Max & Chloe's Hella Shitty Coffee (Life is Strange)

Chapter 2

Max had started that night with low expectations, she'd soon been separated from her flatmates when it became apparent they had incompatible sociolects and disposition. For the most part she was right, but as she finally collapsed on her buoyant and questionably smelling bed she was wide-eyed and exhilarated in a way that she had not felt in a long time.

University was an experience Max wasn't sure she wanted but knew she needed if she was going to gain the life experience to see the world in the way she wants to reflect through her camera. She didn't like change or mass crowds, she didn't like feeling exposed the way she had from the moment she stepped inside Hedrick halls. It wasn't that she was timid or even shy, she just struggled to make connections with people in the way that others always seemed to find so easy. She had mastered the first 3 questions you were supposed to ask when meeting a new person at university, "Where are you from, what are you studying, and which accommodation are you in?" and she'd even perfected her response to the same 3 questions "I'm from a small town called Arcadia Bay but I moved to Washington when I was 14, I'm studying photography and modern literature and I'm staying in Hedrick court." As if your hometown, choice of course and accommodation revealed some deep insight into your personality.

But past this point Max did not understand where the conversation should go, and so she completely out of her comfort zone. The truth is Max had felt this way long before her decision to attend UCLA. The only person who Max had always felt relaxed around was her childhood best friend - Chloe Price, and for the first time in 4 years she had finally felt that way once again.

She replayed the events in her head, the dazzling sea blue of her eyes, now matched and emphasised through her animated locks, staring straight into her icy ones. The sound of her own name coming from a now matured voice, and the rush of nostalgia and the calm wave of serenity she'd felt as Chloe grabbed her hand and pulled her into the night for another one of their adventures.

Their hands were soon separated as the skinny blonde swayed Chloe in the opposite direction, after one short backwards glance Chloe disappeared into the distance. Max had stood there watching her brilliance leave, feeling empty without her presence but more hopeful and excited by what the days ahead had to offer. With this, Max turned to her side and dreamt of pirates.

By day the university had a different atmosphere, it was full of life and inclusive and seemed full of possibilities. She observed this by the lake, watching as the people who in the night were boastful and overbearing, were now approachable and carried the image of the next generation of lawyers and doctors. She breathed in this aura, and in it found the courage she had been searching for all morning to dial the morning in her phone that had once been muscle memory.

Eventually she reached Chloe's voicemail, and accepted that perhaps she was still sleeping. Chloe had never been an early riser, but Max had always tried to push her into being once. Instead she sent a text, unsure of what to say she left it at a simple 'hey'. After 4 years of no contact it felt drastically insufficient, especially knowing the lack of contact was entirely Max's fault. When the message went straight to read Max tried to call again, but it was cancelled after 3 rings.

Max was suddenly overwhelmed with anxiety and rejection. How could she have been so stupid to assume Chloe would even be happy to see her? She was understandably surprised to find herself confronted with Max in the night, but unlike Max this did not seem to have translated into the same sense of excitement.

No longer wanting to be surrounded by the joy she was witnessing in those around her, Max returned to her halls. As she was about to turn the corner in the hallway to her room, she paused herself at the mention of her name from nearby voices.

"She seems so pretentious and judgmental, she hasn't even tried to talk to any of us since she got here." Max could vaguely recognise the voice as belonging to Victoria Chase who occupied the room opposite her own.

"I know right, what is her problem? I hope she doesn't spend the whole year bringing down the vibe like she did last night."

She voices has been moving closer to Max, and before she had a chance to hide she was confronted with Victoria and Tayler. They seemed aghast to have been caught in their gossip, but simply gave a small look of disgust in Max's direction and carried on down the hallway. She didn't know why it bothered her so much to hear them talk about her this way, but as she closed the door of her room behind her she let tears fall in the safety of her privacy.

For 4 days Max barely left her room after, despite her lack of contact with other humans, she came down with the dreaded and merciless fresher's flu. For 3 days Max's room was cluttered in used tissues as she managed to get through 2 boxes, and various medicines were scattered on her desk. She'd tried them all but none of them offered her any release. Cocooned by her illness and feeling the rejection of her flatmates and her best friend, Max was feeling deeply sorry for herself. The only bliss came from her excuse to binge-watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix as she drowned herself in ice cream and pity.

She had hoped she'd been wrong about Chloe, that she had intended to respond to her calls and message but had simply been unable to at the time. But after 4 days no response this seemed less and less likely, until a Facebook message came through from a girl named Rachel Amber. Max first noticed Chloe in her profile picture, but after closer investigation she recognised her as the pretty blonde Chloe had been with a few nights ago.

She opened the message, it said 'Hi Max, my name is Rachel. I was hoping we could meet up to talk about Chloe?'. Max eagerly typed out her reply.