The Calm Before The Storm

I Wouldn't Mind

~Max~

Blackwell looks the same. It's the same big building that I once went to school in.

But now, instead of a school building, all I see is a death trap.

Chloe almost died here.

Kate almost died here.

And countless other girls were preyed upon by... by him.

Him.

He... he's not still here is he?

That's something I haven't really thought about until now. I- I shouldn't have agreed to this, what if he's not dead, what if he tries to hurt me again, what if-

"Max, are you going to get out of the car or not?" Chloe says, tapping on my window with a slightly annoyed expression.

She knows I'm forcing myself to be here, she knows that I don't want to appear or act weak because Max Caulfield is too full of herself to admit that she can't do things on her own sometimes. "Yeah... sorry," I mutter, finally unbuckling myself and stepping out into the parking lot, "I was just-".

"Thinking too much?".

I nod, "Yeah".

So, Chloe places her arm around my shoulder as we walk up to the front offices of the school. It's awfully quiet for a Friday afternoon around campus, but then again everyone should be in class, but there were always the kids who skipped class that would loiter around the front lawn and dodges the security guards. I imagine Chloe would be one of those students if she were going to school here.

"So, you never did tell me... how did you get expelled?" I ask, vaguely remembering her files, "If you don't mind me asking...".

Chloe chuckles, and I can't tell if it's out of nerves or amusement. "Well uh, long story short, I ditched one too many classes and may or may not have uh, helpedstartedahugeassforestfire".

"Wait, what?!" I say, remembering hearing something about said forest fire a few years before I came back to Blackwell.

"I'll tell you another time," she urges, clearly not wanting to get into the topic, and I have a feeling I know why. "Let's just... get your paperwork and stuff and get out of here. This place gives me the fucking creeps all things considering...".

"Gladly," I reply, realizing that this place might not hold all the greatest memories for her either.

'Being an insensitive asshole yet again, I see' says the voice in my head, 'I don't know how she can put up with you'.

This isn't the first time I've heard this spiel, and I know for certain it's not the last, so I just try to ignore the voice and focus on the now. But it's honestly not all that better.

The hallways leading up to the administration office is quiet, ghost town kinda quiet. It's a bit unnerving, makes me want to run away and hide, find somewhere safe.

But are there even any safe places in Arcadia Bay anymore?

---

The lady at the desk is someone I don't recognize, and for my own sanities sake, I hope she doesn't recognize me. No one wants to see the reaction of a person seeing another that was presumed dead for the past year.

"Hello ladies," she says, "Shouldn't you be in class?".

"We don't go here... well uh, not anymore," Chloe explains, "We're just here for our transfer papers,".

The woman looks confused, "Oh... okay. Can I get your names?".

Here we go...

"Chloe Price," Chloe says, pointing to herself, then down at me "and Max Caulfield".