Morning was already peeking through the curtains when Max opened her eyes. Squinting for a second, she adjusted to the brightness and felt momentary surprise.

Did I sleep through the entire night for once?

Shuffling slightly under the duvet covers, she could feel Chloe's arm draped over her waist, the tall girl's body spooning her close. The room temperature was freezing, but next to her Max felt perfectly warm and cozy. It brought a smile to her face that she could hear Chloe breath softly against the back of her neck, the lightest of snores from behind. They were in their own little nest on the bed, and Max felt nothing in that moment but content and security. She closed her eyes and sighed, wanting to savour the peacefulness while she could.

Just live in the now before the world comes crashing down again, Max.

Ever so carefully Max lifted the arm around her waist and rolled over so that she could face the other girl. Chloe's face was mere inches from her own, her facial features relaxed and restful.

She's so beautiful.

Max marveled her best friend. Watching Chloe sleep was like a treasure for Max, and seeing the girl in such a peaceful state was rare and special. Eyes drifted around the girl's features, noting the dark circles under her eyes, her pale complexion.

Chloe's suffered as much as I have. She's just stronger than I am, most of the time.

Max knew that part of the reason why Chloe also appeared permanently run-down was because she was busy being a guardian angel in the night. Nightmares that racked Max's nights would always keep Chloe up too, yet she always insisted staying close to Max as much as she could. When Max finds herself awake and screaming, or crying, or fighting invisible horrors, Chloe's arms are always there and ready. Holding her tight, protecting her, comforting the brunette by whispering soothing assurances to her until she eventually calmed.

Max didn't know how Chloe could do it every night without fail.

I don't think I could live without you, Chloe.

You don't know how grateful I am.

Max lost any sense of time as she watched Chloe sleep. She didn't feel creepy at all staring at her best friend. She just couldn't help the awe and adoration she felt for the girl in front of her; the girl who happened to be the one good thing in her life right now. The thought occurred to her that Chloe may have slept through the night if Max didn't have a nightmare.

Good. She deserves rest.

Slowly she lifted her gaze away and rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling. Another thought popped into her mind as she exhaled and watched the mist from her breath appear above her. Not that they usually kept track of the days anymore but, Max realized with wide-eyed wonder, it was December 24th.

Christmas Eve.

A few more minutes passed before she came to the conclusion that she was definitely not going to fall back asleep and Chloe wasn't waking up any time soon. So she decided the next best thing to do would be to put on some clothes and get cozy in the lounge with a cup of coffee. Careful not to jostle the sleeping girl in the slightest she shuffled off the end of the bed, shivering once she left the warmth of the covers.

For the love of dog, it's freezing!

As quickly as Max could she scooped up the cleanest clothes she could find and sneaked into the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Max shut the door behind her and reached up to pull the string of the little fan heater above the doorway, basking in the warmth it blew from it once it turned on. It definitely made stripping down and pulling on her jeans and hoodie so much easier when she didn't have to deal with the frigid winter air.

The bathroom was modest and small, much like the rest of their apartment. It had a shower with a thin grey curtain, a toilet, and an worn white vanity with a small circular mirror above the sink that allowed Max to see herself just from the shoulders up. At her height, anyway - Chloe usually had to bend down to see herself better. Once dressed, she splashed her face with water in an attempt to wake herself up. Always in a state of exhaustion, Max looked about as zombie-fied as she felt. However today she felt a bit more rested than normal, which could be considered an improvement. She cupped her hands under the trickling faucet and splashed, warm droplets streaked down her features, and repeated twice before reaching for a towel and dabbing herself dry.

Better. Feeling a bit more human now.

Next in line on her agenda was coffee. Only instant, because neither of them could afford anything better, and as the kettle rumbled and boiled, Max leaned against the bench that separated the small lounge from the kitchenette and observed her surroundings.

There wasn't much to look at.

When they were looking for a place they only wanted somewhere cheap that provided a roof over their heads and a bed to sleep in. The weeks of staying in random towns and campgrounds with whatever accommodation they could find (which mostly meant Chloe's beat up truck to save cash) had added to the toll of the burdens they already carried, and an exhausted Chloe had pulled Max aside in early December to point out that they couldn't just continue life that way. They were paying with cash from a stolen 'handicap fund' from Arcadia Bay (a heist originally meant to get Chloe out of debt with a dangerous drug dealer), and it was their only means of living after finding themselves refugees from a freak storm. So they had chosen the closest town at the time that was isolated enough, far from Arcadia Bay, with maybe some promise of temporary life of normalcy held within its borders. That's how they had stumbled across the humble mountain town of Fork River, and now found home in old block apartments nestled among trees. The bonus was that it came with some furnishings and there wasn't much convincing needed for Chloe to hand over the cash and sign a short-term lease so that they could have a bed to themselves.

