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"...I will always, always love you. Goodbye." Bzzt. "...I will always, always love you. Goodbye." Bzzt. "...I will always, always love you. Goodbye."
Chloe rewound the tape again and again. Her muscle memory knew the exact length to hold down the button to hear that one line again. The symbols on the buttons had started to disappear, replaced by a white, almost finger shape. Bzzt. She let the tape play to its end this time as she lit a cigarette. The voice on the tape was as sweet as ever. The gentle rasp cushioned Chloe's brain for just a moment. Oh, how she wished she didn't feel the need to listen to this tape, but this was the only way to hear Max's voice. The voice that hasn't talked to her in three years. The voice that makes her sob, and wish, and rage, and pine. The voice she hates and loves. But mostly loves. She wished that would change. Especially now, especially with Rachel. And she loved Rachel; how could you not? Rachel was her angel, her life, her everything.
But there was still Max. Her first mate, her first... It didn't matter now. Max was living it up in Seattle, probably drinking and partying. Bzzt. Probably not even thinking of Chloe. Bzzt. So why was it so easy for her? Bzzt. And not for Chloe? Bzzt. How many times did she listen to it since Max left? Probably just 100 in that first week. She worried about the tape deteriorating. She didn't know what she'd do if she couldn't hear Max's voice. Her dumb pretty voice. Bzzt. Some ash from her cigarette dropped onto the floor. Chloe couldn't help herself. She took out her phone and looked at her last text to Max. Crickets, always crickets. So much for all the promises in the rest of the tape. She only needed the ending anyway.
What was Max like now? Chloe could only picture the innocent 13-year-old nerd she saw last. She was probably a party girl, getting drunk on the weekends, finally popular. Chloe wasn't holding her back anymore after all. No more pirates for Max. Just beer and boys. Or Max was the exact same proto-hipster photo girl Chloe had said goodbye to. Doubtful Seattle wouldn't change someone, though. Chloe put her head against her knees. She needed to get high, go to a party, anything except sit in her room missing her best friend. Fuck, she didn't even have the courage to call her her ex-best friend.
Suddenly, her door was thrown open.
"Chloe!" Rachel's figure stood in the doorway, smiling. Oh, that smile brightened every room.
"Rachel?" Chloe started to stand up slowly.
Rachel cocked an eyebrow and carefully spoke, "Are you okay, Chloe?"
She always noticed every little thing about Chloe. It was her superpower, but Chloe couldn't explain everything. Not right now. She was just hoping Rachel was too caught up in whatever she was caught up in to question her too much.
"Yeah, I'm great. Just needing to get high."
Rachel rolled her eyes a bit and continued on, satisfied enough. "I'm sorry for not texting or whatever, but I had to come get you. I saw this poster for this..."
As she talked, Rachel turned around just enough that Chloe kicked the tape player so it slid under her bed. As it skittered, Rachel stopped talking. Uh, oh.
"What was that?" Rachel asked, crossing her arms.
"What was what?"
Rachel bridged the gap between them and put her hand against Chloe's face. Chloe could already tell she was too warm from nervousness. "Chloe Price. All this time together and you still think you can lie to me."
She always sounded so hot when she said her full name, but right now it only brought nerves. "I-"
Chloe didn't get another word out before she felt Rachel's lips on hers. Chloe's hand started to rise to touch Rachel's hair, but Rachel pushed her off before she got the chance. "You're too easy to distract."
She practically skipped over to where the tape player was and picked it up.
"Rachel, listen-"
"...Always love you. Goodbye."
Chloe shut her eyes in embarrassment and put her hand against her forehead.
"Are you two-timing me, Price?" Rachel asked playfully.
Chloe wasn't feeling very playful. "No, it's- that's Max. My friend from..."
"Yeah, I remember her." She examined the player from all sides. "Your pirate friend, arghh." Rachel made a hook with her finger.
Sometimes Chloe thought she just had a thing for dorks. Although Rachel was a very different dork.
"It's what she left me. After my dad died." Chloe rubbed her arm.
Rachel carefully put it on the bed and strolled over to Chloe. She looked up at her, putting her hands against her waist. "You loved her."
"Well, of course I did; she was my best friend."
"No, you truly loved her." Chloe didn't look Rachel in the eyes. "It's ok, Price. I'm not jealous"
Chloe let out a little laugh, "You're never jealous, Rachel."
