The alarm started blaring throughout the room the moment the time struck 10:00. Chloe grumbled at hearing the ruckus, refusing to open her eyes just yet. She turned to lie on her stomach, hiding her head under the pillow while she extended her arm, blindly searching for her phone to hit snooze and silence the damned thing. No more than five minutes later the alarm went off again, this time even louder as if trying to get back at her for not getting up at first.

“Alright, you spawn of Satan.” Chloe groaned as she forced herself to sit up and grab her phone, switching off the alarm. With a huff she fell back on the bed and stretched, enjoying the feel of her muscles loosening. It was only then she realised that the space next to her was empty.

Chloe sat up again and looked around confused. It then hit her that both Max and Rachel had an early start today and would have been up already by 07:00 to have time to get ready and grab breakfast. On the bright side they at least would finish earlier, contrary to Chloe who started work at noon and would only be out of work later in the afternoon.  This meant however, she would be late for their Friday night out when all three of them grabbed drinks together.

The punk eventually got up to wash up and prepare some breakfast, coffee with bacon and eggs. The apartment was quiet apart from the sizzling of the bacon in the pan. A waft of smoke from the food, mixed with the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee reached Chloe and her stomach rumbled in response.

“Yeah, yeah I know.” She answered back only to have her stomach rumble louder. Rude.

Chloe took a sip of her coffee as she sat on a stool by the kitchen island when the food was finally ready. She used to tease Max about her insisting on getting good quality ground coffee and how hipster it was of her yet here she sat now enjoying a freshly brewed cup. Okay, she had to admit it tasted way better than instant store-bought one.

Chloe sighed in content. The stillness of the apartment no longer bothered her. Rewind a few years back and she would have blasted music to fill in the void as she couldn’t stand the loud thoughts running around in her head and needed to drown them out in any way possible. The silence had felt as if it had been smothering her but now she found that she could deal with it, even enjoy the few moments of being alone.

When it was time to leave, Chloe quickly did the dishes and grabbed a beanie and headed out.

As it turned out, work was busy today and Chloe’s hopes for leaving earlier to be on time were crushed when a guy brought in his wrecked car. Bumper and front wheels completely demolished when he smashed his car into a crash barrier while trying to overtake the car in front of him. Thankfully the guy, despite being a bonehead, got away with a few scratches and bruises.

“Men and their fucking need to go fast and hard on everything.” Chloe mumbled to herself as she lay on a plastic creeper used to roll under a car. The comment was a bit ironic though coming from her, seeing how she used to drive when she had gotten her licence but that was beside the point. Now she would have to do damage control and on top of that, finish the rest of today’s work.

It was close to the end of her shift when Chloe heard Mike call her into his office. He had a stern face on which was not something unusual for him but the tone of his voice made Chloe’s anxiety skyrocket. Had she messed up somehow and was going to get the boot? This had been the longest job she had managed to keep and she actually liked it here. Loved working with her hands and trying to figure out what went wrong with the cars that came in and how to fix them. On top of that she had grown fond of Mike. Yeah, he could be a pain in the ass sometimes but Chloe respected him. He had become a sort of mentor to her. He could be harsh and call out her mistakes as they were but he never did it in a reproachful way. Instead, he would tell her the why and how of things so she could learn. They even shared a few cold beers after a long day’s work, so to have him now look so serious out of the blue had Chloe worrying.

“Did something happen?” Chloe asked as she entered Mike’s office and sat across his desk.

“No. So how bad is the car they just brought in?” Mike said looking closely at Chloe.

Okay, something was definitely off and Chloe didn’t like it one bit.

“The front’s completely busted. The engine will have to be replaced along with the bumper and front wheels.”

“Hhmm. He won’t be happy to hear that. Then again, that’s his problem.” Mike spoke in a tone that showed he truly didn’t feel the slightest remorse for the guy.

“Yeah…” Chloe trailed off as she nervously played with her beanie that she had shoved in the pocket of her work overalls, not caring that her hands were covered in grease and black smudges, like black paint on a white canvas in an abstract painting.

“Chloe.” Mike’s rough voice drew a pair of pale blues on him. “Do you know what day it is today?”

“Friday?” Chloe offered, looking up at Mike confused by the question.

“Right. But it’s a special Friday. You know why?”

“Mike, what’s this? Are we playing the 21-question game?” Chloe inquired, unable to hide her uneasiness any longer.

Mike gave her a pointed look and continued to talk without answering her question.

“Today marks one year since you started working here.”

Chloe’s eyes immediately flew to Mike’s face, taken aback. How could she have forgotten? Did this mean she would have to start looking for work elsewhere?

“Oh…I completely forgot.”

“I can see that.”

“Does that mean I have to start packing my shit?” Chloe finally said it out loud. Her hand clenching the fabric of her beanie as her heart raced at an unhealthy rate.

“What?! No! Where did that come from?” Mike sounded genuinely perplexed.

“You know I don’t really have a good record at keeping jobs and seeing how serious you were when you called me in…I thought…”

“No! It’s the exact opposite actually…” Mike said, now sounding a bit sheepish. “I just wanted to act all tough and mighty before telling you the good news. Sorry if I worried you kid.”

“Oh you jerk! Don’t ever do that to me again! Also, what good news?” Chloe sighed out in relief, realizing she had been holding her breath.

“Hey! I’m still your boss!” Mike shot back but it was clear from the small laugh that escaped him that he wasn’t mad.

“Sorry. Sooo, you gonna tell me?” Chloe apologised either way.

Mike seemed to take a more serious stance again however this time Chloe remained calm and listened to what the other had to say.

“Like I said, you’ve been here a year. I’ll admit that you were, and still can be, a handful.” Mike grinned when he saw Chloe’s bashful smile. “I know that I can be tough on you sometimes and that it pissess you off but know that I only do it because… because I care Chloe. You know that I see a lot of my younger self in you. Unfortunately, we both have been through similar shit while growing up.” Mike paused for a moment as if to collect his thoughts. “I know it’s only been a year but I feel like I’ve known you for a lot more. What I’m trying to say is that I’m really proud of you kid. You’ve come a long way.” He said while taking something small out of the side drawer of his desk.

Chloe didn’t know what to say, she just sat there motionless. Unable to speak.

