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

Chapter 9

It was around 10pm when Max walked into her dorms after spending the day in Seattle with Chloe. She felt ancient and exhausted and at the same time young and excitable. The day had been a whirlwind, and so much more than Max had been expecting. She knew their connection was stronger than ever now their separation was over, but the new bond they were forming was different than the one they'd shared as children – it was more mature, but Max wasn't entirely sure what it was maturing into.

"What's got you grinning like a kid with candy?" Max squealed. She had thought the communal space was empty when she came in for a glass of water, but Victoria was sat in the corner laughing at Max's expense.

"Christ Victoria! What were you doing in here in the dark, I didn't even know you could turn these lights off."

"You can't, they are motion sensitive, but I haven't moved for a while. Sorry I didn't mean to scare you, midnight snack," she said nodding to her bowl of cereal. Since airport food had sucked, Max decided to make a bowl herself and joined Victoria. "So, I'm guessing Seattle was a success?" Victoria asked.

"Mmhm," Max confirmed with her mouth full of cereal. "It was perfect, I showed her a couple of my favourite spots, it rained relentlessly, we talked, and we really connected." Max was practically dancing.

"You connected huh? Like emotionally or like how I plan to connect with my acting professor?" Victoria questioned with raised eyebrows.

"God Victoria! Emotionally."

"Don't sound so disgusted Maxine, you seriously telling me you wouldn't cause I sure would." Max would usually cringe at someone calling her Maxine, but somehow, she didn't mind when Victoria said it.

"Let me know when your plan with the professor works out, and then I'll let Chloe know you might be onto her next." Max returned between mouthfuls. "What have you been up to this weekend anyway, you were MIA yesterday?"

"Stalker much," Victoria teased. "I was practising my project scene all day; presentations are next week. My project partner has an apartment off campus, so it was the ideal rehearsal location."

"You feeling ready?"

"I'm always ready for everything Maxine," she replied with a playful smirk, Max chuckled. "Anyways I'm heading up now, you coming?" Max nodded and quickly washed her bowl before following Victoria up to the second floor. They said goodnight at their doors and Max collapsed on her bed replaying the day's events.

Max groaned at the incessant scream of her alarm. It's just a single two-hour lecture Max you can do this she told herself, but this was quickly followed by yeah, but it's recorded so why don't I just watch it later instead. And at that, the battle was lost. Max was just dropping back off to sleep when her phone rang again, a text this time. Max checked it hoping it was Chloe, she felt guilty at her disappointment that it was actually Kate.

Kate: You coming today?

Max contemplated saying no but she knew her guilt would only grow if she didn't attend for Kate's sake.

Max: Yeah see you there.

Kate was carrying coffee when Max arrived, she smiled and greeted her friend.

"Here one is for you." Kate's small voice offered.

"I need this, thank you." Max said as they walked inside and prepared to spend the next two hours fighting to stay awake. The lecture halls are poorly designed for notetaking, but they are somehow perfect to fall asleep in.

"Max, wake up. It's over." Kate said, shaking Max awake. Crap Max thought, not only did she actually get out of bed for this, she slept through it, so she was still going to have to watch it later online. Max apologised to Kate for being a terrible lecture buddy, before heading back to her room to do some actual work before her usual coffee date with a blue pirate.