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

Chapter 5

Max had only left home a week ago and yet she already felt like she no longer belonged in Seattle. She had hugged her family and enjoyed their cooking, made use of their free washing machine and been to see her friend Kristen and yet everything about her weekend home had felt like another reality. Everyone was too polite; they were treating her like she was a guest. What really took Max by surprise were the feelings that she missed UCLA, her problems felt far away but she was desperate to return and make them right. Max knew she had to make things right with Chloe, so she and Kristen spent most of the weekend figuring out ways to win back her friendship.

Kristen had first suggested a grand gesture at her workplace, but Max knew that would piss Chloe off more. They thought of sending apology gifts to Chloe through Rachel, but Max knew this would appear ingenuine. Max considered writing a letter, or a song, she thought maybe she could buy back her affection with concert tickets or a collage of their childhood.

"What is it that Chloe said to you?" Kristen asked.

"That I didn't come back for her, that I cut her off and we'd still be strangers if we hadn't bumped into each other."

"Max you know you can't make up for years of hurt through concert tickets and teddy bears right? The only thing you can do to make it right is prove to her that history won't repeat itself." Max nodded.

"Yeah I know."

"Max... why did you cut Chloe out of your life?" Max sighed; she wasn't sure she could give a satisfying answer. Max had come up with so many excuses in her head but none of them felt like they were enough.

"I don't know, we kept in contact for a while, but it felt so forced. There was no one I could be myself around like I could with Chloe, but suddenly we couldn't move beyond phatic expressions. Chloe meant the world to me and it hurt too much to have her in my life in a way that wasn't true to the friendship we'd built."

Max arrived back at campus late on Sunday night. Her presentation was tomorrow, she'd done her best to practise her part and despite her hesitance she knew she had to pull through for the group she'd let down all week. As she made her way to her dorm, Max made herself a promise that the next week would be better than the last. Peering through the kitchen window Max caught the eye of Victoria watching her return. Max offered Victoria a small smile before heading to her room. She planned on taking Victoria up on her offer to talk, but for tonight Max was tired and needed to go over her lines for her presentation once more in peace.

The presentation went as well as could be expected. Max apologised to her project group, Sam maintained his annoyance, but the others were kinder "first week is hard, we understand", Max even made plans to study with Kate later in the week. Suddenly Max didn't feel so alone at UCLA, but she knew her penance was far from over.

Max entered the campus coffee shop, and sure enough her blue-haired friend was working behind the till.

"I'll have a mocha. Everyday I'm going to be here ordering a mocha until you talk to me. You can't get rid of me so easy Price."

"I could the first time." Chloe's tone was sad, but Max got the feeling she was happy Max was going to fight for them.

"A mistake I'll regret forever and never make twice." Max took her beverage and went to sit by the window, she watched students walk by some looking stressed some laughing with their friends and thought how glad she was she decided to join them at university. Max pulled a book out of her bag and settled into her seat for the afternoon.

After an hour reading in the coffee shop, and on her second drink Max noticed a shadow covering her pages. She looked up and saw Victoria Chase towering over her.

"Mind if I join?" Victoria asked. Max was still weary of Victoria, but she admired her too.

"Not at all." Max replied nodding to the empty seat. They sat in silence for a few moments, Max felt awkward in the silence, but Victoria seemed completely at ease.

"Mocha huh?" Victoria's tone was playful.

"You disapprove?" Max replied with a raised eyebrow.

"No, it suits you. I just prefer my own a bit more bitter." Victoria said, nodding to her black coffee. "So, was you weekend home what you needed."

"Yes and no, it was strange I've barely been gone 5 minutes, but I already feel like I don't belong back there anymore. You were right I should've stayed, and I should be trying harder with you guys. I guess being social doesn't come so naturally to me."

"I'm sorry for what you heard in the corridor last week, you're right it was bitchy and this isn't high school. I guess we're both trying to improve ourselves, being nice doesn't always come naturally to me." Max was surprised but once again impressed by Victoria's admission. She knew that if they'd met in high school they probably would've hated each other, but in a place with no hierarchy maybe they could be friends.

"You're doing an ok job right now." Max said with a smile, and Victoria smiled back.

"If you don't mind me asking, what were you running away from?" Max considered making something up, but something compelled her to trust Victoria, so she nodded towards Chloe instead.

"Her."

Max caught Victoria Chase up on the story of her childhood friendship with Chloe Price and how it all went wrong, which almost led to Victoria dragging Chloe over and making what would have surely been an embarrassing scene. Max begged Victoria with a red face to leave it be to which Victoria laughed but put her hands up to surrender. Once their drinks were empty Victoria asked Max if she wanted to return to the dorm with her and Max was happy to oblige. She asked Victoria to wait outside for her before approaching Chloe.

"I'll see you tomorrow Price." Max winked and walked away.