Disclaimer: Don't own crap, Dontnod and Square Enix do

Alright I know some of my older readers are probably going "Umm…WTF why aren't you updating X, Y, or Z"

Well fear not, I will but the thing is I like to improve my writing skills. What this is a writing exercise I am undertaking, more specifically one for character interactions/development which arguably one of my finer points along with action scenes, but there is always room for improvement. Always.

This will not be a long story (chapter wise anyway) It will be five chaps long (One per episode) and will have erratic updates, the next chapter could be in a week or months from now, depends on the mood.

Also as this is the first chapter, it will stick fairly close to the source material, it's not really until chapter 2 that the decisions in this chapter begin to have a butterfly effect on future events. SO chapter 5 may be fairy different from episode 5 when it's released.

Now…happy reading.

(Also before you ask, yes I have a crap-ton of other writing 'exercises' that you have never seen on my computer from fandoms you'd never expect me to write. Will they ever be shown? Who knows?)

Episode 1: Maxine, Never Max

-Arcadia Bay: Five Years Ago-

"Come on Max! Smile! I guarantee you'll love it in Seattle baby girl." Max's father said as he saw his daughter's pouting expression from his rear-view mirror. "You'll see, this will be a great opportunity for all of us!"

"No it won't, I want to stay back in Arcadia Bay with my friends, with Chloe!" Max said with a glare making him sigh.

"Ryan let me handle this." Max's mother said as she turned to the back seat and gave her daughter a reassuring smile. "Max, there comes a time where we all have to move on and make new friends. Your father is getting a much better job so he can provide for us and make us happy. Things have been a little rough since my firm went under, but this will make things easier for all of us. Besides you can still see Chloe again. You can take a bus down to visit her during the summer or call her whenever you want."

"No I can't! She told me she didn't want to see or hear from me again!" Max exclaimed as tears filled her eyes. "Did we really have to leave now of all times? William just died!"

"He was a good man, and believe me I wish we could stay back for a bit and help his family but we have to look after ourselves first, listen to your mother Max. This job will change everything." Ryan said once more as his daughter wiped her eyes.

And he was right, it did…

…but just not in the way any of them had imagined.

For within weeks of beginning his new Job, the business went under. Heart broken, and dismayed Ryan began an unsuccessful attempt at finding a new job. He even called his old boss back only to find out that his position had been filled. After a night of heavy drinking, Ryan went to a gas station near his family's apartment to buy a lottery ticket. It had been time for them to pay their rent and he was doing anything he could to try to find a way to get the money or else his family would be homeless.

The sheer thought of his little girl on the streets broke his heart.

So with nothing left to lose, he spent his last couple of dollars on a lottery ticket and a soda for Max.

Seven hundred and fifteen million dollars was the record breaking Jackpot for the Mega millions.

8-16-48-3-24-7

These were the legendary numbers that key to a glorious wealth.

8-16-48-3-24-7

These were also the numbers that threatened to give Ryan and his wife Vanessa a heart attack when they realized that they appeared on his ticket in that order.

8-16-48-3-24-7

These were the numbers that startled Max from her sleep and made her walk into her living room to see her parents dancing, cheering, and crying loudly.

"Think of everything we can do with this? Or how much more we can make if we invest some of it properly!" Vanessa, the more business savvy of the Caulfields questioned as she wiped her eyes with a grin. "The opportunities we can give Max now, send her to the best schools-give our baby the life she deserves!" Vanessa said before she noticed a confused Max staring at them. Ryan wiped his eyes with a nod and a grin as he turned to his only child.

"Max, sit down you don't want to be standing when you hear this."

8-16-48-3-24-7

These were the numbers that had made Max faint moments later.

8-16-48-3-24-7

These were the numbers that changed Max's fate, and the fate of the very world…forever.

-Five years later-

Now any whom thought they knew Max when she was younger would think that becoming rich wouldn't change who she was, that she would always be the kind loving girl she was no matter what life threw at her. An adorable dork with a heart of gold that did whatever she thought was right.

These people were only partially right.

See it wasn't the money that changed Max-no- Maxine, never Max, Caulfield but rather the sudden change of her social status. Instead of being in a public school with her peers, other middle to lower class students, she found herself shoved into High school with some of the country's most elite and wealthy students.

Freshmen year was hell. Not only did her shy, short, awkward, and good-hearted nature get her screwed over more times than she could count, but her status of coming from 'new money' definitely forced her to the bottom of the school's hierarchy. She was a loser, picked on by everyone…she learned the hard way that physical violence may have been the least damaging form of violence there was.

Sophomore year, a slightly jaded Max Caulfield returned to the prestigious school. All in all the year was better than the previous one, she had learned how to avoid everyone and get herself out of dangerous situations. Of course, being the good-hearted person she was, she personally taught the new freshmen that found themselves in her boat how to survive school life.

Junior year, a determined Max Caulfield learned how to turn her knowledge of avoiding the horrible situations into knowledge of how to control them, manipulate them-to knowledge of how to play the game, and conquer the social ladder. Unfortunately at the end of the year, one of Max's bullies found themselves hit with the full force of Max's revenge and snapped, deciding to take their life to escape the torment that Max had set upon them. Everyone knew Max was the reason the student snapped mentally, but none cared enough to say anything about it for they all had been tormented by the late-student themselves. How did they know Max was the reason you may ask?

Because after that incident Max Caulfield died as well.

Senior Year, Maxine Caulfield conquered the school as its new resident 'Queen Bee', she had the students and the faculty by their proverbial balls and made sure everyone played their roles. She gave them all order. She was seen as a, for lack of a better term, 'colossal bitch that could ruin you without hesitation for shits and giggles' by many. But by few, the ones that were directly helped by her, they knew she was doing it to make sure no one else was hurt like they were.

She had allowed herself to become what she loathed and despised (Well eventually it began to grow on her, but she didn't let them know that) to help them all survive. If every student was united and focused solely on her, then they wouldn't be after each other.

This knowledge caused many of her friends to tear up when they saw her walk across the stage for graduation.

"*Sniff*…I'm…I'm going to miss you Maxine." Jessica, a younger blonde student said as she wiped her eyes making the shorter, much to her dismay, Maxine give her a smirk.

"Now, now, Jess. Toughen up, you cannot be seen sobbing like a little girl, you're supposed to be taking my spot after this." Maxine drawled making the blonde wipe her eyes with a nod before she turned to give a young black haired man a said smile as he crossed his arms with a grimace.

"You sure it's not too late to make you fail a year?"

"Positive, though it was close with that stunt you pulled-I mean really? Pulling the fire alarm when I was taking my final exams?" Maxine questioned with a mock glare. "Honestly Roderick, keep focusing on me and you might miss what's in front of you…or next to you in this case." Maxine drawled making Jessica gasp as Roderick gaped at her before turning to the blonde.

"You bitch! Did you just out me?"

"That I did, consider it my senior prank?" Maxine said with a smirk making her younger friend glare at her.

"There's a girl-code to this, Maxine! You just can't out me like that, there are rules-"

"Screw the rules, I have money." Maxine drawled making Jessica gape at her before face-palming.

"You are such a nerd."

"The fact that you even got that reference is more concerning." Maxine drawled making her blush. "Yes, I am a nerd at heart –a character flaw I'm afraid-but either of you tell anyone I will castrate you both."

"I'm a woman!"

