Work Text:
I hope she takes me along
When she flies away and rights life's wrongs
Cause any time apart is far too long
She doesn't know she gives me everything
Gives me courage, gives me wisdom, gives me strength
For her I only want to do the same
Now I won't ever be the same
Ever since I learned the Queen Bee's name
Now it seems there's just no other way
I'll win her heart by the end of the third day
"Max, I hate to break it to you, but you've already won her heart." Chloe stated as she looked up from the notepad. "And rhyming Name with Name is genius, if I say."
"Fuck off." Max chuckled. "You try come up with another line."
"Uh...."
"Exactly."
Chloe smiled and shook her head, before reaching out for a pen. Turning to a new page, she began to write, pausing every now and then as Max observed. "How's about...."Now I don't want to lose the game. We've been playing it since I heard her name. But if I lose, well I guess that's okay, I'll still win her heart by the end of the third day."
Max blinked before scowling. "Ugh. That's infinitely better. I hate you sometimes, Chlo."
"I know you do." Chloe grinned. "So are you gonna play this on stage in front of literally everyone?"
"I wanna, yeah. I'm still learning the chords and stuff. I'll need someone to play the violin though."
Chloe nodded before tapping her chin. "Kate will definitely love to help you. She loves you two almost as much as she loves me."
Max thought for a moment before nodding. "I need you to provide a drum beat too. Nothing...strenuous."
"Big word from such a small hipster, Maxi-Pad."
Max grumbled and closed her eyes. "Why am I friends with you?"
Choe just grinned widely and leaned forward to nudge the girl with her elbow. "C'mon. You wouldn't have it any other way. Oh! That can be a line, hold on."
The bluenette grabbed the notepad again and scribbled more, while Max leaned over. "So the final lines for the first verse now go "Now I don't want to lose the game, that we've been playing since I heard her name. But I don't want it any other way, I'll win her heart by the end of the third day." Sound better?"
Max thought for a moment before shaking her head. "Keep the first couple. She'll like that more."
"You're really gay for Bitchtoria, aren't you?" Chloe teased, glancing down to her phone. She swiped it up as Max protested, and held up her index finger as she placed it to her ear. "One moment, Max. Uh-huh. Yep. Okay, I'll tell her." She set the phone down and smiled. "That was a call from upstairs. You're really gay for Vic."
"Alright so maybe I am. Will you help me?" Max gave in, exhaling gruffly and running a hand through her hair.
Chloe clapped happily and grinned wide. "Yeah, I'll help. Shall we get Kate in on it too?"
"Definitely. I have a violin part I'll need her expertise on."
"Going all out. Alright, I'll ask her to come over now."
Max grinned wide. "It's gonna be amazing, I hope. I'm paranoid as hell, the show's tomorrow."
---
Victoria drummed her fingers on her desk as she did her homework, glancing to her phone every now and then. Max was usually blowing up her phone round about this time, but the hipster had been on radio silence since the end of class. It was now past eight, and Victoria had checked Max's room to find it locked. Eventually she couldn't take the stupid game Max was obviously playing and grabbed her phone, hammering out a message
[20:07] Tori: Maxine, what the fuck? It's been four hours since class ended, why haven't you sent any messages or anything? Have I done something wrong?
Only a few seconds later, a message pinged back.
[20:07] Max: No Tori don't worry. I'm just really busy. Chloe wanted my help with something for Blackwell's Got Talent tomorrow night. Are you going? :)
Victoria scowled slightly.
[20:08] Tori: Why would I go to something like that? We already know Blackwell is full of untalented idiots, why would I be reminded?
[20:08] Max: Because there's gonna be a surprise for you so it's a good idea if you come and I'll meet you there :P
Victoria blinked and narrowed her eyes. Instead of being logical and reasoning that Max was probably just saying that to get her to go, she messaged the group chat involving herself, Taylor and Courtney.
[20:09] Queen V: Guys, what does Max mean by this? [Show Screenshot]
[20:09] SweeT: it means she has a surprise for u? duh?
[20:10] Court: pretty much ur reading too far into it
[20:10] Queen V: What kind of thing could Max have in store, I mean?
[20:10] Court: maybe shes going to play guitar 4 u
[20:11] SweeT: OMG THAT WOULD B SO CUUTE
[20:11] SweeT: She gets on stage and goes "victorua i love ur face your smile sends my heart to space"
[20:11] Court: omg i can see that happening
[20:12] Queen V: You two are of no help at all, as usual. I guess I'll have to wait and see.
----
Max was fretting backstage. The G string on her guitar had snapped and she was due on in ten minutes while Chloe still hadn't returned from the music room with a new one. Kate was tuning her violin slowly while Warren scurried around, making sure all the lighting cues were correct and yammering down his headset quickly.
