Hey guys, sorry this is a day late. My internet seriously kicked my butt yesterday.
Chapter Twenty: Beg, Borrow or Steal
Rachel's POV
Having thoroughly snooped around the most important places, Max decided to call it for the night. I would've loved to continue but without her power, I would definitely get caught. While I did love risks, that one was too big to take with very little in the way of reward. If I had my way, there would be plenty of time to use her rewind and fast forward abilities to good use later. Especially once she'd gotten over herself and fully embraced the possibilities.
We returned to my room for the night, Max sitting down and immediately scrolling through all the pictures she'd taken from our time investigating. After getting shut down in Victoria's room, I had other plans for the night. Hopefully, I could get her on board without too much persuading. From what I'd seen so far, I was confident.
Waiting a moment, I sat down beside her and put a hand on her thigh. "You know, we can look at all that tomorrow. Not like it's going to disappear."
"Just gimme a sec," she muttered, not taking her eyes from the screen.
A little annoyed at being ignored, I snatched the phone away from her and hid it behind my back. "Guess you'll have to come get it if you want it so badly."
"Rach, this isn't a game, okay. My best friend is missing and I need to find her," she snapped, the first time I'd really ever seen her even remotely angry aside from her brief spat with Victoria.
Surprised by the harshness, I hesitated for just a second before returning to my point. "Yes, I already know that, Max. But you can't run yourself into the ground. You practically passed out earlier, need I remind you. I'm sure Chloe wouldn't be happy if you seriously hurt yourself."
"Every day that goes by there is less chance I'm going to figure out where she is. I can worry about resting after I've found her," Max mentioned firmly, not willing to back down.
"If you make it that far, which you won't if you keep pushing yourself too hard. You've hardly been getting much sleep recently," I insisted, trying to keep my cool.
"Sleep's not gonna help Chloe," she replied, sounding just a little bitter. "You might be fine forgetting she ever existed, but I can't… not anymore."
Honestly, I hadn't been expecting this kind of response from her. And it did hurt just a little. I wasn't used to people challenging me, aside from Chloe sometimes. Victoria too, but I just ignored her. "Is that what you think?"
A flicker of regret crossed her blue eyes as she shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know with you. Sometimes, it seems like you care and others…"
"Are we still talking about Chloe? Or you now?" I asked, suspecting perhaps a little of both.
That made Max scoff, annoyed at my attempt to supposedly deflect the issue. "And there you go again. You somehow always bring it back around to that."
Actually feeling pretty pissed off now, I dropped any illusion of calmness. "Someone had to, since you keep trying to avoid it. And yeah, Chloe's missing and I feel fucking sad about it, but I'm still here living my life. Before you start pulling me up for 'ignoring she ever existed', just think about it first. Just a little hypocritical. A few months hardly measures up to five years, does it?"
"Oh, now I'm being hypocritical? Sure, I fucked up majorly and nothing I ever do or say is gonna make it right, but at least I'm trying now. So, why don't you ju-?" Before she could continue, I grabbed hold of her face and pulled her into a rough, almost angry kiss.
She faltered, uncertain how to react at first. Then, I felt her kissing me back just as frustrated, no longer the tentative contact I was used to. Her hands dug into my back, the pressure hurting just a little. I pushed back with my tongue, her mouth readily accepting. Our kiss was hungry, fueled mostly by irritation. This was often how mine and Chloe's make out sessions had gone, in all honesty. She was very quick to anger and there was no need for me to pretend everything was okay around her, not like with other people.
My fingers tangled in her hair, lightly pulling to test the waters. When she reacted positively, I made a mental note for later. While I really wanted to push, and I might even manage to make some progress, I didn't want a repeat of what happened at Chloe's house.
Reluctantly, I broke the kiss and allowed my lips to quirk into a smirk, watching her avert her eyes. "Well, well… I didn't know you had that in you, Caulfield. Feeling better?"
