Pardon the unorganized timelines. For the time being things will jump back and forth. Elements of this story are inspired by Black Spot on Netflix.
2016-12-11 11:51:55
Max surveyed the parking lot with a calm that did not match her companion's normal cheery disposition. Christmas trees sprinkled with snow were scattered around along with the seasonal goods that the locals were offering. Several cars were arranged haphazardly across the country parking lot in addition to a couple RVs in the background. Her attention was diverted when a man accosted two youths not much older than her for their dog not being on a leash.
"Sorry dude. We don't do leashes," the girl replied with a short laugh.
"Well, the city does. An unleashed dog is liable to a fine, so…"
"Ha. You're going to fine our dog? That's not nice."
"Loitering is illegal too. And you don't live here, right?"
The boy interjected, "Calm down, sweetie. We're allowed to visit the Christmas market. Our dog's not going to eat you. Look at him!"
"You better watch your mouth. You punks are always causing trouble. This is a nice town, okay."
"Jeez," the girl added, "someone needs to get laid."
The boy chuckled. "He's out of pills."
"That's it. I'm calling the cops—"
"Do you mind if I pet your dog?" Max interrupted.
The girl jumped but relaxed at the sight of Max in her green sweater with a picture of a puppy on it. "S-sure. Didn't see you there."
Max bent down and supplied the dog some affection. "My name's Max by the way. What's yours?"
"Um, Cassidy. And this is Finn."
"Max! What are you doing? I thought we were in a hurry."
Max looked up and hoped that Nathan would mind his manners.
"What, and who are these two hobos?"
"Nathan!" she gritted, leaning forward. In a kinder voice, she continued, "Meet Cassidy and Finn." She turned to look at the grumpy man. "And I don't know who this is."
Nathan shivered in his fluffy coat. He did not have a tolerance for cold weather.
"What's up, my dude?" Finn greeted in his laid-back fashion.
Nathan's eyes traveled to their hairstyles. "A couple of druggies? Seriously, Max?"
Max narrowed her eyes. "Look who's talking."
The older guy turned to go, but not before reminding them, "I'm calling the cops."
Max at once spun on him. "No one's talking to you. And if you do call the cops, I'll explain to them how you propositioned me, and Cassidy and Finn here will vouch. Does that sound good to you? Trust me, mister, I'm a good liar."
"Are you threatening me?"
"I just did. Now come on, guys. I about had enough of the mayor of loser-town over here."
Cassidy and Finn numbly let Max take hold of their arms to lead them away. Nathan meanwhile couldn't resist but smirk at the sight of Max' sassy side. He made sure to flick the man off as they walked to his vehicle.
"Whoa, nice truck," Cassidy admired.
"So uh, you guys need a lift?" Max asked them, scratching the back of her head.
"What?" Nathan demanded, as he opened to door to the driver's seat. "No way, Max. We got our own schedule."
Max smiled. "It wouldn't hurt to be a little sociable sometimes."
"Look who's talking."
"We're fine," Finn assured them.
"No…" Max approached them and took both their hands. "I insist."
Nathan merely rolled his eyes as he used the running boards to hop in and start the engine.
2016-12-11 12:45:26
With ambivalent eyes Max watched the passing of the woods beside them, her mind traveling back to Arcadia Bay as it always did when she found herself unoccupied. Noises in the back of the cabin jarred her out of her rumination when she remembered their guests, Finn and Cassidy, who they offered to drive to a campground nearby.
"So Max, thanks again for what you did back there." Cassidy raised an imaginary glass.
"Yeah," Finn refrained. "You got big balls."
Max shared a look with Nathan. "It was nothing."
Not wanting to be rude, Max continued, "So, uh, how long have you two been on the move?"
"It seems like forever," Cassidy explained. "But not long enough. What about you two? Just on vacation?"
Max smiled nervously. "You could say that. My best friend is out of town on job training, so Nathan and I decided to take a road trip to the country."
"And how do you two know each other?"
"We...met in high school. It was a rocky start."
A scoff beside her. Max changed the subject. "So, who were those two boys you talked to before that jerk showed up?"
"Uh, Sean and Daniel, if I remember their names right," Finn replied. "Cool kids."
Max nodded her head. "They seemed cool."
Cassidy's eyes traveled to the open bag decorated with antlers at her feet, a bottle of antidepressants visible at the corner. She turned to Finn and asked him, "What do you think of heading South to Oregon?"
"Sounds like a sweet idea to me."
Max smiled at them through the rear view mirror and relaxed into her seat. Even if moments like these were erased, they would always live in her mind. She took comfort in that at least.
2016-12-12 09:13:32
"Are we really doing this?"
Max swallowed. "Yes, I thought we already decided. We can't go back now."
