Chloe sat in her truck, her head swaying in a metronome in accordance with the music tumbling from her speakers. She crossed her eyes, watching the single strand of smoke rise from her cigarette, following it until it collided with the roof of her truck, spreading outward before finally dissipating. She took a drag, turning to get a full view of Blackwell.

I didn't care at the time, but man...I really wish I was still in school. Those fucking GI Joe PSA's were no joke. Oh well, I guess. At least Max is in there bustin' her ass. At least one of us isn't a loser.

She grinned when she finally saw Kate walking toward the car, waving her hand excitedly. She quickly ditched the cigarette, then reached over and unlocked the passenger door.

"Good morning!" Kate greeted as she climbed into the truck.

"Mornin', Pumpkin," Chloe responded, leaning over to give the girl a hug. "Thanks for hanging with me today! I'm excited to go on some badass Chloe and Kate adventures!"

"Me too!" Kate waggled her feet left and right. "Though I have to be honest, I'm kind of surprised you asked."

"How come?" The punk asked, rifling through her console for a stack of CDs.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "We've never hung out without Max around before. Just different is all!"

True. But I'm excited to get some Kate time!

"That's because at least part of our adventure is a secret from Max!" Chloe bundled her shoulders in delight as she wriggled her fingers. "Going to do a little bit of Christmas shopping."

"Oh gosh," Kate laughed. "I'm so bad with secrets! I think you picked the wrong girl."

"Nonsense." Chloe waved her hand dismissively. "You're the perfect girl for the job!" She handed her the stack of CDs. "Here, find something you want to listen to." She shifted into drive and slowly pulled out of the parking lot, sparing one last glance at Blackwell in the rear-view. Kate furrowed her brow as she read the discs.

"I don't really know any of these bands," she admitted. She held up a disc as a suspicious look took over her features. "This one is blank and just says 'fart butt party mix 6'?"

"Oooh, that's a good one!" Chloe flashed her a smile as the girl slid the disc into the radio.

I think she should dig this one. Wait...this isn't the mix with Bloodhound Gang is it? Fuck, please don't be that one.

"Sooo," Chloe began, anxiously adjusting the volume on the radio, "I was thinking we could hit up your tea place, swing by the record shop for Max's gift and then maybe hit the book store?"

"That sounds fun!" Kate clapped her hands together softly. "I could always use some tea," she said with sincerity.

"Cool, cool, we can head there first. I could hella use the coffee," Chloe said.

"Hella," Kate repeated, stressing it in a 'cool' tone. She giggled. "I love that, it's so cute. I always know you're close by if I hear that."

"Uh huh," the punk laughed. "It's like my battle cry at this point. Just kind of got away from me. Though I think at this point, Max might even say it more than I do!" She chuckled at the thought.

The singularity is upon us! Oh, the horror!

"I guess that's just kind of what happens when you're with someone enough," Kate said. "Oooh," she pointed at the radio. "I like this. What's it called?"

"This," Chloe said, "is by The Magnetic Fields. I don't remember what the song's called, to be honest. But they're pretty cool. A total Max band, I guarantee it." She reached across and lightly slapped Kate's shoulder. "Don't tell Max I like indie music. She totally knows, but don't give her any more satisfaction."

"So many secrets!" Kate laughed, clapping her hands to her cheeks. "I've only been with you for a few minutes and already you've got me in a fit of rebellion." Chloe cackled at that. "But seriously, I really like this. I could see this as drawing music."

"Oooh yeah, that's right." Chloe smiled. "Max says you're dang amazeballs at drawing. I'd love to see some sometime."

"I'm...I'm not that good," Kate said, blushing a little. "I mostly draw simple, cartoony stuff."

"I love cartoons, man," the punk replied. "I was actually watching an old episode Gargoyles this morning on one of those weird incarnations of the Disney Channel."

Oh, Goliath. The confusing feelings you gave me as a child.

"Mmn." Kate shook her head. "I've never seen it. I actually wasn't really allowed to watch cartoons growing up. Only occasionally, I could sneak them at my babysitter's."

"What!?" Chloe shot her an incredulous look. "Kate, that sucks a big dick." She laughed when Kate turned red. "Seriously, we should have like, cartoon nights. That'd be so fun! We could just marathon all of Adventure Time. You would love it." She quickly glanced in the mirror, baring her teeth to make sure they were clean. "There's this character named Marceline who's basically my role model."

"All I know about Adventure Time is that you're supposed to be high to watch it," Kate replied.