"Then I'll take his balls, give them to you before taking them from you with a rusty spoon." Maxine stated without missing a beat making them pale. "Now if you excuse me, I have to get home to enjoy my summer with my parents before heading off to Blackwell, have a good last year and keep in touch. Perhaps, I'll even run into you at my school next year." Maxine said as she began walking away.

"Still can't believe you're going to that redneck hellhole Arcadia Bay just to take better selfies." Jessica said with a sneer making Maxine chuckle as she flipped her off without looking back once.

"Keep hating, bitch! Deuces."

"I'm going to miss that bitch." Jessica said with a fond smile making Roderick nod before giving him a smirk. "So are you still going to try to woo her to no avail?"

"Hmm? What are you talking about, I hit that like ten times." Roderick said with a frown making her gape at him. "She said something about getting payback for you breaking her camera, didn't get it at first…but now I do." Roderick said as she glared at Maxine's retreating from.

"Maxine! Get back here you whore!" Jessica shouted as she chased the shorter woman whom quickly climbed into a red corvette before peeling off, her laughter ringing throughout the air. Roderick frowned as he realized that the probably said something he should have kept to himself.

"…Is now a bad time to ask you out for dinner?"

"Silence!"

"Yes dear…" His response made her smirk to herself as she watched Maxine's car disappear, wondering just when she would see her best frenemy again.

As Maxine drove away she pondered whether or not her return to Arcadia Bay would allow her to cut her long brown hair, put on some jeans and perhaps a hoodie and become Max once more.

"Oh whom am I kidding, it's just another prestigious school and an art one at that filled with more spoiled kids who think they're adults. If anything Blackwell might as well be called Blackhell, this is going to be High School all over again only I'm a freshie once more." Maxine thought as she glanced into her rearview mirror causing eyes that both were and weren't hers to stare back at her. "Fuck it, looks like Maxine is here to stay-probably couldn't go back to how I was even if I wanted to."

-Months later-

"If I said it once, I'll say it again. Called that shit." Maxine thought dryly as she inspected her nails trying to calm down after a weird dream that she had slipped into during class, luckily for her it seemed as though her teacher, Mr. Jefferson failed to notice. "Shit…is she still talking? Damn Victoria, just suck his dick and get it over with already. Heaven knows he wouldn't mind, can you say pervert glasses? Ew. Fucking hipster." Maxine thought as she stealthily grabbed her smartphone and took a selfie of her bored expression before sending it to Jessica.

Maxine: Kill me now.

Jess: Told you, you'd hate it there~ It's not too late to do something productive with your life.

Maxine: Ha! Thanks to Vanessa, we just shot way past the 1 bil mark. I'm rich bitch, I do what I want.

Jess: That why you go in public, dressing like a slut?

Maxine: I do not dress like a slut!

Jess: Maybe not around the rents. Tell me, you still rock the too-mini mini plaid skirt and white button up top that you tie up just under your bust as your go to outfit? You're probably rocking your signature pony-tail and have a sucker in your mouth as we speak.

Maxine blinked as she tasted the candy that was currently in her mouth before glancing down at her clothes…it wasn't her fault she had a sweet tooth and it was hot out, she wanted to stay cool that's all!

Maxine:…

Jess: OMG that's the classic porn star school-girl look, add in your height-or lack of it-Jesus Maxine are you trying to attract perverts?

Maxine: Shut up…

Jess: You're wearing it now aren't you!?

Maxine:…

Jess: *Snickers* Ho…

Maxine: There is nothing wrong with having a healthy sex life as long as you are being safe and responsible.

Jess: Uh-huh, you sound like a terrible after school special.

"I believe Max has just taken what you kids call a 'Selfie'…a dumb word for a wonderful photographic tradition and Max…has a gift." Mr. Jefferson said making her sigh.

"Son of a-damn it Jefferson you are not going to hit this so quit kissing my ass." Maxine thought in annoyance.

"Of course, as you all know, the photo portrait has been popular since the early 1800's." Jefferson drawled. "Your generation was not the first to use images for selfie-expression, sorry. I couldn't resist. The point remains that the portraiture has always been a vital aspect of art and photography for as long as it's been around."

"I swear if he does that stupid teacher thing where he asks me a question he thinks I don't know-"

"Now Maxine. Since you've captured our interests and clearly want to join the conversation, please tell us the name of the process of that gave birth to the first self-portraits?"

"Daguerreotypes created by Louise Daguerre." Maxine answered easily, looks like paying attention in that over-priced High school of her's did come in handy.

"Correct Maxine, I expected nothing less from you." Mr. Jefferson said making her roll her eyes as she went back to her phone. She frowned as she glanced over at Kate whom texted her about grabbing tea at four. Well it would be a pleasant change if anything.

Kate…Kate took her by surprise, normally she wouldn't be caught dead with someone as saintly as Kate but the girl had her principles, and she respected that. Add in the fact that Kate excelled academically and was all in all a good person to have in her circle, Maxine saw no harm in befriending the shy girl.

"Jess was like that once upon a time, I'm going to enjoy breaking that shell of hers." Maxine thought with a smirk. Maxine continued to mess with her phone as class came to an end, glancing up she rolled her eyes when she saw Victoria invading Jefferson's personal space. "Keep it up, sticky Vicky, suck him dry ho." Maxine thought sarcastically as she approached a brooding Kate. "Hey Kate, ready to grab some tea?"

"Hi Maxine…not today, I got homework and stuff."

"Bitch, you texted me." Maxine whispered with narrowed eyes and a frown making Kate tense up. Maxine only had one thing above all else that she absolutely loathed with a passion.

Wasting time.

"This is costing me thirty seconds and counting, you better have a better reason for standing me up." Maxine said as she crossed her arms and leaned on the table as Kate looked up at her with wide eyes. "Is it about the tape?"

"Maxine…not now…" Kate said as she glanced down sadly before glancing up when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I told you that I will handle this, before the week is done no one will be worried about your tape. Trust me, Victoria has no idea what's she done by messing with you on my watch." Maxine said with a smirk.

"Why…? Why do you care so much, we barely speak as it is…"

"Who knows? You remind me of a girl I used to know." Maxine drawled while Kate's eyes glistened as Maxine thought of how she used to be briefly. Kate's eyes widened when Maxine suddenly shoved her sucker into her mouth. "Finish that for me and stay strong, can't have you getting so depressed can't have you trying jumping off of a roof or something-especially when you now owe me three minutes and forty seconds." Maxine drawled as she walked away. "Though if you do, I am keeping your bunny-little guy is adorable." Maxine drawled and despite everything, Kate found herself smiling ever so slightly.

Though she really would have to talk to Maxine about shoving random things in her mouth. It wasn't against her religion per se but it was still embarrassing.

"Oh hey Vicky!" Maxine called out with a high pitched voice that made the brunette sound like an air-head. Kate looked on in confusion as the taller blonde gave Maxine a suspicious glare. Kate's confusion actually grew when Maxine reached into her bag and pulled out a wallet before handing Victoria a few hundred dollars making both Kate and the taller blonde gape.

"What-what is this?"

"Turns out I was right, I asked the nurse and she said Nathan lied to you. Having intercourse in a Jacuzzi does not prevent pregnancy after all, guess we know why you have been getting sick so often. When I told Nathan he told me to give you this money-says he knows a doctor that can deal with your…problem….on the down low." Maxine said making Kate gape as Victoria looked at her with a mixture of shock, anger, and disbelief as her face went red with all three emotions.

