"The other Mai's want to meet you," Jasmine told Chloe, using her Pride Leader tone. The one Chloe found she had been using the most since her mothers death. Chloe looked at her, and than to Alek who was sitting beside Jasmine at the round coffee table.
"Meet me?" Chloe asked confused. Chloe had been the uniter for months now, and the other Mai's had never showed any interest in meeting her.
"Yes, they need to meet you. The Uniter," she states, sternly as if Chloe had forget. Chloe had no problem with meeting new people. She even liked to believe she had good people skills. Interpersonal.
"The pride leaders are coming, right?" Alek asked or stated, Chloe couldn't tell. He had been quiet watching Chloe relax during her break. Chloe sipped her coffee in, trying to hide her frown. She wasn't up to meeting any pride leaders. They'd expect something out of her, and she hardly ever reached peoples expectations.
"Some pride leaders," Jasmine told Alek, "but mostly random Mai." She had said the rest looking at Chloe as if it would sooth her. Chloe bit her lip, nodding her head. She didn't want to do this, but nevertheless agreed. She would do this for Jasmine, for Valentina.
"We still have Mai training." Alek told her, while reaching for Jasmines cup of coffee, and taking a sip. Chloe tried to hide her grin behind her coffee cup.
"Will you be joining?" Chloe asked, watching as Jasmine frowned at Alek, and took her cup back, whipping the rim.
"I cant have to get everything ready," she said frowning a little. Chloe smiled at her showing her some sympathy. Chloe could tell that Jasmine didn't enjoy being the pride leader. She was too young, Chloe knew she wanted to go out with Alek and her more often but being the pride leader was taxing.
"So when's the party happening?" Chloe asked taking the lid off of her to go coffee cup, and sipped on all the leftover coffee.
"In two days," She told her, Chloe's eyes went wide not understanding how someone could plan an up class party in two days.
"It'll only be a 100 or less," Jasmine told her, when she say Chloe's wide eyed, shocked expression. Chloe watched as Jasmine frowned, disappointed in her self. Not in Chloe, but in herself. Probably thinking about her mother, and how much guests her mother could get.
"Less the better," Chloe told her smiling. "What needs to be done in the next two days?"
Jasmine smiles at Chloe before saying "Well we need to get you a new dress." Chloe nodded her head, and motioned for her to continue.
Jasmine looked towards Alek, who was tapping his foot on the ground, in an upbeat rhythm, before turning back to Chloe and saying, "have you ever seen Alek's room?"
Chloe glances at Alek for a second, and watches as smirk appear on his lip, Chloe shook her head no quickly, knowing Alek was about to say some snide comment. She sighs in relief of beating Alek, but hears him whisper "soon" with his smirked up lips. Chloe turns on him and gives him a look, and watches as his smirk grew bigger.
If Jasmine heard that she didn't say anything, and continues, "No ones home to clean up, so our whole apartment looks like Alek's room, and you don't want to see that." Chloe chuckles at this comment.
"Yes," Alek said, "she does." He turned to Chloe giving her a little wink. Chloe roles her eyes, and Jasmine groans.
"So," Jasmine says after taking a sip of her black coffee, "no training tomorrow." Chloe watches as Alek's mouth opens, but Chloe quickly cuts him off and asks why.
"When need to get dresses," she says turning to Chloe, and than back to Alek, "and your coming with."
Alek groans loudly, dropping his head onto the table, before asking why.
"Because I'm off Uniter duty, I'm going shopping too," Jasmine tells Alek, who groans again.
"Ask Daniel," he says grumply. Chloe opens her mouth to tell him to suck it up, but Lena her boss calls her, telling her break is over with. Chloe slides out of her seat, and walks back to work, waving goodbye to them. Chloe smiled smugly let Jasmine deal with Alek. Chloe zoned her hearing to Alek's and Jasmine's converastion as she walked back to work.
"Do you really want another boy, Mai, watch over Chloe, as she prances around in dresses?" Chloe hears Jasmine asks. She stops in her tracks, her grip tightening on her coffee cup.
"Chloe, get to work!" Lena screeches from the cash register. Chloe nods her head, heading back towards the rack of clothes she has to reorganizing, zoning her hearing back onto Alek and Jasmine. But when she did, she heard silence. Chloe turned around in the direction of her friends, to find just Jasmine sitting there, watching Chloe. Her thumbs up, gesturing that Alek was coming. Chloe turned back to work, wondering what Alek had responded with.
Chloe quickly locked the door of the store, regretting volunteering to stay late. She shoved the key into her bag, tugging on the gate, making sure it was locked properly before spinning around.
Straight into Alek.
"Wow," Alek says stepping back, his hands on her shoulder, settling her. "Watch out King."
Chloe quickly turns away from, and starts heading home. Her feet hurt, her back hurt, her whole body hurt. She wanted to go have a hot bath, with bubbles preferably. Chloe feels Alek's presence behind her, and walks faster. But Alek being Alek matches her pace, and they quickly end up at a crosswalk waiting for the light to turn red.
