ME: Hey, Kate, it's Max! Im finally awake! Are you okay?
KATE: Am I okay? Max, you are the one in the hospital! How are YOU?
ME: Worried about my tea buddy! :( I know you have been going through a terrible time lately.
ME: I was trying to think of how to be there for you but, bang and all of a sudden two weeks have passed. :(
ME: So…how are you?
KATE: Oh Max. That is so sweet, really. Ever since the details started coming out, everyone has been so apologetic. Even Victoria.
KATE: I am having a tough time forgiving her, though.
KATE: How much do you know about what Jefferson was up to?
MAX: Enough. Do you want to talk about it?
KATE: Maybe later
KATE: For now I just want to talk to Blackwell's hero!
KATE: And number 1 photographer.
KATE: No matter what Victoria says.
ME: Thanks! :)
ME: Are you busy today?
KATE: Never too busy for you Max!
KATE: I can bring you some tea!
KATE: Oh uhm. Does your friend Chloe like tea? I'm never sure how to talk to her.
KATE: I am sure she is nice of course.
KATE: Oh wait. Unless "nice" is like an insult for her?
ME: Well she will act all sarcastic.
ME: But deep down she loves it.
ME: She thinks your adorable :D
ME: If you want to get to know Chloe.
ME: Just imagine if everyone was really really mean to Alice and she felt like she had to act super tough to get through it.
KATE: Awwww, poor thing.
KATE: But now I am picturing Alice with her fur dyed blue.
ME: And tiny spiked bracelets!
KATE: Oh gosh.
ME: Kate this is Chloe. Was reading over Maxalicious's shoulder. Stole her phone.
ME: WE NEED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN
ME: PUNK BUNNY!
KATE: Oh gosh.
ME: Kate it's Max again.
ME: I got the phone back.
ME: HIDE THE BUNNY!
KATE: Oh gosh.
Max stretched as she sat up in bed, sighing contently.
"Time to go back to your own bed, Chloe."
Chloe frowned. "What? Why, this is cozy as fuck."
Max shrugged. "Well, uhm, Kate…..Kate will be here soon."
"Yeah, and?"
"Well, I don't want her to…..y'know. Get the wrong idea."
Max wasn't sure what she had been expecting. But it wasn't for Chloe's face to go completely blank, her smug grin becoming a frigid mask as the wicked mischief in her eyes was replaced by a hollow emptiness. Without a word she slipped out of Max's bed and back into her own, turning to lay on her side with her back to Max as she pulled the covers over her head.
Fuck.
Anger would have been one thing. Max was well and truly acquainted with Chloe's temper. But this…..passivity spoke of a deeper pain. One Max had no idea what to do about.
She wasn't even sure how she had caused it.
When Kate finally arrived, Max almost cheered. The tense silence she and Chloe had been stuck in hadn't let up at all. Hopefully Kate's undeniable sweetness would break them out of it.
She smiled as she walked to Max's side, handing her a takeaway cup with her usual order before putting another cup by Chloe's bed.
"Hi Max, it's so great to see you again."
She was dressed in her usual conservative manner, with her hair done up in it's customary bun. But her eyes were clear, her gaze steady as she made eye contact with Max, her head held high. It reminded the young photographer of the old Kate, before Jefferson and the Dark Room. The only lingering change was a thoughtful crease between her brows.
Max smiled. "You too."
You have no idea how good, Kate.
Sipping at her tea, Max leaned back with a contented sigh. She pretended not to notice Chloe's hand poking out from her blankets to grab the tea Kate had left for her, before snaking back in.
"Dana mentioned she would be by later, too. Are you doing okay, Max? You kind of dodged that question before. If, if you aren't ready to talk, then you don't-"
"I – I am ready to talk, Kate. Thank you for being so…Thank you."
Max took a deep breath, ignoring the sound of slurping coming from beneath Chloe's blankets.
"I keep thinking about how close I was to dying. I'm not really religious, like you – oh but I'm not unreligious or anything, I just never took it that seriously I guess. So I don't really know what happens when, when you die. If it's just – just nothing. Just not, not being. If everything I am can just end, is there any point to any of it? All my hopes and dreams, everything I want and value and love and dream of. In one minute a tiny chunk of metal can end it all. And that, that's pretty scary I guess." Max had to blink the tears from her eyes.
"And I think about…..everything I have left undone. The…...experiences I have never had. Like, I know this is against your beliefs and all and sorry, but….still being a virgin. I always wanted to wait, not necessarily for marriage but definitely for the right person. But, but this world it isn't, it doesn't just wait and let you get around to those special moments. It could take away everything in an instant. I never even sent my photo's to a gallery, even Victoria does that! I just took picture after picture, talking about how one day I would send them out. S-such a coward. Talking about how one day I would live, instead of just – just living. All the opportunities I lost, time I wasted."
