Teenage Dirtbag

Part Two – All I Wanted

Song by Paramore

She's running in a clearing surrounded by woods. Breathless as a light drizzle begins to come down, Chloe looks up and sees clear skies. The world is crying, the bluenette thinks to herself as she heads toward the tree line only to see two small figures come out of the woods. Frozen in place, Chloe watches as her younger self and 13 year-old Max Caulfield come out and begin to play. Not knowing what is going on, Chloe watches them as they run past her in a two-person game of tag.

"It!" Young Chloe cries out as she slaps Young Max's shoulder.

"Butt!" Young Max shouts as she turns to dash after the taller blonde girl.

"Nuh-uh!" Young Chloe turns around and gets a snicker from Older Chloe as the young blonde kid gets tackled by a diminutive Max. Both girls begin to giggle before Young Chloe looks up at her older counterpart from across the clearing. "Why don't you play?"

"I…I don't know," Chloe admits, scratching at her beanie as Young Max whispers into the blonde girl's ear.

"Max says you need a partner. So we can play with four people. You're too tall so it wouldn't be fair. To Max, I mean. I don't give a crap, really," Young Chloe says with a shrug as she and her Max get up and brush grass off their jeans.

"Where's my partner?" Chloe asks, seeing Young Max look at her curiously.

"She's there," Young Max says, pointing behind Chloe. Chloe turns her head and sees someone in a red flannel shirt and jeans approach from the trees behind her. Her feet coming back under her control, Chloe turns and sees a smiling 16 year-old Max walking toward her.

"Play?" Chloe's Max asks her, her smiling face shining with rain and sun as she offers the bluenette her hand.

"I've been waiting for you." Chloe's simple words convey a deeper meaning as Max takes Chloe's hand in her own and walks up alongside the blue-haired girl.

"I'm here now, Che. Don't let go. Not ever."

Chloe feels herself pulled along by Max as the brunette girl looks at her from over a shoulder, laughing. Chloe feels laughter rise out from deep inside her as she runs up to match Max's pace and position. The littler versions of herself and Max see them coming and squeal in delight as all four girls run at each other.

Chloe Price's eyes open wide in an instant, a dissipating vision of peaceful trees and grass from her dreams echoing in her mind before she remembered where she was. Fuck, I'm at Max's place in Seattle. Yesterday happened. It's totally real. Stretching, Chloe lost her balance and fell off the couch onto the living room floor with an "Oof!"

"Shit," Chloe mumbled as she faceplanted into the carpet, thankful that it wasn't the hardwood floor underneath.

Looking around the Caulfields' place, Chloe scratched at her blue hair and winced from the hangover she felt. Remembering the taste of Max's cocktail, Chloe felt her face heat up as she also recollected how she remembered. Lips on mine, tongue in my mouth. Hella spicy. Hot. Max. Holy balls. The brownstone felt different in the daylight, more real and less like a fantasy that Chloe had cooked up in her head.

"Need some fucking air, yo," Chloe mumbled to herself as she slid the jacket Max had given her last night back on and stepped out onto the balcony. The air wasn't quite warm yet, a slight crispness helping to wake Chloe up further as she spied the city's skyline over the building across the street from Max's. She didn't know that Seattle could even be peaceful, let alone quiet like it was. Taking in a deep breath, Chloe smiled wanly as she let the air out and finished waking up. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she tapped at the screen. Notification from Mom? Check you later, Joyce. Uh, Unknown? Oh…David. Dude, eat shit and die in a fire. Chloe pulled a cigarette out and lit it as she scrolled to a message from Rachel Amber.

Rach: You there, Chlo?

The text was recent so Chloe decided to try and get back to her sooner rather than later.

Chloe: Yo

Rach: ! Heyyyyyy

Chloe: dweeb wat up

Rach: sry 4 the silence! We were nowhere near any place to send letters and shit. Problematic.

Chloe: s'cool

Rach: got a fat stack of postcards wif ur name on 'em :)

Chloe: NO EMOJI

Chloe: thx I'll get to them when I get back

Rach: Get back…? Thought ur broke

Chloe: Max came and got me. In Seattle presently, chillin' with my girl

Rach: I see

Chloe: Dude, stop. You and I are hella tight…but you had to have figured how I am as far as my hippie goes.

Rach: U luv her

Chloe: I totally fucking do

Chloe: She told me last night that she's loved me since she was 12

Rach: O_O

Chloe: …I'll allow that one.

Chloe: I'm…I'm happy, Rach. GTG. Off to find my woman, yo! Later!

Slipping her phone back into her jeans, Chloe paused for a moment as a through crossed her mind.

"Wait. Where the fuck is Max?" Chloe asked herself before heading back inside and towards the door leading down the stairs. "Her shoes are gone. There's an empty peg on the coat rack. She bail? She bail on me?"

Chloe felt a knot of tension build in her chest. No. No, she wouldn't do that. Not again, and hella not after last night. She told me she's loved me since we were tweens. No fucking way. But what if she got fucking cold feet? What if she's waiting for me to bail? Putting her hands to the sides of her head, Chloe tried to drive her nagging fears away with a grunt. Worried that she might cry or scream, Chloe bit her lip as she lifted her head back up and stopped in her tracks. There was a post-it note on the door. Looking at the square of yellow paper, Chloe plucked it off the front door's marbleized window and read it aloud.

"Hey. Morning, babe," Chloe paused as relief flooded in, "No worries. Went to get us coffee and treats. Finalizing plans for today. No wakey sleeping Che. Learned my lesson when we were ten. See you soon. Love, Max."

