PART 1: Reunion

Chloe stretched her lanky tattooed arm out, resting it on the top of the bench's backrest. Her right leg casually crossed, emitting an IDGAF attitude to the rest of the park goers. The "New York City" t-shirt she wore was similar to the one famously worn by John Lennon, a kindred spirit of hers. She attracted a few occasional stares but her privacy was left uninterrupted in a typical New York fashion. In the city that never sleeps, encounters with celebrities are considered as a staple for folks around here. Seeing a punk goddess minding her own business in Central Park was just a typical day for any New Yorker. Her blue eyes glued to the screen of her phone as her thumb swiped through the thousands of notification she received since the previous night's show. The messages were from agents, promoters, media personnel and friends congratulating Chloe on The Ravenous's sold-out show at the Bowery Ball. A congratulatory text from her manager read," Nothing but 5 stars for my gal xoxo," with hyperlinks attached. Those links directed Chloe to various articles from music publications covering her concert on the previous night. Rolling Stone called it "the night that rocked New York City". NME gushed on the band's "career-defining moment at the Bowery". Consequence of Sound anointed Chloe as the Generation Y's "own Debbie Harry or Joan Jett" and questioned The Ravenous's next move as rumors of an imminent breakup rumble on in the press. "Oh boy," sighed Chloe. It seemed that the music world was in touch with her feelings of disillusionment. News spread fast in the age of technology.

The first gig she ever played was five years ago at some rundown bar in Arcadia Bay. Chloe needed to escape her monotonous life – especially after the death of her father, William. Music – or punk music to be exact – was that escape. Finding people to play with was not hard. At the time, there was a budding movement in Arcadia Bay's music scene after Skip Matthews made it big with his band, Pissheads. Chloe hung out with Skip a lot at the backstage after his shows and managed to get to know other aspiring musicians among his circle. This inspired her to jump onto the bandwagon and start her own band amid the blossoming indie rock scene in Arcadia Bay. Chloe and three others became The Ravenous and they started playing gigs in bars, nightclubs, basements, backyards – all over Arcadia Bay. Chloe even swallowed her pride and performed at Blackwell High for the privileged kids of the Vortex Club. They struck gold when the local radio took notice and invited the band to play a live set. Being the opening act for Skip's Pissheads also helped in getting their music out to the public. Since then, The Ravenous had released 3 full-length albums and played gigs all over the world from Coachella in California to Fuji Rock Festival in Nigata, Japan. Since the beginning, Chloe had a love-hate relationship with her life as a musician. Fame, fortune and rock n roll gave her the freedom to be who she always wanted to be. But the constant touring has left her body frail and her mind completely exhausted. She always felt homesick on the road despite wanting to get out of Arcadia Bay as long as she could remember. "How ironic," she thought. Lately, the friction between her and the rest of the band has left Chloe feeling isolated. Most bands would burnout after reaching their peak. Chloe spent the past 12 months arguing with her bandmates on creative issues while on tour. Last night's show at The Bowery Ball was the last gig for the tour to support the band's latest – potentially final – album. Chloe acknowledged that all good things must come to an end somehow.

Chloe slid her phone into the deep end of her right pocket, silencing the incessant noise from the music world. Her eyes shifted to the rowboats on the tranquil lake in front of her. She was too occupied to notice the scenic view afforded by the spot she was in at the time. The natural beauty of Central Park during the golden hour reminded Chloe of Arcadia Bay – her one and only true home. She sat still with her eyes gently closed, in a ruminative mood, soaking whatever was left from the sun before it set. She began to hear the sounds in her surrounding stripped down to their atomic level. The chirping of the birds sounded sharper. Laughters from nearby children sounded more vibrant, as if they were from her past life. In her state of mindfulness, Chloe began to see a montage of her childhood images – like pictures from a slide projector. In her daydream, she found herself in the backseat of her father's car, out in the open road. William looked alive and well, just how Chloe pictured him before his sudden departure. The next thing she knew, a vision of her and Max dressed as pirates also appeared. It seemed ironic that by fully being in the present, Chloe found herself transported to a past she could never escape.

Chloe began to hear an unrecognized voice echoing her name. As soon as she opened her eyes, Chloe was transported back to her real life location. A young blonde girl, not older than twelve, was standing in front of her. The girl sported a Ravenous t-shirt that looked slightly bootleg-y. She wore an angled bob similar to Chloe's iconic hairstyle. "Ch-chloe Pp-price?" she mumbled.

Chloe looked confused but it seemed obvious to her that the girl must be a fan. "What can I do for you, tiger?" asked Chloe while still in a daze.

The girl whipped out her phone and casually asked for a selfie. "I hope you dddd-don't mmm-mind. I dddd-don't kknow what to do with myself if I didn't ask."

Chloe pulled the girl closer and sat her on the bench she was sitting on. She wrapped herself around the girl and snapped a photo of them together using the young fan's phone. "What's your name, sweetheart?" asked Chloe in an attempt to make small talk.

"Daisy," answered the girl in a coy manner. The girl struggled to make eye contact with Chloe. Her head pointed downward to the soil beneath her like a shoegazer.

"Cute name. Well Daisy, I would be disappointed if that shirt of yours isn't a bootleg. The one from the official website is a total rip-off." Chloe delivered her line in a lighthearted manner without any snark to make the girl uncomfortable.

