Ch-2: Besties
Dedicated to Riley Recks, beloved person and admired Streamer. R.I.P, You will always have a place in the hearts of so many, even those you never met in life.
Not 30 minutes had gone by with Chloe and Max asleep in the truck before they were awoken by a sudden knock on the driver side window.
"Hello?"
Came an old and worn out voice
"Hay! Your wasting gas ya know!"
Chloe was the first to stir from her shallow sleep, looking up she saw an old women dressed in ragged clothes staring back at her.
"Shit!"
Chloe exclaimed quietly trying not to wake Max. She turned the key to the truck, causing it to choke and turn off, the sudden silence as the engine's low rumbling vibration disappeared caused Max to stir and look up. Looking at Chloe she saw the old woman's face on the other side of the foggy window.
"You!"
Max said in shock, instantly recognizing her as the homeless women from behind the two whales.
"What? You know her Max?"
Chloe looked over to max in confusion and then back at the old women outside."
"Ya"
Max said shocked but happy. She was almost overjoyed to see the old woman was alive and safe, the fact even one person did not die in Arcadia Bay because of her choice was almost enough to put some remnant of smile back on her face before the somberness of it wiped it away again.
"She… I talked to her back in Arcadia, She was living behind the Two Whales, I… I told her about my vision of the tornado"
A shocked and worried look overtook Chloe's face.
"Shit! What else does she know Max?"
Chloe screeched, seemingly both hurt and worried. All she could think about was what this woman knew and if it was going to come back to haunt them.
"Nothing… I swear, She… I don't know I just felt like I could trust her… I just needed someone to talk to, someone outside of the all the shit that was happening!"
Max said hoping Chloe could understand.
"What about me Max!"
Chloe began obviously hurt by the idea Max felt she needed someone other than her to talk things out with.
"I was there for you Max! You could have come to me, you know that..."
Chloe's voice began to calm as she realized her words could hurt Max more now than ever in her friends current state.
"I just wish you had at least told me Max, You know I would have been right there for you no matter what."
Chloe reached her hands over and grabbed one of Max's.
"Damn it!"
Chloe said with anger in her voice again, but this time it not with Max, but with herself.
"I'm doing it again, I'm being a total brat, and I don't want to hurt you anymore Max!"
The old women having stood there the whole time smiling finally interrupted the duo.
"So girls, if you're done with your fussing, I'd suggest going inside and getting a room at this dump, it's gonna be a cold night trust you me! I think I've earned the right to say I'm an expert on such things."
"I… I can't believe I never asked before now but… what is your name?"
Max asked with an embarrassed shame on her face.
"Never been one to care what people call me, It was always enough that people would stop and talk to me. But if it's a name you want, it's Martha."
The old woman said with a smile at the duo.
"So… I sort of feel like an ass for how I reacted just now"
Chloe stated in an embarrassed tone.
"Would you like us to rent you a room for the night? I feel like it's the least we could do seeing as you just saved me a monster gas bill!"
Chloe said as she thumped her hand on the top of the dashboard
"Don't you worry your pretty little heads girls, I have been living without a roof over my head or a heater for more years then you have both been alive put together. I'll be fine out here, besides I don't think I would be welcome in such a fancy dump like this."
The old woman said playfully pointing over her shoulder at the ill kept motel sign, half the letters having long since burned out.
"Now if you will excuse this old hen, I have to go make my bed for the night."
Having said that the old women walked away behind the building leaving Max and Chloe alone yet again.
The two girls sat for a moment, the cabin of the truck getting colder with every passing second before Chloe finally piped up.
"Whelp!"
Chloe said with a her usual "fuck it" style of speech.
"We better get our boney asses inside if we don't want to end up the two sexiest popsicles in Oregon! Let's get a move on Maximizer!"
Chloe grabbed Max's hand and opened the driver door, slowly she helped Max across the truck bench and out the driver door with her, not wanting to let go of her friends hand. After locking the truck Chloe pulled Max close to her and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulder with one arm, while holding her hand with the other.
The two walked side by side through the front door of the motel, the heater was on and the warmth greeted them with a calming fuzzy feeling, Something that they had needed ever since that moment at the lighthouse just hours before.
Chloe sat Max down on one of the chairs set up in the entryway before kneeling down infront of her, calmly stroking the girl's head.
"Max?"
Chloe asked with her best attempt at being soothing.
"I need to go rent us a room for the night, I'll be right up there okay, Just… Don't go anywhere okay?"
Chloe said as if worried Max would somehow vanish the moment she turned her back. Max nodded silently, with her head in her hands, The momentary high of seeing the old woman having run its course, leaving her with only thoughts of all the people who did not survive the storm, all because of her choice.
