Welcome To Paradise

Song by Green Day

NOTE – The release of this story will not affect the timeline I set for the final chapter of "Intersecting Worlds, Interconnected Hearts". I just finished this chapter before the other story's.

The only real light in the fairly-sized room was the small cluster of bulbs that illuminated the ring from above. Old and patched, the canvas on its flooring looked like someone could fall through at any moment and the half the ropes hung slack between the ring posts. Max Caulfield grinned at how much of a dive the place was; she loved every inch of this particular hellhole.

Scratching at her nose, Max rolled her eyes just as quickly as she yanked her hand back. Don't need another infection, Max reminded herself as she remembered what had happened when she had gotten her belly button pierced. My navel looked like a damn sausage bite from a pizza for a week. Ugh, I do not need a repeat of that shit. Rachel was supposed to have met her here, but Max had no doubt that her pseudo-friend was chilling out in some haze of pot smoke and too much liquor. Meeting in the foster care system, the two girls had latched onto each other like sisters nearly at first. Taking the role of big sister, Rachel had shown Max the ropes when both girls had ended up with the same foster family.

Max sighed and looked down at her feet as she recalled the memory of her parents' funeral. Victims of a hit and run not even 4 months into their new life in Seattle, her parents' life insurance had paid out to Max only for it to be scooped up and put into a trust that wouldn't be accessible until shortly before her 18th birthday. For nearly five years, Max was run through the system and with each house and shelter she went to and went through Max came out a slightly different person. Patting her camera bag, one of the few things she still had from when her parents were still alive, she could feel the Polaroid camera they had bought for her as a gift when they had settled in. Looking down at her black-nailed hand with a spiked ring on her index finger, Max wondered what her parents would think if they suddenly walked in here now. The idea made her curious as she had not actually thought about them in what felt like forever.

Walking over to the makeshift bar tucked into a corner of the room, Max signaled down the person keeping bar and ordered a beer. When he had asked for ID, Max flashed him a grin and a $20 bill before receiving two beers in exchange. Sipping on one while tucking the other away in her bag, Max ran a hand through her pink hair and rubbed at her tattooed arms to fight the cold in the room.

"S'like a goddamn meat locker. Wowsers and fuck," Max mumbled as she weaved her way through the crowd. Feeling someone grab her ass as she wound through the sea of people, Max reared her foot up and smiled in satisfaction when she felt her steel-toe boot connect with the perpetrator's crotch in a whimper. Looking over to see one of the other patron's laugh at the small outburst of violence from such a little girl, Max saluted him with a small toast of her bottle before tossing back another mouthful of beer into her system. She wanted to get drunk, she wanted to sing and take photos and not give a fuck about anything anymore. Tonight, however, she wanted to watch someone knock the shit of another person.

Finding an open spot along the guardrails that divided the spectators and the participants, Max leaned against the railing and joined in the hollering and howling as the first fight began. Pulling out her Polaroid camera, Max took shot after shot as the two men in the ring went at each other. Street fighting versus what looked to Max like some mix of boxing and breakdancing, the pink-haired punk photographer couldn't help but nearly laugh her ass off as the street fighter caught the pretty boy with an uppercut that actually vaulted the poor guy a couple feet of the mat before he slammed into the old canvas. Noting that the ten-minute timer between rounds started immediately after the street fighter's hand was raised in victory, Max dashed to the restroom and was able to make it just before the line got too long.

Seeing a group of elitist-looking shits cut off a girl sporting a hoodie and athletic shorts, Max caught one of the snobs by the elbow and yanked her around.

"Hey, wait your turn like everyone else!" Max said with her voice raised, getting a nervous look from the girl's friends, "Keep your snotty shit back home."

"Who the fuck are you?!" the other girl asked, her voice laden with hostility as she put a hand to her hip, "I don't know where you come from, street trash, but I throw garbage away. I don't let it tell me what to do."

