Max carried Chloe to her truck and placed her in the drivers chair.
"Are you sure you don't need any ice or something?" Max asked.
"Psh, it's like you don't know me Max, I'm a trooper, I'll live."
".. You're sure..?"
She's so insecure suddenly, sometimes she's so confident and now it's like she's building barriers.. Huh,..
"Max, calm down, I'm okay, I promise."
Max grabbed at her arm. "Alright.."
She walked around to the other side of the car and climbed into the passengers seat.
"So, Two Whales is our destination, yeah?"
"Yep, that's where we're headed."
"Mind if I turn up the tunes?"
"Not at all, go ahead."
Chloe put in a CD and turned the volume up, singing along to the lyrics as she started driving the car.
"She says I smell like.. Safety and home.. I named both of her eyes, forever and please don't go."
Max watched her friend sing along and smiled, Chloe looked like she enjoyed singing but Max never thought her to be a songbird.
"Love is patient.. Love is kind.."
Max listened into the lyrics feeling them tug at her heart, watching as her friend sang along to every word.
Max scooted slightly closer to Chloe and placed her hand on top of Chloe's, that was resting on the seat between them.
Chloe pulled away "Oh, sorry, arm room?" Chloe retorted.
"Uh.. No I.." Max muttered as she grasped Chloe's hand.
Chloe blushed and glanced over at Max. "Uh.. You feeling okay..?"
Max sunk back in her seat, a small smile on her face. "I'm feeling great Chloe."
"..This isn't some sly attempt to make me allow you to suck my blood is it? Because the answer is n-"
"You're so insecure." Max interrupted her.
"I-Insecure..?"
"You're always acting like I NEED something from you, like you're just a phase, news flash Chloe, you're not, you're.. You're my best friend and.. I love you.. Please stop building walls around me, I want to help you as much as you've been here to help me."
Chloe bit her lip, she could feel her heart hammering in her chest.
"I.. Wow Max.. I'm sorry, I didn't know you felt that way.."
"I know some crazy shit is happening, I haven't quite got a handle on it myself, I mean.. Just going out in sunlight could get me killed, that's scary Chloe.. And you have no idea how much I appreciate you being here to help me through this, but in that process you can't build these walls around me for security, I'm your best friend and you're mine, let me in Chloe please.."
Chloe felt a tear run down her cheek, she quickly wiped it with her sleeve.
"I'm sorry Max.. I was just.. I've always been so afraid of getting hurt, because it's seemed like I can't protect myself... My feelings terrify me Max, so it's not just you, it's everyone who has been on the outside of me, because I don't know how to deal with what I'm feeling and I act like an idiot and do reckless things to prevent me from feeling okay? Do you understand?"
At this point Chloe was sobbing.
"Chloe.. I get it.. But I'm not going to hurt you."
"Sure, not going to hurt me, but decided to leave for five years without a call or anything, I'm already broken Max, you can't break something that's broken."
"I've apologized a trillion times for that, I'm taking responsibility for that, it was so damn stupid and I'm sorry. And sure, you can't break something that's broken, but you CAN fix something.. Or someone that's broken.. Why won't you let me do this for you Chloe?!"
Silence pierced the air and remained that way until the pair reached Two Whales.
"I'm sorry Max.. I'll try harder.." Chloe muttered under her breath.
Max just looked at Chloe and smiled, hopping out of the truck.
When they walked in the diner, a familiar voice called out to Max.
"Max..? Max?! It's really you!" It was Rachel.
The girl sprung up from her seat and wrapped her arms around the small brunette.
"Max darling, where have you been? People we're starting to get worried, me especially, it was like you just disappeared, where were you?"
"I'm sorry Rachel.. I've just been.. Sick, you know?"
Rachel reached out and cupped Max's face examining her.
"Max.. What's wrong?" The girl asked concerned.
"I-I told you, I'm sick.."
"Then what are you doing here at Two Whales? You should be at your dorm resting!"
"I just needed to get out, I've been cooped up in my dorm for almost a week, it's stuffy and dark in there and I don't like it. Chloe has been taking care of me, I'll be fine."
"Not to be rude Max.. But your friend looks kind of.. Run down..? Maybe she should go home and rest?"
"I'm fine, thank you." Chloe uttered angrily.
"Why don't we just sit down and eat, please?" Max pleaded.
"Alright" The two other girls said in unison.
The trio grabbed a booth and was almost immediately approached by Joyce.
"My my, Chloe, Max, and Rachel, never thought I'd see the day. What can I get you ladies?"
The trio ordered their meals and waited patiently, Max and Rachel were engaging in small talk and Chloe sat uncomfortably across from them.
"Chloe.. You okay?" Max questioned her friend.
"Great, just thinking too much."
"It's not because of me is it?"
"No Max, No.. I think I should probably go after I eat.. Rachel's right, I need rest."