“I’ve never wanted kids but…” He hesitated for a moment, hand coming up to scratch at his seven-day stubble. Mike got up from his seat and walked to stand in front of Chloe who had gotten up too. “But I consider you as my own Chloe. That’s why I’m giving you this.” Mike placed something small and metallic in Chloe’s palm.

By now Chloe was on the brink of tears. A whirlpool of emotions stormed her mind as she looked down to find a silver key resting in her hand.

“It’s a spare to the garage. You can open and close shop and maybe slowly learn how to run such a business.” Mike said with a fond smile.

Chloe had to actually steady herself against the chair at hearing the purpose of this key. She had come in, believing she would be leaving the place yet here she stood with a key and Mike saying how proud he was and that he considered her as his own child. Chloe couldn’t hold the tears back as she lurched forward and wrapped her arms around Mike in the tightest embrace she could master.

Mike returned the hug, patting Chloe’s back as the punk refused to let go. She knew that no one could ever replace her father. William and Mike were night and day when it came to personalities but Mike’s affection and care were equally genuine and Chloe had trouble rationalising everything she was feeling at the moment.

“I-I don’t know what to say…Are you sure?” Chloe finally managed to speak once she pulled back and wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand only to smudge her face as well.

“Yes Chloe. I’m absolutely sure.”

“Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.”

Mike simply nodded and smiled affectionately as he scratched his chin and sniffled.

“Wait? Are those tears?!” Chloe asked in astonishment.

“No way! You must be projecting or some shit!” Mike said, turning his back and going back to his seat.

“Mr.Tough guy is a big old care bear. Aaww.” Chloe teased.

“You know what? I’ve changed my mind. Give it back!” he said, stretching out his arm.

“Hell no! This is mine now!” Chloe made a fist with her hand and held the key tightly. “Does this mean I can go now?” Chloe tried.

Mike seemed to weigh his options but knew that Chloe had only about 15 minutes left of work so there was no point in keeping her.

“Just go! Oh and say hi to the girls for me!”

“You rock! And will do!” Chloe beamed at him and was out the door in a matter of seconds.

Chloe couldn’t wait to share the good news with her girlfriends as she drove home, drumming her fingers against the steering wheel as the radio blasted music through the speakers. When the punk arrived home, she made a beeline for the shower to wash off all the dirt and grease before getting ready to head out again. To be honest she did feel tired after running around all day at the garage but after receiving the key to the place she was as hyper as a child on a Christmas morning.

The pub was buzzing with people by the time Chloe walked through the front door. The place was made entirely of dark brown wood and its walls were decorated with a variety of trinkets and posters ranging from music to movie themes. The lamps that hang from the ceiling gave it a rustic feel while the bar displayed a variety of alcohols and beer from tap to bottled. Chloe did indeed appreciate the bar but what she loved most was the old jukebox at the far end of the pub that had a selection of old punk and rock songs. The punk made her way towards it, passing between people and squeezing through tables. She knew that Rachel and Max would have probably tried to save a table for them as close to it as possible.

Sure enough she found them sitting by a round table between the jukebox and the bar. Ah yes, the sweet spot . Chloe thought to herself smiling.

Max and Rachel were sitting close to each other, beer glass half empty on the table as they chatted away. They had their back to the entrance and so didn’t notice the blue haired punk when she came up behind them and wrapped one arm around Max and the other around Rachel, squeezing them tight and planting a big kiss on each of their cheeks.

“How are my girls doing this hella awesome night?” Chloe asked enthusiastically before taking the empty chair across from them.

“Hey you! You look extremely happy.” Rachel pointed out at seeing her girlfriend’s grin not wavering one second from her face.

“Happy doesn’t even begin to describe it!” Chloe said as she eyed both of them.

“And the reason you are this indescribable ball of joy is…” Max prompted, now curious as to what could have gotten Chloe this excited.

“The reason is this little sucker.” Chloe said and took out her house keys and showed them the new addition to the keychain.

“A new key?” Max inquired confused. She cast a glance at Rachel only to see her equally puzzled.

“Not just any key. Mike gave this to me. It’s a spare to the garage.” Chloe said before explaining to them what had happened, feeling the same whirlpool of emotions again as she recalled the events and how her stomach swooped with joy at Mike’s words.

“Babe that is amazing!” Rachel cried out, ecstatic at having heard the news and at seeing Chloe so genuinely happy. She truly deserved this and she couldn’t have been more proud of her.

“Chlo that’s incredible!” Max exclaimed as both Rachel and her got up to congratulate Chloe, hugging and kissing her. Chloe’s smile split her face from ear to ear at being able to share this moment with the people she loved.

“Have you told Joyce yet?” Max asked when they all finally sat down again.

“Y-yeah. Of course.” Chloe said but when Rachel and Max gave her The look she tried again. “I’ll call her first thing tomorrow morning.”

“That’s better.” Max smirked at Chloe who scowled defiantly at them.

“Careful there Max, getting a bit cocky, aren’t we?” Chloe teased as she rested her weight on one arm to lean in closer to Max, voice dropping a few octaves.

“What if I am?” Max flirted back, leaning in as well so her face was closer to Chloe’s.

“Then I’ll just have to teach you some manners.” Chloe dropped her eyes to Max’s lips and dragged them up again to lock on the pair of blues that were daring Chloe to lean in for that kiss.

“Oh I’m sure you’ve received plenty of lessons on manners from Rachel.” Max fired back and was thrilled when she saw a pink hue blossom on Chloe’s cheeks who unconsciously looked at Rachel.

The blonde coughed to mask her sudden outburst of laughter at seeing Chloe’s reaction. Max had completely managed to annihilate the punk on this round.

“Hey, don’t look at me! She speaks the truth. But please, do go on.” Rachel said with a mischievous smile as she rested her chin on her hand, loving every bit of this banter and where it was leading.

“I blame my good looks for your thirsty asses.” Chloe quipped after regaining her composure. “Now if you will excuse me, I need to get myself a beer and order some food cause I’m starving.” Chloe got up while still looking at Max, bringing her face inches away from the brunette. She lingered there, observing how Max’s eyes flew to her lips. Before the photographer could kiss her, Chloe pulled back.

“Oh come on! You’re a freaking tease!” Max protested at having lost the opportunity to kiss the other.

