A/N: hello, so I tried to get this one out a little faster. I don't know if I mentioned I'm in probably my hardest semester at college right now. That in mind, I don't know when the next chapter will be out. Hopefully I'm just overestimating the projects I have coming this week, but we will see. Anyways, this chapter turned out to be decently long for the story and I hope you like it!
Max's eyes opened slowly as she felt a breath against the back of her neck and the arm wrapped around her stomach. The light was barley coming through the window in Chloe's room as she took a deep breath and stretched a little. The slight movement caused Chloe's grip to tighten on her for a second.
Max smiled as she slowly and carefully lifted Chloe's arm off her and crawled out of bed. She was sure to turn and give her a soft kiss on this lips which woke Chloe a little bit.
"What time is it?" Chloe asked as Max's smile widened, she could tell by Chloe's voice that the girl was still dead tired.
"It's still really early, why don't you go back to sleep," Max said as took a deep breath and smiled a little.
"That sounds great," she murmured before getting comfortable again. Max just simply watched for a second before quietly making her way out of Chloe's room and down the stairs.
"What are you doing up so early?" Joyce asked surprising Max as she poked her head out of the kitchen.
"I'm just a little thirsty is all," Max said as Joyce grabbed a glass and filled it with water.
"How are you feeling about what happened yesterday?"
Max took a drink of her water before tilting her head to the side a little, "I don't know really. I guess I'm sad that it's a problem that I'm Chloe's girlfriend."
"It's no problem," Joyce said with a shake of her head before leaning against the kitchen counter and sighing. "David is just a little extreme about everything and he can get upset quickly. Probably not the best mixture with Chloe basically being the same way."
"I think she has calmed down a little bit—"
"A lot," Joyce interrupted. "She does have her attitude, but I think she handled it very well."
"I just worry about David calling her a failure. I don't want her pride hurt, she really is a softie at heart even if she doesn't show it well," Max said as Joyce smiled.
"You really do know her well. She puts on a tough act, but I know that bothered her. I'll be at work today though, so it's your job to cheer her up. I don't think you'll have to do much but be there. . . She really does look at you different you know."
Max raised an eyebrow.
"She loves you, Max. I can see it in her eyes when she looks at you. I saw it in your eyes too yesterday after David left."
Max blushed a little as she looked to the floor embarrassed. Joyce just simply smiled at the reaction, it was amusing to her.
"When do you plan on telling your parents?" Joyce asked a moment later as Max sighed.
"We haven't really talked about it yet. They have no idea I even like girls," Max shrugged. "I know I would like to tell them in person with Chloe though."
"Probably for the best," Joyce agreed. "I'm sure your parents will be fine with it though. It can't be much worse than David's reaction."
"Yeah, I hope not," Max sighed, "I wish it was just over with and everyone was alright with Chloe being my girlfriend."
"I don't think that will ever be the case unfortunately. Who knows though, things are changing in this day and age. Just don't let anyone tell you that you can't be happy with her if that is what you want."
Max smiled, Joyce really was like a second mother to her, "thanks. It means a lot that you support us."
Joyce smiled this time, "don't think anything of it, Max. You've been there for Chloe always, you really are like family already. I just want you to promise that you won't break her heart, she has already been through a lot."
"She has been through a lot, but I have no intentions of leaving her. Honestly, I am just dreaming of that day when we can move in with each other."
"Speaking of which I am going to keep an eye out for a job opening at the two whales for Chloe."
"I haven't heard her really talk about getting a job, but I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea with her not being in school," Max reasoned as Joyce sighed.
"I wish you would have come back sooner, perhaps she would still be there. She practically lives there already with you," Joyce joked as Max smiled.
"I wish I had never left, then she might really live there with me," Max frowned as Joyce came over and gave her shoulder a squeeze.
"You can't erase the past and as I recall, Chloe seems to have forgiven you," Joyce said as Max nodded.
"She seems to have, but, I don't know if I can forgive myself. I mean it wasn't my choice to move, but I could have talked to her more."
"Max, you're worrying about things you shouldn't be," Joyce said as Max looked up to her. "You've come back to town and reconnected with Chloe. She has fallen in love with you. . . I just don't feel like it matters anymore now that you two are back and together."
