Kate was sitting on the couch, looking almost horrified as Max recounted her appendicitis story. The blonde had already been planning on coming up to Seattle, and decided to expedite her trip to for the following weekend to see how Max was doing in person.
Chloe was sitting on the floor in front of Max, eyes closed as her girlfriend played with her freshly dyed hair. The return to blue seemed extra appreciated by Max, and Chloe enjoyed the little bit of rebellion again. Every now and then Chloe would crack an eye open to glance over at Victoria, who perched in the arm-chair, watching Max and Kate - but mostly Kate. She could tell by the slightly dazed look on Victoria's face that she was thinking non-platonic thoughts.
Kate was staying at Victoria's house as planned, and although Vicky hadn't technically been invited to come hang today, Chloe felt guilty about slamming the door in her face. After a round of their usual banter, which ended with Max scolding the both of them, Victoria came into the house. She still looked a little uncomfortable, as if relaxing in a friend's house wasn't something she'd done before.
"Max, I am so sorry you had to go through all that," Kate said as Max finished her story. She was holding one of the throw pillows as if it was a ring buoy, still looking perturbed. "It sounds awful."
Max's arms moved, presumably in a shrug, but her fingers were still in Chloe's hair. "Thanks, Kate. I'm just glad it's a one-and-done kind of thing."
Chloe frowned, tilting her head back to look up at Max. "For you, maybe. Some of us still have the damn things ticking inside of us," she complained. Even though the odds of appendicitis were relatively low, it would be just her luck that she would get it, too. The world did seem determined to kill her, after all - Max should know better than that.
Victoria made a dismissive noise, rolling her eyes. "Jesus, Price, not everything is about you."
Chloe had a few comebacks up her sleeve, and she was deciding which one use when Max spoke up, obviously not willing to let the two of them start at it again. "Thanks, Victoria. So, Kate, how's your family?"
"They're- they're good. Abigail's starting to look at colleges. She's thinking about coming up here, to Seattle."
"Abby's what, sixteen? Seems a little young to be college shopping," Victoria commented, and Chloe noticed the faintest blush spreading across her cheeks. Chloe didn't even know Kate's sisters' names, let alone how old they were. Someone's been paying attention. Atta girl.
"I think she's just excited about becoming an adult." There was a sad tone to Kate's voice, and Chloe suddenly felt like the conversation was about to take a dark tone. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be in the room when it happened.
"Kate, is everything okay?" Max asked politely. Of course she would - Max never met a question she wouldn't ask. Some called it nosy. As her significant other, Chloe felt obliged to call it endearing.
Victoria stood up suddenly, staring down at Chloe. "Smoke break?" It was hardly a question, but there was a certain panic in Victoria's eyes that Chloe couldn't understand.
Max's hand tightened in Chloe's hair. It was a little uncomfortable, but more surprising than anything. "You two are not about to go smoke mari-"
Victoria pulled out a regular pack of cigarettes, waving them around. "I'm not naïve, Caulfield. I won't smoke weed in your cutesy suburban neighborhood."
Max's hand relaxed, but still seemed to be trying to hold Chloe in place. "Chloe doesn't smoke anym-"
Chloe slid out from under her easily, grabbing her beanie from the floor next to her. She crammed it onto her head quickly before Max could try to grab at her again. "S'all good, I'll make sure she doesn't get lost." Max looked a little flustered, but nodded. The two headed out to the foyer, grabbing their coats and heading out the door before putting them on. "So, is it bad?" Chloe asked as she zipped her jacket up on the porch.
Victoria's fingers were fumbling a little as she buttoned her own peacoat. "It's- yeah." The two of them headed off the porch, trudging carefully to the sidewalk. It hadn't snowed in almost a week, but there were still slick spots where the driveway hadn't been fully cleared, and the remaining sludge had turned to ice.
Victoria didn't speak as the walked past the first intersection, pausing to light up her cigarette. Chloe turned down one when offered - this was one habit she was glad to break. "So, are you going to tell me why you hijacked me?" Chloe asked, stuffing her hands in her pockets in lieu of something to do.
The end of the cigarette flared as Victoria inhaled, suddenly looking a little pale. "I made a mistake," she whispered, smoke following her words.
Chloe stared her for a second, confused. "You what?"
"I shouldn't have asked Kate to stay at my place." It was just as quiet of a sentence as the previous one, but Victoria's distress was very clear.
Chloe thought for a moment, trying to decide what would be the worst thing Victoria could do, when it dawned on her. "Wait wait wait, did you try to make a move on her?"