“And you love me for it.” Chloe winked at her but didn’t get to savour her victory for long as Rachel grabbed Max by the nape and pulled her in for a kiss, giving her what Chloe had denied.

“Dude, the point of all that was to teach her a lesson!” Chloe said when she saw Max’s content smile.

“Weren’t you going to get a beer babe?” Rachel shot the punk a challenging look, daring her to argue back.

Chloe sighed in resignation, knowing she couldn’t compete against the two of them together so she just accepted defeat. “Do you guys need anything?” She asked.

“No thanks, love.” Rachel answered while Max shook her head and so Chloe finally headed for the bar to get a nice cold beer and some food. She was famished since she hadn’t gotten the time to eat anything at work and she craved some fries with extra cheddar.

The bar was crowded with people so it took the bartender some time to come and get Chloe’s order. Since they were overworked and understaffed at the moment, he asked her if she minded waiting at the bar for her fries and beer. The punk said it wasn’t a problem as she paid for her order and started absentmindedly playing with a coaster that lay on the bar top. It was then, when she felt a presence next to her, that Chloe looked up to see a girl roughly her age, smiling at her. Chloe smiled back not wanting to be rude before returning to her very important task of spinning the coaster and seeing how long it would rotate.

“Those are some mad skills.” The young woman commented, placing her drink next to Chloe. She was Chloe’s height with wavy golden-brown hair that reached her waist and a pair of pale green eyes that never left the punk.

“I know right? Took years of practicing.” Chloe responded sarcastically which resulted in the other woman laughing.

“I’m Alice by the way.”

“Chloe.”

“Chloe…I like it. Not a name you hear every day.”

“Uum thanks I guess?”

“Would you like to join me for a drink?” Alice asked, her eyes gleaming with expectation.

“Nah, I’m good. I just ordered mine.”

“Then I’ll get you the next one and you can show me all your coaster flipping tricks.” Alice said as she leaned in closer to Chloe, her fingertips playing with the coaster Chloe had dropped.

The punk cast her gaze on Alice, eyebrow raised and chuckled. “I’m afraid I only show these tricks during special occasions.”

“Maybe this can become such an occasion?” Alice flirted in a voice smooth like honey. From the moment her eyes had fallen on blue strands of hair with a pair of blue eyes to match, Alice was hooked.

Chloe didn’t fail to notice how Alice’s green eyes took in her features before landing on her lips and she really wished that Alice would have stopped at the first no and wouldn’t have to retort in saying that she wasn’t here alone. She just wanted to get her food and drink and go back to celebrating with her girlfriends. Now that she thought about it, where the hell were those fries?

“Look, Alice thanks for the offer but I’m not interested.” Chloe answered, looking Alice straight in the eyes and then to the table where Rachel and Max sat. Alice followed her gaze only to see Rachel and Max looking back, surely wondering what was taking the punk so long.

“Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you were here with someone.” Alice said while observing Max and Rachel.

“Yeah.” Chloe answered abruptly not feeling the need to give anymore explanation. She tapped her fingers against the bar in anticipation. Her mood lifted when she saw someone come out of the kitchen with some fries only to have them be served to a couple further down the bar. Chloe felt betrayed. For fucks sake! She thought.

“Is one of your other cute friends free then?” Alice asked all of a sudden, bringing Chloe back from her mopping.

“What?! No!” Chloe shot back, disbelief painted all over her face at the brash question. “They’re both with me.” She quickly said and regretted it instantly, scolding herself mentally. Not because she was ashamed of it, she just simply didn’t feel the need to justify her answers.

“Oh? One wasn’t enough huh?” Alice pushed on, trying to pass it as a joke but Chloe caught the underlying passive aggressiveness. The punk glared at Alice in annoyance. She took a deep breath, refusing to have her night ruined by anyone. Thankfully, the bartender came back just as that thought passed her mind, apologising for the delay and handing Chloe her cold beer and a bigger serving of fries as a thank you for waiting so long. The smell of warm food immediately abated the punk’s irritation, deciding Alice wasn’t worth it.

“No, I have two hands don’t I? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some fries to eat and two girlfriends to please.” Chloe flashed Alice a bright smile before leaving her at the bar alone and headed back to her girlfriends.

“What was that all about?” Max asked when Chloe took her seat again.

“Looks like Chloe here might have broken a heart tonight.”  Rachel replied for Chloe who was currently taking a big sip of her beer, enjoying the bitter taste of it.

“I don’t know about breaking any hearts but definitely breaking my balls.” The punk explained what went down both to Max’s and Rachel’s amusement at some people’s audacity.

“I won’t let anyone ruin your mood, tonight’s your night Chloe so here’s to you! We’re so proud of you babe!” Rachel said in a determined voice as she raised her glass.

“To Captain Chloe and her reign!” Max raised her glass as well.

“I’ll drink to that!” Chloe said with a big smile adorning her face. A sense of pride and pure happiness radiating from her as the news and what it meant began to settle in after the initial shock was starting to wear off.

“So does this newly bestowed power come with extra responsibilities?” Max asked, curious as to what Mike had in store for Chloe.

“I honestly don’t know yet. I’m sure I will have to do some boring paperwork and maybe get thrown into the horrifying and energy draining world of bureaucracy but hey, I am willing to sacrifice a few braincells if it means learning the bid-ness.” Chloe spoke as she observed Max and Rachel taking a few of her fries but not saying anything. For now.

“Mmm aren’t you in for a treat then.” Rachel said after taking one more fry and liking the melted cheese off her thumb.

“I honestly don’t know who to feel sorry for. You or the poor employee on the other end of the line who is assigned to your file.” Max mused as she too stole some food.

In the meantime, Chloe had been watching her two girlfriends steal her precious food with keen eyes. Waiting to see if they would actually have the decency to stop, however that didn’t seem like it was going to happen any time soon.

“Dudes! Back off!” She shooed their hands away. “I literally asked you a few minutes ago if you wanted anything from the bar and you both said no. Now deal with the consequences!”

“Yeah but that was before we knew how good they looked. All steamy and crunchy…” Max’s eyes widened, looking at the fries like they were the only thing that mattered in that room.

