Life After Arcadia [Life is Strange]

Chapter 3: Breaking The News

Max's POV

Shit... mom and dad are home.

Dad flashed a smile at us. "Hey, ladies. Ah, I see you were watching Godzilla! I used to love those old monster movies as a kid." He said. "Coolio." "Awesome sauce!" Chloe and I said. "You ladies enjoy your night." Mom said as she and dad took off. Chloe and I let out breaths of relief.

"That was hella close."

"We can't hide it from them forever, Chloe."

"Yeah we can!" Chloe said. "We can just pretend we're leaving for work tomorrow, wait until they're gone, come through the back, and chill out and have fun!" Chloe grinned. "And you can be as loud as you want when I-" A smile crept onto my face and I interrupted with, "Oh my god, did you have that all planned?" Chloe winked at me. "You know it, baby." I laughed.

"Just stop."

"You know you like it."

"Maybe just a little." I told her.

It was supper time. Max and Chloe knew that one of them would be the one to tell Ryan and Vanessa that they lost their jobs. And it wasn't going to be a walk in the park either. Max and Chloe eyed nervously at each other.

"You girls haven't touched your spaghetti. What's the matter?" Vanessa asked. "Are you kidding? I'm full." Chloe said. "Yeah... same..." Max awkwardly added. Vanessa glanced at Ryan. He glanced back at her and sighed. He put his fork down and eyed at Max and Chloe. "What's going on, you two?" He asked. Max looked at Chloe and sighed. Ryan raised his eyebrow at her. "Maxine Caulfield. You look me in the eye. What's going on?" Ryan said.

"We got fired today." Max said. The temperature in the room immediately changed.

Chloe's POV

We're so hella fucked.

"You're what?" Ryan asked. "Fired, Mr. C. We're fired." I said. "How?" He asked. Why is this so hard to explain? Why couldn't we just say we're fired and it wouldn't be a big deal?

"Maxine. Chloe. Tell us what happened..." Vanessa said calmly. Thank god someone has some common sense here. "Well... my manager hasn't been happy with me. With my performance." Max started. "He said that he was tired of me being so shy and told me I was done and to leave..." Vanessa eyed at me and said, "Chloe?"

I sighed and lifted my foot off the chair and leaned forward.

I'm in deep shit now.

"I told a customer off..." I said straight up. No point in lying to these two. They have their ways of finding out the truth. "It just wasn't a good day for me today, and I blew up at a customer..." Ryan sighed heavily. "Chloe... I know I'm not William... but this was your third job. You can't just blow up at a customer. It's childish and unprofessional." He turned to Max.

"Maxine, I know you can get shy... but you have to face the fact that when someone asks you a question, you don't just shrug your shoulders and have someone else do it for you. You tell them what they want to know, and they'll be on their way. You know that, don't you?"

"Honey, please calm down." Vanessa said. "That's not fair. You have your share of bad days too." She told him. "That doesn't make this anymore right, Vanessa. They're adults now! They need to learn how to take care of themselves! We can't be coddling them all the time. They need to know that the real world is harsh. They have to stop being kids and grow up!" Vanessa stood up from her chair.

"That's enough, Ryan! You will not speak about our daughter, or her girlfriend like that ever again! Do you understand me?"

Whoa... damn. Mrs. C isn't messing around.

Ryan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You're right... I'm sorry. Maxine. Chloe." We both just nodded our heads. Vanessa sat down in her chair. "Thank you. Now that we've calmed down, I want to discuss what happens next." She looked at us. "First off, we are terribly sorry you lost your jobs. I know it isn't easy." She said. "Especially since you never finished school."

Funny. Max said that exact same thing earlier.

"And Chloe, I apologize that Ryan mentioned William. And I think he should apologize too." Vanessa said, arching an eyebrow at Ryan. "Chloe. Bringing up William was bad on my part and I apologize... and I won't ever bring up William or Joyce again without your permission." I nodded and accepted his apology. Max smiled and placed her hand on top mine. Rubbing her thumb along my knuckles.

"It's been a hard week. For all of us. And as you may know, money isn't exactly on our side right now." Vanessa said.

Max's POV

Mom looked at me and Chloe. "Just know that we're here for you whenever you need us." She said. "Thanks mom." I said, giving my mom a smile. Chloe smiled and nodded.

Once dinner was finished and everything was at a calm level, everyone headed off to their rooms. Max flopped down onto her bed and sighed while Chloe closed the door behind her. Max sat up on her arms and smiled at Chloe.

"You look happy." Chloe said as she approached her. "I have awesome parents. They aren't mad at us. And I have an oh so beautiful girlfriend. Shouldn't I look a little smug?" Max said. Chloe smiled and laid beside her. "I guess you have every right..." She said and brushed a strand of hair behind Max's ear.

"What do you want to do tomorrow?" Max asked. "I want to hear the sounds you'll make when I go down on you." Chloe told her.

Max cupped her hands to her face and lied on her back. "Oh my god, you did not just say that..." Max said. Chloe removed Max's hands from her face and grinned. "I did just say that..." She said. "You sound confident." Max said. "You sound like you want some." Chloe told her.

Max laughed. "I love you so much." She said and planted a kiss on Chloe's lips. "What, that's all I get?" Chloe said. Max grinned and kissed her again.

"Remember our first kiss?" Chloe asked. "Of course. It was magical." Max said. "Just like you." Chloe replied, running her fingers down Max's cheek. Max smiled and softly applied her hand on top of Chloe's.

Max's smile slowly disappeared. "But... your first kiss wasn't with me. Was it?" She said. Chloe frowned and looked away. Her first kiss was with Rachel a few years ago after The Tempest play.

"Max, that was a long time ago. I'm with you now, okay?" Chloe said. Max slowly nodded. "I know. It... just hurts, sometimes." She said. Chloe kissed Max to shut her up. She didn't want Max to feel bad about her close relationship with Rachel.

"Max, don't dwell on the past. Yes, Rachel and I... had something. But not what we have. What we have is special. Okay?" Tears formed in Max's eyes and she sniffed. "Shhhh. Don't cry." Chloe whispered softly. She wiped her thumb under Max's eye. Wiping a tear away. "Things would have been so much different, Chloe." Max said as she started to cry. "I wish I was there when..." Max stopped herself and buried her face in her hands.

"Hey, come here." Chloe said and brought Max into her arms. Letting her cry in her grasp. "I know, Max. I know." Chloe softly said, holding Max tightly against her.

Max was so hurt that Chloe's first kiss was with Rachel and not her. "Max. Look at me." Max looked at Chloe. "I love you. You're my girlfriend and best friend. We're going to rule the world together someday. You and me." Max lightly smiled and kissed her and pressed her forehead against Chloe's.

Max was fast asleep with Chloe's arm wrapped around her waist. Chloe couldn't fall asleep that night. She was thinking too much. She too ultimately wished that Max was her first kiss. But Rachel meant a lot to Chloe since she practically saved her. In her own words, Rachel was her "angel."

But Max was her best friend. She was there longer than Rachel was. And yet, her first kiss was with Rachel. And she wasn't ever going to get that back.

Chloe suddenly got an idea. She carefully got out of bed and hopped onto Max's computer. She grinned to herself as she opened the internet. With the money she's been saving, she started booking a hotel.

In the next few days... they were going to Dellwood, Ohio.