"Oh my…" Mr. Jefferson said with wide-eyes making Maxine gasp.

"Oops, damn I told him to do this cause my mouth is too big. You can keep this a secret right Mr. J? This is a personal problem after all." Maxine said with a grin, getting a startled nod from the man as she nodded and left the room.

"MAXINE!" Victoria roared but her rival had already vanished, but not before snapping a shot of Victoria's face.

Maxine truly believed that that reaction was worth every penny and second.

"Time to freshen up, damn why is this school so…basic… it feels like a trashy High school, is this really a college?" Maxine thought with a frown as she went to the bathroom. After taking a moment to make sure her make-up was in place, she prepared to leave when she saw a blue butterfly fly into the room. "Just leave…Maxine…leave you'll waste two and a half minutes trying to get a perfect shot of that-fuck it." Maxine thought with a sigh as she gave in to her desire to take a photo before following the butterfly and waiting for it to land on a bucket. "I regret nothing." Maxine thought as she pulled out an expensive digital camera before snapping a picture. "Time well spent." Maxine murmured to herself.

Okay she'll admit it, she had a slight addiction to taking photos, sue her-she was an artist. She was about to leave when she heard someone stumble into the room. Frowning she glanced behind one of the stalls, and her eyes widened slightly when she saw Nathan muttering to himself as he stared at a mirror.

"What the hell? I knew this bastard was crazy! Why is he in here?" Maxine thought with a frown before it grew when she saw a blue-haired girl walk into the bathroom, as if she had been following him. "Well hello, who are you?" Maxine thought as she gave the girl an appreciative glance. Now to those who knew her, really knew her, it was no surprise to find out the Maxine was bi-sexual. Her parents had accepted it and both Roderick and Jess had joked with her constantly offering themselves up for threesomes much to her annoyance…

…because they had no idea how close she was to accepting half of those offers.

Still she couldn't fight the feeling that she had seen the girl before-

Wait did that bastard have a gun?

"Hey! What the fuck-"Maxine shouted as she revealed herself only to be interrupted by a gunshot. "No!" Maxine shouted as she extended a hand towards the bluenette.

*FLASH!*

"THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED!?" Maxine thought as she found herself once again back at her desk. She glanced down at her phone as the screen lit up showing her that she had just gotten a text from Jess.

Jess: Uh-huh, you sound like a terrible after school special.

"Oh this is spooky…did I just fucking time travel?" Maxine thought in alarm but sure enough as she sat back in awe, the class went just how she remembered, from her comforting Kate to embarrassing Victoria.

It was even funnier the second time.

Maxine frowned as she leaned against a bathroom stall and sure enough, Nathan came in and eventually pulled his gun out on the bluenette. She glanced back at a fire alarm and noticed a hammer sticking out from beneath a trash can but before she could get it, the gun went off making her curse.

Frowning, Maxine willed herself to tap in to the weird power she now had and before she knew it she was back in time listening to them argue, she wasted no time in grabbing the hammer to break open the glass before pulling the alarm, she sighed in relief when Nathan cursed as the girl escaped.

"Quick, remember what you learned in High School- blackmail is everything!" Maxine thought as she pulled out her camera and took a picture of Nathan holding the gun, too distracted to notice her or her actions as he desperately tried to escape. Maxine released a relieved sigh before taking the memory card from the camera, a habit she gained after taking enough blackmail, and placing it in her shirt pocket before grabbing her purse off of the counter and escaping the bathroom. Maxine frowned when she found the Principle. "Maxine, its time to be responsible and tell the proper authorities what you saw!"

-Minutes Later-

"Fuck this school! That asshole owes me three minutes!" Maxine thought with a glare, she had tried to inform Principal Wells what she saw but apparently the Prescott family had so much say in what happened at Blackhell that her warning fell on deaf ears. She would have given him the memory card but she had too much precious info on it to hand over. She'd have to print out a picture and give that to the principal later.

Still to his credit, the principal at least called Nathan to his office. Perhaps the prick could be suspended at least. Maxine decided she would sit at a fountain to gain her thoughts over what had transpired so far.

"Holy shit! I can control time…I can control time…and I'm rich, should I be a super hero? No fuck that and fuck this school-its time to hit Vegas!" Maxine thought with a grin as she stood up and prepared to pack her things.

However life couldn't be too easy for Maxine as she found Victoria setting on the steps to the dorm with her two cronies, Courtney and Taylor.

"Oh look, if it isn't Max Caulfield-the selfie ho of Blackwell." The taller blonde said as she stood and began to invade Maxine's personal space.

Oh hell no.

"Oh it's about damn time." Maxine muttered as she suddenly placed her bag down and kicked off her heels. Victoria suddenly looked at Maxine in confusion as the brunette began taking off her earrings. "Been waiting for this moment since I first met your ass."

"Uh…what are you doing, ho?" Victoria asked in confusion which was now mirrored by Maxine.

"You're upset about earlier right?" Maxine questioned awkwardly. "You stepped up and invaded my space, so obviously you want to throw down right? Well let's go bitch, its time we settled this once and for all-I'm short but I will still fuck you up."

Especially now that she had super powers.

Ah yes, the Cat fight-something Maxine had found herself having to face numerous times by 'bitches that tried her'.

"Wait-what? No, I'm not about to fight you." Victoria said as she stepped back slightly, a physical altercation was not a thing she was used too.

"Square up or back up bitch." Maxine all but snarled as she gave the blonde a glare.

"First off you're out numbered-"

"Like it matters, wouldn't be the first time. Even if I lose, you're going to remember me. Every time you look in the mirror and find scars so deep your make-up can't cover them, you'll think of me and that's a victory in my books."

"Tch…come on let's get out of here away from this freak. Though don't think this is the end Maxine, I will get that picture you took of me, one way or another." Victoria said with narrowed eyes.

"What are you gonna do break in my room? I find one thing out of place it's your ass. You're already going to be ruined soon for bullying Kate." Maxine said before snorting. "You know Victoria you are a piece of work, think you can do what you want and say what you want to anyone, I knew someone like you once…she's not with us anymore." Maxine muttered making Victoria's eyes widen slightly.

"Was that a threat Caulfield!?"

"That was whatever you want it to be. Just know that nothing you can do to me can even touch what I can make you do to yourself. You don't know what power is." Maxine said simply before picking up her bag and shoes and walking into the school muttering something about losing ten minutes.

Oh well it didn't matter, she'd exact her vengeance for Kate tomorrow and head off to Vegas. When she reached her dorm, she began packing only to stop when she noticed a picture on a wall with her and her friend Chloe dressed up as pirates when they were younger.

"Wow, man I miss those days. I was such a dork-wait dork! Fuck, I forgot to meet Warren in the lot, maybe if I hurry he'll still be there. He needs his flash drive back." Maxine thought as she closed her suit-case and left her dorm after locking the door.

Warren was…a hidden gem to say the least. When she first met him he was just a dork whose eyes had lingered on her far too long, someone she normally wouldn't give the time of day to because of an image she needed to maintain. Still he was the perfect lackey to have wrapped around her finger, smart, loyal, a perfect little boy toy. They were going to be friends and nothing more…

…at least that was the plan.

