The Calm Before The Storm

New Beginnings

~Chloe~

*cough cough*

I wake up with a small start, feeling a sudden shift in the blankets beside me. I rub my eyes and roll over to see Max sitting up in in the bed, her hand pressed up against her nose. "Max?".

She jumps when I say her name, "Shit,".

"Hey, hey... you okay?" I ask, sitting up with her.

She nods, "Yeah, I'm fine... sorry I woke you,".

I sigh and peer over at the clock on the bedside table, seeing as it flashes 4:45. "You didn't wake me," I lie, "I've gotta wake up anyway... almost time for work". As I slip out of bed I can't help but notice the small spots of blood on Max's pillow, the dark, crimson pools glistening in the moonlight seeping through the windows.

It's been... hell, I don't know, two months since Max and I left Arcadia Bay? A lot has happened since then, for one we scrounged up enough money to rent a shitty little apartment in the older part of Portland. It's small, hardly one room, but... we manage. Of course, that meant we both had to get jobs, which proved to be a lot more difficult than we thought considering neither of us had finished high school.

Max... *sigh* Max decided to take a break for society, opting to be the "Stay-at-home girlfriend". She does take pictures on the side though... but not as often as I'd like to see. I mean, despite all the fucked up shit she's been through, she still has a passion for taking photos... she just... doesn't allow herself to enjoy it I guess, And I get why... and I don't blame her.

I've done my best to keep her away from the media on the storm, which is actually easier than you'd think considering she's doing the same. It's been hard you know, being curious and all, and I admit that I've looked to see if people survived, which few did... we both know that... but a lot of people died too. Arcadia Bay wasn't that big... but it still had a lot of people living there. I shake my head and focus on what's happening right now.

Work... focus on work, Chloe.

Ugh, I got a part-time job at Target unloading trucks 'n' shit. It's grueling work and pays shit... but, it does get us by. I change into my "uniform" in the bathroom, not quite sure if Max and I are at the point in our relationship where we're comfortable dressing and undressing in front of each other. When I'm all dressed, I slip back into the small room and see Max has cleaned herself up too, the bloody pillow nowhere to be seen.

"Another bloody nose?" I ask, knowing that she must have had a crazy dream and rewound in real life.

"Um, yeah... I'm fine though," she mutters, rubbing the back of her head nervously, "So... off to work, huh?".

I nod and grab my wallet and keys from the dresser, "Yep... you gonna be okay?".

"Yeah... I'll probably stay up and watch T.V or... something,".

I put the keys back down and sigh, "I can call in sick, Max. If... you want me here, I'll stay,".

"Chloe... you don't have to do-".

"Trust me, I do, Max. I'd do anything thing for you, remember?".

"But you shouldn't have to give up living life because you want to take care of me. That's totally not fair," Max says with a heavy sigh, rubbing at her temples.

"Max?".

She looks up at me with bags under her bright blue eyes, "What?".

I smile slyly, "I love you,".

She blushes furiously and mumbles something under her breath. "I- I love you, too... you dork".

I smile and hum dumbly at myself gathering my keys and jacket again, "Alright, I've gotta get going... last chance for me to stay".