Tracing her finger around the heart that Max had drawn at the note's end, Chloe smiled while still biting her lip. Pocketing the note, Chloe decided to go and check out Max's photo wall while the getting was good. Running down the hall in her socks, Chloe slid on the wood floor with a snort before she collided into Max's door. The door giving way too easily, Chloe fell over and onto her face once more.

"This shit's getting hella ridiculous," Chloe muttered before removing her face from the floor and getting to her feet. "Ugh. Okay, Max. Show me what you're made of."

Some of the photos Chloe knew as copies from photo albums that she had made with Max years ago. Pirates, ninjas, ghostbusters; Max and Chloe had 7 Halloweens of matching costumes under their respective belts. She has them lined up with the years written on the wall above each picture. Nerd. Loveable, though. There were some pictures of Arcadia Bay, some shots of Seattle during the day and night, and pictures of other kids Chloe could only imagine were her classmates. One girl looked pissed in nearly every photo, the only smiling shot being when she put bunny ears on Max while the brunette didn't notice. Chloe mused at that picture, it being the only one with anything written on it.

"Wow. You made an enemy of Max, 'Icky Vicky," Chloe said as she flicked at the blonde girl's face. "People say I'm shitty, but you're just shit."

Wrapping up her investigation, Chloe walked over to Max's laptop and swept a finger across the touchpad to see the picture Max had mentioned the night before as the desktop wallpaper. Seeing the ecstatic grins on her and Max's faces while covered in the remnants of their Halloween pranks, Chloe couldn't help but laugh before heading back into the hall. She'll be back soon. I should explore some more, but first something to drink. Thirsty after all that booze last night, and all "dat Max". Heh. Heading into the kitchen, Chloe went to open the fridge when she saw another note on the fridge.

"Gray bottle's water. Purple bottle's OJ. Yellow bottle is yours. Enjoy, Che. :)"

Tilting her head as she swiped the note off the fridge and stuffed it with the first post-it, Chloe smirked before opening the fridge. Gray, purple, and fucking yellow. Wow. Uh, yellow it is…? Grabbing the bottle and a glass from the clean dishes in a nearby dishrack, Chloe poured out a thick, pinkish liquid into her glass. Lifting the glass to her face for examination, Chloe eyed the beverage in her hand suspiciously before taking a sip. Did she make me a smoothie? This is…strawberry-banana! She remembered! Seeing the trash can's lid slightly ajar, Chloe opened it up and felt her breath catch at the sight of strawberry leftovers and banana peels.

"You're wonderful, Max," Chloe said, eyes getting misty as she took a drink of the beverage made especially for her, "You're really wonderful."

People were nice to Chloe, on occasion. Rachel was always pretty chill with her, and Joyce was always nice. Nobody went out of their way like this, though, and Chloe knew that even the drink and notes were special. She left me a trail of notes and a drink for when I woke up. Mushy as fuck, but sometimes I like mushy.

"I wonder if she left other notes…?" Chloe asked herself as she set the now-empty glass down on the kitchen island and proceeded to explore. A note on the TV said "Bathe" which got a grunt and an "I don't stink, nerd" muttered from Chloe before the bluenette headed into the bathroom with her feet dragging.

"I don't smell," Chloe said as she flipped on the light switch and sniffed at her shirt, "Okay. I don't stink, but my shirt is sweaty, I'll admit."

Chloe smiled at the bath towel, washcloth, and toothbrush sitting on the toilet lid all neatly before taking the toothbrush and turning toward the sink. Her mouth gaped open a bit at Max's notes sticking to the mirror. Each piece of paper was a single word, but they were put up in such a way that Chloe realized it was a puzzle. Chloe had always been good with puzzles of every kind thrown at her. Problem solving, math, and art were how she'd won her scholarship for Blackwell. Black-Hell. Fucking dickbutts. Her behavior not exactly meeting Blackwell standards, Chloe had been nearly kicked out by the last semester's end. Managing to scrape together a "C" average, Chloe had nearly driven her mom to tears as Blackwell put her on academic probation pending improvement by the coming Fall semester's end. Looking up at her blue hair, Chloe smiled at the reaction Principal Wells would give her about this latest development.

"Don't like my tats? S'fine," Chloe said to herself as she played around with the notes to figure out what Max had left behind, "They're not for you, asshat. Neither is my hair. I'm creative, so let me be creative. Fucking Nazis."

Twisting her mouth in an expression of concentration, Chloe looked at all the words separately before taking a step back as she started on brushing her teeth. Brushing with one hand while arranging Max's notes with the other, Chloe's eyes lit up as she recognized a sequence of words she had heard in a song.

"I could follow you to the beginning…Just to relive the start. Maybe then we'd remember to slow down…At all of our favorite parts…," Chloe sang the completed puzzle aloud, putting a hand to her mouth immediately after as she recognized the song, "This is 'All I Wanted' by Paramore. The chorus…the chorus went…"

"All I wanted was you…," Max sang from the other side of the bathroom door. Chloe jumped in surprise before glaring at Max as the bluenette peeked from behind the door at the brunette. Jean shorts with black stockings and her sneakers, Max was sporting Chloe's beanie with a gray hoodie and a smile on her face. "Hey, you."

"Dude, you fucking scared the shit outta me. I'm not a jumper and I still jumped," Chloe chided, waving her used toothbrush at Max as the brunette opened the bathroom door to stand in the doorway.

