A/N: Hello fellow fanficers! I wanted to thank you guys again for taking time to read my story and a giant shout-out to those who reviewed. I got a ton of really nice and personal reviews from you folks and I just wanted to thank you guys for sharing some of your experiences with me. Means a lot! And, also, thank you for being patient with me. I'm not the fastest writer and I'm crazy busy (just like the rest of you). So, I really hope you enjoy!
A ginormous thank you to my betas, Tweety4be and Fanpire4000. These pretty ladies have helped me so much! Kisses to them.
Disclaimer: Don't own Darkest Powers.
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When Chloe woke up to her alarm the next day, she felt like she was hit by a truck, a very large truck, and she rolled over to smack her snooze button upside the head. She rubbed her hands over her face, trying to get the drowsy weight out of her skull, then scowled when she remembered Derek's horrible words from yesterday. She had a hard time falling asleep last night, and when she did, she slept awful, lots of tossing and turning, until she got so desperate she watched a couple old X-Files episodes on her computer, hoping it would distract her enough to get sleepy. It did. But she was harassed by bizarre dreams that she was Scully and Derek was Moulder and they were chasing little, green men.
Ugh. I hate Derek.
Actually, in the light of day, she found she couldn't really hate Derek. She just really, really didn't like him. Yes, he may have deserved her undying hatred but she just couldn't manage it – too much effort and she wasn't really the type to hate someone undyingly anyway. Plus, the logical side of her brain understood that he was going through a very difficult time and he was just not handling it very well. He was upset and lashed out, and she just happened to be in the line of fire. But the emotional part of her was still hurting over what he said, still wounded. Of course, one benefit of really, really disliking Derek was she was no longer nervous or afraid of him. Just really, really angry.
And so tired.
For a minute, she debated on whether she should fake a sickness and stay bundled up in her bed and watch more X-Files until her eyes bled, but the thought of Derek thinking she was too chicken to come to school made her jump up, ready to start her day. I will not let him win.
She decided she was going to put a little more effort into her appearance than usual, which wasn't saying much since she hardly put any effort on most days, but she wanted to look fresh and rested, like she didn't have a care in the world, like she looked forward to going to school today. Maybe wear a little make-up, put on my favorite shirt. When she saw the dark, puffy circles under her eyes, make-up was an absolute necessity. She opted for a quick shower and extra attention to her hair, braiding her long, blonde bangs out of her face. It made her look a little younger than she liked, but if it made Derek feel an ounce of guilt over making a sweet, young girl cry, then it was absolutely worth it.
Slipping her feet into some sparkly flats, she grabbed her coffee and was ready to go. She felt her phone buzz as she made her way to her the parking garage. It was a text from Mila.
U ok?
Last night, after her shower, Chloe had confided the horrific conversation to Mila, detailing every uncomfortable moment in Derek's company. Chloe had also told Rae, when her friend had called to chat. Both girls reacted differently, giving her exactly what she needed at the moment. Mila responded with all the soothing empathy Chloe could ever want, while Rae was righteously angry enough for a small country.
She texted Mila that she was fine before she made her way to school. As she walked through the main entrance, she was ecstatic that her stomach wasn't knotted with nerves by the thought of running into Derek for once. In fact, she was already mentally and physically preparing her face to give him the look of death just in case she did. Ooo, and it's going to be a good face. I'm going to redefine the phrase 'evil-eye'.
Unfortunately, the day she was itching to plow right into him on purpose was the day he was nowhere to be found. He's even annoying when he's not around. Sighing with frustration, she stomped the rest of the way to her locker and almost steamrolled into Liz.
"Holy – " Chloe reached out to steady her friend. "Oh – Liz, I'm so sorry. I didn't even – "
"It's okay, Chloe," Liz reassured, looking at her friend carefully. "I was actually looking for you."
Chloe tilted her head questioningly. "Really?"
Liz shifted uncomfortably on her feet. "Well, I... saw you leave school yesterday," she said softly. Seeing Chloe's shocked face, Liz continued quickly, "I was outside with my squad and it was only for a second – no one else saw you, but you looked upset. It was hard to tell in the distance though... but I'm right. You were upset, weren't you?"