Chloe stroked the girl's head for a few seconds, grimacing at the thought of leaving her alone for even a moment. But they needed a room for the night and Chloe knew that Max needed the chance to sleep away the freshness of the pain. Something Chloe knew all too well how it felt, and all too well how to handle.
Standing back up she walked over to the check in. A large man with glasses and greasy hair tied back in a ponytail sat in a chair that seemed far too small to contain him. Yet beyond Chloe's comprehension it manage to hold his weight and size as he leaned back, feet on his desk watching the old TV hung in the corner of the small the counter.
"Hay man, Can we get a room?"
Chloe asked, with her now worn out voice. The man did not move an inch seemingly unaware of her presence he continue watching the TV.
Hay! Dude it's cold as crap out there and we need a room.
Chloe's voice beginning to show her irritation with the man's lack of awareness.
"Ya give me a second lady!"
The man's voice was husky and filled with a deep apathy as he grabbed the remote next to him and increased the volume on the TV as he turned around to look at her. With droopy dead eyes.
With as much haste as a snail he reached into drawer and retrieved a sign in sheet and attached it to a clipboard before lazily slipping it onto the counter in front of him. At this very same moment the commercial on the TV ended and the late night news came onto the screen. It was a young and pretty female news anchor who spoke first.
"This just in! The National Weather Service and local emergency services have just announced that a E6 tornado has hit Arcadia Bay, a small fishing town along the oregon coast. Seemingly without warning, The storm appeared for only a few minutes destroying the town before vanishing just as quickly! Tony Esposito is on site at Arcadia Bay as we speak, Tony? What can you tell us?"
The young news anchors words immediately caused Max to begin sobbing into her hands.
"SHIT!"
Chloe exclaimed in anger at the television
"Can you turn that shit off man!"
Chloe looked back at Max who was now sitting in the chair with her legs pulled up, feet on the chair, her knees to her forehead crying and shaking with every word that came out of the TV.
"What is your problem!? I'm trying to watch the god damned news here!"
It was at that moment that Chloe's usual hot headed nature got the better of her.
Launching over the counter she grabbed the remote from the man's limp wristed hand.
She turned off the TV and quickly pulled out the batteries before pocketing them.
"What the hell you fucking punk!"
Chloe quickly glowered at the man with such intensity that she honestly thought she could set him on fire right there in his chair.
"Look shitstain! Me and my friend just came out of that town and we need a fucking room! You can get your fuckin' batteries back when I get a goddamn key!"
The man was stunned silent, Chloe's rant having finally snapped him out of his apathetic stupor. Looking over he saw Max in tears in her chair, He suddenly realized what was going on.
"Holy shit! I didn't know I was just~"
Chloe's temper flared again at the man's far too late concern for his customers, her fist began to clinch, she was itching to bury her knuckles in the man's face. But her shoulders stiffened as she held herself back, realising now was not the time to get in a fight.
"Look!"
Chloe interrupted, her voice mellowing slightly.
"Me and my friend don't need your apologies and shit okay! We just want a room and to be left the fuck alone okay! No house keeping, no room service, Just a fuckin' room okay!"
"I… Yes mam… Just… take this key, the room number is on the tag, second floor… I~"
"Ya, thanks!"
Chloe said in an irritated voice as cut the man off and rolled the batteries onto the counter just before turning sharply. The man was so stunned he failed to stop the batteries from rolling off the countertop and onto the floor. Chloe walked over to Max before bending down on her knees again and placing a hand on the top of Max's head.
"Come on Max."
Chloe's voice was calm and soothing, having totally transformed within the few seconds it took her to walk from the front desk to Max.
"Let's get you some sleep okay?"
Max just nodded, again she was unable to speak, unable to process the depth of everything that had happened. It was all stacking up and weighing her down. The horror of Jefferson, Nathan, Rachel, and the Dark Room. The lose of Joyce, Warren, and Kate! Chloe's countless deaths she had to witness!
Chloe softly held Max's Hands as she helped her out of the chair, supporting the smaller girl with her body. She walked with her out of the small check in office and out to the small complex outside where their room was located, It was still dark out as they made their way through the parking lot.
As they neared the exterior stairs to the small complex of tiny rooms the sky opened up with a torrential downpour of rain, seemingly in response, Max collapsed on the ground just feet away from the first step.
"Max!"
Chloe's voice was filled with panic.
"Come on Max! We are almost there we, Just some punk ass stairs left to go!"
"I can't! I just can't!"
Max yelled into the deafening rain, her tears now impossible to distinguish from the rain that now soaked her entire body.
