Max entered her room and promptly crawled onto her bed and collapsed. It was barely after one in the afternoon but Max was already exhausted from the day. She was still running on too little sleep mentally, but just as exhausting was Victoria.
Victoria. Wowsers, there was a girl who as Max got to know more she understood even less. She was with the tall blonde when the cops asked her some routine questions as they did their due diligence investigating Mark Jefferson.
They did indeed bring the red binder that Jefferson had written her name on. It was empty, but the cops wanted to know if Victoria and Jefferson ever talked outside of school. Victoria said she hadn't, but Max knew that if things had continued on the path that she used to know that it would have happened.
Questions abounded about whether Jefferson ever asked any students to model for him, or if they had heard of anyone doing so. Both girls had shaken their head at the question. Max knew exactly what the cops were trying to establish—they wanted to know if pictures like the ones of Kate could have been by choice before approaching her, and find out if Victoria was going to be doing something.
Victoria was shaking the entire time throughout the questioning process. Max knew that she was probably thinking about what Max had just told her about Jefferson's intentions and how close she probably came to finding herself drugged and photographed.
Afterward Victoria insisted that they go out for coffee and then lunch in that order. Good grief, Victoria can sure talk when she wants to. Max had a much clearer picture of her old enemy, one she never got when she still had her power to reverse time. Max had always thought that Victoria's bitchiness was mostly a product of her self-esteem. To a point it was, but in reality it was much more complicated.
Courtney and Taylor had basically been slave one and slave two to Victoria since Max had arrived. As much as Victoria did do the nice things like help Taylor through when her mom had surgery, Victoria never seemed to truly treat them as equals, as friends. Max remembered how much bitching there was when Victoria found herself covered in paint at Max's hand. Sure, Victoria was mad at the situation, but Max wondered if things would be all that different now.
Victoria was almost sickening with her sweetness towards Max. What just a few days before (both in reality and in Max's warped perspective) Victoria was always criticizing Max's twee hipster bullshit and her sad choice of clothing. Over lunch, which was Victoria's treat, Max's new friend gushed about how Max's look was just too adorable, but that before a future Vortex Club party that she needed to take Max to Portland to go shopping.
Max laughed as he remembered that part of the conversation. She of course asked about Powell's for books, and Victoria seemed to have to hold down the naturally practiced bitchiness, saying it was something to add to the list. Victoria had even gone so far as to suggest a future collaboration on a project—after all Victoria's pictures were amazing from a technical standpoint but lacked a soul, whereas Max's were messy and awkward but perfectly captured moments and seemed to transcend their polaroid medium into living, breathing art. Combined the two could be unstoppable in Victoria's mind.
She closed her eyes on the bed when her phone beeped at her. Oh shit, I forgot about that. Max had left her phone plugged in and charging in her room during her time out with Victoria and the new message had finally reminded her. She picked up her phone and boggled at the text message number reading 257.
About thirty of them were from her parents completely freaking out that she hadn't responded to them at all. She quickly texted back. Sorry, phone died while at police station yesterday. Exhausted. I'll call tonight. I'm okay, I promise.
She glanced through the rest of them. Almost two dozen from Kate—some freaking out after Max was taken away from the school with the police, some telling her about Victoria's sudden change of heart, and of course more checking that she was doing okay this morning. Doing great Kate, my mate. Tea later, I'll try not to be late.
Kate apparently was on her phone as less than a minute later the response was Really Max?
Max had only one thing she could text back with: Just wait, don't hate. :o)
Max scrolled through the names of the messages—lots of other people on the floor wondering if she was okay, trying to ask what happened, offering to be there. A few texts came from numbers she didn't know claiming to be reporters wanting to interview her. Oh great, it's just like in the alternate timeline when they just wanted the story about Kate's attempted suicide. Fucking vultures.
She kept scrolling up and finally saw the one that made her cringe—47 missed texts from Warren. A sigh escaped her lips. About ten of the messages she had seen already, a few requests for his flashdrive back, and then of course there were a shit ton of messages from him being concerned about her. Part of her wanted to block Warren—flashbacks to the nightmare and his locker played in her mind. She knew that wasn't real, but if Warren wasn't so obsessed with her.
Max took a deep breath and got up off her bed to head over to her computer. Oh wait, Dana has the flash drive.
She looked at Lisa who was starting to look a little ragged and poured her bottle of water on the plant. Just what I need, to kill my plant.
