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Time slowed down, like it always did for Max. She felt herself gasping for air, desperate for the world around her to return to normal, desperate for time to stop slipping. It was hard, these flare ups came and went. She’d sometimes go months without them, and sometimes, they just wouldn’t stop. They washed over her, consuming her emotions, making the world around her stop and stand in place. It happened this way every time. She’d start seeing the world around her slow down. At first, it wouldn’t be noticeable. But after a few minutes, it became hard not to notice as her grasp on the world around her was lost. Time was frozen still as she went about her day. At first, she took advantage of these things the way only a poor college student would. She’d grab food essentials and things she needed for school, because she knew she would never be caught. Even then, she still felt guilt over it. Eventually, the guilt became too much. She vowed not to do it again, empty stomach be damned. She could figure something out.
Eventually these stops would just end. Sometimes it would only feel like a minute or two, sometimes it would feel like days for her. It was crippling either way, the world around you slowing to a crawl, where you were the only one there. It wasn’t a life that was easy to live, no matter the length. Max desperately tried to understand it, and it seemed like sometimes, there were explicit triggers to this, feelings of anxiety and worthlessness would often cause this phenomenon to occur, but sometimes, it would be completely at random. It felt like she was just at the mercy of her powers and the little flickers like these that would happen if she didn’t use them. But if she did, she’d feel them even worse. It was a catch 22, no answer in sight to fix it permanently. But she knew one thing that helped make the world stop feeling so slow. One thing that kept her grounded.
Max reached for her phone on the table, quickly turning the screen on to try to judge how much of a delay that there was. Oh, nice, it turned on pretty quick after I hit the button , she thought to herself, I guess I caught this one fairly early. The delay was still difficult to navigate, because she knew what she needed to do, but time only slowed the more time that she took to do it. She pulled up her contacts as quickly as the phone would allow her to and sighed in relief. At least I remembered to add her as a favorite contact , Max chuckled to herself. She clicked the name and the call button, and heard the ringer start to go when she brought the phone to her ear. C’mon. I know you’re in class, but please pick up… The phone rang twice before the world started to return to normal speed, if only momentarily.
After the third ring, she heard a confused voice on the other line, “Max, hun, I’m in class, are you okay?”
Max sighed a little, feeling a small weight off her shoulders, as she replied, “Hey, I know you are, and I’m sorry, but can you come to the campus cafe?”
“Max, you know how I am about skipping class, this course is really expensive and I really need it to pass. I know I’m doing well right now but-”
Max cut her off, “Victoria, please, it’s happening again. I need you here, it helps it stop.”
Victoria let out a soft sigh, “Max, you really need to tell someone about these. This isn’t good for you. I’ll be right there. Just keep me on the phone, okay?”
“I wasn’t going to go anywhere.”
“I know you weren’t, Max. I just don’t want to lose you,” Victoria softly replied, clear that she was trying to go back into class to get her things before the teacher noticed.
She tended to sit in the back of the lecture hall, near to an exit, so that she could just leave if these emergencies happen. It already happened three other times this month and once, Max wasn’t able to reach Victoria before the world around her froze in place. When Victoria heard that, she vowed not to let that happen again, hearing the story of her girlfriend being stuck in that pocket time for what felt like 6 hours for Max brought her to tears. Please don’t let him notice, please don’t let him notice , Victoria thought to herself as she hurriedly put her things away. There was only 10 minutes of class left, but she couldn’t risk Max getting hurt like this again. What happens if the next time is a month? Or God forbid even longer? Her mind shot back to the conversation Max and her had after the last time where Victoria wasn’t able to be there. She asked those same questions to Max.
And Max didn’t have an answer for her. A shrug, a sigh, and a little faint bit of fear in her voice as she just went, I don’t know, Tori . Victoria wasn’t going to risk it. Ever. She started leaving her phone where she would immediately notice it if she got a text or call in classes where she wasn’t with Max. In classes she did take with Max, she sat next to Max every time, occasionally grabbing hold of Max’s hands, even without prompting, trying to keep Max grounded and with her. It was the physical touch that helped her. But for some reason, it wasn’t everyone’s physical touch that would bring her out of these states. In fact, even those very close to Max, like Chloe and Rachel, couldn’t bring her out of these states. It’s something that always kind of confused both Victoria and Max. Why am I so grounding for her? Why can I bring her out of these trances when people she’s been close to her for way longer aren’t?
