"And then she comes up with some surprise guest and my entire campaign was ruined!" Max smiled slightly, watching Warren as he got heated up by a DnD session he had had recently. "Complete bull if you ask me."

"Sounds like it," Max laughed slightly, "What happened then?" She prompted, checking the time she had until the bell would ring.

"That's the real kicker, she-" Warren began in full swing but choked out when his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and looked at it once before he began to put it back into his pocket. Realization slammed his face and he checked it again, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"What?" Max asked, blinking at her friend.

Warren looked at her before looking around nervously. "Nothing, just something stupid." He said slowly, his eyes shifting back and forth.

Max opened her mouth to call bullshit but the bell saved Warren. The boy quickly grabbed his bags, "Hey sorry Max, I gotta go, talk to you later!" He called as he booked it out of the science room.

"Never seen him in much of a hurry to leave this class." Kate said as she walked up to Max, who was staring after open with her mouth still open. "What do you think happened?" She smiled at Max kindly, making the hipster shake herself out of the shock she was in.

"Dunno, but he's a terrible liar." Max said as she grabbed her bags. "I just wanted to say thanks again for helping me with Rachel." It had been a few days since Max learned Rachel's terrible secret. Since then, she began to notice how much of an actual creep Mr. Jefferson really was. He had been trying to get Max alone but Rachel always stepped up or Max came up with some bullshit excuse. It was beginning to irritate him, Rachel had told Max, but Max never noticed.

Kate shook her head, "Please don't mention it," She said, "I was simply doing the right thing is all. Besides, Rachel is a good girl, despite all the rumors that get spread about her."

That's another thing Max noticed recently, how many people fell at Rachel's feet when the aspiring model so much as breathed next to them and how many people seemed to hate her guts.

Namely Victoria Chase with the latter.

"Have you seen how Victoria treats her?" Max asked as they traversed the halls towards photography. "She's such a bitch."

"Vic-toria isn't that bad." Kate said softly, a small edge to her voice.

Max rose a brow at the Christian, "Were you not around when she completely tore into me moving day? She's a total asshole for no reason. I mean, she has everything, she has no excuse for how she treats others." She grumbled, bitterness seeping into her tone.

She paused, hearing Kate's footfalls stop, and turned. She was a bit frightened at the look she was getting from Kate. The Christians eyes, though clear of malice, were intense with some sort of emotion.

"She doesn't have everything, Max." Kate said, her voice soft but filled with fire. "Not in the slightest." With that, she began walking again-faster than before- and disappeared into the photography classroom.

Max, again, was left dumbfounded and frozen. It seemed to be a pattern today, was everyone in a bad mood or what?

"Are you planning on ever coming inside Ms. Caulfield?" She jumped, looking up to see the icy eyes of Mark Jefferson digging into her.

Anger erupted through her veins like a wildfire; hatred and disgust making her clench the strap of her bag. "Of course." she said, a bit to roughly.

She stepped towards the door and notice that he was only keeping it open enough for her to slip in but not without brushing against him.

Pervert. Max thought.

She turned, sidestepping into the classroom and sucked her chest and stomach in. Successfully, she made it into the classroom without indulging whatever disgusting fantasies he had and she tossed an innocent and shit-eating smile to him before she sat down at her table. She glanced around and frowned when she didn't see Rachel.

She didn't blame the model for wanting to skip Jefferson's class, but this was the fourth time this week.

Jefferson began to call role, Max didn't listen as she pulled out her phone.

To Junkyard Queen

Maxamillion: Rach? Where are you??

sent 2:01

Junkyard Queen: Outside smoking

received 2:02

Maxamillion: Rachel you're gonna get in trouble

sent 2:03

Junkyard Queen: -shrugging emojis-

Max was about to type something when Jefferson's booming voice sounded over her.

"Max! We do not use phones in my classroom, especially when I'm calling role call." He said, eyeing her down. "Give me it, this is not the first time I've had to yell at you for it."

"Like hell, I'm giving you my phone." Max couldn't stop the venomous words from spitting from her mouth. She shoved it into her pocket, knowing she couldn't turn back now. "I was just texting my mom, chill out." She blamed Chloe for this rebellious behavior.

