Hellions of Arcadia

Chapter 9: Vantablack

Chloe

Max wasn't at their agreed meet up spot when the time came. Chloe stood there, circling around and around in case Max came. She didn't

Chloe whipped out her phone, and sent texts rapid-fire.

[To: Maximus]

(Hey hey Maxie. Where are u??)

(Meet up spot? Yo)

(Max?)

The lack of replies within a short time really wigged Chloe out, she fiddled with the 3 bullets of her necklace anxiously, the clanging of the metal calmed her. It had been Chloe's remedy since Rachel had gifted her.

'Open it, open it!'

'Rachel, you didn't have to get me a present...'

'It's your birthday, Chloe! Of course I did.'

.

..

...

'Rachel... wow... This is badass.'

'Glad you like it, Price. It'll be a constant reminder of me. Even when I'm gone, that necklace will always be your beacon back to me.'

'But you're not going to leave, right?'

'Nope, never leaving.'

The memory stung behind Chloe's eyes. She felt them water. Chloe wiped the water from her eyeballs, shame burning her cheeks, Chloe hated crying in public, And Max still hadn't answered her phone.

Chloe gruntled in anger. If Max wasn't going to answer her, fine. So goddamn be it. Chloe jammed her phone into her pocket and stomped out to her truck, which was still sitting in the parking lot of the hospital. Chloe climbed into it and slammed the door shut, which rattled the whole vehicle.

Slamming her fist on the dash above the glove box, Chloe watched as it fall open, exposing a sandwich bag of joints, only two remained. At least she still had her trusty sidekick(s) to keep her on her feet, when not even her best friend-

And crush

Goddamn-Chloe forgot she felt that way. Wait, she had? How could Chloe forget, the way she stared as Max bit her lip, or brushed her hair out of her face. Chloe was entranced by every little movement that Max did, it caught her, and transfixed her.

As Chloe started the engine, she knew that she would have to tell Max about her feelings sometime... But she was too scared to. She didn't want to ruin anything between her best friend and her, it would just shatter Chloe's already fragile state. And Chloe didn't need that.

Her mind wasn't connected her her hands as Chloe just drove. She didn't know where to, but she just had to leave for a minute, get some fresh air and take a toke. God knows she needed it right then.

When Chloe finally came to, she was parked in front of a destroyed Blackwell Academy.

She stayed in the car for a while, not wanting to move. Chloe wasn't sure of what had brought there, why her mind had taken her there. She slowly slipped out of the car, making sure to snatch that bag of weed on her way out.

The building was a wreck. It was far enough out of town that no one had thought to get to it yet. They were too busy with the rest of the town that they hadn't even reached Blackwell yet.

Chloe stared at the ghost of a building, now reduced to rubble. The building had never had any sentimental meaning to her. When she got expelled from Blackwell, Chloe had hated the place. She remembered tagging the bathroom, floor to ceiling, no well went untouched. She was damn proud of her work.