Putting the water back on the window sill she looked up and saw Warren peaking towards the dorms like he had in the alternate reality.
Oh fuck me. Warren, you're an idiot. She knew there was only one thing she could do and she whipped out her phone. I'll meet you in the parking lot to give you back your flash drive and you can show off your new ride.
She glanced up at the window after hitting send and saw Warren fist pump upon checking his phone. Another sigh escaped Max's lips. Warren, you're such a great friend but seriously, people are going to just assume you're totally creepy when you're actually a nice guy.
Putting her phone in her pocket she headed out of her room.
Getting the flash drive back from Dana was much less painful this time around as Juliet wasn't holding Dana hostage anymore. She grabbed it and promised to come back later to talk, but for now she had to return the movie stick and tell Warren off for freaking out on her so much. Dana offered to go along with Max but the brunette hipster declined. Max quickly made her way out of the dorm.
Brooke stood outside the dorms playing with her drone when her phone beeped that she had received a text message.
If you maneuver your drone to watch the parking lot you might get your chance with Warren. Max is totally pissed off at him and heading his way. –CC
She stared at the message, unsure of what to do with it but indeed almost as if on cue she saw Max exit the dorm heading towards the main grounds, and Max didn't look happy. A small smile crossed Brooke's face and she quickly started walking herself.
A few minutes later Max reached the parking lot and Warren was there standing by his new ride. Warren outstretched his arms calling out, "Hey Maximus Prime, the Super Max with the pulse of the school."
Just like before Max was having none of the hug as she held out the flash drive. Both of them seemed oblivious to the drone hovering near them.
"Warren, we need to talk."
"Uh oh, I don't like the sound of that. How about we do it on the way to a drive in? Planet of the Apes is playing."
Max sighed and shook her head. "Warren, did you know that when I finally checked my phone half an hour ago that I had forty-seven missed text messages?"
"Haha, I was right about Maximus Prime being popular around here."
A major shake of her head, "No Warren, I don't mean total. I mean from you."
Warren looked like a deer in headlights—it was a rather new experience for Max to see this and she slightly enjoyed it. Shit, is Victoria rubbing off on me already?
"I um, I can explain that. You see Max…"
Max held up her left hand to cut him off. When he stopped Max nearly freaked out for a second but then realized that it was purely her own control over Warren, not her time travel powers that drove his reaction.
"Look Warren, you're not going to want to hear this, but I think you should."
Warren was already looking a bit hurt, he knew what was coming it seemed.
"Warren, you are absolutely the nicest, funniest, and sweetest guy I have ever known." Warren expectedly perked up at this. "But I'm sorry to say that I see you more as the brother I never had. I don't have the feelings for you that I know you have for me."
He shook his head, "What are you talking about Super Max? I don't have any…"
She held her hand up again. As she started to speak again she smiled. "We both know you do Warren. And seriously, you are a great guy, but you deserve someone who would return your affections. I don't know if I could make it through this school year if we weren't friends, especially with what my life has been for the past week."
Warren was breathing deeply, she knew how hard it was for him to hear this, but she also knew how important it would be for the future that he did.
"I know you already asked Brooke to go to the drive in with you, and that if I said yes you were going to cancel on her."
He coughed. "Max, how did you know?"
"Does it really matter Warren? Don't be that guy, seriously. How do you feel about Brooke?"
"I, uh, well…"
"Come on Warren, out with it."
Warren sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Brooke's amazing, by far the only person at this school who can keep up with me in the science department. I mean she's wicked smart, cute, and fun to be around."
Max quirked her eyebrows at this. "Um Warren, it sounds like you already kind of like Brooke. What's the big deal?"
"I, um. I think Brooke is out of my league."
Max STARED at Warren.
He looked around. "Do I have something in my hair?"
"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WARREN?"
He stepped backward into his car in response to Max yelling at him.
"Brooke is absolutely crazy about you. She's always talking about how she wants to do science projects with you and how you two would be perfect together. How could she be out of your league when the girl is probably ready to eliminate me to get you to focus on her."
Warren laughed. "You can't be serious Max. She doesn't see me like that. I don't know that I could keep her happy, she's just on another level."
Max smacked her forehead with her palm. "Warren, I'm going to prove you wrong, and ignore the fact that you just made it sound like you're only crushing on me because I'd be easier to be with."
