Chapter 20: Fallen Angels (part 1)

[Incoming call: Max]

[Kate]: "Hi, my love! How's L.A.?"

[Max]: "Warm, sunny and kinda not my thing. Wish you'd be here with me! How're you doing? I still feel totally shitty that I left you on such short notice."

[Kate]: "I'm okay, Max. Yes, I'm still very upset, but…I'll manage. School keeps me busy and Dana spends every free minute with me. We even planned to watch some movies tonight. I'm so proud of you that you're helping Chloe. You're a true Guardian Angel!"

[Max]: "I-I don't know, Katie! Sometimes I feel so helpless myself; so fragile. And I…I still fuck up all the time."

[Kate]: "Max, what happened at my parent's wasn't your fault and I'll never blame you for that. It was my mom who went totally bonkers and made you the scapegoat. Besides…I wanted to out myself anyway and, though I wished it would've ended differently, I already knew that it would come to this. I hate my mom and hope that she'll burn in hell for what she said!"

[Max]: (sighs) "Kate, I know it sounds stupid right now, but…one day you'll miss her. I, actually, miss my Mom…my old mom…the mom who hugged me when I was upset; the mom, who made me pancakes when I wanted them; who dressed me as a pirate during Halloween."

[Kate]: "You think you can forgive her one day?"

[Max]: "No, but maybe we can try a fresh start one day."

[Kate]: (sighs loudly) "I don't know. Everything's still so fresh."

[Max]: "Kate, wounds need time to heal. Just don't rush it or force yourself into something!"

[Kate]: "I'll try…" (sighs) "Classes are about to start again."

[Max]: "Yeah, we're about to meet Rachel soon, too."

[Kate]: "Good luck and…take good care!"

[Max]: "Will do, Katie! I'll call you when we're on our way back. Love you!"

[Kate]: "I love you, too! Can't wait to see you again!"

[Max]: "Bye, my gorgeous girl!"

[Kate]: (giggles) "Said the cutest girl in the world!"

[Max]: "Bye!" (sound of a kiss)

[Kate]: "Bye!" (sound of a kiss)

[Call terminated]

Chloe

Only being used to the quite uneventful and calm traffic of a small town, driving the long way to and later through Los Angeles has been anything else than relaxing. Even after changing seats with Max during the long ride and a stay at a Motel out of city, Chloe feels extremely exhausted. The tension of the imminent meeting with Rachel does its part, too.

The whole night, Chloe had been awake, trying to think about every possible scenario. How should she react? What should she say? Does Rachel want to come back to her or is this just another try to fuck her over? Max told her to listen to her heart, but what does her heart want?

'Definitely not getting back together with that cunt!' thinks Chloe as she drives her old truck into a parking garage.

"You nervous?" asks Max, looking worryingly at her friend.

"Hella nervous as fuck, Maximus!" answers Chloe as she maneuvers her vehicle another floor down. As soon as they've reached an empty spot, the bluenette parked the truck, turned off the engine and then gave her best friend a wry smirk. "Thanks that you came with me, though yours and Kate's weekend got pretty much fucked!"

"No prob, Chlo!" replies Max with a soft smile and grabbed Chloe's cold, clammy, trembling hand. "We're gonna stick through this together and then you can finally scratch this whole chapter with Rachel out of your life!"

"Yeah! Can't wait for that, either!"

Both girls get out of the vehicle and take a look around. Being close to the city center, the garage is maintained and very well used, and therefor full of parking cars. Minutes pass, but no Rachel is to be seen, even as Max jumps on the bed of the truck for more overview, she just comes up with a shaking head.

"You sure this is the right place?"

"Yeah," Chloe responds, kicking some undefinable piece of scrap away. "Rach even sent me the coordinates." She hates waiting, always had and always will be. Normally, she would've smoked a cig by now, but since she'd stopped smoking, her options are very limited. She peeks over to Max, the thought of making out with her instead for bridging some time, emerging from her mind.

'Get your shit together, Price! Max is a big no-no for you!' the punk-girl chides herself internally, but still is about to grow frustrated until Max's voice pulls her back into reality.

"There she is!"

Chloe follows Max's sight and spots Rachel Amber, who has changed since the last time she had seen her. Her blond hair is now shorter with an undercut and partially dyed streaks, which is giving her a punkier attire. Her clothes, however, are now a class higher. They still look wild and punky, but also a bit fancier. On her bare arms, Chloe spies new tattoos, mainly consisting of various depictions of dragons, like on her calf.

