Chloe Price was procrastinating, and she knew it.
She helped Warren clean all his stuff off the coffee table, and offered to get lunch started for him. She did anything she could to prevent herself from going out to see Max.
It's not like she was avoiding her girlfriend. She just... didn't know what to say to the poor girl. She couldn't help but feel like the outburst was her fault, but she couldn't really couldn't help how she felt. Last thing she wanted was to chase after Max and say the wrong thing, making at all worse.
If Max had Chloe's voice in her head, and it was mean. Does that mean Max thought Chloe was mean to her? Was she scared of Chloe?
Unless Max didn't have any control over the vice whatsoever, which could have been possible. However, the voice was inside of her, a part of her consciousness. She had to have some control over what was going on in there, even if it was subconscious.
So, yeah, she was procrastinating. Just so she could find the right words to say, so she could fix the mess she made.
"Really, we should be going, Chloe." Warren said, counting all of the gear in his backpack. Chloe had already warmed up the stove. She was pretty sure the only reason Warren didn't want to stay, is because he knew about her cooking.
"I insist, seriously. It was a tough morning for us all." Anything to keep Chloe from being alone with her thoughts. She needed to think of something to say to Max, and maybe hanging out with all her closest friends would help her find out.
Warren sighed, and Nathan stood in the corner, uncomfortable being in Chloe's apartment; her territory. Good.
"Shouldn't you go out and talk to Max?" Warren challenged.
Why just me? The thought ran through Chloe's mind. It's not like it was just her fault that Max got upset, Warren was the one prying. "I need to time to think of the right thing to say." She said instead, taking the passive route. "Plus, she needs time alone before I confront her."
Warren nodded to that, setting his bag down. Chloe felt relief run through her. Well, that was, until she remembered Nathan in the corner. "But not him."
Nathan gave Chloe a look of 'what did I do?' and lifted his hands in surrender. Warren grunted with a shake of his head.
Chloe knew it was childish to kick him out, but she still hated him, completely. He drugged her back in Arcadia, and he was super rich. Most people would tell her that those things were in the past. Good thing she had a more recent grudge.
"He beat the hell out of me in an alleyway, no dice." Chloe said, final.
Nathan scoffed. "You started it."
"Did not."
"Enough." Warren broke through the argument. His hands were occupied, one running through his shaggy hair, the other clutching his backpack. "We aren't children. You're both adults, you can learn to play nicely with each other."
Chloe's cheeks burned. He was right, she was being petty. She full well knew she was being petty, but she didn't stop. She liked it, being childish and holding grudges was a lot easier than trying to make amends, less effort of striving for something new.
As she looked at Nathan, the only thing she could see was the boy he used to be. Smaller, weaker, (physically, not socially) back hunched with the burden of so many secrets. Now he stands tall, even after his life has been reduced to nothing but shambles. The scar on his cheek is a grim reminder of what he and Max had to suffer, Chloe couldn't forget it.
And the look in his eyes.
There was no more fire, there was no more rich asshole left inside of them. They looked empty, almost conflicted. He lost everything, but it was the worst parts that left. It almost pained Chloe to admit that maybe Nathan wasn't the same boy he used to be.
Chloe closed her eyes. "Fine. But he isn't allowed to comment on my food, okay?"
Nathan looked relieved, almost happy, and nodded. "Okay, no comments."
Warren's smile was almost wise looking, like a proud teacher listening to his student. He is younger than Max, but the past few years have aged him beyond everyone Chloe has known. His hair is brushing his shoulders, cutting it wasn't a priority for Warren. Stubble was growing at his cheek, it was somewhat patchy and looked itchy.
She always respected Warren, even when she knew about his feelings for Max. He was respectful to her, she returned in kind.
Chloe found herself scrambling for something to cook. She used the last of her Mac and Cheese last week, and the fridge was running bare. In the back, behind a layer of condiments, Chloe found some leftover steak. It was cheap stuff, probably lots of fatty chunks, but it was better than nothing.
Along with the steak, Chloe grabbed a carton of eggs that were set to expire the next day. She was going to cook them anyway, they would be fine. Chopping out the fatty parts, Chloe prepared the stove for her meal. Warren kept her company in the kitchen, but Nathan explored the apartment as if he had never set foot in it before.
"I know you feel like Max is your responsibility, but she is her own person." Warren ensured Chloe, watching as the steak fried on the pan. "There are some things she has to do on her own, some things she has to feel on her own."
Chloe knew that, she wasn't dumb. "But it's too much on her Warren, I want to help her in any way possible. I need to help her in any way possible."
"That will only cause you both pain." Warren shook his head. "You can't fight all of her battles for her, even if you want to."
Chloe closed her eyes, hating the fact that Warren was right. This wasn't fair on Max, that she had to deal with all of this by herself, there was nothing Chloe could do except give her morale support.
She couldn't do anything other than sigh and keep cooking. The heat was too high, and she almost burnt the steak. She tried to make light of the situation. "Anyone a fan of burnt steak?"
Warren chuckled hollowly, and Nathan made a face in the living room.
Serving the food, Chloe was impressed at how well it was cooked. For the first time in a while, it wasn't over or under cooked. The three ate silently at the kitchen table. Chloe chewed her food morosely, Warren typed at his tablet with one hand while he ate with the other, and Nathan stared down at his food.
It had been 20 minutes since Max left, and she had not yet returned. Chloe felt guilty for not going down there, but it was Max's request. Sometimes the best thing to do for someone is give them some space. So, basically, do nothing.
Perfect, something Chloe was good at.
"Ah, shit." Warren mumbled, digging through his backpack. Nathan finally looked up from his half full plate.
"I left my adaptor in the car. I thought I had it with me." Warren said, digging even more as if he could find it all of a sudden.
Nathan stood from his barely eaten food, "let me get it for you."
Satisfied with Nathan's volunteer, Warren nodded. "Thanks."
Chloe watched Nathan leave, cleaning up his plate after him. She kept the food he didn't eat as leftovers. Normally keeping leftovers as leftovers wasn't something that people did, but if it meant she wouldn't have to cook supper tomorrow, it was worth it.
"Here, let me help with the clean up." Warren offered, picking up the remaining dishes from the table.
"Oh, you don't have to do that Warren." Chloe never really had guests over that often, so she wasn't sure how to act like a good hostess. But she was sure that making her guests do all the work wasn't a way to do it. Huh, funny, Chloe never really thought of herself as the kind of the girl who tries real hard to be a good host.
"I want to, really." Warren responded.
With a loud bang, Nathan comes back into the apartment in a rush of panic. "Guys! Guys! Max is gone, and so is Chloe's car!"
YOU ARE READING
Hellions of Arcadia
Fanfiction"If you died, would anyone care? Would they really care? Maybe, they'd cry for a day. But let's be honest, no one would give a shit, they wouldn't. That's who you are. That's what you are. You're nothing to no one." A continuation of the Sacrifice A...
