Five years and no sign?

[Raine]

Hello everyone,

my wife and me, we just got a very interesting argument at the breakfast table.
Now, we all know that Max lived in Seattle for five years, and we all have seen that Max didn't recognize Chloe in the bathroom at school. So to me, this looks like they never shared a word, never sent any photos whatsoever in these five years.
Why? I mean this game is set at least in the new millenium meaning, they for sure had the means of communication at hand, mobile phones, internet...heck, at least a telephone, right?

Here are some questions to further analzye this:

1. Between Seattle and Arcadia Bay, which I think is located somewhere around the real life Cannon Beach, Oregon, the distance is about 200 Miles...why didn't they visit each other during the holidays? The distance can be travelled within four hours by car. I think, we all can agree that, while Chloe and Max were close, their parents respectively were close as well.

2. In these five years the only (known to me) communication were a postcard. Seriously?

3. One thing we can clearly rule out is that Chloe and her mother (let alone her father) have moved somewhere else. Because Max clearly states that "the house looks still the same"....

So, to sum this up:

Why, in your opinion, didn't they talk to each other via phone, email or whatever? What prevents them from communicating. They were BFFs back in their childhood days, so this to me makes no sense, talking from my personal experience, even I from time to time have a scmalltalk with my best friend who I "left" back in my hometown....

Your opinions, guys.

Kind Regards

Zero

[Remy]

As Max puts it in the first episode "she would've contacted Chloe but she kept putting it off for another time", also add to the fact that Chloe was still grieving. Maybe some backstory will be revealed in the final episode?

[TreeTrunk]

When Max and Chloe are in the same car together in Episode 1, I remember you getting to choose what to say in regards to Max not recognising Chloe in the Bathroom, I think I chose to say "I wasn't sure it was you"... Also I think Chloe gets angry about Max not contacting her, because Max left her so Chloe thinks it was Max's responsibility to contact her, and Max apologizes saying she was busy or something (I think Max was travelling the world)?

Also Chloe had a new best friend during most of that time too, so I don't know maybe they just kind of never thought of contacting each other...

Also in Ep. 3 alt. timeline, William says "we though we'd never see you again after you left for the big city". So while it's only 200 miles, maybe Max and her parents were just so caught up in this 'big city' where it is perceived so much is going on.

Though I do agree it's quite weird, maybe it has something to do with Max being stuck in some sort of timeloop? Maybe it's as crazy as Rachel is Max, or the homeless woman is Max, who knows.

[Boss]

This happens all the time between girls who are BFF's at such a young age. Max left Chloe which would've felt like a betrayal to her. Someting as simple as that can be the end of your friendship. For my sister and her BFF it was enough that they went to different schools and made new friends there (which caused some jealously). Even though they still lived almost right next to each other they ended up not talking to each other for years.

It takes years to build up a solid friendship and it can end with just one action/moment. For Max & Chloe this happened when Max moved away (and after William died as well, so it would've felt even more as a betrayal because that's when Chloe needed her the most).

[Elyzian]

Originally posted by ZeroEnna:

So, to sum this up:

Why, in your opinion, didn't they talk to each other via phone, email or whatever? What prevents them from communicating. They were BFFs back in their childhood days, so this to me makes no sense, talking from my personal experience, even I from time to time have a scmalltalk with my best friend who I "left" back in my hometown....

Your opinions, guys.

Zero

It's just a storytelling trick to introduce the character of Max as a shy personn who fear to call her best friend. To show from the start of the game the lack of confidence she has. No big mysteries behind it.

Originally posted by Bas:

This happens all the time between girls who are BFF's at such a young age. Max left Chloe which would've felt like a betrayal to her. Someting as simple as that can be the end of your friendship. For my sister and her BFF it was enough that they went to different schools and made new friends there (which caused some jealously). Even though they still lived almost right next to each other they ended up not talking to each other for years.

It takes years to build up a solid friendship and it can end with just one action/moment. For Max & Chloe this happened when Max moved away (and after William died as well, so it would've felt even more as a betrayal because that's when Chloe needed her the most).

Yes you're right, there is no theory or anything there, it's just life.

[Lonesomepoet]

There are a few things that could account for it

1 Right before William leaves for the last time Chloe says " max is never leaving me " ; of course shiortly after that William is dead and Max moves and Joyce hooks up with David creating quite an emotional storm of hurt,anger,sadness and denial so Chloe wouldnt really be in the best state to contact Max ( if she wanted to ). Max on the other hand might not know what to say or write and feel akward at best during the converstion.

2 Life has a way of getting in the way of friendships . It doesnt matter if its different high school cliques , moving or just not having enough time in the day sometimes you just lose contact with people you know even BFFs .

3 Rachel Amber. This kind of ties into point 1 since its clear Rachel came across Chloe when Chloe was at a low point . When you are in a dark place and someone comes along and shows you the light there is a very special bond created and for Chloe that person was Rachel . This would give Chloe very little incentive to contact Max who was making new friends of her own or didnt know what to say/write

[muff]

obviously wrote max many letters to chloe in the alternative timeline but NOT ONE in the normal...

[Mirage]

Max has a text on her phone from William in the alternate timeline, telling Max she can contact Max on this phone and Chloe would like to hear from her or something, but Max doesn't say reply anything for half a year or something.

[S-COLT PILGRIM]

I agree with your "Why didn't they contact each other analysis" but No.3 - wmaybe what she meant was they didn't change anything since she left for the city (like painting the house or change the looks etc etc)?

And about Max not recognizing chloe its because she dye her hair, we have no prior photos of Chloe either. up for debate though.

Originally posted by Mirage:

Max has a text on her phone from William in the alternate timeline, telling Max she can contact Max on this phone and Chloe would like to hear from her or something, but Max doesn't say reply anything for half a year or something.

Max might have a different personality in that timeline, just like Chloe. in episode 4 Chloe stated that her friend she hang out with the most Megan Weaver became "too cool for school" the same line she used on herself.