Even just for a short while.

There was very little in terms of belongings between the two girls. The storm that brought Arcadia Bay to its ruin had ensured that both Chloe and Max were left with whatever they had on them at the time they had kept their distance, observing the destruction from the cliffs. A stroke of luck also meant that despite Chloe's truck being parked at the beach it had also survived the devastation. Max wasn't all entirely surprised; the thing was a beast made of steel. They had the clothes on their back, the contents of Max's messenger bag, and whatever was strewn around the truck. Thankfully this included their ID's and the stolen money, which meant they could at least book into the occasional motel and thriftshop for some clothing. When they had moved into the apartment, Chloe had gone out to pick up a meager amount of groceries, a few toiletries, and found some cheap bedding bundles at a second-hand shop in the town.

I have to give Chloe props, she's always the practical thinker.

While Max poured hot water and stirred her coffee she remembered the lamp she'd knocked over the week before. She had picked it up and thankfully the only thing broken was the bulb, the shards of glass carefully swept up off the hardwood floor.

It came with the apartment. I really should get a replacement, so Chloe doesn't have to.

She took a sip of her beverage and sighed contently, the warmth seeping through her body felt like a kindness to her weary soul. She padded over to the window next to the couch and took another sip, leaning against the windowsill while pulling a blind down to see outside. Snow covered every inch of ground and she could spot a man heavily clad in winter clothing shoveling snow from the apartment drive, assuming it was one of the maintenance staff. It was overcast, yet nothing was falling from the sky. Max smiled at the thought of Chloe's truck beneath a mountain in snow in the carpark.

No sounds of activity could be heard from beyond the bedroom doorway across the room. A small, aged clock hung on the wall above a radiator, reading quarter past nine. Normally Chloe would be awake by now, not always one for lengthy periods of sleep these days, but the fact she was still asleep was fine by Max. Thinking about Chloe reminded her that during the past week the older girl had asked, close to pleading, if Max would promise to eat more and try to look after herself. She had confessed to Max her concerns hesitantly, while both girls had been sitting on the couch sipping coffee underneath a blanket, blurting it out of the blue, albeit gently.

Of course, Max couldn't say no to her, and she couldn't deny it any longer. She had seen her reflection recently and had to admit she knew that her weight was not at its healthiest, and the pleading look in the blue-haired girl's eyes had caused Max's heart to ache a little.

On that thought, Max rose and searched the kitchen for something to eat, only to come up short.

No cereal, just some canned food? And coffee.

Coffee is not food though, Max.

Not even an apple – damn, even the fridge is looking pretty sad. Maybe I should pop out and get something?

Actually, that's not a bad idea. I could let Chloe have a sleep in and I think some fresh air could be good for me.

She tip-toed back into the bedroom and quietly rummaged around for her messenger bag, her converse shoes, and grabbed some cash from Chloe's wallet laying on the floor. Chloe still didn't stir and Max smiled at the cocoon of blankets in the middle of their bed. As she made her back out again she spotted Chloe's black beanie on the floor. Considering the weather outside, Max decided it would probably be a good idea to borrow it. She reckoned that Chloe wasn't going to need it any time soon, so she threw it on and made her way to the kitchenette.

"Chloe,
I've just gone out for a walk to get some food from in town. Please don't worry. I grabbed some cash, stole your beanie, and I'll see you soon.

XoMaxo"

The note was left the note on the counter in plain sight, as Max knew full well the last time she'd left the apartment Chloe had a panicked when she woke to find Max not only gone but crying outside in the snow. Leaving a message behind was the least she could do. The both of them rarely spent any time apart and normally letting one another out of each other's sight caused some unease. Grabbing the key from the rack, she threw on her jacket and went out the front door, hoping perhaps that her intended walk will give Chloe a chance to rest without disruption.

"Oof." Max uttered, emerging into the bitter air, a shiver running up and down her spine. Borrowing the beanie was a good idea.