"Sorry," Max said, smiling apologetically as she leaned on the doorway with her arms crossed, "I couldn't help it. You're crazy cute and…well, I wanted to hear you sing."

"Well, in that case you're forgiven. I guess." Chloe eyed Max out of the corner of her eye before walking the two steps it took for her to reach the doorway and Max. Wrapping the smaller girl in a hug, Chloe pressed her cheek against Max's as she slowly rocked them both. "You could have woken me up, you know."

"Fuck that shit," Max said with a giggle, "You come out swinging, Price. No punch-y in the face-y. Not if you want kisses and love."

"Kisses and love? Sign me the fuck up, that's some good shit right there!" Chloe smiled as she kissed Max on the cheek. "Join me in my 'bathing'?" Someone implied that I needed to come clean."

"And I thought my jokes were bad," Max's impression of the Joker getting Chloe to snicker. "Wash up, and I'll keep the coffee and donuts waiting on you. Hurry up, though, because the Choux pastries are calling my name."

"Choux pastries?" Chloe asked as she started to undress, smirking as Max quickly spun around. I saw that red face, Max. Still Max Caulfield, heh. "What the fuck is that?"

"It, uh, i-it's a light pastry. The coffee shop has them like a crème-filled donut made of the dough used to create an éclair. I bought fruit-filled ones and they're still fresh so less talk and more soap…ahh! Chloe!" Max screamed as a sprinkling of hot water smacked her legs, Chloe already inside the shower and messing with the water as she peeked out from the curtain. "You did not just do that! Did you spit that water?"

"Uh…no?" Fuck.

"No baked goods for you. There are starving people in Third World countries. I'm sure they'd like the sugar-"

"Noooo!"

"…Hurry up, jerkface," Max said with a faint scowl, switching the bathroom light off on Chloe as she closed the door behind her to the satisfaction of Chloe screaming again in surprise.

"Goddamnit, Max!"

"Mu-ha-ha-ha, Price!"

Chloe munched away at what she had christened a "donut-thing" while sipping coffee on the balcony. Dressed in a long-sleeved Ramones shirt and green army fatigue pants, Chloe enjoyed the cool cement on her bare feet while savoring the raspberry filling of her pastry. The coffee was good too, surprisingly so. Such a connoisseur, my little Max has become. Hipster, meet hipster food. You'll get along amazeballs. Stuffing the pastry into her mouth, Chloe wiped her hand on her pant leg before pulling her vibrating phone out.

Joyce: Chloe, I've been trying to reach you since yesterday.

Chloe: Sorry, Mom. Been out of touch. What's up?

Joyce: Well, things aren't going so smoothly here. We're headin off somewhere else. Anything goin on back home I should know about?

Chloe: Well…the house finally came to its senses and realized it was a house. Other than that? Just sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. GTG Byyyeeeee

Adios, Mama. Maybe David Madshit won't be a prick and you'll have a good time. Heh, that's funny. I'm funny, Chloe thought to herself as Max slid the door open and stepped out onto the balcony herself with her own coffee and a cigarette. I saw you smoke pot last night, but even a cigarette still surprises me. Wowsers. Fuck, she's got me thinking that shit now. Seeing a flake of pastry on Max's cheek, Chloe grinned at her friend's expression of confusion as Chloe reached out to her face with a finger.

"Pastry bit," Chloe explained as she pulled her finger back to reveal a crumb, "Unless you want to walk around like you have the eating habits of a fucking pre-schooler…"

"You're cute. That's cute," Max replied, blowing a smoke ring at Chloe. "Told you the Choux pastry was good. That's your third, isn't it?"

"Shaddup, nerd!" Chloe barked, falling for Max's bait as the brunette revealed the empty bag.

"There were four."

"So?"

"You had three. Something off about that math, Che?"

"But…but I'm a guest…," Chloe said, whining as she gave Max a wounded puppy look.

"You also suck. Like hardcore suck." Max snickered as Chloe placed a hand on her chest in feigned shock. "I meant donuts, you dirty-minded punk-ass! Dog, I can't take you anywhere. Maybe I should just send you packing…"

Chloe's coffee fell out of her hand and down to the ground below as Max's words rang out in her head. She knew Max was teasing, but the idea of going back to Arcadia Bay or getting sent home by Max stung hard. I…I don't want to leave. Don't make me leave, Max. Chloe's lip began to tremble and the next thing she knew Max was wrapping her up in a hug.

"I was just teasing, Che. I'm sorry. Please don't cry, okay?" Max asked as she lifted her head up to look at Chloe from her spot against the taller girl's shoulder.

"What if I want to cry sometimes?" Chloe asked as she rubbed at her eyes with her free hand, looking down at where her coffee had landed.

"Well, it'll harm your street cred," Max joked, "Why are you crying, Che?"

"It hasn't even been a day and I can't remember the last time I felt so…so happy. Even the idea of leaving makes my body shake, dude. I just want to enjoy this. Now," Chloe said as Max moved to hug her from behind. Closing her eyes as she felt Max's head laid against her back, Chloe smiled as she was spooned.

"Gotcha," Max's words came out tender with a hint of sadness, "I don't want to think about it, either. Y-you…well, you know. 'Bout done out here? Got some places I'd like to take you, and a couple peeps I want you to meet."

"No time like the present, Maxaroni," Chloe said before quirking an eyebrow at a chuckling Max, "What?"