Chloe sighed tiredly, then gestured for Liz to follow her to her locker. Automatically, Chloe opened her locker and said in a quiet voice, "Yes, I was pretty upset. I..." She took a deep breath and began again. "Derek and I met up yesterday for our project and... he..."
"And he wasn't very nice to you?" Liz guessed. "I'm sorry, Chloe. From what Tori's told me, he's been pretty much a nightmare to be around. What happa – "
"What are you two whispering about?"
Both of the girls jumped at the voice. Turning her head, Chloe saw a very suspicious Tori sauntering over towards them. Great, here comes trouble personified – God – this girl should get a medal for having the world's worst timing. She eyed Tori cautiously as she approached.
Tori sidled up to them, hands on her hips. "Let me guess," she said smugly. "It starts with a 'D' and ends with a 'K'. Am I right?"
How the hell...
Seeing the question on Chloe's face and the slightly guilty look on Liz's, "Why else would guys be so secretive? I mean, you're practically huddled inside a locker, whispering like crazy," she answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She shook her head and sized up the two of them with hawk-like precision, then noticing their pensive expressions, her eyes widened with concern.
"What?" she said slowly.
Liz hesitated, then looked to Chloe, who stood there staring down at her feet.
Tori's shoulders slumped as understanding dawned on her face before saying in a flat voice, "What did he do?"
"What? I..." Chloe faltered.
"Derek did something, didn't he? Said something?" she asked, but there was so question in her voice. "I saw him briefly last night and – shit – if I said he was in a foul mood – worse than normal – that would have been the biggest understatement ever."
In spite of herself, Chloe was curious, wondering if it was remorse that attested to his foul mood, but any curious feelings instantly dissolved when Chloe spotted a stony-faced Rae making a bee-line towards them. She groaned to herself. Actually, I think Rae gets the medal for having the world's worst timing.
"Hey, Chloe. You okay?" she asked warily, as she planted herself firmly by Chloe's side.
Tori snorted, crossing her arms before leveling a glare at Rae. Liz stiffened beside her, readying herself for the inevitable showdown.
"What the hell do you think, Rachelle?" Tori said snidely. Her entire personality seemed to completely change before Chloe's eyes. Here was the Tori Chloe knew of, scary and sassy. "She's not bleeding, is she? Still got all her arms and legs, right?"
The air seemed to thicken with tension as the two girls squared off with each other. Passing students craned their necks to see what was about to unfold. Liz fidgeted uncomfortably, seemingly unsure of what to do and Chloe empathized with her – she felt the exact same way.
"Well, considering how evil you are, I wouldn't be surprised if she was bleeding or missing some limbs, Victoria," Rae spat back. Then added nastily, "Must run in the family."
For a moment, Tori's face seemed to pale, then just as quickly, it was bright with anger. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" she said dangerously.
"What it means? Why don't you tell me, Victoria?" Rae hissed. "Tell me where you and Derek get off on being so horrid to people. How you both think you can say whatever the hell you want to people and think it's okay."
"Rae..." Chloe whispered, not liking where this was going.
"You're going to lecture me about being horrid," Tori choked with disbelief. "I think you need to shove whatever bullshit you've been feeding yourself up your ass, Rae. Or better yet, buy yourself a dictionary and look up the word hypocrite. I think you'll be surprised to find your picture right next to the definition."
"Oh, please, Victoria," Rae said, waving her off. " What makes it alright for you to be such a bitch to me? Or for your cousin to mock the death of Chloe's mother?"
"Rae!" Chloe was horrified. This is exactly what she didn't want to happen. It was too private, too painful, for just anyone to know. And even worse than that, she didn't want Derek to think she was some big baby, crying to anyone who'd listen to her.
Liz clasped her hand over mouth, her expression filled with sympathy. Next to her, Tori winced, her eyes pained for a moment.
