* Tuesday, October 14, 7:15 a.m., After the Funeral *

A shake, a shudder, and Max wakes. Cracking an eye, a wall greats her. And sound. Humming, the rustle of paper. Max recognizes the humming of I Am Not Alone.

Vicky must be up.

Stretching as she sits up, more rustling. Victoria is standing at her desk, continuing to write while turning her head. 'Morning. You sleep okay?'

Do I..? Planting a false smile, she nods. 'Yeah. Still a little groggy.'

'Well, I'm wide awake.' Grinning and back to humming, she turns back to her notebook, finishing the book she seems to be composing. 'So, we have to morning free. Breakfast?'

Freaking morning people. 'Morning free? What about Language of Pho-' She catches herself, realizing...

Victoria turns fully to Max, dropping her pen on the page. 'Um, yeah. No class until after one.'

Mental arithmetic. 'Kate's free too. Let's grab her.'

'Already on it. She left ten minutes ago to get cleaned up.'

Perfect. Now I just need to... talk to them about the vision. Just. How?

Not much of the vision remained in memory, but two things strike her with perfect clarity. The final vision of her friends. Standing by the lighthouse, gesturing to her for... something. The random brunette woman. A familiar person. But why? And the gun.

The gun being pointed at that unknown figure. The gun that looked just like the one she held in her hand. Pointed at Frank.

The gun someone wanted to use.

Who is that girl? Who has a gun? I hate these visions.

The second memory Max retained was less what was said and more how. The... Future Max. Unusual, to say the least. Maybe crazy? She was so hard to follow.

Choosing and deciding? I still don't get it.

What are you, really?

Hello?

Really fucking convenient. No help, still.

'Max? You still with me?' Victoria is searching through her closet, trying to decide on what to wear. 'Inner monologue with the future or just spacing out?'

Damn. So obvious. 'Trying. And failing. My FM station is on the fritz.'

'FM?' A light bulb goes off. 'Future Max. Try-hard much?'

A pillow hits Victoria's back.

'Don't mess with Time Lords.'

A snicker answers back.

'Okay, Miss Time Lord. Lady? Whatever.' Victoria turns back, holding a pile of black and blue cloths. 'Go get dressed. We're eating by eight.'

Freaking morning people! A whine escapes as Max falls back to the bed, covering her head. 'But it's too early...'

'Quit drooling on my pillows.' A tugging sensation and one of Max's socks is removed, exposing her foot to a chill. 'Come on. I still need to shower before all the hot water's gone.'

A groan issues from the growing pillow fort around Max's head. 'Do I have to?'

'Max, I'm leaving my room in two minutes. You have one to get up and get out.'

Fine... 'Okay, okay, I'm going. But there better be bacon.' Oh, alliteration. Delicious alliteration.

Five step to her room door. And still, Max hears her name. Glancing sideways, a bright-eyed Juliet is waving enthusiastically. 'Hang on!'

'Morning Jules.' Why is everyone up so early? 'What's shaking bacon?' I am making myself so hungry.

'Nothing much, just wanted to see if you were heading to breakfast.'

'Oh, uh, yeah. I'm heading out with Victoria and Kate soon.' A line never before uttered.

'Yeah, we'll see- wait, Kate and Victoria?' She leans in closer, the cocked eyebrow and slight flair of nostrils letting Max know Juliet has the scent of something juicy. 'Those two, hanging out together. And don't think I missed you leaving Victoria's room just now.' A wagging finger bops Max's nose. 'Someone's got secrets.'

A bit of panic enters Max's voice. 'What? We're friends. Nothing going on.'

'Wait, are you blushing?'

No, just flipping out. 'N-no.'

A mischievous smile plays across curious features. 'Max? What's going on?'

Nope. Not letting a rumor get out. Or worse, the truth. A moment of concentration and-

Glancing sideways, a bright-eyed Juliet is waving enthusiastically. 'Hang on!'

'Morning Jules.' Let's play this out on my terms. 'I'm headed to breakfast soon. Come with' Head it off before it can start. 'Fair warning, Kate and Victoria are both coming.'