The moment Rachel's catching green eyes meet Chloe's, the bluenette immediately averts her gaze, trying to not falling under her influence again.

'I can't let her take control of me again. Stay strong, Chloe! You're done with her!'

"Chloe!" Rachel's joyful voice chimes through the garage as she bridges the last steps between her and the bluenette girl, trying to embrace her into a hug. But Chloe simply takes a step back and keeps her at a distance, which let the blonde's happy demeanor falter in an instant.

"Hey, Rach!" Chloe replies dryly, feeling very uncomfortable already, "How's it hangin'?"

"Good!" she simply states, crossing her arms as she scans her ex-girlfriend. "You haven't changed a bit." Then she shifts her scanning gaze to Max, who's leaning against the truck, her arms crossed too, as she gives the blonde a stern glare. "And who's this?"

At first, Chloe doesn't want to tell her ex-girlfriend who the black-haired girl is, but on the other hand, why shouldn't she?

"This is Max."

Rachel's eyes widen in surprise as she scans the freckled, still unimpressed girl once more. "Max?! As in Max fucking Caulfield? As in I-leave-my-best-friend-behind-Max?"

For a moment, Chloe thought that Max might go all ballistic on Rachel for that comment, but instead nothing happens. Max simply stays quiet.

"Yeah, that's her, but it doesn't matter. Now, tell me what's goin' on, Rach!"

"Right," she says, focusing entirely on Chloe again. "Listen, I've got this huge business goin' on. Quite lucrative, but also risky, and lately, some of my employees got cold feet, so that I need some new personal. And you're the perfect girl for the job!"

"What job are we talking about?" Max throws in out of a sudden to Rachel's displease. But the blonde tries to suppress her anger and keeps her answer plainly, accompanied by a shrug.

"Mule-ing."

And while Max just scoffs, Chloe freaks out.

"Mule-ing?! As in smuggling fucking drugs?! Are you fucking serious?!"

"Hella serious!"

"So, you're nothing more than a fucking drug-dealer," comments Max cynically, which obviously fueled Rachel's anger even more.

"No, bitch!" she yells back, "I'm the one who supplies the dealers and I received a big, fucking load of stuff, which needs to be delivered! Sadly, the fucking cops are already sniffing on my ass, so that I need fresh, unknown mules!"

"I can't believe it…" Chloe scoffs, covering her face with her hands while walking up and down, before she gazes at Rachel again and blurts right into her face. "Are you fucking insane?! I thought that this was a live-and-death-situation!"

"It is, Chloe! Do you even know how expansive it is to live it large in L.A.? Acting classes, an apartment, nice clothes…it all sums up. If I fuck up this job, I'll lose a lotta money! My Dad cut me off and I need that dough to pay the bills!"

"And what about your porn-producer, Mrs. Jayson? Doesn't he get your bills paid or were you even a too bad actress for the porn-industry?"

Upon Max's comment, Chloe gets entirely taken aback, letting her wide open eyes wandering between her friend and Rachel. "What?!"

Now not able to hold back her anger anymore, Rachel's face grimaces in agitation. And though the situation has been calm and under control, it now turned way more complicated as the blonde suddenly draws a gun and points it right at Max, who, however, still remains unimpressed.

"Why can't you fucking cunt just keep your fucking mouth shut!? And you…" Now she aims at Chloe. "You'll get your ugly, tight ass into your piece of scrap there and do as I say!"

Right at this moment, Chloe is reminded of the incident with Nathan when he had a gun pointed at her. She remembers how she'd almost shitted her panties in this situation, but right now she feels entirely different. Yes, she's afraid and would like nothing more than to freak out and run away, but she also feels calm and is only stunned by Rachel's almost merciless reaction.

"Why?" the bluenette whispers, shaking her head in unbelief, "Why are you doing this? We came here to help you and…and this is what we get?"

"Oh Chloe, don't you get it?" Rachel says with amusement and a pity-face, "I use people like I please, because, like you, they follow me like little puppies. Jayson was just another step stone to my success and yes, I had to fuck him a few times before he finally married me, of course with a prenup. A paid whore in his bed later, I divorced him and got a small cut of his fortune. That's it…end of story! But be rest assured, Chloe, the sex I had with you, was over the top! I loved getting fucked by you and it was good as long as it lasted, but in the end I got bored and annoyed by your ugly face and how much you missed your little Max and how much you'd like to fuck her."