"No way, man. It's perfectly awesome for sober minds! It's complex as shit too. Though, in the interest of honesty, I have watched more than my fair share of episodes while torched." She thought for a moment. "Would you ever get high?"

"Oh! Oh! I...I don't think so. It sounds scary." Kate waved at her neck as she blushed. "I don't even really like taking Tylenol."

"Hm, that's a shame." Chloe turned to her and winked. "I'd love to see a high as a kite Kate Marsh."

"So," Chloe said as she sat down at the small table, "how's school going?"

"It's going well!" Kate offered a warm smile before pouting. "Actually, I kind of hate math class. I always feel one step behind."

"Yeah, that's the tricky thing about math. Everything you learn depends on the thing you learned just before it, so it's stacking information. So, if you have trouble with one layer, the rest is going to fall down. Kinda like Jenga." She popped the lid off of her coffee and swirled the stir around. "I liked math because it was always like a puzzle. I've always been interested in figuring out why things work the way they do, yanno?" Kate eyed her suspiciously.

"Um, I'm sorry if this is too personal, but uh...how come you don't go to Blackwell anymore?" She bowed her head sheepishly, as if offering her neck in sacrifice.

Oooh, curious Kate. I think I can spin this.

"I will answer," Chloe said, pointing the stir at the blonde, "if you allow me to ask you a personal question back." She licked the stir before tossing it on the table. Kate just nodded slowly. "Well, me and Max were the best of pals when we were kids. Then five years ago, my dad died and she had to move away. Both happened so quickly that I kind of just lost it."

"Oh gosh, Chloe, I'm so sorry. I didn't know that," Kate yelped, holding her balled up hands to her mouth.

"It's fine, Kate. But then my mom got remarried to David Madsen, whom you're well acquainted with. I kind of just submerged myself in rebellion. Petty crimes, drugs, you know the deal. Anyway, I stopped giving a shit about my grades and would intentionally antagonize the teachers. Skipped class a bunch. Never did any work. Eventually, they just got sick of me and kicked me out!" She clapped her hands together with finality.

"Do you...regret it?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, now I do. I actually have a life again so it's kind of a bummer that it ended up the way it did. But I'll get into college eventually." She tapped her finger on the table, eying Kate with curiosity. "Okay, so now it's my turn to ask you a question."

"Shoot," Kate replied playfully.

Oh, I'm gonna.

"How do you really feel about Max and me as a couple?" Chloe let out a 'ha!' when the girl showed immediate discomfort. "Okay, tell you what, if it bothers you to talk about it, you don't have to. I was just curious is all."

"No, no, it's fine." She shook her head. "Um, questioning the Bible is still kind of a new activity for me. It sounds silly, but it's really kind of scary." She looked uncertain, then shrugged. "I don't know. Max has always been so nice to me. Then you've always been so nice to me. I don't know how I'm supposed to ignore that and just say you guys are bad people. It just...doesn't make sense? If you guys love each other, than why shouldn't you be together?" She let out the tiniest giggle. "I'm having a bit of an existential crisis these days, I guess."

Aw, the poor thing. She's in good company.

"Welp," Chloe said, raising her cup in a gesture of cheers, "join the club, dear. I think the old folks call it growing up."

"To growing up and being awfully confused!" Kate cheered in reply, dashing her cup against the punk's. She smiled and took a sip.

"So, what about you, then?" Chloe asked. "Fancy anyone these days? Lookin' to stockpile any sins you'd like to repent later?" Kate sputtered a cough, sending out a mist of tea.

"Oh gosh, no! I haven't even had time to think about boys. School has been crazy! Add that to, um, everything else that happened recently..." She glanced to the side and blushed. "I also don't think anyone would like me, anyway. I think the faith thing might be a red flag for people."

Don't mention Victoria. Don't mention Victoria. Doooooon't...but I wanna! But no. None of my business.

"Well, that last part was dumb," Chloe said as she pointed at the girl. "You're a total cutie. Trust me, I'm sure there are plenty of people at Blackwell pining over little Miss Marsh." She chuckled. "You know, actually, the religion thing is a pretty big fetish so..." Her voice screeched to a halt as Kate's face contorted in disgust. "You know what, nevermind!" Chloe laughed, waving her hand. "Forget I said anything. Ever. All the words."

"I'll try," Kate giggled. "I'm almost finished my tea! What do you want to do next?"

Get high. Play Pikmin. Spelunk between Max's thighs.

"Er...next we shall pick up Max's gift! Should be a quick stop, I sneakily told the owner to hold it for me yesterday." She moved her arms around mystically. "I am a magician."

