Like Mother, Like Daughter
Max woke up to a scowling Kate and a confusing lack of asphalt underneath her.
“Up. Now.”
Uh oh.
She sat up like a bullet, because that was Kate’s hah, you thought I was nice? voice. Well, that’s how Max had labeled it years ago, the first time she’d heard it - and Kate was wholly disapproving to this day.
“What did I do?” She whispered, cradling her head and peering up from under her bangs.
Kate scowled.
“Shower. Get out of that dress. Then, you’ve got some explaining to do.”
“I do?” Max murmured - and then instantly regretted it, when Kate’s face tightened just that little bit more.
“Shower. Now.”
Max wasn’t dumb enough to refuse.
When she stepped back into the room, hair in wet tangles and feeling not the least bit refreshed, her main concern wasn’t Kate.
“Where’s Chloe? And her jacket? And her beanie?”
Kate glanced up from her position on Max’s bed, and stood.
Her scowl was gone.
The blank expression was far more terrifying.
“The jacket is safely in Price’s hand. The beanie is in your closet. As for Chloe - perhaps we best have a conversation, Max.”
...Okay.
Okay. She could work with this. A quiet, blank slate Kate was more anxiety-inducing - but also easier to work with. Maybe.
It kinda depended what was going on behind the blank slate.
“Okay.” She murmured, sitting on her bed and across from her best friend.
Her best friend - who raised an eyebrow at her.
“Max. Do you remember the conversation we had about… Chase?”
Max felt something in her freeze.
She did.
“Yeah?”
“Well - it would appear you have a real type, huh Max?”
Max flinched. Hard.
She should’ve been scared.
Kate smiled, lips pulled back to cover her teeth. Her eyes were polished ice, thick and cold. Impassable.
“A real type.”
Kate stood. The smile vanished.
She began to pace.
Cold.
Calculated.
Sharp.
“First, you get the crush on Chase. Understandable. She’s… easy on the eyes, I suppose. But then - then, you’ve got to make friendly, don’t you?”
Kate didn’t stop. Her arms folded themselves behind her back.
Max shrunk against the wall, and waited for the storm to pass.
“You’ve got to be friends with her. With Victoria. And I told you - I told you not to, that she wasn’t trustworthy, that she’s got a rap sheet a mile long and a family that’s breeding her to eat people like you. But nooooo - trust me? Ridiculous, hm? No, you had your head so far in the clouds that - not only did you refuse to listen - but you managed to convince me to let it go.”
“But this? This is a step too far.”
“Chloe Price. The Chloe Price. Max...”
Kate finally turned to her.
There were tears in her eyes.
“Can’t you be attracted to someone nice?” She whispered - and Max had been ready for anger, but not - not this, never this.
“I…”
Her response died in her throat.
“No?” Kate prodded - and she sounded close to unravelling, and Max definitely wasn’t ready for that. “Okay. That’s fine. But maybe you could just…”
Kate laughed weakly, and it was a little hysterical.
“Keep it in your pants?” She offered, with a weak, trembling smile.
“Chloe is nice.” Max tried - but her voice came out very weak.
Kate laughed. Hysterically, this time.
“Y- you said that about Chase, too!”
She wiped her eyes, and her features were painted with pain.
Max felt like the scum of the earth.
“But at least Chase hadn’t ever committed arson.”
Max saw it coming a moment too late.
“Chloe Price, age fourteen, was accused of assaulting young Prescott heir Nathan-”
“Kate - Kate, it’s not-”
“Chloe Price, age sixteen, has proven herself to be a repeat offender via another account of arson-”
“Kate - I know what she’s like, she’s not-”
“Chloe Price, age seventeen, was caught using illegal firearms with another criminal offender by the name of Rachel Amber-”
“Kate, it’s… it’s not like that…”
“Not like what, Max?” Kate said, voice cracking. “Not l-like what?”
“She’s not…”
“A criminal? Yes, Max, she is. And you can’t see past your rose-tinted goggles, because you can’t stop falling for-”
“You can’t see past the news reports you’re so fond of!” Max finally managed to shout, standing up and trying to meet Kate’s eyes.
“That’s what you said about Chase - and who got caught trashing her idol’s office?” Kate fired back, though her voice was choked.
“You’ve never even given Victoria a chance!”
“I let her get her claws into you, because you were so obsessed with her that you couldn’t even listen to your best friend - and you want me to give her the benefit of the doubt?She never gave me a reason to ‘give her a chance’!!”
“You’ve never given anyone a chance!” Max felt some part of her unravel, and didn’t have time to stop herself from talking. “You can’t take your anger out on everyone else, Kate!! But hey - like mother, like daughter, right?!”
Kate recoiled like Max had struck her.
Silence.
Max shrunk, and felt guilt choke her the moment it had a chance.
“I - Kate, that’s not - I didn’t mean-”
“Yes you did.” Kate murmured, stumbling back and refusing to look up.
“No - I was just- I wasn’t thinking, I didn’t-”
“I - I have to go.” Kate said, turning around and lunging for the door.
“Kate- wait-!”
The door slammed home.
It was very quiet in Max’s apartment.