Unwilling to let the insult slide, this instance not being the first time 'street trash' had been hurled her way, Max stood on her tip-toes and proceeded to pour the remainder of her first beer all over the other girl's head. Watching her turn around with a look of complete shock on her face, Max couldn't help but giggle before she watched a manicured hand curl into a fist. Searching through her bag desperately to find her mace, both girls were frozen in their tracks as a taped hand divided the two of them.

"Can I just go to the damn bathroom without a fight? Please?" the girl in the hoodie, half-pleading and half-agitated. Her face obscured by the hood, Max could only make out some blue hair sticking out.

Watching the trio of snobs quickly back away, Max was about to thank the girl in the hoodie only to be stopped by her rescuer escaping into the restroom. Sighing as the three girls shot her menacing stares, Max smiled at them as she flashed her can of military-grade pepper spray. Half-concealed in her camera bag, Max brandished it just enough that her intended viewers could see the olive drab can and label. Watching them bump into each other as they high-tailed it out of the line, Max snickered as she heard some scattered applause for her actions. Turning around to bow graciously, Max watched the hoodie girl walk past her in silence. Seeing her head into the locker room area, Max put that and her taped hand together to realize she was one of the fighters tonight.

Coming back from the restroom, Max wiped her hands on her torn black jeans as she secured her place along the guardrails for the second match. Checking her phone to see if Rachel had sent her any messages, Max let out a small humph before hearing the next fighters called out to the ring. While the first person seemed rather plain to her, clean-cut and average, the guy's opponent grabbed at Max's attention like nothing she'd felt in years.

Still wearing the hoodie, her face was partially obscured by blue hair as a wide smile played across the girl's lips. Kicking her combat boots off and sliding them out of the ring, the blue-haired girl checked her the tape on her feet before assuming an offensive stance. Max had seen kickboxers fight in the ring before, but this girl looked fierce and beautiful. Everything about her was lean and taut; the blue-haired kickboxer exuded a raw strength that almost seemed too big for her body. Good Dog, she's hot, Max thought appreciatively as the girl began to circle the ring as her opponent did the same.

The guy Max dubbed 'Average Joe' came at the blue-haired girl with a few quick jabs. Boxer vs kickboxer? Nice. The girl taking one hit, she blocked the second and dodged the third before snapping a side kick into Joe's chest. Watching him stumble back on his tip-toes, Max laughed as she yelled at him to go back to ballet class.

Laughing harder when she saw Joe glare at her out of the corner of his eye, Max quickly snapped a picture of the moment. Totally going on my Facebook tonight. What a dork! Don't look at me, look at who you're fighting! Max joined the crowd in a collective wince as the blue-haired kickboxer landed a jab into Joe's face, connecting with a spurt of blood gushing out of his face as she promptly followed up with a spinning hook kick. Max's idea of a future in ballet for Average Joe seemed cemented as he spun in the air and landed with a loud thud on the mat.

"The winner is…Blue Storm!" the referee said as he raised the girl's hand in victory, Max putting her fingers in the corners of her mouth to whistle before throwing the winner devil horns. Seeing the girl, her face still obscured by hair and hood, throw the horns back with a devilish grin, Max felt her heart begin to beat rapidly as the buzzer for the ten-minute timer started again.

Leaning across the bar once again, Max was asking if he had any snacks on hand when she saw a familiar hoodie pop up next to her. Wowsers, she's literally inches from me. Holy shit, not the time to revert to shy mode! Get it together, Max!

"Water?" the hooded kickboxer asked as she raised a taped hand toward the bartender, a couple $1 bills in her grip. Taking the bills, the bartender offered her a liter-sized bottle of water and the girl snapped the cap off before tossing down almost half the contents of her beverage. Noticing that someone was watching her, the kickboxer took of her hood and looked down at her admirer.

"Yeah, I know. I'm a badass," the blue-haired girl said as she winked at the shocked pink-haired girl, "Uh…you okay? High or something?"

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?" the kickboxer asked, puzzled.

"I know I look different Chloe, but so do you and I still recognize your face. Asswipe."

"How do you…wait. Wait a goddamn minute," the kickboxer said as she felt own shock coming over herself as well, "Max?"

