The rays from the early midday sun shines through the windows of her new home. Chaos dominates the current state of the room. Closed and half opened boxes covering the floor, books lying around everywhere, a plant with the name "Lisa" written on the pot standing next to the window and the laptop on the desk is playing some random songs from her iTunes library.
Max sits on her couch and staring at the empty wall above her bed, trying to figure the best way to decorate the empty space to make her new dorm room a bit more comfortable for her.
After 5 years of absence she finally is back at her hometown, Arcadia bay. At her drive through the town to her school, the brunette could see that not much has changed in all the years. The lighthouse is still standing as remarkable as ever at the cliff, give the town the peacefully yet mysterious touch she always missed back in Seattle. The Two Whales Diner also looked the same as when she left, with its rusty old sign above the entrance.
I wonder if Joyce still works there. Some of her famous pancakes would be an awesome welcome nosh, but what if I run into Chloe? Or worse, what if Joyce is mad at me? Ugh I suck for not keeping in touch. She thought while a groan escaped her lips.
"Seems like no Two Whales until I met Chloe and apologized for being a loser." Said Max with a barely audible and sad voice.
She probably has forgotten about me anyway and has tons of other friends now. Can't blame her if she doesn't want me back in her life again. Maybe I shouldn't even try to contact her.
With the current thought echoing in her mind, her eyes wander through the new home and come to a halt at the still empty wall.
Okay Max, enough self-pity for today. Time to move your lazy ass and to make that empty wall lovely dovely comfy. But how?
Max stands up, takes a few steps to the wall and stares intensely at it before she finally closes her eyes.
Don't disappoint me brain, I know you have an idea somewhere deep inside! What was that? My Polaroids? That sounds like an awesome idea! Good job brain!
"So where is the box with my pictures?"
Polaroid after polaroid took place at the empty wall over the thirty minutes. There wasn't really any system in how they were ordered. Max just grabbed inside the box, took one photo and pinned it at the wall.
A sudden knock at the door disturbs the photographer from her work on the now half decorated wall.
Who could that be? I don't know anyone here yet. Man I hope I haven't pissed someone off or something. Max.. don't be ridiculous, you haven't spoken to anyone yet, how could you have pissed someone off? But then you never know. Damn and I don't have cookies to pay the dark side.. yet.
While snickering at her own joke, a second knock brings Max out of her thoughts. As she walks closer to the door she can hear two voices talking from behind it. Curiosity overtakes her and she decides to check who is standing on the other side of the closed door before she will open it. With one ear pressed against the door, the nosy girl can hear two female voices.
"…eally have to make friends with everyone here, don't you?" said one voice in a slightly aggressive tone.
"Are you actually jealous because I didn't do that on your first day?" the other, more friendly voice responded in a sassy way.
Max just could hear a "Whatever." from the other girl outside before a third knock at her door appeared.
She sounds nice and it can't hurt to try to make friends here... If someone wants to be friends with a shy geek girl anyway. Not like I haven't tried before.
No cut it Max! You said no more thoughts like that. Just take a breath, put on a smile and open the damn door already!
Not waiting for a third knock, the shy brunette opened the entrance to her domain with the best smile on her face she could afford.
"Hello, sorry t…" the gaze the other girl gave her made her stop midsentence. Max can't help but to be stunned by that beautiful smile and the intense beaming look of two piercing eyes she gets. Even if she wanted to, she just couldn't look away. Her cheeks slowly getting warmer and warmer and she noticed she must look like an idiot by now.
Oh god.. What are you doing here Max? There must been 5 minutes passed by now. Say something damnit.
"Uhh.. I am M..."
"WEEEELCOOOOME TO BLACKWELL ACADEMY!" shouted to other girl in a cheerfully and tackles Max without hesitation in a tight hug. Completely surprised by that and with a bit too much force by the strange girl, the shy photographer can't hold her balance and fly backwards with the sweet attacker to the ground.
"God what a freakshow. I don't need this." mumbled the girl on the opposite side of Max room and disappeared into her room.
"Ouch."
"Omg. I am so sorry. Are you hurt? I just couldn't hold back, you looked so cute with your freckles and blue eyes. Say do you like girls?"
"Uhh, no I don't think so." Said Max while she was still in a shock from the current event. "NO. I mean I don't think I am hurt! Not that I don't like girls!"