"You're mother should know that you are in class." Jefferson said, glaring at her. "Give me your phone, Ms. Caulfield, or I will be forced to get the principal involved."

Max clenched the sides of her seat. She felt all the students eyes on her, she pulled out her phone and Jefferson held his hand out expectantly. The screen flashed and she blinked at the message.

Junkyard Queen: Don't you dare.

She bit her lip and looked at Jefferson, toying an idea in her mind. She glanced to the side and saw Rachel standing there at the window her hands open. She looked at Jefferson and couldn't stop the smirk on her face.

"What phone?" She asked and tossed it.

Her Irish luck held true as it slid through the open slit of the window and fell into Rachel's hands. The model rushed away and Max broke for the door. She opened the classroom door and bolted down the hall.

"Maxine Caulfield!" She heard Jeffersons' roar from the hallway but didn't look back, adrenaline rushing in her veins.

She turned and opened the school doors and made a break to the parking lot, knowing that's where Rachel was heading. She grinned as she saw Chloe's truck and jumped into it.

"Chloe Elizabeth Price!" David's booming voice came from the campus, "Don't do this!"

Max paused, hearing the desperation in his tone. She looked up and saw him, Jefferson, and the entire photography classroom coming towards the truck.

"Chloe drive!" Rachel demanded, glaring at the punk who was sitting stock still.

The punk roused herself and shifted gears, "Sorry David." She called and slammed on the gas. The tires screeched against the pavement before the trunk flew forward. Max held onto the door handle for purchase and she glanced behind them.

Victoria was watching the scene with a dropped jaw, Kate beside her with a shocked look; shock was the universal emotion for most people except a certain few.

David had a helpless and defeated look on his face as if he was this close to breaking down. Mark Jefferson looked like he was about to kill someone, rage was undisguised and unchecked on his face, his blue eyes were slits of ice.

And Nathan Prescott.

He had no emotion on his face; it was terrifyingly neutral, however, his eyes were slitted, as if he had something on his mind. He looked like how the photography teacher did most times when he was able to restrain himself.

That chilled Max the most.

She tore her eyes away as Chloe rounded the corner away from Blackhell.

"Holy shit." She breathed, closing her eyes. "Holy shit."

"Holy shit is fucking right." Chloe snapped, "What the fuck were you thinking Rachel, getting Max involved?" She glared at the model and sighed roughly. "Look, I know how hard it is-"

"No, you fucking don't!" Rachel growled, "You have no fucking idea because you weren't there, Max was." There was a finality to her voice- like this wasn't something up for discussion.

Chloe clenched her jaw and slammed on the breaks. The car skidded to a sudden stop and Max was flung forward along with Rachel.

"What the fuck-" Rachel began angrily but she was cut off with a hiss.

"Get the hell out of my car."

Max blinked in shock, was Chloe serious?

Yes, she was, Max knew that look in her eye. Her blue eyes were dark with anger, her lips in a thin line, her expression stony.

Rachel stared at Chloe with a dropped jaw before she growled and opened the door of the trunk, slamming it shut and flipped Chloe off.

Chloe flipped her off back and drove off, leaving Rachel Amber stranded.

Chloe

Red.

Red was all she saw.

Tears were stinging in her eyes. How could she say that? How could she tell Chloe that she wasn't there?

She doesn't care, you learned that a long time ago Price.

Chloe sniffed, "Fuck!" She punched her steering wheel as she screamed out. She pulled off of the road into familiar territory and flung herself out of the truck.

"Chloe!" She distantly heard Max's cry but she wasn't concerned about it. She grabbed a bat and began to swing it around, destroying whatever she fucking could.

One hit too many and the bat shattered so she moved to her fists, punching car windows until they shattered, shards of glass and splinters of wood dug into her hand but the pain didn't register.

"Fuck you Rachel!" She screamed, kicking a can of beer that she distinctly remembered being the can she drank before her and her Junkyard Queen fucked in their hideout.

