AN: Long time no see beautiful humans, I am so sorry about the ridiculous wait on this chapter… It's only been a year, right? *queue awkward laugh*

I underestimated my free time and then my whole life was flipped inside out. I won't bore you with details. I hope you still enjoy it, if there is anyone left out there I'm still going to update either way. Max's thoughts are in brackets (hello) dream is in italics, texts in bold yeah? All mistakes are my own as I am a total rookie.

xx

That's the fastest I've ever driven, what was I thinking going to Chloe's house? Of course she would be there! How do I manage to flip so quickly on whether I want to see her or not. Though I must admit, her reaction was not what I expected at all.

Every time I've played out the scenario of us seeing each other again, she's been cocky and self-righteous, she either still blames me for us not staying connected, or she would just blow it off like she had a right to ignore me. Not once did I think she would look so guilty. Woah, damn did I just say guilty? Is that what I just saw? Did she look guilty?

Was she sorry?

Does that mean she regrets it?

Does she want to fix this?

Slow down Caulfield, don't let her off just because she threw some puppy eyes at you, it doesn't change what she's done.

Man, I need to sit down and do some processing, my head is going haywire here and it's dealt with a lot more than just a blast from the past. Discovering you can rewind time apparently has nothing on seeing Chloe again, a very different, yet exactly the same Chloe.

"Hey Maxine!"

For real? I was really hoping to get to my room without being scouted, Victoria always seems to be there when you don't want her to be. Don't get me wrong, she's not totally annoying, she's just not someone I would want to be friends with. She's not Chloe.

"Hey Victoria" I throw in a small wave, maybe I can defuse this, before I get stuck here for half an hour while she climbs on her high horse. Trick is to keep walking while I talk, don't stop walking Max.

"Some guy came by earlier looking for you, don't know his name, some science nerd with shaggy hair"

My mistake, she's already on the horse, I'd take the time to correct her lame name calling but something tells me she doesn't want to have his actual name use up space in her precious head (Damn Max, put your claws away).

"Great Vic, thanks"

"It's Victoria! Maxine, we spoke about this yesterday"

"It's Max! Victoria, we've spoken about this every day!" I time my retort with reaching my door, quickly slide inside and lock it before she can get another word in. I think that was handled perfectly, good job Caulfield. Not like I wouldn't just rewind time at the door anyway, make it like she never saw me, but it always feels good to deal with things the human way.

That's something I've spent more time (than is probably healthy) thinking about, now that I have this power, am I still only human? Did something happen to me when I was falling that made me something else? So many unanswered questions, with no one to ask them to, where's the guru of time when I need them?

On the plus side, I was expecting to hate moving to the dorms. I thought it would feel cold and lonely, but the people here are friendly and I've managed to make my room my home. It took me a good few days to lay everything out how I wanted it, with a lot of re-arranging, but eventually everything clicked. My bed is tucked away on the right as you walk in, the wall around it covered with pictures I've taken over the years. I have some random storage shelves and draws in the gap next to it, a sofa on the adjacent side of the room and facing the door under my window is my desk.

My desk used to house my laptop, you know, what a desk was made for? But back in Seattle I had this window seat covered in fluffy cushions. Ever since I was little I've loved looking up at the sky at night, it relaxes me. I'd nerd out over the thought of the universe and how small we seem in comparison. So, I used to sit in this fort of cushions at my window and fall asleep looking up at the stars. It's silly, but it reminded me of a nicer time, back when we were small, Chloe used to build these bed-sheet forts under her window so I could see out to the sky. Even though things went totally tits up with her, my best memories are still with her, not a chance I'd let them go.

Which is why my desk didn't stay a desk for long, two nights in and I had cleared it off and lay a blanket down, and propped the squishiest pillows I could find up against the wall. Now, most nights, I'll curl up and lean on the window for an hour before I go to bed, admittedly I will lose myself there sometimes, daydreaming.

