Perfect with You

Chapter 5 - Groundwork

A half hour had passed with random chatter, when Chloe finally took a breath and said, "I'm alright now."

Max finally felt as if she could loosen up, but it was odd; she didn't want to mention it, but she had enjoyed just talking with Chloe, despite the fact that the blue-haired girl probably didn't feel the same way, given the circumstances.

"Thank you," Chloe tried to hide the appreciation behind a muffle, but the words came out clearly. She did look somewhat drained but had refrained from letting out tears during her attack, making Max wonder how it actually felt. Chloe had described them as intense fear with dying sensations. Like all the anxiety in one's body, suddenly exploding. However, it didn't seem so intense from an outside perspective.

"No problem Chloe. I didn't mean to bring up uncomfortable–"

"It wasn't your fault. It's just..." Chloe interrupted, not wanting Max to apologize again.
"I finally got used to us not being in some fucked up situation," she sighed before stretching out her left arm to reach for something on the nightstand.
"And I just talked with gramps about some bullshit I shouldn't have mentioned," she admitted as she took a hold a pack of cigarettes, lying ready for grabs.

"If you're gonna say it like that, how can I not be curious?" Max smiled as she turned her head around, looking at Chloe with a curious expression on her face.

"Guess that was my fault," the blue-haired girl responded as she took out a cigarette from the red pack with the brand-name 'L&M'.
"And it makes it even worse when I say: I can't tell you," she said just before placing the cigarette in her mouth and lifting her stomach up to reach for a lighter in her back pocket.

"Aww, come on dude. Now I am dying of suspense," Max placed the palm of her hands on both sides of her cheeks and pressed them together, making a squishy-face.

Chloe looked thoughtful as she flickered the lighter three times until a small flame appeared which she was quick to place at the tip of the tobacco-filled stick.
"How about this?" She let out as she inhaled while closing her mouth around the orange part of the cigarette providing the proper filter, leading the smoke down into her lungs.
"I will ask you some questions and if I like the answers, I will tell you what we talked about," she refrained from letting out a playful laughter and simply smiled at the thought of her own offer as she blew the thin smoke out of her lungs up towards the wooden ceiling.

"Is it going to be factual questions or personal questions?" Max asked curiously, even though she was all fired up and ready. For some reason, playing games with Chloe always excited her, especially when there was a price involved. It was definitely a nice way to relax with her friend, even though the thought of the recent events still lingered in the back of her head.

She needs to know and I should tell her, but this would be a horrible time... maybe when we've had some food.

"Ehh, personal I guess. Can you hand me the ashtray?" Chloe said lazily as she pointed in the direction of the table.

"Is that one of the questions?" Max got up from her sitting position in the middle of the question and began scanning the table area while walking towards it.

"Not really. I just don't want hot ash in my open eyeball or something." It was nice how Chloe finally sounded relaxed again, even though she was describing a quite painful scenario. Nevertheless, she was lying on her back in the bed with a lit cigarette, so it was a possibility to be feared. The concern became insignificant though, as Max spotted the black ashtray lying close to her notebook along with a bunch of junk. "I got you covered," Max said mostly to herself as she grabbed the small ashtray and turned around, seeing Chloe still lying carefree on her back on the bed. As she walked closer, however, she paid special attention to Chloe's exposed hair. It was not often she could be seen without her signature cap and even though was a somewhat unfamiliar sight to see the pink hair at the top of her head; she still emanated a fragile hint of elegance.