It was a quiet night at Blackwell Academy.

The wind was calmly rustling through the leaves of the sparse trees, not loud enough to be disturbing, but loud enough to hear if you paid attention. Outside it was cold, not terribly so, but cold enough to feel it if you were outside for long enough. All in all, it was a quiet night.

Except in Max Caulfield’s room.

“Shit!” 

Max shouted. “I broke another pencil.” She muttered to herself, as she tossed her broken pencil into the trash from across the room. She was cramming the night before a test, no definitely not the best idea, but better than not studying at all.

“You were a secret kept.” The voice coming from her phone sang, in a soft-spoken, high-pitched voice. The band was Empire! Empire! (I was a lonely estate), a band name that really made her think. Thoughts like:

I really am a hipster aren’t i?

As she sat on her bed, cross-legged with her book resting on her legs, she suddenly heard a knock on her door. What? Who would knock on my door at… what time is it anyway? She quickly checked the time on her phone. Fuck, 2 AM already?! She decided to just keep studying, if it was anyone she knew they would’ve texted her or something, besides, who would be visiting at 2 AM anyway?

And then she heard a voice from behind the door.

“Hey uhh-fuck what are you saying?” The voice mumbled, barely audible to Max. “Caulfield, you awake?”  

It was hard for Max to place the voice, a combination of her own tiredness, the muffling from the door, and the general croakiness of the voice itself. But despite all that, she had a sneaking suspicion of whom it could be. What if it’s… no, it couldn’t be, at my door? At this time?

“Maxine?” The voice demanded. But that closed the case for Max.

What the fuck is Victoria Chase doing in front of my door? Was the question that was now floating through Max’s head. Should I open the door? I mean, this isn’t something that happens every day? But maybe it’s one of her stupid pranks? But maybe she needs my help? Or m-

“Please?” Victoria suddenly croaked from behind the door. Her voice cracked, and her usual authority and confidence seemed slightly dampened.

I can’t just… fine. Max decided, as she slowly got up off her bed. She walked to the door, breathing in heavily, before opening her mouth. “Victoria? Is that you?”

“You’re awake? Why didn’t you come to the door earlier?” 

“I’m the one asking the questions.” Max said, a little more blunt than she intended it to sound.

“Yeah, it’s me.” She grumbled. “Could you open the door?”

“Why? What do you need?”

“I just… it’s… please?” Victoria croaked. I’ve never heard her beg for something, jeez, what’s going on with her?

“Okay fine.” Max responded, as she sluggishly opened the door that was till now the only separation between Max and Victoria. Holy shit. “Victoria you look… uhh-”

“Like shit, was that what you were gonna say? Did you open the door just so you could insult me? You know, fuck you Caulfield-” 

“No! I just… you do look rough.” 

Rough was an understatement. Her hair was going in every direction, and was soaked. And so were her clothes, she looked she had just run a marathon through the Mariana Trench, and did another lap through the Arcadia Bay beach for the fuck of it. And her face, Jesus her face. Ignoring the eyeliner smeared from the rain — and perhaps from crying —, blood was dripping from her nose, covering her upper lip. Some of it was smeared on her right sleeve, probably the result of trying to wipe it off her face.

“What happened?” Max asked, the whiff of worry in her voice even surprising herself.

“I was… out, and some crazed asshole mugged me. Got my phone, my car keys, my wallet. I had to walk back to the dorm through a fucking rainstorm, and now I can’t get into my room.” She rambled angrily, and Max noticed she was trembling.

“Are you like, okay?” 

“Yeah I’m fine, do I not look fine?”

“Uh… yeah, sure.” Max replied. 

For a while, they just stood there in silence, Max had turned her music off, so it felt like watching a scene in a movie without the sound.

Very awkward.

“So uhh… what do you need from me?” 

“I need a place to sleep. Everyone else is already dead asleep, and your nerdy ass is the only one that’s still up.”

“You want to… sleep in my room?”

“No I’m asking you if I can sleep in the hallway, yes that’s what I’m asking dipshit.” 

Max gulped, as she realized what was going on. She couldn’t stand there staring at Victoria for ages, thinking of a response, but she genuinely didn’t know what to say. 

“Well?”

“I guess… there’s some space for you to crash… “

“Thanks.” Victoria said abruptly, pushing her way past me and walking into my room. “Do you… have some clothes I can put on?” 

… 

“You have no taste, Caulfield.” Victoria mumbled, looking at herself through her phone’s selfie camera because of the lack of a mirror in Max’s room. After Max had given her some clothes and a towel, she had spent the last 15 minutes staring at the door while Victoria was changing. Now she was standing there awkwardly while Victoria was judging her choice of clothing. “This shirt is kind of… quirky though, in a… not bad way, I guess.”

“Uh… thanks?” Max replied, unsure if that was supposed to be a compliment or not. Max sat down on her bed, sighing quietly. “Are you sure you’re fine?”