Five years she was never getting back.
"So no. No I'm not okay." Kate was blinking away tears of her own right now as she leaned down to hug Max.
"I am so sorry you have had to go through this, Max. Is there anything I can do?"
"Can you…can you tell me about, well, god?"
Kate took a deep breath, a frown finding it's way to her gentle face.
"No."
"No?! Aren't…aren't you supposed to….like, spread the good word?"
"I'm supposed to do right by my friends. And I'm not sure this is right for you right now. I once thought that there was no "wrong" way to believe. That so long as someone had the Lord that was all that mattered. But the way my church turned on me, used my faith to hurt me…God is perfect, but our ways of understanding Him aren't. My faith was always a great comfort to me, until then at least, so I am sure it could be a comfort to you too."
"But I realize now that there is a wrong way to come to the Lord. This isn't something you should do out of fear, because you have had to face death and don't want it to be the end. Faith is about so much more. And it…..feels exploitative. Swooping in when you are vulnerable, using that to pull you into such a huge commitment."
Kate smiled warmly. "That's not a healthy way to start your relationship with the Lord."
Max was stunned. "Kate that's…..thank you. That's a perspective I really wasn't expecting from you."
There was a bit of a blush on Kate's cheeks now, a surprisingly playful glint in her eye as she responded.
"I am not just 'The Jesus Girl', Max. I have other interest and opinions!"
"Yeah, who knew all that badass was just lurking under the wholesome surface!"
Chloe was evidently done sulking, the blankets had been pulled down to her waist and she had turned onto her other side to face the younger girls. The expression on her face exactly half way between mischievous and devious.
"I'm gonna have you tatted up in no time." She continued.
"Oh gosh."
The rest of Kate's visit passed in friendly banter, Chloe doing everything she could to get a rise out of the religious girl while Max watched with a smile, backing up one or the other depending on what whim struck her.
Once Kate had left, Chloe made her way back to Max's side, simply standing there awkwardly. Max's emotional confession to Kate had her far too worried to back off, but Max's earlier dismissal of Chloe left her unsure of just how much comfort would be welcomed.
Taking a deep breath, Chloe began to talk.
"Max, a lot of the same shit has been going through my head too. I died so many fucking times, I-"
No, I can't fucking go and make this about myself. She has been through a hundred different kinds of hell for you, stop being so fucking self centred.
"My point is, you can…..talk to me, y'know. About this shit?"
"I know Chloe, I wanted…." She sighed. "I don't know what I wanted from Kate. Something religious I guess. With you I….I didn't want to…..I dunno. Burden you, I guess. You have been through so much. You deserve support, not for me to drag you down with what I need."
"Fucking fuck off with that fucking bullshit. Partners, right? Your issues are my issues. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. Not knowing what is going on in that hipster head of yours is way more stressful then you laying your shit on me."
Max smiled as her hand found Chloe's. "Thanks, Chloe. We are gonna have plenty of time together now, so plenty of time for me to make this mistake again, because I'm a fuckup, so don't be afraid to kick my ass over this in the future."
"Max, I promise your ass will never be safe around me again."
"Thanks Chlo."
"Any time."
Dana had to put down the overstuffed box she carried into the hospital room in order to hug Max, the taller and more athletic girl being as gentle as she could with the wounded artist.
Picking the box up again she dumped it onto Max's bed as she started rifling through the contents while Chloe watched curiously.
"Okay, so I got all the photo's from your wall, the old teddy, the lanterns, the red cushion with "Max" on it, laptop, some other crap….basically everything you asked for. Oh and Lisa was fine, Kate said she had been watering her."
"Thanks so much Dana. It's gonna be just like back in my dorm! Even better, actually, with an awesome room mate for company instead of Victoria across the hall."
Dana laughed. "I'll bet. Chloe knows how to keep it real! And makes a pretty good Ariel, in a pinch."
Max blinked in confusion while Juliet giggled and Chloe groaned.
"For fuck's sake, you people won't let that go! That was one fucking time! I was sixteen, I did a lot of stupid shit! People make mistakes at that age! I did cool shit too, just the next day I robbed the DA and got in a knife fight with a drug dealer but no, people just talk about my shame."
Juliet's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Chloe I'm pretty sure those were backwards. Most people would think of the knife fighting as the mistake and doing so well in a play you wind up the toast of the town as the triumph."
Chloe leaned back smugly. "Bitch, I am not most people."