“Sounds like a you problem babe.” Chloe teased and dragged the basket closer to her with a smug grin which faltered the second she saw Max’s disappointed face. Chloe closed her eyes and sighed in defeat. She had known from the moment that her relationship with Max had started shifting and feelings had begun to re-emerge that there was no way she could ever say no to those deep blue eyes. You’ve become soft Price . She thought but knew that she didn’t mind at all. Not when it came to Max and Rachel.

The punk groaned as she pushed the food back towards Max. “Here.” She said and felt a warm feeling bubble and threaten to pour out of her heart when she saw Max’s face light up again. It reminded her of a puppy.

“You’re the best.” Max smiled and moved closer to hug and plant a kiss on the punk’s cheek.

“How about I just go and order another round of everything, so everyone is happy?” Rachel offered.

“I can’t drink more, I’m driving.” Chloe voiced her discontent wishing she could have had one more beer.

“Not this time. I’ll drive and you enjoy your night.” Rachel smiled when she saw Chloe beam at her.

“Have I told you how awesome you are?” The punk leaned in to plant a kiss on her lips, anticipating a fun night with her girls.

When it was time to leave, the three women stood outside the pub as Chloe tapped the pockets of her ripped jeans in search of her packet of cigarettes. When she found it, she took one out before offering one to Rachel who gladly accepted. She didn’t ask Max as she knew that the photographer wasn’t a fan of smoking. Chloe brought the lighter close to Rachel who tilted her head to light her cigarette before lighting her own.

The punk took a deep drag, enjoying the burn in her lungs and angling her head to the side to blow out the smoke away from Max’s direction.

Chloe had not been able to find somewhere close to the pub to park and had to settle for parking close to the pier which was about a twenty minutes’ walk from the pub. No one seemed to mind, and so Rachel suggested they take a detour and go for a walk by the sea.

The breeze that flew in from the ocean was a pleasant contrast to the hot atmosphere that lingered on even if it was well into the night of an August evening and Chloe welcomed it. She walked with Rachel on one side, her arm resting across the blonde’s shoulder while her other hand alternated between holding Max’s hand and flicking the ash off her cigarette. A comfortable silence had enveloped them as they walked to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore mixed with the chatter of passers-by. Chloe never believed she could feel this content in just one moment and from something as simple as this. Since the beginning of her teens she had learnt what real pain and loss meant. It had shaped her to be a person full of anger and hatred against a world that had shown its dark and ugly side way too early for a child to witness it. She had lashed out because she hadn’t wanted to admit that she felt scared and abandoned. It was better to simply not give a fuck. Looking back now, Chloe wasn’t very proud of some of her actions, but she had learnt to accept them and move forward.

By the time they arrived at the car, Chloe felt a sudden and strong urge to say what was on her mind or else she would explode.

“Love, are you alright?” Max asked when she saw the punk put out her cigarette quickly and fidget with her car keys.

“Yeah. The reality of it all just hit me again in the face. Shit hits hard.” Chloe joked as scratched her head over the black beanie she was wearing, trying to figure out the best way to voice her emotions and thoughts. “What I want to say is… I never thought that something like this would be possible and that I’d get to share it with you.” Chloe exchanged looks between Max and Rachel, feeling a light burn creep in her cheeks. “I love you both so much.” She said in such a serious tone that it even scared her at how profound this feeling ran inside her, making her heart pound against the confines of her chest.

“Chlo…” Max breathed out and without putting too much thought into it, stepped forward, placing her hands on either side of Chloe’s cheeks, and pulled her in for a deep kiss. Chloe’s stomach swooped while her heartbeat felt like a hammer against her chest at the feel of soft lips pressed hard against hers.

When Max parted from the kiss and stepped back, the punk barely had any time to recover and open her eyes before she felt herself be pulled into another kiss that wasn’t any less intense but Chloe could tell by the way the other took control that it was Rachel kissing her and not Max again.

“Wow.” Chloe stood there bereft of any other words once Rachel let go of her lips, trying to remember who and where she was, the tingling sensation of their kiss still lingering on her lips.

“In case that wasn’t clear enough, we love you too.” Rachel spoke in a soft voice.

“Hhmm now that I think about it, I might need some more convincing.” Chloe smirked.

“Oh trust me, once we get home I guarantee you won’t have any doubts. Isn’t that right Max?”  Rachel said in an alluring voice. Her hazel eyes turning a shade darker, leaving no room for misinterpretation as they moved from Chloe to Max.

“I believe you’ll find us very convincing.” Max joined in with a smirk catching the side of her lips as she also looked at Chloe with hunger in her eyes, leaving the punk feeling flustered by their words and looks and wishing she possessed the power of teleportation so she could zap them in her room.

“So ready to get going?” Chloe asked, sounding a bit too eager. She gave her car keys to Rachel who had her arm outstretched ready to take them.

“I’m sorry to spoil the fun but can you just hold on for five more minutes? I really need to go grab some water from that convenient store across the street. Sorry.” Max apologized again, feeling bad for potentially ruining the mood but she needed to drink some water desperately. Her throat felt coarse like sandpaper every time she spoke.

“No problem. Oh and babe could you get me another pack of cigarettes while you’re at it? I’m out.” Chloe pouted knowing it was the only way to get Max to buy her cigarettes since the brunette wasn’t keen on fuelling her addiction.

“Alright, stop looking at me like that.” Max caved in which resulted in Chloe giving her an unnecessarily loud kiss on the cheek, making the photographer giggle.

“I swear to God you two just love coaxing each other into getting what you want.” Rachel remarked even though she found it highly entertaining.

“Hey! Not my fault if Max here gets a hard-on every time I bat my eyelashes at her and she’s willing to do what I ask.” Chloe said with a devilish grin as she interlocked her hands behind her head and leaned against her car.

“I do not!” Max’s mouth dropped open. She shoved Chloe’s shoulder and sent the punk and Rachel into a laughing fit. “You guys are the worst.” Max said and turned away to head to the convenience store.

“Point made!” Chloe shouted behind her to which the photographer answered by flipping her off without looking back.

“Have I told you how happy I am for you?” Rachel said once they were alone as she rested her weight against the side of the car. Chloe came and stood in front of her, leaning in to trap the blonde between her arms and rested her forehead against her girlfriend’s. She, in turn, placed her arms on Chloe’s shoulders, hands coming up to caress the punk’s nape, fingers playing with the blue strands of hair that poked out of the beanie.

