Chapter 3
Chapter 3
After they left Arcadia Bay they decided the best way to proceed would be to drive to Portland and from there take the I-5 to Seattle. If the traffic wasn't too bad they would arrive in Seattle in the evening.
The first hour of their trip was spend mostly in silence. Neither of them really knew what to say, so they busied themselves with either driving or in Max's case inspecting her camera. But after it passed Chloe had finally enough and put on some music.
“Nah,” she said and switched to another channel.
“Hey, I liked that.” Max turned away from her camera and looked at Chloe, who gave a her a wry smile.
“Figures.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. But I figured you'd be all into Syd Matters. 'Too all of you, American girls, it's sad to imagine a world without you',” she mock sang with a grin. “Yeah, sounds pretentious enough to fit any hipster's need.”
Max frowned and opened her mouth to retort how Chloe still looked like she could be on the front page of a hipster website herself, but was cut off before she could.
“Oh now don't gimme that look, Mad Max, here.” Chloe switched back to the channel. “There, just for you. But once it's over we're switching to my kind of music.”
She huffed and leaned back in her seat. Sometimes she really didn't get Chloe. But at the same time that made it all the more fun to hang out with her, she was always good for a surprise. Max just hoped that after this week those surprises were of the more pleasant kind.
As the song ended she turned her head once again to watch Chloe, who made a show of switching the channel, and simply smiled to herself.
“Something the matter?” Chloe asked after noticing her staring.
“No,” Max said. “I'm just glad that we're here. Together.”
Chloe smiled. “And I'm not going anywhere. From now on it's you and me. Always.”
Yes, but in the way I'd like us to be? Max thought. She still wasn't sure if Chloe felt the same. They'd been friends for such a long time.Being friends for so long was complicated, it was like they were part of the others family and Max could see the wall that it formed between them.It confused the hell out of Max.
And of course there was Rachel. It was clear that Chloe had feelings for her and finding Rachel's body had nearly destroyed her. So maybe it would be best if she waited. But that was easier said than done when all she wanted to do was to make Chloe stop the car so that she could kiss her silly without causing a traffic accident.
Heat rose to her face as the mental image of her sitting on Chloe's lap popped into her mind and she quickly looked at the road ahead. Down girl!
“'sides,” Chloe continued. “This is just like back in the day. Captain Chloe and her first mate Max, together again.”
“That reminds me, why are YOU the captain?”
“Why? Obviously because-” Chloe pointed to her beanie. “I always have a hat – shut up that also counts as a hat – and,” she slapped the steering wheel. “This be my ship. Duh.”
This made Max laugh for the first time since ever since Thursday. “OK then, Captain. Full speed ahead then.”
“That's what I like t'here.”
After arriving in Portland they had spend an hour in the city to refuel and eat something before driving onto the I-5 in the direction of Seattle. Chloe had been a bit bummed that their planned road trip to Portland had turned into this but became increasingly excited about Seattle the closer they came.
“You gotta show me all the cool shit,” Chloe said with a grin and Max chuckled.
“Sure I can show you a few places. Don't expect me to be an expert on the local night life though.”
“Pfft, duh.”
Max just shook her head and stuck out her tongue.
“Don't flaunt it if you don't intend to use it,” Chloe said and turned her gaze back to the road.
“Who knows, maybe I will.” Max pulled out her camera and took a photo of the landscape. When Chloe didn't answer her comment Max turned to look at her, her eyes still focused on the road in front of them, holding the steering wheel with one hand while the other was on the stick shift. Slowly Max reached out with her left hand and placed it on top of Chloe's.
This earned her a look from Chloe and she simply smiled. Chloe's eyes darted from one side to the other before smiling back.
The rest of the ride they spend by talking, listening to music and occasionally stopping so that they could take a photo or two, the very first of their new, happy memories Max hoped. By the time the sun started to set they had crossed the city border and it was Max's turn to tell where Chloe needed to drive to get to her home while she texted her parents that they'd be there soon.
Another twenty minutes and they pulled into the driveway of Max's home.
Chloe let out a whistle. “Not bad,” she said as they got out of the car. “Though I think my car stands out a bit.”
“Your car stands out anywhere,” Max joked as the front door opened and her Mom rushed towards them. “Hey Mom.”
Vanessa pulled Max into a tight hug. “Thank God you're here. It must have been terrible.”
“It was...” Max said quietly and closed her eyes. They hugged for a few more seconds and Vanessa then looked over Max's shoulder to see Chloe standing there, looking a bit awkward upon seeing the reunion. Letting go of her daughter she walked towards Chloe.
“Chloe Price,” she said.
“Heh. The one and only,” Chloe said sheepishly before she too was being pulled into a tight hug that she awkwardly returned.
“I'm so sorry about everything that happened. You're safe now.”
“...Thanks.”
Vanessa pulled back and smiled. “Look at you though. A grown woman now. Ah, that makes me feel so old.”
“Who's old?” a male voice asked and they all turned to see Ryan walk towards them, dressed in his usual flannel look and a smile on his face. He too gathered Max in a hug. “Hey, sweetie.”
He looked Chloe up and down for a second then said: “Nice tattoos, you fronting a punk band or something?”
“Depends. You working as a lumberjack?” Chloe shot back and Ryan's smile turned into a grin.
“I see someone got some guts over the years. Good,” Ryan said approvingly.
“Do you two want something to eat, you must be hungry?” Vanessa asked. Max and Chloe shook their heads.
“We ate earlier and to be honest I'm just tired.”
“Yeah.” Chloe nodded in agreement. She too was tired. Probably more so than Max since she had been driving the whole time. “A shower and a change of clothes would be neat too. Been wearing this outfit since Friday.”
“You can have some of mine,” Max said. “But yeah a shower sounds good.”
“Well, get inside then,” Ryan said. “Chloe, your room's up the stairs, the first on the right. The bathroom is right across from it. Make yourself at home.”
“Thanks, Ryan.”