Life is Stranger

No Secrets

"Dude, it's gonna be so sweet to chill out together and watch a movie. It'll be just like before when you used spend the night at my house."

"When I used to spend the night at your house? You mean like every night? Chloe, I basically lived here."

"Yeah, I guess you did. Pretty much."

"Why would I not? You've always been Priceless to me. Pun intended."

"You are such a geek. That's why I love you."

"And you are such a sweet and lovely person behind that brash façade of yours. That joyful and optimistic girl I used to know is still in there - when you smile at me, I see her. That's why I love you even more."

"Shhhh. Don't tell everyone. It would be the end of my rule as the coolest badass punk-rock chick in the whole bay."

"I promise not to tell."

"Pinky swear?"

"Pinky swear? Are you still twelve?"

"Hoist by my own petard. Touché, Maximus."

"Listen to you quoting Shakespeare. Badass punk-rock chick my ass!"

"Only you would know that's from Hamlet. Man it's so great to be hanging with you again. I've missed you so much. There's never been anyone else I could talk about shit like this with. Not even Rach...sorry Max. I'm a dope."

"It's alright Chloe. You don't have to tread on eggshells around me. It's not as if you're constantly shoving her in my face at every opportunity. I know you wouldn't do that to me. I wasn't here. And you needed someone. I'm never gonna call you out on that. We're cool. Besides, if it wasn't for that photo I'd probably still be a total dumb shit who couldn't see what was staring her right in the goddamn face. I'm the dope, Chloe, not you. So in a twisted way she is kinda the one responsible for us being together now. Life is strange – it's weird how things work out sometimes."

"Dude, you're amazing! But I'm still sorry. And you have no need to be jealous of her. She can't hold a candle to you – no one can. If I ever mention that name again, I give you permission to slap me. Hard."

"Thanks, but I couldn't. I never want to hurt you. So you're safe."

"Cool. You can choose what we watch – check out my movie hole over there on the shelving."

"I still think I wanna watch Blade Runner. Is that alright with you? Do you still have it?"

"Sure do. It's there somewhere. I saw it yesterday when I was scouring the room for shit. I'm in like a mellow, Blade Runner mood too. I always cry at the end. Plus you know I always wanted to have cool-coloured bangs like Pris."

"I know. You look incredible with blue hair. Now let's get this show on the road. And you better not fall asleep like you always do when we watch movies."

"I remember Max. Swear I won't fall asleep – not when you're here. Not yet."

"We'll see, sleepyhead. Dude, I so dig your setup – surround sound and everything. I need this sort of thing in my dorm room."

"I can sort that for you, no worries. And you can always crash here whenever – it's always been your home."

"It definitely is now. More than ever."

"Do you mind if we turn off the lamp? We still have the light from the screen, and you're totally safe with me."

"Er...alright. But please can we turn it back on when we go to sleep?"

"No problem Angel."

The two girls lay on top of the bed and cradled each other in their arms.

"Chloe?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm sorry about earlier – when I was short with you. I just didn't feel comfortable talking about it in front of other people, not even Joyce."

"Don't worry about it, Maxo. I understand. I shouldn't have banged on about it like I did. I can be an insensitive asshole sometimes. I am the one who should be sorry."

"We tell each other everything. Remember when I said I wanted all of you – the good and the bad. I said that we shouldn't keep secrets from each other. It's not fair of me not to tell you about it. But I should tell you now – it's really horrible."

"Max, you don't have to. Honestly. I don't want you to be upset."

"Chloe, I've carried this around with me for years, and I never had anyone I could tell about it. You're the only person in the world I really trust. And it will help you understand why I didn't reply to all your messages. You deserve to know. I owe you an explanation...and much more. I never abandoned you Chloe – I promised you that I wouldn't, and I really, really meant it - every single word."

"I know. You've already proved that over and over again. You don't owe me anything."

"Yes I do, Chloe, I owe you far, far more than you realise. I need to tell you, Chloe, even though I know it's going to be really hard for the both of us. And you need to know. No secrets between us. Ever."

"Okay then Max. I'm ready. But if it gets too much for you, you can stop. I won't mind at all. We have the rest of our lives together. We have all the time in the world. There's no rush."

"Alright. Here goes. Chloe, not long after I left here, I became real ill. I ended up in hospital and...I...I very nearly died, Chloe."

"What! Oh Max. Christ. How? Why? What the hell?"

"They didn't really know what was wrong with me. Dad told me they said that it was because my heart was broken. I was out of it so I don't know exactly what happened. But my dad told me as much as he could. He said the doctors told him there was nothing they could do to help me - I was mere seconds away from death, apparently."

"Oh my god Max! I thought I was suffering, but you...fuck...I'm so sorry Max...If only I'd known...so how did they save you in the end?"

"They didn't."

"What do you mean they didn't? You're here now. You're alive! You're right here with me. They must have saved you."

"It's finally all clear to me now. The doctors didn't save me, Chloe. They couldn't. My dad was right. There was nothing they could do."

"Well then who the hell did?"

"You did, Chloe. You saved me, my beautiful Butterfly. You came for me. You rescued me. I remember it all now. You told me to come back to you. And here I am. You said I don't owe you anything? Chloe, I owe you my very life. Without you I'd already be dead. I owe you everything."