When Max responded with a click of her Polaroid camera, Chloe knew it was Max Caulfield standing before her. What the fuck? This is Max? My Max, the little girl who played pirates with me and drew comics? Jesus Christ, what happened to you? Chloe took a sip of her water as the two girls just stared at each other in shock, the silence broken only as a hand shot out between them and offered the bartender a $5 in exchange for a beer and a single one dollar bill in return.

"Wow, Chloe," Max said as she looked the girl standing before her over, "You look…well, you look awesome." Max scrunched the bridge of her nose as she gave Chloe a huge smile, the previous 4 beers from before she had come to the fight club beginning to take effect.

"You look pretty killer yourself, sista," Chloe said as she checked Max out. One full sleeve and one half-sleeve, all tricked out in black and blue like an emo-goth kid ready for combat. Still toting around that camera, though. Max Caulfield version 2.0, I guess. Ruffling up Max's pink hair, Chloe couldn't help but grin at the look of utter delight on her old friend's face.

"Five years did you good, Mad Max. I mean…damn," Chloe said, nodding in approval as Max responded with flushed cheeks. New and improved, but still Max. Heh.

"Hey," Max said, hesitant for only a moment, "You got anything else going on tonight?"

"Aside from sleeping in my truck before heading out, no. Why? Gonna show me some nightlife, Max?" Chloe said with a smirk.

"I could, or we could go by the drugstore that is next to my apartment and talk. Five years, Chloe. Five years," Max said, her levity replaced with a yearning and earnestness that caught Chloe off-guard.

"Uh…well, that is…I mean…," Chloe stammered, scratching at her hair before yanking a black beanie onto her head.

"Chlo, come on. I mean, what are the chances we would run into each other here? Tonight?" Max asked, folding her hands in prayer as she shot her blue eyes into Chloe's dazzling ones, "Pretty please?"

Looking away in thought, Chloe felt mixed emotions that had always risen up in her whenever Max had sprung to mind. This is different, Chloe thought to herself, She's hella here. Right here, right now. She's totally inviting you to her home, she's letting you in. Just go, jackass. Looking back at Max, Chloe busted up laughing as Max looked at her from the corner of her eye with a wry smile. Fucking nerd.

"Alright, Caulfield. Lead on."

Chloe had only been to Seattle twice before tonight, and she had never travelled this far into the city. Trying not to gawk at the lights and buildings, Chloe drove the truck while Max provided directions. Holy shit, we're fucking pirates again! Chloe couldn't help but think to herself with a faint smile. She's always been a good first mate.

"So, uh, how much further?" Chloe asked as she glanced over at Max, the other girl signaling for her to turn right.

"My place is actually just around the corner," Max said as she pointed a 24-hour drug store, "See? Drug store. Get you good and medicated."

Chloe didn't know what to make of the wink that followed the statement Max made about getting her medicated, but shrugged nonetheless. Patting at the wad of bills stuffed into her hoodie's pocket, Chloe nodded reassuringly as Max guided her into an old parking lot that was situated in front of a brick apartment building. Place is old, kinda dumpy looking, Chloe thought as she turned her truck off. Grabbing her duffel bag from behind the seat, Chloe slid out of the driver's side as Max followed suit on her end. Making sure that both doors were locked, Chloe slung her duffel bag across her shoulder and gestured Max toward the sidewalk.

"Show me the way, Max," Chloe said cheerfully, waving Max on, "Unless you're too drunk to remember the short distance between yonder drug store and your boudoir.

Max smirked at Chloe in response, laughing as she flipped Chloe off and took her by the hand around the corner. Opening the door to the drug store, Max flipped off the guy at the counter.

"I told you that I didn't want you in here, anymore!" the guy barked, "You're bad for business!"

"Dude, it's fucking 11:30 at night," Max said, snagging gauze and over-the-counter painkillers from the shelf next to her while flipping the cashier off another time, "Besides, I pay every time so it's not like I'm robbing the place. What the hell is there to rob, your magazines from three years ago? Wowsers, what a find."