WTF? Why did i say that? I mean I never really thought about that stuff. Maybe I do like girls? But then I also find boys cute. Like the one I saw earlier with that "meow" pulli. But he was talking to another girl, probably his girlfriend. They were flying a drone or something. Man, I don't have a cool hobby like that. No boy ever want a boring photographer like me anyway, so maybe I should try it with a gir..
Two mesmerizing eyes interrupted the spaced out brunettes stream of consciousness.
"You do like to zone out, don't you?" said the girl currently on the top of Max more as a statement than a question.
Max just gazed back into these damned eyes. She can't come up with a proper response.
"Well I am glad that you are not hurt. Sorry again."
"It's alright." Replied Max.
Took you a while to respond to that Max. I must look like a total idiot by now.
"No you don't." Said the girl above her.
"Huh?"
"No you don't look like an idiot." Repeated the girl patiently.
Shit, I said that out loud?
"Okay after that maybe a bit." Explained the girl with a smile on her face. "But I wonder about another thing." Mentioned the attacker with a slight smirk.
"Uhh. What thing?"
"Are you enjoying it that I lie on you the whole time? You don't seem to mind. Not that I do, you are very comfy." Snickered the sassy girl.
"No. I mean yes. I mean no.. oh gaaawd." Stuttered Max as response.
Okay Max, if you don't want to die from embarrassment today, just breath deep in and out and finally say something proper!
"Sorry, can you please stand up?"
"Of course. But just for the record, I'm usually not the type who make out with someone in the first 5 minutes." Joked the girl while standing up and offering a hand to the brunette on the ground.
Let me die already. PLEASE!
Max exhaled a deep breath before she took the offering hand. Standing on her two feets again she noticed that the door was closed, but neither one of the two girls was able to do it while the current event happened.
Who was that? I hope no one has taken any pictures or something. But what if? Fuck Max, you are barely half a day here and everyone will already think of you as a joke. Great. Not even cookies can save me now. Well whatever. That are problems from future Max. Focus on the now, somehow you are still alive and you are not alone.
"So uhh, for some reason you don't think I'm an idiot by now. How about we pretend the you lying on me thing never happened and give it another shot?" asked the shy girl with an unsure smile.
Give it another shot? That would be a great title for a book or something. Ugh NOT NOW BRAIN!
After a short moment the visitor answered, "Fine. On one condition! You will let me treat you something to nosh to apologize my Rambo attack."
"You serious? How can I say no to free food? Deal!" visibly relaxed Max reaches out her right hand, "Okay. Here we go. New beginning. Hi, my name is Ma.."
"Max Caulfield. I know." Interrupted the visitor while taking the offered hand.
Are you fucking kidding me? How does she know that?
"Uhh yeah exactly. Sorry for the chaos here. As you can see I haven't expected any visitors today."
"Oh don't worry about it. My room is more ground zero as yours now, so I feel pretty comfy here. In fact I just wanted to welcome you at Blackwell Academy. I never wanted to intrude your room. Well, oops I guess." explained the girl with an apologetic look and her trademark smile on the lips.
She is always smiling, and wowser is that a sweet smile. I really must have looked like a complete dork earlier at the door. But she said I didn't. Overall she seems so carefree and confident. Unlike me who always doubt herself and have second thoughts about everything. I hope she doesn't realize how boring I am. At least she is nice to me. For now. It could be worse on my firs...
"You are a photographer?" interrupted the still mysterious girl her train of thoughts.
"Wha?"
Max searches for the guest in her room and find her looking at the half finished photo wall.
"Oh, yeah. I'm a photographer. Even if my shots suck, I like to call me that."
"Dude, what are you talking about? These shots are great. I can already tell that you have a great eye for things just by looking at them!"
"Thank you." With a tiny smile on her face, Max walked next to her and looked at the wall together with the other girl. Her eyes inspected every picture she had putted on it earlier. There are photos from many places she visited since she got the polaroid camera at her birthday 6 years ago.
Some pictures are from Seattle, some are from trips she made with her parents or Fernando and Kristen, the only true friends she could make back there.
I already miss you two. I will visit you as soon as I can. Swear.
A few others were taken before she left Arcadia Bay. Of course they look like a kid has taken them, but Max like her them nonetheless. One picture shows just a typical summer day at the beach, another some animals in the woods. A blurry Two Whales sign is on another one and the last pictures the old lighthouse with its red and white painting.
I totally have to go to the lighthouse again to take some shots. I always regret to never have taken a photo from the sunset up there.