She finally got all her stuff put away and rushed out the door as quickly as she possibly could. Thank god he didn’t notice me, she thought to herself as she pulled the phone back up to her ear, “Max, hun, are you still here?”
“The line was quiet for a short period before Max spoke up on the other end, “Yeah, I’m still here, but barely. Though I think hearing you bought me a little time.”
“Thank fuck, I’m so sorry that took so long Max. I’m on my way, I’ll keep you on the line while I walk, okay?”
“Thank you, Tori.”
Don’t thank me yet… , Victoria thought to herself as she made her way to the cafe, idly chatting with Max in an attempt to keep her vaguely grounded. It has been what’s stalled for time the best in the past, talking with Max, forcing her brain and her powers to keep her present in time. Talking to Max was the best way to stall for time when she couldn’t be there right away. Victoria rounded the corner of the hallway to the entrance of the main building of the campus. She knew the route to the cafe, but in her panic, she was blanking on the faster possible route.
Victoria chimed up nervously in the middle of the conversation, “Uh… hey babe, this is gonna sound weird, but what’s the quickest way to the cafe from the main entrance of the main building on campus?”
Max softly chuckled, “Tori, I think you’ve officially lost it. It’s in that weird entrance room, I can literally see you from the cafe. Turn around?”
Just like that, Victoria turned around, seeing the entrance to the cafe, and her girlfriend, phone up to her ear, softly stifling a giggle and waving at her. Victoria dropped her phone, dashing over to her girlfriend and giving her the biggest hug she could, burying Max’s head in her shoulder, “You’re here. Thank fuck, you’re here still,” Victoria said, holding back tears, “did you get lost for any amount of time?”
“No, I’m okay, just a lot of time being longer than it should have been,” Max took deep breaths as she talked, the feeling of time getting slower fading away as Victoria held her in her arms. “It seems like I called you just in time, it was starting to get quicker, but you helped keep me here.”
Victoria could only nod, trying to maintain herself the best she could. She didn’t realize how panicked she really was until she felt like she couldn’t find where Max would be. She took her own deep breaths, trying her best to match her breathing to that of Max’s. It’ll be okay, Victoria, she’s still here, you didn’t lose her. She’s still here, Victoria struggled with her own thoughts and convincing her panic that everything was okay. She felt Max grip her a little tighter and she opened her eyes for a second, glancing down at her girlfriend. Max was crying softly, her face buried in Victoria’s shoulder, this time of her own will. “Max, is everything alright?”
“I’m just happy I have you, Tori,” Max stated, holding back more tears in her voice as she spoke, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’d probably be fine, you’re one of the best photographers in school, Max. I’m just-”
“You’re Victoria fucking Chase,” Max immediately interjected, “and I’m not letting you put yourself down to boost me up like you always do.”
Victoria felt Max loosen her hug a little, but not by choice, but more because Max couldn’t hold hugs like that for that long. “Hey, do you want an espresso, hun?” Victoria asked, trying to change the topic away from herself, always feeling awkward whenever her own talents are brought up.
“I’m more of a macchiato girl, goof. You of all people should know that.” Max softly giggled, finally letting go of her girlfriend and sighing happily.
“Well then, I’ll get you a macchiato, I’ll grab an espresso, and I’ll meet you back at your table?” Victoria gestured to the table that had all of Max’s notebooks and textbooks strew about it, softly giggling a little as Max tried to sheepishly hide it from her.
“Sounds like a deal,” Max said, making her way back to her table, before suddenly turning around, “Hey Tori?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.” Max said with a radiant smile on her face, the type of smile that just lit up a room.
“I love you too, Max.” Victoria said, trying to hide her own smile and happiness that came from hearing those words said to her. They kept her grounded. As much as she may need me, I think I need her way more, she thought to herself as she got in line for coffee.