“Thanks Rach.” Chloe said under her breath. She tilted her head to the side, giving herself a better angle to lean in and kiss Rachel. The kiss was gentle at first, slow as Chloe dragged her lips against dark red-coated lips but as time passed it grew in intensity, tongue swiping over Rachel’s lower lip before nibbling on it. A weak moan escaped the model which only served as fuel for Chloe to deepen the kiss, dipping her tongue into Rachel’s mouth to taste her.

Chloe pressed her body firmly against the blonde. Her hands moving from where they supported her weight on the car to land on the model’s waist and squeeze with force. Rachel moaned into the kiss again, hands grabbing a fistful of hair and fabric. Chloe got a special kind of kick out of hearing those sounds and it always turned her on faster than striking a match.

The punk kissed her way past the jawline and down to Rachel’s neck, tongue swiping over her pulse point before biting down.

“Chloe…” Rachel breathed out, feeling a fiery need ignite inside her, spreading like wildfire. She should really control her voice seeing how they were still at the open-air parking lot. It was relatively secluded but still out in the open.

At the sound of her name, the punk looked up, holding gaze with a pair of piercing eyes the colour of copper dust in which she could get lost in. Because those were the exact same eyes that had come to her rescue all those years ago at the old mill when she had gotten into a fight with two drunk pricks and out of all people to show up and help her she had been expecting Rachel the least. The all-star pupil with a bright future had been there with her, throwing a beer bottle at one of the guys to help them escape and later on, had moshed together to the music of the punk band. These were the same eyes that Chloe had fallen fast and hard for all those years back. They belonged to the person who had kissed her under a street lamp and had made her teenage heart nearly stop in its track. But they were also the same ones that had caused her so much pain and confusion when she had found out about Frank and the drugs. Chloe did not want to think about that again, she was glad it was over. They all had made bad decisions and mistakes during those harsh times. It was in the past now.

Rachel must have sensed something was off from the light crease on Chloe’s brow as she breathed in deeply, eyes never wavering from hers for even a second. The model slowly brought her hand to cup her girlfriends face and gently caress her cheek with her thumb. She didn’t ask what was going through her mind, just spoke those four little words that she knew would quell the other’s brooding storm of emotions because she meant them.

“I love you Chloe.” Rachel said in a low but vehement voice against Chloe’s lips. Both of them moved in sync then, lips meeting in a powerful kiss. It was Rachel’s way of conveying her feelings not only via words but through an action as well.

Chloe swallowed a whimper that threatened to rise and spill out from her throat because she had no doubt Rachel meant what she said, and this had been an emotional day to say the least.

“Sorry for making you wait. I got-“ Max said as she walked up to them while searching her bag only to stop mid-sentence when she saw her two girlfriends making out by the car. “I guess you didn’t mind waiting then.” She joked.

“Not at all.” Rachel responded with a big smile before checking in the car’s side mirror if her lipstick was still on and she didn’t look like a 6-year old had done her makeup.

“Didn’t know which brand of fancy water to buy?” Chloe teased as she straightened her beanie from where it had slipped off to the side.

“Don’t get me started on that! $5 for a bottle of water?! Apart from hydrating you, does it give you clear skin and boost your sexlife?” Max said in bewilderment and annoyed at having to actually search for a normal priced bottle.

“I don’t know about clear skin but I’m pretty sure you already have an amazing sexlife.” Chloe said with a cocky smile and nonchalantly pretended to examine her fingers, loving the light spread of pink on the brunette’s cheeks.

“Rachel, please.” Max looked at the blonde desperately, seeking for any sort of help. Rachel smiled innocently before lightly whacking the back of Chloe’s head who shouted in protest.

“Thank you!” Max grinned in satisfaction. “Anyway. I was weak and bought some snacks and then the cashier started chatting me up and was taking forever to scan the things.” She explained why it had taken more time than usual to return.

“First Chloe, now you Max? Should I start getting worried? I can’t blame them for being attracted to you. But, you are mine .” Rachel wasn’t one to usually show her possessive side outside of bed as she had complete trust in her girlfriends and never felt the need to show teeth unless necessary. That wouldn’t have been true in her late teens however, when she had been used to getting what she wanted and didn’t like when other people showed interest and tried to acquire what she considered was hers. But life had given her a big wake up call when she almost died and that had made her reconsider a lot of things about her behaviour and the people she dealt with.

On the other hand, Chloe and Max weren’t going to lie, they secretly liked when the other got a bit possessive over them.

“So how about we get going so Max and I can start convincing you of just how much we love you.” Rachel said as she opened the driver door and got in, starting the engine which brought the old car to life but also Max and Chloe who rushed to get in by the passenger’s door, filled with excitement and anticipation for what promised to be a very pleasurable night.

Chloe should have really known better than to question Rachel’s ingenuity. The blonde had a knack for coming up with ideas that were purely conceptualised to torture her in the sweetest way possible and since Max was added to the equation, Rachel seemed to thrive. It also did help that by now Max had come out of her shell and her full personality was on display.

The punk gritted her teeth as her hands balled into fists, gripping the bed sheets while trying to ease her breathing. The rule was simple. She wasn’t allowed to come until Rachel said so. Pretty straightforward right? Wrong. Because it was nearing thirty minutes now that Chloe lay in bed with Max between her legs, languidly eating her out. Tongue alternating between slipping inside Chloe and swirling around her clit. With every dip, every flick, Max chipped away at Chloe’s resolve.

The only fine thread that held Chloe together was the idea that Max wasn’t faring any better as she had to follow a similar and simple rule as well: under no circumstances was she allowed to drop her hips on the mattress from where she was sprawled on, knees parted and ass in the air while the upper half of her body was flat against the mattress, as a vibrating egg that Rachel had put inside her, massaged her inner walls.

By now the three had slept together enough times for Max to feel at ease and know what it was like to have two pairs of eyes on her, however this time it felt slightly different but definitely not in a bad way. And it was all because there were so many things happening at once that Max’s brain wasn’t sure what to register first. Her entire body was pulsing with restless energy as the vibrations from the toy sent wave after wave of pure bliss over her.