"I don't want to sleep anymore Chloe! I don't want to see their faces staring back at me, begging me! I can't live with myself Chloe, I just can't move on after what I did."
Chloe got down on her knees, the rain soaking her pants and shoes, grabbing both of Max's hands, holding them together between hers like a prayer.
"Max! You're all I have now! All I care about, you have to stop blaming yourself! You never asked for this fucked up shit! You never asked for fucking rewind powers! You did everything you could Max, You tried to save everyone! But you were faced with an impossible decision! Fuck Arcadia Bay Max, I can't lose you!"
"Chloe!"
Max sobbed as she spoke.
"How?! How can you say that!? How can you even look at me, after all I've taken from you~"
"Damn it Max!"
Chloe interrupted Max, her voice filled with irritation. Chloe let go of Max's hands and grabbed Max's shoulders, pulling herself forward and kissing Max. In shock Max's eyes were locked wide open as she felt Chloe's lips against her own, they were, rough, and chapped. Exactly as Max remembered them from when Chloe dared her.
In that moment Max stopped shaking, her eyes now welling with tears, not of guilt but of overwhelming happiness. Max's body began to act on 'its own, wrapping her arms around Chloe's waist pulling her closer until they both lost their balance.
Max fell backwards into a puddle, Chloe fell ontop of her, letting go of Max's shoulders and bracing against the fall with both hands. The kiss was broken as they fell into the cold water, they stared into each other's eyes in silence for what seemed like forever.
To them it was utterly silent, not even the hammering rain could be heard. Their breathing, their heart beats, their entire bodies began to synchronize with each other. Chloe slowly lowered herself over Max, she brought their faces together until their lips were almost touching.
"Max"
Chloe began in a quiet and voice filled with love and pain twisted together by grief.
"I don't want you to ever doubt that I love you, that you are all and everything to me Max! That I can't live without you, and you couldn't live without me!"
Chloe paused for a moment, choking back her tears to no avail before continuing.
"Max! My mother would have wanted me to live, no matter what, she would have burned the town to the ground if she had to! She could never be angry with you for saving me! So don't you dare use her as an excuse to beat yourself up!"
The grief had finally caught up to Chloe. As the last words escaped her lips she lost all her strength and fell onto Max's chest and began to sob without control. All Max could do was wrap her arms around Chloe and cry with her.
Soon both girls had run out of tears, lying in there cold looked at each other, neither knowing what to say to the other, they helped each other to their feet and made their way quietly to their room on the second floor.
Entering the small motel room Chloe looked around, while Max sat on the floor at the foot of the bed taking of her shoes. The room looked like it had not been updated since the 70's. An old recliner in the corner near the window, a small tube TV sat atop an even older dresser on the opposite wall. But Chloe's eyes finally came to rest on the bed, it was a small twin mattress.
"Pfft!"
Chloe let out with annoyance.
"Cheap assholes can't even spring for two beds! This place is even worse than that dump in~ "
Chloe's mind trailed off as she thought of the motel in Arcadia bay, remembering now that it was nothing but a pile of soggy rubble.
"Shit… Sorry Max!"
Max looked up at Chloe questioningly.
"Sorry Chloe… I… I'm not sure I was listening."
Chloe looked at Max. Seeing her she realized they were both soaked to the bone.
"Dude, we gotta get out of these clothes and warm up and shit, before we, like catch a cold or some shit!"
Max looked at Chloe with an almost invisible smirk on her face.
"That's not how colds work Chloe. But ya, I'm super cold to. Besides we need to have dry clothes before my parents get here."
Chloe stared at Max for a moment watching her friend take off her socks, Then at the small single bed in the corner.
"Looks like we are spoonin' tonight Max!"
Chloe yelled in her usual joking manner.
"Chloe!"
Max exclaimed in embarrassment as her cheeks flushed a warm red, contrasting against her pale complexion.
"Come on Shaka Brah! We just totally made out in the parking lot! What's a little spoonin' between besties!"
Max's eyes were wide open as her entire face was taken over by the warmth of her intense blush that now dominated her face, as she remembered that moment not a few minutes earlier.
"I… ummm…"
Max attempted to speak but all the words in her mind fell away as she stared at Chloe who began to strip down to her underwear.
"Damn Max! One kiss and you're turning into such a pervert!"
Chloe giggled with a wide grin on her face. A sight that warmed Max's heart, which had felt frozen ever since they watched Arcadia Bay as it was ripped apart.
Without knowing it, Max smiled softly at Chloe who smiled back with her trademark grin, the same that Max had loved since as far back as she could remember.
