Prologue: Quantum Mechanics states that there are an infinite number of worlds. This is boring, and you have likely heard it before. Something more interesting that you might have not heard, is that on one of those worlds, Max Caulfield never met Chloe Price before leaving Arcadia Bay. Let me tell you the story of what happened when she came back.

Chapter 18: Dazed and Confused

Sunday, September 29th, 2013 (2:00 PM)

I laid down on my bed in my room, staring up at the ceiling. Arcadia Bay had felt familiar when I first came back, like slipping on a pair of old shoes, smiling as they fit just right. But now it felt unfamiliar, alien. I had stumbled around the last few days in a daze, halfheartedly completing my schoolwork, and now I was contemplating life, in a rare moment of lucidity.

A sharp rap at the door interrupted my musings, and I pulled myself up off the bed, groaning as my body protested. I wobbled over to the door and opened it, yawning. Standing there was Rachel, looking perfect as ever, her long hair done up in a ponytail, wearing a blue t-shirt (A blue the color of Chloe's hair) along with a denim jacket and torn jeans. She looked me up and down, before speaking, her voice calm and level:

"Max, you look terrible! Are you still in your pyjamas?" I looked down, and saw that yes, I was still wearing the clothes I had slept in last night. Well… slept was stretching it. More like the clothes I had laid down in my bed under my blanket in.

"Uh yeah, I guess." Just then my vision blurred, and I stumbled, Rachel catching me, her grip surprisingly strong for someone of her size and build. (Well, someone of my size and build.)

"You nearly just fainted! And you're so pale! When was the last time you ate?" I struggled to remember, and half-heartedly forced out an answer.

"Uh, Breakfast? In the cafeteria, I think." I couldn't remember if that was today, or yesterday, or the day before?

Rachel frowned at me, and pulled me back up, standing me up on my feet before dusting off my clothes.

"Max, you didn't have breakfast this morning. I saw you get up at noon, and the cafe closes before then. So if you didn't eat today, when was the last time you ate?" She asked again, and I struggled a little more to remember.

"I guess it would have been Friday then? Friday, at dinner…" I knew there was something wrong with that, but I just couldn't bring myself to eat. It just seemed so… pointless. Rachel didn't seem to agree with this, and she grabbed me by the arm, dragging me out into the hallway.

"That's it, I'm getting you something to eat. You haven't eaten in two days, god." She led be by the arm through our dorm and out the front door, never mind the fact that I wasn't wearing any shoes, or that I was still in my pajamas, which consisted of a thin pink t-shirt and comfy pants with patterns of birds on them.

She eventually managed to drag me to the cafeteria, where she sat down at one of the tables, before walking up to the counter and grabbing two sandwiches, handing one to me before unwrapping the other one for herself.

"So what happened. I've heard Chloe's side of it, and from what she said, it sounded like you couldn't deal with what she did to Victoria." Neither Rachel's words nor her tone sounded accusatory, but something in the way she sat and the look in her eyes screamed "Your fault" to me.

"I don't know. I still can't wrap my head around it. I wasn't there, so I don't know exactly what happened, but I've heard both Victoria and Chloe's side of it. I can't grasp how she could be so casually destructive and callous. I don't think I could be near her right now, but I can't stand to be apart. I… I don't know what to do." Rachel took a long look at me, and ran her hands through her hair, momentarily dropping her carefully maintained facade. She then composed herself before looking up at me, straight in the eyes.

"Let me tell you a story."

AN: Hullo! Not dead! Please leave reviews!