Max sighed, "I understand what you are saying, but I worry that she may not trust me as much because of it. It makes me feel horrible."
"Well that I can understand that and unfortunately, I can't really suggest anything for that either. I believe that Chloe trusts you though, just look how much she has opened up to you. She is talking about moving in with you and your future together. I just don't think any of that would be being discussed if she did not trust you, Max."
"I guess you have a point," Max agreed as Joyce smiled.
"Good because I have to get going real soon and I don't want you worrying yourself over nothing. If you need more proof, just ask Chloe when she gets up," Joyce said as Max nodded.
"Maybe I will, but I'll get out of your hair. Thanks for talking with me."
"You can talk with me anytime, Max. You're basically my second daughter," Joyce explained as Max nodded again before grabbing her water and heading back upstairs to Chloe's room.
She gently opened the door before stepping in and quietly closing it. Chloe was still asleep as she set her glass down on the desk and took a seat. She just simply watched Chloe sleep for a minute before turning and looking out the window at the sky. Joyce's talk had put her in a good mood for some reason.
"Max?" Chloe asked as Max looked down to her. "What are you doing?"
"Just thinking," Max replied as Chloe raised an eyebrow which made Max smile, she could see how tired Chloe looked still.
"Is something wrong?"
Max shook her head before taking another drink of water, "nothing is wrong, Chloe. I just," Max sighed. "I guess, I was just thinking about us and our future and I'm just feeling hopeful I think."
Chloe blinked at her once or twice which was funny to Max seeing as though she was still squinting hard to see her. "Come here," Chloe said patting the bed next to her as Max smiled and crawled into bed so she was laying on her side facing Chloe. "I love you and I really want to know why you feel like this, but I cannot function right now."
"Don't worry, it can wait until later. Let's just sleep a bit more?"
Chloe smiled, "now I really love you."
A few hours later. . .
Max smiled as she watched Chloe dry her hair in the mirror. It had been Chloe's idea to take a shower together of course after she was sure her mother wasn't home. Max had to agree that it was a good thing, she was still feeling a little odd after that morning. She felt like she wanted to be with Chloe and spending the time they had in the shower was a nice break from life.
"That felt great," Chloe said as she looked at Max with the towel still laying on her head. "So what were you talking about this morning?"
Max smiled as she glanced to Chloe, the blue haired girl didn't even care that she was still bare in front of Max. Then again Max wasn't wearing anything either, but seeing as though it was Chloe, she didn't really care. "I don't know exactly, I just feel weird today."
"You sick?" Chloe asked as she turned back to Max who took a second to answer with Chloe in full sight now.
"I-I don't think I'm sick," Max said as Chloe raised an eyebrow at her until she saw the blush on her cheeks. "I just feel like I want to be closer to you. I mean, I'm with you and we are close, I just. . ." Max sighed as she looked to the floor for a moment. "I just feel like I want to do things with you that are life changing, I guess."
Chloe raised her eyebrow again, she was thoroughly confused. "Are you proposing to me?"
Max sighed again before shaking her head, "no, Chloe. I am not proposing, I. . . I just feel like I want a connection with you that no one else has."
"Well step-douche and my mom are gone, so if you want my room is open."
"I'm not talking about sex," Max replied as she looked up to Chloe who was still visibly trying to make sense of this. "Chloe do you trust me?"
"Trust you?" Chloe asked before shrugging. "Why wouldn't I trust you?"
"I don't know, I just talked to your mom this morning and I guess I just wondered if you are still upset over me leaving," Max explained as her head dropped down a little.
"Ah, so you want to be closer with me because you worry that I have trust issues with you," Chloe said as Max looked up at her and thought for a moment.
"Well, I wouldn't say trust issues, I just worry that I hurt our relationship by doing that."
Chloe sighed this time, "Max, I think I get what you're saying, but you are worrying for nothing. I have no trust issues with you, Max, in fact I trust you the most out of anyone. What happened in the past we've already talked about. . . I don't care about any of that, Max. I am in love with you, I wouldn't be standing here naked with you if I wasn't. You didn't do anything to our relationship, in fact I feel closer to you than I ever have."
"Really?" Max asked as Chloe smiled and nodded.