"Mother?" Tori whispered, looking at Chloe with troubled eyes. "Chloe, Derek... he's –"
"He's what? An asshole?" Rae interrupted testily. "Tell us something we don't already know."
Tori rounded on her. "Was I talking to you? No, I wasn't! God, can you shut your ever-flapping mouth for just a Goddamn second?"
"No, I won't!" Rae retorted. "Clearly, Derek is feeling guilty about what happened at the game but this is more than that. I mean, what is his problem? What's so horrible about his life that he has to act like such a prick?"
"I strongly suggest you watch your mouth, Rae," Tori warned menacingly before turning her gaze towards Chloe. "It's not my place to tell anyone Derek's business, Chloe," Tori said simply and Chloe could see the regret in her eyes.
"Why the hell not?" Rae said with exasperation. "Oh, please. Are you turning noble on us all of a sudden, Victoria? God, what a joke!"
Tori's eyes narrowed into angry, little slits and her fists clenched tight at her sides. "It's called family loyalty, Rae. Something I know you know nothing about," Tori seethed. "And don't you dare preach to me about being horrible. At least people know where I stand with them – they'll see the knife coming long before I stab them with it, instead of finding it lodged in their back when it's too late. That's your style, Rachelle," she sneered.
Chloe looked questioningly at Rae, but her friend was glaring at Tori so hard, Chloe wouldn't have been surprised if Tori had spontaneously combusted. Not that Tori noticed or cared. The look on her face spoke volumes and Chloe was sure that if Tori hadn't already made a voodoo doll in Rae's likeness, there would certainly be one in existence by the end of the day, with about a million pins sticking out of it.
"Um... okay, Tori," Liz said quietly, placing her hand on Tori's arm. "I think we should get to class before we're late. C'mon." Throwing one last scowl in Rae's direction, Tori turned with a swish of her hips that was all attitude, and stalked down the hallway with her best friend.
Releasing a breath she didn't know she was holding, Chloe gazed at Rae in confusion. She should have been pleased that Rae had rushed to her side, thinking she was defending her from Tori, but Chloe felt betrayed instead. Rae had flippantly divulged something that was between the two of them, something private. To someone she absolutely despises. And what was all that talk about family loyalty and back stabbing?
Opening her mouth to ask Rae what was going on, Rae said suddenly, "I gotta go. Can't be late to Spanish." Then she was gone in an instant, leaving Chloe bewildered about her already crazy day.
…...
Much to her disappointment, Chloe's earlier bravado didn't last very long. She was tired and cranky. And after the confrontation between Rae and Tori, she was left with a growing concern over Rae. Clearly, there was history there. But why hadn't Rae ever mentioned it before? The most obvious answer didn't bode well. Rae didn't want to talk about it because she must have done something wrong.
Chloe opted to have lunch with Mila and her friends instead, especially since they were going to their cafe and nothing sounded better to Chloe than getting out of the school atmosphere for awhile. By the time History rolled around, Chloe was dragging her feet to her classroom. She really didn't want to face Derek, she didn't want to remember the way his eyes flashed when he hurt her with his words. But more than anything, she just wanted him out of her head. For almost two weeks, he seemed to take up a large space in her mind and had her emotions running wild – and most of those emotions were negative.
It needs to stop.
Steeling herself, she entered her classroom and quickly scanned the space. He wasn't there yet. She hurriedly made her way to her seat and waited. The familiar prickle of nervousness reared it's head, a feeling she had now solely associated with Derek, but she wasn't going to let it control her. Today, she wasn't going to ignore him. Today, she was going to look him in the eye and pour every resentful feeling in that look. But...he didn't show up. Chloe felt the uneasy combination of being both relieved and disappointed. But I practiced my 'evil-eye' in the mirror last night. But more than that, she was frustratingly curious.
Why isn't he here?
Does he feel guilty?
Chloe certainly hoped so, but remembering his uncaring personality, she was sure it had nothing to do with her.
Ugh. Just stop, Chloe. Stop it. We are done thinking about him.
…...