"Chloe," Alek whispers right behind her, his mouth by her ear.
"What?" She whispers back, finding that her voice sounded breathless. She frowns, disappointed in her self, and pushes Alek back, and continues to walk across the street.
"Why's kitten mad?" He asks, pouting his lips. Chloe ignores him, and continues to walk down the street. Cursing herself for finding a job so far away from home. After a couple of moments of silence, Chloe feels Alek tug on her arm.
"What?" She asks spinning around.
"Training," he states and pulls her across the street, and in front of the park they were at yesterday. Chloe looks down at her attire and was thankful she wasn't to dressed up, knowing from previous training sessions with Alek that he wasn't going to go easy on her.
"Are you looking forward to the party?" Alek asks unbuttoning his shirt, and than pulling it over his head, revealing his well toned torso. Chloe bites her lip, watching as he unbuttons his jeans, and slowly pulling them down, revealing a pair of gym shorts. How boys could walk around with shorts under there jeans, Chloe would never know.
"Chloe?" Alek asks concerned.
"Not really, " she says frowning. She slowly pulls off her sweater, and throws it down on Alek's pile of clothes. Chloe hated when people fussed over her. She couldn't find the point of it, she wasn't that important. So she had the title of the Uniter. Alek could be a better Uniter than her, and that's saying something since he hates humans. Well Brian at least. Chloe's heart clenches, at the thought of him.
"I'm sorry that Jasmine is acting like this," he pauses and than continues "I guess she wants everything perfect so people will trust her with being the pride leader."
Chloe nods her head understanding, and starts stretching. But Chloe finds its more. She could see the spark in her eyes when she talks about her job. But Chloe knew the spark wasn't from loving the job. It was because of her mother.
"For her mom," Chloe mumbled out. She watched as Alek head popped up from his stretch, and he nodded agreeing with her statement.
They decided for today they'd work on her stamina, and after many exercises, races and such he ended the training session, and walked her home. Alek held open her window for her, motioning for her to go in. When she was in safely and was about to close the window, Alek said.
"Looking forward to shopping tomorrow, ill help you change into you dresses."
Chloe laughed a little, shaking her head, before saying "in your dreams."
He winked at her, and Chloe's hand tightened on the window seal, "yes, it most definitely will."
Chloe stared at herself in the dressing room mirror, the dress she had on was her faviourte out of all the ones she had tried on today. And that was a lot. It was a ruby red that constricted nice with her pale skin. It hugged her hips, and chest in the most comfortable way, without showing to much. The dress came just a few inches above her knee, and Chloe found that when she moved in the light the dress seemed to come off as a metallic red, with a little shine to it.
"Can I come in?" Jasmine asked, knocking once on the dressing room door. Chloe took one last look at herself in the mirror and unlocked her door.
"Ill just come out," she told her. Chloe heard Jasmines steps, as she stepped back, and Chloe opened the door.
"Chloe you look beautiful," she sighed, motioning for her to turn. Chloe spun around, estatic that Jasmine approved. "If they don't like you for your personality your appearance will be sure to win them over."
Chloe's laugh was interpreted by Alek, "come out from the dressing room area, so I can see." Chloe bit her lip. Alek had been told that he wasn't aloud to go back into the dressing room area, which was a long hallway of dressing rooms.
"Coming," Chloe mumbled before, walking away from Jasmine and out towards Alek. She left her self conscious behind, and head held high walked out of the dressing room area.
"Miss," a young lady bustled out to her. Chloe stopped in her tracks, one eyebrow raised.
"You cant leave the dressing room, its policy." The women frowned.
"Of course," Chloe said dumbly, "but." And she pointed towards Alek, who hadn't noticed she left the changing room area.
"Oh," the women squeaked, eyeing Alek up and down," boyfriend?"
Chloe began to shake her head, but Alek came along and wrapped his arm around her waist, and smiled at the young lady. The women blushed and turned away, telling Chloe she must be back in the change area in less than five, if she didn't want trouble. Once the lady left, Chloe jumped out of Alek's embrace, and crossed her arms over her chest.
Alek who now had time to look at her, slowly from the feet and up stared at her dressed clad body. Following every curve of her body, and Chloe felt as if she was naked. When he was finally finished his apprehension for her body, he looked into her eyes. His brown ones churning with an unknown emotion, as he stared into hers.
"You clean up well King." Alek told her giving her lazy once over. Chloe roled her eyes, and turned to Jasmine who was now holding a bag in her hand. Chloe raised her eye brow at the bag, and Jasmine explained it was her dress. Chloe sighed at told her she could've waited for Chloe.
Chloe ran back into her change room, and shredded herself of the ruby dress, she got dressed as quick as she could, and hurried out of the change room ready to buy the dress.
"After this we need to stop by a party store." Jasmine told her as Alek swiped his credit card to pay for her dress. Chloe had brought money, but both Alek and Jasmine insisted that they pay for it.