'Yeah, perfect. Dana and- wait, Kate and Victoria?' She leans in closer, the cocked eyebrow and slight flair of nostrils letting Max know Juliet has the scent of something juicy. 'Those two, hanging out together. And don't think I missed you leaving Victoria's room just now.' A wagging finger bops Max's nose. 'Someone's got secrets.'

Same path, but... 'Yeah, I'm helping... mend things between the three of us. Even had a girls' night.'

'Wait, you are trying to bee Victoria's friend? I thought, after last week...'

Vicky really did a job at this school. Everyone is so... lukewarm, at best, towards her. Going on the defensive, with just a bit of sting. 'She's hurting over all this, worse than most of us. Imagine if it was, like, Dana that all this happened to?'

A look of concern replaces the mischevious grin that had started. 'Well, I...'

'Yeah. Your best friend doing some really fucked up things and going to jail? And you never knew? It'd be like getting your heart ripped out.' And crushed, over and over and- morning is so not a good time for this.

'Okay, I get it. But everyone is saying she-'

Huh? What the hell now? 'What, Jules? What are people saying?'

'That, you know...' It is obvious that the gossip queen Blackwell is reluctant to share this little rumor. 'That she knew...'

THE FUCK?

Max can't help the anger in her voice. 'Juliet. I can guarentee, one hundred percent, Victoria had no idea.' Should I- 'Okay, absolutely confidential?'

An answering nod.

'You heard about the binders? Vicky's name was... the next one.'

Pale horror entirely takes over Juliet's expression. A hand in front of mouth, the other wrapping around her waist. Tears start to form.

The door scant feet away opens, showcasing the balancing act of toiletries and clothes Victoria is taking to the shower.

surprise...'Um, morning Juliet...'

She chokes out a 'good morning' before hurrying back to her room.

'Um, Max, what was that?'

'I'll tell you later.'

'Kay.' Beat. 'Get your shit and get clean.'

'Yes ma'am.'

It takes less than five minutes to gather the necessary supplies. Hustling to the showers, she gives Brooke a quick hello before diving into the nearly empty bathroom.

We got to get Warren to ask her out. I'm freezing from that hello.

Only one other person using the showers. A question, 'Max?', confirms it's Victoria.

'Yeah Vicky, just me.'

'What was that with Jules this morning?'

Starting the shower to buy time, Max thinks her responce through. By the time her head hits the water, she realizes the truth is best.

'Just, you know... Setting the record straight.'

'About what?'

Stop being afraid and tell her.'About what you knew. About... Nathan.'

Silence.

'I'm sorry Victoria. I had no idea people were saying-'

'I knew.'

Huh?

'I meam, I knew about the rumor. Court told me about it on Saturday.'

Oh crap. 'If you knew people were saying this about you, why...'

'Why haven't I ripped their tongues out yet?' A pained chuckle can barely be detected above the two showers. 'Because I don't care anymore.'

'You. Queen Bee of Blackwell. Stopped caring about your image.'

'Yeah, surprised me too.'

'I don't believe you.'

'Hey!' Flowing water. 'Yeah, I have trouble believing me too. But I had a real wake-up last week. Not just about the shit. About what matters. And it doesn't matter how you appear to other people. Only matters who you are.'

The water rinsing her hair prevents Max from responding straight away. 'Awful adult of you.'

'Yes, well, I had a lot of alone time last week to think it over. Don't get me wrong, Taylor and Court were great support. But Friday, Tay comes up to me all nervious and stuff. It takes like twenty minutes but eventually she straight up asks me if I ever knew what Nathan and Jeffershit were doing.'

ouch

All that sounds is water falling and draining.

Until a quiet sob makes it past the curtain.

'Oh, Victoria. Oh, damn. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.'

Words are all she can offer in her... present state. Until a moment of inspiration hit.

'Vicky, stick your hand out. Past the curtain.'

Max does the same, blindly searching for the blonde girl's hand. Finding it, she squeezes it tight.

'You are not at fault. You could not have known. It's impossible. No one, the athorties, their famlies, no one could have predicted what those two were up to.'

Stuttering intake of air. 'I should have...'

'No! It's not your fault. Dammit!' Max is already pruning in the water. 'Get finished and get dressed. I need to do this face to face.'

Letting go, both girls shut the taps and quickly dry and dress. The whole while Max breaks, hearing her friend cry quietly next door.