She kissed Chloe's neck lightly. "I know I have no reason to be." Another kiss. "I'm just sad she didn't get to see how cool you turned out." Another kiss. "Although, I'm glad she's not here to get in the way."
Chloe was starting to smile. "Get in the way of what exactly?
Rachel shrugged and grabbed Chloe by her jacket, kissing her as she pulled her toward the bed. She pushed the tape player to the other side and flopped backwards on the bed, bringing Chloe with her. Rachel's hands held onto Chloe's waist as Chloe planked over her. They exchanged kisses, getting hungrier and hungrier for each other. Guess she wouldn't have time to go wherever Rachel wanted to take her. Not that either of them minded that much. For a long moment, Chloe didn't think about Max.
Chloe lay on her bed. A joint between her fingers as typical nosy Max looked around her room. She was near the bed now; Chloe's eyes drank her all in. She really couldn't believe it. Max Caulfield was exactly how she was before. Sure, her hair was different, and she was taller, but in every way that counted, she was still Chloe's best friend. Chloe almost felt bad for being so different. She wasn't sure if Max would be able to fall into the same immediate groove that Chloe had been able to when talking to Max. Everything was just so different now.
And Max was so pretty. The way her hair framed her face, the way her freckles looked when a beam of sunlight hit her, the way she smiled. God, how was it this easy to fall back in love? She was just grateful Max didn't have the same mind-reading powers as Rachel, although she guessed she basically did with her rewind if she asked the right questions. Shit, she always got confused when she started thinking about how that worked. Instead, she let her thoughts drift back to Rachel. When she found her, what was she going to do? Honestly, Rachel probably wouldn't care. Rachel always knew just what to say to Chloe. Maybe she'd even love Max too. Whatever, it's not like she was going to do anything about her feelings. She was just happy to have Max back in any way.
Max kneeled down and grabbed at something under the bed. "I didn't know you had any tapes left."
"Oh wait." Chloe sat up fast, and Max held the tape player tight against her chest.
"What's on this, Chloe?" Max giggled.
Chloe approached Max slowly, "Just let me have it, Max."
Max's hand went up, and she was gone. Chloe looked to her left and saw Max there smiling triumphantly.
"Fuck off, that's not fair," Chloe complained, sighing. She plopped back down onto her bed, taking another hit of her joint. "Fine, whatever. Listen to it if you want." Chloe couldn't watch her do it.
"...Max and Chloe. I will always, always love you. Goodbye."
Max was quiet. Not her normal inner monologue quiet; this was something else. Chloe risked a glance and saw Max caressing the buttons, clearly recognizing how worn out they'd gotten from playing it again and again. Chloe felt herself go a little red as she let out a nervous breath. Suddenly Max walked over to Chloe, getting faster with every single step. She wrapped her arms around Chloe, tight, the tape player still in hand. Chloe's arms were outstretched, unsure whether she would return the hug.
Chloe did her best to undercut whatever was happening. "I know you love the smell of cigarettes, Mad Max, but you're being a little gay right now."
She felt something wet against her where Max's face was. Were those tears?
"Max?"
Max pulled her face away from Chloe's body. Tears streamed down her face. She put her hand against Chloe's face as she looked up at her. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."
"It's whatever, man, water under the bridge."
"No, Chloe, it's the worst mistake I ever made. I never should, I'm not even sure why I did..."
"Max!" Chloe grabbed Max's cheeks. "It's ok, you're here now."
Max smiled and lifted herself up to sit next to Chloe. They stared at each other for a moment. Max shyly put her hand against Chloe's. Chloe's hand opened to let their finger's intertwine.
"I still do, you know?"
"What?"
"Love you, I never stopped."
Chloe pulled her hand away and turned away from Max. "Don't do that, Max!"
"Do what?" Max asked softly, but quickly.
"Tell me what I want to hear. I'm sure you rewinded this to make me happier, but-"
"Chloe," she grabbed Chloe's face, "I haven't rewound. I mean what I said."
"Even... even if that's true, you left last time you said that."
"Never again, Chloe, can... can I prove it to you?"
Chloe looked into Max's doe eyes. She could never say no to her. She nodded. Max kissed her. She pulled away and opened her mouth, probably to apologize, but Chloe grabbed her and kissed her back. They pulled away from each other, laughing softly at each other. She kissed her forehead and held Max tight. She wouldn't be letting her go again.