"Okay, Max..." she whispered to herself, smoothing over the front of her dress. She'd decided on a rosy, pink dress she'd gravitated to at the boutique and was still mostly pleased with her choice, though she hadn't realized just how pervasive the fear of it slipping down would become. If only Courtney had made it a point to at least mention that would be a caveat that came with having a strapless dress, she'd feel much more prepared. It flared from her waist, but just enough to provide a modest 'whoosh' when she turned. She did find its length to be a benefit, since she'd elected to wear her sneakers rather than heels. She'd drawn a pretty hard line in the sand on that issue.
Though she wasn't entirely sure how it ended up the way it did, she spent the day getting ready with the rest of the Blackwell girls while Chloe stayed home. Despite her insistence that everything was fine, it did feel odd that she was missing. The girlfriend-shaped void in the group of friends was very, very noticeable. She looked down at the plastic container in her hand and gave it a little shake, then she took a deep breath.
Why am I so nervous? It's just Chloe. Pfft..."just."
Rather than simply entering the house as she would normally do, she knocked on the door. The knocks were quiet and hesitant at first, but with a flair of conviction, she managed to bring them to a volume that could actually be heard by people inside the home. Though she knew it probably wasn't long at all, it really felt like it was taking an eternity for someone to answer. Just as she was beginning to contemplate barging in and screaming, the door finally opened and Joyce expelled a sickeningly sweet gasp of adoration.
"Oh, honey, you look beautiful!" she said, drawing a hand to her chest. She smiled wide and twirled her finger in what seemed to be some sort of instruction. When Max only looked back with an eyebrow raised, Joyce laughed quietly. "Give a spin," she insisted.
Ohhhh.
"Ah, sorry," Max chuckled, holding her arms out at her sides and rotating in a full circle. "Do I, uh, look okay?"
"Yes, of course!" Joyce shook her head at the silliness of her question. "Come in, come in," she said, taking Max by the hand and retreating backwards into the house. She turned to the staircase and smiled, bringing one hand to her mouth. "Chloe, your date is here!" She looked back to Max and winked. "I've always wanted to say that."
Joyce is really loving this. I guess it's probably a built-in mom feature.
"Just a sec!" Chloe called back, and the sound of scrambling movement could be heard coming from her room along with a distant hum of upbeat guitars.
"The flowers are lovely," Joyce said, nodding at the plastic container.
"I hope so," Max replied, smiling nervously, "I wasn't sure if it was cheesy or if she'd like them or...I don't know."
"Oh, she'll love them," Joyce swiped her hand to wave away her concern, then turned to the kitchen, "did you want something to drink?"
"Sure," Max said, following her, "I think I have anxious, dry mouth." She snickered. "Couldn't lick a stamp to save my life, I don't think."
Not that I'd want to. Those things taste nasty.
"Don't be nervous!" Joyce pulled open the fridge and peered inside. "Okay... Water, iced tea, soda...?"
"Tequila?" Max asked, causing Joyce to burst into laughter. "No, I'll have some iced tea, thanks." There was a movement in the corner of her eye and she turned to find David in the doorway. Her lips drew into a tight line as she raised her hand. "Hi."
"Wow," he said, planting his elbows on the counter and leaning forward, "you look great. Love the hair."
I get what they mean, but I can't help but feel like that means I don't any other time.
"Thanks, David," she responded, "it's definitely...a step out of my comfort zone." She took the glass of tea from Joyce and sipped it cautiously, afraid she might spill it. "I've never been to a country club before. Is it going to be weird? Cowboys?"
"You'll be fine," he chuckled, "I know the place. It's nice! One of my cop buddies has a membership there."
"There's like, dinner first and then dancing?" She flung the small bag she'd consolidated 'essentials' into onto the counter and pulled out her phone. "I got this email that says...hang on," she tapped on the screen several times, "okay, yeah. We either have a choice between chicken breast, prime rib or some kind of vegetable thing..." She pursed her lips. "Which is a little disappointing because I've been craving tacos."
For like three days now. It's so sad.
"I'm sure you can go to Taco Bell afterward," Joyce laughed. Max shook her head as she set the phone down.
"Nope, I promised Chloe we'd go to McDonald's because she's stupid," she replied. As if on cue, the sound of footsteps started to rumble from above them.
"So, I keep thinking about what kind of shitty music they're going to play," Chloe said, gliding her hand along the railing as she stomped down the steps. "I really hope there's at least some good tu..."
Her voice retreated back into her throat with a tiny squeak as she finally looked up and saw Max. Her jaw hung open in a cartoonish way, just waiting for her to manually pick it up with her hand. It was sort of hard to focus on her reaction, though, since Max was having a similar experience.
True to her word, Chloe forwent much of the frills that Max had seen the other girls utilize earlier that day. Her dress was a simple, azure color that stopped at her shins, but the way it fit her made it impossible for Max to actually latch on to a complete thought. Her hair was tied up, with a loose strand hanging by her temple. Perhaps most shocking of all was that she was actually wearing eyeliner, and the dark outline made the blue of her eyes seem exceptionally vibrant. Really, the only thing about her appearance that didn't make Max's knees feel like they might dissolve at any moment was the fact that she was wearing her trusty, worn boots. Not that it wasn't still flattering, but their presence provided a warm sense of familiarity.
O-okay...wow...
"Do you think they'll ever talk?" Joyce asked, leaning toward David. He could only shrug, smiling at the display before him.
"You, uh," Chloe said, smacking her lips to regain the saliva necessary for speaking, "you redid your hair." She clutched her elbow that way Max had always done.
"Yeah," Max replied, glancing down bashfully, "last night." That show of dumbfounded surprise had really made all of the frantic washing and precautions to keep it from turning into a mess feel worth it. Maybe Courtney had dropped the ball on the strapless dress warning, but she had certainly made up for it with this. Max showed a toothy grin. "You're wearing more makeup than I am."
"Ah...yeah, I thought it might look...cool?" Chloe blushed in return, tucking the strand of hair behind her ear. "Um, does it?"
Cool's not the first word that comes to mind, but it's in the discussion.
"Yes, absolutely," Max said. She thought for a moment, then giggled as she pulled her dress up a bit. "I'm wearing my shoes too."
"Heh, right? I don't even understand how we're supposed to dance in those pointy...knife feet," she responded, chuckling with still pink cheeks. Max nodded in agreement, then brought the container in front of her. She tapped her fingers against it anxiously.
"I got you this," she mumbled, slowly approaching Chloe and holding it out for her, "they're blue."
She can see that, dumbass.
"Aw, I love them!" Chloe cooed, cracking open the plastic. She removed the corsage and looked it over, then began slipping it over her hand.
"Max is supposed to do it," David interjected, his fist smushed against his cheek as he watched.
"Oh, right," Max said, taking it back from her and stretching the band into a wide circle. Chloe drew her fingers together and held her hand out, and Max slid it onto her wrist. The girl raised her hand and examined it, beaming.
"I feel so...dated right now," she said, "like, you're dating me really hard."
Don't make it sound like carbon dating, Chloe.
"So, that's...good, right?" Max asked, lightly touching a finger to one of the flowers.
"Hella good," Chloe grinned, taking her into one of the most wonderful hugs Max had ever experienced. She glanced at Joyce and David with narrowed eyes, seeming to contemplate something, then exhaled a laugh through her nose. Unapologetically, she cupped Max's cheek and kissed her passionately, projecting a desperate and cloying desire through the girl's body. When she broke the kiss, she rested her forehead against Max's and smiled again. "You look so fucking beautiful," she whispered.
Okay, from her it sounds...really, really good.
"Like you're one to talk," Max replied with a smirk, "who would've thought Chloe Price would rock a dress so well?"