Victoria's nostrils flailed at the thought, and her hand reflexively reached out to smack Chloe's shoulder. "Jesus Christ, do you think that little of me? I didn't do anything, for the record." Victoria glared at her for a few more moments before her expression shifted back to uncomfortable. "Just didn't realize how hard it would be to be in the same house."
"And in the same room, alone," Chloe supplied jokingly, before noticing Victoria looking pointedly away. "Shit, did you guys crash in the same bed, even?"
The stark white of Victoria's face was suddenly very red, and she appeared very interested in her cigarette. "It wasn't like that, seriously. She heard me during my nightly dream cycle, Thursday night."
Chloe winced sympathetically. "Fuck. Max hasn't had a nightmare in so long, I forgot what it was like to deal with those," she replied. It was true - Max slept so soundly now that she didn't even wake up on the occasion that Chloe's dreams scared her awake.
"Yeah, well, Kate ended up just staying with me instead, in case I had another nightmare. Didn't even say anything last night, just settled into my bed when we were crashing." Victoria took another drag, lost in thought as she stared out aimlessly. "She's just too..."
"Good," Chloe finished for her. "Yeah, I know the feeling."
"Max isn't that perfect," Victoria retorted, although she wore a sarcastic smile.
"Oh, so you're saying Kate's perfect?" Chloe shot back, grinning. She chuckled as the blonde started spluttering. "So, do you know what's going on with Kate's family?"
Victoria groaned loudly, taking one last drag. "Her mother is a fucking psychopath, that's what's going on."
"You don't sound like a fan," Chloe noted, watching Victoria's face contort in disgust.
"Bitch is why people hate religion." Victoria shook her head, dropping her spent cigarette on the ground and grinding it into the cold concrete. "She's apparently been trying to get Kate to stop talking to all of us."
Chloe snorted. "Well, that's rude." And obviously not working.
"Yeah. You two are spawns of Satan, because, you know, gay, and you're trying to recruit her. And some stupid verse says you can't be rich and be a Christian, so my parents and I are no better, and we'll all just bring Kate to hell with us."
Chloe couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity. "Thank goodness the religious nut job knows her stuff," Chloe joked, earning an appreciative smile. "I'm not too worried about it, Kate can take care of herself."
Chloe felt her phone buzz before Victoria could respond. Chloe pulled it out of her pocket, confused. With the exception of Max and David, no one texted her.
Unknown: Hey, it's Steph Gingrich
A noise of interest came from Victoria, who had peered down at Chloe's phone as well, brows furrowing. "Well, there's a name I haven't heard in a while. What's she texting you for?"
Chloe shook her head in confusion, throwing the number into her contacts - she had changed phones since the last time they talked, and figured she'd never talk to half the people in her phone again, so hadn't transferred over all the numbers. "Don't know. Haven't talked to her since she graduated."
Chloe: Sup DM
Steph: You didn't change your number. Thank God.
Chloe: But what if I had, and I'm just good at guessing random letters?
Steph: Definitely Chloe Price.
Victoria was pulling out her own phone when Chloe looked back up, feeling a little giddy. She had always liked Steph, and it had been a shame that they had fallen out of touch. Chloe would be lying if she said she didn't miss the table top games, either. Rachel was never a fan of them, but maybe Max would be interested...
Victoria sighed heavily, bringing Chloe back to the present. She tucked her phone away, deciding to follow-up with Steph some other time. Vicky needed her now. "How the hell did we come to this?" Victoria muttered, fiddling with jacket buttons. "Back living in Seattle and hanging out?"
Chloe shifted a little uncomfortably. "Well, a giant ass storm blew out Arcadia Bay, that was kinda a big moment."
Victoria snorted, turning around to start walking back to the Caulfields' house. "You're such an idiot," she retorted, smiling. That smile started fading as they walked. "Can I admit something to you?"
"You've said a lot of shit to me already. I don't know what more you have to admit."
"Shut it." There was a ghost of a smile on her face, but she was looking more and more dejected by the moment. "I'm kind of glad that storm came."
Chloe felt a sort of shock ripple through her, quickly transitioning into anger as she processed the words. "Well, fuck all those people who died, then," she snapped back, stuffing her hands into her pockets as she sped up her pace.
"I- no, shit. That's not what I meant. I know it sounds fucked up."
"Yes, you're fucked up," came the hostile reply. Chloe wasn't sure what made her more upset - Victoria's blatant selfish comment, or knowing Chloe herself was the direct reason the storm happened. If Max had just gone back and-
"Chloe, please stop for a second." Victoria Chase didn't plead, and maybe that's why Chloe came to a sudden halt. She looked back at the blonde, who was cowering slightly under her gaze. "All this shit is fucked up, I know. I wish it hadn't happened."
