Reality Sets In Ch. 2
I disclaim.
~~~
Seating at the bar of the Golden Nugget, Shawn was sure he made the right decision, he had already seen his parents, Jack and Jen, and Brady and Taylor come down for romantic dinners, and knew Chloe didn't need to see that.
Lord knows the first time he had seen Belle and Philip on a date he had been inconsolable, drunk was a better term but when Chloe found him she said inconsolable.
Flashback
A year and a half ago.
Cheatin' Heart
" So you see Love is merely a myth." Shawn asserted strongly to his audience of the bartender and the two women on either side of him. " Because if Love truly existed would the love of my love be seating at Salem's finest restaurant with her tongue down my best friends throat."
"Ahhh, poor baby." The blonde on his left let her long red nail linger on his muscled arm, while her other hand played with the hair on his neck." She just doesn't know what she's missing, I bet your friend isn't half as sexy as you."
"I know." Shawn shook his head, trying to figure out once again how he had lost Belle. He thought things were going well, they wrote and called as often as they could, and he had even gone to New York to see her on several different occasions. " I'm way better then my stupid uncle."
"Whoa, she left you for your uncle, how old is this guy?" The bartender asked, looking on in amazement.
" He's 19."
"Huh?"
"Trust me sir, it's a whole complicated story that you aren't prepared for." The bartender looked pasted the solemn young man to the beautiful brunette that that just entered the room and made her way to the bar. " Shawn what are you doing?"
The audience he was entertaining broke up leaving them alone. " I'm drowning my sorrows, Chloe." "Chloeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, your name's funny."
"Thanks, but what are you doing Shawn, you know Belle wouldn't approve of this." Chloe removed the beer bottle form in front of him, and took the seat beside him.
" I don't care what Belle wants anymore, Chlooooooeeeee." He laughed and called the bartender over for another drink. " Your name is weird, can I change it?"
"Sure, as long as you promise to stop drinking." Chloe brushed back his hair, and looked at his blood shoot eyes, and silently cursed her best friend. Belle had given the usual cut and dry reason for breaking up with Shawn for Philip, they didn't mean for it to happen, she and Shawn grew apart, and Philip and hr had so much in common, but her friend had obviously changed.
" OK, Cho no… uh E, no… I know, Lanie." Shawn threw up his hand in the air and did a little victory dance, until the alcohol caught up with him, and he started to fall, only to be caught by Lanie. When she closed her arms around him, he let go of all pretense of being strong. " Why, she was my perfect girl?"
Chloe dragged Shawn over to a booth and sat him down; she kissed his forehead and gave him a hug. "I don't know Shawn, she confused."
"No she isn't, she just doesn't love me anymore." Shawn finally regained his composure and looked around the room. "You shouldn't be here, you should be with Brady doing something cute that will annoy me."
"Yeah well, Brady's working late, and I got a call from a friend that was concerned about you, so here I am." Chloe gave the passing waitress some money, and gestured for Shawn to follow." Come on buddy, let's get you sober."
Shawn took the hand she offered and staggered out of the bar, leaning on what seemed to be his only friend in the world.
Flashback over
" Working late, is that when it started, Brady." Shawn let his mind drift back, and shuddered at the connections he was making in his mind.
" When what started?"
Shawn turned and did a double take, when he asked her to get dressed up; he hadn't expected what he saw. Chloe was wearing a simple cocktail dress, but Chloe managed to make it look anything but simple, and it took several seconds for Shawn to remember that it was indeed his best friend he was drooling over. " Nothing important, you look great Lanie."
"So do you." It was really amazing how Shawn managed to look great in all his clothes, when she was sure that he only threw on the cleans one. " Are we starting our night here?"
Shawn envisions the hurt if Chloe has to watch Brady and Taylor, and quickly votes against the Golden Nugget. " No, we're starting at the casinos like most good Vegas vacations start." Shawn steps down from the bar and offers her his arm. " Shall we?"
"We shall." Chloe took Shawn's arm and let him lead her out the hotel, but didn't miss the sight of Brady and Taylor locked in an embrace on the dance floor."
Shawn also caught the sight, and tightened his grip. " It's going to be an evening that will go down in history Lanie, you have my word."