"I… maybe just a little…" she admitted shyly, most of the anger having faded away and replaced with mild embarrassment… perhaps slight disappointment, too.
"Maybe I should get you angry more often," I playfully teased, running my fingers through her hair, nails scratching softly at her scalp as I did. "It's better and more fun to let it out somehow."
The lingering rage almost completely disappeared, her eyes closing as I gently guided her head into my lap and continued to mess around with her hair. It seemed to work wonders on Max, getting her relaxed. A useful method for the future.
After some time, her eyes flickered open, suddenly looking hesitant. "Rach, I'm… sorry about earlier. I don't know what came over me. Normally, I don't get like that."
Smiling, I moved my hand from her hair to her cheek, rubbing soft circles. "Don't sweat it, Max. We all say things we later regret in anger. The important thing is to not dwell. I'm sorry, too. I know you're stressed out about your powers, Chloe and everything else. Just know you don't have to deal with it alone. And if you need to let out all that anger, I'm more than willing to help."
My suggestive tone made her blush slightly, but I could just about make out the ghost of a smile at the corner of her lips. "I'll be sure to remember that."
Now she was chilled out again, I wanted to go back to what I'd originally been after. My hand glided down from her cheek to her neck, finger tracing her left-side collarbone. "Doesn't just have to be when you're angry, though. As I'm sure you've already figured out."
Before she could reply, I let my hand cup her left breast and gently squeezed, getting a soft hum in response. I continued down her side until I hit the hem of her shirt. My fingers dipped under the waistband of her jeans - just to see how she would react, tensing up slightly being the answer - before moving up again, brushing against her stomach.
"So, looking forward to the Vortex Club party?" I asked, voice husky and low as I slowly moved my hand up under her top. "I suspect we might have to sort out something for you to wear, hmm? Maybe get you looking fashionable for a change."
"Ouch, harsh," she muttered, more focused on my wandering hand than getting mad.
"With my help, you'll catch everyone's attention. Not like I'll have to do all that much, anyway," I added, idly fiddling with her bra, lightly pinging the straps and running my finger just under the edge. "Although, I don't want anyone trying to steal you away…"
Letting out a sigh, she gently shook her head. "Don't think that will be a problem."
Wanting to stop all this self-depreciative behavior, I gave her a reprimanding pinch. "Oh, it might be. You underestimate both yourself and me. And in a couple days, I'll be able to show you."
"Won't everywhere practically be shut after class?" Max asked, a little confused by my proposition.
"Oh, that's not an issue. Not if we skip," I added with a mischievous smile.
"Wait… skip class?" she repeated tentatively. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, it's not that big a deal. Missing one class won't hurt," I reassured, seeing this as a good chance to continue pulling out her daredevil side. "Besides, I'm sure Kate would be willing to help you catch up. C'mon, it'll be fun. Don't you want to spend time with me?"
"That's not what I meant…" she began, not getting the chance to properly explain herself before I cut back in.
"Great, so that's settled then," I confirmed, retracting my hand and with a little re-adjusting settling down beside her. I had great expectations for then.
…
Three Days Later - Late Morning
After managing to ensure Max didn't sneak off away to class while I wasn't looking, I dragged her over to the bus stop. She was pretty tense all the way from the dorm to the bus, clearly worried about getting caught. Of course, I reminded her about the rewind and she seemed to relax a little. Once on the bus to town, she was less paranoid about it.
On the way, she instinctively put her music in. To make sure she wasn't shutting herself off completely, I borrowed one of her earbuds. It wasn't the kind of music I usually listened to, mostly indie, but a change was always welcomed. A few I vaguely recognized, probably thanks to Chloe. She went through her depressive indie phases, mostly while smoking.
When we got to town, Max eyed up the Two Whales, like she was expecting Joyce to come out and start scolding her for missing class. It was kinda cute, actually. Chuckling, I wrapped my hand around hers and lead her to the nearest clothes store that wasn't super expensive.
