Tuesday, October 8

I woke up this morning a different person. Even if nobody knows yet. After yesterday's intense revelations with my rewind power and saving Chloe's life among the other cray cray (as Victoria might say say) events at Blackwell, I have to assume everything is different now. And I thought exposing my photos to the world was going to be hard. After Chloe dropped me off back at my dorm yesterday, I tried to find out more about that freak snowfall that happened when we were at the lighthouse, but the local meteorologists are stumped so far. I felt so jacked up that I pulled an all-nighter on time and physics research. Not being Warren I ended up knowing less about my situation than when I started... I don't really think that my tornado vision and the snowfall are connected, but at this point I have no fucking clue what to believe. I'm just so glad Chloe and I are a team again. That has to be destiny. Now I have to hit the showers and get ready to meet Chloe for breakfast. Lord knows I need it. I ran into Kate in the showers and she asked for "The October Country" back. I love that book and definitely need to get my own copy. Of course when I was in the shower, Victoria and Taylor barged in and totally started ragging on poor Kate about the video. Just to be complete assholes they wrote the link on the mirror. I truly don't understand how they get off on acting like that. Victoria has EVERYTHING. What does she gain by being a bully to Kate Marsh? We're supposed to be adults here, but I swear it's like "Battle Royale" - just without the dystopia and exploding heads. Only Victoria could make me feel dirty in a shower. The plot thickens. And I can't get out.So after listening to Victoria and Taylor rag on Kate about the video, I came back to my room to find this creepy photomontage. Only Nathan would be this disturbed.

The thought that Nathan was in here actually setting up this weird gallery is way fucked up. I better start being more careful around here. I almost want a surveillance system now...As if things here weren't dramatic enough, I got a creepy text from a private number. Nathan? Victoria? No clue. I really have to start watching my back. I still had to give Kate's book back, so I went to her room. I knew she wasn't doing good, but I didn't know how bad until I went in. All the lights were off, blinds closed, like some emo-goth den. And Kate is the opposite of emo or goth. She was just crying in the dark, and it was so sad to see her like this. More sad is that I wished I could take a picture of her framed in her expressionist misery. Kate admitted that she thinks something more happened to her than just a video. Plus she told me that Nathan Prescott gave her a ride from the party to the ER... and she thinks he did something to her, but she doesn't remember what. It's hard not to believe Kate considering what kind of person she is and what kind of person Nathan is. I've seen for myself exactly what that fucker is capable of. Of course, Kate asked if she should go to the police and the principal...

I felt like absolute shit, but I told Kate she shouldn't go to anybody until she has more proof she was drugged. That video doesn't help her case at all and this could all backfire big time. She's going up against the whole Prescott empire, not just one rich white boy on dope. She wasn't too thrilled by my answer. I don't think she trusts me to be the one investigating all this... How can I blame her? I sometimes wonder what I am actually doing, besides getting myself in more trouble... Kate even booted me out of her room. Hello, "Everyday Hero"!

I ran into Warren-or rather, Warren was waiting to run into me. Naturally he wanted to know what the hell happened in the parking lot with "The Chloe and Nathan Show." Once again, I felt like a dick because I should have gotten ahold of Warren to see if he was okay after we just left him in the lot... I do owe Warren. I only told him a little about what was going on with Nathan. The less he knows, the better for him. I would love to at least tell him about my ability to fucking reverse time and space, but ironically I don't think it's the right time or space... Besides, he would want to marry me immediately, just so he could have his own human time machine. Or capture me for scientific experiments... Or make me go to the drive-in with him.

Oh wait... I did say I would go to the drive-in with him. Hope he doesn't make a lame move on me... (Not that he would, egomaniac.) Warren and I do have a lot in common, but he's like a supercool geek brother... Anyway, I definitely need a movie escape.

Before catching the bus out to meet Chloe I saw Nathan talking to David, which made me nervous. Otherwise I had a nice soundtracked ride to the Two Whales Diner. Talk about going back in time... I haven't seen the diner in five years, but it looks exactly the same. Although now there are way less fishermen and way more dumped food carts than when we were kids. Chloe and I had the best backdrop to play pirate: old ships and a big ocean. Chloe was late (duh!) so I was happy to be distracted by seeing Joyce again. The diner is like a museum piece, except with customers. Better still, the food hasn't changed at all. Joyce seemed really glad to see me again and she didn't give me a guilt trip for not staying in touch. After William died, she wanted to move forward with a new life and husband. Chloe doesn't want to accept that.

