Max entered her room, nearly slipping on all of the notes and papers that people in the dorm slipped under her door in the last day, leaving the door open for Victoria to follow. Max expected this and knew that it was coming, she just didn't expect that it would happen so fast.

She heard the door behind her shut and hesitantly said, "What is it Victoria?" She braced herself for the verbal assault that was about to come from her most prolific hater.

It was quite a shock when Victoria came right behind her, turned her around and gave Max a hug. What the actual fuck Victoria. She didn't pull back, mostly because she didn't know how to respond to Victoria's sudden turn of affection.

When Victoria did finally pull back Max just stood there in shock.

"Well, you can say something Caulfield."

"I, um… what was that about Victoria?"

Victoria rolled her eyes in response to Max's question—despite having called Max hipster trash all this time, she knew Max wasn't dumb.

"That was for being so determined that I needed to help Kate. I was already starting to feel like shit when I heard Nathan say he drugged her." Victoria sighed as she moved to sit on Max's unmade bed. "I talked to her, I stopped her like you said. You were right Max, she was going to do something horrible."

Max nodded slowly to that. "Yeah, she was going to jump from the roof."

Victoria's eyes widened in response to Max's statement. "How did you know?" She shook her head in disbelief that Max would know that detail.

Looking around awkwardly, Max didn't know how to respond. "Well, um…" She took a deep breath. There's no way I can tell Victoria that I've already lived this day before, that I had seen Kate on that roof about to jump. She'd think I'm nuts. "She's my best friend here…" Max cringed at the thought.

"What's wrong Max?" Victoria stood up, showing concern that Max had never seen before.

Max sighed and sat on her couch next to her guitar. "You don't want to hear it Victoria."

The look that crossed Victoria's face was one that Max had known all too well, she finally had brought out Victoria's bitch face.

"You know what, fuck you Max Caulfield. I come talk to you trying to extend an olive branch after what I imagine must have been a nightmare of a day for you, and to thank you for actually making me do the right thing, and you tell me that I don't want to hear it? Ugh, this was a mistake, you don't know anything about me. Go fuck your selfie Max."

And with that Victoria stormed out of Max's room.

Max stood there stunned. "Wowsers," she said aloud.

Dammit Max, you deserved that. What the hell were you thinking? I mean even at the party she admitted that she thought you were the coolest person at Blackwell. She sighed and sat back on her couch, the tears welling up in her eyes. She hadn't let herself cry since she left Blackwell and the thoughts of her best friend twice in just a few minutes pushed her over the edge.

The door swung back open suddenly. "And another thing Max, you…" Victoria started to lay into Max to find the shorter brunette crying. "Ah fuck me." She sighed and tentatively approached Max. "I know you've had a rough day, I shouldn't have reamed you like that."

Max looked up at Victoria as large tears fell down her face. "It's not you Victoria, I deserved that." She looked back down, burying her head in her hands.

"Can we start over Max?"

"You mean this conversation?"

Victoria shook her head. "No Max. Let's rewind this whole thing back to when we first met." Max shivered as Victoria suggested they rewind, though if Victoria noticed it she didn't react.

It didn't stop Max's tears, but she slowly nodded her head. "Okay," she said quietly.

She didn't see Victoria's smile. "Alright Maxine, why are you crying?"

A sniffle. "Max, never Maxine."

Victoria took a deep breath, her natural instinct to be bitchy threatening to overwhelm her. "Alright Max, what's wrong?" she asked as she moved to sit on the couch next to Max.

"The girl who died was named Chloe."

"Chloe Price?" Victoria asked.

"That's right."

"That's who it was! She used to always hang around here with Rachel Amber."

Max nodded, this was something she knew already. "Five years ago I used to live in Arcadia Bay. Chloe was my best friend. I left after her dad died and didn't keep in touch."

Victoria remained really quiet. "I didn't know that Max. Do you know what happened yesterday?"

Another nod from the Brunette. "Nathan shot her. But in a way it wasn't really his fault."