Involuntarily she hunched in on herself, staring down at her feet as she made her way down the staircase. She was so preoccupied in her thoughts of the cold that she barely noticed the woman leaving the apartment below, almost running into the elderly lady by accident. Max jumped back in surprise and the woman turned to her with an equal look of shock.

"Oh! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Max apologized as the woman placed a hand to her chest and smile.

"You're quite alright, dear," The woman laughed, "No need to worry!"

Max relaxed a little as she took her neighbor's appearance in. The woman was old enough to Max's grandmother's age, with graying hair and a wide smile that caused her face to ripple with wrinkles. She was wearing a large woolen dark purple coat and and pants that matched, black snow-boots, and was rugged up with a long, white knitted scarf. Max returned her smile with a sheepish one of her own.

The lady extended a friendly gloved hand to shake hands and she obliged.

"Are you new around here?" She asked Max.

"Uh, yes. I am. I live in the apartment upstairs." Max replied shyly.

"Oh, I haven't seen you around yet! You must have moved in recently. I know most of the residents around here, although most aren't the type of people I'd get along with. I'm surprised you're so young!" She chuckled. Max was definitely reminded of grandmotherly presence by the way this woman spoke.

"Yeah, I haven't met any of the neighbours here yet. I uh, just live with my best friend. We've only been here a week."

"Oh that'd explain that then. What's your name sweetie? I'm Ms. Dawkins, but I prefer Shelly." She grinned. Max could feel herself becoming more and more comfortable with her neighbor by the second.

"I'm Max. Max Caulfield. It's nice to meet you Shelly."

"You too, dear. Are you off somewhere in town?" Shelly asked her.

"Uh, yes. I'm going to the shops to get some groceries. Kinda low on food, and I guess they'll be closed tomorrow…" She kind of trailed off. Having normal conversation was a bit awkward for Max now, she felt out of practice, but Shelly seemed overwhelmingly trustworthy.

"You know, I was just locking up the place to go get some baking supplies from the shops as well." Shelly smiled sweetly at Max, "You seem like a lovely young lady, would you like to keep me company? I could show you the way."

The younger girl only needed to think about it for a second before deciding that it might actually do her some good to be with someone as kind as this lady.

"I would like that, actually." She took the older woman up on her offer, "I'm not in a rush today. It's Christmas Eve."

It couldn't hurt, could it?

She seems...really nice.

"Oh good! Give me a second to find my keys then we'll get going." Shelly rummaged through her handbag, before pulling out a set of keys and locking up the place. Max wondered if the woman lived on her own in the apartments, it didn't seem like the nicest place to live, but then again she hadn't been there for very long herself.

"Righto. Let's go." Shelly lead.

They walked down snow-paved streets and Max found herself enjoying the older woman's company. Her neighbor was a good-natured, jolly kind of woman, and Max was finding herself smile at the little jokes Shelly was making. Passing buildings and places, Shelly was giving the brunette a guide of the small town of Fork River. It turned out she had lived there majority of her life so she knew the history and the people well.

It made Max feel slightly more welcomed than she ever thought she could be. Even when Shelly asked Max about herself and her life, she didn't feel uncomfortable bringing up details about herself. The woman was endearingly kind.

"Now dear, what about yourself? Where are you from?" Shelly asked her as they made a left turn at a park, closer to the shops now.

"Uh, my parents and I were mostly living in Seattle the past 5 years, but I was born in a place called Arcadia Bay. It's in Oregon." She was surprised that the memory wasn't bringing any emotions up for her saying this, even though Shelly was the first person she'd had a conversation with besides Chloe since leaving.

"Oh, Oregon? I've been through Oregon plenty in my lifetime but I can't say I've heard of a place called Arcadia Bay." She noted.

Max didn't add anything else, so Shelly prompted her with another question.

"What brings you to Fork River? This isn't the kind of place a girl from Oregon or Seattle would come north to find themselves." Shelly said matter-of-factly.

"Hmm, yeah. Well my best friend and I, we…" Max shortly hesitated, then concluded that Shelly might be the right type of person to talk to about this kind of thing. "Well. We were living in Arcadia Bay a few months ago, I was going to school there. There was a natural disaster – uh, a…tornado hit the town. We had to leave."

Not sure 'natural' is the word to describe it, but I don't feel like going into detail.

