Small steps are still steps.
Max and Chloe had unsurprisingly gotten right back into the swing of things like nothing ever happened. Of course, there was some tension there that still needed more time to ease up. But otherwise, the pair of best friends were going through Chloe's room, digging old memories back up, teasing one another, and all in all having a nice time.
Though, this was just the beginning in terms of progression in Arcadia Bay, for Max specifically.
She hadn't quite yet been able to find the right moment to reveal her big powerful secret to Chloe, let alone get into all the nitty gritty of previous lifetime's which Max had witnessed, and lived through...
'Soon..', she thought to herself.
Max
Man... I can't believe this is all going so well already, and on my first attempt! I want to try and enjoy all of my time with Chloe here before I end up telling her about my powers and my plan.. It's gonna be alright, just enjoy yourself for now.
Speaking of which... Chloe seems to be having fun.
(She was currently jumping in circles around Max, headbanging along to the loud music she put on as well)
Out of reflex, I reach for my bag and pull out the Polaroid camera inside, only looking down when I hear the clank of some pieces falling to the ground. HOW?? I swear I moved out of the way more this time with Nathan to avoid it breaking!-
"Aw shoot, Max, is your camera broken?" Chloe's jumping and headbanging came to a stop, instead crouching down and picking up the loose pieces and looking up at me.
"Oh. Thank you Chloe" I took the pieces from out of her hand, her finger lightly brushed against my hand as I did so... Chill Max.
"It must've gotten roughed up during the whole thing with Nathan before, or on the ride back in your truck."
She stood up, placing a hand on her hip and huffing.
"Right, Nathan... The hell was up with him by the way? Is he messing with you? Or that Warren kid? He's a total psycho freak."
"I'd imagine you would think that, no kidding. But I'll be fine, promise, not sure about Warren though... He got roughed up pretty bad, I should message him and check."
"I dunno man, I saw him tackle Nate and put up a fight. You too, I swear I spotted you kicking him in the nuts! He should be checked up on if anything."
"That was sarcasm by the way. Fuck that guy."
I couldn't help but snicker.
"Anywaaays, Max? Back to that camera, it's busted, right? There should be some tools downstairs in step douche's bitchcave."
"You mean in the garage?"
"Tomato-tomahto. You are correct by the way. Do you want some help finding stuff? I can blaze later-"
"Don't worry Chloe, you can relax in here whilst I do this. I imagine you need a minute for yourself after all..."
"That's fair. Thanks Mad Max... It's good to have you back."
"Always, Chloe. See you in a minute."
↺
Moment in time - David's garage, searching for little tools, and being a snoop.
Alright, back inside here.
One of these guns are missing again, Chloe's packing heat, and I'm gonna make sure she doesn't shoot herself again like a dummy.
Ew, I just forgot about how David has cameras set up all around the house... And all those photos taken of Kate... If only he knew what to actually focus on...
And the screw drivers! No rewinds needed, cause I didn't have to look all around the place this time. Let's get back to Chloe.
↺
Moment in time - Back up them stairs, into Chloe's room we go.
"Yo yo yo Maximus! You're back, and you've found the tools, good stuff! Sit at my desk and you can fix it up"
I shook my head fondly and dumped the broken camera and tools onto her desk, then sat down.
"Sure did- ... And I still don't know how to put this thing together" Thump. There were sounds of clutter rumbling about as I flopped my head onto her desk with a groan.
Chloe pushes herself off of her bed and stands up, walking over to Max at the desk and leaning over to have a look at the camera, before she spots
"Hey! No hurting yourself, let me see that-"
"Oh, are these your new photos?"
"Yeah... I just took them today."
"Let me see..."
Chloe picks up my photo of David and Kate. I had managed to take a picture of the altercation, and get my word in with Madsen this time round.
"Are you shitting me? That asshole is everywhere."
That's when she spots the picture of the butterfly on the bucket...
"Wait... I've seen this before."
"Uhh..."
"No way! When did you take this? YOU took this photo, you brat? In the bathroom today... You set off the alarm! That's why Nathan raged after you... It totally makes sense. You hella saved my life... Now tell me the truth, Max."
"I was there... hiding in the corner. And Nathan didn't rage at me because of that, he hasn't found out about me being there yet..."
"Damn. You're a ninja."
It's easier being sneaky when you can rewind time, and can just try again...
"A ninja would have cut Nathan's head off. I just took a butterfly photo..."
"That is so badass."
"Oh, yeah, I almost wet myself when I saw the gun..."
"So, did you recognize me?"
"Well... How could I not? Sure, you have a different style now, but I should know when I see you by now..."
"Huh... Anyways, you must've overheard our conversation."
"Mhm... Just be careful around him, Chloe, around a lot of people, honestly..."
"I will after all that now, dude's hella crazy. But it's time for the big question, you tell anybody?"
"No. I know it's useless, things would only happen and be taken seriously if one of you had gotten hurt. If I did tell, I probably wouldn't be believed, or things would be ignored and swept under the rug... It's Nathan after all, he seriously needs help, but no one wants to intervene and would rather focus on all the money he brings in with his family."
"Smart Max... Thank God... I'll tell you more someday, and I seriously owe you, Max."
Chloe walks over to her radio shelf and squats to search for William's camera.
Here we go... It's still a surreal experience the second time.