"You'll see," Max said as she pulled Chloe back inside, Chloe eyeing Max with renewed suspicion as the brunette would only return Chloe's look with an impish grin. You're up to something, Max. Hella mischievous, little nerd.

Chloe pressed her face against the window she and Max were looking out of at the Space Needle and blew a raspberry with the glass. Fogging up the window, Chloe looked over at a giggling Max before pulling herself back to quickly draw MC x CP on the window with a heart outlining the initials. Seeing Max reach into a camera bag she was lugging along, Chloe's eyes lit up at the sight of a Polaroid camera. Just like Dad's. Dad…, Chloe thought as her elation crashed into sadness. Max picked up on Chloe's change of pace, the brunette kissing the bluenette softly on the lips as she encouraged Chloe to pose next to the slowly-vanishing mark she'd made. Sticking out her tongue as she gave Max two middle fingers, Chloe stopped herself from laughing as Max took a shot.

"Hang on, Max," Chloe said as she quickly blew onto the window to make the image return, "Take another." Chloe posed sweetly this time, feeling comfortable enough with Max to play the mushy role. Holding her arm the way Max sometimes did, Chloe looked at the camera bashfully with a heartfelt smile on her face. You don't know this, Max, but I actually picked up your damn habit and now I hold my arm sometimes when I get upset. Bad influence, that Max Caulfield. Where did she go wrong?

"Okay, now one of me," Max said as she handed the camera off to Chloe. Leaning against the window, Max made a heart with her hands and smiled with her nose scrunched up. Chloe was glad that the camera covered her cheeks because the sight before her of Max had Chloe blushing like crazy. She's beautiful. Wow. Snapping a shot, Chloe gestured for Max to wait a second as Chloe took one more. Handing Max the camera back, Chloe took both of her photos and slipped them into a pocket in her jeans.

"Aw, Che, they'll get crinkled and shit," Max said as she took the pictures out of Chloe's pocket and put them into a pocket on her camera bag, "Hey, I have an idea. Trust me?"

"Hella yes," Chloe said, meaning it as Max led her back toward the elevator, "Too many people getting up here. Fucking tourists." Hearing Max burst into laughter, Chloe realized the miscalculation of her statement. "Guess I'm a fucking tourist, too. Geez, Max, you're so nice to me."

Max laughed even harder, getting an irritated groan from Chloe in response.

"You sure about this, Max?" Chloe asked, checking herself out in the mirror.

"It's not fucking pricey, Che. Just relax and let me get it," Max said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What about 50-50?"

"If I say yes will you leave it at 50-50?"

"…Yes."

The jacket was nice and light. A brown, blazer-looking leather jacket, Chloe tested her new gear out with stretches and long reaches as Max looked on in bemusement while they walked down the sidewalk. Fits good enough, and my arms aren't too fucking restricted. Plus it looks good on me. Nodding as she concluded that she liked it, Chloe bumped her hip against Max's as she wrapped her arm across the brunette's shoulders. Seeing the occasional odd look, Chloe met them back with leers, smiles, and the typical middle finger. Chloe got so wrapped up that she didn't realize they were headed toward a bus stop until she was under in the awning.

"Where we headed now?" Chloe wondered aloud as she looked at the other people waiting for the transportation to show up.

"Where I work. It's a little before lunch but I confirmed us a spot while you went through the bajillion jackets that second-hand store had," Max said as she rolled her eyes, "These buses are always fucking late. Come on."

Chloe looked around nervously as Max pushed them out of the increasing mass of people waiting for a bus, grunts and muttered cusswords flung at both girls with emphasis as Max elbowed the last person keeping them pinned in the crowd so she and Chloe could escape. Laughing internally, Chloe bit her lip as Max let go of Chloe's arm and reached down to take the bluenette's hand instead. Buddy system, Max? You afraid you'll lose me here, somehow? That's actually a fair bet. Yep, I could roll on that. Watching Max try to flag down a taxi, Chloe brought her fingers to the corners of her mouth and let out an ear-piercing whistle that brought a yellow cab over only a handful of seconds later.

"Where to?" the cab driver asked, looking into his rearview mirror as Max climbed inside after Chloe.

"Max?" Chloe asked, "This is your master plan."

"You know where Local 360 is?" Max asked.

"Headin' there? Getting close to lunch," the driver mused before shrugging and pulling back onto the street.

"Yeah, but it's cool. I work there and the manager's a friend," Max said with a nod, oblivious to the small look of admiration on Chloe's face, "We've got a spot in the kitchen reserved. That cool, Che?"

"Uh, of course it's cool. You five by five on everything so far, Maxi Pad."

"Ugh, you know I hated it when you used to call me that."

"Please, ladykiller, as if I love being called a butt," Chloe retorted, looking towards the driver as she heard him snicker, "Dude, don't laugh! It only fuels her need to tease!"

Holding hands as they sat in the back of their taxi, Max looked out the window to watch traffic and pedestrians while Chloe simply observed the brunette. Part of her was still reeling from a couple days ago. You were a memory, but now I'm here with you, Max. How messed up is that, how fucking cool? You've changed so much, but I've seen that the Max I remember is still in there. She pops up every now and then. You…fuck, Chloe's thoughts interrupted by the smile on Max's face as the brunette watched her quietly through the window's slight reflection. Quickly looked out her window to hide how intensely she was blushing, Chloe felt Max tap her hand with a single finger.

"Yeah, I know. Not polite to stare or whatever," Chloe grumbled as she reluctantly turned to face Max.

