AN: I apologize tremendously for not uploading this sooner. I am just an iincredibly lazy person. And school has taken a bit of my time as well. But I digress. Here it is, chapter 3! Just as short as the last two! Huzzah! Now, this chapter was mostly used to sorta kinda explain what Max and Chloe have been up to. Not it great detail, but just enough to give you an idea of where they're headed. Also, I have some things I would like to say, but I'll save that for the note at the bottom of the story. As always, I hope you enjoy.
Max stared blankly at her homework, growing more and more frustrated by the second. She had saved all of Arcadia Bay from certain and total destruction, but couldn't decipher the most basic of equations. She let out a groan, her head falling onto her desk in defeat. A sudden knock at her door made Max jump, causing her to slam her knee into the underside of her desk. "Agh, son of a bitch!" She bit her lip hard and rubbed at her bruised knee before limping a bit unsteadly towards the door and opening it. "Oh, hi Kate," Max said, opening the door wider to allow the blonde girl in.
"Are you okay? I heard you shout," Kate asked, seating herself on Max's couch.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just hit my knee," Max replied, taking a seat on her bed opposite Kate. "So what's up?"
"I was just wondering if we were still on for tea today. But I guess you're kinda busy." Kate looked towards the mountain of homework stacked carelessly on the brunette's desk.
"Yeah, I probably should get all that done," Max said. "But it will have to wait until after our tea date." A smile broke across Kate's face as Max grabbed her hoodie and opened the door, gesturing for Kate to leave first.
"I almost thought you'd cancel on me," Kate commented as the pair made their way through the dorm hallway. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you did, though. You look like you've got a lot on your plate."
"It's not as bad as it looks. Don't feel guilty about dragging me away from it. I needed a break," Max said with an overly-exaggerated sigh of exhaustion. Kate laughed softly as the two girls exited the dormitories and began walking towards the front of the school. They boarded the bus heading into town, getting off on the first stop. Kate had found a small but popular little tea shop not too far from the school. Seeing this as it was, Max had decided to schedule tea outings as a regular thing now that they had one within reasonable distance.
The bell on the door chirpped loudly as the girls entered the shop. Max had only been here with Kate twice but yet she already counted it among her favorite places in Arcadia Bay. Number one of course being the light house where she and Chloe had shared their first real kiss. They each picked their favorite tea and settled themselves in a pair of lounge chairs that only made the place feel more relaxing. "So Kate, how are things? I hear Victoria's practically your personal bodyguard now." Max recalled how Victoria beat the living daylights out of Logan for making a rather obscene remark about Kate the day she got out of the hospital.
"She's so sweet. You know, if you forget about everything she did not too long ago," Kate added, her expression somewhat downcast before brightening again. "But it has been nice, I suppose. The way she always asks me if I need anything or if I'm okay." Max swore she heard Kate add something about it being cute before she took a sip of her tea. "How are you, Max? How's Chloe?" Max was surprised to hear Kate of all people ask her about her relationship with the punk. Not that Kate had shown any objection, but still Max didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
"We're both doing fine. I managed to talk Chloe into taking online classes and somehow she managed to talk me into getting a tattoo." Kate's eyes widened at this last bit.
"You got a tattoo? Where?" Max pushed up the left sleeve of her hoodie and revealed the two bright-blue butterflies on her underarm. "Wow, Max. You two must really love each other." As it so often did these days, a small blush coated Max's cheeks and she took a long sip of her tea, attempting to hide the lower half of her face.
"We do. We just haven't said it yet."
"Why not tell her tonight? You said you two have been best friends since you were little." Max gave a small nod. She did love Chloe. She loved her more than anything. Without her, Max felt she would be lost. That she would be drifting out at sea with no hope of finding land. And she was more than confident that Chloe felt the same.
"You know what? I think I will. I think she knows already, though. But I feel like I should say it. Thanks, Kate. What would I do without you?"
"In case you forgot, it's me who wouldn't even be here without you. I literally owe you my life, Max." Kate gave her a smile that conveyed a thousand thanks in one gesture. Max placed her hand on Kate's, giving her a modest smile in return.
"So," Max began, her thoughts drifting back to something Kate had said earlier, "you think Victoria's cute?" A deep blush exploded across Kate's face. Her eyes darted all around the shop, never connecting with Max's. She fiddled with the small cross hung around her neck, turning it between her to fingers.
"That..." Kate paused to clear her throat, her voice having come out as a small squeak. "Is none of your business."
AN: Recently, I hit a THOUSAND VIEWS on this story. I really just want to say thank you SO MUCH. Especially to the people who favorite and drop a review. But really anybody who has taken time out of their day to so much as skim through my story deserves my thanks. You guys are all awesome! You guys are seriously what keeps me writing knowing there are people who actually like my mediocre writing. I hella love all of you! Fist bumps all around!