"That's very exciting," the blonde noted. "Can you draw a rabbit out of a hat? I think Alice is lonely."

"I'm afraid not. It's against the Oregon Fish and Game code. Not allowed to materialize organic beings out of thin air. Total buzzkill." Chloe stood from the table and stretched her arms. "So, after we get Max's present, we can go to that bookstore. Sound fun?"

"Sounds hella fun," Kate corrected as she slung her bag over her shoulder. She snickered into her hand. "Sorry, I wanted to try it out." Chloe smirked and wrapped an arm around the blonde's shoulders.

"Fits you perfectly, Kate."

"Oh no!" Kate's eyes went wide as she checked her phone. "Max texted me but it was on silent! What do I tell her!? I'm so bad at lying!"

"Don't lie," Chloe said coolly. "Just don't provide all the information. Tell her we went to get tea and books."

"Yes, sensei," Kate said reverently as she typed back. She glanced through the windshield. "We're almost back at Blackwell anyways, I'll tell her we'll meet her."

"Sounds like a plizzity-plan," the punk replied. "Hope she likes the book I got her!"

"Oh, yeah! Thank you so much for this!" She held up a paperback book. "It looks, um, interesting to say the least...?"

"To be completely honest with you, Kate, you're probably going to hate it," she laughed. "But! It's one of my favorites, and even if you don't like it, I like sharing stuff with the people I care about." Kate 'hmm'd,' then smiled.

"That's very sweet of you. I'll try extra hard to like it, in that case!" She looked over the book. "Survivor...well, it's a positive title!"

Sure, Pumpkin...just be happy I didn't get you Haunted.

As the girls pulled into the parking lot, Chloe spotted Max and Warren sitting on the steps. Max seemed to be trying her hardest to maintain a grumpy expression, glaring through the windshield at the punk.

Babe, I know you're tryin' but you just look adorable.

"Hey guys," Warren greeted, waving at them as they got out of the truck. In his other hand, he held a 3DS.

"Hello, Kate," Max said, dramatically angling her face away from Chloe.

"You ignoring me?" Chloe asked with a smirk, digging into her pocket for her pack of cigarettes.

"Warren, do you hear something?" Max asked him. He looked up from the screen, smacking his lips dryly.

"Yes, your girlfriend," he said, pointing the device at Chloe.

"Dude," she said, pushing his shoulder, "you're supposed to play along!" She looked at Chloe and smiled. "Hey, gorgeous. C'mere!" She held her arms out invitingly.

Mmn, now that looks a lot like home.

Chloe knelt on the step in front of Max and snuggled into her, reaching around the girl's back to pull the unlit cigarette from her lips. Kate slowly pulled herself up onto the ledge next to the stairs, patting her skirt to remove any dirt. She playfully bopped Warren on the head, prompting a grunt from the boy.

"So, you two went on a big adventure without me, huh?" Max asked, slinking her legs around Chloe as the blue haired girl sat on the step with her back toward her, reclining into the girl's arms.

"You were in class and I was bored." Chloe pouted, tapping the back of her head to Max's chin. "And our little bunny friend was kind enough to entertain me!" She noticed Kate have a momentary bout of worry, but squandered it and nodded happily. The punk lazily threw an arm to her side, casually pulling the 3DS from Warren's hands. "Hey Wah-Ren, whatcha playin'?" She brought it into her lap and started mindlessly jostling the controls.

"Fire Emblem..." He puffed out his bottom lip. "Please do not kill my characters. I will cry on you."

"Oooh, delicious tears!" She tucked the unlit cigarette behind her ear and nibbled her lip. "I need to get one of these things for when work is slow." She flipped the switch on the side, gasping when the 3D activated. "The fuck witchcraft is this, yo?" Chloe waved the handheld at Warren. "Yo, the fuck is this?"

"It's called a 3DS, dude," Max said, meticulously combing through the punk's blue hair. "Emphasis on the 3D."

"Fuckin' cool," Chloe muttered as she handed it back to Warren.

Want one so bad!

"There you guys are," Victoria huffed as she plopped between Max and Warren, her shoulders digging into each of them. "Tay and Courtney are fighting about some dumb shit." She brought a blue, ornate rod to her lips and pressed a button, inhaling as it lit up. "What're you dorks up to?"

Of fucking course she vapes! Hahaha. Picture perfect stereotype. Oh...uh, glass houses, Chloe.

"Not really anything," Kate said as she gently swung her feet. "We all just kind of mushed together here a few minutes ago." She thought for a moment. "Are Taylor and Courtney going to be okay? I don't want them to fight."