As cliché as it sounded the dork managed to begin to win her over as he helped her with assignments, and provided stimulating conversations. Of course anything he had to say was nerdy beyond recognition and she had to pretend as though she couldn't care less about what the young man was saying in public-though he could tell by the way her eyes lit up occasionally that deep down she was enjoying every ridiculous conversation they had.

Behind closed doors, their Star Wars vs. Star Trek debates went on till the sun arose making Maxine have to master the art of sneaking a boy in and out of her room. Still, she knew-just like with Roderick and Jess- someone else deserved his heart, a girl named Brooke to be exact…

…At least that was the plan if Brooke hadn't been a colossal bitch to her every time she tried to speak with her.

Maxine had a three strikes policy, Brooke's rude attitude made her strike out on day one with her obvious jealousy so Maxine said fuck it, why not give her something to be jealous of? Still she would wait for Warren to ask her out, the young man needed a real confidence boost so she figured if he ever had to guts to ask her out she'd accept.

She knew deep down that sometime over the years she had turned into a very vindictive bitch but she had one startling realization.

Life is a bitch.

It's not fair, it's not just, quite frankly if Maxine didn't care for the person they could fuck themselves, can't help everyone. Life is too short to have a hero-complex. Maxine walked for a bit before stopping when she saw a girl standing in front of a door on her phone, the banging alerted her to the fact that someone had been locked inside.

"What are you doing, Juliet?" Maxine asked with a sigh as she began counting the time in her head.

"Oh Maxine…I'm just holding Dana until she confesses." Juliet said as she glance dup from her phone.

"To…?" Maxine questioned making Juliet sigh.

"Sexting my boyfriend." Juliet said sounding annoyed. "No offence, Maxine but why do you care? You're either buried in your Camera, leading Warren on, fighting with Victoria, or acting as though you're too good for us to even speak to us-what do you think you're the next Rachel or something? Hell do you even know my last name?"

"First off, I'm trying to help your rude ass so calm down, I do not know who you think you are talking to with that tone Ms. Watson." Maxine said with narrowed eyes. Another thing she had learned in Seattle was to remember everyone's names no matter who they were. "Second, don't compare me to some chick I don't know. And third, I obviously don't think I'm too good to talk to you…if I'm fucking talking to you." Maxine drawled as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I don't even need my powers to figure out what's going on here. This is bullying 101." Maxine thought to herself. "Who told you Dana sexted your boyfriend?"

"What?"

"I asked, who told you? Obviously it wasn't Dana since you know she's your friend and even I-who barely speaks to her- can tell you that much." Maxine said impatiently. "That and I refuse to accept someone that cute could do something like that."

"W-well…I heard it from Victoria-"

"Wow. Victoria? Really. You trust Victoria I-want-to-watch-the-world-burn Chase over Dana?" Maxine deadpanned making Juliet glance down in embarrassment. . "Someone does need to be locked behind the door, but believe me it's you not Dana." Maxine said as she shook her head and pulled out her phone to pass the time. "Fucking wasted five minutes of my life. I swear if she's still in there when I look up, my heel is going up someone's ass. Maybe you should check Victoria's room or something, knowing her she probably left proof of fucking with you two somewhere."

"Uhh…Dana…do you think we can just talk about this calmly if I let you out?" Juliet asked awkwardly.

"Open. The. Damn. Door." Dana's muffled voice said angrily. "You're doing my laundry for a week."

"Fucking hell, is this a college or a damn High School!? Can't wait until I make it to Vegas." Maxine thought angrily. "Come on, I need to give Warren his flash drive and give him some quick camera lessons, poor guy is probably waiting for me now." Maxine thought as she pulled out her phone.

Maxine: Getting held up by idiots. See? This is why the Dark side owns. If I was Sith I would have destroyed them all.

Warren: No! Don't give in! You were the chosen one!"

Maxine snorted as he sent her a picture of Obi Wan shouting at Anakin Skywalker.

Maxine: Yeah, yeah, you lightened my mood. Now you know the drill. Delete these texts.

Warren: Understood, these messages will self-destruct in ten seconds.

Maxine: Nerd.

Warren: Takes one to know one Max! Let your inner geek out!

Maxine: Maxine, never Max. Believe it or not, that was plan until I found out that nearly all the students here refuse to act like adults.

Warren: :(

Maxine: Ew…Emojis

Maxine shook her head as she put away her phone before looking up to see Dana stepping from the room and giving her smile.

"Thank you Maxine, you set me free. Now come on in here, Warren's flash drive is on my desk." Dana said as Maxine walked in to her dorm behind her before grabbing the flash drive.

"I've found you…my precious-oh my God, I really am a nerd." Maxine thought with a sigh. "Let's see if all his files are still in here. Hmm, The party buster-Unholy obscenities? He saw that too oh I am going to tease him about this." Maxine thought as she saw the porn file on the flash drive before quirking an eyebrow as she saw a filed labeled 'Maxine'. "Not sure if I should be concerned or flattered…then again I collect black mail for a hobby." Maxine thought before pulling out the flash drive. "Thanks, I'll see you around."

"Hey, when you opened the flash drive-did you see a file labeled Maxine?" Dana questioned curiously.

"Ohhhh yeah." Maxine said with a smirk.

"You really have to stop leading him on like that, Brooke is going to kill you." Dana chuckled.

"Bitch can try, besides this isn't High School, I don't need a jock, I need someone I can depend on-that is if I choose to go that route."

"Oh you mean Warren has competition? He'll be crushed." Dana said with a laugh. "Who is it?"

"I'm looking at her." Maxine drawled making Dana gape as she left the room. "Okay now that reaction was worth every minute I wasted on this misadventure. Wish I had time to pull out my camera. Better not waste this power on a silly picture, if its limited then I want to have as much as possible when I hit Vegas."

Max was positive now, she would make it to the parking lot and finish her epic quest. Her spirits were high and her smile bright as she made her way through the campus…

…at least until she ran into A security guard yelling at Kate.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKK!" Maxine thought as she watched the argument, grimacing at how bad the man was chewing Kate out before leaving. When the argument ended Kate frowned and turned to notice Maxine staring at her.

"Enjoy the show? Thanks a lot Maxine…I thought you were different." Kate said sadly as she brushed past Maxine whom groaned before rewinding time.

"Okay…now…now I'm getting a headache." Maxine thought before stomping forward. "Hey pornstache, the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Now wait a second missy, I'm just doing my job-"

"Job my ass, you're bullying an obviously distressed student! Do you know who the hell I am? You think the Prescott's are bad? Keep it up and you'll never have another job. Period." Maxine snapped making the man glare at her before turning to Kate.

"This isn't over." David swore before turning to Maxine. "And you, I'll remember this conversation."

"Oh please do, that way you can remember not to fuck with me or my friends." Maxine said with a glare making him narrow his eyes as he walked away.

"Oh my-Maxine Thank you!" Kate said with a smile.

"See, this is what happens when you stand me up. We could have been enjoying tea, laughing with Warren but no…you had homework, nerd." Maxine said as she crossed her arms, though Kate could see the amusement in her eyes.

"Haha, I'm still sorry about that. I will make it up to you, I promise."

"Damn straight." Maxine said with a frown making Kate laugh.

"I will see you around- I have to go, but thanks again."

"Anytime." Maxine said with a small smile and for once she didn't count how long it took to do something for someone else. After a few more minutes of walking, Maxine smiled when she saw Warren leaning on an old blue car.

"Is it…could that be…the fabled Maxine Caulfield!?" Warren asked incredulously making Maxine smirk.