"Come on! Hurry up I, I gotta get these hung on the shower curtain so they can dry."
Chloe said as she tugged lightly on Max's collar.
"Here? In front of you?"
Max Squeaked in embarrassment.
"Uh? Ya! It's just like the pool okay? Just... that I get to watch this time!"
Chloe said as a devilish grin spread across her face.
"No!"
Max yelped almost as soon as Chloe uttered the last words, Her cheeks still flush with a now deepening red.
"You have to turn around, no watching!"
Chloes grin drew out into a disappointed scowl.
"Come on! You got to watch me! No fair!"
Chloe whined as she pouted.
Without a word Max simply pointed her finger down and made a circling motion, telling Chloe to turn around. Chloe scowled once more and dramatically crossed her arms as she quickly turned on one heel.
Checking quickly over her shoulder to see if Chloe was peaking Max began to undress. As she started to lift her shirt up she heard Chloe's phone begin to play Hot In Here. Max quickly looked back, only to see Chloe dancing with her back still turned.
"Chloe!"
Max Squealed.
"What!? You said no watching, and it was getting awkward!"
Chloe chuckled, still dancing in the corner of the room.
"But why this song!?"
Max couldn't help but begin giggling at the irony of the song, knowing full well it was fully intentional on Chloe's part.
"Come on shake that thang!"
Chloe said playfully, still facing the wall. Max sighed in resignation, knowing there was no getting out of Chloe's dirty sense of humor.
As the song concluded Max had finished undressing. Walking over to Chloe she tapped her on the shoulder.
"Okay, are we done now?"
Chloe said in a mildly patronizing tone.
"Yes!"
Max said in a slightly raised and amused voice as she flopped her soaking wet shirt over Chloe's head.
"Ew! Gross! Geez Max!"
Chloe said in equal amusement as she turned back around taking the wet shit off her head.
"Damn girl! Your shirt reaks!"
Chloe said playfully as she picked up the rest of their clothes around the room.
"Let's get this shit drying before your mom walks in and has me arrested for stripping her baby girl down to her panties!"
Chloe said with a grin attempting to hide her nervousness as she walked into the bathroom and began hanging their clothes.
"Don't worry Chloe. My mom loves you, there is nothing to worry about."
Max said consolingly as she attempted to calm Chloe's nerves.
"Shit! Is it that obvious? I must look like a fuckin' wreck!"
Chloe's voice filled with nervous energy at the thought of meeting Vanessa and Ryan again.
"I mean fuck Max! Look at me, I'm totally different now, my hair, my tattoos. I'm not the happy girl I was back then, I'm a punk who smokes and bitches about life. Do you really think they are gonna want me around you anymore Max!?"
Chloe's voice was less nervous and more panicked by this point as she looked into the mirror in the bathroom.
"Chloe! They will love you, because I love you. You're like a daughter to them! No matter what you look like they will accept you just like I have! You're still Chloe! "
Max said comfortingly as she placed a hand on Chloe's shoulder. Chloe responded by placing her hand on Max's.
"I hopes so Max, Cause I really want them to like me, It's been so long."
Chloe calmed slightly as she squeezed Max's hand.
"We better get some rest, Your parents will be here in like, 6 hours. I'll take the recliner."
Chloe said with a distinct lack of emotion.
"No Chloe… I… Can you sleep with me tonight, I don't want to be alone."
Max's voice was filled with an almost dread like sound, it was obvious to Chloe that Max was scared to go to sleep.
"Max, that bed won't fit both of us"
Chloe said to Max with a soft huff of amusement in her voice.
"What's a little spooning between besties."
Max replied with a grin.
"Damn girl! That's a pretty aggressive move! What will your mother think?"
Chloe feigned a gasp of horror, placing her hand over mouth.
"Just get in the bed Chloe, this is awkward enough!"
Max said as she began to blush once more.
"Impossible!"
Chloe said loudly as she marched like a soldier to the bed.
"There is no such thing as too awkward Max!"
Chloe flopped on the bed and scooted to the far end, her back pressed against the wall to make room. Max sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor for a moment in silence before laying down.
"Max, Don't worry, I'm here, I won't let the anything happen to you. I'll be like her blue haired tattooed dreamcatcher and keep all the nightmares away."
Chloe said to Max in the softest tone she could muster before leaning across her friend and turning out the small lamp on the night stand causing the room to fall dark. Chloe could feel Max begin to shake, so she threw her arm around Max's waist and pulled her close.
"Looks like we are spoonin' tonight Caulfield."
Chloe whispered as she began to comfortingly run her fingers through Max's hair, causing Max's shaking to stop and the two of them to drift off into a sleep they both needed so very badly.