Joyce naturally gave me shit for corrupting Chloe with my "devil weed", though I'm not sure she even believed it was mine. What could I say? I can see she actually loves David-even if I don't see how. The breakfast was so worth the grief though.

So much drama and I haven't even finished my breakfast! Finally Chloe showed up, more bubbly than I would have thought after almost getting killed in a bathroom yesterday. It makes me happy to see her smile. But that smile meant trouble, since all she really wanted was for me to show off my rewind power. So I did and I have to admit, I felt like a total boss. Except I did start feeling weak and woozy the more I rewound. I even got a nosebleed, which kinda freaked me out. Chloe always wants more, so she demanded we go to her top-secret lair...

She still had to get pissed off at me because I dared to answer Kate's call. I'm not a fan of Chloe's petulant side. She tried to make me feel like an ass, but screw that. Kate was so happy I answered I actually felt worse for her. Chloe has to know I can have two friends at once...

Just when I thought shit couldn't get crazier. Chloe took me to her secret lair: the city dump. Perfect for Halloween... like where the vehicle and appliance ghosts of Arcadia Bay come to rot and rust. Urban dystopia porn. But, instead of taking cool photos, Chloe had me do some silly kinda fun gun tricks. Until the guy Chloe owes money to showed up. Some skeevy guy called Frank. He demanded Chloe pay him back... or else. I was shocked that he wasn't the loan shark I had expected, but I could literally feel his bad vibe. I still can't see how my best friend ended up involved with a loser like Frank.

Things gots truly crazy when Frank took Chloe's gun (or should I say David's gun?) and now we have to worry about one more lunatic after Chloe...and maybe me...

Chloe really flipped out when she saw that Frank was wearing one of Rachel Amber's bracelets. That means we definitely have another suspect...

This is so not how I intended to spend my time back in Arcadia Bay.

After all that dramarama volume xxxiii, Chloe and I ended up taking a walk along the tracks deep in the woods. We both needed to hear nothing but the sounds of nature and wildlife... I was shaking inside from our encounter with Frank and though Chloe fronts tough, I could tell she was shaken too. She told me everything about Frank-which explains why she was trying to blackmail Nathan. It shocks me that the girl I grew up with watching "SpongeBob" ended up in such a scary orbit. Still, I felt safer with her at my side and I was glad we had a moment of peace. So it probably wasn't the best idea to lay down on the tracks and wax about life, etc.-as Chloe's leg got caught in the rail just as the goddamn train showed up. Of course I was off trying to take a photo for my portfolio... and then I had another quick flash of my tornado vision. I could see it, almost feel it, tearing the sky apart... My head felt like it was exploding, like in that 80's film "Scanners." Just as fast as the vision came in, it disappeared. I may be in denial about what this apocalyptic image means... or doesn't... Then I heard Chloe SCREAMING for help. And I was shittin' kittens. Her foot was stuck in the damn rail and naturally the train was comin' round the mountain. I was pretty proud of myself for coming up with a drastic (if not destructive) solution to saving Chloe-ONCE AGAIN-but just in case this journal ever falls into the wrong hands, it's going to remain our BFF secret. So there. Our morning adventure over, Chloe dropped me off back at my campus. She was so sweet and said that this had been the best week of her life... despite everything. That made me feel so AWESOME! Chloe really sees us like we're taking over the world... but what if I hadn't been able to use my rewind power to get her off of the tracks? Chloe might have to lower her expectations... and so will I.

Speaking of expectations, David Madsen stopped to talk to me without being a total prick. I thought he was going to bust me for taking the heat for Chloe's weed, but we just talked a little...and for the first time, I felt kind of sorry for David. He is a veteran...I know he probably saw awful things in combat. He said he doesn't want to fight with Chloe or me. But all the shit he's pulled and treating Kate like she's a suspect...just makes it hard to get along. But I promise to try. For world peace.

Something odd happened - as if EVERYTHING happened isn't bizarro - but I saw Kate having an intense conversation with Mr. Jefferson and she ended up practically running away from him in tears. I wish I could have casually asked, "Oh by the way, what's up with Kate?" (Like he would tell me anyway.) I know Kate treats Jefferson like he's an apostle or something... so what did he say to make her so upset? Just when I was feeling good about Chloe and me, I walk into Jefferson's class and see Nathan and Victoria actually sitting on my desk. Unreal... Asshole bookends.

Kate Marsh almost killed herself.