Dana put the last picture up and stepped back to examine her, Chloe and Juliet's work. The photo collage spread across the wall on Max's right, not a perfect recreation but it wasn't like there had been any specific order to them back in her dorm. The important thing was that they were hers. Her art, spread out all around her.
That had always been immensely comforting to the young photographer. Ever since she moved to Seattle and found herself overwhelmed by a new city right after the death of her second father figure. Max had plastered the walls with every photo she had which was taken by him, until she could feel him all around her.
Over the months, as she had adapted and recovered, she had replaced his photo's with her own. Now it was her way of claiming a space, making it hers. She hadn't felt right in her dorm until her photo wall was up.
"Thank you so much, guys."
Dana smiled back. "No problem, Max! Blackwell spirit, right? We can't abandon our hero now."
"And yes, you are a fucking hero." Chloe interjected.
"Ugh, at least wait until after I talk shit about myself."
"No way, Max, you are way too predictable." The punk replied.
"You are Blackwell's hero, though. I have written articles about it and everything." Juliet said. "Has anybody been keeping you guys up on Blackwell gossip?"
"Nah. Even in a coma Maximus has more interest in Blackhell bullshit then me. Why, people been burning Prescott effigies?"
"Pretty much." Dana said, eyes lighting up with the sheer joy of gossip. "Things have been crazy lately. The Prescotts have been in full damage control mode, throwing money into everything they can to build their rep. Hasn't helped though, people have completely turned on Nathan and Victoria, the jokes are actually getting…..kinda mean. Half the kids in Blackwell are referring to toilets as "Prescotts" and last time Trevor went to the bathroom he said he needed to "go do a Prescott". I don't think Victoria has been sober since the shooting."
Max made sure not to smile. Knowing people had turned on Victoria made her feel good for reasons she didn't really want to examine. Just like Nathan's fate, junk food or Chloe's ass. Chloe herself had no such reservations about showing how she felt at the way Nathan's fate had altered his family name, with a broad grin and a downright depraved cackle.
Dana continued. "Wells has resigned, well it was more like one of those "resign right now so we don't get embarrassed by firing your ass" kind of things. Maybe if he was just in charge during a shooting or just the guy who hired Jefferson he could hold on, but after what Juliet dug up…..sorry you should be telling this Jules."
"I can do one better!" Juliet said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a copy of the school paper before handing it to Max.
Principle's Well Runs Dry.
Juliet Watson, Oct 19 2013
The shocking crimes of Nathan Prescott have devastated our school, Arcadia Bay and even the state of Oregon. The investigation has now turned to our esteemed Principal, Raymond Wells, who resigned in disgrace this week.
The behaviour of Nathan Prescott has been an open secret among Blackwell's students for years now. Constant disrespect, misbehaviour and rule breaking tolerated by faculty, bullying and harassment students know better than to report, a new student would rightfully be confused by Nathan's treatment. Until they notice they live in the "Prescott Dormitory". The influential family has never been shy about throwing it's weight around, but multiple sources now confirm that the Prescott foundation has, since Nathan Prescott became a student, donated millions of dollars to the school. In an unsurprising twist, we have also learned that Sean Prescott has personally provided Wells with what the former Principal refers to as "additional, unofficial funding".
Under the table envelopes of cash, provided both on a regular schedule and a bonus upon every infraction committed by Nathan and subsequently covered up by Wells. Wells even kept two separate student records for Mr Prescott. One doctored at Sean Prescott's request, presenting his son as the perfect student, and the real record, listing every infraction and misdemeanour.
Upon reviewing the undoctored report, Blackwell's board has determined that Nathan Prescott has accumulated at least seven offenses worthy of expulsion – even without considering the serious crimes that have recently come to light.
Even more troubling, an email exchange between Wells and former head of Blackwell security, Darren Lunbar, reveals a plan to deliberately "cull" scholarship students Wells felt would not go on to bring enough prestige to Blackwell, as well as students who may damage the schools reputation. The email organizes students into several categories including "Problematic", "High Risk" and "Dead Weight". Those classified "Problematic" were to be passively monitored, "High Risk" students were to be actively monitored with any infraction used as justification for expulsion. Worst of all "Dead Weight" students were to be actively provoked, with Lunbar and other security staff instructed to create situations where the student would act out to justify their removal. Dunbar was let go, along with most security staff, after an incident which left a student hospitalized on the 8th of May, 2010. He was replaced by David Madsen, who went on to gather evidence crucial in the ongoing Dark Room case and led a complete restructuring of Blackwell's security staff.
Acting Principle Grant has requested that students and their families be patient as details continue to be released.
Max handed the article to Chloe with a sigh, trying to process what she had read as her friend devoured the article herself.
