Hellions of Arcadia

Chapter 29: Museum

I'm back, everyone!
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Chloe tapped her fingers impatiently on the car window. Max's head was in her lap, still sound asleep from the night before. Chloe didn't know she was that tired. Maybe it was the best for Max to get some rest, but when Warren invited Max and Chloe on a trip to the museum, as an offer to cool down and take it easy; Chloe couldn't resist. She had tried to wake Max up, but it was to no avail.

"We're like, 30 minutes out now." Warren said, from the driver's seat. "How is Max doing?"

Chloe kept one hand on the window, and used the other to run her blue tipped fingers through Max's hair. "Still asleep."

"Damn." Nathan swore from the front passenger seat, "you sure it's a good idea to take her with us? We could have waited until she was awake."

"Yes." Chloe replied, bitterly. "We've had obstacle after obstacle recently. Max needs a day away from the town to recharge herself."

Nathan gave an agreeing nod, and shrank back into his seat.

Max's head was still in Chloe's lap; her entire body completely motionless as if she were dead. But her chest was moving, Chloe constantly reminded herself that her chest was moving. Chloe wasn't even sure if this was a normal sleep. What if it was some kind of time related slumber, and that's why Max was so deep under? Or it was a normal deep sleep caused by lack of relaxation? Chloe knew what that felt like.

Whether it was time related or not, Max deserved a nice sleep, and Chloe wasn't going to disturb her.

The sound of rain pelting the window made Chloe turn her head over to look out the window. It was still raining from last night, but at least the thunder and lightning was gone. Max always hated thunder and lightning. Chloe traced her fingers on the window and watched as it got covered in raindrops.

October had more than already started, there wasn't much time until rains like these turned into snowfalls. The Christmas season was Chloe's favorite. Spending time alone with Max in the apartment, coffee polluted with Bailey's, a bright Christmas tree that Max was always so stoked to decorate. Warren even came over, the three of them would exchange gifts (yes, Chloe even got ones for Warren) and eat fast-food feasts.

Of course, Nathan would probably be joining them this year. Chloe was still sore as hell from when Nathan had beat her up a while back, and she hoped the same for him.

Chloe never understood why Max was okay with Nathan being around. Did she totally forget what he did? Because Chloe was going to make sure that she never did. Max would be disappointed with all the hate Chloe was harboring in her, but she didn't care what Max thought in regards to her emotions. Chloe was mad, she wasn't going to let anyone change that.

"So, I was thinking." Nathan's voice cut into Chloe's thoughts, forcing her to pay attention to him. She had more fun bitching about him in her mind. "You and Max are both experiencing these weird effects, right?"

It took a few seconds for Chloe to realize that Nathan was talking to her. She offered a small "yeah" and went back to trying to ignore him.

"Maybe the answer isn't in Max, but in you. Chloe, what if we were looking at the wrong person to solve this." Came Nathan's brilliant(ly horrible) solution. Chloe rolled her eyes, and didn't respond.

"Why not try looking to Chloe for a solution about this? Test her, look for answers within her." Nathan rambled on. "How does that sound, Chloe?"

"Hm? Oh, um. Sure. You had me at 'look for answers within her.'" Chloe said, going back to grooming her girlfriend's hair.