Yet, for Max what made this whole situation even more thrilling was not only the fact that she had the taste of Chloe on her tongue and could feel the punk tense beneath her but it was also the knowledge that Rachel was sitting by the headrest of the bed; in nothing but a grey plaid shirt open in the middle and touching herself while watching them closely. It had Max feel like she was constantly crashing through new levels of pleasure with no end in sight.

As if by some mind reading powers that allowed Rachel to read Max’s mind and see her struggle, she decided in that moment to switch the settings to max vibrations.

Max thought her legs would give out as they buckled and nearly dropped on the mattress. A guttural moan ripped from her throat that only served to draw one out of Chloe who felt the aftershock on her clit that Max had been sucking on. The brunette thought she heard Rachel chuckle but right now, she couldn’t be certain for anything because her eyes were watering from the sheer amount of strength she was showing to not rub her clit against the sheets. She was so close to them; all it would take was just one small roll of her hips to alleviate the painful throbbing between her legs.

“Don’t even think about it baby. Unless you don’t want to come for the rest of the evening, I suggest that sweet ass of yours goes back up.” Rachel reprimanded Max when she saw her legs tremble and nearly fall on the bed, a smile returning to her lips when the brunette obeyed albeit the heated look she cast Rachel.

The model hummed in satisfaction as she ran thin fingers through wet folds, eyes trained on her two partners in front of her. Slowly but decisively, Rachel pushed two fingers inside and pressed her palm down on her clit. She bit on her bottom lip at the light stretch as she started moving them with ease, her mind inebriated from the rush her control over Max and Chloe gave her.

“Rachel…please-mm-“ Chloe’s muffled plea drew Rachel’s eyes to the punk’s face from where she had been intently watching Max’s tongue run along slick folds while she fucked herself on her own fingers.

“You want to come don’t you?” Rachel asked, sounding borderline amused.

“So fuckin’ bad.” Chloe managed to say through gritted teeth as her heart hammered in her chest when she noticed where Rachel’s fingers were and the fiery look in those hazel eyes that were trained on her.

“I told you before. Nobody gets to come before I do.” And with that, Rachel retracted her fingers before speaking again. “Max babe, why don’t you go be a good girl and get strapped in. As for you, I have an idea to get your mind off things.” She said while smirking as she opened her legs, making it abundantly clear what she expected of Chloe.

Max nodded vigorously while the punk turned to lie on her belly and scooched up to rest between the blonde’s legs. Initially, Max had never seen, let alone used, a strap-on before these two devils entered her life. The first time trying one on had ended up with the three bent over with laughter as Max attempted to figure out what strap went where; she had wanted to do it herself without any help, only to mix up the harnesses and when both Rachel and Chloe jumped in to help the result was Max sporting a sad boner, with the curved tip of the dildo facing downward and the straps all twisted up. Despite the initial embarrassment she felt, the brunette hadn’t been able to keep a straight face when all three women eyed the dejected toy before looking at each other and bursting out laughing. It had also taken her some time to learn the ropes, how to set a good pace, how fast or hard she could go but thankfully both her girlfriends had been more than eager to provide her with all the practice she needed.

“Well? What are you waiting for?” Rachel arched her eyebrow at Chloe as she pushed her long hair back and out of the way of her field of vision, wanting to make sure she didn’t miss out on the show.

By now, Chloe was far too out of it to fire back a response, her brain swirling in a cocktail of lust and frustration from not being allowed to get the release she so desperately needed. Despite that, the punk lowered her head and ran her tongue over glistening folds which earned her a satisfied moan from Rachel, who ran her hand through blue locks of hair, pushing them out of Chloe’s face.

The punk had been too focused on sinking her tongue inside Rachel to notice the movement behind her and the dip in the bed, until she felt a light smack on her thigh, signalling her to part her legs and push her ass up in the air, mirroring Max’s stance from earlier. All this she did without once pulling away from Rachel but that instantly changed when she felt the tip of a lube-coated dildo brush against her entrance before slowly sliding in and only stopping when she had taken half the length.

“Holy shit!” Chloe groaned as she rested her head on Rachel’s thigh and breathed in deeply.

“Colour?” Max asked, leaning over the punk to check in on her, some of the worry spilling out of her voice, afraid she had gone too fast, seeing how this particular toy was a bit thicker than the one they normally used.

The colour scheme had also been an entirely new element to Max, who had asked about it one night, still early on in their relationship, when the three had slept together and Chloe had mouthed yellow in the middle of Rachel using a vibrator at full power on her after the punk had already come twice. It was later that evening that Max found out the meaning behind the colour code; green was a go, yellow slow down and red stop immediately.

She had also learnt all the extra fun layers that existed in sex but they came with a set of strict rules that Chloe and Rachel explained to Max in detail, because above all else, the safety and well-being of their partner came in first place. Gradually she had discovered what she liked or wasn’t really into and now, with Chloe shivering in front of her as she turned her head to lock eyes with Max, pale blues swimming in vulnerability and desire, Max was certain she would give her anything and everything she asked for.

“G-green. Need you to move. Fuck, Max please .”

Max wasn’t sure if she had ever heard Chloe sound so desperate. It lit a fire in the pits of her stomach and the visual of the punk bent in front of her, eating Rachel out whose stare alone could have melted both of them on the spot, was like liquid heat surging through her veins.

After a few experimental thrusts, Max found a good rhythm to pound in fast and short succession into Chloe who was reduced to a moaning mess but nonetheless, refused to give up and stop fucking Rachel with her tongue.

“Oh fuck! Max keeping fucking her like that.” Rachel gasped before speaking with a commanding tone in her voice. She had felt every vibration of Chloe’s moans against her clit when the punk wrapped her lips around the very sensitive bud and the blonde simply wanted more.

And so Max did just that, picking up the pace and driving the silicone dildo a bit deeper, eliciting such guttural moans from Chloe that only spurred her on more despite starting to feel a slow burn in her muscles and her brown hair stick to her temple.

“Holy fuuck! Chlo, you’re gonna- ah make me come.” Rachel managed to say as she felt her orgasm approach at a frightening speed. The sight of Max holding Chloe by the hips as she fucked her hard while the punk ate her out was a good justification as to why she was so close so fast. She had to give it to Chloe though; Rachel had been edging her for more than half an hour and now Max was taking her from behind yet not once did the punk falter.