I'll imagine everything is okay, and Chloe is sat with me on the other side of the desk, mirroring my position. We'll play stupid games and just be us, like we always did, and the thought of my best friend being back where she belongs will make me smile. Occasionally my mind will go deeper into fantasy land and tease me with the idea of her being sat behind me, holding me to her chest while I'm tucked up in her arms, her chin resting on my shoulder. I don't usually let that thought last long, it's too far out of reach.

Either way it's exactly what I have planned right now, accept maybe no wondering mind tonight, my brain has had its fill of emotions. I get myself changed into some much comfier PJ pants and a hoody, yes it may be an old hoody of Chloe's that still fits, so what? Don't judge me. Grab my notebook and hop straight on to my desk, wrap the blanket round my waist and lean back. This, this is exactly what I needed, made perfect by the clear night sky. For a while, I simply stare at the stars and I immediately feel my thoughts clearing, it's like having a reset button on my brain.

Soon enough though my mind cogs start turning and I feel the need to reflect on what just happened. I lift my knees and prop the notepad up, I leave it there a moment to check it's comfortable and then start to scrawl.

First off, a big well done to me for not using rewind today (internal high five) I may have momentarily frozen Chloe in time but that was going nowhere, pun intended.

Secondly, holy crap I saw Chloe (good job Max, very articulate) I really didn't mean to use my powers on her, I just, honestly had no idea what to do. I got myself so rattled just looking at her, I can't help but wonder though, what would have happened if she hadn't frozen? Like, before I actually froze her I mean.

My thoughts can't help but treat themselves to a different scenario of her being totally chilled, confident and apologetic. I'd like to think I wouldn't fall for it, but I know differently, I know I would have listened. Perhaps maybe not forgiven her, I'd have heard her out though, even just for my own peace of mind. It's the only reason (so I'm telling myself) that I plan to ever see her again, to get answers. Valid answers that explain her forgetting about me.

Dog, just like that I'm rattled again, I just can't understand it. We were both there, I don't imagine the intense close relationship we had. It happened. Chloe Price was the beginning middle and end of everything important to me, and I know, KNOW, she felt the same. Damn, like the way she reacted to me moving wasn't evidence enough. Hell Chloe, I get things were tough for you but that doesn't mean my life didn't fall apart too. I may as well have been some dogs shredded teddy bear, plucked apart and emptied of all my stuffing, empty and barely held together by cheap threads. You Chloe, you were what made me anything.

WERE.

I feel a tear roll down my cheek, damn, I need to stop going down that path, look where it got me last time. One stupid attempt at peace and I got flipped right back where I started with crazy unexplained powers to boot.

Taking a minute to breath, I let my eyes wonder up to the sky again. Accept, they get caught on a figure in the near distance, a wash of blue. Is that?

"Chloe?" (she can't hear you fool) Oh, right.

Is that Chloe? It's too dark to tell for sure. I try and peer a little closer without moving my body too much, in an attempt at staying incognito. If it is her, what the hell is she doing here?

Well, there could be many reasons now I think about it, she could have friends here, or a boyfriend, ugh or girlfriend (yeeah, that's not any better) she could be buying weed! I know there's a few sellers, or, she could just be here to find you Caulfield. (Awh man that should not make me happy)

But it does. I can't help that it truly does. I mean, she could be here for any reason but given the day's events it would be a mighty big coincidence that she be stood right by MY window at MY dorm building.

Jeez, how long has she been there? What do I do here? If I were a stronger person that wasn't just emotionally traumatising myself about the past, I would open the window and tell her to shove it. I'm not that stronger person right now though, and honestly, the thought of her being there right now is strangely relaxing.

It's almost like the bed sheets, it's almost like I'm back where life felt like gravity didn't exist, like I would just float through my childhood never having to touch what real reality felt like. Before gravity hit hard. Right now, it's like reality is moon boots, I'm so close to that feeling of weightlessness that Chloe brings me, yet too far to actually have it. So, I decide to just enjoy it, I close my eyes to stop from staring at her any longer and angle my head to the sky.

I open my eyes to a star peppered sky, with the added attendance of my very own anti-gravity, I can't help but settle comfortably into a peaceful sleep. There's a distant thought about not falling asleep at my window but I'm much too content right now to bother with it.