Shelly placed a reassuring hand on Max's arm, and the girl realized her expression must have given her internal struggle away.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Max. That sounds dreadful. Are you okay, are your folks okay?" The woman looked at her with concern and warmth in her features. Max exhaled a little, and allowed herself to relax. She didn't want to say much more to worry the woman, there was enough angst inside Max for the world.

"Yes, my parents are okay. I'm okay. My best friend and I just had to get away, and I guess when we found Fork River it just seemed like a nice place to be for awhile. Away from everything..." Max changed the conversation. The older woman regarded her with what seemed to be understanding in her gaze.

"Hmm, I think you'll find this town can be quite beautiful. Especially in the wintertime. The community here is very tight-knit, you know. I've always loved it here." She mused.

Max nodded in agreement, looking down the street. All the buildings were older and wooden, a variety of stores here and there. Christmas lights hung above store fronts, and decorations were all over the place. It did indeed seem like a beautiful place to be at Christmastime. Inviting and pretty.

"I really like all the decorations here, it's nice." Max stated. The woman laughed in agreement.

Inspiration overcome Max and she had an urge to reach into her messenger bag and pull out her camera. She halted, and Shelly turned to watch her as the Polaroid camera emerged in her hands.

"Well, now that's an old-fashioned camera!"

"Yes, I just can't help it. I'm a bit of a photographer… and these lights are so pretty." Another sheepish smile reached the girl's face. Then another idea came to mind.

"Actually, would you mind if I took a photo of you? I'm sorry if that sounds weird – I just think it would be really nice." She felt shy to ask, but was instantly reassured by the older woman's large smile.

"That's so- so lovely of you! I would be honored to be photographed by such a wonderful young woman, Max!"

Max couldn't help but feel kind of proud as she raised her camera and framed her shot through the viewfinder. Steadying her hands she snapped the photograph, and the camera clicked and whirred as the film processed. With one hand she caught the photograph as it ejected from the camera and approached Shelly as it developed.

The older woman gasped when it completed, and placed a hand on Max's shoulder again, joy in her voice.

"That's the best darn photograph someone has taken of me in years! You have a real talent!"

Max blushed. A sensation she had not felt in a while.

"Oh, uh, thank you," Max ducked her head slightly, humbled by the praise. "W-would you like to have it? Merry Christmas?" Max asked.

Shelly beamed at her question.

"I would love to. You have just made a lonely woman's day, young girl. Thank you very much."

Max couldn't stop smiling as they walked into the grocery store together, chatting away about Polaroid photography and her dreams of once becoming a photographer. The store wasn't very spacious, and it had a kind of a rustic charm to it, but it wasn't unlike other grocery shops she had been in before. Shelly greeted the store clerk by name as they walked inside, introducing the brunette while she took it in.

"Johnathon, I'd like you to meet my neighbor Max. She's new to town."

Johnathon, a rather tall man with graying hair who looked to be in his mid-forties, smiled in a welcoming manner.

"Oh, hey Max. It's nice to meet you. Welcome to town, and Merry Christmas."

"Thanks," She replied. "Merry Christmas to you, too."

Is everyone in this town this friendly?

Today was turning out to be surprisingly nice, all things considered.

"If you need any help with anything just let me know." He added. Max nodded and wandered to the door to pick up a basket, noting that Shelly was already pottering around the shelves among baking ingredients.

Max filled up her basket with various foods, trying to put some thought into what Chloe would like. She wasn't entirely sure so she grabbed some staples. Bread, eggs, milk, cheap cornflakes. She was contemplating picking through the sales bin when another thought came to mind.

Would Chloe like something special for Christmas?

What are we even doing tomorrow?

The thought threw Max off for a moment. Thinking about something as festive as Christmas felt so surreal. Yet, it felt kind of wrong not to consider doing something. It was safe to say she felt fairly conflicted.

Maybe there's a bakery around here?

Maybe we could just share cake or something?

Fuck it, I dunno.

She grabbed some multi-packets of ramen, a box of cookies, then moved to the refrigerated section.

I've spent every single Christmas with my parents, and this is Chloe's first Christmas without her mother.

A shock of pain went through her chest and she winced. She tried to push her emotions back down again, it wasn't a topic she liked to think of, and crying in the middle of a store with company was not something she wanted to go through right then.