"I, er, know it was your birthday last month... This was my real father's camera... I want you to have it."
"Chloe... It's so sweet you remembered my birthday, and it means a lot to me. But I really don't know if I could take that from you, seriously..."
"Of course you can. My dad would be pissed if I never used it. And now I know it will be used awesomely." She swayed side to side somewhat as she spoke, then swiped my picture of the blue butterfly.
"And I'll snag this picture as a symbol of our reunion. Cool?"
"Yes, of course it's cool! Thank you... This camera is so sweet."
"...Now that we got the mushy shit out of the way, I feel like stage diving! Let's thrash this place!"
Chloe turns some music on and starts dancing around Max, then hopping on her bed.
"You're crazy."
"Yep, yep, I'm fucking insane on the brain! Let's dance! Shake that bony white ass! Or take my picture with your new camera!"
I start to giggle and go along with what she says, carefully using William's camera to take the perfect picture of Chloe during this moment.
This day is still so very strange, and might get even stranger still. But I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
"This song fucking rules! Can't dance, hippie? Come on! Rock out, girl!"
I do my little dance again, smiling. Though I'm prepared for David to start yelling up a storm this time.
"Yes! Break it down, Max!"
"Chloe, are you up there?"
There it is... Ugghhh.
"Yo, turn it off, turn it off!"
I sigh and turn it off, already getting into action and moving the lamp out of the way of the closet door.
"How many times have I told you to stop blasting that punk shit?"
"Dude, the music's not even on! Asshole."
I slip into the closet and hide.
"I'm coming up, we need to talk!"
"No fucking way! You need to hide. Now Max! My stepdad will kill me if he finds you here!- .....Wait... Where the hell are you, Max?!"
"Already on it, Chloe!"
"Oh wo-"
"Chloe, what's going on? Open the door, please."
"I'm coming!"
"Chloe, you're stalling."
"I said I'm coming! Just give me a second, dude!"
"I'm not screwing around, soldier. Chloe. Open this door. I'm giving you exactly three seconds to open the door. One...two...three..."
"Shit."
In comes David... Insert groan here.
"What's going on in here?"
"Jesus, I'm just trying on clothes. You're so friggin' paranoid."
"Yeah, combat will do that to you."
"One of my guns is missing. Did you take it?"
"Oh, God, I didn't take your stupid gun. You do know I believe in gun control?"
"Wait! Is that grass? You've been toking up again in here?"
"Oh, yeah, guns, weed... You're trippin' balls."
"I'm sick of your disrespect! Tell me the truth, that's an order! Whose is it?"
Time to shine, Max. I push my way out of the closet, rather ungracefully at that.
"It's mine."
His head snaps over to me... Damn, military did a number on him.
"Well, well. I don't like strangers in my home. Especially dopers. So you're bringing drugs into my home. How about if I call the police? That would screw up your spotless Blackwell record... You do seem to get around..."Max". I'm sick of you losers dragging Chloe down..."
"You are on a roll today. Between the fire alarm, this afternoon, and now this... You don't have anything smart to say now? Do you? Huh?"
" Get the hell away from her, man! Stop harassing my friends!"
"You don't have any friends."
"Like you would kno-"
I felt bad for cutting Chloe off, but a lot of stress had been building up on me... I guess I can use that excuse.
"Just shut up, David."
The two look at me, both shocked for their own reasons.
"Excuse me, missy? Repeat that for me, would you?"
"I said shut up. You're a terrible 'security' cop, only the cop part works with you, with how damn corrupt you are in the way you go about stuff. You harass innocent students like Kate when there are wielding kids in there, who almost killed your stepdaughter here if it wasn't for me. You want cameras all over the place in Blackwell, and you currently have cameras all up in your own home! All that when you can't even see that one of the teachers in the same school you work in is a massive, murderous, vile creep!! And- and... there's just so much going on, and you don't even know the beginning of it..!"
Silence...
Deep breaths in, and out...
I rewind before either of them can even think to react.
↺
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"Excuse me, missy? Repeat that for me, would you?"
"Ahem. Sorry, sir, what I meant to say was that I think you should at least try and talk to your family normally without flat out insulting them... Y'know, if you want any progression to be made at all between you two here?"
He still looked quite shocked... So did Chloe. Well it's the best I could do for right now...
"I, I- ..R-right young lady! No need for this back chat, I don't need this, already get enough from this one!"
David huffed and went out of the room.
"I best not be seeing you in here again, you hear?!"
After a moment of quiet, making sure David was fully gone, Chloe broke the silence with a whistle.
"Woooow Max. What happened to you in Seattle, huh?"
She shook her head and looked away, trying to snap herself back into her regular Chloe self.
"...Because you are such a badass, Max... Let me show you my new toy... I'm Price, Chloe Price! Bang!"
I still flinched at the sight of that thing.
"Careful, Chloe!"
"Chillax, sista. It's not even loaded...yet."
"I thought you believed in gun control."
"Yes, I believe I should control the gun. It's the men who need to be checked. You trust Nathan or David? Thanks for taking the heat. We totally smacked his punk ass down, Max. He's no match for you and me now... That was an epic win. Anyway. Let's sneak out the window...there is one cool place we can hang in this hickhole."
"Sure thing Chloe... But first I need a minute..."