"Chloe stop!" She froze, whipping around to whoever the fuck just ordered her-

Her anger stilled when she saw Max's face.

Tears were flowing down them, her entire body was trembling, her hands clenched in tiny fists. She was gazing at Chloe with open eyes, so wide and full of emotion yet Chloe only focused on one.

Fear.

All ministrations of Chloe's mind were halted. What am I doing? She thought with a spark of horror. She froze in her tracks and stared at Max, unable to contain her tears anymore she let them fall.

Pain snaked it's way up her arm and she looked at her bloody hand. "God, what am I doing?" She sobbed, dropping to her knees. The fire that burned in her belly had been stomped out by the realization that she, Chloe, was scaring her best friend.

Her best friend.

Her Max.

Max rushed over to her and held her close, her tears were still coming but they had slowed. "Chloe, your hand." She said, gazing at it.

Chloe laughed slightly, "Fucked it up worse at one point." She said as she began to pick the glass shards from it. "There's some hydrogen peroxide in my truck and some rags, can you bring them to me?" She asked, "And the first-aid kit."

Max nodded mutely and rushed away, Chloe watched her go.

Her heart ached and she busied herself with picking stuff from her hand. She had gotten all of it out by the time Max returned. She poured the anti-bacterial liquid on the wounds and hissed at the pain before she wrapped it in the rags.

They turned red with blood but she was mostly patched up for now. She silently thanked whatever God existed that she didn't have work for the rest of this week due to heavy snow apparently coming in at any time.

"I'm sorry Max, I didn't.." She choked a bit. She wouldn't have to apologize to Rachel, Rachel would have said something that this time was better than the last time, or simply she would have kissed her and made Chloe forget all about being mad. She would have made Chloe wake up feeling numb but satisfied, she would have left the scent of coconut and summer in Chloe's nose, left warmth where she had touched the night before.

Then she would have left altogether.

She always did.

"I didn't mean to scare you." She continued hoarsely, "I just wanted to destroy things, I wasn't thinking." She looked away, "I'm so sorry."

Thin arms wrapped around Chloe's waist and the punk all but melted into them. "It's okay, Chlo-bear." The hipster murmured, "I just.. you were hurting yourself."

"Not the worst I've done to myself." Chloe said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.

Max tightened her grip and Chloe considered it a fail. "I'm serious Chlo," A definite fail, "You'll be lucky if you don't have scars."

"I know," Chloe wrapped one arm, the one with the non-bloody hand, around Max's neck and pulled her close, breathing in her vanilla scent. "I know.." She sighed, breathing it in more because as creepy as she felt for it, it calmed her down.

It reminded her just why she fell for this little hipster when she was thirteen and realizing she was gay in the first place.

Reminded her why she still was falling for this hipster.

They stayed like that, not wanting to let each other go because this was normal. This was home for them, or at least Chloe hoped it was home for both of them. She felt more at home in Max's arms than she did in Rachels'.

A part of her screamed that wasn't quite true.

She blocked it out.

It was only until Max decided that she was going to wrap Chloe's arm that they parted but they made sure to keep in contact. Goosebumps rose from Chloe's tender skin as Max wrapped it, her fingers gently brushing against her hand.

Max always had to patch Chloe up when they were younger.

"Nothing has changed." Chloe commented with a crooked smile. "Still playing nurse."

Max blushed slightly, "Shut up." She shoved the punks shoulder and Chloe couldn't help but tease her more.

"You're eighteen, that's legal, why don't you dress up for me?" She waggled her eyebrow suggestively and took glee in Max's blush and adorable pout.

"Dog, you're so mean to me." She grumbled, looking away. It wasn't her normal snarky reply, which indicated that yes Chloe had gotten under her skin.

Was Max hoping..?

No. She wouldn't.

Chloe deflated a bit and cursed her toxic mind. She hated it, hated constantly questioning herself, hated not being able to feel validated at all by anyone. Maybe that's why she still ran to Rachel when things got tough because Rachel knew how Chloe's mind worked; she knew how to make Chloe feel special.

Even if it was complete bullshit.

