Max tapped her fingernails anxiously on her desk with one hand while she scribbled notes onto a sheet of white loose-leaf as the teacher at the front explained the symbolism inherent in "The Catcher in the Rye".

A girl sitting in front of her spun around and shot Max an irritated glare. "Do you mind?" she hissed, "I can't concentrate with that noise you're making!"

Her cheeks burning, Max clenched the offending hand into a fist. "Sorry." she said softly, averting her eyes toward the note paper with her cheeks on fire. She saw the girl turn away from her with a shake of her head and muttered something under her breath. Max thought it sounded like maybe "weirdo" or "lesbo"; she was used to being called both.

She was still jotting down notes from the whiteboard when the school bell sounded and everybody else in the class got up to leave. She glanced up and realized she was still less than halfway done, which caused her to groan in frustration.

Damn it, Max! Why do you have to be so slow at everything?

In resignation, she pulled her camera from her school bag and snapped a quick picture of the board; she then packed up her things quickly and made a beeline for the door. She knew that her parents would tell her that school came first, she should have stayed to finish taking down notes even if it meant staying past the end of the day; even if it meant staying late on the last day of school before Winter Break.

I'd rather be lectured by them, than disappoint...her.

As it was, she was already nearly ten minutes past the final bell by the time she got to her locker, sorted her school-bag, and got her winter coat on. She smirked as she finally managed to pull out her phone and saw she had "1 missed call" and "10 missed texts" - all from the same person:

Chloe: So excited for tonight! Going to blast tunes n have our own rave!

Chloe: Max? You out of class yet?

Chloe: My classes were totally boring today! I already know all this shit!

Chloe: Lalalalalalalalalalala! That's the song of Chloe being bored!

Chloe: Maxine Caulfield!? Where u at?

Chloe: I told the teach I'm on my period so I could run to the washroom and miss the last fifteen minutes of Chem!

Chloe: I just tried calling you but you aren't there! Sad Chloe is sad!

Chloe: You srsly can't still be in class! What r u doing?

Chloe: Max!

Chloe: Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax?

Max quickly texted back, "Srry! Waz l8 leaving class! I'm super excited for tonight 2!"

Earlier that week, she found out that she would be spending her Winter Break visiting relatives, so she had gotten permission from her parents to spend the weekend before she left with Chloe. When Max had asked, her mother had readily agreed and told her that she was a good friend for wanting to be with Chloe during her first major holiday without her father.

The truth, however, was that the idea of being apart from Chloe for three weeks made Max miserable and kind of nauseous. Since William had died, Max had seen Chloe every weekend without fail; even if it was just the length of time it took to walk her home from school on Friday afternoon.

One time a few weeks earlier, Chloe had shown up outside her window at 2am claiming, "I had this really cool dream about you and I had to tell you about it right away!" Max couldn't remember the details of the dream that Chloe had said after she'd cautiously made her way outside to see her, but she definitely remembered the long, lingering kiss Chloe gave her afterward; she also remembered watching her get on her skateboard and roll down the empty street, while wishing she had her camera to photograph Chloe's silhouette in the street lights.

In addition, Max recalled quite vividly lying in bed afterwards - lingering thoughts of that kiss filling her mind, keeping her awake - and biting hard on her knuckle to muffle herself as her hand worked frantically between her legs.

With her earbuds in, Max hit the play button on her portable CD player and listened to the new mix CD Chloe had given her the previous week as she walked through the front double-doors of the school. Shivering as she moved into the crisp winter afternoon, Max trudged out to the parking lot to wait for her mother's car to arrive. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a familiar figure sitting on the low wall at the end of the path. Max yanked her ear buds out. "Chloe! What are you doing here?"

"At the moment, freezing my tits off while I wait for you!" the blonde girl said with a smirk, hopping off the wall clutching her skateboard under one arm. "What took you so long, Max?"

Max shrugged, "I had to...um...honestly it doesn't matter." then added with a frown, "Mom is supposed to pick me up in a few minutes."

"So text her and say you're walking home with Chloe?"

Max nodded and pulled her phone out. "You seriously want to walk me home, even though I'm spending the whole weekend with you?" she said, wearing a blushing smile.