"Right, let's find you something to wear." I gave her a once over, contemplating. "Hmm… maybe we should get you in a dress."
"I don't know… I'd probably look stupid," she mumbled, self-conscious.
"Well, we'll find out soon, won't we?" I replied, doing a round of the small store and keeping an eye out for promising possibilities.
After much deliberation, I picked out two dresses, one for me - a one shoulder, dark red short bandage dress - and one for Max, knee-length, pleated and emerald green with lace covering the shoulders down to collarbone level. I dragged her into the changing room, guiding her into one of the curtained stalls.
"Uh, there are other stalls. We… don't have to be in the same one…" she pointed out, shuffling uncomfortably as I closed us in.
"Why not? There's nothing to be shy about, Max. I've already seen you in your underwear at the pool, so nothing new there. Honestly, you worry about the silliest of things." Not even waiting, I started to get changed.
Every so often, I could feel her eyes on me, smiling to myself as I finished up putting the dress on. Standing in front of the mirror, I checked myself out, while keeping an eye on Max in the reflection. She was trying to change quickly, ending up taking way longer for all her fumbling. I noticed the zipper on the back, turning around and helping her do it up without prompting. Then, I moved out of the way so she could get a better look at herself.
Putting my hands on her shoulders, I stood behind and poked my head past her shoulder. "See, you look gorgeous."
"Pfft, if you say so…" she scoffed, giving herself a slight side to side twirl, "...but I guess it looks better than expected."
I wrapped my hands around her waist, mouth close to her ear. "I do say so. The jocks won't be able to keep their hands off you, not that I'd let them get that close… and neither will I."
No warning, I pushed her firmly against the mirror, one arm wedged between her body and the wall and the other pinned by the wrist with my hand. She let out a gasp of surprise, trying to turn her head to get a better look at what I was doing but she could only twist her neck so far.
A soft chuckle left my throat, breathing on her neck. "See what I mean. Practically impossible not to touch."
"Is this really the right place or time for this?" she began to ask, sounding hesitant but also giving me signs that she wasn't totally against it, mostly her body language. "And, we don't want to ruin the dress…"
"Shh, Max. Don't worry about it. We'll be totally fine… well, so long as you're quiet enough." I pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck, feeling her practically melt against me. "And I can do something about the dress, if it bothers you."
Without any sign of serious rejection, I took the zipper of her dress between my teeth, pulling it down enough to expose the top part of her back. Then, I peppered the area with kisses, licks, and soft nips, turning to harder bites and firm sucks on pale freckled skin. I could tell she was trying hard not to make any noise and when I looked up, the mirror had a thin layer of condensation from where she had been breathing out. Pressing my body into her, I bit down on her shoulder hard making her let out a stifled breathy moan, fogging up the mirror even more.
"Enjoying yourself?" I asked, letting my free hand come to rest on the inside of her right thigh, tracing patterns on her leg, my grip tightening on her wrist.
She tensed significantly at that, in the reflection I could see her biting her lip hard, a light flush on her cheeks. Wanting verbal confirmation, I teased one of the love bites on her shoulder with my teeth. Max was unable to stifle her next moan, leaning back into me.
"I'll take that as a yes," I whispered, not wanting to push things too far now but also wanting to get a sense of how the more physical side of this relationship would work between us.
For the most part, Max was pretty submissive. Very rarely instigating, which worked for me. It had been the same with Chloe, although she liked to at least pretend she was putting up a fight. Fiddling with the bottom of the dress a little, my hand moved to her back, teasing my fingers under the back strap of her bra.
"Don't move your hand," I demanded, slowly letting her wrist go.
"What, can't do it one handed?" she replied, voice carrying a flicker of teasing.
"Oh, is that a challenge?" I asked, grip tightening around her wrist again. "I'll have you know, I'm quite skilled at this."
I heard her let out a soft half laugh, half exhalation, like she was doubting me. "I'll believe it when I see it."