My hands are still shaking, but I have to write this down while I can. Right at the start of Jefferson's class, Kate went to the roof of the girls' dorm to jump. Every student and teacher was watching her, like it was a Blackwell rooftop concert.

I saw her actually jump, but I was just about able to use my rewind to get her back on the roof. I tried harder than I ever did and somehow I stopped time completely... I made it to the roof, but again my head felt like it was going to blow up... I knew that I couldn't just keep rewinding to save Kate. I had to try and talk her down on my own.

She was already in so much pain over the video and all the bullying, so she wasn't going to buy everything I tried to tell her. You see movies with people trying to talk somebody out of suicide, but it's very different when I'm the one doing the talking. I covered everything I could and Kate almost jumped anyway. Cliché or not, I told her how much her friends and family love her, even if they don't show all show it now.

Lo and behold, Kate stepped back from the ledge. Alive. I almost cried in her arms.

I know this isn't about me - though I have to admit it was an amazing feeling to walk arm in arm with Kate from the roof to outside the dorm. Like I said, the whole school - and police - were watching us almost completely silent. Then I heard what sounded like Logan yelling out, "Give it up for Max!" and everybody started to clap and cheer. Talk about surreal... the people who ignored me or treated me like crap suddenly crushing on me. That might be the strangest thing that's happened to me this insane week...

And that made me wonder if Victoria was watching and how she felt about all this. I almost wanted to find her... just to get in her smug face for enabling Kate's suicide attempt. Such cruel bullshit. Though, to be fair, Victoria wasn't the only one that was responsible... Nathan Prescott seemed to have disappeared... Which was probably a good thing.

And after all that I still had to talk to the police and give a statement. Felt so weird to do since I've seen it in pretty much every police procedural show. I had to lie my ass off when he questioned me about the other students, because I just don't think the police are ever going to find out what happened. Yes, this looks like a job for SUPER MAX. Right. Though of course, I do love it when Chloe calls me that, even if I don't feel that everyday heroic for helping Kate down... Maybe it's wrong for me to think I have to feel anything but grateful that Kate didn't jump...

What was really odd was when all the students and faculty staff surrounded me and Kate, then started patting our backs and shoulders...like we were heroes.

I wasn't sure how to respond, considering Kate almost threw herself off the roof because of everybody at school. But like I said, I can't blame everybody... and I still don't really know where to point all my fingers...

The very best thing was that even though Kate was still in tears and confused... I definitely saw her smile once she realized how happy everybody was that she was alive. I smiled too. The police and paramedics swooped in and then Kate was covered in a blanket and gently escorted to the ambulance. They didn't thank me or look at me like I was a hero. I guess they're used to saving people without applause...

But if I'm super honest... it felt pretty cool. Like I got a hug from the whole school. So, maybe Blackwell Academy isn't totally bad...

It's not enough that Kate is alive, and though I'm not enough of an egomaniac to take the credit, I still had to get the Blackwell third-degree from Principal Wells. It was bizarre to be in his tacky office with Nathan Prescott, David Madsen and Mr. Jefferson calmly talking about why Kate would attempt suicide. I was quiet but giddy inside, just replaying in my head the moment when Kate stepped toward me with a glimmer of hope in her eyes...

Part of me wanted to smash Nathan's smug face against the desk, knowing he had a lot to do with Kate's suicide attempt. I thought about doing it, then flipping a quick rewind, but I knew that would be the start of a bad, dangerous habit.

Fortunately, Principal Wells amazingly did the right thing and BOOTED Nathan for a few days, after I told him what happened in the bathroom. He must have more shit on Nathan, because otherwise I doubt this would happen to a Prescott. That's some small justice for Kate. There'll be more, if it's the last thing I do. Which it could be if I'm not careful...

After being grilled in the principal's den, I hung out with Warren on the lawn so I could feel grass under my feet and watch the fluffy clouds. He's such a sweetheart, he kept telling me how proud he was that I stopped Kate from jumping. I don't believe that I did, but I have to say it's better to be treated like a hero at school than like a twee loser.

Still, I told Warren that something ominous is happening at Blackwell Academy. Rachel Amber, Chloe and now Kate have all been victims. Not to mention me, if I keep playing amateur detective. Wish I could have let Warren know about my power, but it's not the right time... as if anything is the right time anymore.

And to make the day end on the most surreal note possible, the sky went dark and we watched a solar eclipse that was not announced on the news or any astronomy site.

What is happening to Arcadia Bay?