"I wouldn't and couldn't lie to you, Super Max. You are my girlfriend and I love you."
Max smiled, "I love you too and thank you. I really needed to hear that, I just can't stop myself from worrying about it."
Chloe sighed which caught Max's attention as she looked up at her from the edge of the tub that she had been sitting on. "Stand up," Chloe said as max stood up and looked at her oddly for a moment. "You know you're really beautiful."
Max blushed a little, "you're just saying that because I'm naked."
"I'm saying that because you're beautiful," Chloe said as she took a step towards Max and took her hand. "You know I worry about you too, sometimes," Chloe admitted as she interlaced her fingers with Max's. "I wonder how I got so lucky to have you in my life again. I may not show it, but Max trust me when I say that I don't feel deserving of you sometimes."
"Don't say that," Max said as she looked at Chloe who just smiled a little.
"You don't know how much I worried about that guy, Warren. He was trying to be with you so bad and I just worried that—"
Chloe was silenced as Max grabbed both of her arms and pressed her lips against hers for what was a good minute. Chloe closed her eyes as she kissed back, she wasn't sure how to react right now with an unexpected kiss like this.
"Please don't worry about him or anyone else. . . You are the only one I want to be with," Max said as Chloe smiled. "I don't want you to even think that it's a possibility that I would hook up with anyone else, especially Warren."
"Promise to not think about what happened in the past then?" Chloe asked as Max looked up to her a little surprised before sighing.
"I think I will always feel bad about it, but I'll try to forget it," Max said as Chloe hugged her, their bare bodies instantly coming to both of their attentions.
Chloe grinned a little from the touch, "you sure you don't want to make that connection still?"
"Somehow I don't think it's the type of emotional connection I was talking about," Max said as she thought about it for a second before shrugging. "I'll take it though, let's just make sure we don't get caught this time."
Chloe's grin widened as she took Max's hand, "don't worry, we have the whole house to ourselves until like six."
A few hours later. . .
Chloe walked into the room drying her hair as Max laid on her bed with her eyes closed. They had decided to take another shower after earlier, but Chloe was slower drying off than she was.
"Today has been totally awesome," Chloe said tossing the towel on the back of the chair at her desk.
Max smiled with her eyes still closed as she felt Chloe climb into bed with her, "it's the best day I've had in a while."
"Yea and just think it's only like three thirty," Chloe said as she took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling above her.
A few minutes passed as the two laid in silence enjoying the moment before Max finally spoke what she was thinking. "This bed sure does beat mine at Blackwell."
"You think so?" Chloe asked curiously as she thought about it for a moment. "I prefer your bed at school to be honest, it's smaller so I get to cuddle you more."
"Yea, but it's not as easy to do what we just did," Max noted as Chloe laughed a little.
"I like the extra challenge, it can give me some creative ideas."
Bzzt Bzzt. . .
Chloe glanced to her phone that was sitting on the desk nearby before getting up and grabbing it. "Looks like step-douche and mom are coming home together soon to talk about us. I'm going to take this as my 1 hour warning to get the hell out of here."
Max groaned, "do we have to? I'm so comfortable just laying here with you."
"We can do that at your dorm room and then maybe we can go grab something to eat later."
"Oh, we could totally do dinner and then go get a movie," Max said as she sat up in bed and smiled. "Today is going to be great."
"It already has been pretty great to be honest," Chloe said as she went to her closet to get some clean clothes.
"It has, let's just hope your mom can talk some sense into David," Max sighed as Chloe shook her head.
"She could just leave him and be better off in my opinion. . . Then again you're right, she does deserve a chance at happiness."
Max smiled as she stood from the bed and hugged Chloe from behind, "that doesn't mean we can't be happy because David doesn't approve. You are right about something, he doesn't control your life and he never will. If you want to be with me for the rest of your life, which I hope you do, then it is your choice and he can just be mad about it."
"I know, I just don't want it to ruin my relationship with my mom. I mean we've already been on pretty rocky ground."
"Until yesterday," Max noted as Chloe raised an eyebrow at her. "I didn't see anything rocky about yesterday, maybe telling her how you felt really made a difference."
Chloe smiled a little as she put the shirt in her hand into the bag she was filling, "yea, maybe you're right. Last night was definitely something we've never done before. Hopefully, we can do it again sometime, but I got all my stuff you ready to get out of here?"
