Sorry. Kind of.

Anyways, Lilly is not the only one. WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!? BUT PRICEFIELD HAS TO HAPPEN AND THAT CANNOT HAPPEN (*spoiler alert if you play Life is Strange and have not reached the end of episode 3*) IF CHLOE IS IN A WHEEL CHAIR AND IS NOT HER PUNK ASS AWESOME SELF JFC! D:

I don't own anything except for my tears and Trenton, the dog.

Also, this chapter contains elements of the game Life Is Strange by DONTNOD. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. I recommend it as high as Chloe is the whole game.

Which is hella high.

When Carley stepped into her apartment after work, the first thing she noticed was the startling darkness.

The lights were off, which was odd considering Lilly had today off. In fact, her pickup had been in its usual spot when Carley arrived, so she was home. Another thing that surprised her was the utter lack of assault from Trenton. He should have already hurled himself into her arms, whining and panting like a needy newborn puppy despite his age. There was no whining, just silence.

Wait.

Carley perked her ears. There was a soft, rhythmic sound coming from their room.

She slowly made her way towards the door, the lights still off to hide her in darkness. She grasped the knob and silently twisted it, pulling it open a crack. She poked her head inside.

Lilly was hunched on their bed over her laptop, the dog cuddled in her arms. Her eyes were bleary and shoulders shook with muted sobs.

"Lilly?"

Carley broke the quiet that was hanging in the air hesitantly.

Lilly did not move, and her gaze did not shift from the laptop screen.

"Hi Carley. Come join me in my pit."

Pit was an accurate description. Clothes were thrown on what little space there was on the floor and hung off of the bed. Lilly was in the same clothes she slept in, and her hair fell across her face in ragged clumps. Her shirt hung loosely off of her shoulder and her sweatpants were worn.

Carley cautiously picked her way through the room and onto the bed next to her ailing girlfriend.

"Are you okay? Is it your dad again? I know he hasn't called but-"

"No, no, nothing like that. Just look."

Carley obeyed, peering over Lilly's slouching figure and at her computer screen.

"What is this?" Carley asked.

Lilly scoffed, "You have no idea what feeling I have going on right now. I CAN'T WAIT ANOTHER MONTH FOR THE NEXT EPISODE! WHAT WERE THEY THINKING! MAX FUCKED UP SO MUCH WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO-"

"I can't understand you Lilly, slow down. What is wrong?"

Lilly glanced at Carley, dark eyes blurry and hair in distress.

"I have been playing this game all day, and I can't...function properly...ever again."

Carley suddenly barked with laughter, her face in her hands and face red.

Lilly looked hurt, "What?" she demanded, the dog hugged in her arms squirming.

"Your reaction is so funny. It's just a game, and it made you cry."

Lilly shoved the laptop into Carley's hands.

"Fine. You fucking play Life is Strange and then talk to me."

- - - A Good Six Hours Later - - -

"Oh. My. God."

Carley was shaking from feels-overload.

"See? I told you."

Carley lied back on the bed, still in her work clothes but too drained emotionally to do anything.

"Lilly?"

"Yeah?"

"Will it get better?"

"I don't know...I just don't know."