There was no humor in Chloe's resulting laugh. "Glad we're on the same page."
"I was a shitty person then. Maybe I'm still a shitty person now," she said, and Chloe was surprised to see Victoria's eyes were a little watery. "But I-" Victoria cut herself off suddenly. "Fuck, do I have to say it?"
Chloe shrugged. She was in the dark on Victoria's thoughts. "Apparently, you do."
"I-I'm just used to my friends not really giving a shit." Victoria crossed her arms, making herself appear smaller. "And you, Max, Kate..." She stared off towards her car, sitting prominently in the driveway. There was a sort of awe spreading across her face, as if she was seeing the sun for the first time. "You guys don't care about my parents' money, you just care about..."
"About you," Chloe quietly finished. Victoria nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Dude, don't get all mushy on me."
Victoria sniffed, walking past her quickly towards the house. She tried to hide it, but Chloe could see her dabbing at her eyes. "Not on your life, Price."
When the walked back into the Caulfield house, Chloe was relieved to hear laughter coming from the living room. They threw their coats back on the coat rack, making their way in to see the other two girls still on the couch. Max looked over the back of the couch to watch them approach, blue eyes shining.
"Sounds like we're missing all the fun," Chloe commented, leaning over the back of the couch to throw her arms around Max. Max leaned back into her, head just below Chloe's chin. She started repeating the story, and Chloe almost missed Kate grabbing Victoria's wrist as the latter walked around the couch. She could barely hear Kate ask if Victoria was alright over Max's explanation, and Chloe felt a little smirk spreading across her face.
Victoria and Kate headed out before Max's parents came home from their shopping trip, designed to last most of the day to give the girls a chance to hangout unsupervised. After waving them off from the doorway, Max closed the door, a sly grin on her face.
"What are you looking so smug about?" Chloe asked, leaning against the door next to her. The sight of Max looking a mischievous actually scared her, because Max was rarely up to no good.
Max shrugged, but her eyes were still shining. "Nothing, just something Kate told me," she said cryptically.
"Oh, do pray tell," Chloe replied, an eyebrow cocking in interest as she crossed her arms.
Max bit her lip, suddenly bashful. She had a doubtful look as she looked back, eyes wide. "I said I wasn't going to say anything."
Chloe groaned, throwing her head back and hitting it against the door. "Max, you can't say shit like that and then not tell you girlfriend, who you love very much."
"I don't see how that relates," Max teased, reaching a hand out to brush a stray lock of blue hair out of Chloe's eyes.
"Because you love me very much," Chloe repeated, pouting a little.
"Fine," Max sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Kate's apparently been...questioning some things about herself."
"Questioning what, her- oh my god, is she crushing on Vicky?" Chloe's eyebrows shot up at the idea. It would just be too perfect.
Max frowned, apparently not expecting Chloe to come to that conclusion so quickly. "She doesn't want Victoria to know."
For a moment, Chloe was silent before breaking out into hysterical laughter. "This is too fucking good," she choked out, struggling to breathe.
Max looked somewhat concerned, and also a touch frustrated. "What are you laughing about?"
"Victoria's had a hard on for her for months," Chloe explained, leaned over a little as she tried to catch her breath.
Max's mouth opened and closed a few times, processing. It gave Chloe a chance to straighten up before she started speaking. "How long have you known?"
Chloe smiled sheepishly, shoulders ducking defensively. "A few months," she replied, suddenly feeling guilty. Max's glare wasn't helping that feeling.
Max's voice raised a few tones. "And you gave me shit for not telling you something I found out today?"
"Have I mentioned recently how much I love you?" Chloe blurted out, hoping to override Max's sudden angry expression.
She scoffed. "Sure you do." But Max had started smiling, and she began playing with Chloe's hair again. She took the signs of forgiveness as an opportunity to lean in for a smooch, and was relieved when Max responded positively.
After a moment of bliss, Chloe pulled back, smirking. "So, do you want to tell them they're into each other, or-"
"Chloe, let them figure it out themselves!" Max scolded, but she was still smiling, her hands joining behind Chloe's neck.
"But c'mon, they're this close!" Chloe complained. "They're crazy about each other, just like you and me!"
"Is that so?" Max's voice was suddenly rather alluring, so much so that Chloe was speechless. Max immediately went red and started laughing at herself. "Sorry, that sounded way cheesier than I thought it would."
Chloe grinned back, hands at Max's waist. "Luckily for you, I'm not lactose intolerant."
Max just shook her head, looking slightly unimpressed. "Insert groan here."