"Chloe." Blue eyes looked into lighter ones. "What's going on? I mean, in these few weeks you and Rachel have been... strained to say the least. Is it my fault?" Oh typical innocent Max, to assume immediately that it was her fault.

Part of Chloe wished that she could lie but it felt like a felony when she gazed into her friend's eyes.

So she said, "I don't know, maybe?" she sighed, "Look, Max, there's a lot of baggage between me and Rachel." She rubbed her arm and looked away. "Baggage that we never talk about because-" we don't want to destroy what tatters remain, "because we don't need too."

"That's complete bullshit and you know it Price." Max said sternly, glowering at the punk just a little bit.

Chloe sighed, "Yeah, you're probably right..." She paused, "No- you are right." She corrected herself, "We should talk about it but never is the right time."

Max blinked and stared at something past Chloe, "How about now?"

"What?" Chloe followed her gaze and frowned when she saw Rachel fucking Amber trudging towards them, her hands in her black skinny jeans. Her red and black flannel was unbuttoned, showing her Firewalk t-shirt.

Chloe felt her heart stutter as she was reminded of that night. The night she had met this celestial being.

No matter how bad they got, she could never hate or regret Rachel.

The blonde looked up and Chloe knew that she had been crying. Her eyes were too puffy for it to not be true. She still looked stunning.

They were tensely silent for a long while before Rachel leaned forward. Chloe put her hand on the blonde's shoulder, leaning away just enough to let Rachel know that this wasn't going to be "fixed" like they always "fixed" things.

Rachel's eyes flashed with a mixture of sadness and pain, Chloe forced the part of her that wanted to give in to Rachel down. She refused to give in this time, she couldn't handle giving in this time. She hadn't ever been able to handle it but she did because she was scared of losing Rachel. She still was but a sense of self-preservation that she didn't have before was forcing her to care.

No, it wasn't self-preservation. It was Max. She didn't want Max to see how broken she was. How broken she had gotten.

"I'm sorry." Rachel spoke so softly that Chloe, deep in thoughts and realizations, almost missed it. The punk looked up with wide blue eyes. Rachel was like an inferno when she was angry, Chloe normally had to wait until she had cooled to embers before she could come to talk to Rachel. And it was always her, it was always Chloe who went to Rachel.

Except for last time.

Last time Chloe was committed to ignoring Rachel, forgetting she existed, because it hurt so much. Seeing, hearing, even thinking of Rachel hurt too much.

It sometimes still did.

Chloe's mouth felt dry, Rachel was apologizing?

Rachel came running back? Too me?

The tattoo artist hesitated before she sighed, she could never be angry at Rachel for too long. Even in the six months, she longed for the model back; it was only the spite and self-pity that fueled her to continue shunning the blonde out.

"S'fine." She said.

"It's not." Rachel's voice was thick with emotion, she was so vulnerable, so breakable. Chloe wanted to bow to her then and there.

"It is." Chloe said, trying to put a firmness to her shaking voice. "Don't worry about it."

Rachel looked into Chloe's eyes and the punk remembered why she had been so infatuated with her in the first place. Rachel's eyes made her feel warm despite the fact that she knew the model could see through her layers and layers of protection, that iron husk that Chloe tried to wear always.

"We need to talk." Rachel said softly, her eyes glinting with tears.

"Later." Chloe promised, knowing she was going to break it.

The model bit her lip and glanced to the left, Chloe hadn't forgotten that Max was standing there, watching in silence. Hazel eyes flirted back to ocean blue ones and the blonde nodded once.

Tearing her gaze away from the aspiring model, Chloe looked at Max. "Welcome to my home away from Hell." She said, gesturing to the junkyard.

"A junkyard? Fitting." Max said, giving a wry smile.

"Why?" Chloe asked, walking deeper into the yard, "Because I'm also a wasteful pile of trash?" She tossed a self-deprecating smile over her shoulder.

Max scoffed, "Rough, sorta grimy, and plenty of danger." She said, "But yes," She snarked, "Also because your garbage." As if to prove her point so kicked a can. If Max was snarky it meant she felt more at ease.