Right away, Chloe feels how her face is burning up; signing that she is blushing hard.

"D'awwww, look at that! Chloe fucking Price blushes when she recalls our talks." She shifts her gaze to Max again. "Yes, Max, she told me every dirty fantasy she had about you and…she sometimes even moaned your name while we were doing it. It was so amusing and pathetic!"

If Rachel thinks that her psycho-games would work out with Max, she is wrong. The black-haired girl simply keeps on glancing at her, emotionlessly and shrugs. "I know that she always had a crush on me and if I wouldn't have a girlfriend already, I would get busy with her." Now she unfolds her arms and takes a step towards Rachel, which causes the blonde to aim at her again. "Listen, bitch, I know what you did to Chloe and actually I was against this meeting here, but let me make things short: Chloe won't mule any drugs for you, period! Now, put away that gun or…"

"Or what?" replies Rachel with a smirk, cocking the hammer.

Immediately, Chloe gets on high-alert, almost panicking. But instead of freaking out, she uses the knowledge and the situation awareness she has learned from Max, grabs Rachel's gun with a surprising quick move, rips it out of her hands and lets a punch right into the blonde's face follow.

"Nice moves, Chlo!" comments Max nonchalantly, takes the gun from Chloe's grasp and disassembles it.

"Shit!" the punk-girl responds, looking at her trembling hands. "I-I just reacted. I…"

Touching her friend's shoulder softly, Max give's her a soft smile and a reassuring "You did well!" before she shifts her attention towards Rachel, crouching down beside the injured woman. Blood is flowing from her raptured bottom lip while her jaw's about to take on a blueish color.

"I think we made our point that you can beat it and fuck yourself!" states Max, only to get a "Fuck you, cunt!" in response by Rachel, who tries to get up again, but receives another blow to her head by Max, which sends her unconscious to the ground again.

"That was for raping Chloe, you disgusting piece of shit!"

For some time, Chloe gazes at Max dumfounded, not knowing what to say or do. Sure, she already had been in the one or other fist-fight with an asshole when she'd been drunk, but this entire self-protection stuff is new to her, especially when there are guns involved.

"We should go!" now states Max, already moving towards the passenger's door of Chloe's truck, the bluenette following a moment later.

Even several minutes after they had left the garage, none of them has said a word and soon, Max realizes that they are driving around aimlessly. Just right now, the black-haired girl sees the struggle Chloe's going through. She sees how her jaw clenches several times to hold back a sob while a single tear rolls down her cheek. She was about to say something as Chloe suddenly starts to yell, letting her fist hit the wheel several times.

"Goddammitfuckingshitfucksonofabitchfuckthisfuckingcunt! Why? Why the fuck didn't I listen to you?! Why did I even bother to save her fucking ass?! We're now here, in fucking L.A., a thousand miles away from home and for what?!" She lets the rhetorical question hover in the cabin for a moment before she continues her rant. "Nothing! Nada! Niente! Nothing more than a fucking waste of time!"

"Well, at least you had the chance to punch her in the face," mentions Max dryly with a shrug.

"Still," then Chloe replies, now a bit calmer, "I shouldn't have fallen for her acting. Life and death, my ass!"

While Chloe focuses on driving again, Max gazes at her friend for some time. She feels sorry for the bluenette; sorry for how Rachel had always used and manipulated her, and didn't even feel bad about it. Chloe deserves better. Always has and always will be! Therefor Max comes up with a quick idea.

"Hey Chlo, how 'bout, we use the opportunity of being in L.A.?"

"Huh? What do ya have in mind?"

"Well, it's still early, so how about we hit the Universal Studios, riding the attractions until we puke our fresh devoured fast food out?"

A wide toothy grin appears on Chloe's face as she gives Max a glimpse, and instantly the freckled girl knows that she hit the right nerve.

Kate

The credits of a love film that Kate and Dana had been watching, rolls over the screen of Dana's Laptop. The small couch table on which it stands on is littered with take-away food boxes and empty soda cans.

"That was a crappy movie!" mentions Kate and takes one last sip soda from her can before she continues her rant, much to Dana's displease. "I mean, why does a relationship in movies always have to start with sex? They barely know each other, but it's fine to hump each others brain out, or what?!"

"Well, no, but sometimes it starts like this," Dana holds against it, "Take me and Trevor for instance-…"

"Yeah, we all saw how well that played out!" Kate replies with anger, crossing her arms, pouting.