"Yeah?" she asked, though it was more of a flirtatious taunt than an actual question.
"Yeah," Max confirmed, running her finger along one of the straps of her dress.
"Alright, girls," Joyce interrupted, clapping her hands to snag their attention. Giddily, she went over to the dining room table and picked up a camera. "Time for pictures!"
"Oh, Mom, seriously?" Chloe groaned, her head rolling back.
"Yes, seriously!" Joyce scolded. "You are out of your ever-lovin' mind if you don't think I'm taking pictures of you two! Plus, I promised Vanessa I'd take some for her as well." Joyce looked to Max as if threatening to tell on her if she didn't comply.
Well, it's nice to see that they're talking more frequently.
"I guess we should've seen this coming," Max said. She frowned and glanced back at her bag on the counter. "I want some too. I couldn't bring my camera." Chloe looked down at her and her expression softened from bratty to loving.
"Alright baby," she said, "we'll get you some pics." She turned her attention to her mother. "Let's get our runway on." Joyce clutched her camera with both hands and trembled in excitement, then sped toward the back door.
"Let's do it outside in the sun," she said, waving for David to follow her. Once they'd both gone outside, the girls were given a brief moment alone.
"Seriously," Chloe whispered, taking Max's hand, "I'm on the verge of drooling here." She brought her other hand to Max's head, combing her fingers through the pink streak in her hair. "God damn..."
"Stop!" Max begged, burying her face in Chloe's chest, "I can't stop blushing and that'll make the pictures look bad!"
"I can't help it!" Chloe snickered, planting a kiss on the top of her head.
"Come on," Max said, rolling her eyes and leading Chloe outside, "we need to do this..."
"Okay, okay, stand there!" Joyce pointed to the center of the yard. Max and Chloe stood next to each other and looked back at Joyce, who moved her hands together like she was crushing something.
"I don't know what we're supposed to do," Chloe laughed quietly, speaking low enough for only Max to hear. She placed her hands on Max's waist and turned her so that her back was against her. "This, right?"
"Yeah, I think so," Max replied, then gave a thumbs up to Joyce. At the gesture, she brought the camera up and began snapping photos with a maniacal energy.
"Now one the other way," she said, flailing her hand, and Max and Chloe switched positions.
"I'm shorter than you," Max whispered, smiling when she felt a convulsion of laughter in her arms.
I'm just staring at the back of her neck.
"I like when you're big spoon, though," she responded, ever so subtly wiggling her ass against Max.
"Oh man, now I want cereal," Max said with a bit of a whine. "Hey, are you going to get chicken or prime rib?"
"I dunno," Chloe said, moving away at Joyce's direction and standing shoulder to shoulder with Max. She snaked her arm around the girl's waist. "Figured we'd get the opposite of each other to share?"
"That sounds good," Max agreed.
"Okay, now one with you," Joyce said, tapping David on the shoulder. At his hesitation, Chloe pointed at the ground in front of her with a stern look.
"Get over here," she snarled playfully, "you need to be in the picture with your sorta-daughter." She glanced at Max. "And sorta-sorta-daughter!" He relented with a nod, then took a spot between the girls and put his arms around each of them. After she took the photo, Joyce looked at the screen of the camera and smiled softly.
"That's a smile and a half if ever I've seen one," she said, giving David a knowing look. She held the camera out as he came back over to her, offering it to him. Then, she hurried over to the girls and hugged them. "Lord, I am just so happy right now."
"I can tell," Chloe laughed, then she shrugged, "yeah, me too." At the whir of the camera, she went back over to David and analyzed the photo, giving him a satisfactory pat on the arm. Regaining control of the camera, she turned back to the girls and looked up into the sky.
"Okay, now we need some of the corsage and..." she scanned around her, "some over by that spot, too. Maybe one with the swing set? Or, ooh! With the board from when you were younger!" She tapped her index finger to her chin. "And solo photos too!"
"Fuuuuck," Chloe said quietly, "we aren't ever going to make it." She shook her head and snickered as she moved to the new spot, devilishly turning to the camera and holding out two middle fingers. "Alrighty, I'm ready for my close-up."
"Get a load of this place, man," Chloe said, pulling into the parking lot of the country club. "I think I'm actually a little embarrassed about my truck. Old girl is...not meshing with the aesthetic." She reached up and tugged at an exposed tuft of fluffy material in the roof.
I like our beat up truck. It has personality.
"Don't even worry," Max giggled, "it's all part of our charm." She took a deep breath as the truck rolled to a stop. "You ready to do this? I'm sure there'll be more photos to take and all kinds of socializing and compliments."
"Yeah," Chloe smiled, "I'm ready..." She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, then turned in her seat so she was facing Max. "Hey, uh, I realize now that I kind of dropped the ball on the corsage thing. I don't know how I did that. I'm usually on top of that sort of thing."
"Babe, it's okay," Max said, shaking her head, "I don't mind at all. Seriously."
"Eh," Chloe shrugged, "still kind of irritated with myself. But..." she reached across the cab and popped open the glove compartment, retrieving a small, velvet box, and handed it to Max, "I, um, did get you something, though? Why I was MIA earlier."
This is definitely jewelry and she's upset about fucking flowers.
"You're such a...I don't even know." Max flipped it open and smiled wide. "Holy shit, this is beautiful!" Carefully looping her finger under the chain, she lifted it out of the box. It was a silver bracelet, glistening as the light caught it.
"I thought it was nice," Chloe said quietly, then she snickered and flicked the bullet hanging against Max's chest. "Our jewelry game is a little morbid, I figured, so..." She was unable to complete the sentence as Max lurched across the seat, silencing her with a kiss.
"I love it," she said, draping it over her wrist and holding it out so Chloe could do the clasp. "It's so pretty. I hope it wasn't expensive..."
"Oh shut up," Chloe muttered, pushing Max's hand back to her forcefully, "I'll get you whatever the fuck I feel like, alright?"
Jeez, rawr, okay.
"You're so affectionately rude," Max laughed, shaking her wrist and watching the chain shift around.
"Well, now that that's out of the way," Chloe said, pleased with herself that her gift was well received, "I guess we should start heading in there?"
"Definitely." Max swung open the door and slid out of the truck, once again smoothing over her dress. Chloe appeared next to her and slung an arm around her. They looked at the building, with Chloe making an audible 'hmm.'
It was very large, painted white with what seemed to be unreasonable cleanliness, devoid of any dirt of mars that would compromise its purity. There were many windows that reached from the ceiling to the floor, with some broken up in a grid. Even the outside was extravagant, as a huge fountain acted as a centerpiece to the entrance. Two stone swans sat on top, facing opposite directions as the spat streams of water. Stairs wrapped around either side of the fountain, curving to meet the granite strip of paving that marked the 'threshold' to the Prom-Land.
Dang.
"I sometimes forget Blackwell is like...a nice school," Max said, "you'd never know it just from being there. There's so much toilet paper everywhere."
"Yeah, I feel you," Chloe responded. "When I think about how I used to go there, it really makes the whole 'elite' school thing seem like a bit of a joke." She clicked her tongue in thought, then shrugged, looking tot he side. She grew a small smile. "Yo, check it," she pointed to two girls at the other end of the parking lot, "Dana and Juliet."
"Oh, let's go say hi," Max said, setting off toward them. As they walked, she took note of the other students making their way up to the building, and it struck her again just how many of them she didn't actually know. Her world had become so concise and insulated with an intimate group of friends that it was almost jarring whenever she was reminded how much existed outside of it. As they got closer to the girls, Dana noticed them and opened her mouth in awe.