"Mother fucking dog licking goat groping cat humping leaky prolapsed asshole piece of shit CUNT! I knew, I fucking knew that drunk pool of asscheese was out to get me! "High Risk", there is a high risk of my boot in your ass you goddamned microwaved pubic hair!"
Chloe threw the tattered remnants of the article aside as she glared at the world in general.
"Holy shit do I wish I could publish even half of that!" Juliet's voice had a tint of awe. "You summed up the general sentiment more or less perfectly. So many people are suing the school that Blackwell may have to shut down!"
Dana nodded. "Probably why they put Mrs Grant in charge. She is the only person working for Blackwell nobody wants to sue."
Max was stunned. She supposed she shouldn't be though. So many parents had trusted Blackwell with their children, with the depth of Well's corruption exposed…...she sighed. Heads rolling would be only the beginning. Hell, even her own parents could be suing.
Why can't it just be over? Why can't things just be…normal, for a bit?
"Actually I was wondering if you wanted to make a statement, maybe give an interview. Blackwell's hero would make one hell of a scoop."
"Again with the hero stuff?"
"Yes, Max, again! You even won the Everyday Hero photography contest!"
Wait, what?
"Um, what?"
"What do you mean, Max?"
"I never submitted my entry for that contest!"
The confusion on her features was answered in kind.
"Are you sure didn't enter that last day, Max? You could have memory issues, you did get shot after all."
"I'm positive! I couldn't forget a single minute of that class."
I fucking repeated it enough times.
Juliet sat back, an intrigued glint coming into her eye. No doubt the budding reporter found the mystery fascinating. Max was mostly annoyed. She had had enough of solving mysteries.
Dana must have picked up on her discomfort, because she wasted no time changing the subject.
"So I brought your makeup, but no offense Max your selection is shit. I couldn't resist bringing some of my own."
Thank god, no more zombie Max.
"Why? Not like there is anyone here to look good for." Juliet asked.
Max blushed, glancing at Chloe as her tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry lips.
"Yeah Max, just your Gal Pal here." Chloe said, raising a brow.
Dana rolled her eyes. "Pfft, don't need to be looking to impress someone! Sometimes a girl just wants to look good! Even hotter than normal, that is. And you will, with the benefit of my expertise."
"Yes, thank you, Dana." Max closed her eyes as her friend leaned over with a brush.
Once Dana and Juliet had left, with many promises of visiting later, Max turned to Chloe.
"So, how do I look?"
Chloe sighed. Did they really have to do this now?
"You look fine, Makeover Max."
"Oh. Thanks." Max's voice was heavy with disappointment.
"Fuck do you want, Max? A goddamn poem about how hot you are?"
"I…..I dunno. I just….sorry I guess." Max muttered, burrowing down into her covers.
God job, asshole. You know how insecure she is.
"Chloe, can we…talk about something?"
Oh yeah, that's how every good conversation starts.
"Sure, Max."
"I hurt you earlier. Before Kate."
Fuck. There's no way I'm talking to Max about this shit.
"Lot's of things set me off Max. Just ask Step-Soldier."
"I am sorry to pry Chloe, for once, but I have already hurt you too much by sitting back and being passive. No more. From now on we communicate. Even if we can't see eye to eye on things, we talk about them. The only mistake I have ever made with you is not talking, not being honest."
Fuck. I am talking to Max about this shit, aren't I?
She didn't even have to look at Max to know her little hipster would be giving her that Max look, the one that always broke her, turned her into a simpering pile of mush. Eyes bottomless blue wells of adoration as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth, pale skin making every freckle stand out, endless affection radiating from her always sincere face.
"Rachel was….she was always "on" as an actor. Always making sure she played a role. A role that depended on…who she was with. When it was y'know, when it was just us, me and her, she would….she was everything I wanted. All warmth and affection and everything great. Those moments, with her, they were…they were worth everything else." Chloe had to blink back tears.
Rachels hair falling around Chloe's face, the gentle curve of Rachel's smiling lips pressed into her neck, her lips. Her thighs.
Gasping in a deep breath, Chloe forced her thoughts back to reality.
"But those moments ended. And then we were around others and it was time for the mask to be back on. Or…..maybe just a different mask, I guess."
That picture, Rachel dancing for Frank the way she had for Chloe. That letter.
"When she was wearing the party girl mask, she had room for a punk best friend. When she was wearing her perfect student mask, a little less so. But neither….neither had room for girlfriend."
The last came out as a pained sob.
"Whatever we were in private….whatever we…..did…..it was…"
She was interrupted by a soft thump and a loud clatter and she finally looked up to find that Max's weak legs had given out as her partner in time attempted to make her way to Chloe's bed, and her fall had brought down several expensive looking machines still attached to her.