For some moments, Dana gazes at her friend with eyes wide open, entirely surprised by the blonde's sudden outburst. "Katie?" she says softly, touching the blonde's shoulder, who returns the cheerleader's worried look with watery eyes. "Hey, what's wrong?"

It takes Kate some time to summon enough courage to talk with Dana about a rather embarrassing topic. "It's just," she starts with a sigh, "It feels to me like everyone in this stupid world has sex, except me and Max! Every time we wanna do it, some shit happens. Victoria, David Madsen, my family, and now this stupid thing with Chloe! It's like nobody wants us to be happy."

"Katie," now Dana sighs and speaks to her calmly, "A relationship isn't just about sex! Yes, it's a cool and absolutely amazing by-product, but it's not something a relationship should be build upon. The reason why my ships always went to hell wasn't because it didn't work out in bed, but because it only worked out in the sack. Actually, I envy you and Max, 'cause your bond is so deep and far beyond everything I've ever experienced. You're right, such movies don't show reality, it's just…Hollywood, nothing else. But you and Max, you're real! Just be a bit patient and if the urge itches too much down there…well, use your hand. Uhm…if you know how to do it, of course. Or do you need a lesson 'bout that?"

Since she's unused to talk about her relatively new sex-life with somebody else than Max, Kate blushes intensively, her hands now fumbling with each other out of nervousness.

"I-I already know how to do it. We…me and Max…we…uh…we even already had phone-sex."

"Really?!" Dana gasps in surprise, a wry smile getting formed by her lips. "Cool thing! And maybe that's the solution!"

"Huh?!"

"Kate, it's obvious that you're frustrated and kinda horny, so why don't you go to your room, call Max and have a nice talk with her? I think you're in need for some happy end!"

'I think Dana's right,' thinks Kate about her friend's suggestion, 'Since our last try I haven't had any time to release some pressure and the phone-sex had been in fact pretty amazing!'

Having made a decision, Kate gives her friend a warm hug and stands up. "Thanks, D! I-I'll think about what you just said and…uh…"

"Just have fun, Katie!" Dana eventually says with a smirk, giving the blonde a soft peck on the cheek. Just as Kate wants to leave the room it knocks on the door.

Knowing who this is, Dana opens it immediately and as soon as she looks into the face of Juliet Watson, the cheerleader takes her into an embrace and – most to Kate's surprise – gives the reporter an intimate kiss.

"Uh…i-is there something I should know?"

Obviously haven't realized that Dana isn't alone, Juliet gazes at Kate with wide open eyes and starts to blush, which lets the cheerleader chuckle once more.

"Well, I think it's time for you to know that I and Jules are a thing," she says, giving the dumbfounded brunette another peck.

"On trial!" Juliet adds chidingly, once more earning herself another snicker by her lover.

"On trial?! What is there to try? You're totally into me!"

"D, I'm not even sure about my sexuality, yet!"

"I-it doesn't matter, Jules!" Kate throws in out of a sudden, "Sexuality's just a label. You are what you are, and you love who you love!"

"Hmm…that's really deep, Kate!" Juliet comments, being caught in deep thoughts. But not for long since Dana gets her back to reality with another kiss.

"Jules, we're gonna figure it out later. Right now," Dana shifts her gaze once more to Kate, addressing her with a wink, "Kate has an important phone-call to do and we," now she looks back at her girlfriend, seductively, "have another test ahead of us! But I think we skip the theory-part and move right on to the oral exams!"

Kate could literally see how Dana is close to devour Juliet right away, while the brunette blushes even more and seems to be shy and insecure. On one hand she feels uncomfortable and intimidated by all this seduction from Dana's side, but on the other hand she feels aroused by the thought about Dana and Juliet doing it. Not wanting to be the fifth wheel, Kate grabs her stuff, hugs her friend one last time with a "Thanks for dinner and your advice!" and heads towards her room.

Once she's there, another, even better idea than simply calling Max, comes to her mind so that she immediately writes her girlfriend a message with shaking and sweaty hands.

[Kate]: Wanna skype?

Which is replied a few minutes later.

[Max]: sure.

[Max]: lemme fire up my laptop

[Kate]: kk

In the meantime, Kate's Laptop has already been booted up and ready, waiting for the much wanted call. In preparation, Kate has already switched into her more comfortable pajama. Then, a melody chimes from her Computer.

