"Crosses all over, heavy on your shoulders."
The morning sun threw a warm, golden glow over the Bay while Max gazed out the bus window, watching her old hometown go by her. It'd been so long since she'd been here-part of it was familiar, part of it unfamiliar. She caught glimpses of the lighthouse on the other side of the bay, its whiteness a stark contrast to the light blue sky surrounding it. Seeing it again-seeing anything here again, really-brought back memories.
Memories of her and Chloe.
The bus shuddered to a stop, and Max made for the exit, putting her earphones back in her bag. As the bus rumbled away, she glanced up at the signature Two Whales sign, and she heard herself sigh.
She'd been nervous about doing this all day, so apprehensive of meeting Joyce Price again that she'd barely paid any attention in her classes today.
Max took a few steps towards the old diner, her mind trying to come up with to figure out what she would say, how she could apologize. To apologize for never talking to the Prices after her family had packed up and left for Seattle. To apologize for not being there for the Prices after William had died. To apologize for just being...gone. She swallowed, heart beating fast. Just get in there. You'll have to meet one of the Prices' eventually.
Taking a deep breath, Max made her way to the diner doors and pushed it open, the familiar smell of breakfast and the clanging sounds of silverware overwhelming her senses. She instinctively glanced towards the counter and recognized Joyce's back-she was busy washing some dishes, hadn't noticed her arrival.
Max breathed a shaky sigh of relief, then mentally cursed herself for being relieved. Freaking social anxiety.
Making her way towards a booth in the far corner, Max sat down and took to looking out at her surroundings. Two Whales hadn't changed at all since the last time she'd been here. The jukebox rumbling out its tunes in the corner, that ancient gumball machine on the far opposite wall, the red booths-all of it was the same. Talk about fourth dimensional deja-vu. Being back in Arcadia Bay felt like she'd gone back in time.
Max was so lost in taking everything in that she completely missed Joyce walking up to her.
"Max Caulfield, back again!" Joyce laughed, snapping Max out of her reverie and she blushed.
"Hi, Joyce," Max gave a timid smile, surprised that Joyce had given her such a warm greeting.
"Look at you, all grown up-into a lovely young woman. How are you doing, Max?" Joyce chuckled, putting a cup on the table and filling it with coffee.
"It's good to see you again. You still look the same."
"Like I'm still a waitress at Two Whales after all these years?" Joyce asked, raising an eyebrow.
Max tried to backpedal as fast as possible. "No, like, you're still pretty." Shit, nice first impression, dumbass.
Joyce smiled, and Max internally gave a sigh of relief. "Nice save, kid. You're still smart. Smart enough to get into Blackwell Academy with a scholarship, I hear," she said.
"Yeah, classes started two weeks ago. I'm really excited to be there," Max said as she wrapped her hands around the warm coffee mug and brought it to her lips. The warmth of the drink was enough to relax her a little bit-Max hadn't realized she'd been so stiff and tense.
"Excited to be back in Arcadia Bay, though?" Joyce asked, her warm expression turning serious, "Considering Chloe hasn't mentioned you lately, I'm guessing you haven't gone to see her yet."
YOU ARE READING
Feels like Destiny
Fanfiction[Pricefield] Life is Strange AU – Instead of Max not contacting Chloe when returning to Arcadia Bay, Max gathers up the courage to talk to her old best friend two weeks after her arrival. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Will parallel some events in the game but over...
