)
Kate Marsh glanced up from her position at the Blackwell College doorway, and was about to offer the person walking up a pamphlet - it was about the local church, Mom had wanted her to hand them out - but then stopped.
Because the person walking up was holding an unconscious person.
Who happened to be her best friend.
She glanced up from the face of Max - surprisingly peaceful, considering how she usually looked in her sleep - and focused on the person who was carrying her.
Who was staring right back at her.
“Hey - Kate, right?”
Kate stared.
“...I am she.” She finally offered. “You’re… holding a sleeping Max.”
The girl smiled, and shrugged. “Well, you know. Life, huh? Could you tell me where the stairwell is?”
“...First door on your left.” She said, gesturing vaguely to the front door.
“Thankee!” The girl chirped, giving her a two-finger salute - while managing not to jostle Max.
She started to walk off - but Kate stopped her, because what?
“Hold on - could you… explain?”
The girl glanced at her, and blinked.
“Uh - right, sure. I’m Chloe Price,” she - Chloe - said, gesturing weakly to herself. “Me and Max have been texting for about… two weeks, now? I’m not super sure. Point is, I finally met her face-to-face tonight at a party - so we went out on a nighttime walk to celebrate, and Max ended up falling asleep. I decided to carry her here, because…”
Chloe glanced down at the huddle of Max in her arms.
“I mean. How could I wake her?” She said, looking up again and sending Kate a glance.
Kate - who couldn’t help but agree with that sentiment.
“That’s... something.” Kate said, warily.
Chloe nodded sagely.
“Yep. So, uh… could you…?”
Kate started, and shuffled out of the way.
“Okay - but you’ve gotta come over sometime.” Kate offered Chloe a wary, wavering smile. “I make a mean cup of tea.”
And I need to learn if I can trust you, she didn’t say.
Chloe chuckled.
“Not a big tea fan - but sure, I’ll drop by. A friend of Max is a friend of mine.”
With that, she started off towards the door again.
The weird, eccentric, likable but ultimately untrustworthy girl holding her passed out best friend, started off towards the door again.
Kate decided that passing out pamphlets for another hour could wait.
“I’ll walk you up.” She said, darting forward to open the door for her.
Chloe blinked.
And smiled.
“Alrighty then! To the stairwell!” She called dramatically - and then instantly wilted when Max murmured in her sleep.
“Er - to the stairwell!” She whispered excitedly - and Kate couldn’t help but laugh.
Her unease didn’t change, though.
“So - you’re Max’s… friend?”
Chloe already liked Kate.
She was courteous, but warm. Polite but personal. Just plain likable, really. Plus - it hadn’t escaped her notice that Kate had been passing out church pamphlets. How much more trustworthy could you get?
“Yerp.” Chloe said, shifting the lukewarm bundle of Max in her arms. Max never seemed to be anything more then lukewarm - and her hands seemed perpetually cold, somehow.
“Why is she… wearing that stuff?” Kate said, gesturing weakly to Max.
Chloe glanced down, taking quick inventory.
“Well, the dress is the fault of Victoria Chase - I’m gonna have to have a talk with her about that. The beanie is mine. I gave it to her because she seemed cold - and then she said she liked it, so. It’s pretty much her’s now. The jacket is my friend’s - Rachel, is her name. I took it when I went to take a smoke break, and then gave it to Max when we went outside. I’ll have to take that back - if I could let her have it, I would, but it’s… not mine to give away.”
Kate seemed both confused by and wary of this answer, and Chloe couldn’t blame her.
“That’s a mouthful.” Is what she said in response - which managed to provoke a laugh from Chloe’s chest.
“That it is. I can’t wait to see Max in her own clothes, though.”
Kate sent her a glance - a very closed-off glance. It was shockingly cold, considering how nice she was being.
“...Chloe, you said your name was?” Kate said - and her voice was a little cold, too.
“Yeah?”
Chloe was starting to worry that Kate was less nice then she’d seemed.
“...Chloe Price, age fifteen, was caught attempting to burn down a trailer on the south side of town - the owner, Frank Bowers, is not pressing charges, but Price is facing possible Juvy time and a fine of up to twenty-five hundred dollars.” Kate recited suddenly, voice very flat and very cold.
Chloe felt her insides freeze.
“That wouldn’t be you, now, would it?” Kate hummed, tilting her head and offering a placid smile - that was somehow far more threatening then any glare.
“...Uhm.”
Silence.
“Perhaps you best hand my friend over.” Kate said, eyes dead to the world - and extended her arms expectantly.
Chloe didn’t hesitate to do exactly that.
“Thank you.” Kate said - and her voice was still very cold, but ever-so-slightly less warning. “You may leave now.”
Chloe hesitated.
“...Could you give me a chance to explain?”
Kate sent her a look.
“That depends on what Max has to say when she wakes up.” She said. “Go. Now.”
...Chloe did.