"Such a brat," Chloe said with a half-hearted sigh as sniggered, "So bratty, Max."

"Such angst. Very mood. So grrl. Wow," Max said back without looking behind her to see Chloe's reaction, tossing random medical supplies into her handbasket before dragging Chloe to the small grocery section, "Load up on foodstuffs?"

"What'd you have in mind?" Chloe asked, eyeing a suspicious-looking back of 'Potatoe Cips'.

Max laughed as she saw what Chloe was looking at, waving the blue-haired girl away from what Max called the 'danger zone' before opening a small ice chest and pulling out a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a two-liter of cherry soda. Displaying her finds to Chloe, Max batted her eyes at the snickering kickboxer before nodding as she brought all of her goodies up to the checkout counter.

"And some pot if you have it," Max said to the cashier with a wink as she leaned up to the counter and smiled playfully, the guy's eyes suddenly darting back and forth in reply, "C'mon, Barty, be my buddy."

"It's Bart, Max, and you know that I hate it when you do this," Bart said as he stuck a hand into one of the pockets in his cargo pants. Pulling out a small black bag, Bart shoved it into Max's outstretched, black-nailed hand only to look even more flustered when she leaned up to his ear and whispered "Thanks. Barty."

"Mad game, Max. Mad fucking game," Chloe said as she looked at the pint-sized rebel with a feeling of mild admiration. This was not the girl she remembered, but there was something familiar and endearing about the woman Max had become. She's fearless, but there's still a shyness in her eyes. Like the rebel protects the shy geek inside. Not that I can say anything, I'm just as bad in my own way, Chloe thought as she clenched her free hand in front of her face.

"I have my moments," Max said as she spun around while they headed toward her building, a large smile on her face and her eyes alight with a twinkle that nearly made Chloe gulp, "Buuuut, he's not really my type."

"Oh? Looked kind cute to me. What's got you so turned off from him?" Chloe asked, getting to be curious about someone else's love life for a change rather than the opposite. No, Mom. I don't know when I will meet someone. No, Mom, I don't know if can make me happy. Oh, and by the way, I like girls! Hella shit, Mom, just leave me the fuck be!

"A lady never tells" Max said, her face once more flush as it was Chloe's turn to have her eyes become alight. Holy shit. Is Max gay? Holy fucking shit.

"Chloe? Chloe, you okay? Oh Dog, do you have a concussion?" Max asked when Chloe didn't say anything, playfulness and jokes turning into seriousness and observation.

"Huh? I don't think so," Chloe said as she rubbed at the back of her head, looking away so as to not see the heartwarming concern on Max's face, "I just spaced out."

"Well, we're here so it's cool," Max said as she opened the door to the old brick building's hallway.

Dimly lit by a winking fluorescent bulb in the ceiling, Chloe thought the place looked somewhat shoddy. A few scraps of paper discarded on the floor here and there, it was obvious that nobody really came to clean all that often. Chloe tried to fathom how someone like Max could live in a dive like this. It's been five years, sure, but here? What the fuck happened to you, Max? The ink, the piercings, the whole shtick – I see you in there but it's like you're hiding from the world.

Collecting her mail from a brass-doored mailbox, Max slid a stack of letters and junk mail into her camera bag as she motioned for Chloe to follower her down into the basement floor. Minding her step to avoid a random slice of pizza on the stairway landing, Max walked down the dingy stairs with a faint smile on her face as Chloe closely followed. Stopping at the second door to the left, Max handed Chloe her camera bag so that she could find her keys. Oh crap. Don't tell me I left them in the apartment. I could have sworn…wait…oh, got 'em! Max thought as she sighed in relief. Pulling out a ring of keys, Max separated three of them from the rest of the small bundle and began to systematically unlock her apartment door.

"Three locks, Max? You have something pricey inside, or just hella paranoid?" Chloe mused with a tone that sounded to Max like curiosity and sarcasm.

