Life is Stranger

What If?

"There you go Franky boy - a thousand buckaronies. I already took my two-hundred."

"You shifted all of it? Fuck Chloe! At this rate we'll be kickin' it in the Caribbean next year."

"Yup. I sure did. Am I just hella awesome or what? And here's those flyers you asked for. I only did ninety-something for now, but I can do as many more as you like. Whaddya reckon? Will they do?"

"Yeah. They're cool. Thanks Bulldog. I'll sort you out for these."

"No you won't. They're gratis - a favour. You've done me enough favours. Treat Pompy to something instead. Do they do cathouses for dogs? I'm sure he'd love to dip his wick into a sexy spaniel senorita. Anyway, once Max is fighting fit again and things have settled down, I'll see if she can work her magic with the design and shit – she loves doing this sorta crap and she's a lot better than I am at it. She's a great photographer, and she draws like a demon. You should see the picture she once drew of me. I'll have to show it you sometime. Frank, she's simply amazing."

"How is she? Okay? I wish I'd been there to stop him. She was lucky you were there."

"She's still a bit bruised and shit, but I'm looking after her. I'm just glad that she's safe with me and Mom now. No one is ever going to hurt her again."

"I don't doubt it if she's got you around to protect her. I heard that you gave him a right kicking."

"He fucking deserved it. I'd have done a lot more as well if David hadn't stopped me. I just can't bear the thought of her coming to any harm. Nobody hurts her."

"'David'? What happened to 'Stepdouche'? You're not going soft on me in your old age, are you Bulldog? Should I start calling you 'Poodle' instead?"

"Frank?"

"Yeah. I know. Get fucked, right?"

"Give that man a ceegar."

"You really think a lot of her, don't you?"

"Max? Yeah. We go way back."

"Chloe?"

"Yep?"

"Max...she's the one, isn't she?"

"The one what?"

"She's the photographer you always talk about."

"Erm, yeah. She is."

"Chloe, what did she do to you? You never did tell me. What happened? Were you...more than friends?"

Chloe rose and took two beers from the fridge, passing one to Frank as she sat back down.

"Fuck Frank! You sure know how to ask precisely the right questions. Don't beat about the bush, do you?"

"Sorry. It's cool if you don't want to talk about it. Joint?"

"Nah. Thanks man, but I'm good. I've got too much to do today. Gotta keep my head straight. But you go ahead, fill yer boots."

"Why thank you. I will. So, what's the deal? With you and Max, I mean?"

"I...dunno Frank. It's all so fucked-up. I just don't know what to think. We've always been best friends, ever since we were tiny tots. Then Max, she...she went away. That was real bad...for us both. Everything really fell apart after that. For me and her."

"I can imagine. Has there...ever been anything between you and her?"

"No. We're not...together. Never have been. We were just kids. Sure, we were very close, but there was nothing like, you know, that. Not until..."

"Go on."

"Never mind. It doesn't matter."

"You like her, don't you?"

Chloe stared into the top of the still full green bottle she was holding in her hands. "No. I don't."

"Yeah, right." said Frank sarcastically. "Pompidou, Auntie Chloe's lying her ass off again."

"I don't like her, Frank. I...love her. I think...I think I always have. Just her and no one else. Ever. Not even Ra...her. But I didn't fully understand how I felt about Max until the other day."

"I fucking knew it!"

"What? How could you know? You've never even met Max."

"Dammit Chloe. I didn't have to meet Max to know. When you and Ra...you know, you were...trying to change her into someone else, mould her into how you wanted her to be. All the time. It was so obvious. You've never been one for subtlety. I don't know whether she noticed, but I sure did. I just didn't know who the other person was. Until now."

Chloe twirled the bottle around with her left hand, gently stroking her lips with the other. "Fuck!"

"Light finally flicked on inside your head, has it?"

"Just a bit. Oh my fucking god!"

"Are you sure you don't want a pull?" said Frank as he offered her the lit joint.

Chloe took a single, deep draw then handed it back. "Oh man. This is so fucking hardcore."

"I'll bet. So...what are you going to do?"

"Not a fucking clue. I don't know whether Max feels the same way. She's so shy and shit. I'm scared to death that I'll ruin what we already have and push her away. What would you do?"

"Are you sure I'm the right person to be asking?"

"Why not? So what if you're not the nerdy type? I know you've got a different sort of smarts hidden away behind that trailer-trash front you show to everyone."

"Shhhh. Don't give away all my secrets."

"I promise not to tell. So what would you do if you were me?"

"Wash that blue shit out of my hair for starters."

"Very fucking funny. Come on Frank. Stop screwing about."

"Says her."

"I swear to fuck I'll open that door and tell the whole of Arcadia Bay that you're as soft as shit really."

"You got me. I'd tell her how I feel about her."

"You sound just like fucking Debbie."

"Who the fuck is Debbie when she's at home?"

"Doesn't matter. But what if I scare Max off? What if she runs away from me?"

"What if she doesn't?"