Fuck yeah, she's my friend. No one hurts my friends.

except chloe

You do NOT want to start now.

sorry

Max exits first, patiently waiting for Victoria. A minute passes, still sobbing issues from the stall. Max stands, waiting.

Another minute of tears.

And another.

Fuck this. Max peaks behind the curtain.

In the corner, curled up, lays Victoria. Fully clothed (Thank Dog!) but getting soaked from the still-wet stall. Her nose freely flowing, her short wet hair trying its best to stand on end.

She is not pretty when crying. She's shaking like a leaf in the wind!

So, for the second in the day, Max rewinds.

As soon as she's dressed enough Max bolts in on Victoria. Same positioning but a lot less snot to deal with. Max immediately lifts up the blonde's head and sits, placing it on her laugh. Grabbing the nearby used towel, she gently wipes away the mess on Victoria's face.

A few minutes and Victoria finds her voice.

'h-how can they think... h-how can-'

'Shhh, you are okay.'

'they thought i w-would let n-n-' Breathing in to let out the words. 'i would let nathan do that. i w-would help him.'

She's not calming down.

'they thought i-i would let nathan do that to s-someone. that i could be a part of that.'

Victoria buries her face in the towel.

All Max knows to do is stay there, let her cry, and offer help with words.

'Victoria, you are not at fault. You did nothing wrong here.'

Muffled by the towel, the piercing scream is still present. The meaning is unmistakable. Anguish. Anger. Pain and guilt.

Max knows those emotions well.

'Vicky, I'm here. I know. I know. I have you. You're safe.'

Still muffled but quite clear. 'i hurt so many people.'

'Don't say that-'

'No!'

Finally lifting her head, finally getting up off the tile floor, though only sitting. There is a... feral look in her eyes. She's pleading.

'I hurt you. Over and over! Why do you talk to me? Why do you even look at me?'

Max has no words. Not fast enough to stall this tirade.

'I almost killed Kate! Over a video! I would have let her jump.'

'Victoria! Stop this. You didn't do that.'

'Yes I did. Don't you get it? I did post that video. I did use that against her. I harassed you for months!'

'I don't care. I already forgave you.'

'Why? Why don't you blame me? I as good as pushed Kate off that edge. I bet I helped Nathan destroy your room. I threw myself at Jefferson, made myself an easy target. I did everything wrong, over and over.'

Try as she might, Max cannot get a word in.

'I'm so selfish. Trying to sleep with Jefferson so I could win "Everyday Heroes". I knew you were better than me. I always knew everyone is better.'

Fuck. She's going nuts. 'Stop talking! Dammit Vicky! You're a teenager. You're human! You can't be perfect. Everything you've said to me the last few days. Were you lying? You really think you are to blame about shit you didn't know and never even happened? What about me? I did let Chloe die.'

Finally, Max has her undivided attention.

'Yeah, I know I'm not a murderer. I know I saved lives by not interfering. I still let her bleed out in a dirty school bathroom. And I'm dealing with it. I... I'm better because of you. I know these things because of you.'

'No, Max. I'm not like you. I'm not good-'

'Oh, shut the fuck up. Don't give me that bull. I've been saying the exact same thing over the last few days. You have not let me once believe I was worthless or useless. As much as you know what I can do, you never once backed down or gave an inch. You never once tried to coddle me. And I'm not coddling you if you're going to be as unreasonable as I was.'

While the crying has slowed down during Max's speech, Victoria's tears seem to finally abate.

'Victoria. I know you're a good person. Kate knows that too. The person who's death you want to take blame for killing. She's sitting thirty feet away, waiting for us to go have breakfast. That girl you're crying over is your friend. I'm your friend.'

'You shouldn't trust me. No one should.'

'UHHH! Stop it.' Max wipes her face, but she isn't crying. I should be crying. 'I know how hard it is to forgive yourself. I know because I still haven't. But I'm starting to, and that's because of you.'

'Th-thank you. But-'

'No buts. You've been hounding me about that word for days now.' A nearly silent chuckle issues from Max. 'I've figured out when you use "but", it pretty much invalidates everything thay comes after.'

Victoria answers with her own little laugh, at odds with the treat of her demeanor. 'About time you learned that.'