Chloe did stop thinking about Derek, at least over most of the weekend. It helped that she went to Mila's for a sleepover on Saturday and proceeded to watch bad horror movies, giggling over the awful special effects and buckets of blood being thrown around. Jen and Ashley joined them too, with Jen insisting on giving the girls homemade facials that ended up being disgusting and hilarious.
In fact, Chloe barely thought about Derek at all when she went to school Monday morning. Walking with Mila between her second and third period classes, both girls were giggling hysterically as Mila described what Chloe looked like after Jen applied her avocado-oatmeal mask to her face.
"And – and it looked like... like," Mila gasped between giggles, "like someone puked on your face!"
"God, it – it was so freaking gross," Chloe squeaked through her laughter, clutching her side. "Ow, ow, I think I pulled something from laughing too hard."
That only made the girls laugh harder. Chloe seriously thought she was going to get a charlie-horse in her face, while Mila was laughing so hard now, she sounded like a high-pitched hyena. Suddenly, Chloe felt Mila nudge her urgently. Still grinning, Chloe wiped her eyes and looked over at her friend who had become deadly serious.
"What?" Chloe whispered worriedly. "Are you okay?" She turned to look where Mila was staring. "What is – "
Her voice croaked as her eyes rested on Derek. He was leaning against the wall of the hallway, arms crossed – looking like the very definition of intimidation. He was... watching them. A mask of disinterest on his face, but his gaze seemed to intensify when Chloe locked eyes with him. She swallowed anxiously before reminding herself that she was still furious with him. Remembering her well-rehearsed reaction she prepared for when she saw him, she threw him the dirtiest glare she could muster before grabbing Mila's arm, spinning them in the opposite direction.
"You okay?" Mila asked in a concerned voice. They were walking fast, since they had to take the long way to their classes.
"I think so," Chloe nodded, smiling at Mila. "Yeah, I am okay."
Actually, she was better than okay. She felt empowered, like she had stood up for herself even though she didn't utter a word to him. That's how it was going to be with them from now on – glares and silence. He's never going to hurt me again. Feeling resolute and strong, she needed to think of how they could complete their project without ever having to spend one second in each others company. We'll just delegate who does what and we won't ever have to talk to each other again. It's brilliant! She decided that after school on Thursday, she would march into their little study room and tell him how it is.
She was still feeling pretty good as she made her way to the library for her study period later that day. Of course, she waited until lunch was well over. Just in case... Not wanting to run into Derek – she wasn't feeling that cocky. Placing her things on her favorite table, she barely had time to settle down when a large shadow cast over her. Expecting to see a friendly face, she smiled up at the person and froze when her eyes met...
Derek.
For a long second she just sat there, staring up at him, not sure if this was one of her weird dreams she was experiencing. Or nightmares. She blinked a couple times as her brain caught up with the situation, then she blushed when she realized she was gawking at him like an idiot. She tore her eyes away and cleared her suddenly very dry throat.
"Can I help you?" she said in a cool voice.
"Yeah," Derek rumbled slowly and Chloe's heart had inexplicably leapt a little. "Just making sure we're still meeting on Thursday."
"W-What?" she said dumbly.
"I'm making sure we're still on for Thursday," he repeated and Chloe could hear the slight twinge of irritation in his voice.
"Are you serious?" she asked incredulously, craning her neck to glare at him. "After how you treated me, you think I'll spend time with you voluntarily? You're out of your freaking mind."
"Am I?" He peered down at her, his usual aloof expression firmly in place. "May I remind you that our project's half of our grade."
"Yes, I'm aware of –"
"And I'm not letting my grade suffer because you have a problem with me," he reasoned coldly.
"Well, that makes the two of us," Chloe said through gritted teeth. " But we don't need to meet up once a week to complete our project. We can do our parts separately and our grade will be just fine."
"Have it all figured out, do you?" he said sarcastically. "Problem is, that's not going to work for me."
"Well, I don't really care if that works for you or not!" she snapped. Her voice ringing a little louder than she had intended, earning a stern look from the librarian. "All I know is," she said in a quieter voice, "I'm not spending anymore time in your company than I have to. Okay?"