"Holy shit," she said, prancing toward them, making the act of maneuvering in heels seem as easy as breathing. "I mean, I already knew Max looked beautiful, but seeing you two together is a fucking dream!" She kissed her fingers, then made a 'muah!' sound. She hugged both of them tightly, then backed away and smirked. "I know I was a hardass about getting dressed up, but I didn't say anything about making me look bad in comparison, you guys."
Ooh, someone's in a flattering mood.
"Oh fuck off," Chloe laughed, pushing her by the shoulder, "you look great too!" And it was true, she really wasn't a slouch herself, wearing a long, red dress that accentuated her curves perfectly. Though Max wouldn't agree, given that Chloe existed, she did have another sense of an 'oh wow' realization that she'd become so close with the girl who was probably universally considered prettiest in the school.
"Hubba hubba," Juliet chuckled, coming to stand beside Dana, donning a hot pink dress that was a similar length to Chloe's, "it's times like these I wish I were gay." She sighed wistfully.
There's a fountain up there if you have any change.
"Not like we'd be available," Chloe replied, wrangling Max closer to her for effect. Max looked around for a moment curiously.
"Where are the guys?" she asked, and Dana immediately pointed her thumb over her shoulder. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to miss the swirling cloud of smoke coating the windows of a nearby car. With perfect timing, the door flung open and Justin stepped out. Trevor appeared just a second later, and the smoke escaped into the air.
Yeah, I guess that makes sense.
"Yo, dickwads," Chloe called to them, "you guys look sharp as hell!" Justin turned to her and smiled lazily.
"Thanks," he said, the word overtaken but a quick burst of coughs, "I miss my hat."
"I miss being able to move," Trevor added, holding his arms out and waddling toward them the same way a penguin would. "I feel like I'm in a straightjacket."
"Whining aside, they do clean up well," Dana said, planting her hands on her hips and looking them up and down proudly. "I think Juliet's even a little excited that Justin's her date." Juliet nudged her with a roll of her eyes.
"Word?" he asked, nodding to her, "thanks, that's cool."
"Sure," she said back, smiling as she shook her head.
Justin, you're the best.
"Right, well, are you guys heading in there?" Chloe asked, gesturing to the building.
"Not just yet, no," Juliet said, "but you go in and we'll hook up later."
"It's a plan," Max responded, swinging herself on her heel so she was facing the steps, "onward, my love."
"Later," Chloe said, giving a lazy wave as she and Max left.
Arm in arm, they climbed the curved, stone steps and Chloe stopped once they reached the top. She went over to the fountain and peered down into the water, then pointed at one of the swans.
"That guy's beak is a little busted," she said.
"Poor thing," Max feigned a pout, "probably got a little too sassy with the other one."
"Yeah," Chloe laughed, aiming her attention back to the door, "I can totally relate."
"This is such a bizarre set up," Max said, scanning the room. In the very center was a large, slightly elevated platform that acted as the dance floor. At the far end of it, opposite the entrance, was an extravagant DJ setup, framed on either side by gigantic speakers. Surrounding the dance floor were many tables adorned with elegant tablecloths, the centerpiece consisting of three lit candles. "That juxtaposition, though. Also..." she quirked an eyebrow in amusement, "they're giving us a lot of faith with the open flames."
Surely that has to have gone wrong in the past?
"Hey!" came a voice from behind them, though its source was quickly between them with hands planted on each of their backs. "Hey, hey, hey!" Courtney said as they faced her. She smiled wide at Chloe, then held her hands out over the Max in display. "So, how about the hair?"
"Very sexy," Chloe nodded, "you're a wizard."
"Yes!" Courtney pumped her fist, "I knew it'd be a hit." Her eyes grew big. "Oh, by the way, I think we're sitting together!"
Oh, I forgot there were assigned seats. That's good, at least it's someone!
"Oh nice," Chloe chuckled, "where's our digs?" Courtney gestured for them to follow, and took off across the room.
Max looked over the DJ booth as they passed it, feeling quite impressed and slightly jealous at such a monstrous setup. She glanced up at the lights, and though they were currently off, she could tell they had colored bulbs. A sphere with multicolored lights sat on one of the speakers, which would eventually spin slowly, casting acute dots of color around the room. Once they got to the table, Max read over the other name tags.
Ah! Warren and Brooke! And Taylor! That's so awesome. Hmm, no idea who Collin or Miranda are, though. I hope they don't feel left out.
"This is a good group!" Max said. "At least most of us are familiar with each others eating habits." She smiled at Courtney knowingly. "Taylor and her lip smacking."
"Oh, I know," she replied with exasperation, "I've even told her about that." She flicked Taylor's name tag onto its face and snorted. "Anyway, dinner should be fun and then we dance the night away!" She wiggled her shoulders, then went onto her tiptoes, looking over Max and Chloe. "Ooh, gotta go say hi! I'll see you guys in a little!"
Sometimes she has so much energy that I get tired just watching her.
"Well, it's kind of nice so far, right?" Max asked, leaning into Chloe. Her eyes drifted across the room and she jolted upright, taking Chloe's hand. "Come on, I want you to meet someone!"
"I've met enough of your people," Chloe teased, stumbling into movement. They approached a woman who didn't seem to be paying a ton of attention, taking a sip out of a solo cup.
No matter how fancy you are, those red cups persist.
"Maddie!" Max called, causing the woman to spin around. She instantly grew a big smile.
"Max!" she exclaimed, "wow, you look wonderful!"
"Thanks," Max replied shyly. She raised her hand, which was holding Chloe's. "This is my girlfriend Chloe!" She nodded from Chloe to Ms. Waters. "This is Maddie, my new photography teacher."
"Nice to finally meet you," Ms. Waters said, taking Chloe's free hand, "I've heard the legends."
"There's plenty to be heard, I guess," Chloe chuckled. "Cool to meet you too. Max goes on and on about you." Max scowled and elbowed her. "You, uh," Chloe raised an eyebrow, "really are young."
"But old enough for that to be a compliment," Ms. Waters laughed. She sighed and looked around the room. "This place is really nice. Way better than where we had my prom..." she snorted, "there were buckets in the corner catching rain leaking through the ceiling."
"Oh, yikes," Max giggled, which earned an 'I know' nod of seriousness from Ms. Waters.
"Yeeeah, it was a bit of a mess," she added.
"So, did you draw the short straw for chaperoning?" Chloe asked, glancing at the few other members of Blackwell staff.
"I actually volunteered," she said, "I didn't have anything to do tonight. Plus..." she gestured over to a backdrop tucked away in a separate room, "the photographer flaked out, so I'm filling in."
"Oh, that's awesome! I'm sure we'll be dropping by," Max said, craning her neck to see it.
Huh. Hope they're paying you for that.
"Cool," Ms. Waters replied, "you two are just precious, I'll enjoy taking those."
"Oooh, I like her too," Chloe snickered, "she has a good eye."
They spoke with Ms. Waters for a few more minutes, then went back to meandering around the room. Max kept glancing at the table, feeling increasingly hungry and wishing someone would ring a bell or announce into a microphone that it was time to eat. It was during one of these longing glances that she heard Chloe squeal in delight. When she looked to see what caused it, she herself let go of an 'aww.'
"Woah!" Chloe shouted, hurrying over to Warren, "fucking look at you!" His suit was smooth and black, with an aqua blue vest to match Brooke's dress. There was clearly some sort of product in his hair, keeping it swept over to the side and only slightly squashed. She clapped her hands to his cheeks and squeezed. "My handsome little man!"
"Hi Chloe," he mumbled through his contorted lips.
"Brooke, so pretty," Max said, looking her up and down. It was actually quite surprising to see her without glasses. She wasn't sure she ever had before.
They look great together! Aww.
"Thanks, Max," she responded with a smile, "you too." Chloe added onto the sentiment with a double click of her tongue, making an 'OK' gesture.