I disclaim.
~~~
Seating at the bar of the Golden Nugget, Shawn was sure he made the right decision, he had already seen his parents, Jack and Jen, and Brady and Taylor come down for romantic dinners, and knew Chloe didn't need to see that.
Lord knows the first time he had seen Belle and Philip on a date he had been inconsolable, drunk was a better term but when Chloe found him she said inconsolable.
Flashback
A year and a half ago.
Cheatin' Heart
" So you see Love is merely a myth." Shawn asserted strongly to his audience of the bartender and the two women on either side of him. " Because if Love truly existed would the love of my love be seating at Salem's finest restaurant with her tongue down my best friends throat."
"Ahhh, poor baby." The blonde on his left let her long red nail linger on his muscled arm, while her other hand played with the hair on his neck." She just doesn't know what she's missing, I bet your friend isn't half as sexy as you."
"I know." Shawn shook his head, trying to figure out once again how he had lost Belle. He thought things were going well, they wrote and called as often as they could, and he had even gone to New York to see her on several different occasions. " I'm way better then my stupid uncle."
"Whoa, she left you for your uncle, how old is this guy?" The bartender asked, looking on in amazement.
" He's 19."
"Huh?"
"Trust me sir, it's a whole complicated story that you aren't prepared for." The bartender looked pasted the solemn young man to the beautiful brunette that that just entered the room and made her way to the bar. " Shawn what are you doing?"
The audience he was entertaining broke up leaving them alone. " I'm drowning my sorrows, Chloe." "Chloeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, your name's funny."
"Thanks, but what are you doing Shawn, you know Belle wouldn't approve of this." Chloe removed the beer bottle form in front of him, and took the seat beside him.
" I don't care what Belle wants anymore, Chlooooooeeeee." He laughed and called the bartender over for another drink. " Your name is weird, can I change it?"
"Sure, as long as you promise to stop drinking." Chloe brushed back his hair, and looked at his blood shoot eyes, and silently cursed her best friend. Belle had given the usual cut and dry reason for breaking up with Shawn for Philip, they didn't mean for it to happen, she and Shawn grew apart, and Philip and hr had so much in common, but her friend had obviously changed.
" OK, Cho no… uh E, no… I know, Lanie." Shawn threw up his hand in the air and did a little victory dance, until the alcohol caught up with him, and he started to fall, only to be caught by Lanie. When she closed her arms around him, he let go of all pretense of being strong. " Why, she was my perfect girl?"
Chloe dragged Shawn over to a booth and sat him down; she kissed his forehead and gave him a hug. "I don't know Shawn, she confused."
"No she isn't, she just doesn't love me anymore." Shawn finally regained his composure and looked around the room. "You shouldn't be here, you should be with Brady doing something cute that will annoy me."
"Yeah well, Brady's working late, and I got a call from a friend that was concerned about you, so here I am." Chloe gave the passing waitress some money, and gestured for Shawn to follow." Come on buddy, let's get you sober."
Shawn took the hand she offered and staggered out of the bar, leaning on what seemed to be his only friend in the world.
Flashback over
" Working late, is that when it started, Brady." Shawn let his mind drift back, and shuddered at the connections he was making in his mind.
" When what started?"
Shawn turned and did a double take, when he asked her to get dressed up; he hadn't expected what he saw. Chloe was wearing a simple cocktail dress, but Chloe managed to make it look anything but simple, and it took several seconds for Shawn to remember that it was indeed his best friend he was drooling over. " Nothing important, you look great Lanie."
"So do you." It was really amazing how Shawn managed to look great in all his clothes, when she was sure that he only threw on the cleans one. " Are we starting our night here?"
Shawn envisions the hurt if Chloe has to watch Brady and Taylor, and quickly votes against the Golden Nugget. " No, we're starting at the casinos like most good Vegas vacations start." Shawn steps down from the bar and offers her his arm. " Shall we?"
"We shall." Chloe took Shawn's arm and let him lead her out the hotel, but didn't miss the sight of Brady and Taylor locked in an embrace on the dance floor."
Shawn also caught the sight, and tightened his grip. " It's going to be an evening that will go down in history Lanie, you have my word."