"What can I say? I'm an amazing friend. Maybe I should be a saint?"

Max sent the text to her mother, then slipped her phone back into her pocket. "Yeah right! Chloe Price, Saint of dorks." She grinned and poked Chloe in the side through her oversized grey "Blackwell Academy" hoodie.

Chloe flinched then turned to Max, a sly grin splitting her lips, and said softly, "Hey now! Maybe you should save the fingering for later, Max?"

Max's eyes widened and she felt her face burst into flames. "...Wow!" she stammered.

Chloe laughed until she was doubled over. When she was through, she straightened up again and grasped Max's hand. "Come on, Maximus. Better get you home before you turn into a pumpkin."

Max smiled and gazed at their hands; the warm skin pressing against her palm felt comforting. Though it had been less than a week since she'd seen her, Max was struck by how much she'd missed Chloe.

Chloe noticed her looking and, loosening her grip somewhat, asked, "You don't mind me holding your hand while we walk, do you? Or...would you rather wait until we were further from your school?"

Max shook her head immediately and met Chloe's eyes with defiance, "Definitely, no." She entwined her fingers tightly between Chloe's and moved closer to her so their shoulders were almost touching. Max could feel her face flushing as she and Chloe looked at each other for a few moments before they both began to walk again. Max felt her heart racing, and began to sweat.

Is this what "being in love" feels like? Does she feel this way about me too? I kinda want to vomit.

Nearly past the fence leading off school grounds, Chloe stopped suddenly and Max felt her hand drop free. She looked up to see what prompted the change, and saw Chloe looking back toward the school; glaring at a small group of girls standing together off the path a short distance from them. Max looked at the sneer growing on Chloe's face, then looked back at them again. "What's the matter?" she asked.

Max saw Chloe's clutch her skateboard tighter against her side, "Those girls are looking at you and laughing."

Max put her hand on Chloe's shoulder. "Come on!" she whispered. "Let's go!"

Max quickly glanced over at the group - they were watching them now and a couple had their hands in front of their mouths, giggling. She took the hand beside her again and gave it a squeeze, "Please, Chloe?"

Chloe looked back at her and her eyes softened. "Fine." She sighed as Max led her forward again.

"Chloe the protector of Arcadia Bay." She giggled.

"Fuck Arcadia Bay. Nobody in this town is worth a damn; except for you, obviously...and I guess mom."

"Guess that means you haven't made any friends at your new school?" Max asked with a slight smirk.

Chloe shot Max a side-eye, 'Puh-leeze! Like I'd want any of them as friends! Most of the guys are jocks or potheads, and the girls are either barbie Cali bitches or straight out of Mean Girls." She paused and then added, "I mean...I guess there's one guy in some of my science courses that isn't completely awful, but…" she trailed off and gave a shrug.

"But what?"

"Well...he keeps hanging around me, and...like...talking to me. It's weird and feels a little stalkerish. I think he might have a thing for me or something." Chloe said with another shrug.

"Oh...really?" Max felt an ache in her belly. "You think...he might...like you? Like...like like you?"

"Maybe. But I'm not into him or anything, don't worry."

"Shut up! I'm...not worried. You can totally...I mean, you can do what you want." Max said, trying to smile in what she hoped was a nonchalant way.

Chloe laughed, "Oh my gosh! You totally are! You, Maxine, are 100% completely peanut butter and strawberry jelly of this guy!"

"Are not! Shut up! Also, stop talking about food; I'm already hungry." Max gave her a shove.

Chloe shoved her back, "Ya-huh! You totally are! Maybe I'll hook up with him over Christmas since you're abandoning me?"

Max's eyes cast downward and her face fell. "I'm not...I mean...that's not fair!"

Chloe stopped walking and put her arm around Max, "Hey... I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I mean... I'm just goofing around, right? I know you're not…and...I wouldn't…"

Max let out a sigh and nodded, softly muttering "Let's get going before mom starts worrying." She starting walking again and Chloe followed beside her, not even trying to take her hand again.

Max kept her eyes facing ahead, on the road, or at her feet; anywhere but at Chloe's face. She wasn't certain what she would do or say at that moment if her eyes met Chloe's.