"Yes, I have escaped the clutches of teenage hormones and power hungry man-children." Maxine said with a laugh. "Hey you might want to get off the car, the owner will be upset."

"I doubt it! This is mine." Warren said proudly making her eyes widen slightly.

"Oh wow, now this is unexpected." Maxine said as she approached the car.

"Yup and its all mine!" Warren said as he wrapped an arm around her waist, making her smirk.

"Smooth. There's hope for you yet." Maxine thought as she glance back at him, noting how proud of himself he looked-though it didn't seem to be because of the car. "By the way, here's your drive. Might want to hide the Party Busters file next time." Maxine drawled making his face-pale. "Hey it's cool, personally I like the last scene myself-but like always, tell anyone and die." Maxine drawled making him gape at her as he took his flash drive back. "So why the car?"

"You know they opened a drive-in in Newberg, just sixty miles away." Warren said shyly making her smile. "I thought we could go now?"

"Oh? You do realize that I have a car…right there." Maxine said as she pointed across the lot.

"Yeah, but you know…I thought…" Taking a moment to pity her friend she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey I understand." Maxine said knowingly before her heart thumped in her chest as she watched him steel his nerves, no doubt about to finally attempt to break free of the friend-zone he had no idea he wasn't in. "I swear if he actually does this, fuck my image, I'm kidnapping him and bringing him to Vegas with me. He's the only person who's made me feel comfortable to be me besides my parents in years."

"Maxine…will you-"

"You bitch!"

"Fucking really!?" Maxine thought as she whirled around to face Nathan with fire in her eyes. So much so that he actually paused for a second. "What!? What could you possibly fucking want right now? It better be good or I will take your balls and shove down your god damned throat!" Maxine snapped after being effectively cock blo-wait not, that won't work. Before she was effectively clam jammed by Nathan fucking Prescott.

"I know it was you bitch!"

"What?"

"Who told the principal! I know it was you, remember seeing your fucking bag on the counter! You have fun hiding in bathrooms?" Nathan said as she got in her face.

"You have fun aiming guns at people in women's restrooms!?" Maxine glared only to grimace when she was suddenly shoved back into the car.

"Hey! What the fuck do you think you're doing, Prescott?" Warren shouted angrily as he pushed Nathan away from Maxine.

"You did not just put your hands on me, you bastard!" Maxine said angrily as she stood back up and reversed time. This time when Nathan tried to shove her, she side stepped him and tripped him making stumble into Warren's car. "I'll pay for the damages!" Maxine told the surprised Warren before she glared at Nathan. "Have you lost your damn mind!?"

"You bitch!"

"Back off!" Warren said before stumbling back with Nathan suddenly head-butted him in the face. However he wasn't stunned for long before he tackled Nathan down to the ground. "Maxine get out of here!" Maxine was going to respond when someone honked a horn making her glance back with wide-eyes to find the bluenette from earlier looking at her in shock as she sat in an old truck.

"Max!?" The bluenette asked incredulously.

"Chloe!?' Maxine asked in shock as she finally registered the woman's face.

"Get out of here!" Warren shouted again as he continued to fight off Nathan as a guard ran their way.

"Fuck it, I'm hitching a ride." Maxine said before hopping into the surprised girl's car. "Floor it!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Chloe said before driving off as Maxine rubbed her temples.

"Fuck, Warren you better be okay." Maxine muttered before sighing as she saw the two boys being pulled apart by the guard in one of Chloe's mirrors. "Shit…Warren got me out of a jam." Maxine thought as she rubbed some blood form her nose. "Looks like I need to rest with these powers, too much usage will probably kill me. I owe I'll give him a present whenever I return to Blackhell to get my bags." Maxine thought with a frown. "Fucking. Prescotts. This day just won't end will it?"

"Oh and thanks Chloe." Chloe said mockingly as she drove them away. "Five years, you're still Max Caulfield."

"Maxine, never Max." Maxine muttered as she tried to calm herself as Chloe frowned slightly.

"Okay maybe not so much."

"Ha, if only you knew." Maxine muttered as she rolled her eyes.

"No need to give me the bitch face, at least pretend like you're happy to see me."

"Any other time I would be thrilled but seeing as I still have to go back to that shithole eventually with that psycho and hope that my friend didn't get his ass kicked too badly its safe to say I'm not in a happy mood." Maxine drawled sarcastically. "And of course I run in to you." Maxine said with a small sneer.

"Yeah, well it's been a shitty day." Chloe said with a frown of her own. "What did that ass even want with you?"

"He's pissed at me because I saved your damn life-so how about we call it even instead of you acting like I'm ungrateful." Maxine drawled confusing Chloe greatly. "The bathroom, I was there when he pulled the gun on you so I pulled the alarm. You're welcome." Maxine stated simply.

"Oh well…thanks for the save." Chloe said awkwardly as Maxine began messing with her phone, obviously wanting to be anywhere but there. "Your friend really helped you back there."

"Warren? Yeah I definitely owe him for that." Maxine said as she was still surprised that her friend took on Nathan for her. The two were literally on opposite ends of the power spectrum in Arcadia Bay, Warren had pretty much committed suicide by becoming Nathan's enemy.

"Well you're not the only one in debt and you're already causing trouble." Chloe said making Maxine scoff as she turned to her with narrowed eyes.

"Excuse me? In case you didn't realize none of this wouldn't have even happened if it wasn't for you doing who knows what with fucking Prescott. Don't deny it." Maxine added when she saw Chloe opening her mouth before closing it. "Fucking hell, Arcadia Bay is supposed to be quiet and boring-main reason I even chose Blackwell."

"Is that right? So I take it Seattle sucked?"

"Seattle sucked at first, but believe me I'd choose it over this place ten times out of ten." Maxine said as she inspected her nails. "All the money in the damn world and life still fucks with me."

"Wait what? Money? Was Ryan's job that good?" Chloe asked in confusion.

"Hell no, shit failed in weeks. He hit the jackpot in that huge lottery five years back, we've been balling in cash ever since." Maxine said with a smirk.

"Oh no way! You're rich!? Tch, guess that explains the whole spoiled vibe I'm getting from you despite going to hipster central."

"Says the girl who looks like the poster child of hipster dot com." Maxine scoffed not even bothering to look at Chloe. Chloe couldn't help herself and smirked.

"Smartass."

"Bitch."

"Valley girl."

"Punk wannabe."

"Touche." Chloe chuckled as Maxine smirked before sighing once she reached into her bag and pulled out her busted camera.

"Fuck that prick broke my camera." Maxine muttered as she thought back to when she was shoved into car. Looks like whatever she had on her traveled in time with her. "And I doubt there is a store in this town that could even afford a replacement, gonna have to order a new one later."

"Why not come to my place? My step-douche has a bunch of tools you could use to try to fix it."

"I need really small tools."

"It's cool, he is a tiny tool-but he has some of those as well." Chloe said with a small smile which was mirrored on Maxine's face.

"Then please lead the way."

It did not take long for the two to reach Chloe's house, honestly Max was surprised at how much it didn't change at all. Before fixing her Camera, Chloe had convinced her to go catch up in her room for a bit. Shrugging, Maxine agreed not seeing a problem with it.

"Oh she is so gay." Maxine thought with an amused chuckle as she glanced around at all of the semi-nude female posters on the walls. Maxine frowned suddenly when she saw Chloe lay back on her bed and light up a joint.