"Like I'd tell you, 'Random Person I Met at a Fight Club'," Max chirped as she unlocked the second deadbolt, "I'd say ladies first but I don't actually see any ladies around. Still, after you."

Handing Max her camera bag back, Chloe smirked at Max and walked inside. This is, well, kinda cool. Color me fucking surprised, Chloe couldn't help but think to herself as she examined the interior of Max's apartment while Max took the shopping bags and tossed them over on the bed. A one-room studio apartment, the space itself was maybe as large as the dining area and living room of her house back in Arcadia Bay. Brick-walled, there was jagged scraps of wallpaper, posters, and photos decorating the apartment in haphazard style. A bed sitting in the corner with a kitchenette across the small space, there was a bathroom in a small room in the back of the apartment. No windows, the only light coming from a bedside lamp that had been on when they came in. Chloe wondered how long Max had lived here.

"Take a seat," Max said nonchalantly as she began to lay out the medical supplies, "Feeling concussed yet? No, Chloe, sit over her at the bed."

Chloe got up from the single chair near the television and moved to where Max was located. Starting to feel the rush of adrenaline wearing off, Chloe couldn't help but feel a little dizzy as she sat down. Is it from the fight, or from finding Max and her suddenly being inches away from me right now? Meh, s'probably both. Wincing as she felt an alcohol swab pressed against a small cut on her jawline, Chloe came out of the mental fog to watch Max tend to her wounds. Where did she learn about all this? Where…wait, where are her parents?

"Max?" Chloe asked, catching Max's attention with the trepidation in her voice.

"Mmm?" Max asked, shifting her gaze from Chloe's face and back down to the split knuckles on Chloe's right hand. Satisfied with her job cleaning the wound, Max gently placed a strip of gauze over the knuckles of Chloe's right hand before wrapping medical tape around the area.

"…What happened to you?" Chloe asked, pausing because she wanted to ask in greater detail and the question was the first thing that floated to mind. Seeing the look in Max's face change, Chloe went to place a hand on Max's cheek only for the girl to brush the gesture away as she stood up.

"…I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch, Chloe," Max said, Chloe picking up on the emotional strain in her old friend's voice, "It's…it's been a rough time, being here in Seattle. I know that my family and I took off not even a week after William passed away…"

"Why didn't you ever call, or get in touch with me at all?" Chloe asked, old memories and feelings coming up from where Chloe drew out animosity she used in fighting. "My…my dad died and you just disappeared-"

"My parents died, Chloe."

Chloe felt her blood turn to ice, her body stiffening from the shock of what Max said and the casual way in which she had said it hit Chloe in the heart with the impact of one of her own kicks. Max stayed quiet, standing and facing away from Chloe, waiting for the blue-haired girl's response.

"They…they died? God, Max! Why didn't you tell me? You could have come to Arcadia Bay! You know my mom would have-" Chloe said, rising to her feet as she felt a flood of mixed emotions in her give way to a deep-seated grief. I lost Dad, but holy fuck. She lost…she lost everything. "Where have you been, Max? This place, the way you dress and act, it isn't you."

"…You don't really know me, Chloe," Max murmured, her voice devoid of emotion as she turned to look at Chloe, "I spent over four years in and out of foster homes. Some were nice, some were shit, but I was an outsider in each of them. My things were either stolen or pawned off. My camera bag and the camera you saw are really all that's left of my things from before, the Max from before. I only have this place because I work at a coffee shop during the day and I finally got access to the trust containing my parents' life insurance. It's not much, and I'm saving the majority of it for school, so beggars can't be fucking choosers. It's a roof and walls, which is better than some of the places I've crashed."

"Max…I…I'm sorry," Chloe said, walking over to put a hand on the pink-haired girl's shoulder. Feeling Max squeeze with one of her own black-nailed hands in return, Chloe spun the shorter girl around and pulled Max into a tight hug. "I…I really wish you would've called. I've spent years being a sad sack of bullshit, angry at everyone who bailed on me when one of the most important people in my life was going through…Max, I'm so sorry."

