " Max pointed out. She didn't want to ruin Max's happiness but she really had to do this.
"Actually... You know, since you left, lots of things changed... Myself included... Do you know that right?"
"Yes why? "
"I just wanted to know if you meant those words yesterday having that on account.."
"What?"
"Like.. When you say you love me. Wanted to know if you love the new me".
'Ohh. Chloe! I love you anyway! I don't care if you changed or not. You will always be Chloe and I'll love you for that!"
"And all my flaws?"
"I already know your flaws.. and I already accepted them"
"No. I have to tell you one thing that you don't know..." Chloe gathered the courage to talk: "I'm afraid of losing you again..."
"Ooh! Don't be! This time I'm not gonna leave you ok?"
"Even with all the shitty things I did?
"Like I said. I don't care" Max said with certainty in her voice.
"Thanks, Max! You always know the right thing to say. I really love you" Chloe said returning the kiss Max had given her before.
"Now what about go eat breakfast? I'm hungry!" The brunette suggested
Well... Chloe was still a bit insecure about this new relationship with her best friend but she wanted to keep it. In fact, Max made her feel better than before and brought a part of her old self back, that she was kind of enjoying.
And of course, Max promised that she would love her every time so... For now, she had nothing to care about, so, she accepted the invitation for breakfast with a smile and got ready for another day that would be better than the previous.