Been a busy week! I had three exams this week that took a lot of my time, so even though I wanted this chapter to be long I didn't want to lose my streak of putting it out weekly. Also working on NaNoWriMo I'm up to 7k so far, I hope to get more done next week!
So how are you guys doing? Liking this unusual string of relationships? I just love them all so much ha. As always keep the gay up, love you xoxo.
A few days had passed since the last dream with Rachel, Max had woken up and found herself seeking out Chloe. They agreed to meet at Chloe's house. They embraced, Chloe was out of sorts and Max tried to console her, she knew that this whole thing was going to be hard for her and there wasn't anything she could do but be there. But the other thing was that Rachel kept coming back to Max, that worried her, not exactly that she was seeing her but what if Rachel sought out Chloe. It would be the type of thing that might consume her, to only being able to seek her out in dreams would fuck her mentality up. Max hoped it wouldn't come to that but it's not like she could shut it off. All this time and all this talk about Rachel being out of this world was now a reality she was facing.
Chloe had contacted some of her classmates, the ones that were at Blackwell while she was still enrolled. Chloe wanted help organizing a farewell for Rachel, something intimate just for them. But nothing stays a secret in Arcadia Bay; soon even the people she despised wanted in. Chloe talked to Steph, they agreed that they wouldn't mind but whoever started shit was getting the boot.
There was one place that Chloe had in mind, it was way out in the woods, where everyone would go out and party, sort of like the underpass with all the graffiti but it was more secluded and whatever happened out there would stay between them, as it always did with these kinds of things.
Chloe had agreed to meet up with Steph and Mikey at the airport since they were coming from the same school- Oregon State. Drew would have joined them but he had a game and couldn't exactly put it off, it's not like he knew Rachel Amber but he wanted to be there for Steph and Mike, but Mikey was there so it wasn't going to be a big deal, he had no grand desire coming back to Arcadia Bay.
Chloe and Max waited by the baggage claim for the duo, they were so very different from when she last saw them a year ago, at their graduation. Even though they were very excited to see Chloe their eyes rimmed- swollen and shot red, they felt what had happened to Rachel deeply, the funeral in a few days, the ambers wanted to get their family in and so had it off for a little while longer. It wasn't like they had to preserve a body anymore.
Mikey guided through the people with Steph trailing behind, they both rushed to attack Chloe into a big embrace, Chloe wasn't one for touchy feely stuff but she hugged back just as tight. They had gone through so much together and having them back in Arcadia Bay again was reminiscent, so important for all of them to process what exactly they were feeling.
"Chloe. I'm so sorry. I- I didn't think she'd leave you" Steph shook her head in disbelief "But this… this is far from anything I had in mind." Steph looked at Mikey whom had begun to disassociate until she called to him again. Mikey forced a warm smile "I don't feel right being here. Can we go somewhere more private?" Chloe nodded and headed for their bags but not before introducing Max, Steph and Mikey to each other.
The girls had gone to get Max's car in Seattle, deciding it would be safer traveling in that. The four of them packed up and headed to Steph's house, where Mikey would be staying, they hadn't heard from his dad in a while but he sure hoped that he was doing better for himself, and perhaps if they had time he would go looking for him.
The little reunion would take place later in the night. Most were given the coordinates, but to only people that Max and Chloe trusted; so, they wouldn't attract unwanted attention from the authority and the like. Chloe drove Max to the light house and broke inside, they climbed up the stairs, she just wanted some time alone with her before everything tonight. They didn't get a chance to talk about last night and what had taken place prior to their meeting. Chloe got to the overlook first, she sat on the ledge of the light house, through the now absent glass that was once there. Max sat right besides, she couldn't help but to be worried for Chloe, Max wished every day that she was in a memory with Rachel Amber so that she could prevent all of this from happening. To have Chloe hurt a little less, yeah her dad was gone but that's the only person who needed to be gone, both Rachel and she could pick up the fragments, they would do everything to get back the Chloe that they helped put back together.