'I know.' The smile flees, once again replaced by concern. 'Victoria, after everything, how could you think I wouldn't trust you?'

'That's exactly why. Everything y-you witnessed last week, why would you?'

'What do you-'

'I PUT HER ON THAT ROOF!'

She's pivoting hard. We gotta- 'Vicky, calm down. Just- just tell me what you see.'

'What?'

Is that the look I gave her 'Tell me five things you see.'

The pixie blonde pauses a moment, then smiles. It's not a pretty smile, with a running nose and blotches all over her face. It doesn't crack through the pain.

But it's a real smile.

'You good?'

Laughter and sniffling. 'No. But I'm calmer.' Sitting against the still-wet wall next to Max, she gives her a shoulder push, a bit too embarrassed to look her straight on. 'Thanks.'

Max bumps her right back. 'No problem.' She stands with a grunt. 'Now, let's get changed. Again. I don't know fashion like you but I'm pretty sure wet and wrinkled isn't in season.'

They both circle back to their rooms to change. Max quickly switches out for a dry shirt but debates over her pants. Jeans aren't the moist comfortable when wet but they should dry soon enough. She packs her bag. Camera, notebook, etcetera. And... I really want to play today. Guitar in place, in case and over shoulder, she knocks across the hall.

'Come in.'

Victoria on her bed, buttoning her sweater over blouse. Kate sitting on the couch, writing in her book. Or drawing. Yay!

'Ready girls?'

Kate nods enthusiastically, but Victoria pops open her purse and tries to cover up the color still on her cheeks. 'In a minute. I have to...'

'Yeah, sure. We don't mind.'

'No. Not the makeup.' She snaps her mirror closed and take a moments. 'I need to clear the air.'

'You don't need to-'

'Yeah Max, I do.' She rounds on the third girl. 'Katie. I know you said you forgive me. But I don't.' Raised hands counter a started argument. 'I don't care what you might say right now. I know I did to you. I knew what I was doing at the time. Maybe now I understand why better but that's only a reason, not an excuse or an apology. And even though it didn't happen... I still feel terrible that what I did caused...'

She can't finish. Not that I blame her. The fact is Kate did jump that day.

'Victoria, I don't blame you.'

'It doesn't absolve me of driving you to that. Even if it wasn't this me, a version of me was a royal bitch last week. Like usual.'

'Please, Vicky-'

'No, Kate. Let me finish. I feel... flat out terrible about how I acted. Even if I didn't actually do anything to you- to you both- last week, I still would have done those shitty things. So, yeah, I'm feeling really guilty.'

Neither companion knows really what to say. Where to start.

Kate tries.

'I don't blame you for any of this. I don't think you have any fault.'

'I know. And I know you don't blame anything on me either, Max.' The blonde shivers. 'I blame me. because it's things I did, or were going to do. It took me some time to figure out why but I did. I'm jealous.'

Why is she jealous. Rich, or at least very well off. Parents who love her. Friends, family. Talent and a ready-made career she obviously loves. Hell, she and... that douche had all sorts of power in school. I mean-

'I had everything going my way. I ran this school. I ran my life. I was in charge of everything that mattered to me. Except.. you two. And a few other people. I mean, it wasn't that I needed to manipulate you. Or run your lives. But you... ignored me. You didn't love me or hate me. You just had lives... that I couldn't affect. I'm not used to indifference.'

Well, that's kinda... super-villainy.

'Damn, it sounds so bad, but I'm used to people loving or hating me. Or scared. Or sucking up. Or just friends. Or just pretending one of those. I know the kinds of things people were saying behind my back. But you two... didn't bother.'

'We didn't mean to-'

'Max, it wasn't anything you did. Not on purpose. My life is... I can't lie. My life is pretty great. My family always supported and loved me. My friends, my real ones, they always looked out for me. I'm always near the top of the class, always excelled at what I did. I just always had to try so hard. Working overtime, or flat-out cheating to make sure my grades stayed good. Comparing myself to all the artists that I've seen in my parents gallery. Best fashion sense, trendy topics, social media. I mean, I'm not a celebrity. But I have been laying that foundation my whole life without really trying. Everything I've done was in that direction. First step, come out of school already posting pieces in galleries. Next get featured in some magazines or online. I've planned on having my own showing well before I'm thirty. But now-'

'Now what? Why would that change?'