Probably cry. Maybe throw up. Dammit, Max, what's the matter with you? Why do things have to be like this?

It was hard enough to keep stoic around her family, which she had to do to avoid some very uncomfortable questions about what was, in reality, an emotional volcano churning deep inside her. Half the time, Max wanted to shut the world out, lock herself in her room and either scream or bawl. The other half, she wanted somebody - anybody - to hug her tightly and tell her they cared about her. Her mother had told her a couple of years earlier about certain 'changes' that 'young ladies' go through, but it hadn't made much sense at the time. It still didn't make much sense, and lately her thoughts and feelings made her still more confused.

Except when she was around Chloe. When they were together, things just seemed to fit together perfectly for Max.

Like when how our fingers fit together when we hold hands…

When they turned the corner to walk up Max's street, she felt Chloe stop. She finally looked at her again and was met with a look of concern. "Look, Max...I'm sorry for being a total dick before. I'm glad we're spending the weekend together before...you know...you going away and stuff."

Why does she keep bringing it up? Why can't she just shut up?

She swallowed her frustration and tried to give Chloe a reassuring smile, "I should get home. Mom will bring me by in a little while." She looked down the block at the house her parents were renting. "I'll...see you soon, Chlo."

Chloe smiled at her and put the skateboard down with her foot on top of it. "I promise, we're gonna have so much fun this weekend! And I'm reeeeally sorry again!"

The two remained facing each other for several seconds of awkward silence. Finally, Max bit her lower lip, her face a shade of pink, "Um...I should go I guess, Chloe. But thanks for...you know...walking me home. I...um..." then spun around and quickly walked toward the house before Chloe could answer.

She was nearly at her door before she heard the sound of a skateboard rolling away. She turned back in time to see the long blonde wave of hair going around the corner. Max spent a few seconds staring down the street before going inside.

If this is what it's supposed to feel like, then being in love is fucking awful!

Later that evening, Max stood at the end of the Price driveway and felt like a swarm of butterflies were in her stomach, trying to escape through her mouth. She re-tied her hair in a short brown ponytail, sniffed under her arms, and took a deep breath to clear a wave of anxiety growing in her chest.

"I can't think about this being the last time for a month that I'm going to see Chloe." She thought to herself, realizing that not wanting to think about it was actually thinking about it. Max felt a little like she did the day she told Chloe she was moving to Seattle - a mixture of joy at seeing her, while feeling like a blade is hanging over her head.

Hopefully nobody dies this time.

….dammit Max, stop being so dark!

At the door, she debated between knocking and ringing the doorbell, but didn't have time to do either before the door swung open and a hand grabbed the collar of her sweatshirt.

"Get in, Max!" Chloe said, jerking her inside and slamming the door behind her.

"Chloe! You know I've told you a hundred times to stop slamming that darn door!" came Joyce's raised voice down the hall.

"Sooorry mom!" Chloe said in a mocking tone with a roll of her eyes. Max put her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Chloe smiled a cheeky grin and gave Max a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're here, Max. This weekend is going to be awesome!"

Chloe's long hair was tied back in a loose, long, scruffy ponytail that barely held her blonde mane back, and Max found her eyes wandering over the face - oily and spotty - now visible. She felt her head start to swim and her belly ached. "Chloe, I…um…."

"You what?" Chloe asked, her finger idly scratching at some acne on her chin.

Max stared at her, trying to find the words.

Why didn't I ever notice how amazing her eyes were before? I wish I could take a picture of her right now and put it beside my bed so I can stare at it every morning when I get up.

She licked her lips, which suddenly felt dry, and said softly, "I...like you with your hair back."

Chloe reached back and tightened up her ponytail marginally more. "Thanks. My face is breaking out a lot this week, so I thought it might help if my hair didn't touch my face so much. But...I don't think it is. I'm thinking of cutting most of it off actually. Do you think I would look good with shortish hair?"

Max smiled, her face burning, and the words escaped her mouth on their own "You'd look amazing no matter what, Chloe."

Chloe looked behind her, toward the kitchen, then quickly turned back to Max. "Huh...well you don't look so bad yourself, freckles!" she whispered, kissing Max on the corner of her mouth. She lingered for a moment and Max could feel the tip of a tooth against her skin; then pulled back and composed herself again, a satisfied smirk on her face.