Oh hell no.

Chloe blinked in confusion as Maxine suddenly climbed up next to her on her bed and held out her hand expectantly.

"What's up?"

"Pass that shit-after today, I need things to slow down for a bit." Maxine drawled making Chloe look at her in amusement as she passed the joint to her old friend

"Well, look at this-you really did change. Be careful, it might be too strong for you." Chloe teased making Maxine scoff as she took a hit before releasing a perfect ring of smoke into Chloe's face.

"Strong? This shit is weak-I'm disappointed actually, surely someone who looks as badass as you has better shit?" Maxine asked with a chuckle as she passed it back to Chloe. "I need to give you some really strong stuff one day." Maxine said before frowning as she noticed a bunch of missing posters on the ground. "Rachel?" Maxine asked as she recognized the face.

"What?"

"You have a lot of posters for Rachel Amber, you know her?" Maxine questioned making Chloe sigh as she sat up on the side of the bed before looking down at the ground sadly.

"She was…she was my angel. After my dad died and you moved, I felt abandoned. Rachel saved my life."

"No idea things got that rough." Maxine muttered softly as she sat up.

"Yeah well, you never made much effort to find out. I was fourteen, we were best friends."

"Please don't tell me you're really gonna try to blame our separation on me." Maxine said with a sneer getting a glare from Chloe in return.

"You never once reached out to me, not once in five years!"

"And you reached out to me, right?" Maxine asked with a glare. "You can miss me with that 'woe is me' bullshit. You told me to leave you alone because for some dumb reason you expected me to be able to stop my parents from moving or some shit. No, this one is on you."

"Excuse me!?"

"Bitch, did I stutter?"

"You're the one who living the good life with your new rich friends!"

"Please my 'good life' didn't start until months ago when I graduated and it only lasted the summer before I came to Blackhell. Do you know what being shoved into a new social status does to someone that young? Constantly harassed by your peers-no one to talk to, not even your best friend who had told you to leave them alone forever. No fuck you." Maxine said with a glare startling Chloe by the pure rage on her old friend's face. "And unlike you, when my life hit rock bottom, when I fell into despair I didn't have a fucking Rachel Amber to save my life, I didn't even have a Chloe Price. I just had myself, Maxine fucking Caulfield."

"Oh please how bad could it have possibly been-"

"The only reason I am even alive right now is because life is a clingy bitch, it stuck to me like a disease and I realized the only thing I could do was live out my life being abused or becoming the abuser." Maxine said as her eyes began to glisten. "I became someone I hate just to make my life bearable. I thought I was free when I graduated, but instead I come here to find it's the same shit all over again since I'm still surrounded by fucking children! You know what? Fuck this shit." Maxine said as she stood up suddenly.

"Wait where are you going!?"

"Wherever the fuck I want. I'm rich remember? I'll just leave and go back home and buy a new camera. So fuck you, fuck this shitty town, fuck Blackwell, fuck every one, I'm out. I went five years without you, I can go five more. Unbelievable, fucking blaming me for this shit." Maxine muttered to herself.

"Wait-shit, damn it Max wait!" Chloe shouted before Maxine could leave her room.

"What? And I told you its Maxine."

"Look-damn-we always were too stubborn for our own good. Can we just admit that it's both of our faults? I mean yeah I started it-I forgot that you could take things so literally, but come on Max! I was fourteen and angry, you shouldn't have taken what I said to heart like that! My dad had just died." Chloe said making Maxine frown as she averted her eyes away from the bluenette. She hated to admit it but Chloe had a point, she knew Chloe was angry but kept herself away anyway.

Why?

Anger?

Spite?

God she may have been a vindictive bitch longer than she had realized.

"Tch, whatever." Maxine muttered making Chloe sigh in relief as she saw her anger lesson.

"Look…let's…let's…just start over okay?" Chloe asked as she stood up and began searching for something. "I just saw you again, it's obvious we both need each other again right now, life is being shitty to both of us." Chloe said sounding tired though Maxine could hear the slight desperation in her voice, Chloe really didn't want to lose her a second time. "Here, a peace offering." Chloe said as she pulled out an old looking camera and handed it to Maxine with a hesitant smile. "Your birthday just passed a month ago, right? This was my dad's old camera-here you take it." Chloe said making Maxine's eyes widen slightly.

"T-thanks." Maxine muttered as she grabbed the camera and gave it a once over. "It's just classic enough to be considered retro, I can use this. Always liked the older methods more myself anyway." Maxine mused before glancing up at Chloe with a smirk. "Nice save, sure we can give our friendship another chance-though honestly I don't plan to be here much longer. Maybe a week at the most if I keep getting held up."

"Wait, you're leaving again?" Chloe asked incredulously before grabbing her hair in frustration. "Just when I thought things are looking up, I'm being left behind again!"

"Hey chill, Che." Maxine said as she used her old nickname for Chloe when she saw a meltdown forming. "If you hate it here so much, then just come with me."

"W-what?" Chloe asked sure that she had heard wrong.

"Come with me." Maxine repeated with a frown. "I want to get myself and a couple of my friends from this hell hole, maybe chill in Vegas for the rest of the semester and apply to an actual college, one where we can actually be surrounded by adults and do something with our lives."

"But you're leaving in a week!"

"And? Just pack fast." Maxine said with a frown. "You aren't in High School, Che. Hell you're older than me, you re a grown ass woman do what you want." Seeing the still shocked look on Chloe's face, Maxine sighed. "Look I'll give you a day to think about it-but I'm gonna start packing-"

"Chloe!? Chloe, I'm coming up. We need to talk!" A familiar voice shouted making Chloe pale as she looked around frantically.

"Fuck it's my step-douche, if he catches you in here, he'll kill me!" Chloe said making Maxine's eyes widen slightly.

"Wait, that voice…pornstache is your step-dad?" Maxine asked incredulously as she heard the man stomping up the stairs.

"Fuck, hide!"

"No time, just give me the joint and shut the hell up. I got this." Maxine said as she walked up and snatched the joint from Chloe's hand before pushing her away and turning around just in time to watch David storm into the room.

"Chloe I-what the hell are you doing here!?" David asked angrily as Maxine looked up at him with wide eyes. Now over the years, Maxine had perfected an art so powerful, so core to her new self that it made surviving any situation a walk in the park to her.

The legendary art of bullshitting.

It was the only way she could get control over her former faculty that were blatantly biased towards her.

"David!? You're Chloe's step-dad…that's…that's so cool!" Maxine practically gushed making both Chloe and David gape at her as she turned to face a wide-eyed Chloe. "You didn't tell me your new dad was Blackwell's best security guard!"

"Wait, what-hold on. Is that grass in your hand girl!?" David questioned, his anger suddenly breaking through his shock. However, Maxine was prepared for this and nodded solemnly, surprising Chloe further when she took another hit from it.

"Yes, it's prescribed though. I have really bad anxiety attacks, I use it when I'm stressed or else ill flip out in god knows what way." Maxine said before looking at David sadly. "Sorry about earlier, it was a really bad day and when I saw you with Kate…something just snapped. I apologize, I know you're just doing your job." Maxine said quietly. "Would you…would you like to see my card, if you still don't believe me?"

"N-no…that's fine, just don't let that shit happen again. I am more concerned about why you are here right now, than anything. Also if it's for stress, why are you doing it in Chloe's room?"