Max just nodded before following Chloe downstairs and out the front door towards her truck.
The trip back to Blackwell wasn't anything exciting, they talked about what movie they would get and where they would eat. Both of them had been smiling when they walked into the dorm halls and saw Victoria and her two minions standing by Max's door.
Max just sighed, she didn't even really care that they were drawing on her board again, "great, I wonder my what lesbian hate message they left this time."
As soon as Victoria noticed them the girls backed off, but it was too late as Chloe and Max were already close enough to them.
Max glanced to the message that read, "Dyke dungeon."
"Really?" Max asked as she looked back to Victoria, "that is all the three of you could come up with?"
"We weren't finished," Victoria's friend spat as Max shrugged.
"Doesn't really matter, it's always something stupid that someone else has already said."
Chloe blinked at Max thoroughly confused at her attitude.
"What did you just say?"
Max shrugged again, "I'm just saying that it doesn't surprise me that all three of you put your heads together and came up with just this. Hopefully you didn't spend too long thinking about it, I wouldn't want you to get a headache."
Chloe was just simply speechless as they walked into Max's dorm room and shut the door. Max just looked at her weird after sitting on the bed. "What?" Max asked curiously as Chloe thought for a moment.
"That was," Chloe trailed off for a moment. "I think I'm turned on by that."
Max laughed to herself for a moment before sighing, "I think I'm just so fed up with them that I don't care anymore. Maybe it's because I feel like our relationship is beyond just dating. We're talking about moving in, we are making decisions together, I just feel like I have a real serious relationship and they are being childish about it."
"If they knew half the things we had been through in the past few days they would understand what we have," Chloe said as she sat down next to Max and took her hand. "They wouldn't listen though, Victoria thinks she rules the world."
Max smiled, "well the world thinks she is a bitch."
"Total bitch," Chloe agreed as she laid back in Max's bed and stretched a little before feeling Max lay down very snug to her. "So when do you want to go eat?"
Max thought for a moment, "soon, but I have to do a little bit of homework first. I don't think my professor would take, 'coming out to girlfriends parents' as an acceptable excuse.
"If you told him I was living in your dorm room and we were dodging the school security guard because he is possibly violent around you then he might," Chloe suggested as Max laughed.
"That might get you kicked out of my room and David out of a job. Then you would be at home with a really pissed of douchebag," Max explained as Chloe thought for a moment.
"Max, don't tell your teacher anything."
Later that night. . .
Bzzt. . . Bzzt. . .
Chloe grabbed her phone and checked the screen before pulling her arm out from under Max and sitting up. The two had gone out to dinner together and settled on laying in Max's bed watching Netflix for the rest of the night.
"Who is it?" Max asked as Chloe glanced back to her for a moment.
"It's my mom, I am going to take this out in the hallway, just keep watching the movie," Chloe said as Max nodded and watched her answer the phone before getting up and stepping outside.
"Hello," Chloe answered.
"Oh, you did answer. I kind of wasn't expecting you to, I tried you earlier but—"
"I had my phone off for a while," Chloe admitted as she leaned against the wall. "We were on a date."
"A date?" Joyce asked curiously, "where did you go?"
Chloe put her head down a little embarrassed as she thought about the night, "nowhere too fancy, but it was amazing still. Max got this pasta stuff, I don't remember what it was called, but it was so good."
Joyce smiled, it had been a long time since she had heard Chloe genuinely excited about something. "It sounds like you had a good time then."
Chloe smiled as she looked down the empty dorm hall, "we still are having a good time. We've been watching Netflix for the past hour or two. . . Did you talk to David?"
Joyce sighed a little after a short pause, "I talked to him on the phone today for a little bit, he said he couldn't make it over like I had planned. He is still upset, but he had a little time to cool off and is willing to talk soon."
"I don't want to talk to him," Chloe responded quickly.
"You're not going to have to, I will be deciding when I think you two are ready to talk."
Chloe sighed, "mom, you know I don't like him much. I know he is your husband, but. . ."
"I understand, Chloe, but he is part of our family whether you like it or not."