"They'll be fine," Victoria assured as a milky plume of smoke leaked from her lips. "Dunno if it's boy shit or school shit or whatever, but they bicker pretty frequently then make up in about an hour. Just didn't want to listen to it." She leaned over to Warren. "Oh, do you have the new Pokemon? I don't have anyone to trade with."

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked, clapping the device closed. "I didn't even know you played games."

"Bitch, I am actually a Pokemon Master," she muffled smugly as she took another drag of her pen. "Though it's been a bit more difficult lately since my right hand is still pretty much useless." She slowly waved her cast at the boy.

"Everything I know is a lie," he replied quietly, his brow furrowed. Chloe snickered, tilting her head back so she could see Max.

"Hey, I bought you a book," she said with a big smile. "The Kama Sutra!" Both Max and Victoria groaned simultaneously. The brunette placed her palm on Chloe's face as she rolled her eyes, as if summoning the truth through touch. "Kay, fine, it's not the Kama Sutra. It's about photography shit, trying to capture the essence of emotion. Thought you'd like it."

What a buncha fuckin' spoilsports.

"Ooooh!" Max cooed excitedly. "That sounds interesting! Thanks, baby." She bent down to give the girl a kiss. She looked up at the sun, still shining brightly through the cold day. "I'ma take a photo now," she declared, wriggling to her feet and jogging down the steps. She turned around to the group and pointed. "Can you guys stand together over there?" She was less than enthralled when Kate was the only one to immediately move. "You guys are assholes," she said with a pout.

"I'm not fit for photos at the moment," Victoria complained as she pointed to her face. By now, Warren had stumbled to his feet and wandered over to where Kate was standing.

"C'mon, Vicky," Chloe droned as she sprung from the step. She gripped the girl by her bicep and pulled her with her. The blonde huffed, but complied.

"Okay, so you guys just squish together right there," Max said, conducting the group with her hand. Chloe stood on the far left as she draped an arm over Warren's shoulders. Kate stood next to him, with Victoria on the far right. "I just, um," Max said quietly, "I want a picture of my friends."

"Friends!" Kate exclaimed, waving her hands in a silly manner.

See, look at you, Max. I don't know why you were ever so nervous about making friends. Shit, you could get half of Blackwell into this picture. I'm proud of you, baby.

"Chlo, look at the camera!" Max snipped. The punk jolted her head, realizing she'd been staring just off center.

"Bite me," she replied. Max looked through the viewfinder, a small but powerful smile peeking from beneath the camera. She brought in a slow breath and took the picture. Grinning proudly, she whipped the Polaroid around, her eyes scanning over the lineup of people.

"I'm really happy," Max said bashfully, almost as if it wasn't meant to be out loud. She looked over the photograph and nodded to herself, then walked over to the others to show them.

"Not bad," Victoria said, playfully turning her nose up. "Maybe selfies aren't the only thing you can manage." The brunette scowled at her, offering a 'har har.'

"Man," Warren grumbled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not trying to be like, pervy or inappropriate, but it kind of sucks being by far the least attractive person in a picture."

"Oh shush, you're very handsome," Kate said, patting his shoulder in the most motherly fashion possible. She giggled when Warren scrunched his nose at her. "It's a very good photo, Max! What are you going to call it?"

"Oh, um, I don't usually title my work. Let's see..." She held the photograph up, glancing from it to group and back again. "I shall call it...Three People Who Were Clearly Uninterested in Being Photographed and Also a Kate."

"Christ, sounds like a Panic! At the Disco song," Chloe laughed, swooping forward to encase Max in a hug. She quickly looked behind her, then leaned in to whisper into the girl's ear. "You know, the 'bite me' thing was actually a sincere suggestion." Max let out a 'ha!' and peered over Chloe's shoulder.

"Welp, gotta run, guys," she said as Chloe gleefully pranced up the steps. "Gotta go do a...thing. It's uh, you know, important or whatever..."

"Why are you even trying to lie to them?!" Chloe screeched from the top of the staircase. "Guys," she said, pointing to Warren, Kate and Victoria, "Max and me are gonna go make out. Gonna be super hot. We get puh-retty crazy. Looks like a Super Soaker fight." Max was squeaking in embarrassment with every word, pulling her hood tightly over her head as she slowly ascended the stairs. "So, we'll catch you later!" The blue haired girl waved excitedly.

"Have fun!" Kate said, waving back as Warren and Victoria exchanged a look of horror.