By now, Chloe was hanging by the threads, she had no idea for how long she could last and the only thing keeping her going was her mind repeating the words Make Rachel Come like a mantra.

All it took for the model to topple over the edge was Chloe sucking on her clit hard before locking her eyes with a panting Max who had not once looked away from the display in front of her.

Rachel felt her entire body seize up as she clenched her fist around blue locks of hair while her orgasm coursed through her body, leaving her with a pleasant buzz.

Under any other circumstances, Chloe would have continued to draw out Rachel’s orgasm for as long as possible, maybe even try to coax a second one from her, but this time the moment she felt Rachel come Chloe pulled back and dropped her head on the mattress, hands balled in white-knuckle fists around the bed sheets.

“R-Rach, please. I c-can’t- AH ” Her speech was interrupted by a particularly hard thrust that made her see fucking stars. “Hold…a-anymore. I-” Chloe stammered as she fought to form coherent sentences and kept choking on words that barely made any sense to her. The need for release so overpowering she felt like even breathing came in second place. Her body was taught like a twisted bow string that was about to snap.

“Come for us baby.” Rachel gave her permission in a smooth voice.

Not a second passed since the words left Rachel’s mouth and Chloe’s hand darted between her legs to find her clit and apply pressure. All it took was just two flicks of her wrist for Chloe to come with a muffled cry, her face pressed against the bed as her entire body shook from the sheer force of her release.

Chloe had no sense of time or place. Her mind no longer controlled her body’s movements as her hand continued to frantically rub her clit while Max, diligent Max, never once stopped driving the dildo inside her and Chloe honestly had absolutely no fucking idea if she came twice or this euphoric feeling was just a prolonged first orgasm. The only thing she did know was that her hand and most likely Max’s thighs were completely wet and that her legs could no longer support the lower half of her body.

The punk collapsed on the bed, heaving for air only to realise that at some point she must have bit into the bed sheets as well and was probably one of the reasons why she had trouble breathing.

Slowly but steadily, Chloe felt Max pull out before the brunette collapsed as well beside her, panting.

“Fucking hell. That was one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen.” Rachel broke the silence that had settled over them while the two women in front of her caught their breath. She’d be lying if she said that the show she had front row seats for, hadn’t sparked the fire inside her again but before she did something about it, she had other priorities to attend to.

Rachel leaned to the side and reached for a large bottle of water she had placed on her nightstand and offered it to Max who had already recovered and wiggled out of the strap.

“Thanks.” She said before taking three big sips of water.

“Chloe baby, are you with us?” Rachel moved to sit by the punk and helped her sit up, tucking blue locks of hair behind her ear and out of pale blue eyes that weren’t as glazed over as a few minutes ago.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure Max just tried to fuck the devil out of me.”

At hearing that, the photographer choked on her water from stifling her laugh before offering the water bottle to Chloe who gladly accepted and nearly emptied the whole thing.

“Did I succeed?” Max finally asked.

“You came close, I guess you’ll just have to try again…” Chloe joked and cast a flirtatious look at the brunette.

“Speaking of coming…Max, are you good?” Rachel turned to face her as well, hazel eyes roaming over freckled-scattered skin.

“I-um no, couldn’t get there.” Max said averting her gaze momentarily, still feeling wound up despite their small break.

“Well we can’t have that now, can we?” Rachel smirked and took her former position only this time fully lying down on the bed and motioning Max to come over.

“Move up.” Rachel gave Max’s ass a light smack when the brunette straddled her hips.

“Oh… you mean…” Max blinked at Rachel’s smug face.

“Yes Max, I want you to sit on my face.” Rachel stated and didn’t try to hide how pleased she looked when Max turned a wonderful shade of pink.

As Max lowered herself down, Rachel wrapped her arms around the brunette’s thighs for a better hold and wasted no time, going directly for Max’s clit and running the flat of her tongue against the sensitive bud.

“Rachel!” Max moaned her girlfriend’s name as her head fell forward, blue eyes trained on the woman between her legs while her hips began a gradual roll, trying to win as much of the contact as possible.

The brunette was steadily losing herself in the pleasure that Rachel was drawing out of her with every flick of her tongue when she felt a second warm body press against her back and a pair of hands caress their way up from her hips, up and up until they were cupping her breast and taking the left nipple between slender fingers.

Chloe seemed to have recovered enough to want to participate and so had moved to take her spot behind Max and run her hands over soft, pale skin. What she hadn’t accounted for though, was the effect the oscillating motion of Max’s hips would have on her as they pressed her ass against Chloe’s already sensitive clit.

The punk hissed at the contact and squeezed harder on Max’s breast and like a domino effect, elicited a moan from the brunette. However, despite the initial discomfort, Chloe found herself in pursuit of that friction which, to her surprise, was starting to get her worked up once more.

With the fire being rekindled inside her so did her teasing side and Chloe knew exactly how to put it to good use. She started placing small kisses along the length of Max’s shoulder, inching ever closer to her neck until she was nibbling on a sensitive spot right under the brunette’s ear.

Max couldn’t hold her voice back this time, one hand automatically flying out to hold onto blue strands of hair while the other flew down to land on blonde. A gasp tore through her throat when Chloe’s teeth grazed against her skin and sent a bolt of electricity to land right on her clit, which was currently between Rachel’s lips.

Max’s brain was struggling to register the multitude of sensations it was being assaulted with. Rachel’s tongue had made a strong come-back as the blonde swiftly swirled it around her clit. Chloe’s hands were still running rampant all over her body and she could feel the punk grinding up against her ass. And just when Max believed there was no way any more of her senses could skyrocket into overdrive, Chloe bit down just below her ear before feeling the punk’s next words brush on her skin which she was certain was burning as hot as the sun.

“How does it feel to have Rachel’s tongue inside you?” Chloe spoke in a playful tone but loud enough to be sure that the blonde could hear her as well before continuing. “I’m pretty sure it feels fuckin’ fantastic.” The punk smirked when she felt Max’s entire body tremble and shiver under her hold. “It’s good to know that apart from barking out orders, she can put it to good use.” Chloe made sure she locked eyes with Rachel when those words left her mouth.

Rachel on the other hand, shot her a blazing look as her eyebrows furrowed but other than that she was too preoccupied to be able to retort and wipe off the smug smile Chloe was sporting.