'Okay, Kate, be sexy and don't be afraid! Max loves your body and wants you as much as you want her!'

Almost about to quit her endeavor, Kate closes her eyes, exhales deeply and presses the green symbol. After a moment, Max's freckled face appears on the screen.

"Hi Katie, 'sup?" she says with a warm smile, which floods the blonde's body with joy. But because she's so nervous, Kate's throat becomes dry and no words want to leave her mouth. "Shit! Is the connection that bad?"

'C'mon, say something!'

"Uh…n-no it's fine. I'm…I'm just so glad to see you! So, how was your day?"

"Great! Chloe and I were at the Universal Studios theme park. 't was lotsa fun. Chloe even puked once!" tells Max with a sheepish, toothy smile. Normally, Kate loves when this childish side breaks through the hard surface of her girlfriend, but right now, talking about Chloe's vomit isn't really helping to set the mood.

"Eww," Kate says with a scrunched up nose, followed by a warm smile, "but I'm glad that you had so much fun!"

"Yeah," sighs Max in reply, "though I wish you could be here right now!"

'It's now or never!'

Her heart thumping like it's about to jump out of her chest and her body flooded with adrenaline, Kate only manages to whiff a "Yeah, me too!", bites her bottom lip and strips of her pajama shirt.

Actually, Kate would've suspected by Max to stay cool as usual, but instead the black-haired girl arches her eyebrows and starts to blush, while her mouth open and closes several times before it could form any words.

"Uh…Katie…wh-what are you doing?"

'Be sexy and seductive!'

Slowly, Kate brushes over her breasts and tries to give her girlfriend a seductive gaze.

"Y'know, since Saturday night we…we never had another chance to…to get intimate again. So, h-how about we…y'know…"

She could see how Max gulps and gets nervous. Kate loves this soft and insecure side of her beloved girlfriend, because it shows her true self. It shows the vulnerable Max Kate fell in love with.

"K-Katie…I-I know th-that we…that we need to do some…fun-stuff, but…"

Somehow, the shy stammering turns Kate even more on, so that she let her right hand glide down between her legs, which caused her to moan. As she gazes at the screen again, she sees how Max's jaw drops, but also how Chloe's head appears in the background, her eyes wide open.

'Oh! My! Goodness!'

Completely surprised, Kate shrieks and covers her bare chest, an intense heat crawling up her face. On the other end of the line, Chloe shrieks as well as she falls of the motel room's bed, while Max turns around, gazing at the on the ground lying bluenette.

"Chloe! What the fuck?!"

"Sorryyy!" replies Chloe as she gets up, "You guys want some privacy?"

"Yes, please!" Max snaps back with some agitation.

"Alright, alright!" the punk answers and grabs her jacket, but closes in on Max's computer before she leaves, speaking into the cam. "Sorry for peeking, Katie! Nice pair, by the way! I like 'em!"

This comment earned the bluenette a punch on the arm, paired with a stinky eye by Max and a very shy "Th-thank you, Chloe!" by Kate.

"You guys have fun!" Chloe adds before she walks out of sight and the sound of an opening and closing door chimes. And then, there's only silence and two very embarrassed and beet-red blushing girls.

"So, uhm…" Max starts, trying to find the right words as she scratches the back of her neck, "That was kinda awkward."

Kate on the other hand covers her face with her hands and groans. "Ugh! Dear Lord, that was so embarrassing! Why didn't you tell me, that Chloe was there?!"

"I wanted to, but…you gave me quite a show and…I kinda didn't want it to end."

Huffing out some air, Kate calms down again. She knows that it wasn't Max's fault. But what should she do now? Continue or just call it a night. The blonde hasn't made a decision yet, as her girlfriend's voice shifts her attention back to the screen.

"Hey Katie, you wanna go on?" Max, now bare-chested as well, speaks seductively and immediately, Kate's breathing stops, the boldness from before entirely gone.

"I-I…I…I don't know."

"C'mon! Chloe gave us some space and you made me very horny, so…"

Kate sees how Max's hand wanders deep down and as the black-haired girl moans, she knows where that hand is right now. The blonde fixes her gaze at Max's face; how it becomes a mirror of her pleasure. Just seeing this, Kate gets aroused so intensively, that she starts doing it to herself, too.

Chloe

The cool night air fills her lungs as Chloe steps outside and takes a deep inhale, thinking about what just happened.