"Get off your knees, Max. You're blowin' the game," Chloe snarked, resting her head on Max's shoulder as she cradled her from behind. She pressed her lips against Max's neck and blew a loud raspberry, causing the girl to shriek in laughter. The brunette's finger spasmed, missing her phone screen and leaving multiple fruits uncut as they fell. She lifted her feet up, then brought them down on the mattress in a mock tantrum.

"I can't be a fruit ninja if you're tickling me!" She complained with a smile, shifting herself deeper into Chloe's lap. "I hate that the high score on my own damn phone isn't even mine."

"Mmn, yeah, I just kind of really hate fruit. Can't trust 'em," Chloe muttered into her neck, sending a shiver through Max's spine. She felt a hand scoop through her hair and purred happily, nuzzling her cheek into the girl.

And she'll never find out that I used all the power ups.

"So, hey, I talked to my parents today," Max said, turning around on her knees to face the punk. "About the college thing. Just to get their take."

"Oh?" Chloe constricted her legs, pulling Max closer. "And what did the Caulfields have to say?"

"Just a lot of flowery support, mostly." She shrugged. "But my dad did bring up the possibility of a gap year."

Holy shit, if Max took a year off... Dude! That would be so fun! We could do anything!

"I'm not going to rush into any decisions," Max said, "but I definitely don't hate the idea. Just like a breather, yanno?" She turned to face the photo collage on the wall, sighing somberly. "The rumors are that after winter break, there'll be a new photography teacher. Is it totally shitty of me to say that school feels like a huge waste since I can't even participate in the thing I came here for?"

"That sounds pretty reasonable to me," Chloe said. "I mean, I of course want you to get the best grades you can. But genuine interest is a whole different thing. Why should you care about fuckin', I dunno, gym class if you're a photographer?"

"Man, I hate gym," Max groaned. "We had to run laps a few weeks ago and I was totally spent halfway through the second one!"

"Remember dodgeball in grade school though? That was fuckin' fun!"

"No it wasn't!" Max scoffed. "If I remember correctly, every single time we played you just focused on me!"

Doesn't seem much different than now, does it?

"That's why it was so fun," the blue haired girl responded. "That unmistakable sound of a rubber ball thunking off of your face! Good times, man."

"Oh screw you, dude." Max pounced on top of her, holding her down against the sheets.

I swear to god she fucking snail mails me these opportunities.

"That uh..." Chloe grunted through the pressure the girl was putting on her. "That a suggestion or what?" The brunette narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"You think you're so fucking slick and cunning, don't you? With your sassy words?"

Hahaha oh my god are you serious.

"Yes," Chloe replied. "Yes, I do think I'm a cunning linguist."

"I'm home," Chloe called as entered the house. Even small things like that were still surprising her – she knew her mother wasn't home, so she was going out of her way to greet David. She found him in the living room watching TV, nursing a bottle of beer. He turned to her and smiled bigger than he probably had meant to.

I wish he'd smile more, it actually suits him. Then again...I guess he IS smiling more.

"Hey Chloe," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm good!" She replied cheerily. She flopped onto the couch next to him and threw her feet up on the table. "I was productive today in my own little way. Got Max a Christmas present. A vinyl record player, if you can believe that." She dug through her pocket and pulled out the receipt, looking it over with amusement. "Pricy little thing."

"Vinyl?" He asked. "I thought everything was digital now."

"Yeah, but kids today are pretty snobby about their music. They say vinyl sounds better and Max is nothing if not a snob," she laughed. "In a good way."

"I'll never understand," he said in an almost jealous tone. "To be your age again, man."

"Miss those glory days, huh?" She asked with a smirk.

"Actually..." His face ran through a quick succession of emotions, landing on a small, knowing smile. "No, now that I think about it. Being a teenager is hard." He chuckled quietly. "Strange how I've only just now really remembered that." He slowly rose from the couch and headed for the kitchen. Chloe turned her attention to the TV and scoffed to herself.

I'll never understand watching people talk about sports.

"I wish I got paid to sit at a desk and talk shit about athletes," she joked, squinting to read the running banner at the bottom of the screen. "That'd be fuckin' dope." David returned, plopping down on the couch with an indifferent grunt.

"I'm not even sure I really listen to them anymore," he admitted. "It's just background noise while I'm thinking."

"Damn, dude. Ever thought about going goth?" Chloe asked. "It'd suit you. I'm sure Mom would be totally into..." Her words came to a slow stop as David held out a bottle of beer. After a moment of confused gawking, he jostled it in a 'take it' gesture. "Um, you sure?"