Chloe saw Max looking at her longingly so she grabbed her hand and gave it a tight squeeze. Chloe knew that she worried, she kept a good distance because no one knows her quite like Max does and she is so truly grateful to have her best friend and girlfriend by her side. They both had their shit to work out, Chloe knows that no one meant to leave but it happened and it's scary to move forward; because when she does it tends to happen again. "I didn't think it was going to get this messy, I thought that I'd just brush off that we found her at last. I didn't want to get hung up on all the details. But. I can't. She was Rachel freaking Amber. I don't know how to put into words what she did for me. How she healed this ugly scar I had over me like spiritually." Chloe took Max's hand up to her lips and gave it a light peck "I think you can feel it. In your dreams, I mean. Like she's not of this world." Chloe struggled to find the right words, the thumb grazing over Max's knuckles. "The way she speaks to you makes you feel nostalgic for something, like you'll miss her even though she hasn't left."
Max tilted her head confused as hell because that's exactly how she felt when she dreamed Rachel up, the minute she entered the dream she regretted it because it too brought a lot of memories; with just being in the same room, it was an eerie feeling and at the same time it felt like a sense of longing. "I can feel everything that you're feeling, I can see the pain and hurt in your eyes and of the eyes of your old friends. I understand that she's always going to be a part of you, just like William is always going to be a part of you. And just like William came to you in your dreams Rachel is coming to me in mine." Max felt guilty for not sharing what she felt about herself and their situation but it's not like Chloe would understand, she never caused anything massive like a storm, there was nothing strange about Chloe. No Chloe wasn't this weird concept she was just Chloe.
"After tonight things will get better, we can get to the bottom of things. We get to let everything go, get to forget and forgive and that other good shit. That's exactly what we need right? To learn to let go. I think it's the best thing to do even though it's not the way that Rachel would handle it." Chloe then wrapped her arm around Max and brought her in to her embrace "I'm glad it's not the Rachel thing, it's our own thing and I think she'd be shitting herself to see how much things have changed. Tell her that I've changed okay… and that I'm doing alright all on my own." Chloe looked out to the shore and what lay beyond it, not much came to that part of the beach since it was hangout for the kids of Arcadia, a little rustic and dirty; just like them.
There wasn't many of them who RSVP to come to the woods but when things like this happen, two turns into twenty and so on. Of course, these people would use this gathering as an excuse to party, there were plenty of kids at the meeting location before Chloe and Max got there. Steph and Mikey got a ride with Dana and Juliet, everyone else fumbled in as the later it got. There was a bonfire, there was chatter everywhere but the initiation had not started yet.
Max had even convinced Frank to show up last minute, which didn't sit well with Chloe but she wasn't about to get into another argument about it, tomorrow would be another day, no matter how she said goodbye and who was around to say goodbye as well. Chloe came up to the center where the trees parted to a path, there was a stump there and she dropped kicked it and stepped on it, towering over her former peers and a couple of new faces.
"Good people of Arcadia Bay; thank you for coming to this shit show that is about to take place, I am not responsible and neither are my fellow organizers for the events that may or may not damage you emotionally and psychically because shit- shit happens." Chloe jumps off the tree stump and walks around letting Steph handle the rest of the talking, Chloe then goes over and pours herself a drink, from the keg that someone brought; dropping the continents over the fire making it roar. Something else that Rachel loved doing, creating massive fires; this she was sure of, Chloe could definitely still feel one now.
Max stood back, she was there for the just in case situation. Max and Steph met glances a few times and Max did assure the other girl that everything was under control. It wasn't like Chloe wanted to cause damage tonight. Everything that her classmates were throwing into the fire seemed so trivial, she had seen their obsession with Rachel, their lust was pretty evident back then and this was a chance to let that go. it was perfect.
Steph was the first person to come up with something meaningful to talk about, she had told the kids at the gathering that with Mr. Keaton's permission she was able to pick up Prospera's costume, Steph talked about things leading up to that night that she wasn't there but that everyone else was involved in one way or another. Now turning to Chloe Steph moved her body towards the fire, towards her. "I wasn't there that night but I don't think I had to be, the things everyone said about how Rachel and Chloe single handedly saved the show, saved all our asses from a night of humiliation "Steph carried over the whole ensemble over to the fire, she stood over looming, standing tall for everyone. This piece of her symbolized change, a change to our town, change to us; the way we see each other than is not the way we see each other now and now her death is stirring up new change. I don't know about you but I'm tired of the Prescott being the only ones with the power to change stuff, no offense Nathan but your dad is a toxic asshole and he's bringing the whole town down with him."