"No Chloe.. You.. You could stay at my dorm, you could sleep in my bed, please don't leave."
Those words rung in Chloe's ears like the loudest bell. Please don't leave. Please don't leave.
"I need to have a smoke, be back."
Chloe stood up and walked outside, pulling out her cigarettes. When was the last time I even had a smoke, Max is like my own personal rehab.
Why am I being so shitty right now..? I mean.. I guess I'm trying to let Max in but fuck, now I'm just being an angry punk who is shutting her best friend out more. Ugh idiot!
Chloe slapped her palm against her forehead.
She finished her cigarette and put it out by stomping it with her boot.
When Chloe walked back inside Max looked up at her concerned.
"How you feeling Che?" Max asked.
"I'm alright Maximilian." She responded with a chuckle.
Chloe looked down at the plate of food and immediately dug in. "I'm hungry like the wolf" She muttered.
Max and Rachel both giggled at Chloe's excitement for food.
"Okay Max.. I've avoided the subject but.. Is there something you want to tell me?" Rachel asked gesturing towards Max's outfit.
"N-No Rachel, I'm fine, just.. A slight allergic reaction to sunlight."
"But.. You hadn't had this reaction beforehand, why now?"
.."You wouldn't believe me." Max muttered.
"Max, come on, we're friends, I'd never turn my back on you." Rachel said with a smile.
"... Okay but we can't talk about it here, let's go back to my dorm, the wolf needs to sleep anyway." Max glanced over to Chloe and smiled.
"Sounds good, let's go." Rachel placed money on the table paying for everyone's food, grabbed Max's hand and started leading her out, Chloe followed close behind remaining silent.
When they reached Chloe's truck, they all hopped in, Max sitting in the middle.
Chloe turned up the radio to try and block out her feelings.
When they arrived on campus, Chloe pulled the parasol out of the bed of her truck and motioned for Max to come out of the truck.
Max complied and got out, standing next to her friend.
Max looked up at Chloe, who looked exhausted.
Max wrapped her fingers around Chloe's hand that was holding the parasol.
"Let me give you a hand." Max said with a chuckle.
"Such pun." Chloe said snickering slightly.
Rachel walked up beside Max and just looked at her with a smile.
She's always pretty cheerful, she's happy, pretty, seems to be popular. I.. I wouldn't be surprised if she liked Max, or.. If Max likes her..
The trio reached the dorm and immediately went to Max's dorm shutting the door behind them.
Max immediately threw off all the extra layers of clothes she was wearing.
"Yuck, I feel so hot, that's a lot better." Max said shaking her hair around.
Rachel giggled, but her laugh subsided quickly when she noticed the tone of Max's skin.
"You're.. You're so pale..? I didn't even think it was possible for someone to be so white." Rachel said concerned.
Chloe laid down on Max's bed, curling into a ball and closing her eyes.
"Okay Rachel.. Listen, what I'm about to tell you is.. Crazy. Frankly I can't even believe it myself. But don't freak out and don't TELL anyone, I cannot stress enough how important it is that this stays a secret."
"You got it Mad Max." Rachel said giving a thumbs up and a dorky smile.
"Okay.. Well.. At the last Vortex Club Party.. Something happened, I don't remember what because I blacked out, Kate told me I wasn't acting like myself so she brought me back to my dorm. The next day, I felt so sick that I could barely move, and when I tried to go outside, it felt like I was getting burned alive. Chloe came over and tried to help me, and a lot had changed about me, so we looked up the symptoms on the internet and well.. Rachel.. It turns out I've been turned into a vampire.."
Silence filled the air a moment before Rachel started to giggle.
"I-I'm sorry Max, but.. A vampire? You CAN'T be serious?" She giggled again.
Max looked unamused as she pulled over her trash bin which has animal carouses in it.
"See these Rachel? I HUNTED these, I went out at night, and I KILLED them and feasted on them. If I hadn't I wouldn't have had the energy to even leave campus today, Chloe can vouch for me."
Rachel just stared blankly at Max as Max opened her mouth, revealing her fangs.
"You're.. You're serious.." Rachel uttered astonished.
"I am 100% serious." Max said as she glanced over at Chloe.
She walked over to the blue haired girl and pulled off her beanie.
"I figured she'd do that herself." Max chuckled.
Rachel stood in silence, staring at Max, unsure of what to say.
"I don't know how this happened, but all I know is it's real.. And it's scary.. But.. Having Chloe with me has made it a lot more bearable." Max smiled.
"..Wow, okay that is really crazy Max.. But I believe you." Rachel walked over to Max, running a hand through her hair and kissing her forehead. "I should probably get going though, take care Max, and take care of your tree too." Rachel giggled.
"Lisa? Yeah she's well." Max said.
"No, I mean the blue tree in your bed." Rachel retorted as she left the room.
Max looked over at Chloe.
"Yeah.. I'll take care of my tree too."