"Actually, I was going to tell you that you're cute," Max said, her smile softening as she looked at Chloe with eyes the bluenette could only think of as "dreamy".

Chloe was about to speak up again when her stomach decided that it was in need of food, growling loudly enough the cab driver chuckled before doing so again as Max's stomach answered Chloe's with a rumbling of its own. Both of them smirking at each other, Max and Chloe met halfway as their lips connected in a single, long-lasting kiss.

"Are we there yet?" Chloe asked after pulling away from Max's reddened lips, the brunette still lingering in the aftermath of their kiss. "Uh, Max?"

"Hmm?" Snapped out of her euphoria, Max looked at Chloe with an awkward smile before sliding up the cab's divider as she saw the driver watch them with an amused twinkle in his eye, "Dog, I don't need spectators. U-Uh, yeah. We should be…there it is, right over there."

Chloe leaned over to Max's side of the seat and looked to where her friend was pointing. A few tables placed outside the building's corner with a sign hanging over them with "Local 360" printed on it. Tinted windows gave the restaurant an air of mystery that only added to Chloe's equally mysterious impression of Max. Pulling out her wallet, Chloe grumbled as she flipped through her depleting cash reserve when Max put a hand on her arm and presented a debit card to the driver.

Stepping out of the cab, Chloe watched the diminutive brunette stretch and yawn as she joined Chloe on the sidewalk. You can probably look cute doing anything at this point, Max. Is it bad that I'm in Seattle with you and all I want is to just go back to your place and chill alone with my best friend? Putting a hand to her lips, Chloe grinned wryly. Maybe more than friends, though. Definitely more. We…we told each other…I should just mentally shut the fuck up now. I'm in public. Shutting up. Now.

"Max!" a waiter cried out as she finished taking an order, the tall brunette colliding into the smaller one with a hug that threw Chloe off-guard. What the fuck? Lay off my girl, whoever the fuck you are. Wait. This is probably one of the friends Max was talking about. Why am I so…so jealous right now? She's with me, right? Or is it that I'm with her?

"Kristen!" Max exclaimed as she squeezed her friend's hand before pulling the tall girl over to Chloe. Chloe's eyes widened a bit by the fact that Kristen was a few inches taller than she was. The warm glint in Kristen's eyes made Chloe look down for a moment, embarrassed at how childish she had momentarily been. She wanted Max all to herself this weekend, likely forever, but that was just a dream already wrapped up in a three-day fantasy. "Che, this is Kristen. Kristen, this is Chlo-"

"You're Chloe? Hey!" Chloe must've looked horrified because Max burst into a fit of giggles as Kristen hugged the bluenette and lifted her inches off the ground. No no no nope noooooo, Chloe thought as her pinned arms writhed under the vice grip of Max's friend. Max, make it stop!

"Max, make it stop!" Chloe cried out, instantly cussing herself out as the filter between her thoughts and words failed for a second. Me am no think good but speak even ungooder. Ugh, lemme go!

Disengaging from her grip on Chloe, Kristen took a step back and elbowed Max in the side while wiggling her eyebrows. Tall and mildly tan with dark hair past her shoulders, Chloe thought Kristen looked like she could be a model. Feeling a little overwhelmed, Chloe's shoulders slumped as she inevitably began to compare herself to the statuesque girl standing next to Max. Dude, she's like hella fit and super cute. How the fuck am I supposed to compete with that? Max is with me now, sure, but what happens when I leave? Are they…Is she…? Lost in her own mind, Chloe didn't notice Max move next to her until a pair of soft lips gently kissed at her neck and bend her head down.

"I'm right here," Max whispered into Chloe's ear, "I'm with you, and we're amazeballs. Relax, Che. I'm not going anywhere."

"Dude, are you fucking psychic?" Chloe whispered, eyes widening for a second when Max responded by putting two fingers to a temple and closing her eyes. Professor Max, Headmistress of the Caulfield School for Gifted Hipsters. Heh.

"I dunno. Am I?" Max asked as she opened her eyes, Kristen smirking at the ease of the girls' exchange.

"You're a nerd, that's what you are."

"You're even bigger a nerd than I am, Che. You're literally bigger than me. Plus, you catch all my references."

"I understood that reference."

Rolling her eyes, Max let out a short laugh and waved at Kristen before she escorted Chloe inside. Watching Max wave at some of the customers and other employees, Chloe couldn't help but grin as she suddenly felt like she was dating the popular girl in school. Everybody smiles at her, waves, is all friendly and cheerful and shit. Dude, Chloe thought to herself as she looked across the bar to a plaque on the wall, She's employee of the month three times in a row. Fucking crazy. Max knocked on the doorway that led into the kitchen, smiling at one of the cooks.

"Hey, Fernando!" Cheerfully waving at the young man in a chef's coat, Max walked over and punched him in the shoulder. Chloe smirked as Max's friend played along, wincing before dramatically making it look like he might pass out. Tilting his head to one side as he stopped, he went to give Max a hug when the brunette held him back and pointed at the messy state of his attire. "No cheese on me, please."

"You're already cheesy, Maxaroni," Chloe added, laughing in surprise at Max turning around to flip her off, "Max! There are children present!"

"No there isn't." Max's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Then who am I talking to right now? Agh, don't hit me!" Chloe cried out as Max grabbed a clean frying pan, "I'm delicate! No!"

"Max, quit," Fernando said in a hushed tone as he swiped the pan out of Max's hand, "You'll get us both in trouble. The table's in back with a couple menus. Drinks?"