"Fucking ow." Max muttered as she crawled the last little bit and into Chloe's bed.
"There." She smiled warmly, face smug with triumph as she took Chloe's hand. Jesus, that ridiculous fucking makeover. Dana and Juliet knew their shit. A little extra eyeshadow and mascara and some subtle lipstick turned Max from an adorable girl on the cusp of turning into an absolute hottie into, well, that absolute hottie.
"So when I insisted on separating before Kate got here….?"
"Yeah it…..brought shit back I guess. It wasn't…Rachel wasn't some manipulating puppetmaster cackling as she fucked with people or anything. It fucking tore her up inside, and every time she hurt me she would be…..well she worked fucking hard at making it up to me. She just couldn't escape the damn mask. It was, like, pathological with her. Wore her fucking masks so long she couldn't get by without them."
Max settled in next to Chloe pillowing her head on her friend's shoulder.
"Thank you for opening up. And I'm so fucking sorry, for bringing that back."
"It's cool, Max. Thanks for….making us talk."
And for making comforting my moody ass the first thing you get out of bed and walk for. No fucking way do I deserve a friend like you.
Max hummed and closed her eyes.
"Warren's coming soon. You don't want to…go back to your bed?"
"Nah." Max muttered. "I'm comfy here."
It was a nurse who came in next, summoned by whatever terrible things Max had done to the machinery. But, still.
Hearing Chloe's voice in the vibrations through her body was even better then the way it normallt sounded, and Max smiled as she nuzzled into her friend's shoulder. After the nurses had forced her back into her own bed, she had wasted no time getting Chloe in with her before slipping into a gentle doze.
Whatever Chloe's conversation partner, whoever the fuck that was, had said must have been pretty funny. Max pressed herself even further into Chloe, delighting in the way her entire body shook with laughter. Chloe responded with a gentle hand brushing through chestnut locks.
"Yea Max has always been a snuggler. Back when we were kids, every time we had a sleepover we would go to bed on opposite sides, by the time she was asleep she would be completely wrapped around me. It was fucking adorable. Still is, actually."
Thanks Chloe you too.
"So you think if unbalanced timetravel did cause environmental disturbances it could grow exponentially, with each new instance adding to the instability. My question to that though is if the instability would decrease over time, allowing for more time travel while maintaining reasonable stability or if, given the nature of timetravel, trying to wait out any instability before adding more would be pointless."
Fucking what?
"Well yeah, but let me remind you that is just my best guess going off the hypothetical scenario you put forward, and I have to stress again I am not an expert on this kind of thing. I really have no idea for the question, there is just…not enough data. With the chance to experiment….but that's the big problem with time travel. It's all hypothetical's and theory."
That's Warren's voice! Why the hell is Warren talking timefuckery with Chloe? Hang on, what's the difference between "unbalanced" timetravel and the normal kind? Which was I doing?
"You have some really cool ideas about this stuff Chloe. We really should have talked while you were at Blackwell!"
Awww, now Warren is way too into Chloe as well! We have so much in common!
"It's nothing dude, just some shit I think about while high."
"You should get some of these ideas down, write a Sci-Fi book or something!"
"Dude, anything I write would turn into lesbian porn pretty fucking quick."
Max smiled. Yeah it would.
Warren laughed nervously. "That's not such a bad thing."
Max finally sat up, stretching until her body creaked and cracked. "Damn straight."
"Nah." Chloe's grin was cocky, eyes dancing with mischief. "There's nothing straight about it."
Warren laughed again but Max, so much more used to Chloe, simply rolled her eyes.
"Have a good nap?"
"I did, actually. I feel great."
Chloe's grin widened. "You look it too."
Warren snorted, glancing at Max's face before looking away guiltily.
"Huh? Oh, Dana's makeover."
"You left most of it on my shoulder, Maximum Makeup."
Glancing back down, Max found was right, she had smudged makeup all over Chloe's shoulder, doubtlessly leaving herself looking ridiculous.
"Well fuck you guys. I know I'm pretty."
The sound of both of them stammering over each other as they rushed to be the first to agree was as amusing as it was awkward.
Warren had been fidgeting for a while and he hadn't even got around to the reason for his visit.
He had spent so long obsessing over Max that he had made this almost impossible for himself. It had taken so much to work himself up for this, then his resolve had crumpled the minute he saw her. Seeing Max curled up in a hospital bed, her normally pale skin downright ghostly, awake at last but still too weak to stay up a whole day really drove home how much she had been through. And how much of a tool he was.
