Chapter Text
Max paused as she asked Amanda if she'd want to hangout. She hadn't done something like that since... well since Chloe. In her head, she was thinking "Would Chloe be okay with this?" "What am I doing?" "How can I just abandon Chloe like this?"
But Amanda smiled and said. "I'd love that. But... I just want to set the boundaries early... is this a date thing or a friend thing?"
Max heard the words but couldn't process them. But then Max knew in her heart that it was time to let go of her past.
"It's date thing," Max said. "Definitely a date thing."
Amanda smiled and looked relieved. "Great. My place or yours?" Amanda asked.
"Mine," Max said. "6'o clock... don't be late."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Amanda said.
Max grinned walking away from the bar. She did it. She finally asked a girl out... she never thought she'd be able to do something like that. "I'm proud of you," Safi said as Max returned to break the news to her best friend. "Really, I think this is something you needed."
Soon Max rushed home ready to prepare for her date with Amanda. "This needs to be perfect."
Max rummaged through her closet and drawers looking for the perfect outfit. Dress? Too formal... Jeans? Too casual...
Max paused... It was Rachel's old clothes. Chloe had let her borrow them one time, but they were too big for her when she tried to wear them. Now though... she had grown a lot. She could finally fit into Rachel's clothes. Max put on the red flannel and black jeans looking in the mirror as she assessed how she looked. "Cool, calm... and totally hot," Max said and then rolled her eyes at herself.
Max paused as she gazed at the photo wall, the last photo she took of Chloe hanging on the wall alongside a picture of Rachel and Chloe together. "You'll be with me tonight, right? Or is that... weird..." Max said.
She slowly reached out to touch the photo. The amount of times Chloe and Max had discussed running away from Arcadia Bay... if only... but in the end... Max had a decision to make. And she chose... to sacrifice the love of her life to save hundreds of innocents. She knew it's what Chloe had truly wanted. That no amount of love could justify dooming a whole town.
"I miss you," Max said. "I wish we could have run away together."
Max sighed as she tidied her room and then headed down the stairs. She needed to make sure this place was ready for Amanda. She didn't actually have that much longer until Amanda's shift was over.
Max picked up the memory scraps she had left on the coffee table, tucking them away in a box. "I don't need to go down trauma lane on the first date," Max mumbled. "I don't need to chase her away before we even think about a second date."
Max finished tidying up before the doorbell went off. Max felt her heart skip a beat as she turned to the door. "Here goes everything," Max said as she took hold of the door knob and opened it as smoothly as she could leaning on the door. "Welcome to my domain."
Amanda's nose crinkled as she gave a harsh chuckle. "That's your opening line? How many times was that rehearsed?" Amanda asked.
"That would be never," Max said as she blushed. "Come in."
Amanda entered the house and followed Max inside. "So... this is where they send the artist in residence huh... seems a bit high maintenance."
"It's not super necessary, but they insisted I take it. I guess it's the perks of being friends with Yasmin's daughter," Max said as she sat down on the couch.
"So... what are your plans for this date?" Amanda asked. "I know it was a bit last minute, but... I'm eager to know how you plan on the spot."
"Well..." Max said. "I hadn't really thought too much in advanced..."
Max blushed feeling a little awkward as she wasn't really sure what to do. She hadn't been on a date... ever.... well technically she had it just... was undone later. "That's okay," Amanda said. "How about we do this fun activity called... get to know each other. I mean... I hardly know anything about you."
"Yeah..." Max said. "I'm not sure how much I can say. There's a lot about me that is... locked up in my haunted past."
Max wanted to hit herself for saying something like that, but Amanda just made her feel comfortable. Amanda looked at Max with serious contemplation. "Oh, honey... what happened?" Amanda said.
"Nothing really..." Max said.
"Bullshit... I know that look," Amanda said. "It's one I've had to give a couple of times."
"I don't want to burden you," Max said.
"You're not going to," Amanda said. "Trust me, I'm the safest space you'll ever get to have."
"Well..." Max said not knowing why she was willing to say such a thing. "I... I watched my best friend... more than best friend... die my senior year of high school..."
Amanda shifted in her seat scooting closer to Max, putting a hand on her knee. "I'm sure it was difficult..." Amanda said.
"She didn't know how much I..." Max said. "All the times we had... all the moments... were erased. She had nothing to remember me for."
Amanda wrapped an arm around Max as Max buried her face in her shoulder. "I'm sure she knew," Amanda said. "And I'm sure she had amazing memories."
Max wanted to shut herself up, but instead she found herself pouring everything out. "I left her. Abandoned her when she needed me most. And then I let her die... after she was shot... I let her..."
"Hey... you couldn't control what happened," Amanda said.
"That's not true," Max said. "I... I used to be able to rewind time... I rewound her death... she was alive... a storm was set to destroy Arcadia Bay because of it... I chose to kill her."
Max didn't intend to tell Amanda about her powers, and almost thought Amanda might think she was lying or something, but instead Amanda gazed at Max.
"That doesn't mean you were in control," Amanda said. "You made a noble sacrifice. One that no one else could have made, but one that was probably the hardest decision to make."
"You believe me?" Max asked. "Why? Without proof?"
"I doubt you'd be crying over a fake story," Amanda said. "And besides... we can circle back on your super powers another time. Right now... I'll believe whatever you want me to... because I'm here for you Max... whatever you need."
Max couldn't believe she had gotten so lucky. She rested her head on Amanda's shoulder. "Thank you... I'm sorry for... dumping all of that on you... you must think I'm a horrible first date," Max said.
"Not at all," Amanda said. "It seems like you've been burying all of this inside of you. So tell me... tell me everything you've ever wanted to say... and I'll listen. And I'll try to understand... rewind powers and all."