"Max, you're on in ten." He reminded her, and Max paled. Eventually Chloe came crashing through the curtains and held up the string happily. "Got it!"
Max practically ripped the string from Chloe's hands and tore open the packaging, sitting down and beginning to fit it back in. Chloe sat back and exhaled, before peeking out the curtains. "They set the drum kit up, sa-weet."
"Do you know your beat, Chloe?" Max asked snappishly, before gulping. "Sorry. I'm freaking out. Do you know if Victoria's there?"
Chloe peeked out the curtains again and grinned. "Yep. Front and center, with Tay and Court either side. Your parents are here too!"
"What?!" Max scurried over and peeked just under Chloe, before her face went redder. "Oh. Uh...oh. I don't think I can...can do this with them here."
Chloe straightened up and grabbed the females shoulders, shaking her. "Fuck yeah you can, Max! You wrote a song for Victoria, for fuck sake. You're in love with this woman, right? So go out there, and kick some ass! Play like you've never played before! And if that doesn't help, imagine the audience naked. If that still doesn't help, make them get naked."
Max snickered before inhaling slowly as Warren called out for set up. "Alright. We can do this. Thank you, Chloe."
"No problem, fucker. What are friends for?"
The curtains lifted and the audience cheered as Max slowly made her way to the microphone. Kate got in position and plugged in her violin, as Chloe sat down and grabbed her sticks. Max cleared her throat and looked around a little before speaking, voice quiet.
"This...uhm. This is a song I wrote for someone...someone really, really special to me. Someone I love. I wrote this because I wanted to...to prove that she meaned as much as she does to me."
She glanced down to Victoria as the blonde glanced up, eyes wide and lips parted slightly. The shocked expression on her lips made Max smile slightly and surge forward with confidence. "Ready you two?" She asked over her shoulder. Kate nodded with a happy smile and Chloe stuck up her thumb.
"Lets kick some ass."
Max moved her fingers slowly against the strings of the guitar, and after a few chords she began to sing.
"I hope she takes me along
"When she flies away and rights life's wrongs
"Cause any time apart is far too long
"She doesn't know she gives me everything
"Gives me courage, gives me wisdom, gives me strength
"For her I only want to do the same
"Now I don't want to lose the game
"We've been playing it since I heard her name.
"But if I lose, well I guess that's okay
"I'll still win her heart by the end of the third day."
She went quiet for a few seconds as she played, Chloe's drum beats kicking in and several people clapping along with it happily. She glanced down again to Victoria who was now bright red but smiling wide, Taylor and Courtney clapping alongside everyone else. That wide grin as their eyes met gave Max even more confidence, and so she continued on with the song.
"When I'm high and dry, she's my welcome storm
"When I'm cold at night, her love keeps me warm
"Could feel it since the day that I was born
"When I'm tired cold and hungry from the hardest nights
"She draws me into her arms and holds me tight
"We stay up late and share our stories all the time
"Now I wont ever be the same
"Ever since I learned the Queen Bee's name
"Now it seems there's just no other way
"I'll win her heart by the end of the third day."
Kate's violin kicked in, gentle and careful for the first few seconds before kicking up into a happy little ditty as the drum beats picked up. Max turned her head back slightly as she continued to play, grinning as Kate closed her eyes and swayed her hips as she played. After a few seconds of this, Kate stopped and the drums paused, letting Max play a couple more chords to finish up. She played them with a smile, glancing down and holding eye-contact with bright, round hazel eyes that were shimmering with tears despite the wide grin on ruby lips.
"Now I won't ever be the same
"Ever since I learned your beautiful name
"I'm glad everything turned out this way
"You won my heart by the end of our first date."
She finished up and slowly lowered the guitar, opening her eyes to the loud cheers, screams and applause of the crowd. She looked around and smiled wide, Chloe tiptoeing beside her to take the guitar. Gently the bluenette nudged Max's arm, making her jump a little before she looked down. Victoria was gone, and for a second Max deflated until she felt arms wrap around her and a head bury itself into her neck. She blinked before grinning wide at the shaking form of her girlfriend, who was either sobbing or laughing or both.
"Hey Vic. Sorry I wasn't around but I had this surprise for you, so..."
Victoria looked up and shook her head, tears running tracks down her eyes but not even touching her makeup. "Shut up and kiss me, Caulfield."
Max laughed and leaned down, pushing their lips together and sliding her hand into the blondes hair. The crowd only cheered louder until a large surge of bodies enveloped them both, hands slapping Max on the back or giving her the thumbs up, or even wrapping around her and pulling her into a hug. Through every jostling shoved motion, Max's hand never let Victoria's go, their fingers laced together tightly and refusing to let go. They glanced to each other after a few more moments and grinned wide, soft blue eyes against shimmering hazel ones.
You won my heart by the end of our first date