Max had literally taken a bullet for a friend. Warren liked to think he would do he same, if he was ever called to. That he could stand up and fight even after seeing a gun and realising a conflict would be deadly. But he was painfully aware of what the statistics said, that most people would freeze up and be useless. He couldn't help but doubt he would be equal to the task. He hadn't even been able to stand up to Nathan's bullying.
And now here he was, about to maybe make things worse. He couldn't do that to her, he would have to go home, give her time. To rest and recover.
"Dude, you look like you are about to shit a brick."
Max's friend was so cool. And scary. And hot. And smart, too! She had some really interesting questions and ideas about time travel.
"Ughm, yeah, sorry I kinda….wait, first, Max how are you?"
"A little bit more annoyed every time someone asks me that!" Her gentle smile took any bite out of her words. Fuck she was beautiful, even with that hilariously smudged makeup she didn't give enough of a shit to take off.
"Really, though, I am doing okay Warren. I had a great talk with Kate earlier."
"Are…..are you sure, Max?"
"Yes."
Now she just looked irritated. That was good. Had to be like, strong and recovered, to get irritated right?
"So I….me and…well…it…" Fuck. Okay.
"So, after you got shot, I was kind of…affected."
Now she looked horrified. Shit.
"I was really worried about all of my friends and…..everyone was fucked up because of the shooting and what we found out about Jefferson. And me and….well me and Brooke…."
Now she looked relieved and…oddly hopeful? Huh.
"Well we were…..comforting each other and uhm…we didn't mean for anything to happen but…..one thing kind of…lead to another…"
Now she was…smiling? He hoped so at least. If this hurt her after all she had been through he would never be able to forgive himself. He had never picked up on any reciprocation of his affections, but he had never picked up on the opposite either. Which was hardly surprising, since like most girls she seemed to communicate primarily in some special language he was forever denied understanding of. No matter how hard he worked at it.
"One thing led to another and me and Brooke….kinda made out. I don't know if you picked up on it but I was kinda…..hitting on you. A lot. Like, wow. Oh god so much. So like, if you did pick up on it and….maybe…..want something to happen….moving on another chick while you are in a coma is the biggest dick move ever. So I have kinda just been avoiding Brooke ever since and now she is mad. Well, im pretty sure she is mad since I think she slashed my tires and all. So I really need to talk to Brooke but I can't do that until I talk to you and, maybe, apologise? Or not? I don't…..I don't know…." He trailed off lamely.
Warren really hoped this all got sorted out. Brooke's drone had really good range. She could be watching him at any time.
Max's face seemed to be going through a hell of a lot of different emotions. He really wished he could read them. Chloe's face was perfectly still. That was a relief. She seemed the type to slash more then tires if some boy hurt her friend. Max was lucky to have such a good gal pal.
"I am very happy for the two of you….you, uhm, have my blessing? And….congratulations, I guess?"
Oh thank god. Max didn't like him!
Thank god Chloe managed to keep a straight face until Warren was gone. When she finally let loose the laughter she had been holding in since Warren's confession, there was no stopping it. It tore out of her in a hysterical wave, an irrepressible surge of wicked glee against which Max's glare accomplished nothing.
"Warren Warrened you! You…you got Warrened by your own Warren! This has never happened before in the entire history of Warrening! Warren squared! Warrenception!"
She was cackling now, head thrown back and blue eyes bright, mouth open wide with delight.
"Very funny Chloe."
"It is! It really really fucking is! Does Warren Warrening you un-Warren Warren? Or was Warren Warrened so hard he had no choice but to Warren in return? Retaliatory Warrening! Oh god, this is so…."
You brought this on yourself, Chloe.
Max did her best to paint a devastated look on her face. She had plenty to work with lately, so it wasn't exactly hard. She looked up at Chloe.
"I just got dumped and you are…making fun of me?"
"Errrr, what? But…..Warren….you…..because me and….uhm….I thought. Fuck, didn't you say you didn't like him? I thought…..fuck I'm so sorry Max!" Chloe started gently rubbing Max's arm, stammering attempts at reassurance.
Max's bottom lip trembled. "I love him so much! I thought we were soulmates! Oh woe, my first love has ended!"
Chloe stopped trying to comfort Max.
"You…..you bitch! Holy shit, Mad Max, fuck you."
Chloe seemed caught between hurt and genuine respect.
"Okay, I kinda deserved that. Still pissed at you though."
"Just so long as you aren't mocking my non-existent pain anymore. I was seriously stressed when he started. Thought he was gonna go on about realizing how much he loved me. Now instead I won't have to find a way to explain to him that I'm not into guys. Like him! Guys like him!"