"I know. . . It's just he went after, Max. How am I supposed to ever trust him again? I'll visit home and feel like I need to be on guard constantly. If I have to fear my own family, then maybe I just shouldn't be around them."
. . .
. . .
". . .Chloe, please don't say that," Joyce said with an unsteady breath that Chloe raised an eyebrow to, it sounded like her mother was on the verge of tears. "I already lost one of the most important people in the world to me and if you leave, then the most important will be gone."
Chloe sighed again feeling like a total jerk, "mom, I'm sorry, I just. . . What would you do?"
"I don't know," Joyce responded. "I'll make things right, but promise me you won't just leave me."
"I'm not going to leave, mom. I'm just saying, I won't be around much if at all if David is going to attack my girlfriend."
"Don't worry, you don't have to worry about Max being hurt. I will talk with him, but I think I've taken enough of your time. You said this movie was part of your date?"
"Oh, yea, but don't worry about that mom. Max is still lying in bed watching it, we've both already seen the movie."
"Regardless, I will let you get back to the movie and whatever else it is you two decide to do."
"Uhhh, yea," Chloe responded awkwardly before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone.
Max gave her a strange look when she came back into the room. "Everything alright?" Max asked as Chloe nodded and glanced to her phone again.
"I think my mom thinks we are going to have sex tonight," Chloe said as Max blushed.
"Did you tell her we were?" Max asked as Chloe shook her head.
"No, I just said we were watching Netflix in your bed," Chloe sighed before crawling back into bed with Max. "I guess it doesn't matter though really, it's not like it's a big surprise to her that we do that."
Max nodded a little before getting close to Chloe again and resting her head on her shoulder, "I guess you're right, I bet she would be surprised if she knew what we did this morning though."
Chloe smiled, "she would be beside herself if she knew we took showers together."
"Probably more if she knew we did that here," Max replied with a smile as Chloe gave her a kiss and hugged her with the arm she had around her.
"That would definitely get her, but we'll keep that between us. I'm just glad she is trying so hard to accept us. I feel like I actually have a mother again for the first time in a long time."
"I'm sure the same could be said for her. I heard you tell her about our date, that isn't the rebellious punk I thought I was dating," Max teased as Chloe rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Alright fine, you got me there, I'm not as hardcore as I used to be," Chloe admitted as Max gave her a strange look. "Ok, I'm not really hardcore at all anymore. I admit, I much prefer staying in and cuddling up with you watching old movies. . . And I also admit that going out to dinner with you was pretty awesome and I totally want to do it again."
Chloe shrugged, "you've changed me, Max, and it's for the better. Who knows where I would be right now if you hadn't come back, I mean hell, I probably wouldn't be here. . . That isn't the case though, I'm laying here in bed with the most amazing girl in the world and life couldn't be better."
Max smiled, "if we had our own place it would be ten times better."
"Well if you put it that way then yes, our life could be better. What I'm saying though is that for the first time in my life, I'm not worrying about paying off some douchebag or watching my back for some freak. I'm worrying about how I am going to make it so that me and my girlfriend can move into our own place and hopefully become more than just girlfriends."
"I worry about that too, but there isn't much we can do about that right now can we?" Max asked as Chloe shook her head.
"No, but I can settle for just having you for now. You don't realize how much you have changed my outlook on life and what my future will be. I love you, Max"
"I love you too, Chloe. . . I really do the feel the same about my outlook on the future," Max said with a glance to the movie. "Oh, this is my favorite part!"
Chloe smiled before kissing Max on the cheek one last time and laying her head on Max's shoulder. "Let's finish the movie then. We can talk later if we want."
A/N: Alright so there is it is! I know this chapter was kind of fluffy I guess you could say. Basically just Max and Chloe bonding time which I don't think any of us mind. I do have a purpose for this chapter even though it's not that grand. It was fun to play with the characters like this though, I feel like I got to learn a lot myself about where I am taking Chloe. I think I have a good image of where I want her now after this as weird as that may sound coming from the person who is writing it. Max also got to say something for herself too in this chapter even though it was small. I always kind of thought of her as the character I wouldn't have to change, but while writing this I think I see where I think Max will be in the future if she had been living with Chloe for so long. Overall I really enjoyed this chapter for multiple reasons. I hope you did to!