Yep, push it down Max. 'Cause that's healthy. Stay strong.

Putting on a brave face she made her way to the counter where Shelly and Johnathon were making conversation. She tried her best not to let on that she was experiencing a bit of an emotional crisis. Johnathon turned to help her unload her small basket and began ringing up the items, and Shelly turned to Max.

"Now dear, as a good neighbor I have to ask. What are you and your friend doing for Christmas?"

Her question was definitely loaded but was filled with warm concern.

"We… don't have any plans." Max quietly admitted. "We were just going to spend it on our own, I guess. It's not a big deal."

She pulled out some cash from her pockets and counted out enough to meet the number on the till then passed it over to the clerk.

"Well young Max, I want to let you know that you are more than welcome to come by and spend the afternoon with me. You and your friend don't have to, but I would love to see you if you should. I hate to think of you girls by yourselves after what you've been through. And I'm only a door away."

Max blinked a few times to hold back a few unexpected tears at the kindness of the gesture. It took her a moment to gather her wits in order to respond to the woman watching her expectantly.

"Th-that sounds wonderful. I –I'll have to ask Chloe what she would want, but I would truly love to come by. Thank you."

Her neighbor grinned toothily, a thousand crow's feet around fanning from her eyes.

"Good, Max. Now I've got to run to the pharmacy but thanks for keeping this old hag company. Just knock on the door anytime." She took Max's hands in her own and gave them a quick squeeze, before shuffling out the door with her bag and waving her and Johnathon goodbye.

"Bye!" She waved back.

"Ah, she's a sweetheart, Ms. Dawkins." Johnathon stated cheerfully. He handed Max her bagged groceries and she thanked him, leaving out the door to walk down the street.

She thought about Shelly's proposal as she gazed through all the shop windows she was passing by.

Maybe we actually could do something kind of... normal for Christmas? Surely it couldn't hurt. She's nice enough, and she probably just wants some company. We probably need some company besides our own as well. It might clear our heads, or at least...distract us. Or would it bring up some memories? Am I overthinking this?

Max, don't we deserve some good moments lately?

Her thoughts flickered to a flashback of the doe she saw last week.

Yeah… maybe we do deserve some good moments. Chloe deserves something a bit better than just spending Christmas holed up only with me.

Another thing came to mind.

Oh…should I get Chloe something? A present?

Just as soon as she thought that, Max stumbled across a shop entrance with the words "SECOND-HAND HEAVEN" painted on the glass. Windows were filled with trinkets and random items. A sense of inspiration came to Max, so she decided to push through the doorway and enter inside.

A wall of warmth hit her the moment she entered and closed the door after her. It felt wonderful to be out of the cold, the soft crackling of an open log fire to her right added to the ambiance.

She smiled and took in her surroundings. The store was filled from floor to ceiling with a diverse variety of items. Books lined the back wall, antiques of sorts sat on shelves, clothes racks hung all types of garments. Handmade crafts and beautiful gifts sat upon shelves, collections of rustic and traditional artworks adorned the walls. Second-hand heaven was right, the store was an eclectic mix of thrift and art.

Wowser! It was practically the best fitting word she could come up with. This is really neat! And totally my kind of place.

An elderly man smiled and waved in greeting at her from across a counter on the other end of the store. He had tanned, weathered skin and a rather outdoorsy look to him, a toothy grin appearing through his beard. He seemed to be laughing at Max's expression which, to be fair, must have been pretty amusing. She felt like her jaw had dropped to the floor. The store was so hipster, it could have had her name written all over it and she wouldn't have blinked.

"Hi there young lady, what brings you here?" He asked with a light chuckle as she approached.

"Oh." She managed, half distracted. "Um. I guess I'm just looking around. I'm new here."

"Ahhh…" He agreed, cheerfully. "Well have a look around, we've got a bit of anything and everything."

"Thanks, I will do." Max said and began to explore. Her curiosity was taking over and she ran her fingers over trinkets and books, reading their spines and stopping to pull a few out to flick through. She always was a book nerd.

Being somewhere with an open fire while there was snow outside brought some momentary calm to Max's heart. It was nostalgic in a good sense. She really did feel like she was having a good day. In fact, this might turn out to be the best day she's had... in a while.

She paused her train of thought when she turned a corner to find a glass case full of old cameras, an expression of wonder flashing across her face.