'I saw you two. I saw how much easier it was. To just excel.'

'It wasn't easy.'

'I know. But you two come in to this school and just... make it look effortless. I'm doing everything I can to keep treading water and you are doing backstrokes around me.'

She pauses.

'It's not the first time I've felt this way. You aren't the first people to make me feel so outclassed. Rachel was the same way. And even Nathan. But with Nathan, I- I thought I knew him. And I knew we were never really competing. We worked with each other. But you, Max, especially you. Made me feel so outclassed. I felt like I was drowning.'

Victoria turns to the couch.

'Kate, you came to school and... you were just a ball of sunshine. Everything you say and do is just so perfect. Always ahead of school work. Always smiling. No trouble. No skeletons in the closet. My world just never touched yours.'

She turns to the computer chair.

'Max. God, you walked into this school like some sort of wunderkind. A year of being... that asshole's star pupil and it takes you half an hour to completely replace me. Everything you did encroached on... my territory, I guess. I never even had a chance. And you didn't even know it! You didn't care that I had this built-up kingdom. You walked in and didn't realize how good you are. Max, damn, I've never been number two at anything I cared about before.'

'Vicky, I'm not-'

'Yes, you are. You do things with that beat-up camera that shouldn't be possible. With selfies, for fuck's sake!'

'Vicky!'

'Sorry Kate.' She has enough decorum to chastised. 'But it's true. I really wanted to hate you two. Like- like I did with Rachel. I did really try to hate her too, but she made it easy. She rubbed my face in it. She made me know when I was beat. Not you didn't care. You took it when I was a bitch and never fought back. Worse. You let it pass. You forgot about it. You didn't acknowledge me "winning".'

Kate moves to the bed and hugs Victoria. This doesn't stop the torrent of words.

'That's why I escalated. I went all out to get you, Kate.' She doesn't notice that she's crying, just leans deeper into the embrace. 'You are just so... perfect. Pious. Righteous. Good. Flat out good. And I knew- I knew I couldn't be that good.'

'Gosh, Vicky, I-'

'I didn't want you to get hurt like that! I just wanted you to think I was better. I just wanted to prove I was better!'

'To who, Vicky? Who needed to know you were better?'

'I don't know! Maybe me? I don't know why but I had to know I could beat you and I almost-' She leans into Kate's shoulder and lets out a similar scream to before. The petite girl seems to vibrate from the physical impact of that scream.

'Sh, Vicky. Just breath. Deep, in and out.' Kate, looking over to a Max starting to rise from her chair, gives a slight shake of her head to say I got this.

'Vicky, why did you want to win? Win what? Being good isn't a competition. There's no grade or score for happiness. You don't "win" in life.'

Still shaking, Victoria tries to clutch tighter but, unusually, Kate breaks the embrace. Holding her at arm length, eye to eye, she repeats herself.

'You don't "win" life. You live it. You don't "turn" good. You do good. You don't "earn" happiness. You find it and hold on.'

Only then does she pull the distraught girl back to her.

Damn, Kate's got philosophy skills.

'You have to find what makes you happy and complete and hold on to it. That becomes your life. You help people in the world not so someone thinks you're good but because you want to help them. And you will only want to help them, or find happiness, or anything positive in your life, when you can love other people and yourself. You can make the world better when you care for others. That means in order to make your world better you need to care about yourself. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserves your love and affection.'

'Buddha.'

Max's turn to look embarrassed. Had to open my mouth.

'Well, just because I believe in Jesus doesn't mean I don't know good advice when I see it.'

'A very palpable hit, Kate.'

'Shush.'

Victoria calms down, breathing easier and beginning to sniffle instead of tearing up. Kate goes back in.

'Vicky, you know there is no reason to feel this way. What you did, what you felt, that's the past. I know you asked me for forgiveness. I forgave you because I saw you were sorry. Everybody feels bad when they do wrong. Only a good person wants to fix it.'

In a few minutes, Victoria will calm down enough to crack a joke. The girls will get themselves ready to head out for breakfast. By the time they get there,the little laughs will turn into questions about the Vision, and the voice in Max's head, and much more pressing topics.

But right now, they just sit there and relax.