"I can't believe you haven't shown her our domain." Rachel said, her voice unnaturally tense.

She was nervous using the word "our", Chloe didn't blame her. 

"Haven't exactly had the time." Chloe said, trying to keep accusation out of her tone. "Besides, it's ours. Wouldn't be right if just one of us shows it to her." She tried to ease Rachel's stress with a grin.

It semi-worked, Rachel tossed her a small grin in return but she was still tense. She looked relaxed to anyone who didn't know Rachel but Chloe could see it. In the way her eyebrows weren't raised all the way, in the way her lips didn't look as loose as they normally were when she smiled, in the way her back was straighter than it would have been in any other situation; not that Rachel slouched, but she almost never had her shoulders that squared unless she was pissed or uncomfortable. 

"How did you guys find this dump?" Max asked, looking around. Her gaze paused on something and Chloe followed it to the camera she had destroyed when she was freaking out four years ago.

Guilt rushed through Chloe, it always did when she looked at what she had done. "U-Uh Rachel showed it to me." She cursed herself for stuttering because now Max was eyeing her with a raised brow. "I skipped school with her the day after we met at a Firewalk concert." She explained, relishing the easier days back when all she wanted to do was run away with Rachel. When all the emotions she felt for Rachel was love. "We jumped into a train and jumped out near here." She gestured around, "It's been our hideout ever since."

"We even have a playhouse." Rachel chimed in, grabbing Max's arm. "Come on, I-" Rachel hesitated, "We can show you."

I can show you. That's what she was about to say. I can show you. 

Chloe clenched her jaw before she forced it to relax. "Yeah." She said, "Come on." She waltzed deeper into the trashpile towards her and Rachel's little piece of tranquility. 

It was exactly how'd they left it, empty pizza boxes, booze, soda, packs of cigarettes. Chloe flopped onto the couch and Rachel sat at her makeup table.

"Come on Max, it's safe." Rachel promised, smiling slightly at the hipster.

Chloe tried not to think about what was going on in Rachel's mind but a dark voice hissed into her mind.

She wants to take her.

"Huh." Max hummed, making Chloe jolt out of possibly- definitely bad thoughts,  as she stepped inside and took in the appearance. Anxiety swam in Chloe's gut, she wanted Max's approval. She watched with hyper-awareness as Max walked about the small place, picking up and looking at things. She was always a bit of a snoop, never could keep her curiosity at bay.

Chloe watched as Max stumbled upon a specific scribbling on the wall. 

Rachel was here

Chloe was here

Max seemed to contemplate for a moment, glancing behind at Rachel and Chloe. It was as if their minds connected because Chloe swore she could hear Max's small voice go.

Not to intrude but... I was here also.

With that, Max grabbed a marker and wrote:

Max was here

Chloe grinned, "Now we're all like, hella best friends forever." She said, wishing that it was that easy.

"Totally." Rachel agreed, no doubt wishing the same thing.

Max glanced between the two for a few moments before she grinned. "Hella." She said and Chloe felt her heart stutter because that was adorable.

The things you do to me, Maxine Caulfield. Chloe thought with a genuine wistful smile.

The three sat in comfortable, slightly tense because of Rachel and Chloe, silence. Chloe stared at the wooden board ceiling, tuning out as Rachel and Max began to talk about school. Her minds swam, many of them inky black and evil but one stuck out to her.

"That's a dollar for the swear jar!" 

"You mean your college funds?" 

A car, destroyed in the junkyard with a girl pounding on it with tiny fists wishing she could just have her father back. A crow watching her with silent, judging eyes.

Click.

Chloe jumped and looked up, blinking. Max was shaking a polaroid and Chloe rolled her eyes. 

"One day you're going to get into trouble for that." Chloe grumbled.

"Like you could ever stay mad at me." Max snarked and Chloe flipped her off, knowing she was completely right.

The hipster grunted, "Well, we have all day. What do you guys wanna do?" She asked.

Chloe swung up into a sitting position and thought for a few moments. She glanced over at Rachel, who shrugged in response, then drew her eyes around the hideout.