"It must almost be time to grub," Chloe said, her voice lilting into an inquisitive tone. "The good news," she grabbed Warren's shoulder, "is you two are sitting with us!"
"That actually is good news," he said, sighing in relief, "I was so nervous we'd be with Logan or some crap."
"Fuck that, we've got a party at our table." Chloe flitted a finger through his hair, smirking when she felt some 'crunch,' and spun around to get back to their table.
It wasn't too long after that there was in fact an announcement stating it was time to take their seats for dinner. Taylor finally showed up, exchanging the same kind of 'wow, you look great' and 'thanks, you too,' that had become the formula of the night. As they had planned, Max and Chloe ordered different meals, then segmented the dish, trading half of each onto the others plates. They bantered and bickered as they always did, and Max was grateful that they managed to work the other two students into the conversation.
"I like the really low classic rock thing they have going on right now," Chloe chuckled, motioning to one of the large speakers, "like they're trying to make the Stones sound classy."
It's Paint It Black too... Good choice?
"It is a bit weird," Max agreed. Then, she was suddenly struck with an odd thought and she turned her attention to Taylor. "Hey, where are Vic and Kate? I haven't seen them."
Did I miss them?
Much like Chloe, Kate had been at her house to get ready at the request of her parents wanting to be present for the big day. Presumably they, or at least her father, was experiencing a similar joy to Joyce and wanted to capture the feel of the day via photos and ceremony. Which meant...Victoria probably picked her up there. As far as Max knew, Victoria had indeed 'talked' to Kate, but context clues made it seemed like she'd left some things out of the discussion, much to Chloe's irritation.
I have a weird feeling about this.
"Don't know," Taylor shrugged, "I haven't heard from either of them. I guess they are running a little late, aren't th- oh! Wait, there they are!" She pointed and everyone at the table, including the extra couple, turned. Max frowned right away, watching as Victoria was a step ahead of Kate, moving briskly in a way that seemed a lot like anger. Kate followed behind, avoiding eye contact with everyone around her.
Shit! What is that about?
"Uh oh," Max said, "that doesn't look good..."
"It doesn't," Warren replied, "they both look kind of shaken up."
"I mean," Courtney shifted her lips left to right in uncertainty, "one of them would have called us or something, right? I'm sure it's...fine." She looked at Warren. "...right?"
"I swear to god if something happened with her mother," Chloe growled, "I'll fucking rock her. No more teeth."
"Calm down," Max said, reaching beside her without taking her eyes off of the girls.
"Wait, are those two dating?" the girl named Miranda asked. "That's...surprising."
"Trust us, we know," Taylor said, her eyes briefly closing for a moment.
"Why would they be fighting, though?" Brooke lifted out of her seat just a little so she could see clearer. "If something did go wrong with her parents?"
"I guess...we'll have to find out," Max said quietly.
Kate and Victoria took their seats at a table, and Max waved when she finally managed to make eye contact with Kate. She waved back, and she was smiling, but it seemed very uneasy. For the rest of the meal, Max kept looking over at them, trying to figure out just how concerned she should be. It did look like they were talking, which was obviously a good sign, but there was something noticeably off. As soon as she was able to, she sprung from her seat and rushed over to the girls, catching Victoria by the shoulder just as she was standing up and spun her around.
"Hey, are you guys okay?" she asked, trying not to sound as frantic as she felt. Victoria's expression shriveled up in uncertainty.
"...yes?" she said, looking to Kate for confirmation. Kate wobbled her head side to side as she thought it over, then nodded.
"Yes," she said, taking Victoria's hand, "yes."
"Uh," Max perked an eyebrow as she looked down at their hands, "really? It didn't look that way at all. You're sure?"
"We had an..." Victoria bundled her lips to the side, "eventful afternoon." Her eyes fluttered closed as if exhausted. Max turned her gaze on Kate, furrowing her brow as she couldn't contain a gulp.
No way...
"Guys..." she began slowly, switching back and forth between their eyes, "do they know?" Kate's eyes fell to the floor. She fidgeted with her fingers, then snorted a small laugh.
"They really know," she said. Victoria only nodded, bug-eyed and staring at, or through, the far wall.
"Holy shit!" Max looked beside her just as Chloe joined them and regarded her incredulously, "her parents fucking know!"
Code red! Code re- uh, rainbow? Code rainbow.
"Are you serious!?" Chloe asked, smashing her hands to her face, "what the hell happened!?"
"Looong story," Victoria chuckled, still holding Kate's hand tightly. Suddenly, the volume of the music greatly increased, jolting the room as people began to swarm the dance floor.
"You guys are okay, though?" Max asked again. Kate smiled, took Victoria's other hand, and sweetly brushed her thumb along the back of it.
"I am," she said, her eyes only for Victoria. "Do you want to dance?" Victoria bared her teeth as she smiled and she nodded. She leaned forward and kissed Kate on the cheek, then looked back to Max and Chloe.
"See you guys out there," she said, flitting her hand as she and Kate vanished into the crowd of people.
What just happened.
"Okay, seriously, what the hell?" Max stared at Chloe confused. "We definitely need to hear more about this."
"Yes..." Chloe's head subtly moved left and right as if she couldn't even properly shake her head. She threw her hands up, then let them slap at her sides as she placed the situation into the 'whatever' bin. She smirked at Max and bent down to her ear, "well...fuck it, you wanna get out there?" Max looked out over the pulsating crowd and breathed in deeply, then she nodded.
So many people in such a small space.
"Yeah," she said, "let's do it."
Chloe flashed a wicked smile and brought Max's hand to her lips. Then, she let go and took off into the mob of people, disappearing from sight.
What the hell is that, Chloe!? Fine.
Max puckered her lips as if to say 'of course,' then slowly crept to the dance floor. She turned sideways, sliding herself through a tight space between other people dancing, mumbling 'sorry's' as she went. It was good that there were a reasonable amount of gaps in the crowd for her to maneuver, but she still would have preferred not having to navigate the maze just to appease Chloe's deviousness. She stopped in a roomy pocket and looked around her, giving an awkward wave to Taylor further away when they locked eyes. There was a sudden flash of blue and she rocked back on her heels as two arms slid over her shoulders, followed by lips moving against her own.
"What was that game of hide-and-seek about?" she asked, unable to hide her smile as Chloe backed away. Already she was experiencing the tunnel vision that seemed to come whenever the two of them danced or...really, any time they were in a large crowd. She still hadn't forgotten how spellbound she'd been during her first experience with it at the Halloween party. Chloe shrugged casually, turning up her nose.
"I like to keep you on your toes," she said, closing the distance between them and placing her hand on Max's lower back. She swayed to the right, then back straight.
"Not my back?" Max whipped, following along with her movement. Chloe sputtered out a laugh and shook her head.
"You know, seven months ago that would have never left your mouth," she said, her eyes piercing and latched onto Max's.
Has it been that long already? Wow.
"Seven months ago, I didn't have anyone to say it to," Max replied. The moving figures around her blurred into ghosts, becoming nothing more than silhouettes bathing in the colorful lighting.
"Well, I'm happy you found someone," Chloe said, "are they cool?" Max tilted her head in thought, dragging it out long enough for Chloe to laugh, then she smiled.
"They're very cool," she said, "I'm incredibly lucky." Chloe smirked and took a step closer, brushing the back of her fingers across Max's cheek.
"Oh, are you?" she asked, and the way her mouth was slightly open as she awaited a response made Max want to pounce.
God, Chloe, can you...turn it down?
"Uh huh." Max nuzzled against Chloe's touch, then grazed her fingers up along Chloe's stomach until they found a grip on the cord of her necklace. She pulled it, bringing Chloe back into another kiss.
