#NoFilter

-Chapter 17-

Red lights and a deep, low rumble wake me from my light slumber. The whole floor is vibrating, making my body feel weird and numb. I open my eyes and see that Chloe is stopped in front of a railroad crossing, a train speeding past.

"Hey, you're awake," Chloe says, turning towards me.

I nod and stretch out like a cat, "Yep". I let her take my hand for a moment, feeling as she soothes her fingers over my knuckles.

"You sleep well?".

I nod again and rub at my eyes, "Well enough. *yawn* so, where are we now?".

"Just out of Portland," Chloe replies, turning her hands back to the steering wheel, "A little more than halfway there. 6 hours tops".

I nod and sigh with relief, "Ugh, finally. No offense but your punk clothes are hella uncomfortable".

"Yeah, I know, but those are the only things Dad could find in your size. Anyways, they're warm and better than the wet clothes I found you in".

I nod, "I know... and, sorry if I'm coming off as bitchy. I'm not exactly looking forward to going back".

Chloe sighs, "Same here, Maxie, same here".

We've been on the road for half a day now and tensions are running a bit high.

When Chloe had left my bedside after I pretended to fall asleep, I watched as she left the curtains and sighed heavily.

I knew this was hard for her, she told me before that hospitals freak her out so I understood if she needed some time alone to collect her thoughts, you know?

Or she needed time to make a call.

I'm still unsure of what Chloe was doing while I was at home, she said that she was just driving around for a while, but I know that's not the only thing she was doing.the moment Chloe stepped out of the medical curtain surrounding my bed, she had her phone out and against her head in seconds.

It's like she was just waiting for me to be okay so she could slip off and call someone. At first, I thought she'd call David, since, as she said, he'd be coming to our rescue in the morning.

But no... it was the last person I ever expected Chloe to call.

--

>>Flashback Begins<<

"Rachel," Chloe said with utter indifference.

["Babe!!! Hiiiii! *hic* I tried calling you but you didn't answer"] she replied, clearly drunk out of her mind. With Frank no doubt.

"Yeah, I had a fucking good reason for not answering".

["Well, you must have a good reason for answering now, right?]

For once Rachel had a point.

Why did Chloe call Rachel is she knew she was off fucking Frank?

"Where are you right now, Rach?"Chloe asked harshly.

["Uh, where I told you I'd be?"]

"Huh, I bet you don't even fucking know. So why don't you go ask Frank!" Chloe had yelled in a strained, tight voice.

["What are you *hic* talking about? Frank? Seriously? Dude, I'm not that much of a druggie. I'm up in the mountains with Javi. You remember, Javi, Chloe?"] Rachel said, sounding soberer by the second.