"No, that's not oka –"
"I mean, it's blaringly obvious that you don't like me," she interrupted, "and I sure as hell don't like you, so it's really a win-win solution."
"And how will I know you're actually doing your part of the work if I'm not seeing your results on a weekly basis?" he stated logically and Chloe cursed herself for not having thought out her plan more thoroughly. She hesitated a moment, and he obviously noticed as he added, "What? Am I supposed to keep my fingers crossed when we present our project to Mr. Rosen? Hope that you did your work right, if at all?"
"Okay, we can email each other our progress." When he looked at her skeptically, she continued, "We can scan our notes and any pictures that we have of our models and, uh, such. And I'll send you my edited film montage."
"That sounds like a lot more work than necessary," he argued. "And I personally don't want to do any more work than I have to."
"Well, I don't care," she stated stubbornly. "We'll just have to find some way to make it happen."
"Are you always like this?" he said, annoyance now breaking through his neutral mask.
"Like what?" she asked warily.
"Irrational," he stated bluntly.
Chloe squeaked in outrage.
Oh. No. He. Didn't.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am a little irrational right now. That usually happens when I have to deal with insensitive jerks." She felt her face grow hot as her temper flared.
"Excuse me?" he said.
"I said insensitive jerks," she replied, drawing out the words like he was hard of hearing. "Or does your giant brain not remember what you said to me last Thursday." His face tightened for a moment before smoothing into bland disinterest again. "Well, I'll help you out, Derek," she said sarcastically. "You said, and I quote, 'I don't need your pathetic, little sob story involving you and your mother and her horrible accident.'"
Just saying those words aloud brought up the painful feelings again. "I know you're going through a hard time, Derek, but I did not deserve that at all. In fact, I was just trying to hel – " Chloe stopped herself before she could finish. She refused to put anymore energy into this...this – whatever this was – any longer. She knew she would just end up feeling hurt and unsatisfied again. "Never mind," she muttered.
Derek was silent, then he seemed to hesitate, and for one wild moment, Chloe thought he might apologize, before he added doggedly, "We still need to meet up once a week."
Un-freaking-believable. He's not even going to give me a half-ass apology.
"I'm not doing it, Derek," she said firmly, crossing her arms. "You can't make me."
"Oh, yes I can, Chloe," he said softly.
What? How?
Instantly, Chloe's heart started pounding like crazy. "No, you can't," she said, wincing as she heard the crack in her voice. "You can't!" She looked at him, trying to see if he was bluffing but Derek had a superb poker face. And he just stood there, silently staring at her, clearly trying to intimidate her – which to her growing frustration, was working.
"How are you going to make me, Derek?" she asked, squirming uncomfortably under his gaze. "What? Are you going to drag me to our study room and tie me to a chair, handcuff me to the table?"
His eyes widened a fraction but he quickly schooled his features again.
"No, I'll tell Mr. Rosen you're not pulling your weight. That you're slacking," he said smugly.
Chloe gaped up at him. "What!" she cried, earning another warning glare from the librarian. "Y-You're going to tell on me?" she whispered fiercely. "What are you, like, five years old?"
He actually smiled at that, his eyes lighting up with laughter – which really pissed Chloe off.
"Maybe," he said smirking. "But don't think I won't do it, Chloe." He gave her a hard look. "You need to get over it. What happened last week. It's in the past."
She couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe his nerve. Couldn't believe his... his... condescending tone, like she was making a big deal out of nothing.
First, he says the cruelest thing anyone has ever said to me. Next, he threatens me by lying to our teacher. Then, he tells me to get over it!
OH, HELL NO!
She was shaking with anger, but she was determined to win this round with him. She inhaled deeply and composed herself. Grabbing her things from the table she stood up to face him, leveling the iciest glare she could muster.
"Derek Souza," she said in a calm and quiet voice. "You can go fuck yourself."
Then, she swung around, without a backwards glance, and strolled out of the library.
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