#NoFilter

-Chapter 22-

It takes Chloe almost an hour and a half to reach me, twice as long as it did for me to get here. By then I've already made myself comfortable the lighthouse, which is complete with a mattress and a few blankets. It makes me kind of sad seeing these things here. It makes me think the Chloe sometimes lives here when she's sick of her family, or when she's too drunk or high to go home. I sigh and run my hand over the smooth interior wall, which is decorated with graffiti and drawings of various things. Most of them are quotes and small stick figure doodles of a certain blue-haired punk.

-Ping!-

I jump when my phone buzzes, lost in my own thoughts. I grab it from the cold concrete floor and read Chloe's newest text:

[Coming up the hill now. Get the door ready]

"Hmm, 'bout time," I mutter to myself as I jump to my feet and stand by the large bulkhead door.

A minute later, I hear a knock and jump into position.

"Ready?" I call out.

"Ready!" Chloe replies, pushing the heavy door open as I pull it.

A gust of snow and wind blows in as Chloe slips inside, bringing with her a bundle of things.

"Shit, sorry it took me so long. Had to make a quick stop and pick us up some goods," she says, setting her things aside and helping me seal the door back up.

"It's getting bad out there," I say shyly, stepping back when Chloe shakes herself off, sleet and snow flying everywhere.

"Welp, the things we do for the ones we love, eh?" she replies, turning to me with a derpy smile. She looks worn and tired like she hasn't slept in a week.

Funny what stress and worry can do to Ya, huh?

I open my mouth to say something, to apologize for making her fret so badly, but before I can even get one word out, Chloe raises her hand to stop me.

"Words can wait. Hugs come first".

I smile and rush into her open arms, enjoying every second of her embrace.

"God, you have no fucking idea how good it feels to hold you again, Max," Chloe says, burying her face in my hair and inhaling and exhaling deeply.

I can't help but giggle, "I was only gone a few hours,".

She holds me tighter, "I know... but it felt like forever".

I sigh and hug her with equal force, drinking in her scent, "I'm sorry".

"No. You don't have to apologize for anything. If our roles were reversed, I'm sure I woulda done the same".

I shrug and continue to hug Chloe... just... enjoying her.

"*sigh* are you alright? You warm enough? I brought extra blankets 'n' shit in case you weren't"

I finally allow myself to relax a little and pull away from Chloe, "I'm fine now that you're here. But all I want to do now is go home and sleep,".

"Well," she begins, rubbing the back of her neck, "That might be a bit of a problem,".

I blink, "Huh? Did something happen?".

She nods tears off her beanie, "Yeah, nature happened. It's a fucking blizzard out there. I made it here just before the roads closed".

"So we're stuck here?" I ask, slightly panicked.

"At least until the storm blows over," Chloe adds coolly, clearly not keen on the idea of staying here, "But hey, we're together amirite?".

Yeah... that doesn't help the fact that we're perched on a cliff miles away from town with a weak-ass signal and half charged phones.