"It's Chloe, sir. When doesn't she cause stress?" Maxine said with a sigh and David was forced to agree with her on that while Chloe turned to her with narrowed eyes at the remark. "Chloe is a very good and old friend of mine, sir, but we haven't spoken in a while. I thought that when I came back we could catch up. You walked in when I was trying to talk her into going back to school. She's a smart woman, David, all she has to do is get this punk crap out of her head." Maxine said before silencing Chloe with a glance as she was about to open her mouth.

"Get her back into school?"

"Yeah, it wouldn't be hard I have some friends I can talk to, meetings I can arrange. Chloe just needs to want it, of course we'll need some study sessions along the way to make sure she still knows everything." Maxine said before sighing sadly. "Listen David, this is your home and I respect that, really. You were a soldier who fought for this country. That said, can you give us some time alone? I think I was finally getting a breakthrough when you came in."

"Ah well, um, of course. Glad to see Chloe is hanging out with someone who isn't a loser for once. Nothing I do seems to get through her head, but maybe you can get her to see her true potential?" David said before nodding to himself. "I'll leave you girls to it, just crack a window or something. Don't need this room smelling like weed."

"Of course sir, and sorry we got off on the wrong foot earlier." Maxine said with a sigh. "After I saw Nathan with a gun-"

"What!? Prescott had a gun?" David asked suddenly with a glare.

"Yeah he was holding a girl up at gun point, it's why I pulled the fire alarm-sorry about that by the way- I just…just didn't know how else to get him away from her." Maxine said with her eyes glistening. "I told the Principal but you can expect how well that went, he's a Prescott. Then he attacked me in the parking lot…if it wasn't for Warren I am not sure what would have happened."

"Fucking Prescott's thinking they can do whatever they want. Listen up girl, you're right about his family…they have too much pull around here but I swear I will look into this, thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll keep an eye on him, and if something else like that happens you come to me." David said getting a nod from Maxine whom looked at him as if he were a godsend, hell she even gave him a hug.

"Thank you!"

"Ah-hem, yes, well. Just stay strong kid." David said awkwardly as he pulled the younger woman off of him before heading to the door. "Looks like I need to head back to Blackwell, I have some work to do." David said before closing the door. Once she heard him descend the steps she turned to Chloe and raised her fingers in a 'V' sign for victory.

"Hook, line, and sinker."

"D-dude, what the hell? Did you just cozy up with step-douche?" Chloe asked with a grimace making Maxine roll her eyes.

"Had to be done, Chloe if you want to get away with anything when it comes to authority figures then you need to bullshit, play nice. Let me guess, you've been fighting David over every little thing since he married your mom, right?" Maxine said before face-palming when Chloe gave her a somewhat sheepish nod. "Don't, you think this isn't hard for him too? Getting a new daughter that hates him? When it comes to step-parents-I've learned this from my friends- if you play nice with them, they'll do the same for you."

"But he's just so damn irritating!"

"I know, but just face it with a smile and a nod. Be an 'angel' for him and you can do whatever the hell you want around him." Maxine said before smirking. "Try it, after this try to at least be civil the results might surprise you. I hate to say but your step-douche…might be a good guy." Maxine said as her face screwed up into one of distaste.

"Uh yeah right." Chloe said sarcastically.

"Seriously, he is strict as all hell and like you said he's a douche, but there's a clear difference between him and someone like Prescott." Maxine said as she finished the joint and tossed it into a trashcan. "It's been five years Che, but you can still trust me. I've seen all types of people, believe me when I say he's just trying to do what the thinks is best for you. He's military so he decided to go the tough love route, as if you are in boot camp or some shit." Maxine said before smirking. "He might have forgotten you were a girl, can't say I blame him."

"Excuse me!?" Chloe said though she had a look of amusement on her face.

"Yeah, you are a very…handsome woman, not that that's a bad thing." Maxine said with a chuckle. "Definitely had me drooling for a bit before I found out who you were." Maxine said with a laugh which only grew when Chloe began to sputter. "I'm feeling nostalgic, let's go hang out by the lighthouse like we used to. Don't feel like heading back to Blackhell just yet."

"Let me grab my keys." Chloe said with a smile and before long they were off to the Lighthouse. Once they reached it, Maxine was more than just a bit perplexed when she realized that it was the same location she had saw in her nightmare earlier. Still, after a bit of walking the two found themselves at their favorite spot and overlooked town as the sun set in a distance.

"How can I love and hate a sight at the same time like this?" Maxine questioned as she took a shot of the scenery with her new Polaroid. Maxine was greatly impressed with how well the picture came out for such an old camera.

"Man do I know that feeling, this place has taken so much from me Max…I just want it to burn to the fucking ground already." Chloe said with a glare and Maxine didn't even bother to correct Chloe about her name when she saw the pained expression on her friends face. Instead, she said nothing as she watched the sunset with Chloe in a comfortable silence. "…Hey…let's do it."

"Honestly Chloe that bench is far too small and uncomfortable plus I am not getting grass stains on this shirt. It probably costs more than your entire Hot Topic get up." Maxine drawled making Chloe blink owlishly at her before realization set in.

"Oh shut up you rich perv!" Chloe said with a small laugh as she gave her smirking friend a light shove. "I meant, let's leave this hellhole. I'm sick of looking at it…let's, let's just go somewhere else and start over." Chloe continued though the last part was said with some hesitation as if she had made plans like this once before only for them to fall through.

"Then start packing, I wanted to leave tomorrow, but life got in the way plus I have some others I want to make the offer to before I leave."

"Like your boy toy?" Chloe asked with a smirk making Maxine laugh.

"Well he's definitely one." Maxine said as she pulled out her phone and showed Chloe a text that Warren had sent her earlier, showing him smiling even with a black eye. "He's done a lot for me, more than he even knows, he's smart you know? He deserves to go to a school that can nurture his talents not shun them." Maxine said before pocketing the phone with a sigh. "Then there's Kate…I really want her to get away from here."

"Why?" Chloe asked with a small frown as she watched Maxine bite her lower lip nervously despite the cool expression on her face. Maxine only did that was she was extremely worried about something, a habit she had since they were children.

"She was drugged at a party, there's a videos floating around of her doing some…less than savory things. She's been catching a lot of hell for it, and I mean a lot. She needs a new start the most out of all of us…tomorrow I am going to do something I have only done once to make people forget about what happened."

"Uhh…what are you going to do?" Chloe asked hesitantly at the extremely grim tone Maxine had in her voice.

"I'm going to knock someone down off of their high horse-someone whose been going out there way to bother Kate, I've been planning it for a while, and the guilt I know I'm going to feel has actually kept me up at night for the past couple of weeks." Maxine drawled.

"Sounds like you have something heavy planned."

"Well the last time I did something like this, the person killed themselves. So yes, Chloe, it is a bit heavy." Maxine drawled as Chloe gaped at her. "Lost quite a few pounds to guilt and anxiety the last time this happened, but it has to be done."

"Well shit, if its going to bother you so bad-why the fuck are you going to do it?"

"Because if I don't Kate is going to kill herself, I've seen her notebook Che. She draws nooses in it for fuck sake. I've been on both sides, the bullied and the bully. If one of them has to go, it's not going to be Kate." Maxine swore.

"That's fucking hardcore!" Chloe said incredulously.