"Say, how do you decide what is worthy enough to be framed from you?"
Max pondered a few moments before she finally answered, "Good question I never thought about it. I just do it I guess. Go with my gut feeling. Sometimes I just like the colors, or the landscape, the presence of the place, the situation. When I see something that feels right I just have to take a pic of it. It makes me feel like nothing else matters. No time, no pressure, no others. Just me, the motive and the moment."
Both girls looked in silence at the wall after what the photographer has said.
Why doesn't she say something? I must have bored her with my answer. It was pretty lame anyway. Better say sorry to safe at least you free food, Max… if it's not already too late for this.
"Sorry, that probably sounds pretty lame and bo..."
"Don't be sorry." Interrupted the other girl.
Huh?
"Huh?"
They both detach their gaze at the wall and turned their heads towards each other.
"Don't apologize for the reason you love something, Max. What you said wasn't lame, it was beautiful and came deep from within there." Taking a step forward, the other girl gently poked the brunette at her heart. Looking Max in the eyes she continued, "You sound so full of yourself, full with passion and without a doubt about yourself when you are talk about photography. And why shouldn't you? Look at the pictures you take. They are amazing!"
Damn Max. My parents always said similar things, but I thought it's because they are my parents. They have to, right? It's so nice to hear it from a stranger for once. Wowser, I think i have a new fan now.
"Thank you. It means lot to me." Said the photographer with a full grown smile on her lips.
"You are welcome. It's just the truth." She replied with a lowered voice. Still gazing in the photographer in her eyes, the girls lips start to slowly move closer to max mouth."
EMERGENCY. FULL STOP. TIME OUT. WTF IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? Is she really going to do what I think? Why? I don't even know if I like girls, nor have I ever kissed someone before. I am so fucking not ready for this! Shit you have no time to figure this out right now. Think straight. Move Max. Say something. Do something! Don't just stand there idiot!
Before their lips can connect the girl stop her movement and said with a smirk, "Now, huggies? I promise I let you on your feet this time."
Without waiting for a response she puts her arms around Max and embrace her in a warm hug.
Fuck I made myself an idiot for the 100th time today. Crap, my cheeks feel like they burn from blushing. Tomato Max confirmed. At least she does not make fun of me. She doesn't make the impression to be a meanie bitch anyway.
After the current shock started to wear off, Max returned the hug she already got. A welcome mellow feeling spread inside her body which makes her never want to leave the current status quo.
A short moment passed before both girls break the comfort from each other.
"I would love to hang out more, but I have to go now. I have to meet up with someone and I am already late. Sorry." Said the girl with an apologetic look.
"Oh okay. I hope you are not in trouble because of me."
"Not at all, she is late every time herself anyway." She assured with a waving hand before her face.
Thank god. Would suck if she is too late because of me. What was her name again? I totally forgot to ask that! Shit.
As the girl opened the door and was already half way through, the freckled girl abruptly blurted out, "Wait! You never told me your name."
The mysterious girl stopped halfway out of the room. After a short pause and with a grin on her face she answered "Let's just say I'm the new Amber in your life." closed the door behind her and left a confused Max behind.
…what the hell does that mean now?
A/N
Alright! Here I am to proof every one of you that I am not a writer. Given that I am no native english speaker and have no plan what to write, what could possibly go wrong, right? :P Please have mercy with grammar and other mistakes x3
I often say that I am not a writer to other authors and members in my community, when they say "you should write something" and up until now I always was happy to just read fanfics. What changed? Not much, I just gone insane and put more on the list I want to do this year T_T
About the chapter itself,
I know already how I want to end it and I have 2-4 events in my mind. But according to how much I changed in that chapter I don't know how the fanfic will turn out. Nothing is set in stone yet. We will see where it all leads haha :D
As you have seen Max thoughts are everywhere. These parts were the easiest for me to write, so we will see a lot more of it in the future! :D I just hope I haven't made Max too dorky. On the other side she was totally overwhelmed by the "mysterious girls" sass :P
Speaking of, sorry for always referring to her as "..girl" blablabla. I didn't want to describe any details to keep her person a secret up until the end of the chapter. Please forgive me that, it will be better in the future! Promise :D
The chapter title is totally stolen from my fellow LiS Fan Samm and "Give it another shot" is a friendly nod MaiQueti and her Fanfic. :D
And with that I thank you for reading my first chapter. Please leave review what you think about it, if you feel like it. Thanks x3
NO EMOJI