Warren's face reddened once he realized that's the implication he had been making.
Max pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker, placing a finger to her lips—the universal signal for silence.
Brooke wasn't sure how to feel about what she had been witnessing through the drone. She expected Max to rip into Warren but Max was actually pretty sweet in her letting him down. Her curiosity got the better of her as Max promised to prove that Warren was being dumb. Suddenly her phone rang—Max Caulfield on the Caller ID.
"Uh, hi Max."
Max's voice came through on the phone a little different than normal. "Hey Brooke. I was wondering if you have a moment to talk." Brooke looked at the drone footage and saw that Max's body language wasn't that of her normal self. Is Max putting on a show for Warren?
"Uh, sure."
"So I like totally know that you're into Warren, but with him crushing on me it's kind of fun having him chase after me like a lost puppy. I don't suppose you have any tips for helping to string him along."
Brooke remained quiet staring at her drone footage. What are you playing at Max? I'll try to follow your lead.
"Bitch! Why would you do that to Warren, he's so much better than you and deserves a girl like me who is really into him, not someone who intends to just play him."
"Oh-em-gee, you totally do like him don't you?"
"Max, if you just called to taunt me because Warren is content with dumpster diving when he could be eating with kings then you can just fuck off."
"What if I could get you a real date with Warren?"
Brooke paused at that. She wasn't sure if she was still following Max's plan, but she had to give it a shot.
"I'm listening."
Seriously Max? Warren found himself dumbfounded at the phone call with Brooke. Those two do not get along, but wow, Brooke really does like me?
Max muted the phone. "Two Whales alright, tonight for dinner?"
He stared at Max. "Hell yeah. If you can make this happen you'll be my own personal super hero Max."
Max smiled sweetly at him and unmuted the call.
Brooke continued to watch and hear the entire conversation from the other side even as the phone was muted thanks to the power of the drone.
"Alright Brooke, this is how it's going to work. I'm going to tell Warren I'm going to meet him for dinner at seven at Two Whales. I'm not going. At 7:30 you're going to come in, find him distraught that I stood him up and you're going to have dinner with him instead. You two will talk science, photography, drones, whatever it is that you two would talk about until it's closing time, or at least until Warren has forgotten why he was there in the first place. Am I clear?"
A few deep breaths from Brooke as she thought it over. Max, this is dumb, I don't want to see Warren hurt. Wait a second, he knows of the plan, you're standing there telling him of the plan. You clever bitch, I think Victoria needs to watch out, there's a dark horse candidate for manipulator of the year here.
"Yeah Max, I got it. But you do realize that in response I'm going to have to be a bitch to you for a while."
"Well yeah Brooke, gotta protect your man. Go get yourself ready and have fun tonight."
This would have made me feel like shit if Warren was there under false pretenses, but he knows. Fuck it, let's do this.
"I will. Bye Max."
Brooke hung up the call and focused on the drone once more.
"Go get yourself ready, you're going on a date with the real girl of your dreams, not the one that just is in front of you."
Warren remained stunned at the turn of events. "I don't even know what to say Max."
Max stepped close and actually gave Warren the hug he was trying to get earlier. "Be yourself. Brooke likes you, she really does. And yes I did re-watch Spider-Man on your thumb drive, so go get 'em tiger."
Warren groans a little bit and Max takes that as her cue to leave.
Hey Max, that's really cool of you. Why would you do that?
Max immediately knew it was Brooke.
Because he's a great guy who deserves what he really wants, and you're a great girl who shouldn't have to watch the guy she likes chase after someone else when he truly wants you.
I don't know what to say Max.
You don't have to. Tell me about the date tomorrow.
Will do.
Once her text conversation with Brooke was over Max was back at her dorms when she received another text message, this time from Joyce.
Hey darlin', we didn't get to really talk yesterday. You should come by the Two Whales, I have something for you.
Max took a deep breath and waited until she got back to her room to respond. She knew this would have to happen sooner or later. She wasn't ready to face Joyce yet—not today at least.
I can probably come by tomorrow.
Her breathing slowed as she waited for a response from Chloe's mom.
Great! See you tomorrow!
And with the confrontation averted, Max decided it was time for a shower—she had a tea date later after all.
Hope you enjoyed this incredibly long chapter. I think Warren did like Brooke too but maybe thought Max was more obtainable.
Stay tuned for Chapter 8: No Peace in a Dark Room