"What…" Max started to say, then quickly closed her mouth as Joyce entered the hall.

"Oh, Max! You're here! I'm so glad we get to see you before you and your family go away for the holidays. We were planning a trip this year too, but...well...there's always next year, I suppose." Joyce frowned for a moment, then went over a gave Max a hug. "Anyway, Chloe can take your stuff up to her room and then you two can get washed up for supper."

Chloe rolled her eyes again and smiled at Max, "Yes, let's make Chloe do all the heavy lifting." She reached out her hand and Max reluctantly handed her the small suitcase she'd brought.

After dinner, Max lay prone on Chloe's bed digesting the big meal while "Disturbed" played on Chloe's small stereo. She had originally been blasting it so loud the room shook and Max was close to covering her ears, but a few moments of it blaring had Joyce pounding on the bedroom door screaming to turn it down. As a result, it was now louder than Max would normally listen to music, but not so much that Max could feel the blankets vibrate underneath her.

"Get off the bed and rock out with me, Max!" Chloe yelled and played air guitar as she shook her head to the music until her ponytail came undone and a blue hair tie flew across the room.

Max sat up and smiled at Chloe's antics. The shake of her sweaty mop flying around as she jumped to the heavy metal beat...her manic dance moves...her excited squeals and screeching in time to the guitar crescendos. Everything that Max saw was so undeniably 'Chloe'.

"You're a nut." Max said, swinging her legs around and sliding off the bed. She grabbed her camera out of her bag and managed to snap a picture of Chloe mid-jump. With a smile and a little excitement at all the pictures she was going to take of Chloe that weekend, she slowly began to sway her hips to the music, feeling self-conscious.

Chloe is so wild...the way she moves, it's like she doesn't care what anybody thinks. I wish I had that confidence. I wish I was tall, and had curvy hips. I wish I could dance. I hate being so plain and flat.

Chloe stopped moving and smiled at Max, her eyes alive with wild enthusiasm, "That's it, Maximus Prime! Move those arms! Shake that ass! Go crazy, Caulfield!"

Max's face burned, but she moved a little quicker and even did a quick air guitar that made Chloe clap her hands and laugh! That made Max laugh too, and by the time the last guitar riff faded away into silence she was moving almost as purposefully and manically to the music as Chloe was.

Before the new song could begin, Chloe raced over and turned off her stereo. "That was awesome!" Chloe said, beaming and out of breath. "I told you tonight would be fun!"

"Yeah. You definitely did." Max said with a nod. She sat back down on the bed and wiped the sweat off her face with her wrist.

"I have it all planned out!" Chloe said, taking Max's hands and sitting beside her.

She leaned in and whispered, "After a short break, the Price-Caulfield rave continues until after midnight when I'm sure mom has gone to bed. Then the afterparty begins!"

"Afterparty?" Max asked, eyebrows raised.

"You'll see. I already know how we're spending tonight." Chloe declared as she slipped another CD in to her stereo and a new blast of guitars and bass began.

The dancing, the air guitars, and the singing along to the music continued for five more songs; Max stopped frequently to take pictures of Chloe's increasingly manic gyrations and "sick poses", and she was fairly certain she had heard a knock on the door at some point several drum solos ago and a yell about going to bed soon.

Finally, after the latest blaring crescendo, Chloe collapsed on the bed beside Max; chest rising and falling rapidly with each gasping breath, hair dripping with sweat, shirts form-fitting and stuck to their bodies. They lay there for a time, the room now silent except for their breathing and thick with the musty smell of their workout. Max felt Chloe's hot, damp hand take hers, and she turned her head and blew her wet bangs away from her eyes; Chloe was looking at her with a tired but admiring smile. "I had no idea you could rock out like that, girl."

Max smiled back, gazing at how Chloe's lips had parted revealing slightly crooked front teeth. "Thanks. You were so...um...well, you rocked out too."

Chloe sat up and went over to her dresser, "I think mom has gone to bed, so are you ready for the afterparty?" She asked, turning back with a devilish smirk.

Max sat up, curious, and saw her reach down into the drawer and come out with a small plastic baggie - like the kind Max's mother would sometimes put snacks or a sandwich in back when she made her lunch for school.