“R-rachel, Chloe…I-Oh God…” Max’s moans cut through their little power showdown like a hot knife slices butter, drawing two pair of eyes back on her. Orgasm finally in sight after all this wait, Max couldn’t stop it even if she tried. Just a bit more and…

Every nerve ending lit up when Chloe bit down on her neck the exact moment Rachel sucked on her clit as her tongue simultaneously swirled around it. Max clenched her fist on blue and blonde hair, holding on for dear life as she came hard. The muscles of her thighs trembled as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her and she felt like her brain was soaring above the clouds. She was grateful Chloe was behind her to keep her upright because Max wasn’t entirely sure that she would have been able to hold her own weight.

At first, Rachel made no attempt to move when she felt Max shiver above her. On the contrary she stayed there until she saw Max had regained her breath all the while running her tongue up the brunette’s thigh to clean her up, humming at the taste and how her girlfriend quivered whenever she took her in her mouth.

“Damn Rachel.” Chloe bit down on her lip as she kneeled back to allow Max to get off the blonde. “I wanna go for a ride too.” She said after seeing the blissed-out state Max was in and already having worked herself up from grinding against her.

“Ride’s closed for the night.” Rachel shot back before stretching the muscles in her jaw, feeling them ache with every movement. “Although, I hella need to come again.” The model admitted as she run her fingers through her sex, only to have them come back wet. Having had Max above her, writhing from something she was doing to her had started a fire in the pits of Rachel’s belly that spread faster than a forest fire.

“Say no more!” Chloe scrambled to get the strap that Max had used on her and fastened it on without wasting any time. “You good?” The punk paused for a moment to check in on the brunette who was lying next to Rachel with her forearm covering her eyes.

“Y-yeah. Just need a minute to remember what it feels like to have legs again.” Max said and felt Rachel chuckled beside her.

“You’re welcome.” The blonde pecked Max on the cheek before turning her attention back to Chloe who was now hovering above her and lining the dildo to her entrance.

“Mmm… Fuck .” Rachel groaned when she felt Chloe finally slip inside, her arms coming up to pull the punk down and seal their lips as Chloe bottomed out.

Chloe started thrusting languidly while littering Rachel’s neck with kisses. She would have gone harder, but her energy levels were critically low and so decided to take it slow by rolling her hips and meeting Rachel halfway as the blonde wrapped her legs around the punk’s waist and moved in sync with her.

Rachel usually preferred things a bit more fast-paced but even she had to admit that this was nice. It gave her the time to feel Chloe’s warm body pressed against hers and notice every little shift or feel the puffs of hot air on her skin as Chloe placed kiss after kiss on her neck and shoulder. It allowed Rachel to run her fingers through blue locks with one hand and down the dip of the punk’s spine with the other, feeling the muscles move beneath her fingertips as Chloe grinded against her.

“Chloe…” Rachel breathed out when a particular deep roll hit a spot inside her that had the blonde squeezing her legs tighter around the other’s waist.

The punk looked up upon hearing her name, hand coming up from where it had been resting on Rachel’s hip to cup the blonde’s cheek and lean in for a tender kiss.

It was in that moment, when Rachel was gradually losing herself in the kiss, that she felt another pair of lips on the side of her neck and soon Chloe’s lips were replaced by Max’s as the punk broke the kiss and rested her weight on her forearms, making space for the brunette to get closer.

With every swipe of Max’s tongue and every roll of Chloe’s hips, Rachel could feel the taut coil in the pits of her belly twist and tighten with every passing second. The tension building and building until the air in her lung was as thin as the cord keeping her together and maintaining a proper kiss became a thing of the past.

Max broke the kiss shortly after and immediately took Chloe’s lips, tongue swiping the roof of the punk’s mouth who physically shivered by the intensity of it.

Seeing her two partners make out just inches from her face and the constant pressure on all the right spots applied by the dildo was enough to sever the string and for Rachel to come with her girlfriend’s names spilling from her mouth.

“Chloe…Max…Oh fuck-“ Rachel couldn’t finish her sentence. Her breath caught in her throat as she threw her head back in pure ecstasy. It was as if every cell in her body had come to life and was dancing to the tempo of her erratic heartbeat.

Chloe and Max broke apart when they heard Rachel call out to them, watching closely as the woman in front of them trembled with her release. How the muscles in her neck strained as they arched to support her head, how her blonde hair fanned over the pillow like a gold halo and how the faintest of smiles appeared on Rachel’s lips as she savoured the remainder of her orgasm.

For Chloe, the visual alone was enough to tip her over the edge. Rachel digging her nails in her back and dragging them along the length of her spine was just the cherry on the top. This orgasm wasn’t as intense as the first but it was enough to have her vision momentarily blur and force her to rest her forehead on Rachel’s shoulder while Max’s fingers combed through her ruffled hair and massaged her scalp as she rode out her high before her arms finally gave out under her weight and the punk collapsed on the blonde.

“Hmpf.” Rachel grunted under the extra weight.

“Gimmie a m’nute. Gon’ move.” Chloe’s voice came muffled from where she rested, face hidden in the nook of Rachel’s neck as exhaustion fully settled in and every limb felt like it was embedded with lead.

Max fondly smiled at them before gingerly pulling Chloe towards her body so the punk would roll off Rachel and removing the strap for her since it seemed Chloe wasn’t about to start moving anytime soon.

In the meantime, Rachel had gotten up to wash off and bring a warm piece of wet cloth to wipe down Chloe who hummed in appreciation.

“Mmm feels nice.” She drawled, barely keeping her eyes open.

“Come here.” Max said as she turned to her and indicated for Chloe to shuffle closer when Rachel was done.

Max placed a small kiss on the punk’s head who snuggled closer and rested her arm on Max’s waist. Before sleep finally took her, Chloe felt a third warm body come and lie down behind her to cuddle her and wrap an arm around her middle.

“Love you both, so much.” Chloe managed to say in a sleep-coated voice before finally giving in to fatigue.

“We love you too.” Rachel answered in a soft voice before planting a kiss on the punk’s shoulder and feeling Max squeeze her hand that lay between Chloe’s and the brunette’s bodies.

Chloe fell into a deep sleep with a smile on her face, surrounded by warmth and her two favourite people.