Chloe cracked a grin and rolled her eyes.
"Nice save Max. Get nice and cozy in that closet."
W-what on earth is she talking about? Chloe can be so ridiculous sometimes.
Their next visitor took them both by surprise. Chloe and Max were dicking around on their phones, back in their own beds, when he arrived.
"Price." Frank barked.
Chloe dropped her phone as she looked up, anger roaring in almost before the fear showed on her face.
"When are you getting out of this shithole?"
"For fuck's sake man, you will get your goddamn money! Get off my fucking crack, not a lot of opportunities to make bank in here."
Max did her best to glare threateningly at Frank. She had to work pretty hard at it. She didn't have a gun this time, after all. He didn't seem too impressed.
"Christ Chloe, I'm not here for that. I…..actually, shit, maybe I am. Yeah that would work. I got a job, do this for me and your debt is cleared."
Pity was rapidly replacing anger. Frank wasn't looking good. And not in the usual "drug dealer living in an RV" way. His skin was ghost pale, marked with the kind of grit and grime it was only possible to build up when not showering for over a week. Chloe was used to seeing Frank's eyes red and bloodshot, only now it was because he had been weeping, not getting stoned. Judging from the way his filthy clothes hung on him, he had gotten more food on his shirt then in his mouth lately.
Lowering her guard, Chloe rolled her eyes. "No fucking way dude. Last time I did a job for you I ended up getting chased by a bear. Rachel almost set it on fire!"
"You got the fucking money for your sleeve, didn't you?"
"And I lost five years off my fucking life. Bears are hella scary."
"Just listen to the fucking offer first, Christ Chloe. I am gonna…..get the fuck away from this shithole for a while. I just need someone to look after my fucking dog till I get back."
"What, that's it? Babysit your mutt?"
"He is not a mutt!" Frank roared. "Pompidou is a good boy!"
Max's giggle interrupted him. He glared back at her, but there was no heat in it.
"Why me, dude? You gotta have people to do shit for you." Chloe said.
"What can I say, my associates aren't exactly known for their caring nature. I got people for kicking the shit out of any dealer trying to sell in town without permission. I *don't* have people to look after something I love. Even if they did try and look after him, they would be a bad fucking influence. I don't want them dragging him into some fucking fight or whatever."
A bad influence on your dog? Fuck is wrong with you dude. Besides, I'm the bitch who killed him once.
"Yeah everyone in the neighbourhood wants me babysitting their kids, because I'm such a good influence." Chloe rolled her eyes.
"They would if they knew what was good for them. You can front as hard as you like, Price, we both know when you love something you are fucking religiously devoted. You just don't let go, goddamn bulldog. Like with Rachel. You fucking knew something was up, fucking plastered this fucking town with missing posters, while I was just crawling into a goddamn bottle….are you gonna accept or what?"
Goddamnit you just had to play the Rachel card.
"Of course she is." Max interjected. "It's getting paid three thousand dollars to play with a dog! It should be in a list of questions to ask people when trying to figure out if they are sane."
Frank seemed to agree with that sentiment.
Chloe sighed.
"How long, dude? And when?"
"In a few months and for a few months. I'm still planning shit, okay? I just needed to know he would be taken care of."
"Fine, if some other lunatic hasn't shot me or I haven't skipped town by whenever the fuck you piss off I will look after your dog. Happy?"
"Yeah, thanks." He tossed something at her as he turned to leave. "Later, Price. Check in the mouth."
As Chloe picked up the little white projectile, she turned it over to examine it and blinked in surprise. It was a little stuffed bulldog, with a tiny studded collar and white fur except for a patch on it's head which been clumsily coloured blue with some sort of marker. In the toy's mouth was a little baggie wrapped up tight, green visible through the transparent plastic.
Chloe couldn't help but laugh as she stashed her get well present. Asshole really should have opened with that. Now all she had to do was explain to Joyce that they were looking after a dog. And, ugh, David.
Alyssa's visit was brief. During a lull in the conversation, she unashamedly declared the ten minute conversation with Max and Chloe to be her "daily capacity for socialisation". Before she turned to go, however, she stopped and pulled something from her bag.
"Juliet mentioned you might want to see this, bye Max. Sorry to bail so quick."
"It's fine, Alyssa. I'm thankful you made the trip."
"Yeah, Mild Max over here isn't exactly an extrovert herself. If she wasn't on the best drugs in the state there is no way she would have been able to handle all of todays social interaction."
"Ha ha Chloe." Max accepted the magazine Alyssa held out, waving goodbye as the asocial girl left.
It was a fairly niche magazine about photography, specifically current events within the photography world. Including, at least for this issue, a certain photography contest.