"You're a really good dancer," Chloe said, her voice breathy as it entered Max's ear, the swing of her hips pressing and moving against Max's.
"I learned by copying you," she giggled, "don't be such a narcissist."
"Oh, shit," Chloe laughed, "well, you have your own style!" As the song changed into something more upbeat, her swagger seamlessly switched to match it. "Seriously," she said, raising her voice, "the dress though? I fucking knew you were going to be a total smokeshow!"
"Right, as if you aren't killing it yourself," Max responded, taking hold of Chloe's hand as her steps quickened.
"I'm…" Chloe snickered, turning away while still keeping attached to Max's hand, then spun back around, "I'm kind of rocking it, aren't I?"
Yes. Rocking the dress. Rocking your hips. Rocking my head.
"Definitely," Max beamed, "it's hard to concentrate on not stepping on your feet. Or...my own."
"Oh, really?" Chloe forcefully redirected Max's hand to her backside, once again smashing their bodies together. Though it hadn't been visible through the dress, she now very clearly felt a lacy pattern against her palm. Chloe smirked and tugged Max leaned close to her ear once again. "Remember that time I wore that skirt?"
How could I even possibly forget?
"A lot," Max replied, then chuckled at her awkward wording, "yes, I do."
"That was fu-un," Chloe said in a singsong voice before stepping away and releasing her hold of Max. She closed her eyes, her hips swinging like a pendulum as her hands drifted upward, grazing her own neck. Max realized she'd just about come to a complete stop.
Dammit. You evil mastermind.
Max smiled, then fell into a flow of her own, though she kept her eyes on Chloe, half-lidded and taunting. Chloe bit her lip, and Max was very pleased that she could tell it was reactionary and not a means of retaliation. She shook her head and paraded back to Max, gripping her tightly by the waist.
"Hey," she said, "I'm really fucking in love with you."
"I love you too," Max giggled, squeezing her. The song changed again, this time to something that piqued Chloe's interest.
"Oh, okay, this is more like it! Get a little rowdy, a little sweaty…" She grabbed Max's hands and grew more chaotic in her movements, her neck rolling around on her shoulders as the initial thump of drums were joined by the other instruments, building and growing as if the tune had a lit wick, finally exploding into an exuberant wail and chorus of 'da da da's.' Chloe howled in time with the song, then started hopping up and down wildly, wielding brilliant smile. She tugged Max's hands, and the girl rolled her eyes before joining in.
You can always count on Chelsea Dagger to get a room going. No wonder they play it at sports games.
After a particularly high jump, Chloe landed and dove forward, catching Max around the waist and lifted her up. She spun around, laughing manically as Max continued rocking her head to the left and right. Once she was set down, Max tore her hands through Chloe's hair, kissing her on the collarbone. Chloe took a large step backward, screaming again as she smiled. She roughly spun Max around, locking her arms around Max's chest. She leaned rested her chin on Max's shoulder, thrusting her pelvis forward into Max's rear.
"Hey," Chloe shouted, keeping Max locked within her grasp, "I think you're ready for the mosh pit, shaka brah!" She cackled as Max's head dipped forward, her smile retreating into a straight line.
Was hoping you'd forgotten about that...
"I'm sweating like a motherfucker," Chloe chuckled, maintaining a jaunty stride as she and Max headed over to the refreshments table. She jerked to a stop and nudged Max, tilting her head at a girl standing a the far end of the table, carefully putting a small stack of cookies into the napkin in her hand.
Oh, why hello, you secrety...secret keeper.
"Kate," Max said, sliding next to her, "where you been?"
"Dancing," Kate giggled, gesturing back to the dance floor. "I was going to come over, but you two seemed pretty...invested."
"I guess you could call it that," Max admitted with a smirk, taking two cups off the table and handing one to Chloe. "So, uh, care to...tell us what happened?"
SPILL BEFORE I SHAKE YOU.
"Oh, right…" Kate took a bite of one of the cookies and rolled her eyes, speaking again while she chewed, "so, Vic came to pick me up but my parents were sort of confused why she was the only one. I guess they expected more people?" She swallowed and grew a small smile. "We were on the doorstep just...being there, I guess. I think the way we were staring at each other raised some suspicions."
"You outed yourself with goo goo eyes?" Chloe asked, taking a sip of the punch.
"Well, not exactly…" Kate raised her hand, showing off the corsage that complemented her billowy, cream colored dress perfectly. "This definitely made them even more alarmed." Rather than say anything, Max only stared back, waiting for further elaboration. "And...Vic just started talking. She was saying all of these amazing things and then she…" Kate blushed and her smile grew bigger, "she said she loved me."
Woah, Victoria.
"Holy shit…" Max said quietly. She waved the hand not holding the cup. "Wait, so what happened? With...your parents?" Kate sighed and popped the last bit of a cookie into her mouth, her eyes angled to the side.
"Dad was just sort of stunned," she said, then sadness overtook her features, "Mom freaked out. She screamed and screamed and...screamed." As she spoke, Max wrapped her arms around her.
"Kate, I'm sorry…" She squeezed her tightly, and Kate huffed.
"I'm...not," she said, shaking her head, "I think that's what upsets me. Knowing that I've gotten pushed to this place where I just...don't care anymore."
"What does that, uh, mean going forward?" Chloe asked, also settling in close to Kate and putting an arm around her.
"I don't know," she said, "Mom told me not to come home tonight, which seems kind of ridiculous even for her. I'm not even staying at home?" Kate's brows angled in anger. "And then she started yelling at Abby because of course she defended us." She stepped out of Max's embrace and looked at them with a hint of bitter humor. "Victoria really exploded on my Mom, it was kind of...amazing."
At least she has her hands… I might have actually been worried she'd attack her physically.
"So...yeah, I don't know," Kate repeated, "we'll have to see if my Dad even tries to fix it this time, but I don't really think I care enough to. It's...really sad, but…" Her eyes shot over Max's shoulder and smiled again, "but I have other things to be happy about."
"Hey you two," Victoria said, stepping between Max and Chloe, "where are you guys at? Why aren't you dancing with us?" She took one of the cookies out of Kate's hands.
"You fucking told her you loved her in front of her parents?" Chloe asked, whacking the back of her hand several times against Victoria's shoulder.
"Ow, ow, hey!" Victoria cowered, shrinking with each hit, "it...it just happened!" She fought off Chloe's hand and stood back up straight, running her hands over the shimmering, emerald dress. "Look, I know, okay?" She turned to Kate. "Don't I know?"
"She knows," Kate confirmed.
"Yeah, I realize...I kind of forced the issue. I know that," she said, staring down at the floor, "but also, I don't know, we talked last night and it just seemed like the thing to do."
"You're both being way chiller about this than even makes sense," Max said, shaking her head with wide eyes, "I don't even understand."
I'm freaking out more than you are!
"Shock, maybe?" Kate gave a small shrug and handed Victoria one of the cookies. "I know there's going to be a lot of drama and sadness to come, but tonight? I just...want to be with the person I love."
"You said it too?" Chloe asked, throwing her hands up, "you guys are going to be the death of me!"
"This is crazy," Max said. She took a deep breath, then put a hand on Kate's shoulder. "Well, you both know we're here for you. No matter what. Okay?"
"Thanks, Max," Kate said. She puffed out her lips, then conjured a beautiful smile. "Well, screw it." She gestured back out to the dance floor. "Let's get back out there."
About halfway through the night, Dana ran up to the girls and whisked them away to the room where Ms. Waters was taking pictures. In hindsight, Max really wished she had decided to do it sooner, since now everyone was much less put together than when they had started.
"Whose idea was it to wait this long?" Max asked, wiping her forehead with a paper towel. Dana shrugged and finished off the bottle of water she'd been drinking with a breathy 'ahhh.'