"Those things were really popular when I was your age." The man came up behind Max as she inspected one of the aged cameras in her hands. She placed it carefully back on the shelf and turned to him.

"They're really cool, I learned all about them in high school."

"A budding photographer, are you?" He prompted. She half shrugged.

"I guess I just like it now, as a hobby." Vague felt the best way to go. Max didn't think career was really an option for her any longer. He nodded understandingly, and smiled.

"Same here. I used a camera just like that one and I loved taking photographs. Of course, they took a lot longer to be made back in those days."

"That's true. I prefer analogue to digital, though. But that's just me."

"Old-fashioned are you? Same here, missy. Same here."

He shuffled back over to the counter and Max took the opportunity to keep looking around.

Hmmm... Maybe there's something in here I could get for Chloe.

I don't even know what… Probably should be saving our money.

Aimlessly she made her way to stand in front of the fireplace, allowing herself a few minutes of enjoying the warmth against her back. She wished there the apartment had one for Chloe and her to enjoy. It would be a lot better than the angry little radiator that struggled to keep their place warm. In Max's mind fireplaces are essential for the soul in a home.

I wonder if Chloe is awake yet, I should probably be heading off soon.

Max was almost convinced she was done in the store when she eyed a shelf with hand-carved animal key-chains. She walked over and picked up the first one that caught her eye. It was a little doe that looked eerily familiar.

You're always there right when I need you, little one.

"I see you've found my creations!" The old man called out from behind his desk.

"You did these? They're amazing!" Max praised, reaching up to pick up another one. This time it was a bull with beautiful big horns. It was made from dark stained wood, but on the sides of the bull there were intricate patterns of blue feathers. The bright blue dye reminded Max exactly of Chloe's hair. It was a beautiful piece of work.

Max decided that whatever it was worth, she wanted to get for Chloe's Christmas present. It just felt right, and she thought that something small but beautiful might be the thing to go for.

At the counter she placed the little wooden bull down and went to pull the money out of her pocket.

"How much is it?" She asked the man.

"It's free." He stated simply.

"What? No-"

"Merry Christmas." He grinned. Max's shocked expression elicited a small chuckle from the old man.

"No, no- I can't. It's too nice, and you made it." Max stammered.

"You're the only person whose come in today and you appreciated my artwork. It's Christmas, young lady. I think you should have it."

She blinked a few times in awe. "Thank you…" Another warm blush came over her cheeks.

Man, what is up with today?

"You're welcome. And welcome to Fork River. Feel free to stop by any time, and then maybe we can talk about photography?"

"That's so kind of you. Seriously."

She carefully placed the key-chain into her pocket where it would be safe, and smiled back at the man.

"Thank you so much. I hope you have a very lovely Christmas." Max told him and left the store with a complete sense of bewilderment.

I really hope Chloe likes this! Man this has been such a weird...but lovely day.

I actually can't wait to tell her about it, minus the present of course. I actually feel really good right now.

Walking up along the street she had come from to get to town Max realized the only thing she had consumed that morning was coffee, and now she was feeling hungry. Bags in hand she trudged back up the hill to their apartment block, hoping that the blue-haired punk would be waiting for her. Max wanted to tell Chloe all about her morning. Her good morning. They had been very open about sharing each other's lives that past week and the more she opened up to Chloe, the better she felt sometimes. This was definitely one of those things she wanted to share with her best friend.

Fifteen minutes later the brunette was outside her apartment door, placing bags down and fumbling to find the key in her jacket pocket . She almost had them when the door flew open anyway.

A wide-eyed Chloe stood in front of her, looking Max up and down as if in search of something. Seeing her standing there in sweatpants and tank, Max took in the tattoo and the blue hair and bright eyes. Despite the look of concern etched in the taller girl's face, Max couldn't help but find her beautiful, instantly filled with a glow of happiness at the sight of her.

"Chloe!" Max broke out into a smile and tackled the girl into a joyful hug.

"Woah! Woah, Max!" Chloe was startled but didn't hesitate to return the embrace.

"Sorry!" Max stood back and grinned. It must have been infectious because Chloe smiled back, with a touch of surprise in her features.

"Ha- what? What's going on? You're in a good mood." She stated curiously.

"Yeah…"

Swaying a little on the spot, Max pulled the taller girl in for another, yet more gentle hug. "Are you hungry? I wanna tell you about my morning."