Nathan didn't have much to say on the matter, he shrugged as he dragged a cigarette to his lips.
Chloe rolled her eyes "Don't bother Steph, poor little rich boy still doesn't have the balls big enough to confront pops on what the hell he was running. Look what it did to Rachel and who the hell knows where Sam is. Tell us Nathan, where did you bury poor innocent Sam, the only girl who showed interest in you and now she's gone. Just. Like. That." Chloe snapped her fingers together followed by a grim smile.
Victoria held Nathan back, he was getting worked up by the mention of Sam; it sent a cold shiver down his spine. "Price you don't know what the hell you're talking about. Samantha was just another lonely girl that couldn't mind her own freaking business." Nathan smiled bitterly, he wanted so much to talk about Sam, not even Victoria knew what had happened to the quiet girl, only Jefferson and Mr. Prescott were involved and they had done a great job covering it up, they even paid off her family to keep it under the rug; those idiots even agreed to it. Nathan couldn't comprehend how money could bring satisfaction with their daughter being gone, being so fake that you dismiss that this corrupted family has paid you off for the death of your child, one whom has done no harm to herself or the people around her.
"No one believes that. The girl worshipped you and she would have done whatever it took to get into your good graces. I saw it, she sought my help and I told her to leave you alone. But the heart is stupid like that, it doesn't listen to reason." Chloe said stepping over rocks in her path until Max grabbed her hand and pulled her back away from the fire.
Chloe looked stunned, ready to fight whoever laid hands on her but she knew there was only one person dumb enough to get in between Nathan and her. "Don't. He must hear this. If he's going to say goodbye, then he should say goodbye to Samantha too." Chloe looked angry but not at Max, it was at everyone else who was staring at her; that was getting under her skin.
"I am not going to apologize for something that wasn't my fault. Samantha is not my burden to handle. I am a victim just much as she was, just as much as Rachel was." Nathan yelled back, crushing the cigarette to the ground staring straight at Chloe "You don't know shit about anything. You... think that I have a say on anything my father does? I am a pawn, all I have is his money and his name, you can forget about his respect, his love or adoration. If any of you were in trouble right this second there is nothing I would be able to do about that, the best all of can do is flee this shit hole of a town. Just leave and we'll all be happy."
"You're wrong." Max called out, she stepped in front of Chloe. "We can do something about your dad, or whoever he's partnered up with. Yeah there's shit people in this town but that doesn't mean we have to become one of them or even cower away from them." Max got close to the fire to show them she fucked up leading up to the bathroom with Chloe and Nathan. "I was injured as you all know; I am not afraid of Nathan though. He's under the influence of some heavy shit, everyone at Blackwell is just a little fucked." Chloe tapped on Max's shoulder but Max shook her off proceeding. "I promised I wouldn't get back to taking pictures, I can't even hold a polaroid steady, and why the hell would I want to, why would I want to get recognized for my art. It's pathetic really."
Victoria had turned to Nathan, confused she had no idea that Max was in such a deep head space. "Caulfield you're not pathetic, you're actually a good photographer so why are you doing this to yourself?" Victoria was carrying a box of the missing Rachel Amber posters and had been burning them discreetly.
"I'm not doing anything to myself, I know when I'm done and what my art has done to the people around me, it's more than just getting back in the game, it's of a realization of wanting to be in the game." Max starts walking to the path of the beach, dozens trailing right behind her.
Max reaches the water and smiles "It's time to unburden ourselves and come out clean at the end of this." before Max could suggest getting into the water the jocks coming racing out of the clearing and one of them trips on a drawstring from a garbage bag
"Guys I think were gonna need a shovel. Dude has been here for a while." Logan dumbfounded points out.
Max goes to check but Chloe pulls her away and picks her up by the waist "No way. We need to get out of here, someone else can call it in. You're not going to torture yourself with this. Understand." Chloe did her best to get Max far away from the others but she was a little out of breath.
"Let me go Chloe, I need to see what I'm going to save…"