Whaaaat the fuck anymore.

"Yes?" He said it playfully and a little confused. "Don't act like you've never had a beer, Chloe."

"You call this 'beer' you say?" She asked, taking the bottle and holding it out to examine it. "What a strange device. It is a beverage?" He snorted at her and tipped his own bottle to his lips.

"Just drink the damn thing."

"Bonding is weird," Chloe muttered quietly, then she took a sip. "Never pegged you as an IPA guy."

"What does that even mean?" The blue haired girl shrugged innocently. He stretched his neck, pressing his palm deeply into the crook. "Jesus, I've been sore lately. Think I've been sleeping wrong or something. But...at least I've been sleeping. That's a nice change of pace."

"Sleep is nice," she agreed. "At least you don't like, sleepwalk or anything. One time when I was little I found my dad in the kitchen just..." She trailed off, feeling conflicted about bringing her father up with David.

That's...weird, right? He probably doesn't want to hear about Dad.

David didn't seem to directly acknowledge her, instead reaching for the remote and turning the volume on the television down. Her turned to her with an unsure expression.

"Could you...tell me about him?" He looked shy, aware that he was treading onto sacred ground. "You don't have to if you don't want to," he added.

Uhhh what? Confusing feelings.

"He was...really goofy," she said in a whisper, looking down at the floor. "Always tried his best to make me laugh. I think part of him must have wanted to be a standup comic or something. Sometimes he acted like a bigger kid than me." She laughed, then nervously glanced at David. "You guys are really different." Her voice was struggling for an even tone.

"I'm sorry." He frowned as his shoulders sank a little.

"Wait, what? That's not what I was aiming for. It isn't your fault, dude. People are just different." She put the bottle to her lips and swallowed several mouthfuls. "I guess I just have him in my head as this almost, like, legendary entity. To be honest, you could have been just like him and I probably still would have been a total bitch." She 'hmm'd' as she tapped the bottle to her lips. "Wanna know something dumb?" She asked, turning fully to face David.

Am I really about to admit this? Ugh...

"Of course," he said. "But I'm sure it's not dumb." Chloe snickered as she got up from the couch, meandering over to the sliding glass doors. She placed a hand on the glass, carefully watching her reflection mimic her movements.

"My hair," she said. She took another sip of her beer and turned to David. She crossed her arms when he only shook his head in confusion. "My dad was really excited about doing stuff around the house. I don't even think he was that good of a handyman, but he had all these big plans for ways to spruce up the place. Me and him always joked about building a hidden room with like a secret, bookshelf door." She rolled her eyes when David shrugged. "Dude, like in Scooby-Doo. That shit was around when you were a kid."

"I don't understand what that has to do with your hair, though." David sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at Chloe.

"I just..." She turned back to the glass door, quietly popping her lips. "I remember the first time he talked about painting the house. Like, really vividly for some reason. It's one of my clearest memories. He was so enthusiastic about it. Which is stupid, right? Just a fuckin' house. But, uh...for the longest time he just couldn't figure out what color to use. Him and Mom bickered for weeks." David closed his eyes, sighing out a small pang of realization. "Then one day, I showed him this really cool blue from some comic or something, I don't even remember. He fucking spazzed. It was the craziest reaction ever. He just lifted me off the ground in this hug and kept telling me I was his hero. I know he was just being dramatic and silly, but for some reason it really meant a lot to me." She closed her eyes and took another big gulp.

This sounds really stupid out loud.

"He...never got to finish it, of course. When I decided to dye my hair, that was what I immediately thought of. It's not exact but...it's pretty close, right?" She opened her eyes as she felt a hand on her shoulder, seeing David's reflection behind her with a sullen look.

"It's very close," he said. He thought for a moment, tightening his grip on her shoulder in an affectionate way. "Hey, uh, when spring rolls around...maybe we could finish painting it? I...I don't want to step on toes or anything, but I thought maybe it'd be a nice gesture."

We could finally finish it?

"That...would be very cool, actually." She turned to him with an excited spark in her eyes. "We could even make it a big thing. Like a family event! You, me, Mom and Max! That'd be hella fun!" She smiled wide as she began to hop in place, overcome with happiness.

"Clearly you've never painted a house," he laughed. "But yeah, I think that would be a good time. In William's honor." He spoke his name so carefully, as if it might break. He held his bottle out, the tip of it leaning toward Chloe. She glanced between it and David, then laughed.

"In his honor, yeah," she said, clinking their bottles together.

"Happy birthday, Maxine!"