"Mom gave me some money to buy food at school a few days ago, but instead I used it to buy this from a guy at Blackwell." Chloe opened the bag and pulled out a small white object and a lighter. Max was about to ask what it was when the strong smell hit her and she wrinkled her nose up.

"Is that...drugs?"

Chloe smiled, "I figured you can't have a rave without drugs, right? So I bought a joint for us to share!"

"Gosh, Chloe...I don't know." Max said with a frown, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. Max knew people at her high school that smoked marijuana, and she tended to avoid them - although she tended to avoid most other people anyway. Max got a brief flash of several months back when Chloe had stolen that rum bottle at the hotel.

"It'll be fiiiine." Chloe said, opening her bedroom window and sitting beside Max on the bed. "It's just one, and the guy said this stuff is mild. Besides, I've been wanting to try weed for a while...and...I thought it would be fun to do it for the first time together."

Max felt her chest tighten and she stared down at her hands clasped together in her lap. "I should say no." She thought to herself. Her eyes moved over to Chloe's lap, and saw her turning the marijuana cigarette around in her fingers and clicking the lighter.

Her eyes moved up and met her questioning gaze. "Well, Max? You ready for this?"

"I...guess...it...wouldn't be a proper rave...right?" Max said with a shrug.

Chloe's smile showed delight, but Max saw a different look in her eyes: that of relief and worry. Max was fairly certain that if she had said no, Chloe would probably have been disappointed but she wouldn't have gone through with it.

Chloe clenched her jaw resolutely and said, "Okay...here we go. Let's...do this, I guess."

Max had heard stories from school and from her own reading of the effects of marijuana, but except for occasional coughing fits and a weird taste in her mouth when Chloe handed the joint to her, Max didn't feel any different.

"Thanks for doing this with me, Max." Chloe said, taking it back from her.

Max giggled and took Chloe's hand. "I think you're a bad influence on me, Chloe."

"No way! I always knew you were a secret rebel. You just need to admit it to yourself." Chloe said, then blew a faint cloud of smoke into the middle of the room

Max considered that as she watched Chloe lazily stretch her arms over her head. She took the joint back, considered it for a moment, then sucked on it thoughtfully.

"What are you staring at?" Chloe asked, poking Max in the nose.

Max blinked a couple of times, "I...think...I'm...staring at you. Aren't I?" She handed back the nearly-spent joint to Chloe.

Chloe giggle-snorted. "Why are you staring at me? I'm not...like...some kind of staring thing to stare at!"

Max scrunched up her face as she tried to force her brain to express the words. Finally, she said, "I'm staring...because...like...you're so pretty! You're so fucking pretty, Chloe, and...I wish I was so pretty so like you so much. I…yeah."

"Max?"

"Yeah?" Max responded.

"Max?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Max responded again.

Chloe threw the joint out the window, and shuffled over to her stereo. "I want to dance some more."

Max lay back on the bed, grinning for no particular reason, "No...it's...it's late. You're gonna wake your mom. It's shush time!"

Chloe shook her head, "It's okay. I'll...put in something quiet...and slow."

"Quiet." Max repeated from the bed, then put her finger to her lips and said, "Shhhhhh!"

Chloe hit the Play button and seconds later the music started and she turned the volume down so it was just loud enough for them. "Shhh!" Max repeated, pointing at the ceiling. "You'll wake the pigeons!"

Chloe smiled and went over to Max. She took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come on, Max." Chloe said, wrapping Max's arms around her waist, "Dance with me."

Max smiled at Chloe as their bodies pressed together and their eyes met. Chloe put her arms around Max's neck and led them in a slow dance to "Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica.

Max wasn't certain if it was the effect of the drugs on her, or the music, or something else entirely, but as her body slowly swayed against Chloe's, she felt as if they existed in a world of their own that night. They weren't in Chloe's house, Joyce wasn't in a room down the hall, and they didn't live in Arcadia Bay. In the dim lamplight of the room, they danced in a separate plane of existence where only she lived and Chloe. They were the only ones there, and the only ones that needed to be there.

