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Chloe rang the bell on her bike multiple times as she rode up to the front door, signalling her arrival.She set her bike down and knocked on the door.As it swung open, she was greeted with the somewhat comforting smell of smoke and alcohol.
"Hey, Chloe."
"Heya', Mad Max."the blue haired woman gave her friend a friendly embrace, which the brunette returned.She stepped into the small home and an ungreeted hand came out to muse her hair.Grabbing her discarded beanie, she looked up with a hidden glare.
"Hi."
"Hello to you too, Prescott."Chloe greeted the friendliest way she could muster, even cracking a smile.She followed the couple into their bare kitchen. Chloe hoisted herself onto the counter and waited for Max to join her.She produced a pack of cigars from her back pocket and offered one to the two.
Nathan picked one up immediately and lit it under the palm of his hand before grabbing a bottle of beer from the fridge and sitting away from the girls.Chloe placed one between her lips, lighting it, then offered the pack to the brunette.She politely declined.
"Still not a smoker?"Chloe teased, pocketing the pack.Max shook her head.The punk smirked and took one more drag before pulling it away from her mouth.She promptly attempted to blow circles of smoke into Max's face, whom cringed playfully at the familiar smell.
"Alright, just one." Chloe grinned triumphantly and offered the cigar to Max.She watched as her friend breathed in timidly, almost choking at the smoke.Max managed to breath out shakily, releasing the smoke from her lips.
"Alright Max!"the punk cheered, musing Max's hair with a grin.
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"This place is..."Chloe started awkwardly, unable to find the right words for her situation.Nathan and Max had dragged her to an open field with a small ring of trees surrounding them in the distance.Not too far away, a pair of electrical towers with, surprise, power lines running through them, parallel to the other and a set of rusty train tracks were nestled between them. Chloe pulled the blanket she held over her arms, shading her pale skin.Skinny jeans were not a wise choice of clothing.
"Just relax, Price.",Nathan swung a metal bat over his shoulder that he had brought along and adjusted his grip on the pack of beer he held in his other hand,"We're not planning your murder or anything."
They eventually came to a stop.Chloe pulled the blanket from her eyes and saw Nathan already reaching for another bottle and Max fiddling with her camera.The punk held back a grin as she lifted the blanket over her head and created a massive shadow that covered Max.The brunette laughed lightly as her friend strained to keep her arms straight and the blanket's shadow over her. Max snapped a quick photo and caught a dumbfounded punk.
"Hey!I wasn't ready!"Chloe complained as a photo slid from the photographer's polaroid.Max grabbed the photo and shook it lazily with a small smile as Chloe continued to frown until her friend suddenly looked up.
"Your like, a new Diane Arbus!Or something...",the punk said, amusingly,"Take these shots!"
She lifted the blanket once again and spun in a lazy circle, causing enough momentum to twirl the blanket around her body.Max chuckled and snapped a few more photos.There wasn't anyone in the world like Chloe Price that could look so carefree and happy.It only added to her beauty.
The laughter from Chloe as she danced and the sound of bottles being smashed from Nathan, was ironically the best song she has ever listened to.
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The trio eventually returned back to the house, somewhat dazed but satisfied.The girls found themselves in Max's room, getting dressed.
Chloe stared at herself in the only mirror in the room, fixing her hair and adjusting her swim suit.The punk watched Max's figure in the mirror and let her eyes scan her bare back as she pulled her shirt off.She reluctantly returned to her reflection with a scowl, scolding herself for staring too long.
She adjusted the top of her bikini, making sure the straps fit comfortably over her shoulder.Chloe slowly turned her head back towards Max, wanting to steal another look before leaving the room.She caught Max staring back, her blue eyes meeting Chloe's.The brunette's lips pulled into a small, timid smile.Chloe bit back a grin and offered a smirk before turning back to face the mirror.She grinned to herself gave her hair one last tease before leaving the room.
-----
Max and Chloe floated on the surface of pool in the former's backyard.The heat of the sun was warm enough to let them bask in the water without feeling too hot.
"Hey, Chloe?"Max suddenly asked, floating and facing the cloudless sky.Her call went unanswered and she frowned to herself.
"Chloe?" She was suddenly lifted from under her back, letting put a surprised squeak.
"Shark attack!"Chloe yelled from under the brunette before throwing her friend back into the water.The punk watched amused as Max slowly emerged from under the water.Only the top half of her face was exposed and she glared angrily at her friend, whom was too busy laughing to notice her anger.
Max rose from the water and spat water into Chloe's face playfully.The punk cringed and splashed water back in counterattack.The photographer raised her arm to return the assault, but a massive splash of water drenched them both from Nathan, whom jumped in.
After an hour of playing in the pool, the trio climbed out and laid by the poolside, basking in the sun.Nathan had chosen to settle in the shade on a chair, sipping from a beer bottle lazily. Max and Chloe grinned at eachother, but Chloe watched the smile slip away from the brunette's lips.The punk looked over her shoulder carefully and watched as Nathan stood and staggered into the house, knocking over cans of soda left on a nearby table.They shared a glance as the brunet swayed clumsily before Max stood and helped her drunk boyfriend into the house.
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After washing the chlorine from their bodies and hair, Max offered to help Chloe with her aftercare.
They sat in Max's empty closet, wearing nothing but a bathrobe.Max was focused on Chloe's nails, tediously painting every exposed part. The punk hesitantly let the brunette take hold of her appearance, which she was secretly enjoying and thankful for.In Nathan's drunken riot, he had called a few of their friends to come over and share a few bottles of beer.The brunette vehemently disapproved but never voiced her opinion.Chloe could see the fear lurking behind her friend's eyes.