Her parents simultaneously hugged her from each side, squeezing her until she seemed about to pop. The cake in front of her was of simplistic design, but elegant. The wax number fifteen sat ablaze in the center.

"Go on, make a wish," her mother said, patting her on the back encouragingly. The flame flickered in the reflection of Max's big, blue eyes – ones that seemed to be hiding a deep melancholy. She briefly offered her mother a small smile, then turned and blew out the candles.

"Man, fifteen," her dad said, his voice somewhere between proud and devastated. "Sometimes I wish I could freeze time." He took a seat at the table and rubbed his hands together in excitement. "I'm so ready for this cake..." He turned to Max, his face serious. "I helped your mother make this, you know?"

"You put the candles on top," her mom responded dryly as she sat down. She handed out tiny, Styrofoam plates followed by silverware.

"That's helping," Max added with a small chuckle. Her father gave her a grateful wink. "Thank you so much, guys," she said. "It looks absolutely delish! I...think I'll take a photo." She tried her best to sound 'adult,' still settling into the habit of referring to pictures as photos. She grinned as she picked up her brand new camera, the silver along her teeth glistening against the setting sun threading through the windows. She aimed it at the cake and snapped the photo, unleashing a small squeal of excitement as it spat out a Polaroid. "This is so cool! I feel like a real artist!"

"Well, you are, aren't you?" Her father asked as he violently plunged the knife into the cake. "All it takes is the mindset." She shrugged shyly in response, clearly embarrassed by her new title. Her father's warm smile melted into a straight line of uncertainty as he glanced at his wife. Vanessa returned the look before aiming her eyes at the table. He cleared his throat. "Um, hey," he said as he placed a hand on Max's shoulder, "I'm sorry that none of your friends could make it to your party. Just bad luck, I guess." Max shrunk as he said it, her shoulders creeping their way to her ears.

"It's okay," she assured in a mousey voice. "It's a school night and everyone's just getting settled in, I understand. We'll probably make it up soon." She prodded her fork into the cake and took a bite. "It gets pretty nuts-o when school starts." Her mother simply 'hm'd' in response. They sat at the table making small talk, chatting about Max's upcoming school year and her dread of another boring history class. Once they were finished, she gave both of her parents a hug and thanked them again before treading upstairs into her room.

She closed the door behind her, falling back against it and breathing out an exhausted sigh. As she looked down at the camera in her hands, her brain began churning with thought. A small, devilish smile crept onto her face as she took a grandiose step into the room. She held the camera high above her, aiming it down at her face, and clicked the button. She awkwardly whipped the Polaroid in the air, scrunching her nose as her image came into existence. She examined it for a moment before snickering.

"Selfies with an instant camera... How dumb." She set the camera and both of her new photos down on her little desk, nodding proudly at her first steps into the world of instant photography. As she stared, a frown grew. She slowly pulled open the top drawer of her desk, huffing to herself as she took out the stack of invitations to her party. The ones she never even gave out. She sifted through them, reading the names of her classmates that she knew so little about. Finally, at the end of the stack, she stared harshly at the invitation with Chloe's name on it. Why had she even made that one? There was no way she would be able to show up to a party an entire state away. And for all Max knew, Chloe wouldn't even want to come. Still, something compelled her to make it. If only for her own peace of mind.

"Come on, Max," she said to herself irritatedly. "Just fucking text her." She stormed over to her bed and picked up her phone, digging through her contacts until she found Chloe. Exhaling slowly, she began typing. After only a few words in, she cringed, repeatedly tapping backspace until her message was gone. "She probably doesn't even miss me," she snarled, falling back onto the bed. "Dammit, why I'm such a wuss?" Her voice slid into a whimper as she began to sniffle. She let out one small sob, dragging her forearm across her eyes. "Chloe..."

...

Chloe's eyes opened smoothly and slowly, a single tear skirting down her temple. They focused on the blackness above her as her heart returned to its normal pace. She smacked her lips together, clearing out the dry mouth accumulated during her sleep.

What...was that? Another time dream? But...it wasn't from October...

She sat up, sweeping a hand through her hair as her eyes adjusted to the small sources of light scattered throughout her room. Her mind spinning a mile a minute, she crawled to the edge of her bed and peeked over, sliding her hand along the floor until she found her cigarettes. She situated one in her mouth and lit it, then searched for the ashtray, looping a finger around the brim and pulling it toward her. She stayed like that, her torso hanging off the bed as she smoked.

Her fifteenth birthday? And...she was going to text me. Fuck, she didn't even invite anyone to her party. My poor baby.