"S-So am I…," Max whispered, pushing her face into the chest of Chloe's hoodie as she fought back the tears that wanted to come pouring out. No. I will not cry. I will not fucking cry. I didn't cry when my hair was cut, when my clothes were stolen, when my camera was nearly pawned off. Fuck this. I don't cry anymore.

Pushing herself away from Chloe, Max gave the other girl a weak smile before she went to her camera bag. Pulling out the extra beer, Max went to her mini-fridge and pulled out another beer. Handing the refrigerated bottle to Chloe, Max pried the cap off her own brew and lifted it up in a toast.

"To strange fucking coincidences," Max said before taking a long drink.

Chloe just watched Max, dumbfounded, before the pink-haired girl looked at her while her head was still tilted up. Seeing Max eye her in confusion, Chloe quickly took a drink of the beer she had been given and felt a pleasant sensation as the alcohol entered her system. After tonight, I hella deserve this, Chloe thought as she quirked an eyebrow at Max and continued to drink. Max flipped Chloe off with her free hand and began to chug her beer down, an impromptu drinking contest started between the two. Slamming her beer down on the bedside table with an exaggerated "Ahhh!", Max looked at Chloe with a look of triumph as the bluenette was beaten by only a few seconds.

Max didn't want to talk about what happened; she just wanted to enjoy seeing the girl she had left in Arcadia Bay, now returned to her for a night that had proven fun so far. Apologizing for that being the only other beer she had, Max offered Chloe some soda and pulled out the weed she had purchased. Yanking a bong out from under her bed, Max set everything up as she let Chloe talk on about her own life. Stepdouche? That's pretty funny. At least it sounds like Joyce is happy, though I doubt Chloe ever is when you think about how she sounds. I can believe she got kicked out of school, though. Having a kickboxers with a chip on her shoulder walking around campus was bound to end badly. I wish Rachel were here. She'd be loving this. Then again, I like having Chlo to myself…

"So you're still in school?" Chloe asked as she took a sip of her cherry soda, "Man, I wish I hadn't fucked up so royally at Blackwell. I have hella skills, dude."

"What, aside from being a future mercenary? Stuntwoman, maybe?" Max teased, a few drops of soda dribbling down her chin as she smiled while drinking her own soft drink.

"Ha ha, asswipe. No, I'm…I'm good at drawing. Illustrations and all that. I designed my tattoo, dude." Taking her hoodie off, Max looked away for a moment as all Chloe was wearing underneath was a sports bra. "Oh. Sorry, Max. Lemme go change."

"S-Sure," Max said, cussing under her breath when Chloe closed the door to the small bathroom. When did the stuttering flare back up? When Chloe showed up, duh. Real smooth, Caulfield.

Max's head shot up as she was alerted to a noise coming from the hallway outside her door. Reaching into her camera bag, Max grabbed her pepper spray and cautiously looked through the peephole to see Rachel Amber leaning against the opposite wall while making out with some random guy.

"Maaaax?" Rachel asked between kisses, "Can we come in? C'mon! Let me in, sweetie!"

"I told you not to bring anyone to my place again, Rachel! This is so not cool, so no you may not come in!" Max shouted through the door, not noticing Chloe coming out of the bathroom to listen in on the conversation.

"Awww, Sis, I promise I will behave this time…," Rachel pleaded, tearing herself away from the boy she was with to give Max puppy eyes through the peephole.

"No dice, Rachel. You know I love you, but I actually have someone here and there's no room. No room, no joy," Max said before walking away from the door, seeing Chloe look on in amusement as they both heard a "Pfft, fine. Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow" as Rachel's voice faded back up the stairs.

"'Sis'?" Chloe asked, trying not to laugh at what she had just heard, "Your 'sis' sounds pretty fucked up, Max."

"Yeah. Rachel and I ended up in some of the same places over the years. We actually hated each other at first, but we ended up bonding and we're pretty much sisters at this point. She's a pain in the ass, but she's apparently my pain in the ass. I have exclusivity. Great, right?" Max's question was so laden with sarcasm that Chloe didn't couldn't figure out if Max actually liked the girl she called Rachel or not. Shrugging, Chloe decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"So, back to you and school. You doing okay?" Chloe asked, sitting back down on the bed as Max opted to lean against the back of her solitary chair.