"That's life. Bitch needs a reality check, you can't do what you want to others and not expect karma to bite you in the ass." Maxine said as she turned away from the sight. "Now let's leave, I need to head back to Blackhell-"

*FLASH!*

"THE FUCK!?" Maxine thought incredulously as the scenery went dark while she found herself standing in the middle of a terrible storm. Glancing back she paled as she saw an enormous Vortex heading towards Arcadia bay as wind and rain whipped across her face. "Another nightmare?"

*CRACK*

Maxine paled when she heard a loud crack and turned just in time to see the light house break and fall towards her, no doubt going to crush her under its weight. Thinking fast, Maxine raised her hand towards the lighthouse and halted its movements before reversing time, causing it to be rebuilt and allow her to escape its devastation. Moving out of the way, Maxine eventually crashed to her knees as exhaustion over took her. She grimaced when a newspaper slammed into her face before ripping it off. However before she could throw it away, she caught sight of its date and paled.

October 11th.

"That's Friday! This happens in four days!?" Maxine wondered incredulously before gasping when she felt someone tap her shoulder, sending her crashing back into the present.

"Max! Max! Are you okay, what's going on?" Chloe asked in concern as she saw blood dripping from her friend whom had suddenly crashed to her knees.

"A vision." Maxine gasped out as she panted. "I had a vision of the future, Arcadia Bay is going to be wiped out by a storm in four days!"

"The hell? Max are you still high? There's no way you could know something like that!" Chloe argued.

"I saw it!"

"You're not making any sense-"Chloe stopped instantly when she noticed snow begin to fall from the sky. "What the fuck?" Chloe whispered in confusion. "It's like eighty degrees!"

"Climate change." Maxine said tiredly as she looked up at Chloe with a haunted expression. "It means a storm's coming." Maxine said making Chloe pale as she looked at her friend as if she were an alien.

"Max…tell me everything, from the beginning." Chloe said as she knelt down next to her friend and held her while Maxine shut her eyes before releasing a shuddering breath.

"It started this morning…"

Hours Later: Blackwell Academy: Boy's Dormitory

All in all, Chloe took the news of her powers well Maxine thought as she snuck through the hallways of the boy's dormitory. Of course the bluenette wanted a demonstration but she was too tired and agreed to give one later.

Though Chloe now approved whole-heartedly of the Las Vegas trip, normally they wouldn't be able to gamble, but Maxine knew ways to get them some extremely good fake ID's. After all, making them would be child's play for a photographer like herself.

Wow she really was cocky when it came to her talent.

She'd have to work on that later.

For now she had a mission, a mission that included making it to Warren's room without being seen by any of the boys, especially Nathan. Though she wasn't too afraid of Nathan at the moment because after Chloe managed to squeeze out what her plans were going to be after returning to Blackwell, she gave Maxine her father's old hunting knife after teasing her for at least an half-hour.

"Really, a knife to a gun fight?" Maxine thought before shaking her head, oh well at least her powers evened the odds tremendously. If she even saw him reach for the gun she figured she would reverse time and stab his ass. Still, she figured she had succeeded when she made it to his dorm before pulling out her phone.

Maxine: Hey, made it back to Blackwell

Warren: Really? O_o, thought this would be the last place you'd want to be.

Maxine: It is, but I have a secret mission I'm undertaking…though that emoji is making me second guess it.

Warren: lol. What is this secret mission that has Agent M. risking her life.

Maxine: Open the door and find out.

Maxine sent her reply with a smirk and had to hold back a laugh she heard him cough and trip as he fumbled his way out of bed. The poor young man almost killed himself as she heard him sprint to his door, cursing as he fumbled with the lock before swinging it open to find her leaning on his doorframe.

"Y-you're here!" Warren said incredulously in a whisper before grimacing when he heard his voice crack.

"You know, you're a lot more suave when you're texting." Maxine said with a smirk before glancing down. "Superman boxers? Really…"

"Um-well-er…" Warren sputtered in embarrassment as his face burned red, he knew he was nerdy but he figured this took it to a new level.

"Everyone knows, Batman is better, get with the program loser." Maxine drawled with a smirk as she lift up her skirt and revealing her own pair of superhero themed underwear, though hers' were black, yellow, and covered with bats. Normally she would never do something like that, but she figured he was about to see them and a lot more in a few minutes anyway.

"Oh my God." Warren whispered with wide-eyes as he gaped at his no-so-secret crush. He swallowed a lump in his throat when she grabbed the side of his face and traced over his swollen eye with her thumb.

"You saved my life today." Maxine said quietly though that wasn't entirely accurate, she was sure she could have survived the encounter with her powers, but Warren didn't know about them and helped anyway and despite the beating he took he never looked stronger.

"Of course, who wouldn't help someone they care about with pricks like Prescott?"

"Even knowing he had access to a gun?" Maxine questioned curiously making him nod.

"I won't lie and say I'm not going to be watching my back every day after this, but I regret nothing." Warren said before blinking as Maxine suddenly snapped a picture of him. "What?"

"Sorry, that was me taking a picture for my submission to the everyday heroes contest." Maxine said as she waved the photo making him blush. "Now, let me in before someone sees me. My knight in rusty armor needs his reward after all."

"R-reward?" Warren squeaked out making her laugh lightly as she walked into his room and closed the door.

"Yes, reward." Maxine said as she watching him shift awkwardly, no doubt attempting to control his blood flow since he was in just his boxers.

"Wait, I'm sorry-but are you positive we're on the same wave-length? Cause this can get really awkward real fast." Warren said making her sigh before getting onto the tips of her toes and bring him down towards her-curse her height-before capturing him in a smoldering kiss.

"Yes, we're on the same wave-length, now are you going to do something about it?"

"Well shit, don't have to tell me twice." Warren muttered with a smile as he lifted the shorter woman up, making her giggle as he rushed towards his bed.

-The Next Morning-

BGM: I Just had Sex- Lonely Island

Warren floated out of his dorm, absolutely glowing as he prepared to head to the restroom. However, he didn't make it far as he saw a good amount of his floor's residents standing out of his dorm clapping and grinning.

It was at that moment he remembered how paper thin the dorms' walls were (1).

"He did it!" One of the boys shouted with tears filling his eyes. "He conquered the friend-zone, we will sing tales of this man!"

"Good job! Haha, I knew you could do it eventually bro!" A grinning Hayden said as he clapped.

"Finally, our floor is officially virgin free! No more attempting to be quiet!" Another one said as they all cheered making a sputtering Warren retreat back into his dorm when they started chanting his name.

"Who was it?" A blushing Maxine questioned making Warren wince.

"Uhh…everyone?"

"No not them, I meant who was with you before me." Maxine said as she covered her face with a pillow. "There is no way that was your first time." Maxine said as she peeked from under the pillow and gave him a mock glare. Turns out nice guys did finish last…

…she just didn't know it was in that way.

"Beginner's luck?"

"My ass-"

"Was beautiful." Warren chuckled before getting a pillow to the face.

"Dork." Maxine muttered before releasing a sigh with a smile. "I'm keeping you."

BGM: END

When she first came to Blackwell, never did it cross Maxine's mind that she would get her world rocked by Warren-fucking-Graham, but look at her now.

"Man…" Maxine began as she closed her eyes. "…life is strange."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Episode 2-Maximum Redemption

(1) Seriously, why are dorm walls so damn thin? That has made things incredibly awkward more times than I can count.