“Why do you care?” She scoffed. 

“Because I’m a decent human being?”

“ Ugh… “ She turned away from Max, sighing loudly. “No… I’m not fine.” She mumbled, as she crashed onto Max’s couch.

“Do you… wanna talk about it?” Victoria was staring into the floor, so hard that Max could swear she was trying to dig through it with her gaze. 

“I was… I thought I was going to die.” Her voice cracked, and Max could see her leg lightly trembling. “My life flashed before my eyes, and I… really though that was it for me. I-” Her breath hitched, as she wiped away a tear that rolled down her face. “I know I’m still alive but… fuck I’m just scared. At that moment, I thought over everything I had done, and if I died, did I even make a fucking impact?” Victoria started crying, when suddenly, Max pulled her into a hug. Without her noticing, she had moved to sit next to her, and had now wrapped her arms tightly around Victoria. 

After Victoria had finished crying, she could hear Max chuckle lightly. “Is me crying funny to you?”

“No! It’s just… you uhh-”

“I what?! I open my heart here and you fucking laugh at me! I told you how-”

“I thought you looked cute! “ Max blurted out, and she immediately covered her mouth as her cheeks turned an almost cherry-like red. 

“Oh.” Victoria muttered, her eyes going wide and her cheeks turning a light shade of red. “I’m sorry I-”

“We should clean that blood off your lip!” Max suddenly interrupted, standing up off the couch and hurrying to her desk. She nabbed a few wet wipes, before hurrying back. “I can’t believe I just let you sit there with blood on your lip, jeez I’m sorry! How stupid of me right?” She rambled on and on, before Victoria cut her off.

“Is it fine if I sleep in… your bed?”

Max gulped.

… 

Think. Calm. Thoughts. Okay? Max thought to herself, breathing in and out slowly as she lied on her back, her hands rested on her chest. Next to her lied Victoria, staring at the ceiling vacantly. It’s really creepy that you’re staring at her Max. Her brain told her, but she didn’t move a muscle, her head turned towards Victoria. Creep. 

“I’m sorry.” Victoria suddenly said, followed by a deep sigh.

“For what?” 

“For blowing up at you earlier, for calling you names, for bullying Marsh and almost… almost getting her fucking killed.”

Max gulped. Fuck I almost… well I wouldn’t say forgot but, I most certainly haven’t been wanting to think about THAT. 

“Sorry for being just, the biggest cunt.” She continued. “I know this isn’t an excuse, but I’ve always… you have it so fucking easy. You’re good with a camera, and you keep to yourself, no one expects shit from you. And when you hand in something… something amazing it’s even more spectacular. Do you even know how much is expected of me?” She asked, not very pointedly, and before Max could even try to formulate an answer she already continued.

“I fucking hate it. I have to be better, better than everyone, better than YOU and you’re not even trying while I’m busting my fucking ass off! And you’re not just good, you can be social whenever you fucking want to, do you know how hard it is to have to put on this fucking face 24/7? And you’re even…” Victoria silenced herself, as Max could hear her sniffle. 

“Look, what I’m trying to say is-” Suddenly, Victoria cut herself off.

“What’s wrong?”

“I need to… I need to puke!” She just managed to get out, before jumping off the bed and rushing to Max’s trash can. Max quickly got off the bed, and saw her get down on her knees before puking right into the can.

Atleast it’s not on my bed. She thought to herself, quickly crouching down next to Victoria to put an arm around her shoulder. After she had puked out what seemed like all her guts, Max could feel her entire body shiver for a bit.

“Sorry for that as well.” She chuckled a bit, turning her head to Max. “I guess I had a bit too much to drink, I tend to handle my liquor a bit better.”

“It’s… “ She hesitantly wiped a bit of puke off of Victoria’s lip, before continuing. “...fine.” She replied with a kind smile. “Wanna try just, sleeping a bit now?”

“Yeah, I need some fucking sleep.”

… 

It was a quiet morning at Blackwell Academy.

The first students of the day were waking up, and so where the animals outside. Small birds were flying outside the windows, and butterflies were searching for flowers wherever they could find them.

And even Max’s room was quiet.

She was woken up by a beam of sunlight hitting her eyes. She grunted, annoyed, deciding ultimately to just wake up. When she opened her eyes, she was staring at the wall next to her bed. God I… slept pretty well actually. She thought to herself. Did last night… really happen? She thought, letting out a quiet yawn before burying the thought. Probably just a stupid dream. Like Victoria would ever be nice to me. She decided, turning around in bed to see a small note laying on the space beside her.

What the…

THIS STILL DOES NOT MEAN WE’RE “FRIENDS” NOW!

but please call me

Sooooo, I guess it wasn’t a dream… 

Wait.

FUCK I HAVE A TEST TODAY!