Life is Better

Chapter Twenty Seven - The Vortex Party

"There she is" Max said as she saw Chloe. I tried pushing Vi to the back of my mind as well as Frank and Nathan and focused on the Rachel case, which ironically involved Nathan, who was the current person of interest.

"I hope Nathan enjoys his last party" Chloe said. She was still sitting in her truck. "Chloe, we can go right to the cops. We have proof" Max said to her. "Fuck the police!" Chloe said "Rachel wanted us to find her. So we could get real justice... and revenge. The Prescotts have had this coming for a hundred years, and nobody is going to get in my way. Especially with your help... right?" "I'm with you to the end, Chloe. You know that" Max said to her. "Yes" I added, not completely sure if I meant it or not. Me, still being in love with Nathan, I couldn't imagine him doing something like this.

Suddenly Chloe got something out. It was a gun. She put it into her jacket or pants, I didn't really see and got out. Max and I followed her. In the parking lot was a drunk couple, looking and talking about something in the sky. "What is that? Jesus, Chloe, Clare, look up at the sky!" Max said and we did as told. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw two moons. "Beautiful. I don't give a shit. The world is ending, cool" Chloe said, not interested in anything else but killing Nathan. "You're not listening! Something major is going down!" Max said, trying to talk to Chloe, but there was no chance.

"That's right. Nathan Prescott is going down" She said and continued walking. Max and I shared a look before walking up the stairs to campus. "Welcome to the end of the world, ladies. I'm glad you decided to escort me..." A drunk Warren said. He put his hand onto Max's shoulder. "You look really good, Warren. Are you all right after today?" Max asked him. "I'm glad you stopped me... Nathan is dangerous" Warren said. "He hasn't always been" I whispered, but I think no one heard me.

"Where is he?" Chloe asked pissed, her arms crossed in front of her chest. "I didn't see him at the dorm again. I was holed up in my room" Warren replied. I was kind of relieved he wasn't here. "Dude, have you been drinking?" Max asked him. Wasn't it obvious that he was? "Well, if you consider half a beer drinking..." He replied. "Let's go, Max!" Chloe said. She was pissed by Max talking to Warren. "Hey hey... I know this is a bad time, but can I get one picture?" Warren asked Max "I've been feeling like this might be actually the end of the world, so... I want to have something for prosperity" He said and pulled out a camera.

"Well... I don't blame you, Warren" Max said, allowing him to take it. "I know, I know, I'm a pain in the booty. Just one picture" Warren begged. "Action" Max said and Warren took the picture. "We got no time for this shit! Come on, Max!" Chloe said walked off, pulling me with her. Unfortunately I lost her inside.

"Stella, have you seen my sister?" I asked the girl working the wardrobe. "I don't even know who you are" She said and I groaned "Clare Price" I told her. "What? I thought you were dead or something like that" She said and I rolled my eyes "Have you seen Chloe? Yes or no?" "One girl just asked about Nathan. A punk chick with blue hair" She said. "Do you know where she went?" "Inside" "Thanks" I said and hurried inside. I looked around, but I couldn't see her. You would think that a girl with blue hair would be visible in the crowd, but no. I couldn't see her anywhere.

I walked further in and sat down, trying to see anything. "Hey" I said to the boy sitting next to me. "Hi" He replied. I think I've seen him around campus. "I'm Luke" He introduced himself. "Clare" I said with a smile. "Are you new here? Haven't seen you here before" He asked. "No, I just... just changed my appearance. Does the name Ronnie Bowers say anything to you?" I asked. "Yeah?" He replied. "That was me" I told him. "No way, you actually look.. not scary at all now" He said and I laughed "Thank you" I said. We talked a little longer. I didn't remember what we were talking about, but I knew that I liked it.

"Clare, we gotta go!" Max said and pulled me up. "I'll see you around, Luke" I said to him. "Yeah, I'll see you" He replied and Max and I hurried to the VIP section. We easily got in, since apparently Nathan had put me onto the list. The Vortex club was all over the place dancing. There was Hayden with some girls. He seemed super high right now.