"Just water for me," Max said as she headed in the direction Fernando had pointed out, motioning for Chloe to follow, "She'll take water, too."

"What if I want a-"

"Nope."

"But maybe-"

"Nope."

Grunting at Max's refusal to let her imbibe the fancy drinks she had spied when they came into the restaurant, Chloe grumbled under her breath until they made it to where the table was. Located near the back door and next to a window, a single flower sat in a vase as Max pulled a chair out for Chloe.

"Uh…," Chloe scratched at her hair, wishing that Max wasn't wearing her beanie so that she could pull it down to hide her face from embarrassment. "Max, this is…umm…"

"Just sit down, dork," Max smiled coyly as she patted at Chloe's chair. "C'mon. It's just a chair."

"But you're holding it for me."

"That is the idea."

"Hella mushy."

"Just get in the damn chair, Che." Fuck, I'm killing Max's romantic shtick. Play along, Chloe. You don't have forever.

Frowning at the reminder of how limited their time was, Chloe plopped down into the chair and let Max scoot her into the table as Kristen showed up with water and a single menu. Chloe offered to share the menu with Max but the brunette waved her off with an amused look. Of course she doesn't need it. She works here, jackass. I'm such a goddamn dork. Ugh. She's all smooth and I'm flailing like a spaz. Just toss me back into the water, Max, and see if I sink or swim. Sighing as she scanned the contents, Chloe spotted something that looked recognizable enough to her.

"Hipster pizza, hipster donuts, and now hipster lunch-"

"Hipster brunch," Max cut Chloe off with a chuckle, "If you're going to claim everything is 'Hipster', at least get it right."

"Fine, but I bet even the coffee was hipster-y, like it went to open mic nights or something and snapped invisible fingers at slam poetry," Chloe said as she closed the menu, "The Scramble of the day with homefries and a biscuit? That good?"

"Yeah, it usually is," Kristen said, warmly smiling at the bluenette as she waited for Max's order, "I already know what you're ordering, Maximillian."

"French toast with the apple compote and-" Max started before getting cut off.

"-the whiskey crème anglaise. Yeah, told you I had it," Kristen finished, giggling as she took Chloe's menu with a gracious bow. "I'll be here all day…and until close…"

"What?!" Max's head snapped up as she looked at Kristen intently, catching Chloe and her other friend off-guard, "You and Fernando were supposed to hang out with us today! Dude, what the fuck?"

"I need the shifts, Max. If we want to get the hell out of the city for a real vacation, Fernando and I have to work all day. Sorry," Kristen winced under the scrutiny of Max's eyes before sighing in relief as Max shrugged.
"S'fine. More time for me an' my Che," Max said, reaching over to take a blushing Chloe's hand.

"I'm yours, huh?" Chloe asked, trying to sound cool as she mentally shrieked in giddiness. Girlfriends? Girlfriends!

"Oh, I thought you got the memo," Max joked, sarcasm in full swing, "You're legally obligated to be my girlfriend, what with room and board already provided. It's in the contract."

"I didn't get any contract." Chloe played along.

"You didn't get that thing I sent you?"

"No, Peter Potamus, I didn't. Ha ha, surprise relationship!" Covering one eye with a hand, Chloe leaned back in her seat and laughed deliriously as they finished referencing Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law. "Dude, we should do stand-up."

"F-Fuck no," Max said, fidgeting at the idea of speaking in front of so many people, "I-I don't think I could…I could…I'll be right back."

Chloe almost got out of her chair but was reassured by Max as the brunette kissed her on the forehead and went outside to catch her breath. Hearing Max come down from nearly hyperventilating, the window being cracked open to let in some cool air, Chloe's worried expression matched her thoughts. Her attack came so sudden. Was that an attack, or just a flash of anxiety? I get like that, but it's never so sudden or strong. Shit, Max, how did you get like this? Your anxiety was never this bad before…

"Max?" Chloe called out through the window, "You okay, Maxaroni?"

"…Just give me a sec and I'll come back inside," Chloe heard Max reply, the brunette's fragile tone only making Chloe more concerned until she smelled pot smoke emanating from the open window. Calming herself down. At least she can't get arrested for having it, though I'm willing to be the po-po don't look too kindly on a teenage girl smoking dope in an alleyway. It was a good minute or two before Max came back in, her eyes a little glazed over as she had rapidly inhaled the joint. You might have a prescription, Max, but you're pretty lightweight. You already look stoned.

"You cool?" Chloe asked, concern lining her face as she reached over to take Max's hand. The brunette kissed each of Chloe's blue nails which only elicited a grin from the bluenette in return.

"I am now." Max's voice was sweet but somewhat far away. "I'm also fucking hungry. Hard not to be when someone ate my other pastry this morning…"

"How was I supposed to know you wanted more than one? What if you're looking after your figure your figure or some shit?"

"Then of course I would be eating French toast, right? Not maybe a carrot and some crackers or what-fucking-ever? You're just greedy for my treats," Max teased, poking one of Chloe's cheeks with a finger.

"…Well, yeah." Chloe's admission caught Max by surprise, "I'm…I'm greedy for you in general, Max. That really so bad?"

"No, but you could've left me a second donut."