How are they even still in business? The internet has left so many print publications dead or reeling, and this magazine is so niche. They must have some pretty reliable repeat customers. This is probably sitting ignored on art gallery countertops all over the country.
Flipping to the segment on the Everyday Hero's contest, she pushed down the guilt as she ignored everybody else's entry to find her own. It wasn't like they had changed since she had seen them in the Zeitgeist Gallery.
Oh. Oh shit.
This picture had changed since the last time she saw it. The white borders of the polaroid had been marked a deep dark red, the blood flowing from Max and Chloe's bodies as they bled out in a bathroom having flowed onto and around the discarded picture, staining and warping the borders of the photo but leaving the rest unaltered.
Some distant part of her, conditioned for years to analyse photographs, was trying to tell her that, visually, it was a surprisingly good effect. The angry, warped red border contrasted with the cool blues of the photo and the vivid brightness of the butterfly making both stand out strongly. The rest of her was trying to remember how to breathe.
"Chloe. Our butterfly photo…it's all the way in San Francisco."
By the time Chloe had calmed her down, thankfully without needing to bring in a nurse or up Max's dosage, the punk was struggling under the stress herself. Just as Max was forced to acknowledge to herself that she had no ideas that would help Chloe, the need to do so vanished.
A girl around Chloe's age walked in. She was dressed halfway between Chloe's punk style and Warren's nerdy getup, with the addition of a rainbow bracelet on her wrist. Her smile as she looked down at Chloe was indescribably smug and Chloe's responding smile was one of the most sincere Max had seen her show since their reunion.
Two guys followed her in. They shared the same dark skin and similar facial features, made even more evident by the friendly smile they shared and were both tall, though one was more muscular then the other. And probably 95% of humanity at that, the dude was huge. None of that bulk stopping him from moving with a casual grace evident even in the short walk from the door to the chair.
The more slender one had none of his brothers grace. Although he was as tall and almost as well muscled, he moved with an awkward hesitance that hinted both were a fairly recent development, the result of a dramatic growth spurt he had yet to adapt to, made more difficult by the box he was carrying. A pair of spectacles rested on his face with the comfortable familiarity of a permanent fixture.
"Steph! What the fuck, man, didn't you get out of this shitpit?"
"I got Drew and Mikey's dad to drive me down."
The older guy nodded. "We owed you a hospital visit, after all. Steph just tagged along."
"Good. This town is way too fucking straight with her gone. Seriously dude, all of you came all this way for me?"
The one with glasses smiled. "It's not that long a drive, Chloe. Only a few hours."
Max looked from one person to another, trying to keep up, until Chloe finally took pity on her.
"Max, these are some friends of mine from before I got my ass kicked out of Blackhell. We weren't that close until I met Rachel, three years ago. But then Rachel happened and I had a week almost as fucked up as the one we just had. Steph really helped me…come to terms with what I was feeling for Rachel. The brothers are Drew and Mikey North. Drew is just an idiot jock, but Mikey is cool. Somehow he is a bigger dork then you, even if he is getting ripped lately. Guys, this is my Max. She likes long walks on the beach, photography and taking bullets for idiot punks."
Drew rolled his eyes when she insulted him, not bothering to hide his smile.
"Drew is almost as good at throwing around a ball as you are at photography, which means he managed to earn his family a one way trip to a real fucking city, thank fuck. College football pays hella better then artsy shit I guess. Speaking of, Mikey is a pretty good artist. Remember those dorky comics we used to make when we were kids? Like those only with as much talent as enthusiasm."
"I also have…other interests." Mikey said with dramatic flair, opening the box he had carried in.
Chloe sat up excitedly.
"Amazeballs, you brought the game? Hella yes, Callamastia fights again motherfuckers! Do we have a spare character for Max?
Steph smiled. "We kinda brought a couple. Now, Max, you strike me as a sorceress?"
Max considered it for a while. "Fuck that, I want a big ass sword."
"Alright, we have like twenty minutes left on visitors hours. If we don't call it here the nurses will kick your asses out and just plain kick my ass. Seriously they are so done with my shit. We can finish the game tomorrow. Drew, Mikey, gimme a hand? I've been stealing pudding from every patient on this floor, but with three of us we can cover way the fuck more ground. Steph, don't let Max cheat. She is the nosiest bitch you ever met."
Chloe was gone before anyone could object, the bemused North brothers following along, leaving Max and Steph to the awkwardly hopeful silence of two people who could tell they would be friends but just weren't there yet.
Max wet her lips, gaze not budging from the rainbow proudly adorning Steph's wrist.
"So." She blurted. "Wh-when did you know?"