Life After Arcadia [Life is Strange]

Chapter 30: The Snow Falls

6:30 p.m.

It was Christmas Eve. Snow started to fall lightly from the sky. The group of friends split into their own groups as they walked down the street. Bonding as friends.

Victoria and Courtney laughed at Caden's stories.

Max and Kate talked and bonded with each other.

Chloe teased Warren for his high school crush on her girlfriend.

Taylor looked at Daniel and slowed down to his pace. She smiled at him and grabbed his hand. Daniel smiled back at her as they nervously held each other's hand.

"I can't thank you enough, Kate. You gave me the hope I needed to get Chloe back." Max said to her. Kate smiled warmly at Max. "I'm glad I could help, Max. You and Chloe are so good together. You deserve each other." She said. "Chloe loves you so much." Max smiled and looked at Chloe. Still teasing Warren. "She's special to me, Kate. I love her so much." Max said.

"That's wonderful Max. I believe you were meant for each other." Kate said. Max smiled at Kate. "I think so too..." Max said and they continued talking.

"But to be clear..." Chloe said. "If you try anything now, I will gouge out your eyes. Bathe in your blood. And rip your guts out and feed them to your goddamn dog!" Chloe told Warren and glared toward him. Striking fear in him. "Trust me, Max is all yours, Chloe." He told her. Chloe smirked and shoved him. "You damn right she's mine." She said.

Chloe looked at Max. A smile growing on her face. Warren followed Chloe's gaze and said, "You know, you mean something big to her." "She's everything to me, Warren. Everything." Chloe told him. He nodded. "Of course. And this... incident... that happened between you guys... only made you closer." Warren told her. Chloe nodded. "I appreciate that, Warren. Max is something special to me." Chloe said. "And that's what counts." Warren replied. Chloe smiled and punched his shoulder.

"Thanks for giving me a chance, Daniel. It feels really good to know I can finally call you mine." Taylor said. "Seriously... I... I wanted this for so long." She told him. Daniel nodded. "I honestly did too..." He told her. "I just wasn't ready because..." Taylor nodded. "I know... but I won't ever do that to you. I mean, I was the one who had a huge crush on you in school..." Daniel smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He said.

"Tell me... when we almost kissed at the Vortex Club, how did that make you feel?" She asked him. "Well, Max took me away from you so, I don't know." Taylor laughed. "But, I wish we did." He said. Taylor smiled softly at him. She stood in front of him and stopped. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Why don't we make up for that?" She said. She leaned close and the two kissed each other softly. After their kiss, Taylor hugged Daniel tightly. She leaned closer to his ear to tell him something.

"I love you..." She told him softly, almost in a whisper.

Hearing those words made Daniel's heart start racing. He smiled happily. "I love you too." He told her. They grabbed hands again and followed the group down the street.

They all enjoyed their time together. Laughing and telling stories and jokes. "Okay, I got one." Warren said. "I was hanging out with Daniel a while back. We were at the skate park and-"

"Yo man! This isn't cool." Daniel said.

"What happened, Warren?" Chloe questioned him, an enthusiastic smile on her face. "And he said he would do this trick he saw on the internet. So he went for it and he fucked up and he got a huge rip in his pants!" Everyone laughed as Daniel ran his fingers through his hair and laughed nervously. Clearly embarrassed.

"Haha, very funny, dude. How about the time where you tripped in front of those girls?" He said. "Hey, whoa!" Warren said, pointing his finger toward Daniel. "Oh man, I gotta hear this." Chloe said. "Yeah, tell us man." Caden said.

"Well, these hot girls walked by and Warren's dumbass tripped and fell in front of them." Daniel said. Warren's face went red as everyone laughed.

As they laughed, Taylor gripped Daniel's hand. "Hot girls, huh?" She said. "Don't worry... you're hotter." He assured. "That's more I like it." Taylor said as she loosened her tight grip on his hand.

"Did I tell you guys about the time when I was at church one day, I dropped the bible I was reading?" Kate asked. "No, tell us!" Chloe said enthusiastically.

"It was so embarrassing. I was reading in front of everyone and I lost my grip on the bible and it slipped out of my hands. I saw some people grinning and silently laughing. I wanted to cry."

"Oh, poor Kate." Max said and hugged her. "That's actually so sad." Max said as she rubbed Kate's back. "Well, if it makes you feel better, Katie, my hair was messy in public one day." Victoria said. "Oh yeah, me and Taylor were with you and people kept pointing at you!" Courtney said. "Yeah, some were even laughing." Taylor added, failing to hide a grin. "Oooh, do tell." Max said.

"Why must you torture me..." Victoria said. "Hey, you brought it up. Not us." Daniel told her. "And it'll make Kate feel better." Caden added. "You're right. Okay, so..." Victoria started.

"One day, I was running really late and didn't have time to do my hair or make up. I didn't even get to put on perfume, I was a complete mess!" Victoria said. "Someone pointed out that I looked like a forty year old prostitute. Like, hello? I don't offer sexual activities for money?! Okay, moving on!" Victoria said, crossing her arms and scowling heavily.

As the night went on, Taylor tightened her grip on Daniel's hand. "So when will I see you again?" She asked. "Well... maybe you can come down to Chicago. You and your parents can meet my mom." He said. Taylor smiled at him. "That sounds nice." She said. She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I can't wait to meet your mom." Taylor said. "I'm sure she'll love you." Daniel told her.

Taylor smiled sweetly at Daniel. She was so happy. She sighed happily and smiled. "You look happy." Daniel said. "I'm very happy." She told him. "Happy that you're finally mine." She said. He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her lips.

After a while of hanging out, everyone said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Max and Chloe decided to stay out with each other for a while longer. Chloe grabbed Max's hand and held it tightly. Max smiled at her and kissed her.

"Max, I don't know where to start." Chloe said. "What's on your mind, baby?" Max questioned.

Max pushed a strand of hair behind Chloe's ear. "You're just... you're just so special to me, Max." Chloe told her. "I can't ever forgive myself for what I did to you and how poorly I treated you over the past few days." Max frowned at Chloe and tightened her grip on Chloe's hand.

"Chloe..." Max said. "I'm so sorry, Max. But you know how I can get..." Chloe told her. "I know, Chloe. But you have nothing to be sorry for." Max told her. "What matters now is that we're back together." Max said, giving Chloe a soft, assuring smile.

Chloe stopped in front of Max. Holding both of her hands tightly.

"Max. I love you so much. You're my beautiful girlfriend. And maybe one day you'll even be my wife." Chloe told her. "I know I'm not a perfect girlfriend, but I try my best for you because you deserve that much. Even if we don't last forever, our friendship will. We will. I want you to know that."

Tears filled Max's eyes and she wrapped her arms around Chloe and hugged her tightly.

"Merry Christmas, Max."

"Merry Christmas Chloe..."

End of Story

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I hope you enjoyed Life After Arcadia. I enjoyed writing it and will miss it very much. There's an epilogue scheduled for release so stay tuned!