Holding her breathe she looks deeper into the crystal blue eyes staring so intently at her, she knows what she wants to do but can't seem to call action. Damn, does she want action, when she's so close to it.

"All you have to do is stop me Max and I will"

Those blue eyes shift down to her lips and she realises, she doesn't need to act and she can't help her smile when soft lips glance her own, it's so timid she almost doesn't feel it. If her mind hadn't been craving this for so long, she might have taken this slow. That is not the case.

Taking things into her own hands (literally), she places hers on the other girl's neck, tucking her fingers up into the short blue hair and tugs her closer, crashing their lips together.

And boy, does it feel divine. She can sense the other girls shock in her body, but it doesn't last long, soon enough she feels strong hand grasp her waist…

Bzzz-Bzzz Bzzz-Bzzz Bzzz-Bzzz Bzzz-Bzzz Bzzz-Bzzz

There are few things I hate, but one of them is being half asleep and not being able to track down my phone when it's making that annoying sound. Another one is being horribly interrupted when I'm having such a lovely dream. Regardless of how ridiculous and 'teenage crush' it was.

I used to have these dreams when I was a little kid y'know, okay obviously not the groping/heavy kissing part, but being closer to her? Just that little bit over the line of friendship. It never made sense, even today I don't think it does completely.

Every now and then I'd think I finally understood, finally figured it out, got the meaning behind it all. As if I just found the answer to the most annoying game of Cluedo. Then it would go and change on me, just enough to show me I was wrong. Back to the drawing board, who am I kidding, there's no drawing board. No rational thinking or research. Just sometimes I'll sit and think I know my own mind just to discover once again that we're strangers.

For a moment, I totally forget where I am. Mostly due to the fact I don't remember falling asleep on my desk, but that is exactly where I am. Then there's the brief moment I forget what day it is, soon enough I remember it's Sunday though and get to work rolling myself off the desk and on to my feet, momentarily wobbling while my feet wake up my legs.

I make it to my sofa, where I had flung my phone before getting comfy last night. Seeing a few notifications to deal with, I pop a squat on the sofa and let myself get comfy again. Taking a moment to congratulate myself on making it a whole metre across my room before letting my laziness take over.

There's a text from my mum, the standard end of the week "how are things", mild attempt at staying in touch. A missed call from Warren and a bunch of texts from Victoria.

Getting it out the way I send a simple 'all good' in reply to my mother and switch over to my thread with Victoria.

ChaseVictory:

10:30am - Maxine! Wake up and come to the courtyard, people are asking for you and its annoying.

10:38am – Seriously why do they think I know when you'll get here?

10:42am – It's not even like you talk much, what could they possibly be missing out on?!

10:44am – The shaggy haired boy just rang you. Crush much.

10:45am – For real though Maxine, I know where you live. Don't make me get up.

I can never tell where I stand with her, it's like she doesn't even know herself! As much as I'm not in the mood to drop myself in a social circle right now, the distraction is way too tempting. The past 24hours have been intense.

That's when it hits me. Chloe. The window. Was she really there? Even if I believe that she was there, the bigger question is why? What did she get out of it? I need to decide what to do about this... do I just let it go? If I waltz up to her demanding answers and it wasn't even her out there, well, that could get mighty awkward. Twice as awkward if she just freezes up on me again.

Ok, it's final, I definitely need the distraction

BetterCaulMax:

10:58am – Tell my fans I'm on my way Vic!

ChaseVictory:

10:59am – I will do no such thing. Hurry up.

Wait for it.

10:59am – IT'S VICTORIA.

Looks like I'll have to bench being lazy for later, at least Warren is there, I think I need to unload everything on someone and get another perspective. He might even have heard of her already, maybe knows one of her friends. Great. Now I'm nervous he knows something.

Way to shit yourself up in 20 seconds brain.

AN:

Thanks for reading, I know it's not amazing. I just write for fun and it takes me away from my own life for a little while. I hope you can enjoy it anyway :)

Peave + Love