"Don't shrug," Chloe snickered, pointing at her, "it was you!"
"Okay, I fucking forgot!" Dana threw her hands up. "Is that what you wanna hear, Chloe?"
"Yeah, actually," Chloe responded, sticking her tongue out as she handed Max another paper towel.
"Language, Ms. Ward," Ms. Waters said smugly as she adjusted her camera. "Okay, so, is it just you three or...?"
"No, there's…" Dana stopped for a moment, her eyes moving in an arc as she thought, "well, actually, we should probably get Victoria and Kate and...Taylor and Warren and, uh, well, Trevor and them, of course, and…"
"Alright!" Chloe held a flat in front of her for Dana to stop. "Alright. We know we have a lot of friends."
That was overwhelming!
"Sorry, I work better if I think out loud," Dana giggled. "Okay, I guess I'll go hunting for the rest of them and send 'em here." She gave two thumbs up. "You guys corral them. Don't let them leave."
"Why were we the first ones you picked?" Max asked, "we didn't sign up for this job!"
"Just wait here," Dana laughed, jettisoning back out into the main room before any more protests could be made.
We're not shepherds.
"Well...shit," Max said, sliding down the wall until she was sitting. She turned to Ms. Waters and smiled. "So, how's your night going?"
"S'alright so far," she replied, "only had to tell people dry humping wasn't an appropriate pose twice, so I'll mark it as a victory." She clicked her tongue and shot a single finger gun at Max. "Pretty impressive."
"There goes our pose," Chloe said, with an exaggerated whine.
I know, right? Dang.
"Yeah, let's not make it three," Ms. Waters chuckled. "Anyway, how about you two? Having fun?"
"Yes, actually!" Max said. "I still don't think I'm very good at dancing, but we're managing."
"That's good," Ms. Waters nodded. She stepped away from the camera and squinted, then tiptoed over to Chloe, leaning in close to her. "Hey," she whispered, "do you have a smoke I can bum?"
Oh, wow.
"Why do you assume I smoke?" Chloe asked, fighting to keep a straight face. Ms. Waters huffed and chuckled.
"Dude," she said plainly.
"This is not very teacher behavior," Max pointed out. Ms. Waters looked down at her and shrugged in agreement.
"Okay, but I'm not technically a teacher right now," she responded, then tilted her head at Chloe, "and she's not a student."
Teachers aren't allowed to use loopholes.
"Well, I actually don't have any on me," Chloe said, grinning when Ms. Waters deflated, "there's some in my truck but that's sort of a hassle. You could try Victoria?" The woman showed visible distaste at the suggestion.
"Hey, you didn't even ask me," Max said, then pouted when both Chloe and Ms. Waters regarded her as if she was a harmless kitten. "Okay, fine."
"I'll manage," Ms. Waters snickered, "just figured I'd ask." She started back toward her camera, then stopped and looked at Max. "Hey, I just saw that you haven't put in any college apps?"
"Oh, yeah," Max said, stretching her legs out in front of her, "I'm taking a year off and staying in Arcadia Bay. Just to have a little bit of a break."
"Uh huh..." Ms. Waters angled her head back and touched a hand to her chin. "Well, I was thinking...maybe if you wanted, we could work together over the summer? I'll be taking professional jobs, you could help and work on your portfolio. I mean, I have..." she wiggled her eyebrows, "connections."
Woah.
"Wait, seriously?" Max asked, getting to her feet.
"Yeah, seriously," Ms. Waters said. "You're very talented, and you're...you know, cool. I think it'd be fun to work together. I guess," she scrunched her nose, "eh, I kind of hate the word, but I could mentor you?"
No way. Noway.
"Uh, wow, yeah," Max smiled and turned to Chloe, as if double checking she'd heard right, "yeah, I'd love that! That would be so awesome!"
"Great," Ms. Waters laughed, "we'll discuss it more later. I'm happy to hear you're considering it."
"Damn, Max," Chloe chuckled, looping an arm around her shoulders, "look at you already networking."
"On accident too!" she proclaimed proudly, grinning when Ms. Waters exhaled laughter through her nose. At the sound of talking, she turned her attention to two people coming into the room. "Hey, you two."
Wow, I thought I was sweaty.
"Hi," Warren said, a confused look on his face. "Dana just...threw us in this direction?" He pointed behind him to make it known Dana was out there stalking her prey.
"Almost literally," Brooke added, moving her ankle back and forth, balancing her foot on the point of the heel.
Dana is scary sometimes.
"Yeah, she's a fucking psycho," Chloe said, bursting into laughter. "How's it going?"
"I'm having fun," Brooke said, sounding as if she were admitting it to herself.
"Dude, I'm so bad at dancing," Warren groaned, clapping his hands to his face. "I'm like a puppet being controlled by someone who doesn't realize they're controlling a puppet!"
"Oh, you are not," Brooke replied, nudging him. He blushed and shrugged.
D'aww, he's all red. More red, anyway.
"I don't know..." he shook his head, "thanks, Brooke. Anyway, how about you two?"
"Hm?" Chloe stared at him. "Oh, no, we're great dancers." She pressed her cheek against Max's and smiled wide.
Snark level 100.
"Har har," Warren responded, adding a genuine laugh at the end, "so, having a good time, then?"
"Yeah," Max said. She took a deep breath. "Oh man, just wait until you hear what happened with Kate and Vic." She ran a hand across her forehead. "It is so crazy."
"Oh, shit, yeah!" Warren and Brooke exchanged a look. "Are they alright?"
"Language, Mr. Graham," Ms. Waters interjected, now staring at her phone. Max cocked an eyebrow and turned in her direction.
I swore earlier. Hm.
"Fuck?" she said, framing it as a question. Ms. Waters only side-eyed her and smirked. "Heh, neat!"
"Anyway, yeah, they're fine," Chloe said, taking the responsibility to answer, "or...yanno, fine-ish."
"Sounds like it definitely needs elaboration." He exhaled and shook his head. "At least they're not fighting. You'll have to tell us later."
"We will," Max said, "or they will. Someone will. You know how we work." As soon as she'd finished speaking, the unmistakable sound of Victoria's face drew nearer.
Jeez, she's like Beetlejuice or something.
"Fucking hell," Victoria snarled, stomping into the room with Kate in tow. "Dana jumped in between us while we were dancing and pushed us over here!" Ms. Waters sighed and spun around, pointing at Victoria with narrowed eyes.
"Ms. Chase," she said sternly, "do...you have a cigarette?"
"Ladies and gentlemen," the DJ said, casting his gaze around the room and dropping his voice to something smokey, "this is the last song of the night. Grab someone dear to you."
"God, he makes it sound so lame," Chloe chuckled, hooking her arm with Max's. "Last song, huh? I'm...kind of sad it's almost over."
"Me too," Max said, "tonight's been really fun. Way more...I don't know, special than I was expecting?" Chloe nodded in agreement, and they made their way into the crowd, glued to each others side. Max spun around to face her. "Okay, make the call. Good song or bad?"
Make it count, Mr. DJ.
"Probably bad," she laughed, "I'm assuming some kind of..." She perked an ear at the very first note, and stared at the speaker with wide eyes. "No way. This..." She shook her head and burst into a joyous, disbelieving laughter, placing her hands on Max's waist. "Do you know this song!?"
"I think I've heard it," Max responded, listening for a little more to go one, "why?"
"This was..." Chloe's jaw moved with the urge for words, her lips pulled into a smile, "this was like, my mom and dad's song." Her eyes welled up and she grinned, touching her forehead to Max's. "No way, man. No way..."
Wow. That's a crazy coincidence...
"Babe?" Max brushed her finger under Chloe's eye, "are you okay?"