"Ugh. I get sappy and you throw food in my face. I see how it is, Caulfield. I just won't try to be romantic-"

Max's kiss, the brunette leaning over the small table, caught Chloe unawares. The taste of pot and a lingering fruitiness from the pastry earlier in the morning swirled together as Chloe took Max's flavor in her mouth. Moaning slightly, Chloe reached out to run her hand through Max's hair only to have both her hands pushed down as Max gently leaned on them. Kinky Caulfield. That should be your new name. Maybe that's the secret of your closet, all whips and latex. Brat, haha.

"This is a family restaurant, y'know," Kristen abruptly said with a cough, breaking the tender moment between Max and Chloe to the bluenette's chagrin, "Here's your eats. Enjoy, ladies, though I think you were already doing so."

Catching a wink from Kristen aimed at her, Chloe shook her head in amusement as she eyed the scramble of eggs, sausage, and vegetables set over a bed of housefries. A single biscuit sat on a small plate, lathered in blueberry jam. This looks…and smells…fucking incredible.

"Do you get to eat this well every day, Max?" Chloe asked, her tone of wonder getting a small grin from the brunette in response.

"I usually just get what I have right now. Sometimes I get the macaroni and cheese, though. Double-baked with bread crumbs and veggies set on top," Max said as she unrolled the napkin holding her utensils. "Ready to nosh?"

"Dude, I am hungry like the wolf. This smells fucking amazeballs!" Max and Chloe dug in, enjoying their food and each other in silence as they ate.

Stretching as she walked outside to smoke, Chloe burped from how full she was after the meal she'd just had. Peering inside through the window, Chloe watched Max take a bite of the French toast as she chatted with her other friends. Why does part of me want to just grab Max and run off? I have no reason to be jealous, right? I mean, she even said that we're girlfriends. Is that like girl-friends, though? We kissed. She told me that she loved me. This is all such a trip, I feel I might crash back into reality or something. The reality is that tomorrow evening I'll be back in Arcadia Bay, and she'll be on her way back here. Fuck. Trying to shake off the growing misery she felt, Chloe took a deep puff of her cigarette and blew some smoke rings to distract herself. Hearing Max get up, Chloe scowled a bit as Kristen and Fernando offered to pay for her and Max's meals because they couldn't visit. Of course you do, because she's fucking Princess Max. Ugh, stop it Chloe! Don't be such a bitch! She loves you!

So why did she run away? a voice in Chloe's head echoed, sounding as if it were at the bottom of a deep well. Why did she leave us?

"Shut up!" Chloe blurted out, alarming Max as the brunette came out through the back door Chloe was leaning next to. "Uh, sorry. Sorry, Max. Just…talking to myself…like a fucking creep…"

"I don't mean to interrupt," Max said, lifting her hands up in apology despite the smile on her face, "If you and you need to finish your discussion I'll just be over here by myself, meaning only me."

"Ha fucking ha, Caulfield. I'm done, you brat," Chloe rolled her eyes as she snuffed the cigarette out on the brick wall next to her before making an apologetic face at Max's look of mild disdain, "Sorry. You work here, so oops. Where to next?"

"Back inside to get a bucket of soapy water and a toothbrush. For you to clean this whole wall in punishment!" Max put a hand on her hips as she wagged a finger in Chloe's direction.

"No, Mistress Max! I promise I'll be a good little Chlo!" Chloe made to get on her knees in supplication as Max laughed, the bluenette's mood lightening at the sound of Max's cheerfulness.

"C'mon, Che. I want to take you somewhere pretty, well, hardcore. First, though, home. Need my car, as this taxi and bus crap gets old really fast."

Taking a final taxi, Max's mouth in a thin line of annoyance the entire drive, to the Caulfields' home, Chloe crossed the street with a mildly angst-ridden brunette in tow as they headed towards the jeep. Seeing a blonde girl leaning against it as she checked out her nails, Chloe heard Max audibly groan at the sight which in turn caught the other girl's attention.

"Max Caulfield!" the blonde girl cried out as she came running for a hug, Chloe thinking she looked familiar, "Where the fuck have you been, asshole?"

"I told you already, Victoria. I'm spending the weekend with my girlfriend. Chloe, Victoria."

"S'up?" Chloe said with an upward jerk of her chin, stuffing her hands in her pockets as Victoria shot her a look with narrowed eyes. Icky Vicky? Pfffft. Do not laugh, do NOT fucking laugh…

"Well, Maxine," Victoria continued, ignoring the slight curl of Max's lip into a sneer, "I just wanted to know if you had heard anything about the scholarship for Blackwell? I know that you actually entered this year, but since I'm going there I was curious as to whether you were as well."

"You know I'm not going to win, Vic. My math isn't good enough, despite getting recommendations in every other class. It's why I'm homeschooling a summer math course," Max's eyes narrowed which got a faint whistle from Chloe. Haven't seen you pissed yet, Max. Will there be punching? Please, let there be punching!

"Oh. Right." The wicked grin on Victoria's face was so appalling that Chloe wanted to hit the girl after only just meeting her. Wait. She's going to Black-Hell? Motherfucker!

"Watch yourself, Icky Vicky," Chloe growled, Victoria stiffening at use of the nickname, "You're not the only one here that's attending Blackwell, and I'm a senior so fucking try and pull shit on my girlfriend. See what happens when you come to Arcadia Bay."

Huffing, Victoria glared at both girls before stomping off. She had made it halfway out of the parking lot when Max called to her and unzipped her hoodie to show off her shirt. Chloe couldn't see from where she was so she moved to get a better look as Victoria groaned in irritation and resumed stomping off.

"'FU=CK?' 'Y+O=U'?" Chloe examined the shirt for a moment longer before Max zipped her hoodie back up. "Ohhh. Heh, fuck you in mathspeak. Nice one, Max."