My competitive streak evoked, I got to work proving her wrong. "Well, technically you won't be seeing it from this position. Or much, for that matter. Not unless your powers include some weird vision I don't know about."
"Guess I'm the only one who'll ever know that."
"I'll get you spilling all those secrets yet," I promised, getting the first small hook unclasped. Another two to go.
"Hmm… not bad. Not as quick as I was expecting. Maybe the second will be easier for you," she playfully mocked, unexpected. I wouldn't be surprised if she was rewinding again, like at the pool.
"Oh, next time I am so making you do this. Although, you'll probably just cheat until you get it right," I theorized, feeling the second hook just about to give. "Wouldn't mind finding out either way."
"Maybe you don't have to wait. I can do one better. No hands," she said smugly, something familiar clasped in her hand pressed against the wall - my bra. My dress was still on, nothing looking disheveled or out of place.
"Oh, well aren't you magic? Wish I'd seen how you did that," I chuckled, getting the last clasp undone and throwing it to the floor.
Before she could respond with another ego busting comment, I slid my free hand into the dress where her bra had once been, beginning to massage. While I did that, I went back to kissing her neck and shoulders, nibbling every now and then.
"Not so many smart words now," I mumbled into her shoulder, fingers digging into skin making her sigh.
Once or twice, I felt her try to break my hold, and each time I pressed into her until I was satisfied. A kind of timeout, so to speak. After a few moments, I removed my hand and let her off the wall, casually taking my bra back and stepping out of the dress. Now out of the moment, Max seemed a little more self-conscious, hurriedly getting back into her bra and passing a few hesitant glances my way.
I couldn't help but chuckle at her not-so-subtle looking. "Max, you don't have to be so sly about it. If you want to look, go for it."
Biting her lip, she watched me get changed again. At least now I knew I could coax this side out of her. Once dressed again, I had a quick look at the price tag on the dress, wondering if it was worth spending out for one night. Then, I had an idea. One that might take some persuading.
"Say, Max. I have an idea. How often do you think you'll wear that?" I questioned, already certain I knew the answer.
"Uh, honestly probably only once," she admitted.
"Just as I thought," I muttered, more to myself than her. "How would you feel if I said there was a way we didn't have to pay for these?"
Her eyes narrowed skeptically. "I would be suspicious of how you suggest doing that…"
This one could be a struggle to convince her. "We do a little time stuff, get these dresses out of here for the party."
"You want to steal them?" she concluded incredulously. "Rach, come on..."
"It's not stealing, it's borrowing," I corrected swiftly. "I wasn't going to suggest keeping them. We take them now and return them after the party. No harm, no foul."
"I don't know, Rachel. That's definitely a crime," she replied, rubbing the back of her neck.
Shaking my head, I got to work persuading. "Max, it's only a crime if we get caught. And we won't. Besides, they'll get it back after we're done. We have better uses for our money than wasting it on a dress you might never wear again. Like, photo stuff. Or new strings for your guitar. Books, DVDs, music, whatever you want."
Max was quiet for a long time, looking between the dress now hanging up on the hanger and me. Her shifting expressions seemed to suggest she was flitting between her two options.
To help her along, I took a step forward and planted a firm kiss on her lips. Working on her sweet spot, I let my fingers glide through her hair. "Please, Max. Just this once."
Eventually, her shoulders slumped in resignation. "Fine, only this once."
Ecstatic, I pulled her into a hug. "I seriously owe you one, Max. Thank you." I handed my dress to her, grabbing hold of her wrist. "Let's go."
When we stepped out of the changing rooms, she seemed to disappear. Biting back my shock, I smiled at the girl behind the counter before slipping outside. As expected, Max was there, looking very nervous.
"So, got them?" I inquired, getting an uncertain nod in response. "You are seriously the best. C'mon, back to Blackwell so we can get ready."
I almost couldn't believe Max had agreed to this. Who knew what I could encourage her to do next.