The drive to Seattle was a lonely one, mostly just packed highways and quiet intersections. Max had dozed off multiple times throughout the drive, her gentle snoring, making Chloe smile as they continued their journey. Seattle was a busy buzzing city filled with cars at every turn. Large skyscrapers stood up in the sky like giants,
"Hella more lively than Arcadia..." Chloe thought to herself, as she kept her eyes tightly focused on the road ahead. Suddenly the sound of Max's light snoring was silenced, and replaced with a groan of discomfort. Chloe looked over to her right side and took notice of Max's light moans as the girl began to shake awake.
"Ugh..sleeping in a car equals killer neck pains..." Max grumbles quietly as she rolled back in forth in her seat, rubbing her aching neck.
"Well well hippie, good to see you're up." Chloe said, chuckling sightly as she veered her truck towards a another lone gas station in the distance.
"Another cigarette stop?" Max asks, rubbing her eyes from the sunlight shining in through the windows. Chloe shoots her a glare, before dismissively waving a hand at Max.
"No smart ass, I gotta fill up on gas." Chloe utters, before pulling into the gas station. As they parked in the lot, Chloe's stomach growled loudly and audibly, making her give a small chuckle.
"Besides, I really could use a snack."
Max rolls her eyes, and scoffs. "Didn't we just eat breakfast?"
"Oh please, that shit was hours ago.." Chloe says, puts her truck in park before hopping out and trekking over to the gas station entrance. Max shakes her her head, still trying to get the excess grogginess from out of her mind.
Max was left in the truck alone, pondering what the outcome of the journey would be. She took in the area around her, the large office buildings, the noisy cars zooming past on the nearby highway, the loud squawking from the birds up in the sky. It was obvious that they weren't in Oregon anymore, they had finally arrived in Seattle.
"Life is so...Peculiar..." Max says internally, twiddling with her thumbs. The memory of the day she had left Seattle to come back to Arcadia Bay for Blackwell back in August. Max had originally thought going back to Oregon to study photography would have been a wonderful learning experience, but in ended up being one of the most stress inducing, and scary ordeals she had ever gone through. Between suddenly gaining the ability to control and reverse time, or meeting back up with her old friend Chloe Price, or having to choose between saving Chloe's life or let Arcadia Bay be destroyed by a monster tornado, Max Caulfield was sure she had seen it all.
And yet, here she was. Max was back in Seattle with her friend Chloe, and was now carrying the guilt of letting so many people die back in Arcadia. Chloe's own mother possibly being one of those victims. Max could feel herself become overtaken with a sudden sadness at the thought, so she quickly tried to clear her mind and ponder on something else. Max thoughts are interrupted by a loud banging on the trucks window adjacent to her. Chloe stood outside of the truck, gesturing for Max to unlock the car door. Max leans over and does so.
"Well, the gas tank should be hella full now." Chloe said suddenly, snapping Max from out of her out of her self loathing trance. Chloe slams her door, before taking out a small plastic bag of some random candy. Chloe tears the package open before plopping the contents into her mouth.
"Want some?" Chloe asks, mouth full of candy. Max simply shook her head, before answering.
"No thanks, I'm still pretty stuffed from breakfast back at that diner." She says, leaning forward in her seat, rubbing her stomach for emphasis.
Chloe simply shrugged and poured the remaining contents into her mouth. She started up her truck, before veering out into the street and headed for the nearest freeway.
"Next stop, The Caulfield House." Chloe calls out.
Some More Driving Later...
THE CAULFIELD RESIDENCE
After stopping and asking for directions, Max and Chloe had finally arrived to their detestation. The Caulfields home was small and tidy, only two bedrooms and two bathrooms, similar to the Price residence. Before Max had a chance to even knock on the door, Ryan and Vanessa had both instantly ran over to Max and wrapped her in up in a teary eyed, and tight hug of pure joy. Max embraced them with equal sentiment, gripping on to them for what seemed like ages, while Chloe awkwardly stood and watched. After the giant hug was broken, Max re-introduced Chloe to her parents. Ryan and Vanessa both seemed confused by Chloe's sudden change in appearance, but nonetheless still welcomed the girl into their home.
Max and Chloe now sat inside of Max's room that was adjacent to a hallway filled with other various rooms.
Chloe flops down onto Max's bed, taking in the drab coloring of the small room. It was much smaller than Chloe had anticipated, only a single bed, and a nightstand. Over in the corner of the room lay a large booklet, full of old pictures Max had taken some time ago. Chloe looks around in curiosity, before Max steps in behind her, flopping on the mattress next to her.
"Nice room hippie..." Chloe said, leaning in close to Max, wrapping a arm around the freckled girl's head.
"Is that Sarcasm?" Max asks before also leaning into Chloe feeling the Punk's warm hands wrap around her.
"Nah dude I really mean it, it fits you're geeky hipster style."
"Thanks, Che." Max said, giving Chloe a small peck on the cheek.
Max and Chloe continued to conversate for awhile while laying in Max's bed. Their words surrounding each girl like an echo. Suddenly Chloe's expression changes into one of instant sadness, making Max lean in even closer in brief concern.
"Something wrong?"
Chloe shifts around before answering.
"Of course somethings wrong Max, it's my fucking mom...she still hasn't called me back yet...what if she's... dea-" Chloe tries to say, her voice lowering in immediate sadness. Max's guilt instantly shoots back up tenfold, being reminded of her decision back in Arcadia. Chloe was right hadn't called, and it had been two days since the tornado had torn apart Arcadia Bay, and Max nor Chloe had any answers.
"I don't know Chloe...I think Joyce is okay, I really do, but we just have to wait things out for now..." Max dimly says, taking notice of the worrisome look of disappointment embedded on Chloe's face.
"Ugh...sure thing Max, but I think I'm going to take a nap or something, you know, to take my mind off of things..." Chloe mumbles, the fear in her voice more than obvious. Chloe turned her head away from Max, and tucked her arms in legs into her herself fetal potion. Max swore she could hear the sound of some light sobbing coming from Chloe's direction, but she wasn't completely sure. Max reached a hand over in an attempt to comfort Chloe but the punk just swatted her hand away.
"Could you just let me be alone for a bit Max?" Chloe quickly says, rolling up into an armadillo like ball, rocking back in forth slightly in place.
Max's head drops in sadness, wanting help Chloe in anyway she could.
"Are you sure?" Max inquired once more.
Chloe lets out huge groan of frustration, before turning back over to Max.
"For fucks sake, please Max...just drop it already...I don't wanna talk about this shit anymore..." Chloe grumbled out, her voice trembling as if she was on the verge of tears.
After hearing this, Max's broken heart swan dives into her breakfast-filled stomach, the guilt making her feel like vomiting. Max reluctantly complied and slumped into the bed next to her, her gaze lining the ceiling, a million thoughts racing through her mind at once.
Seeing her normally strong and care free friend Chloe, in such a broken and miserable state, had Max questioning if she had made the right choice to save Chloe after all. But regardless of how bad Max felt, she had already made her choice, and if she and Chloe we're ever going to live normal lives again, Max was going to have to be strong and help Chloe get over her grief and anger.
"This is just so fucked up..." Max groans to herself.
Max sighed, she hoped for a sign of good news in the future. She closed her eyes tightly, putting the stress and fear in the farthest crevice of her mind, desperately trying to clear her thoughts in order to try to start fresh.
This was their lives from here on out, and whether Max or Chloe liked it, this was how things were going to be.