The girl raised her head to meet Chloe's eyes. She lit up, cracking an innocent, albeit bittersweet smile. "Uhhmmm, I jj-just wanted to tell you that your mmm-music inspires me. I listen to them every day to stay happy."

Chloe was touched by Daisy's kind gesture. She knew personally that compliments from children are always sincere. Chloe reached for Daisy's hands and felt the tremble in them. She also noticed that Daisy's arms had cuts that looked like they were self-inflicted. Chloe was compelled to ask her about the cuts but felt that it could put Daisy on the spot. She did not want to force a child to open up about her trauma. Chloe pulled Daisy closer to her body, embracing her intimately. "Whatever you are going through, you have to be strong. Don't let anyone tell you that you are worthless. We all have a place in this world" whispered Chloe into Daisy's ear.

Chloe removed one of her bracelets and placed them in Daisy's hand. "Let this remind you that we met today. Life is hard. It is strange. I had a shitty life when I was younger. Now I'm older, I'm still dealing with some shit. It never goes away. But there's always a reason to stick around. There's always a reason to listen to music. Or to make music. Or to do whatever you can to make yourself and the people around you feel better. That's the beauty in life. And I want you to always remember that, Daisy."

Daisy nodded casually. Tears began to pour out of her hazel eyes. They say never meet your hero because it will end in disappointment. Daisy learned firsthand that Chloe Price can never disappoint when making the people around her feel empowered. "Thanks Ch-chloe. You are more awesome that what I had imagined."

Chloe took out her phone to check the time. It was 7.45 in the evening. From the beginning, she knew that this meeting would not be on time. But she had nothing better to do in New York or anyone else to hang out with in this metropolitan. Plus, it has been two years since she last saw Max in person. Both of their lives had changed tremendously since their last encounter. Chloe heard that Max moved to New York for a fancy art program. Now that she was in New York, it would be a missed opportunity if she did not catch up with Max and share the details of their lives with each other.

Chloe felt the urge to light up her American Spirit cigarette but Central Park do not permit its park goers to smoke in its vicinity. Plus, she has gone cold turkey for months. Smoking was her go-to solution against boredom or even anxiety. Chloe was feeling anxious about the meeting. She has been waiting for nearly an hour without getting any text from Max to signify that she was on her way.

From a distance, she began to hear thumping footsteps approaching her direction. A young woman was walking hastily in high heels. She wore a sleeveless grey dress that fit her slender, petite figure. Her medium-length bang framed her heart shaped face perfectly, like a French New Wave starlet. The strap of her vintage leather bag hung loosely on her thin shoulder.

Chloe stood up from her bench and spread her arms out wide for an embrace. "I should be giving you shit for being late but you know I can never stay mad at you." Max sprinted toward Chloe in her high heels to reciprocate Chloe's gesture by lunging herself in for a passionate hug. The side of her face pressed against Chloe's right shoulder. "I'm sorry Chlo. Last minute meeting at the office. By the time I was on my way it was the rush hour at the subway."

Chloe squeezed her friend tightly the way she always did back when they were kids. She ran her fingers through Max's lock. She was stunned by how different Max look. The hipster fairy she knew from Arcadia Bay has grown into a sophisticated, suave young woman - one that would fit the aesthetic of this metropolitan. "Jesus, Max! You look so fucking gorgeous. I'm glad that you traded the hipster waif bullshit for this look."

Max cracked a wry smile and rolled her eyes simultaneously. She knew that Chloe was being sarcastic and straightforward at the same time – more toward the latter. "Corporate image. I guess this 'look' pays the bill," quipped Max.

"Being a purist never pays. Believe me, I know. You look really good Max and I mean it. Sexy hair. Fancy dress. Don't let me blab about those killer heels. You can stab some homeless dudes with those bad boys."

Max let out a childlike giggle. Chloe knew how to entertain her by saying the most outrageous things. "I gotta dress for the part. I work in ads now as a junior copywriter. Not everyone gets to be a rockstar."

Chloe smiled and shook her head. "It's not easy out there for a musician. The moment that success knocks on your door, you're surrounded by leeches, bloodsuckers, vampires, sharks, all the swamp creatures who just want some piece of your pie – until you're left with the crumbles. All I can say is I'm proud of you, Max Caulfield. It seems like you are where you should be in life."

Max clutched Chloe's hand firmly. Her eyes sparked with joy upon hearing those words coming out of Chloe's mouth. "That means the world to me. I've been missing you like crazy. I listen to your songs every day, reading whatever I can find about you online. Good and bad. Just to feel closer to you."

Chloe burst into a fit of laughter which slightly puzzled Max. It seemed that Chloe found her moment of honesty to be somewhat humorous. "Dude, what the…. actual fuck?" asked Max with a crooked smile on her face. Seeing Chloe laughing uncontrollably like a mad person made her giggle.

"Listen! Reading what people say about Chloe Price online is not the right way to feel closer to your buddy AKA Chloe Price."

Max began to laugh along with Chloe despite the embarrassment she felt from her candid admission. A loud growl was heard from Chloe's stomach. The two girls laughed even harder. "You know what that means?" quizzed Chloe. The sun finally set in New York City. "It means that I have to feed your hungry ass ASAP. Its getting dark so we better hurry." Max assured Chloe that their 'dinner date' will be special. "Oh you're going to love where I am about to take you."

Author's note:This story has been edited to remove typos. This story was written to give our heroines (eg. Max & Chloe) from Arcadia Bay the happy life that they deserve.

Last edit: 16 August 2018