"We can stay here until you have to go back to Blackwell." Chloe said, "Why not?"

Max shrugged, "Sure, I'm not picky." She said with a smile that made Chloe's insides warm.

Max

The hipster never felt this happy since childhood. It felt natural hanging out with Rachel and Chloe, despite the slight tension between Chloe and Rachel. It wasn't too noticeable, but Max had a keen sense of attention; she saw the way that Rachel only barely brushed her fingertips against her when she touched Chloe. 

She longed for the two to talk it out, but she had told Chloe that she needed too and she trusted that the punk would. She didn't want to force Chloe into doing it, the blunette would when she was ready.

Max hoped she would when she would be ready soon.

Hours passed by, jokes were cracked along with one or two bottles of beer, laughter and the sound of passing trains filled Max's ear as the sun began to set.

"Holy shit!" Rachel giggled, she wasn't drunk but she was definitely feeling the effects of the alcohol. "Max, you have got to take us to Seattle one day." 

Max tensed, visions flashing in her mind. She gulped thickly and tried to force the darkness away. "Y-Yeah, sure." She said, smiling nervously.

The memories faded and turned to visions of summer as Rachel tossed her a grin that made her heart skip a beat. 

Why had it skipped? 

Max wasn't given enough time to think about it because she stepped out of the truck with Rachel behind her straight into Principal Wells. 

The man glared at the three girls, "Maxine Caulfield." He rumbled, "I hadn't expected someone as academically successful as you to fall into this type of crowd." He gestured to Rachel who was standing stark-still with wide eyes. 

Max's mouth felt dry, she opened and closed her mouth a few times in an attempt to speak but she couldn't. A shadow moved and she looked up and gulped as she saw Mark Jefferson waltz over, a look of triumph in his blue eyes.

"Fuck." She heard Rachel breath and she looked at the model. Her hazel eyes were fixed on the photographer, her fists have clenched the knuckles turning white.

Chloe moved in front of the aspiring model in a protective gesture and Max gravitated towards the punk, linking their fingers. 

"Do you have any excuses for yourself?" Wells bellowed, puffing his chest out as he glared down at the girls. "Mark tells me you were disrespectfully on your phone as he was calling the role and that you have been disobedient this entire week. I thought better of you Maxine." Of course, Mark would make himself sound innocent.

Max couldn't help it, "It's Max." She said, "Never Maxine-"

"It's Maxine." Wells growled, "It's Maxine when you are a student disrespecting one of the most qualified and successful teachers and photographers in the world. It is an honor to be taught by him and I thought that you, being a photographer, would understand that best." He spat and Max wanted to vomit as the scent of booze washed over her. 

She couldn't do this, her breath came out in rapid succession, her mind toyed with the image that her eyes were seeing. She saw her father, standing there with rage-filled blue eyes. She saw a bottle in his hand, raised and ready to throw. She saw the man that almost.. almost..

"Hey, get the fuck away from her." Chloe shoved the principal back, "You reek dude." 

"Don't touch the principal!" Mark snapped, "Last time I knew, you were expelled. Doesn't your father work here?" He was taunting her. Egging her on. 

Max clenched Chloe's arm, trying to ground both herself and the punk who looked ready to kill both of the men.

"Wells. I think it's worth mentioning that Mr. Jefferson takes every moment to call Max out in class. I know that a teacher is supposed to make a student think, but isn't he suppose to make every student think? Not just one?" A new voice made the group look up. Nathan Prescott was talking towards them, his expression neutral. "He does it with every new female student, never males." 

Mark stared at the rich kid in horror and, for a split second, anger as principal Wells sputtered for a response. 

"Mark, have you been calling Ms. Caulfield out in class?" Wells turned on his friend, regarding him with a drunken stare.

The photographer regarded the principal with a cool stare. "I suppose maybe I have. I was impressed with her portfolio you see," Max wanted to spit on his face, "I guess I have gone to far on my testing her knowledge." He hung his head slightly, his stance pitiful now. "I expect a lot from you, Max." He gave her an apologetic look that would melt any woman's heart if they didn't know his dirty secrets. "I hoped for more." 