"What are we going to buy from there?" Chloe asked plucking the bag off the counter as they thanked the cash register person, before moving to leave the store. "Buy a banner that says Meet The Uniter?" Chloe asked swerving past rushed people. Chloe roled her eyes at them, and continued "Cause I don't know what would make The Order jump me fast, that sign or-"
"Or you in a bikini," Alek said cutting off Chloe.
"Way to ruin my analogy," she groaned punching his shoulder.
Chloe slipped on her red ruby dress, making sure it didn't mess up her large golden curls, that were put in a pony tail, so the dress doesn't ruin it. Chloe pulled out the hair tie, and watched in the mirror has her hair cascaded down. She felt as if she wasn't in her own body, all day long she watched herself get prepared and now she wanted to go have a warm bath than sleep.
Today was the day of the big party.
The one with a 100 Mai's or less. Chloe was banking on the less part, but new it futile to even get her hopes up. Today she would have to act as if she was The Uniter, not Chloe King. Chloe had always been The Uniter she had known that but she never was treated like one. And she liked it that way. As Alek was outside greeting everyone, Jasmine got her ready, making sure everything was in order, and than preparing herself. She quickly did their makeup because Chloe hardly wore any, and didn't know the first thing about it.
When there finally finished, Alek calls everyone to middle of the room, and pulls me towards the crowd, pulling me straight to the middle. Her frowns in sympathy for me, before murmuring "beautiful."
Chloe pretend not to hear, because there was a chance he was talking about the other Mai girls surrounding them. Chloe had thought the party would consist of older women and man, in pinstripe suits but clearly was wrong. There was people of all ages, dressed up elegantly. Chloe turned to Alek, to find he was wearing a white button up shirt, with dress pants and a suit jacket. She was mesmerized at how casual he looked, and how handsome he was. Her cheeks turned scarlet when he noticed her stare, and winked.
"This is the Uniter," Alek says in a loud booming voice, "Chloe King."
"I've heard about a human, you've been dating," an older women asked Chloe.
Chloe nodded looking at Alek who had been by her side all night. Chloe watches as he tenses for a second before shrugging his shoulders.
"Yes," Chloe tells the elderly lady, " I was."
The women gave Chloe a look of disgust, clearly wanting to say something crude, but controls her self seeing as I am The Uniter. Chloe frowns biting her lip, her eyes becoming watery, and she quickly excuses herself. She turned down a hallway, the exact one she had walked down hours ago. She turned towards Jasmines room, and reached for the door. But before her hand could even touch the knob, Alek's hand is there. He doesn't open the door, just stands there behind her. Chloe turns around, and gives him a questioning look. He slowly pulls his hand away, but doesn't move back from the close space between them.
"Chloe," he sighs.
"Alek,"
"Whets wrong Chloe?" Clearly he doesn't understand or wasn't listening to past conversations.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to say about Brian." She tells him, looking past him towards the crowd of socializing Mai.
"Lie," he tells her.
Chloe gives him a look before saying, "I don't want to lie."
"Than tell them you've made a mistake, and your over him. And that you realize the importance of uniting." he tells her. But than quickly adds, "that's the truth right?"
Chloe nods smiling, because it was the truth. She had made a mistake and maybe she wasn't completely over him but that was a different story. Alek smiles down at her, and motions for her to come back to the party.
After many conversations with the Mai leaderss, Chloe was able to relax and talk to Mai's her own age. Especially the boys. Chloe chuckled a little thinking about what Amy's reaction would be, if so many boys were in one room. So many good-looking boys.
Each conversation, Chloe had with a boy Mai, Alek would become so tense and give the males looks that would kill. He was protective, like a dog peeing more than once a fire hydrogen. Deep down Chloe was kinda happy about Alek's reaction the boys, and how protective he was over her. But every time she'd talk to a boy, Alek would scare them away. They'd glance up at Alek every couple of seconds, before finally stuttering a good bye.
So finally, enough was enough.
"Alek, can I please talk to Ryan on my own." She asks nicely batting her eyelashes up at him. Alek doesn't budge, he just continues to stare down the boy.
"Come on, Mr. Cranky Pants," I say trying hard to get his attention.
"I didn't know I changed my last name," he says looking away from Ryan and back at her. She smiles, as if she'd won something. He nods his head, glaring once more at Ryan, before walking away towards a group of girls. Girls who had been giggling, and giving him googly eyes every time he pasted by them. Chloe glares at his back, thinking, and knowing he could do better.
"How does it feel to be The Uniter?" Ryan asks, causing her to turn away for Alek's disappearing form.
Chloe stops for a moment, thinking about her answer. She was The Uniter, and she couldn't just runaway from the title. It was hers and only hers.
"I don't know, just started," she smiled, "ill let you know when I've accomplished my goal."
A/N if you want to see Alek's , Chloe's, and Jasmines outfit for the night. Go check my profile.
A/N2: Ryan will show up later on in this story.