"That's what they always say before a person goes to their imminent doom."
Max breathed in through her nose. "Please, Nathan. No distractions now."
"Okay…okay," Nathan said, pacing for more of his own benefit.
"Why are you nervous anyways? You're not the one who's about to travel through the space-time continuum."
Nathan groaned. "I'm about to be poofed out of existence! I think I have a right to be nervous!"
Max flinched. "It—it doesn't work that way."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night."
"Okay! You win! We're not doing it." Max picked up the photos and started placing them back in the bag.
"No! I'm kidding!" Nathan rubbed a hand through his hair. "I panicked, that's all. We still need to do this. Everyone…" He thought back to his classmates, his mom, and especially his sister. "They're depending on us."
Max let the bag fall to the ground. She bent down again and started arranging them. They were deep in the woods of Arcadia Bay, hoping that proximity to whatever gave her these powers also would provide a boost.
"You know," Nathan grinned. "I'm going to laugh so hard if nothing happens."
"Shut up."
2012-08-20 07:51:32
The school felt different and not in a good way. It felt like she was walking through water, and the hallways might as well be a mausoleum in her mind. This was not what she expected when she went back, but there had to be consequences for every selfish action. Some consequences were preferable to others.
It was the first day, and while Mr. Wells toured the school with her, the clock ticked closer to eight, and the halls began to fill with youths. Mr. Wells was showing her the chemistry classroom when Max glanced towards the entrance, and through the doors walked the girl for whom she put it all on the line. Chloe's eyes met hers, and after a moment which stretched forever the shock on her earliest friend's face was replaced with indifference. Chloe adjusted the backpack on her shoulder and without another glance, she turned right and disappeared around the corner.
"Maxine, are you listening?"
Max looked down at her feet, a loud high-pitched noise in her ears that could only be her reality breaking in two.
2012-08-20 10:58:02
Max inhaled at another sight for which she wasn't prepared. It would be her first time meeting Rachel Amber and judging by the unfriendly look on the actress' face, it wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.
"Max, is it?"
Said girl decided to face the music head on. A fragile smile on her face, she replied, "Mm. I'm Max. Night to meet you!"
Rachel seemed kind of taken-back by Max's upbeat response. Rachel certainly wasn't trying to act nice. She filed Max away as another one of the fakers. "Well, I carry a message from someone you might know. If you can be bothered to remember."
Max's eyes fell, and her hands squeezed the strap of her backpack in unease.
"What, you aren't even going to say her name?"
Max shook her head, aware of a couple people staring. "Listen, let's not do this here. I'll let you…say whatever you want later if that's you want. Chloe, she…there's nothing I can say."
Rachel studied Max who would not even meet her eyes. "A coward, huh?" She turned to go to lunch, and as she left, she warned Max, "Stay away from Chloe, you hear me?"
Max watched her leave, her backpack feeling like it weighed a million pounds on her shoulder. Thus far, the day was not a success. Victoria took only two minutes to realize she didn't like her, so Max guessed that the bullying was one of the inevitabilities.
Speaking of Victoria, Max stumbled forward when said girl bumped into her on her way past. Max had to admire the girl's enthusiasm for torture.
Suddenly, she felt tired, and instead of going to lunch today, Max decided she would just write in her journal.
Still, despite the promise of drama that Blackwell offered, Max made it back to this time period which was a great relief. She was eager to put down her thoughts for later and more importantly, she needed to snap a photo.
2012-08-20 4:47:45
"I saw her."
Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's a small school. I think we're both going to see her a lot. Seeing as how we are in a lot of the same classes."
"You going to be okay?"
Chloe snorted. "Rachel, I'm not a glass teddy bear. I'll be fine."
Rachel looked guilty. "I know. Especially after what you did two years ago. Sometimes I forget you're a badass."
Chloe patted Rachel on her shoulder before she swung open the door of her old Ford. "Try not to forget, huh?"
Rachel smiled. "See you tomorrow?"
Chloe put her arm on the top of the open window and beamed confidently at her friend. "You know it."
August 20, 2012
I made it. What can I say? My powers are growing every day. I say that like it's something to be proud of. It's so easy to think of them as my salvation, but when you look at it from the big picture, maybe it's trapped me. Here I am four years in the past with my younger body. Have I discovered immortality? Never able to move beyond this stupid high school. Yay powers.
I didn't exactly expect a warm reunion, but with Rachel here, Chloe has no reason to talk to me. I hate that there's a small part of me that wants Rachel to die again. She's certainly no saint either. I don't know who's going to give me more problems. Her or Victoria. Maybe Nathan…
What am I saying? He's still one of that man's acolytes. The worst part: there's no guarantee I can even change him. In that last timeline, it was a complete accident.
(Sigh.) It's going to be a long year.