"I love dancing with you, Max. You're a great dancer." Chloe softly said, pressing her forehead against Max's. Max felt the sweaty strands of Chloe's hair falling against her face and tickling her nose.

Max opened her mouth to respond, but as her lips parted, her mouth was suddenly being filled with Chloe's tongue as she was kissed with almost animal passion. Max immediately decided that kissing was so much better than anything she had to say and when Chloe pulled back to take a breath, Max moved forward in an equally urgent assault on Chloe's face. She kissed Chloe's chin, her nose, her cheeks and her lips with no clear aim or direction. Many times she ended up with a mouthful of hair, but paid it no mind.

"Thank you." Max whispered when their lips finally parted. She was barely aware that the song had long since ended yet they still continued to dance. She stepped back from Chloe, feeling somewhat foolish; Max bit her sore lower lip dreamily.

Chloe smiled, and slowly brushed stray hair from her face, "I...I think I'm going to shower. Wash off the smell of pot and sweat."

"Oh...okay. I'll...be...here, I guess. Waiting. For you, obviously."

Chloe laughed and peeled her t-shirt off, smiling at Max when she lifted it over her head. "Where else would you go?" She threw it in the general direction of the closet, then unbuttoned her jeans and kicked them off across the room.

"You're...getting undressed in front of me?" She whispered, though she had intended to say it in her head.

Chloe shrugged, "I guess I am." She removed her underwear and threw them in the same direction as her shirt.

"You can shower after me if you want. You kind of stink too, to be honest." then added, "Unless you wanted to shower with me?"

Max's eyes roamed over Chloe and she was dimly aware that she hadn't seen Chloe naked since they were in preschool together. There'd been a lot of changes since then.

"Be back soon." Chloe said with a smirk.

Max nodded, her mouth dry - although she knew that could be the marijuana - and sat on the bed to wait for Chloe's return. With Chloe showering and the music off, the room was quiet for the first time that night. Max looked around at the empty bedroom and was alone with her thoughts. She thought about walking over to go through her overnight bag, but her legs had decided they didn't feel like moving at that moment. Her drug-addled mind kept playing over and over the image of what she had just seen - Chloe so casually baring it all for her - and she began to feel self-conscious.

My breasts are nowhere near as developed as Chloe's. Her hair seems to shine even when its dirty. And her face isn't covered in freckles.

She's not that much older than me, so why does she look so... Chloe? And I look so…Max?

When Chloe returned to the room, a thin pirate towel covering her from her chest to her hips, Max immediately looked up at her asked, "Do you think I'm pretty, Chloe?"

Chloe's eyes met hers and she regarded her curiously. "Hmm?" then walked over and sat beside Max on the bed.

Her blonde, tangled mop of hair still dripping water onto the floor and bed behind her, she brushed the oily brown bangs from Max's forehead and kissed the sweaty skin beneath it softly.

"I do think you're pretty." She said in a voice with not a hint of her usual sarcasm and jokes.

"I don't. I hate my face, and I hate my hair. I hate my flat chest. And I definitely hate my freckles." Max said softly, unable to look at Chloe and feeling suddenly so sad that she was close to tears.

Chloe reached down and took both of Max's hands. This made Max look up, and she saw Chloe's face shining with wet streaks, "Max…"

"What?" Max muttered, getting lost in the hypnotic glow of blue eyes reflecting the light of the lamp.

Chloe leaned forward slowly until she was less than an inch from Max's face. Max could feel Chloe's breath against her nose and became aware that it smelled like peppermint toothpaste with a slight hint of weed. After a second of hesitation, Chloe kissed her.

But it wasn't like any kiss they'd ever shared; certainly not like the passionate explosion earlier. It didn't even feel like their previous kisses, focused by enthusiasm, exploration and experimentation.

This wasn't the kiss of a best friend.

As Chloe's lips brushed softly over her parted mouth, her slight overbite hooking for a moment inside of Max's lower lip, Max felt the lightning bolt that Chloe used to joke about her first kiss feeling like...only their first kiss hadn't had it.

But this one did.

In a distant part of Max's mind, one of Chloe's hands had let go of one of hers and now gently stroked the side of her face; the tips of her long fingers pulling Max's head against hers. But there was no force behind them - no force needed to be - as Max was drawn toward her as if by magnets. Chloe kissed her upper lip as Max reciprocated on her lower lip.