He was insulting her, saying she wasn't good enough. She recognized the venom despite the tone the teacher was talking with. 

Max bit back a snort, "I'm sorry sir." She said forcefully "I will restrain from using my phone in class but I was texting my mom, she hasn't been in the best of health recently." It wasn't a total lie but not a complete truth.

Mark narrowed his eyes for a moment before he nodded, "I see, well wish her my condolences." He turned to Rachel and the model looked down, not meeting his eyes.

"Rachel." 

Max felt her insides churn at how he spoke her name, packed with emotions. Rachel looked up through her lashes.

"I hope you are able to attend my next classes, or else I'll be forced to request a private meeting." He said and Max tensed. She felt Rachel stiffen and glanced over at the model, her heart breaking as she saw the genuine horror on her face.

"I won't." Rachel said, "I promise." She felt right into his trap.

Mark nodded, turning and disappearing into the school,  and Wells turned to Max, "While I cannot say I am too pleased with you skipping school and causing such a disruption, I did not know that you were under such pressure. This is not the way of Blackwell, every student is to be treated equally, no matter how impressive their background is." He was going back on his very own words, just to make himself look good. Max wanted to spit on him to. "Mark is an honest man," Oh god shut the fuck up please, "I know he means what he says." Seriously shut the fuck up. "I hope you enjoy his class. As I said it is an honor for him to work here." Kiss ass. 

Max nodded numbly, wanting the man to leave desperately. 

Wells smiled, "This won't be on your record, consider it an apology on the behalf of Blackwell." He was probably too drunk to do the paperwork or remember this in the morning. With that, he turned and, walked?- no- floundered away. 

Max let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and released her death grip on Chloe. 

"Fuck him. Fuck both of them." Chloe snarled, glaring after the drunk man. "I swear, we'll find a way to-"

"Chloe." Rachel's voice was hoarse and warning. The punk turned and noticed that Nathan was still standing there, watching the three girls.

Max looked at the rich kid up and down. "Why'd you help us?" She asked, raising a brow.

Nathan shrugged, "You looked like you were about to freak out so I decided to get that asshole away from you." He nodded towards where the principal left. "I know you have PTSD, figured him bellowing wasn't helpful." Nathan shrugged again. "I have this entire school under my feet, especially that try hard." 

Max didn't know how to respond, "Well uh, thanks." She replied.

Nathan eyed Rachel, "You look like you need to sleep for a year." He said, "I suggest you get back to your dorms, the security guards patrol this area first." With that he turned, "And Chloe, I'm sure you don't want to face your dad so you should probably hop off. I'll walk the girls back."

Chloe fumbled for a second before she grumbled. "Sorry Max, I really don't want to see that asshole right now."

"It's fine, Chlo." Max grabbed her hands and gave her a grin. "It was amazing hanging out with you, I'll text you in the morning." 

Chloe smiled and nodded, the two girls stared in each others eyes for a second to long before Chloe cleared her throat and walked away, getting into her truck and veering away.

Rachel leaned on Max, "I never wanna see him again." She murmured and Max knew she wasn't talking about Principal Wells. Max interlocked their hands in a comforting gesture and Nathan waved them to follow.

Having no other options, Max and Rachel followed the prep to the dorms where Nathan opened the doors and watched as they walked inside. 

The hipster paused and turned to him, feeling so many emotions that it left her rattled as the prep looked up at her and quirked the corner of his lip up in a tiny smile before he walked away, disappearing into the dusk.

Max closed the door, her mind swimming as she moved into her dorm after wishing Rachel a good night and collapsed into her bed.

Her body and mind felt drained, she numbly turned on her stereo, the sound of indie music floated through her dorm. Her eyes felt heavy but the sound of her phone buzzing beside her dead made her jolt. She tiredly unlocked it and looked at the message, expecting either Rachel or Chloe's number on the screen. 

Instead, it was only one chilling message.

From: Unknown

You better watch out, Maxine Caulfield.