"Man, what the fuck," she mumbled, finally pulling the ashtray up onto the bed with her and sitting cross-legged. While most of her time dreams had caused her unease or even upset her greatly, this one didn't. It was a quiet sadness, but one that also gripped her sweetly. All those years she spent believing Max didn't care seemed so incredibly silly now. The ability to recognize Max in that time as a vulnerable and anxious teenager, not a malicious bitch, felt strangely cleansing. Even if she hadn't actively held that belief since meeting back up with her.

Christ, I feel old as shit.

She slipped a hand beneath her sheets and found her phone, cursing under her breath as the lit screen hurt her eyes. Maneuvering through a few screens, she opened her text chain to Max. The red glow at the end of her cigarette burnt brighter as she inhaled.

Gotta text her. Just need her to know.

Chloe: hey baby

Chloe: i know your prolly asleep

Chloe: just had another time dream, i think

Chloe: just want to tell you again that you are the best thing thats ever happened to me

Chloe: dont know how i got so lucky but

Chloe: i love you, max, more than i could ever explain

Chloe: :*

Chloe: yes emoji

She let the phone drop from her fingers and returned her attention to the dwindling cigarette.

Why did I get a dream from years ago? What's the significance of that? I mean...is that even out of the ordinary? I have no idea what the rules are here, maybe that's just part of the package. Hella strange. She was so sad... I wish you would have texted me then, Max. If I could get one rewind, I'd use it to reach out. That's it. Just...wish you would have texted me.

As if on cue, her phone chirped and startled her. She stamped the cigarette out and picked it up, the light once again burning her eyes. But even through that brief pain, her smile was already growing.

Max: I can emoji nows?

Max: :*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

The punk giggled as she typed back.

Chloe: kinda thought the other stuff would be more interesting

Max: Emojis though

Max: Wait. Chlo, a time dream? Are you okay? What was it?

Shit. How do I explain this one to her? God, I hope it doesn't hurt her...

Chloe: ok so dont freak but it was actually of u back in seattle

Chloe: um your 15 bday?

An ellipses appeared on the screen, signaling Max texting back, but it stopped abruptly. She frowned, a small bit of concern growing within her. Her phone began to ring as Max's picture popped up on the screen.

"Max?" She asked as she answered. "Are you okay?"

"Fifteenth birthday?" The girl's voice was miniature and sleep coated. "I don't even remember that birthday." The sentence slurred at the end, forcing Chloe to hide some laughter.

I fucking love her sleepy voice. So cute.

"Well, you got your camera. And uh, I just saw that...you didn't send invitations out for your party. And you almost texted me but didn't." She fell backward, wiggling left and right until the blankets pillowed up around her curves.

"That's kind of embarrassing," Max said. "For the record, I did that a lot."

"You're...okay?" Chloe asked. "Not feeling upset or anxious?"

"Mmn..." She couldn't tell if Max was simply thinking or dozing off. "No, I feel okay." The adorable thing even dared to yawn. "But is embarrassing," she repeated.

Oh thank fuckin' god she's not freaking.

"It's not embarrassing," the punk assured. "It was...sweet in a really weird way. Not that I at all love the thought of you depriving yourself of friendship, but the overall gesture is sweet."

"You're m'only pirate," Max slurred.

"Yeah," Chloe chuckled. "That's us. Pirates fo'eva. Oh, uh, Max?"

"Hm?"

"You looked fucking adorable with braces." There was a small gasp.

"Oh dog," Max groaned. "You're such a butt, Chlo."

"Yeah, but I'm your butt," she corrected. Max muttered in affirmation.

"I gots two butts," she said and Chloe could almost hear her nod. "You know," her voice sounded contemplative. "I haven't had a nosebleed since the night of the storm." The punk's eyes went wide, frantically searching through the dark.

"Are you serious?" She asked, sitting back up.

"Serious," the girl replied. "I'm...really happy."Chloe felt herself eject a stale gust of breath, one she had been holding since Max's nosebleed at Rachel's funeral. Tension unwound through her entire body, releasing her muscles from a petrified state she had grown to ignore. A sense of awe descended into her chest as a gleeful realization struck her.

Holy...shit... Everything's finally okay.

A/N: Another Chloe chapter, yo! This one covers a lot of ground. It's funny, I always initially find the Chloe chapters difficult to write but they always end up being the ones I'm most proud of.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Stay tuned for the next update where Kate takes a leap of faith (because fuck it, not like I haven't been building up to it all story ;p) Should be out sooooonish?

Love you guys and thanks again for all of your support! Ahhh you're the best.