'Damn, never would've thought that Kate could be that kind of a horndog! I would've loved to stay and enjoy the show, but…neither Kate nor Max is my girlfriend…sadly!'

With a big sigh, Chloe buries her hands inside her pockets and heads towards a bunch of close-by vending machines. The first one contains cigarettes and right away Chloe feels the need to fill her lungs with the dense, soothing smoke.

'Oh sweet coffin-nails, how many years have you guys been trusty companions through my shitty teenage years? Well…it wasn't meant to hold forever, 'cause we all need to grow up and go our separate ways.'

The other two machines she's standing in front of next have all sorts of snacks and drinks inside of them and immediately, Chloe fells hungry and thirsty.

'I think sugar is a way better and healthier drug. At least if I don't overdo it and gonna become a ball of fat that dies because of a heart-attack and needs a crane to move the stinking corpse to the cemetery. But on the other hand…fuck it; I've never been a reasonable person.'

After she found some coins in her pockets, Chloe bought some sweets plus a can of soda and heads towards her truck. She feels that a whiff of melancholy hovers above her, which let her reminisce about her life. What she'd done; what she'd reached. Her hand brushes over the hood of her old truck, petting it like a horse.

'My dear ol' rust bucket! I still remember how I found you on the junkyard, remember those hours and hours of work I put into you. So much time together and you never let me down, once.'

She opens the vehicle, but before sitting down onto the driver's seat, she spots the old, dried bloodstains on it.

'You hauled my ass to the hospital after Rachel raped it. Is it possible that you've been my only true friend, after Max had left for Seattle?'

Chloe makes herself comfortable in the cabin and starts to eat her late-night snacks.

'Who would've thought that you'd see L.A. for real? After all that shit with Rachel I had already said those fucking dreams of leaving Arcadia freakin' Bay a big Goodbye. But thanks to my somehow new developed fear of flying we had to drive the entire way down here. Pft, when I just think about that Dad wanted to fly to Paris with me and Mom…yeah, that would've been fun!'

For another ten minutes, Chloe simply stares at the ceiling of her truck, thinking about various other things until her phone chimes.

[Max]: coast is clear!

Chloe stares at the message for some time and new thoughts emerge from her mind. She thinks about something that she always tries to avoid: Max. About their friendship before she left; about the feelings for her; about how she messed up and about how she'd love to be in Kate's place. Her heart begins to ache. She feels so lonely; so in need for real love, not just sex. She wants Max so badly, but also knows that it's nothing more than an illusion, and this fact makes her cry hard.

Kate

It's Thursday night. Kate puts on a pair of new blue jeans and a plaid orange flannel shirt. Tonight she wants to look special. Tonight she wants to show everyone that she could be different. Tonight she wants to out her relationship with Max during the Vortex Club party.

Except that they want to go to the party, Max knows nothing about Kate's plans, because the blonde wants it to be a surprise. A surprise that's supposed to show her girlfriend the deep feelings she has for her and that she's willing to go this big step just for her.

Kate gazes out of her room window. It's already dark outside; only the constant soft drumming on the glass tells her that it's raining. Due to the weather and some traffic jams, Max and Chloe are already running late, but just a few minutes ago, Max had sent her a message that they had already reached Arcadia Bay, and now all Kate has to do is waiting.

One last time Kate pets her bunny. Suddenly she hears her door opening and closing. As she turns around with a big smile, her entire being flooded with joy upon seeing her beloved Max again, the blonde already wants to jump at her, but stops instantly as she realizes that, instead of Max, Victoria Chase stands in her room.

Immediately, Kate's smile falters and is replaced by an agitated frown.

"What the fuck do you want, Victoria?"

"Ouch, so much hostility!" Victoria sneers cynically, rolling with her eyes. But as her gaze falls on the blonde again, she smirks. "Oh la-la, look at that! Our little Katie finally wears clothes that don't scream virgin out loud, though it still is trashy as fuck!"

"Spare me your stupid mocks and cut the crap! What do you want?" Kate blurts at her impatiently, not in the mood for the pixie-blonde's psycho-games.

With an evil snicker of amusement, Victoria closes in on Kate, scanning her attire from head to toe as she walks around her in a slow pace.

"It's pretty obvious that Cockfield's rubbing off on you. Tell me, how does it feel to lick a cunt, Katie? Or are you two still just holding hands?"

