Ties With Her [Life is Strange]

Chapter 11: Running Away

After classes ended, Chloe made her way to the bus stop.

"Chloe!" Rachel called out. Chloe turned and nodded. "You still coming to the junkyard?" Rachel asked. Chloe smiled and nodded. "You bet." She said. Rachel approved with a nod. "Awesome. I'm just going home to get something. I'll be there in a little bit." Rachel said.

Chloe addressed it with a nod. "Okay." She said. "I'll see you in a little while." Rachel said. Softly running her fingers down Chloe's arm. Chloe smiled at her and nodded.

After a short ride, Chloe stepped off the bus and walked down the block to her house. And there, she saw David's blue muscle car. She groaned at the sight of the car and lazily made her way to the door.

She suddenly saw David walk out of the garage. Along with Joyce. "Oh. You're back, Chloe." Her mother said. "What's going on here?" Chloe questioned them. David eyed at Joyce and grabbed some of his things from his car. Joyce's expression softened as she approached Chloe.

"Chloe... I told you David's moving in." Chloe opened her mouth, too shocked to say anything. She thought about what she was just told. She looked up at her mother. "You mean... that was happening now? This whole time it was happening now?!" She said. "Chloe, let's not fight about this, please?" Joyce said. "Let's just put everything behind us and start over."

"Are you serious?" Chloe said. David approached them. "Chloe... I know you're not happy about this decision." He said. He wrapped his hand around Joyce's shoulder. "But I assure you... it's the best option we have. You'll see that it won't be so bad soon enough." He told her.

"No. This is bullshit!" Chloe said. "All it's gonna do is fuck things up! No good is coming out of this." Chloe told them.

Joyce frowned at her daughter. "Chloe, I thought we were good after this morning." She said. "Yeah. I thought we were too." Chloe said and walked to the house. "Chloe, please." Joyce said toward Chloe.

"She'll be fine." David assured. "She just needs to get over her tantrum." He added.

Chloe heard what he said. Which triggered her quick temper. And when she was angry, she said what she wanted. She turned to face the authority figures and locked eyes with David.

"You know what, David? Fuck you!" Chloe said. "Chloe!" Joyce said. "You are such a worthless piece of shit! If only my mom could see who she's dating." Though Chloe had a temper, David has been through war. He left Joyce's side and marched toward Chloe.

"You--! I will teach you some respect, girl! You will learn not to run that mouth of yours and how to respect others and not just yourself!" He told her. Chloe stood her ground and clenched her fists. "What can you teach me?" She said to him. Joyce got between the two.

"Please, let's go inside and-" David interrupted her with, "Oh, you have no idea what I can teach you Chloe! You will learn respect. And I damn well promise you that!" David said. "You see, mom? This is who you're dating. Some veteran asshole who wants order. Don't be surprised when he turns on you, too." Chloe said and walked to the house.

"Who knows?" Chloe said over her shoulder. "Maybe someday, we'll even find cameras around the house." She said.

Chloe roughly pushed open the door and huffed. She stomped her way up the stairs. She opened her room and slammed the door. She walked to her bed and let herself dropped onto the mattress.

Well... that happened. But I don't regret a word I said. David can seriously fuck right off. But now that he's moving in, that might've just made it worse for me.

But I never thought it was happening so soon. I mean... they only told me yesterday. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. Everything in my life is a let down.

Chloe felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She dug it out and to her relief, saw that Rachel had texted her.

FROM: RACHEL
Chloe Price

FROM: ME
i don't suck?

FROM: RACHEL
You really don't, Chloe.

FROM: ME
my mom and her boy toy thinks i do

FROM: ME
dunno if i can stand her or the mustache rn

Rachel didn't respond. Chloe texted...

FROM: ME
still there?

FROM: RACHEL
Just grabbing something from home. I'll meet you at the junkyard.

FROM: RACHEL
See you really soon!

FROM: ME
you better

Chloe sat up and rubbed her hands over her face. She sighed heavily and stood up from her bed. She heard the door to David's car shut. She walked over to her window and looked down at her mother and David.

"Is that it?" Joyce's muffled voice questioned. "Yeah, that's it." David replied. Chloe groaned and turned away from the window. It was now official. David was moved in.

"Goddammit!" Chloe shouted.

She paced around her room. Disappointed in her mother for falling for someone like David. And just generally upset that Joyce seemed to have forgotten what she had with her late husband, William.

Chloe turned to the door. She took a glance around her room.

There's nothing that's keeping me here. This isn't my home anymore. Not with him here.

Chloe heard Joyce and David talking down the stairs. She didn't want to see either of them. She walked over to her window and opened it. She crawled through it and shut it. Without hurting herself, she dropped down from the roof and left to meet Rachel at the junkyard.

"Chloe?" Joyce questioned up the steps. She started walking up to her daughter's room. "Chloe? Come out honey. I want to talk." Joyce opened the door to her daughters room. And she wasn't there. Joyce sighed and planted her hand to her face.

"Oh, Chloe..." Joyce muttered.

She gripped her hands to her hips and sighed. She looked around the room with a sad expression and shook her head. She exited the room and closed the door behind her.

Chloe was convinced that there wasn't anything else left for her at her house. David moving in put a severe dent in her relationship with her mother. Why was this her answer to their problems? Why the hell did David need to move in? All these questions infuriated the rebellious teenager. Just another thing Chloe can say that's ruining her life.

But then there was Rachel. Every time Chloe saw her, she just felt happy. Hearing Rachel's voice. Seeing her winning smile. Brought temporarily warmness to Chloe's heart. A feeling that gave Chloe hope. Which always turned to false hope when she returned back to the harsh reality of her world.

An unfair, advantage taking world.

Something that Chloe suffered with most was abandonment issues. And was worried that someday, Rachel would end up leaving her behind for someone better. After her fathers sudden death and being separated from Max, Chloe struggled to trust anyone again.

But with Rachel, everything felt a lot more easier. Chloe always felt invincible with her. Like she and Rachel could rule everybody. Chloe just felt happy around the blonde girl.

She hoped Rachel felt the same.