"Maybe Hayden has seen him" Max said. "Do you really want to ask him? He is high as fuck" I said and pulled her forward. "I'm going to ask around" Max said and walked off, while I looked around myself. Dana was dancing with Trevor. They were so cute together. "Hey" I said with a smile. "Clare?" She asked. "I'm back" I said and she hugged me. I hugged her back "We definitely need to hang out someday" She said. "I'd love that" I said to her. "Have you seen Nathan?" I asked her. "No, luckily" She replied. "Thanks anyways" I said and continued looking. I saw Juliet, but she was making out with Zachary, again, so I didn't really want to interrupt that.

Max and I met up again and went to talk to Victoria together. "Sorry, Max, Clare. Vortex Club members only" She said "And just because you banged Nathan, doesn't mean you're in!" She said. I wanted to give her some of my sass so bad, but it was probably not the best timing. "What?" Max asked and looked at me, then back at Victoria. "Sorry, I'm on the guest list" "Yeah, so am I by the way" I added. "Yeah, because you slept your way in! I can't believe he fell for you and your bullshit again!" She said. "And I can't believe he told you!"

"I'm taking you off! Both of you!" She replied. "Victoria, it's nice you have an opinion, but why aren't you keeping it to yourself and go fuck yourselfie!" I said, quoting and mocking her at the same time. Man, that felt great "We don't have time for this bullshit!" "Real cute, Clare. I actually thought we were friends" She said. "You tried to break Nathan and I up! And now you are acting like a real bitch! Do you really think I want to be friends with someone like that!?" I asked her.

"Stop it!" Max stopped us "Do you even have a clue what's going on at Blackwell? Kate Marsh tried to kill herself I front of you and me... everybody here!" "That's not my fault, Max. Don't you even try to blame me!" Victoria snapped. "I blame Nathan for dosing Kate, but nobody at that party even cared that she was so wasted" Max said.

"It's a fucking party, everybody is wasted! What do you want from me?" She asked "Some humanity, Victoria" Max said. "I'm the only person here who cares what Nathan is going through..." Victoria said. "I care about him!" I said "I love him, okay!" "You don't love him!" Victoria. "I do! I love him more than anything else in this world" I said.

"I'm not the only problem child at Blackwell!" Victoria said. "I know, Victoria. You know my past" I said. "This is bigger than a problem child" Max said. "I'm not perfect, okay? I'm a teenager at an art school. I'm only here to become a photographer and get famous" "You have talent, Victoria. You don't have to push people out of your way" "You don't understand. My parents own a gallery" She said "I know how this art game has to be played... it's brutal" "No, it's art. You don't have to play their way" Max said to her. "Mr. Jefferson doesn't talk that way and he's famous" Max said. "On paint, Max..." "Thanks for admitting again that I have some talent. Not that I think I always do" Victoria said. "I don't either, but that's the choice you make" Max said to her.

"Hard to believe, but I don't always make the best choices. Do you think it's, like, fate we're not supposed to be friends?" Victoria asked and I laughed. "Maybe, but who says we have to be enemies?" Max asked. "Whoever makes that decision" Victoria replied. "That would be us, Victoria" "Well, Max Caulfield, I could always choose to let you in the Vortex Club..." Victoria said. "I don't think that's gonna happen... but not for the reasons you think" Max replied.

"Oh, you look so serious..." Victoria said, forgetting about how nice she was a few seconds before. "Victoria, listen to me... your life is in serious danger. I know Nathan is your friend, but he is truly unstable and dangerous. He did drug Kate at the party so he could take her some place... dark" Max said. "What? Nice try, Max. But I don't believe you. And why would he do that? Why are you even thinking that, Clare? I thought you love him" "I do, but I know things about him that I didn't want to know" I said.

"That I don't know yet. But it was enough to make Kate want to die" Max said "And I think you're next" "Max, that is crazy. Nathan is like one of my best friend. Yes, he takes serious meds, but that's not his fault. His family treats him like a total freak, just because he has little meltdowns" Victoria defended Nathan. "They're not little anymore. They're deadly" Max said "I don't care if you hate me or not, but you have to believe me!" "Nathan is my best friend! Why would I listen to Nathan's ex and her little friend" Victoria said.

Suddenly Chloe appeared in the VIP section and we walked over to her. "Chloe, Nathan isn't here. Nobody has seen him tonight" Max told her. "He's definitely not upstairs or in the lockers" Chloe said. "Then where is he?" I asked. "Damn, maybe he's hiding in his dorm" Max said. "Then let's bail. Nathan can't hide anymore" Chloe said and we hurried towards the exit.