Then she spots Kate's bunny, Alice and wants to pet it, but Kate slaps her hand away and shoves herself between them. "That's none of your business and if you plan on blackmailing me with this, then you can fuck yourself, 'cause I wanna make it official anyway!"

"Oh Katie," Victoria scoffs and shakes her head as she walks over to Kate's tidy bed and sits down on it, "Blackmailing is so not my style. I prefer to make deals. Quit pro quo, if you wanna call it that way. So, you're gay, who cares? Lotta people at this freakin' school aren't entirely straight. I, for myself, love to fuck everyone who I want and every fucker at this school knows this. Do they care? No!"

Though she doesn't want to admit it, Victoria's poisonous words start to seep into Kate's mind, putting her under a lot of pressure. She knows that she needs to end this conversation fast if she doesn't want to have another breakdown. "Then why are you here? Th-the relationship between me and Max is…"

"Useful," interrupts her Victoria nonchalantly. "See, Max is untouchable for me. She doesn't give any fucks about her reputation or my status, but you…" Now her smirk got even more evil than before. "You, my little Katie, are the key to her emotions. YOU are her weak spot."

For the first moment, Kate doesn't know what to say. She's just too overwhelmed by this level of agitation. How much hate must there be in a person to have the need to hurt someone that badly? Kate doesn't know, but she knows that she won't help Victoria to hurt her beloved one.

"Why?" she speaks quietly, close to shedding tears. "Why are you doing this? Max is so innocent and…I won't help you! No matter the cost!"

"I already knew that you would say that, that's why I brought you something."

Victoria pulls a brand-new iPad from behind her back, turns it on and reaches it to Kate, who reads the files from Homeland-Security with wide open eyes and glimpses at her nemesis in unbelief, lacking any words.

"Before you ask where I've got these files from, just know that I've my sources, period!" continues the pixie, not waiting for an answer. "And no, I don't give a shit if you believe it or not, because if you don't play ball, I'll make this stuff public. And with public I mean that I'll send it to every schoolboard and educational institution throughout the entire country, which will, of course, kill every chance for her to become a photographer or everything else above a waitress or whore."

"No!" Kate gasps loudly, "You can't do this!"

"Aww, but I can," Victoria answers with a pity-face, "and it's in your power to stop me from doing so. I mean, you do love her and want the best for this little dyke, do you?"

For a minute, Kate stays quiet. She knows that making a deal with Victoria is like making a deal with the devil himself. Only the Queen-Bee would have a gain from it, nobody else and though she already made the decision to decline the deal, Kate at least wants to know what the taller girl is up to.

"Wh-what do you want?" she asks with a brittle voice, already fearing the answer.

Now smirking even wider, the fruits of her plan within her grasp's reach; Victoria gets up and closes in on Kate. Her voice now sounds like the satisfied purr of a cat. "Oh that's pretty simple." She comes to a stop right in front of the smaller girl and brushes with her finger over Kate's cheek, which lets the intimidated girl flinch. "I want you!"

Her eyes opening widely in surprise, Kate takes a step back and gasps. "What?!"

But Victoria follows instantly, her tone now quiet and seductively as she whiffs in the small blonde's face, the faint stench of cigarette's and weed chiming with it, which makes Kate closing her eyes and turn her head away. "I wanna fuck you!"

Out of a sudden, her jaw is taken into a tight, hurtful hold. Violently, she's forced to gaze at Victoria again, who then presses her lips onto Kate's. Though, a wave of disgust and nausea rushes through her body, Kate is far too shocked to react right away. Only a very well known and much yearned for voice breaks the spell and let her snap out of it.

"Hey Katie, I'm…back…" sounds Max voice. Immediately, Kate pushes Victoria away and turns her sight towards her girlfriend.

Max's face is a mixture of hurt, anger, unbelief and denial. Kate can see how her girlfriend's entire body goes through a struggle, trembling and clenching.

"Max…" she whispers and tries to reach out, but the black-haired girl just shakes her head, turns around and darts straight into her room, slamming her room door shut with loud bang.

"I told that cunt that I'd get even," hisses Victoria, a vicious grin on her face.

Seeing this kind of malicious joy, paired with how much Max must've been hurt by the Queen-Bee's sick game, Kate's mind gets clouded with hate and anger. She takes a wide swing and lets her flat hand collide with Victoria's cheek, emitting a loud SLAP!