"Yeah. Surprising, huh, considering my shithole of a place. I'm in an online homeschool type of deal, but I need to get into a real school before I graduate so that I can nail down a college after. I'm looking into some schools for my senior year coming this fall, and I've got a few still on my list," Max said, getting excited as she thought about leaving her dingy place for an actual college campus.

"You should fucking come back to Arcadia Bay, go to Blackwell. You still into photography?" Chloe asked, seeing Max nod in reply, "They've got a great program for that shit. You'd ace it."

"Something to think about, I guess. I'm just so used to Seattle. Never thought about going back to Arcadia Bay. Hey, Chloe, is it okay if we call it a night. I've got an early shift tomorrow and I could use some sleep," Max said, stretching as she saw Chloe nod in return.

Taking off her clothes until she was only in her t-shirt and boxers, Max slid into her bed and pressed herself against the wall. Patting the open space with her hand, Max kept doing it until Chloe reluctantly slid in next to Max. Feeling the pink-haired girl's small arms wrap around her waist, Chloe felt her cheeks flush as Max pressed her face into the back of Chloe's shoulder.

"Sleepover!" Max whispered with a giggle, her tone drowsy. Seeing the smile on Max's face as she slept when she turned her head, Chloe couldn't help but feel a copy of that same smile come across her own face as she closed her eyes. She's still Max Caulfield was Chloe's last thought before she joined Max in slumber.

Waking up from the sound of her phone's alarm, Max smacked her hand against the bedside table a few times before realizing that the sound was emanating from her camera bag. Sliding out of bed, Max stumbled over to her chair and shoved her hand into the bag draped across her chair. Switching off the alarm, Max looked around in confusion for a moment before she realized that Chloe was gone. Pouting at the disappearance, Max saw a hastily scribbled note tacked to the door of her mini-fridge.

Sorry I ducked out. If I don't get back by a certain time, stepdouche won't let up on me and I don't need to be homeless because I could hella break his face. Hope to see you again. I missed you. Chloe.

Reading the note to herself a couple more times, Max's crestfallen expression turned to sly grin as she walked back over to her bed. Opening the drawer for her bedside table, Max searched through the cluster of random junk and photos until she found a neatly-preserved letter that had been carefully opened. Pulling the letter out as she sat on her bed, Max unfolded it with a slow pleasure as she read it to herself.

"…on your acceptance to Blackwell Academy and another congratulations on your winning our yearly scholarship….we look forward to seeing you this coming Fall term…take time to familiarize yourself with the town of Arcadia Bay, your new home away from home…," Max read aloud in a low voice, the smile on her lips growing with each sentence she read before putting the letter next to her and falling into her bed, "Getting your wish, Chloe. See you soon."

Author's Note – The idea behind this was already partly in my head, but it was cemented by the fanart from Tumblr users Inganah and Kunaike. If you've read my other stories then you know I like the idea of a more confident Max. Playing through the game so much, I really started to get upset over Max not standing up for herself. As a result, all of my stories feature a Max that is still like she in the game, only with more of a backbone. That said, this is probably the furthest departure from her established characterization I've done thus far and that is including the vampire AU.

This is the start of my next AU series, so feedback is appreciated as usual. The chapter length will be more accommodating for the research I have to do for my Master's Degree, and I can't tell you how long this will run because I honestly do not know. Each story has been something of an experiment – "Rebel Girl" was my breaking back into creative fiction and each story has been a succession in broadening those old muscles.

Hope you come along for this particular ride!

Read, review, and I will see you in Chapter 2!

Stay hella, Cinnamon Rolls!

PS - because someone was confused, let me state that Max was worried about scratching her nose piercing because her navel piercing got infected from her messing with it. That said, I thought I made all that relatively clear without having to directly spell it out. *shrugs*