Life is Strange Chapter 1: Change

Not This Time

Chloe: "Ma..? Max?"

Max: "Oh uh..hey Chloe.."

Rachel: "Who's this? You gonna introduce me?"

Chloe: "Oh uh..right. Max, Ra..Rachel, Rax, Machel."

(Chloe cursed herself for her lack of word speaking skills)

(Rachel energetically shook Max's hand which Max shook back awkwardly)

Rachel: "Why didn't you tell me about her, Chloe? She's precious!"

Chloe: "Oh uh..I haven't actually seen her in 5 years. Everything's just kinda..happening all of a sudden."

Max: "Yeah I uh..just got enrolled here last week. I've been in Seattle for a few years but my parents let me come here for Mr Jefferson's photography course."

(Chloe frowned hearing that Max had come back for a photography class instead of her)

Chloe: "Well this has been great but we really should be getting to class..!"

Rachel: "Nonsense Chloe! We've still got time and I promised Steph I'd play her tabletop game with her and Mikey. Hey Max! Why don't you come play with us?"

Max: "Oh uh..that's..that's okay."

Rachel: "I insist!"

Max: "Uh..yeah o..okay."

(Rachel squeaked in delight and ran off to the picnic table Steph and Mikey were playing on, giving Max and Chloe a few seconds to talk)

Chloe: "Sorry about her. She's..a lot."

Max: "Yeah I can see that. So how long have you two been..?"

Chloe: "Oh well we haven't really..it kind of just happened..like a minute ago."

Max: "Oh. I see."

Chloe: "And I don't know why you're so upset anyway I mean what did you expect me to do wait for you to maybe come back for 5 years?"

Max: "What? No Chloe..you can date whoever you want..I just wasn't..."

Chloe: "Expecting me to have a life? Yeah me neither. By the way thanks for telling me you were coming back. That courtesy text you sent was much appreciated."

(She muttered sarcastically)

Max: "I just wanted to settle in first and not be such a shy, cliche geek!"

Chloe: "...th..that's an excuse? Really?"

Max: "I'm..I'm sorry Chloe. I know things must have been so hard.."

Chloe: "Whateves we can take a cruise down miserable, mopey lane later. Let's just get through this shitty game."

(5 minutes later)

Chloe: "I love this fucking game!"

(She rolled the dice excitedly)

Steph: "You're on a roll, Chloe! Keep it up!"

(Max took pictures of them playing the tabletop game)

(Rachel watched Chloe play with a deep smile that could only be described as Smitten)

(Max watched with a growing feeling of jealousy, she knew it wasn't fair to feel this way considering how long she'd been gone and how suddenly she'd come back but she couldn't deny that seeing Chloe with this other girl really bothered her, like some kind of jealous chemical reaction)

Mikey: "Help Callamastia! Duurgaron's gonna get me!"

Chloe: "Never fear, Elamon! Your favorite elf barbarian is here to kick some serious.."

(She noticed the number on the dice)

Chloe: "Well shit."

Steph: "Duurgaron decapitates both of you with a single swing of his bloody axe."

Chloe: "Sweet!"

Mikey: "Sweet?!"

Rachel: "Sweet..."

(Rachel seductively said as her eyes roamed over Chloe)

Max: "..okay! I've got enough pictures I think. Time for class."

Chloe: "Already? But we just.."

Rachel: "Actually we're not in the same class as Max unfortunately Chloe so looks like you and I have got some extra time on our hands.."

(Max frowned at Rachel which Chloe saw)

Chloe: "Oh..um..what if..Max joined us?"

(Max's heart soared as Rachel slightly frowned)

Rachel: "But she's got class doesn't she? We wouldn't want her to miss her main reason for being here now would we?"

(Max hated that Rachel wasn't entirely wrong about that)

Chloe: "Oh..yeah. Right. You go on, Max. I'll..catch up with you later..I guess."

(Max wanted to say forget class you are the most important thing in my life Chloe Price but her nervousness got the better of her)

Max: "Yeah..later. Nice to meet you guys."

Steph: "..Hm? Oh yeah you too! Mikey and I are totally still sitting here!"

(Max watched Rachel take Chloe's hand and walk away from the school)

(Something about that image of Chloe walking away from her with another girl made something snap inside of Max)

(And then...something changed)

(Time turned backwards and Max was standing next to Chloe and Rachel again by the picnic tables)

Chloe: "Oh..um..what if.. Max joined us?"

(Before she could even begin to comprehend what just happened, Max spoke up immediately with zero hesitation this time)

Max: "Yes! I'd love to join you guys! Let's go!"

Rachel: "Uh..okay but don't you have class?"

Max: "Hm? Oh well yeah but I can always go back and catch up on what I missed later."

(As she spoke the words she had a feeling that she could probably really do that)

Max: "Besides, no class is more important to me than Chloe Price."

(Max shot a genuine look at Chloe which made Chloe feel like she was floating on air)

Rachel: "Well I feel the same way. All right then. Let's get the hell out of here."