A/N Well here's the next update!! Thank you all for the reviews! I love them!! I hope you all enjoy this update!

~Axelrocks~

Chapter 4

"What are we going to do next?" She asked, as she swung her legs and concentrated on the ground in front of her.

I looked at her then. "Well we can walk the rest of the way. Or we can jump in front of a bus and hope it stops."

She laughed at this. Hmm, maybe I did have a sense of humor after all. And yes, two for me! Beat that Simon. Oh, wait, he probably did. Oh well, I'll keep trying.

She spoke. "I like the first idea better, as long as you give me a couple minutes to rest, that is." She smiled sheepishly at me. I could tell she was still tired.

I leaned back, then realized nothing was there behind me so I scrambled to sit back up. Phew! That was close.

Chloe was laughing beside me. Well actually she was laughing at me, and this time I hadn't meant to be funny. I was just glad I hadn't fallen flat on my back and saved myself from complete and utter embarrassment. That was the last thing I wanted to do right now. Embarrass myself in front of Chloe.

Suddenly she became serious and she looked at me like she was seeing me for the first time.

"Derek, why do you seem so different?"

I looked at her confused. "What do you mean?" Different? Different how? Did something sprout on my face overnight, is that what was different?

She sighed. "It's nothing bad. But when Simon and Tori are around you seem more to...yourself. But now you seem so open, and I'm seeing a side of you I've never seen before."

"Does it bother you, Chloe?" I mumbled.

"No!" She exclaimed. "No, Derek, of course not! I'm glad you talk to me so much. I really am!" Her voice got lower. "I just wanted to know why you are like that with just...me."

Her voice kept getting lower, and if I didn't have extremely good hearing I wouldn't have heard her at all.

Then there was silence, until I decided to answer her.

"I just feel real comfortable around you." And that was the truth. I talked to her, while with anyone else I would have been silent.

"But aren't you comfortable with Simon? I mean he is your brother after all."

"Of course I'm comfortable with him, he is my family. But I don't know Chloe, you're just different."

She looked down. "Oh."

Opps. I think I must have just said something wrong. She looked kind of hurt. I better fix that.

"No, Chloe, I'm sorry. I meant that you are different in a good way! I've never met anyone like you." I placed a hand on hers, then quickly withdrew it. She would have probably snatched her hand away if I hadn't moved it first.

She smiled at me. "Thank you, Derek." She leaned forward, like she was going to hug me, but then she stopped. Probably realized what she was doing. I didn't blame her, it was me after all. I was nothing like Simon.

Then it was silent, an uncomfortable one. So of course I had to break it. Yepp, that's me. Derek the silence breaker!

"So...um are you rested enough. Do you want to get going?" I stood up and looked at her, hoping she was ready. I wanted to leave this place behind.

"Oh yeah, I'm ready. We can go." She quickly hopped off the log and began walking. I turned and followed her. Great. I hope it's not going to be this uncomfortable for the rest of the trip.

But that problem was easily solved, because once we got on the road Chloe asked me a question.

"So when do you think we're going to get there?" She looked at the sky.

I looked up at the sky with her, the sun was slowly sinking in the sky. We might be lucky if we got there before dark. And that's what I told her.

She smiled to herself. "You know I like this."

"Like what?" I asked her, curious.

She took her eyes off the sky and looked at me. "This walking. It doesn't make me feel that we are on the run. It just feels like I'm out on a walk. A long walk."

"Yea," I said, agreeing with her. These past couple days have made me feel like I was in a different world. No Lyle House. No Edison Group. No nothing, and it felt nice. It felt really nice. And for once I was glad I had listened to her walking idea.

"So what do you think Simon and Tori are doing right now?" She broke me out of my thoughts.

"I don't know, but I envy them."

"Why?"

I smiled. "Because I bet they've been sleeping in nice, comfortable beds and stuffing their faces with food. Real food, not smashed granola bars."

"Lucky them." She brushed my arm with hers. I held my breath. Had she done that on purpose? Why was she walking so close to me? Why would she want to anyways? Too many questions reeled through my mind and all she had done was brush her arm against mine. I needed help. Bad.

"Yea..." That was fast becoming my most used word. Did I have nothing else to say? How lame could I be? If you haven't noticed I have a lot of personal problems I really need to fix. But, like I said, I have no time for personal stuff right now. Maybe after all this was over. Maybe.

"So what are you thinking about?" This time she bumped me on purpose, but I didn't mind.

"Uh...nothing. I was just um...spacing out." That was such a lame excuse.

"Uh-huh...sure." She didn't believe me for a second, I didn't blame her.

"Uh...Chloe, why do you care so much about what I'm thinking?" I was genuinely curious.

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because I just want to know what goes on in your head."

"Oh." Was all I said.

She looked at me from the side of her eyes, and blushed. "You probably think I'm weird for saying that, right?"

I was taken aback. "No, never, Chloe! You're perfectly normal." You're perfect.

A/N So far I've updated everyday since I first posted this, but I don't think I'm going to update tomorrow(unless I work super hard on it) But the next day I should have one up. So if it does take that long sorry for the wait. J