Another deep breath combined with a sigh. "I was hoping that you wouldn't say that. You know that Nathan and I are tight right?"

"I know Victoria. I know Nathan also had some stuff going on. He was also being manipulated."

Victoria's curiosity got piqued now. "Was it Mark? I mean Mr. Jefferson."

"It was Victoria. Mark Jefferson is a really bad man."

Victoria shook her head, it was something hard to believe. "What do you mean? How could he be a bad person, he's a photography teacher at a tiny private academy."

Max didn't answer right away, she took several deep breaths and tried to wipe away tears before looking over at Victoria. "I can't explain how I know, but I can tell you what I do know okay?"

"Alright Max, lay it on me."

"Well," Max started with a deep breath. "He drugs girls and takes pictures of them in their vulnerable state."

Victoria laughed at that. She smiled and shook her head. "You're funny Max. This was a great prank, you really had me believing."

Max's eyes bulged. "No Victoria, I'm serious. He has pictures of Rachel Amber tied up. Kate too. You were next."

Victoria continued to laugh, but it died out quickly as she saw the same look of seriousness in Max's eyes that had led her to her talk with Kate. "Holy shit, you're serious aren't you?"

"Yes Victoria. All the flirting with Jefferson, he had designs on getting you in his darkroom. I wouldn't be shocked if the police eventually want to ask you if you knew anything."

A look of fear was on Victoria's face now. "I can't believe, that's, that's…" Victoria fell silent—how does one respond to that.

"He kept the photos in red binders, yours was empty but I think he wanted you next."

"How was Nathan involved?"

Max's eyes darted around her bedroom. She remembered she still hadn't plugged in her phone yet.

"Well, Nathan's family got Mister Jefferson here, and I think that Jefferson manipulated Nathan into helping him, convincing him that he would bring him to glory. I don't know."

Another deep breath from Victoria. "Max, I don't know how I feel about this. This whole thing feels so fantastical, like something like that could ever happen in Arcadia Bay. I kind of feel like I'm being played, which I probably deserve for being such a bitch to you all this time."

"I swear Victoria, I'm not playing you."

"You know Max, despite the fact that I come off so cold to you, I do actually care. Believe it or not…"

Max interrupted her, "you actually think that I'm the coolest person at Blackwell because I don't care what people think about me when you're so insecure about how people view you."

Victoria's jaw dropped. She closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes. "How did you know that?" Victoria looked panicked, "I mean, that's not what I was going to say."

Max finally laughed a little bit. "Victoria, I know you feel the need to play the cold, controlling bitch, but I know that you're way more talented than you give yourself credit for. I think you'll be the next Richard Avedon."

She was stunned. "Thank you Max." She took a deep breath. "Yes, you're right, I do think you're much cooler than I let on. I wonder if we're too…"

Victoria's declaration was cut off as they heard a loud knocking outside. It wasn't on Max's door, but it was very close and loud. The two girls stood and went to the door and opened it. Standing outside Victoria's door were two Arcadia Bay police officers. They looked at the two and one of them spoke. "Could you tell us where Victoria Chase might be?"

Victoria stepped forward, "I'm Victoria Chase."

The officer nodded to her. "We would like to ask you a few questions Miss Chase."

As the second officer turned to look at Victoria, both girls could see that in his hand he held a red binder with the name "Victoria" in an evidence bag. They both saw it and Victoria started shaking. Max put her hand on Victoria's back. "If you need help Victoria…"

"Thanks Max," Victoria said, her voice wavering now that Max's talk of a red binder seemed prescient. "Is it okay?"

The officer nodded, "Yes, if you need support from Max that's alright."

Victoria looked confused that the officer knew who Max was.

"Yesterday was a long day Victoria, I met a lot of people."

Victoria nodded and stepped out of Max's room, reaching back and grabbing Max's hand for support.

I appreciate the jump in support this story is getting. This chapter was definitely a roller coaster to write. I hope you appreciated the character development.