"I will never become such an enslaved bitch like Courtney or Taylor! Not in a million fucking years!" Kate yells at the Queen-Bee, who's holding her reddening cheek with wide open, watery eyes. "I despise you! I hate you! And I hope that you'll rot in hell for what you've done to other people!"

After she has spat these words into her face, Kate storms out of her room, leaving an entirely stunned Victoria behind.

Max

"Hey Chlo, wake up! We're back!" says Max and gives the still sleeping Chloe a slight push on her shoulder, but only receives a drowsily groan. "Hey, c'mon! You wanted to come to the party with us!"

"Ugh!" replies the brunette, stretching her limbs. "Stupid party! But you're right, I definitely need some booze."

Since they had passed the California/Oregon state border a constant rain had accompanied them. It seems like it has been following the two girls the entire time. Despite Max's first doubts, Chloe's truck kept on running the whole way to L.A. and back without any incident, not even the bad weather was able to stop this piece of badass-ery.

Smoothly, Max steers the vehicle into the parking lot of Blackwell Academy. Once the truck comes to a halt, the black-haired girl turns off the engine.

"Well, that's it. Here we are." she mentions, unbuckles the seatbelt and wants to get out, but is suddenly taken into a tight embrace by Chloe.

"Thanks again for coming with me, dude!" the bluenette whispers with a heavy voice and immediately, Max returns the hug, smiling warmly.

"No prob, Chlo!"

What follows after that, takes Max totally by surprise. Chloe breaks the embrace and gives her friend a kiss on her lips, and what surprises her even more is, that she likes it. Yet, she still has a girlfriend and knows that this kiss is not okay, therefore she breaks it right away and wants to talk with Chloe about it. But before she's able to do so, the bluenette has already left the truck and is walking away in a fast pace.

"Shit!" Max sighs, taking another moment to process what just happened; what actually happened these last days. Since they've met Rachel, Chloe behaved strange. And it didn't get better the more time they had spent together, having fun in Los Angeles. Max would've been lying if she'd say that she hadn't developed deeper feelings for her blue-haired friend as well. But this is something that mustn't happen!

Knowing that, Max slams her fist on the wheel out of frustration upon this mixture of feelings. She knows that only seeing Kate would calm and anchor her down now. Therefore she sighs again, leaves the truck and heads for the dorms.

The rain is still mild, just a few drops from time to time. So, a lot of people from the ongoing party are scattered across the grounds. Some drunk, some high, some both and some are just gathered in groups, smoking, chatting or only taking a break from the hurly-burly inside the building.

Max ignores them all, making her way to her beloved Kate as fast as possible. She enters the dorm, takes the stairs to her floor and goes straight to Kate's room. She knows that Katie is waiting for her, but still she wants to surprise her girlfriend at least a bit. Therefor she doesn't bother to knock and storms into the room.

"Hey Katie, I'm…" Max says joyfully, but stops in shock as she sees the shocking scene in front of her eyes. The word "back" literally just drops out of her mouth as she fails to close it again. Kate and Victoria are kissing. From all the bitches at Blackwell it has to be Victoria Chase, who is now giving the black-haired girl an evil and victorious grin.

She hears how Kate whispers her name, but Max is way to busy with keeping herself together. Her heart hurts like it's about to crack into a million pieces. Every muscle of her body screams to violently wipe this ugly grin off the Queen-Bee's face. But what would be the use of that? She went down this path of revenge once and hadn't felt better in the end. So, what's there left to do?

'Run!' screams her mind as Kate reaches out to her. 'Run away before it gets worse!'

And that's what Max does. She turns around and runs into her last remaining sanctuary: her room. With a loud bang the door shuts close and a click locks it.

Max stumbles a few steps backwards, hyperventilating. Her body itches everywhere, yearning to release the pain and inflict it to someone or something. A sob escapes her mouth. She wants to scream her agony out. And then she hears her sweet and innocent voice, accompanied by a knock.

"Max, please open the door! We need to talk!"

"Go away…" whimpers Max. Her hard shell is crumbling.

"It wasn't what it looked like!"

"…go away…go away…" She hugs herself, her voice getting louder.

"Max, please!" Kate's voice is getting weaker.

"…go…" Max's pain overwhelms her and breaks lose like a thunderstorm, "…AWAY! Just leave me alone you cheatin', backstabbin' bitch! I hate you! I! FUCKING! HATE! YOU! Go away and never come back!"

She hears a sob. It goes away, but the pain stays. Max starts to break down, until there's another knock on her door.