The cold tip of the brush caused her to flinch slightly and snap back to reality before relaxing her hand back on the brunette's knee.Max snorted slightly and worked on the next finger.
"You can be so sensitive."Max teased and blew lightly on the newly painted nails. Chloe frowned but didn't say anything and let Max continue her work.As she painted her nails, Chloe stared at Max's freckled face.She smiled to herself as she studied her friend's features.Max's brunette hair framed her face perfectly, leaving a clear view for her beautiful, blue eyes and the countless freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose and splayed out across her cheeks.She stared at Max's slightly parted lips; Chloe longed for those soft-looking lips to be locked with hers, but she resisted and loved Max silently.
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A round of laughter followed by indistinct conversations from various voices made up most of the sounds coming from the house.Max sat on the couch uncomfortably next to Chloe, hating the small crowd of people closing in.The punk easily picked up on her friend's unconformity, and it was only emphasized when a drunken Nathan grabbed his girlfriend by the arm roughly and pulled her towards him.
"C'mon, babe, let's dance."Nathan slurred into her ear,grinning widely.Max swallowed and tried to pry his arms from her waist.
"Nathan, babe, please, no..."Max whimpered when his grip only tightened and her continued to move side to side.His hips grinded against hers and sloppily pressed his lips to her neck as Max attempted to squirm away.Chloe bit back a snarl and glared daggers at Nathan, who seemed too inebriated too care.
Max suddenly jerked away, immediately escaping his grasp and quickly returned to her spot next to Chloe.Nathan stared at his girlfriend, bewildered and partially pissed off, then his eyes trailed to the punk.They shared icy stares before the brunet returned to his drink on the couch opposite from the pair. Chloe breifly made sure her friend was alright before casually taking a sip from her cup. 'Some party...'she thought distastefully, watching Nathan stare at her in the corner of her eyes.
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After bidding their final guest a goodbye, the trio awkwardly spilt up into separate parts of the house.Nathan and Max had done everything to separate themselves from the other.Chloe was caught between the both of them, but it was obvious enough on whom to comfort.
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Chloe wandered down what seemed to be the only part of the house that was furnished.She walked slowly down the hall, which had several photos hung on the wall.
Her fingers timidly reached up to touch a specific frame.Within it, was a polaroid of herself and Max, with wide grins.Chloe smirked to herself.That photo had to be at least six years old, they were at least twelve in the photo.Hell, her and Max's hair were still at least shoulder length. She continued down the hall, observing each picture and found herself back in the living room.She cringed at the harsh smell of alcohol and heard Nathan snoring before her on the same couch he retreated to after Max rejected him.Chloe walked past him and opened the sliding glass door that led to the backyard.
She silenced her footsteps and crept closer towards the pool, finding Max sitting by the poolside, her feet dipped into the water.Her brunette hair fell around her face, shielding her from Chloe, but the punk could already assume how she looked.
Mustering what was left of her bravery, she gingerly sat next to her friend and dipped her feet into the water.They shared a moment of silence, mostly hushed appreciation from Max.The brunette leaned her head onto Chloe's shoulder.
"Che...What...Nathan..."Max spoke softly, unable to find the correct words to describe how she felt.
"Hey...",Chloe murmered a soft reassurance,"Don't make yourself the victim...I'm here for you."
Max shifted slightly, her head slipping closer into Chloe's neck.Chloe could only listen to Max and comfort her the best she could.She admitted she was terrible at comforting people, but she was always willing to try for Max.The punk sighed awkwardly before Max started to pull away.She turned her head to face her friend as she straightened.
Suddenly their eyes locked, warm, blue irises gazed into the parallel.With their faces a mere inches apart, Chloe could feel Max's nervous exhale.The punk slowly leaned in to close to gap, but a searing burn on her scalp stopped her.Wincing at the pain, she moved with the sudden jerk and she was thrown roughly to the ground.Her forehead collided with a rock near the pool.
"Are you kidding me?!You pick her?"Nathan's angered voice was muffled as Chloe tried to focus her blurred vision.She felt a painful sting on her forehead and lip as she turned over, disoriented and hurt.But she could care less about her concussion, she was too worried with what was happening with Max.
She forced her eyes to focus and tried to drown out the ringing in her ears.Her body wouldn't respond to her commands as she tried to stand, she could only watch as Nathan verbally abused her girl.
"Keep your mouth shut!You're good enough already!"Nathan yelled furiously.Max avoided his glare and tried to look at Chloe.
"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"Nathan demanded suddenly.Max snapped her head up to face the brunet, she was too afraid to disobey him,"How dare to do this to me-"
Chloe lunged forward and tackled him to the ground, delivering messy punches to Nathan's face.Max snapped from her fearful gaze and watched as Chloe fiercely hit Nathan repeatedly.The brunette reached down and grabbed her friend by the waist, pulling her off of the beaten man.
"Chloe!...Che, c-calm down..."Max said softly, pulled the punk upwards, doing her best to calm her friend.She reached up and cupped Chloe's face gingerly, observing the bleeding cuts on the side of her head and lips.
"Are...You okay?" The punk couldn't hold back a small smile as the brunette stared at her, full of concern.
"Yeah...I'm alright..."she answered softly, leaning into Max's touch. Max wiped some of the blood from the cut on Chloe's lip with the pad of her thumb, blinking repeatedly to prevent the flow of tears.Chloe winced slightly with an overconfident smirk.She smirk was wiped away when Max leaned up and pressed her lips roughly against hers. The photographer could only cold back her smile as Chloe leaned in to softly kiss back.
"You're pretty hardcore, Super Max."Chloe chuckled.
"Oh shut up."