How...what...what's going on...what is this feeling?

Faint echoes at the back of Max's brain tried to make sense of what her body didn't understand still, but her face seemed to know by instinct. She didn't pass out - she was sure of that - yet when she opened her eyes again it seemed hours later. Yet it couldn't have been, because they were still sitting beside each other on the bed and Chloe still had the towel wrapped around her.

Chloe was looking at her...only it wasn't Chloe. At least, not the Chloe she knew; not the Chloe Price she had grown up with...the Chloe Price who used to play video games with her, and who she trick-or-treated with as an ice cream sandwich one Halloween. This was a Chloe that seemed so familiar, yet felt brand-new somehow.

"Max…" Chloe finally said, breaking her out of her reverie, "You are the most sexy and attractive person I've met in my entire life."

Chloe's hand still rested on the side of her face and Max closed her eyes and leaned into it for a moment like a cat being stroked. Chloe indulged her, and ran her fingers through Max's hair.

When she opened her eyes again, Chloe continued in a whisper, "I want to kiss every freckle on every part of your body."

Max looked at the new, different Chloe that sat beside her. Maybe it was the drugs she had partaken in, or maybe the kiss had awoken a new courage in her, but she had decided what she had to do.

She stood up, Chloe's eyes following her, and said, "I'm...going to have a shower too."

"Okay. There's spare towels in the closet in the bathroom."

"First, Chloe, I want to...um...show you something."

She met Chloe's look of inquiry by pulling off her t-shirt as quickly as she could.

Fast...like pulling off a Band-Aid.

By the time it was over her head, Max's eyes were tightly closed. She was committed to doing this, and was concerned that if she saw the look on Chloe's face, for good or bad, she might lose her nerve. When she took down her jeans, she thought she heard a gasp from in front of her and nearly stopped there. But Max steeled her resolve and took down the last piece of clothing. Only then did she open her eyes again.

Chloe was smiling at her; Max could feel her eyes moving over her body.

"Is this what...you wanted to show me?" Chloe asked.

Max suddenly felt incredibly ashamed.

What made me think this was a good idea?

She held an arm over her chest and crossed her legs. "Do...do you still think I'm...what you said I was? Do you still...want to kiss all my...freckles?"

Chloe nodded and stood up. She stepped toward Max and gently took her hand, pulling her arm down from in front of her chest. Leaning forward, she kissed Max on the side of her nose. "I think you're perfect. I've always thought you were perfect, Max." Chloe whispered.

When Max returned from the shower, all the lights were out but for the glow from Chloe's computer monitor.

"Are you in bed?" She asked unnecessarily to the blonde head visible under the blanket.

"The sun will be up soon so I figured we should try to get a few minutes of sleep at least." Chloe said, turning her head toward Max.

Max nodded, and started making her way over to her overnight bag, then stopped. "Are you...umm...I mean…"

Chloe sat up in bed, letting the sheet and quilt fall down from her body. "Am I what?"

One look at her gave Max her answer. She crawled onto the empty side of the bed and Chloe immediately covered her with the blankets and wrapped her arms around her. Part of her wanted to turn around to see Chloe's face; maybe she would kiss her again like she did before. But the combination of the heavy blanket over her, Chloe's arms around her, and the soft yet firm breasts pressing against her back made Max's brain convince her body that things were just fine the way they were.

"Chloe?" Max whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to go anywhere for Christmas. I don't want to be away from you."

She felt Chloe's lips gently brush her neck; it sent shivers through her and made her body break out in goosebumps. "I know." She replied.

"Chloe?"

"Yes?"

"Could we stay in bed, like we are now, for the entire weekend?"

A pause. "At some point, one of us is going to have to pee."

Max smiled. "You're silly."

"Anything else, or is it sleeptime?"

Max rolled over to face Chloe, finding herself nose to nose with her. "Chloe?"

Chloe sighed dramatically, but smiled. "S'up?"

"Would you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes, Maxine Caulfield. I will." Chloe said. Max felt Chloe's lips against hers while one of Chloe's hands slid down past her navel.

And for the second time that morning, Max felt lightning.