"I am...so fucking okay," Chloe said, beginning to sway slowly left and right. At her reassurance, Max laid her head on Chloe's shoulder and roped her arms around her. Chloe tilted her head down, kissing Max's temple.
This is...so perfect.
"I know your eyes in the morning sun... I feel you touch me in the pouring rain..." Chloe sang directly into Max's ear, the softness of it somehow piercing through the loud music. She cradled her dearly as they moved, one of her hands sliding to Max's lower back. "...and it's me you need to show," she sang, her voice picking up with the rise in falsetto, "how deep is your love? I really need to learn 'cuz we're living in a world of fools breaking us down, when they all should let us be..." She gently pulled Max off of her and stared deeply into her eyes, "we belong to you and me."
And with that, they were alone on the dance floor, comfortably trapped within each others gaze. The music sank between them, pulsing hard and purposefully in their chests. Chloe's hands on Max felt like they burnt through the cloth of her dress, radiating up through her with the warmth she'd only ever known Chloe to supply. Her eyes, still set in the middle of the dark black eyeliner, were shining in the dimly lit room, focused only on Max. As if they'd be damned to ever miss another moment of the girl's existence. And her lips were just so...
I need you.
Max darted forward, crashing her lips against Chloe's. She immediately felt the hands shift on her, one creeping through the back of her hair while the other desperately clawed near her ribcage. Max cupped Chloe's cheek, swinging up onto her tiptoes. There they stood, perfectly in the center of the dance floor, locked in a kiss that fought tooth and nail through tragic conditions just to exist at all. She didn't care who saw them. In fact, she thought the more who did, the better. The entire world should be witnessing this moment, because Max thought they too deserved to see what love truly looked like.
Giddy and utterly unable to control their smiles, Max and Chloe left the building and met the night air. It draped over them sweetly, clearing some of the fog from their minds. It was a natural high, holding them upright and beckoning a constant stream of giggles. Chloe turned to Max and took her hand.
"You know, I feel fucking crazy right now," she said, one corner of her lips reaching up to her ear. Max laughed and involuntarily bit her lip.
"What kind of crazy?" she asked. Chloe shrugged and swiped her other hand through the air.
"I-I mean..." she shook her head as she chuckled, "I have no idea. I'm just like, way out of my mind."
"Do you like it?" Max regarded her curiously, still smiling.
"Yeah," Chloe said, her head nodding slowly, "yeah, it's awesome. Adrenaline, maybe? Or...or I don't even know." Max took a few steps toward the fountain and Chloe followed, snatching her up in a hug from behind. She turned around in her arms and stared at Chloe, examining her playfully.
Your eyes... So pretty.
"Your pupils are dilated," she giggled.
"Really?" Chloe asked, holding her head back.
"Uh huh," Max said and Chloe stuck her tongue out, her eyes straying to the side as she thought.
"That's funny. Look what you do to me," she snickered, "you're relentless."
"That's okay," Max responded simply, "I don't mind."
"Me either," Chloe said, pulling her in for yet another kiss. As Max stepped away, she looked at Chloe with sleepy eyes.
"Shall I take you to get your McDonald's now?" she asked.
"Let's rain-check that, okay?" Chloe laughed, shaking her head. She dragged her fingers down Max's arm, looking her over thoughtfully. "I just want to be alone with you."
Yeah...same.
"I was hoping you'd say that," Max replied, her voice quiet.
"Well, your wish is my command," Chloe chuckled. She glanced back at the building. "Should...we say bye to everyone?" Max's eyes darted upward in contemplation, then she smiled.
"They'll be fine," she said, taking hold of Chloe and descending the steps. There were only a few people outside making their way to their cars, most electing to stay inside until they were probably forced to leave. They zigzagged through the rows, but Max came to a stop when she recognized two people approaching a car.
Hmm? What are you two up to?
"Hey," she said, walking over to Kate and Victoria, "what's up guys?"
"Oh, uh, nothin' much," Victoria responded, squinting as she slowly reached for the handle of the car door. Kate cast her gaze downward, trying and failing to hide a giggle.
"Right," Chloe said, "same. Are you two going to that after party thing? Wherever it is?"
"Um..." Victoria glanced at Kate, who only looked back with a sheepish smile, "no." Victoria smiled herself and touched her neck in a show of nervousness. "No, we have...other plans."
Huh. Good for you guys. That...really makes me happy.
Max looked at Chloe knowingly and the girl smirked in return. At quite literally any other time, they would be reacting bombastically, elated to tease/encourage Victoria and Kate. But now wasn't the time for that. It was too fragile, too perfect of a night. So, Max only smiled back at them.
"Okay," she said, giving her a nod, "have a good night, guys."
"Thanks," Kate said, sending her a look that said a hundred different, blissful things, then she got into the car. Victoria turned back to them, her face burning very red.
"You too, okay?" she said, "with the good night, I mean."
"We will," Chloe assured, waving at her, "drive safe, alright?" Victoria nodded and without a second more of lingering, Max and Chloe continued on to the truck and climbed inside. They both fell back into the seat, taking a moment to simply 'be.'
"I love the moon right now," Max finally said, staring up at it through her window. It was golden in color and enormous, lighting up the darkness.
"When...we get back, we can take some pics of it," Chloe suggested. Max chuckled and turned back to her.
"Not tonight," she said. "No camera tonight." She looked Chloe up and down slowly, as if committing it to memory. "I don't need one."
I'll never forget this. There's no way.
"Alright," Chloe responded, her voice caught in her throat. She turned the key, bringing the truck to a low rumble. "So, uh, Blackwell or my place?"
"Um..." Max poked the dashboard, smiling goofily, "are your parents home tonight?"
"Yeah," Chloe said.
"Blackwell," Max replied quickly. Chloe grinned and nodded.
"Sounds good," she said, taking hold of the volume dial on the stereo, "you ready?"
"Hella ready," Max confirmed, leaning across the seat and resting her head on Chloe's shoulder. Chloe touched her head to Max's for a moment, then turned up the volume, showering the inside of the cab with a slow, wonderful song that spoke for each of their hearts.
It was dark in Max's room, illuminated only by the lanterns above her bed. She closed the door quietly, then placed her hands on Chloe's sides, taking her into a kiss. Chloe responded, clutching Max against herself, releasing a barely audible moan as the girl eased her teeth around her lip, pulling gently. Max broke the kiss and led Chloe to the bed. She laid on her back, then slipped her fingers into the cut of Chloe's dress, pulling her down on top of her.
They kissed again, then Chloe sat back, unlacing her boots. She tossed each onto the floor, then turned her attention to Max's shoes, doing the same as she removed them. The thuds of them hitting the ground rang out, almost echoing. The room was held in a different sort of quiet, one that was attentive and respectful of what was taking place. She prowled toward Max again, this time running her hands up the girl's legs, hiking her dress higher and higher as it caught on her wrists. Lowering herself, she softly kissed Max's thigh several times, then added a tiny pinch of teeth before moving away.
Unblinking, Max watched as Chloe reached one hand further up under her dress, grasping at the cloth of her underwear. A breath of anticipation escaped Max's throat and she reached down, gripping the girl's hair, trying to utilize as much gentleness as possible as she used it as leverage to sit up. Her hands dipped behind her, and she unzipped her dress. Grabbing either side of it, she pulled it down until it was at her waist, at which point Chloe helped remove it entirely.
Max got to her knees and crawled to Chloe, reaching up and carefully pulling the hair tie out of her hair. As it fell around her shoulders, Max swept both hands up through it, pulling Chloe's head back just enough to fully expose her throat. Chloe's eyes fluttered at the slow, kneading kisses on her neck and she wrapped her arms around Max. Her fingers worked, unclasping Max's bra, and it fell between them. She tossed it onto the floor, then placed a hand on the back of Max's head, silently requesting for her to apply more pressure to her neck.
