Chapter 9

A/N: Really hope you're still enjoying this! This is a bit of a filler chapter, my favorite chapters to write are the emotional ones or chapters with a lot happening, but Chloe will be at school in the next few chapters, so I can include her friends and teachers and develop that part of the story! :) (also small trigger warning for the end of this chapter)

A somewhat silence filled the kitchen as the pair devoured the pre-prepared meal that Ange had reheated from the freezer. The only thing which could be heard was the faint scraping of knives and forks on their plates. That was until Chloe finished her food and broke the silence.

"I might just head up stairs now mum."

"Okay darling." There was a momentary pause. "Are you sure that you don't want to talk anymore? I mean, we don't have to, just, whenever you're ready yeah."

"Yeah. Maybe tomorrow. I just want to have a shower and go to bed." Despite the circumstances, Ange was proud that Chloe was seeing sense in going to bed now, not staying up to half past stupid to finish up her work like normal.

"Okay yeah. To be honest, I might join you in heading to bed now! It's been very busy at work today, well it always is on a Monday. I'll turn the hot water on."

"Oh no, if there's not enough then I'll just have a shower tomorrow, it's fine."

"No, Chloe." Ange was firm but sympathetic. The voice she sometimes used with her patients when she had to be reasonable with them. "Chloe, it's fine. I'll turn the hot water on and you can go and have a nice warm shower and wake up tomorrow feeling a little more," Ange was thinking of a word, "calm." Chloe nodded. Ange gave her daughter a warm smile as she went to turn the boiler on.

Chloe headed upstairs to her room to get undressed. She would normally do so, and then wrap a towel around herself as she made her way to the bathroom, however she soon realised that her arms wouldn't be covered, and she couldn't risk her mum seeing. She had enough to worry about, and besides, it wasn't that big a deal, she thought. Chloe made her way to the bathroom, fully dressed, and when she got there she locked the door and began to get ready for her shower. The warm drops relaxed her. It was like the feeling you get when you're walking home after a long day in the rain and all your mind can think of is just that, but it was peaceful. Warm and calm. Unfortunately, the serenity didn't last long, as soon she began to feel her lower arms stinging. She looked down and whimpered in pain a bit as she realised that it was indeed from earlier. This pain was different. She was calm now, not like before when the pain had been a distraction. She didn't like the pain when she was calm. She wished it didn't sting so much.

"Chloe?" The familiar, yet unexpected sound of her mother's voice shocked her out of her thoughts, and made her jump a little. "Chloe are you okay?" Ange repeated when she didn't get a reply.

"Yeah fine mum. Just didn't expect you!" Chloe tried to say over the noise of the running water.

"Oh sorry love." Ange apologised. "Is the water hot enough?"

"Yeah it's fine thanks."

"I was just going to ask if I could have your tights from today to wash for tomorrow, you're running low. They weren't on your bed like normal." Chloe turned the water off. She was struggling to hear her mum and didn't want to shout over the water anymore, besides she was done anyway.

"Oh, uh, they're in here."

"Okay." Ange replied, not really thinking much of it. "Can you give them to me when you're done?"

"Course." Chloe finished as she wrapped the towel around herself and got her pajamas off of the radiator to put on once she was dry.

The rest of the evening came to a swift end as the pair both went to bed, setting their alarms ready for the morning.

Tuesday. Only the second day of a week which Chloe just knew was going to drag on and on. The sheer concept of leaving her warm and comforting bed was daunting and as her alarm sounded once more (after hitting snooze twice already) she wished she could stay under her duvet for just a bit longer. Here nothing bad could happen. Here she was safe.

Ange was getting worried that Chloe wouldn't be up in time for school, it was 7:45 and she herself had another day shift today (though hopefully not getting back as late as yesterday) and had to leave very soon.

"Chloe darling?"

"Mmm." Chloe half grunted from her bed.

"It's time to get up sweetheart. Yeah. You don't want to be late for school and keep Carrie waiting. Are you walking to school with her again today?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay then. I've put some clean tights on the end of your bed. Do you know where the rest of your uniform is?"

"Umm." Ange took that as a yes.

"Okay." Ange started to draw Chloe's curtains and she groaned a bit as the beaming sun came right down upon her face.

Ange waited to make sure that Chloe was definitely up and getting ready before leaving for her shift.

"Chloe, you decent?" Ange asked outside Chloe's room as she might still have been getting dressed. Chloe liked that her mum respected her need for privacy. As much as she loved having such a close relationship with her, especially at a time like now, she needed boundaries.

"Yeah. I'm just doing my hair." Chloe answered back as Ange entered.

"Alright I'm just about to leave. Lunch money is on the side in the kitchen. I should be back a bit earlier than yesterday, but we'll see how we go. I'll try to remember to call or text you before I leave."

"Okay, bye."

"Love you, bye sweetheart."

"Love you, bye."

After Ange left, Chloe was almost ready to leave herself. She wanted to get something first. She didn't know if she'd need it, but it was almost the comfort of knowing she had it made her want to bring it. Before she could think much more, she made her way into the bathroom and grabbed it off of the mini shelf that was attached to the pipe connecting to the shower head. She put it in a spare, small pencil case so that no one could see what it was, and placed it in her school bag ready to leave. She might not need to use it, but her mind needed to know she had it.

She locked the front door and felt the breeze on her face as she headed to her meeting spot with Carrie. Chloe needed strong friends like Carrie. Not only was she lots of fun to be around, but was also someone she tested who wasn't her mum or a teacher. When she got there, she saw that today it was different than normal.

"Chloe, hey!"

"Hey, what's um…"

"Ah sorry I didn't tell you. Lenny stayed at mine last night so he's walking to school with us today."

"Oh."

"Sorry Chloe, I meant to tell you. I hope it's okay."

"Yeah. Yeah, seriously Carrie I don't mind."

"Great, then we'll get going shall we."

Chloe wasn't sure. She wasn't sure about Carri and Lenny. They had been looking like they were getting a lot closer recently, and Lenny stays at the school house with his sister Lisa and other Waterloo Road pupils. Maggie Budgen, the house mistress and teacher at Waterloo Road, doesn't normally letstidents stay over at other people's houses on a school night. She really hoped that whatever this is, it doesn't ruin a friendship she values so much.