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Max's first friend at Blackwell is Rachel Amber.
She'd say her first friend in Arcadia Bay, but there's Chloe, who she should call. She hasn't yet, and normally she'd be stewing in guilt over that until some random circumstance would lead to them meeting up anyway, but Rachel keeps her too busy to even really think about it.
Rachel takes Max to the beach and tells her about Long Beach, to some graffiti-covered underpass and tells her about tattoos, to the roof of the pool and tells her about astrology. Max isn't sure why; Rachel's unquestionably the most popular person in school. There's Victoria, and Nathan, but the kids like Max hate them. Rachel's loved by everybody. It seems that way, anyway, but the graffiti everywhere--
Max hasn't asked Rachel about that, either. She doesn't want to break what they have.
Rachel walks Max to class and drags chairs over to sit with her when they get there too late to sit together. Ms. Grant sighs at it but doesn't stop her, and then Max is distracted by the press of Rachel's leg against hers for the entire class.
"Hey," Rachel says, chin on Max's shoulder, and Max practically stops breathing at the warmth of Rachel's breath on her face. "I think someone has a crush on you."
"Um--"
It's then that Max notices the guy across the room, looking away from her as soon as Max meets his gaze. He's blushing.
"Not really my type," Max whispers back, and Rachel lifts an eyebrow at her.
She doesn't get out of Max's bubble when she says, "Am I?"
"You're everyone's type," Max says quickly, because she's already giving too much away.
Rachel frowns and leans away. She doesn't say anything else to her for the rest of class.
"So, lunch?" Max asks. She's already looking forward to whatever Rachel's going to tell her all about, obscure laws or makeup or Thai food.
"Sorry, Max," Rachel says, and seems to genuinely mean it. "I sort of have plans."
"Oh," Max says, trying not to be hurt. Rachel's got other friends--it's not her fault Max doesn't, yet. It's only the first week of school, anyway. She'll meet more people. Probably. Hopefully.
"My--uh. Whatever Chloe is," Rachel says, frowning down at her phone. "I don't know. We should talk about that."
"Um. Did you say, uh, Chloe?"
Rachel nods, not meeting her gaze for the first time Max can remember. "Yeah. Do you know her?"
"Is she a student?" Max asks.
Rachel notices the non-answer, if her little glare is any indication. "Nah. She got kicked out her first year." She smiles a little. "I might try and read the file sometime. It's a hell of a story. Remind me to tell you someday. You're her Max, right?"
"Chloe Price?" Max asks, a little confused with the sudden shift, and Rachel nods. "Yeah. She's--she was my best friend."
"Cool," Rachel says. "You know, she told me you abandoned her. She could never say anything bad about you, though. I get why."
Max realizes she's breathing faster than she needs to be and forces herself to calm down. It's just a conversation. "I should talk to her."
"Yeah," Rachel says. "I'd invite you to come eat with me, but I don't think Chloe's interested in someone to join us. Even someone as cute as you, Maxine."
"Just Max," Max says, and Rachel smiles, surprisingly shy. "Will you--"
"I'm not gonna tell Chloe you're back," Rachel says. "And I didn't befriend you for Chloe, if that's what you're worried about."
"What makes you think I'm worried?"
"You always frown a little when you're worried about something," Rachel says, poking her face. "It's cute! Or, uh. Not cute, I guess. Considering--"
"You're dating my old best friend?" Max says.
"I mean, we're not dating," Rachel says. "But you guys should--talk. Before I, you know, make the moves on my new friend. No matter how pretty she is."
"You're too much," Max says, looking up and away from her. Her face feels uncomfortably warm.
Rachel laughs and nods in agreement. Max turns away, and doesn't notice Rachel looking back at her before meeting with Chloe.