Then, Max took hold of the bottom of Chloe's dress, working it up until she was able to duck underneath it and plant a flurry of kisses on her chest. Her hand wandered below her, and as Chloe opened her mouth to make noise, Max stifled it with another kiss. With a smirk, she gave two small tugs on the dress. The girl complied, slipping out of it and wrangling Max into her arms, breathing deeply as lips grazed her all over.
"Max," she whispered, speaking for the first time since reaching Blackwell, "you're my hero." Max stopped and sat back, looking at her softly. Chloe looked down and placed a hand over the scar on her side. "My...my dreams that I've been having..." Max reached forward, caressing her cheek as she spoke, her expression slipping into something sad for a moment. "The one thing they've really shown me is...is just how many times you saved my life. Over and over and..." Her nostril flared as her eyes watered. "You just...saved me. You didn't let me go."
Never.
"Chloe..." Max said, her eyes heavy with sweetness. She brought a thumb underneath Chloe's eye, brushing away a tear. She couldn't help but smile as the eyeliner smudge a bit.
She still thinks about this so much. I...guess I would too.
"You're my literal hero," Chloe continued, her voice awestruck, "and...I really do think that, um..." Her hand rubbed over the scar several times. "I hope it's not selfish to say this, but I think if I did die in the bathroom, you would've...you would've come back for me."
"I know I would have," Max said, "it's not even a question." Her thumb fell from Chloe's eye, touching her cheek.
"You're my Max," Chloe said quietly, reminding herself.
"I'm your Max," she assured, nodding with a smile. "Your Max. All yours. Property of Chloe."
"Forever?" Chloe asked, though it doubled as a promise.
"Longer," Max said. She kissed Chloe's cheek and placed her hand over top of the one Chloe had on her scar.
"I like that answer," Chloe smiled. She looked into Max's eyes for a moment, then chuckled as she reached behind her, undoing her bra. "You get this look sometimes, you know?"
Oh?
"A look?" Max asked, unable to keep herself from leaving a trail of kisses across Chloe's breasts before sitting back up and staring intently.
"Yeah," she said, "your eyes just...they get so...full. And your freckles get all, I don't even know, cuter somehow?" She ran her thumb across Max's lower lip. "Your lips get... You just, when you smile, it's hard to stay away. And you smile like that at me." Max involuntarily proved her point. "Yeah," Chloe nodded, "I've never seen a smile like that." Her lip curled into a warm half-smile. "You get this look and it's so hard to focus on anything else."
"Do you want to focus on anything else?" Max asked, her fingers slipping between Chloe's fingers as they pressed on her side.
"No," Chloe chuckled, "I really don't." She stared at her for a moment, puckering her lips. "Deeper than anything," she said with conviction. "Bottomless."
"What do you mean?" Max tilted her head curiously. Chloe shrugged shyly.
"How deep is your love..." she said, then shook her head as if it were obvious, "it's bottomless."
Ah, yeah. That's definitely one of my favorite songs ever now.
"You're a dork," Max giggled very quietly, clutched in the tenderness of the her words. She placed her hands on Chloe's shoulders, then slid her knees over the girl's so that she was straddling her. "Can you sing to me again sometime?"
I loved that.
"Max, I'll do anything for you," she laughed. Max grinned, then brought her hands to Chloe's cheeks, kissing her. Her back arched, pressing their chests together as she stole Chloe's breath.
Let's see...
"Liiiike marry me?" she asked, batting her lashes. Chloe leaned back a bit, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
"Are you asking for real?" Chloe narrowed her eyes and smiled, stroking Max's thigh. .
"Just wondering out loud," Max replied, touching her nose to Chloe's.
"Huh," Chloe swished her head side to side in an eskimo kiss, "I would've said yes."
"I know," Max said, "I just like to keep you on your toes." Chloe sputtered out a laugh and nodded.
"Alright, alright, you were patient with that one," she said. Her shoulders relaxed as she exhaled a deep breath, and she tilted her head down to achieve optimal puppy dog eyes. "Not my back?"
Heheh, good girl.
"There ya go," Max giggled, slipping backward off of Chloe's lap. She roped a hand under the girl's arm and slowly fell backward. Chloe followed, positioning herself next to Max as they laid on the bed.
"So, when do you think we should?" Chloe asked, her hand skittering across Max's stomach and pelvis, acting with a mind of its own.
"I don't know," she responded, "I'm not in a...rush, per se. I mean..." She gave Chloe a devilish look. "I have you."
"That you definitely do," Chloe agreed. She turned on her side and dipped two fingers into the band of Max's underwear. "I guess I'm not in a hurry either. Maybe..." she stifled a laugh, "ah, no, I'd do it right now if I could."
If only.
"Where do you think we'd live?" Max asked, her eyes closed as Chloe teased her.
"Oh, some place really nice," Chloe said, "maybe where there's a beach? Or a...big city? Anywhere. Home is where the heart is and all that. And mine's..." she prodded Max in the chest, "always with you."
"Such a dork," Max giggled, emphasizing her earlier point. "We have to go to college first..." She exhaled at Chloe's touch, then snickered as she flipped onto her side to face Chloe. "Hey," she whispered, pushing her flat onto her back, "you are not the one in charge right now." Her hand traced its way to Chloe's chest, and the girl moaned at the gentle pulling feeling. Max tapped her on the thigh. "Legs."
"Yes master," Chloe laughed, planting her feet on the bed and raising her rear into the air. Max purred and slowly pulled Chloe's underwear off, tossing it over her shoulder onto the growing pile of clothes.
Love how she understood exactly what I meant. Love everything about her.
"I love you," Max said, kissing Chloe's ear.
"I love you t-" Chloe's breath hitched and she reached beside her to take hold of Max's arm. "Love you too," she said, finishing the thought.
"Tonight," Max began, coercing sounds that drove her crazy out of Chloe, "was a very, very good night." Though she was in the middle of...other feelings, Chloe smiled in agreement. It quickly vanished and her face flushed, her chest rising and falling at a faster rate. She dug her nails into Max's arm, which Max knew she'd apologize for later despite her saying multiple times that she didn't mind. A few moments later, Chloe covered her mouth as she went rigid, then deflated into the bed.
And I definitely love that.
"Hey," Chloe said, out of breath and staring at Max with huge, gorgeous blue eyes.
"Hm?" Max danced her finger around Chloe's stomach, proud as she watched the girl tried to reclaim her breath.
"Would you have said yes if I asked?" She smirked, finally getting her breathing to even out. Max thought for a moment, unsure of what she was referring to. Then she smiled wide.
"Yeah," she said, "in a heartbeat."
A/N: Lub-dub.
Heya! The prom chapter finally arrives. I toiled over this one for a bit, so I hope it met expectations. I actually like it kind of a lot!
Now, I do know what some of you might be thinking - are you REALLY not going to show us what happened with Kate and Victoria in Ouroboros, the story that's dedicated SO much time to building up that relationship? And the answer is...nope. Instead, I'll show it to you in another story.
Yep, I figured I'd finally "announce" that I've been working on a ChaseMarsh story. I've been planning on it for about a year now, but so many people have been asking for it lately that I might as well just tell you. It'll work alongside Ouroboros and be told from Victoria's POV. We'll be seeing familiar scenes through her eyes, and also some things we've only heard about (Thanksgiving Dinner, for example.) I'm not planning on releasing it until it is finished, but I already have three chapters done. The only reason I've been waiting is for Ouroboros itself to advance.
So, yeah! No particular ETA yet on when it'll be out, but you can expect it eventually! Maybe some people will find that exciting :p
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Love you all and thanks for reading!