"Thought you'd approve," Max said as she rolled her eyes in the direction Victoria had gone, "S-She's so fucking mean. Sometimes she can be really nice, but if you do one thing it's like you're marked for life. Fucking Victoria Chase…"

"So what'd you do to earn her death glare?" Chloe asked as she followed Max to the jeep. "Tell me all your dirty little secrets, Max Caulfield."

"There's no dirty secret to this, Chloe," Max said as she fastened her seatbelt and started the jeep up before smirking at a disappointed Chloe, "Not everything that I do is a fucking revelation. I just, well, won some photography contests that she also submitted to."

"How many? She seemed hella vicious."

"…All of them…?"

"Max Caulfield, you little fiend." Chloe chuckled as Max stuck her tongue out at the bluenette before pulling out of the parking space.

"Whatever. You totally wanted to punch her." Max's response garnering a look of surprise on Chloe's face as she gasped.

"…Are you sure you're not psychic?"

"I'll never tell."

Leaving the jeep in a parking lot nearby, Max led Chloe to a monorail stop that took them to the Seattle Center. Watching the city underneath them, Chloe pressed her hands against the glass window as Max pulled out her cell phone to check something. Chloe was giddy, not only because of the fun she was having but also because she had Max to herself again. She couldn't shake the selfishness no matter how hard she tried. Chloe loved Max, loved every new thing she was discovering about the little brunette, and only wanted to know more. Unfortunately, she seemed to become bitter and jealous with every person Max talked to or even waved at. Why can't I let this bullshit go? I'm having a fucking blast but I'm still nagging inside. Sighing with a mixture of contentment and inner turmoil, Chloe sat face-forward in her seat and leaned into Max as the brunette looked over at her sheepishly and gave the bluenette a kiss on the lips.

"Where we going?" Chloe asked as she put an arm around Max, holding the littler girl closer. I can't let you go, Max, and I wouldn't even if I hella could. Don't let me go, okay?

"The EMP Museum," Max said as she put a hand on Chloe's leg and began to play with a hole in the taller girl's jeans, fixated on the worn denim.

"Uh…"

"It's a museum."

"Uh…" Chloe's curiosity deflated at the word museum only to get a wink from Max.

"You'll like it. Just wait," Max's words were like liquid seeping into Chloe as Max ran a thumb in circles on one of Chloe's cheeks. Chloe shuddered under the impact of Max's tenderness and affection; it was foreign to her, for someone to love her so unconditionally and openly. Joyce and Rachel cared and loved her, Chloe knew, but Max adored her and didn't flinch from showing it freely as much as possible. Chloe felt a warm build in her stomach and spread through her whole body. Feeling gooseflesh break out on her skin, Chloe was thankful for the jacket Max had helped her buy and buried herself into the leather and flannel lining. Hearing Max chuckle, Chloe looked at the brunette over the raised collar of her jacket and smiled as the monorail came to a halt.

"What…what the fuck is that?" Chloe asked as she pointed out the window from the aisle across her and Max's.

"That's the EMP Museum. It's pretty much nothing but pop culture," Max said, elbowing Chloe gently with a knowing smile. "They have running exhibits on Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix, as well as some traveling exhibits. I think they had Battlestar Galactica a few months ago. I got to step inside the CIC, and like a dork I yelled 'So say we all!' to my parents' embarrassment, haha. Coming?"

Max leapt to her feet with Chloe following so quickly that she topped over and landed on Max, the brunette holding them both up as she braced them against a pole. Hearing the first warning bell go off, Max lifted Chloe to her feet and pulled the clumsy bluenette awkwardly out of the train and onto the platform outside. Letting Chloe go, Max straightened out her hoodie and checked to make sure her stockings weren't too ripped apart. Such fashion. So cute. Very Max. Wow, Chloe thought to herself before wilting under the slight irritation accompanying the scowl she got from Max.

"Sorry. Just excited, I guess," Chloe said, her head downcast before Max leapt at her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Let's go, 'Clumsy Chlo'. Things to see and places to do."

"I'm not sure that's how it goes, Maxaroni-"

"Shaddup, dork!"

Author's Note

Local 360's food is equally dope like Pagliacci's, but they are both fairly hipster. Don't care – food's food and what I've had was great. Also, the monorail is fun. It's not a roller-coaster or anything, but it's cool to watch the city bustle about under you and the last time I was in it the cars were still in good condition and clean.

So. This chapter, eh? I was originally going to try and smash all the spots Chloe and Max visited in a single shot, but I opted to spread things out. If you remember, Kristen and Fernando are mentioned in the game through the Fremont Troll photo on Max's wall. Little bit of AU at work there, but every LiS fic here is AU in some fashion. The only non-AU is ultimately DONTNOD's story, which is the canon.

Yes, Victoria and Max know each other pre-Blackwell in this story. I would say they're…frenemies, I guess? An equal measure of politeness and hostility in the story while hinting at an actual friendship further back.

Max is the romantic of the two, and Chloe's all "Buh?" about it. Hella cute.

See you with part 3! Might be up tomorrow…or it could be up as soon as late evening. Just depends on how much of a breather I take. I wrote the first half of this chapter last night from 8pm to midnight because I couldn't stop. This fic is just too much damn fun.

Read, review, and I'll see you for part 3! Shenanigans! Hijinks! Feels and angst!

Stay hella, Cinnamon Rolls!