Chapter 8

Shawn stood at the phone in his kitchen, and just stared. He knew he couldn't wait any longer, even though he had put it off all morning. He had made a promise to Belle that he would straighten Phillip out. Or at least attempt to. That boy's head was as hard as a rock sometimes.

"It's now or never, Shawn Brady." He muttered underneath his breath.

Shawn picked up the phone and dialed the number to the Kiriakis house. Surprisingly, Nicole and not Henderson, picked it up after two rings.

"Kiriakis residence..."

"Nicole?"

"Mmm-hmmm…. Who is this?"

"Oh. It's Shawn Brady... Is Phil around?"

"Nope, sorry Shawn. He said he was going out to play basketball a little bit ago. And that's all he said."

"Okay, uhm, thanks Nicole...I know where to find him..."

"Shawn...hold on a sec. I have to know. Brady Black didn't set that slideshow up, did he?"

"No, Brady had nothing to do with it. Chloe didn't even pose for those pictures. It was all a set-up. Jan Spears and Mimi Lockhart did it to get back at Chloe, for... Well, for being Chloe."

"Geez. I didn't know that being yourself was a crime all of a sudden. Wait, is that the same Mimi that went to Paris for the coronation?"

"Yup."

Nicole grinned slyly, "Wow, I didn't know she had it in her."

"Neither did I. Anyway, thanks Nicole, I'm gonna see if I can catch up with Phillip at the courts."

"No problem. Later."

Nicole hung up the phone and continued grinning, Wow, even meek little Mimi has a naughty streak. There must be something in the Salem water.

*****
Shawn spotted Phillip immediately. He wasn't hard to miss seeing as he was the only one playing basketball at lunchtime on a Saturday.

"Hey! Kiriakis!"

Phillip stopped dribbling the ball, and turned around to face Shawn.

"Shawn...what are you doing here?"

"I called your house, Nicole said you were out playing basketball. Here I am."

"Okaaaay, more specifically. Why are you here? Come to laugh at me like everyone else?"

Shawn rolled his eyes at him. "No, of course not. You're my friend, heck, you're family, Phillip. I came here to talk to you. That's all."

"Alright, talk."

"Phillip. You have to know that Chloe had nothing to do with what happened last night."

Phillip looked at him with a skeptical glance, "Yeah right. And how should I *know* that she didn't? I was just her ticket to popularity, man. That's all. She never loved me."

"Geez, Phillip. You are so dense. I can't believe you. You claim to love Chloe, and yet you didn't have enough trust in her to know that she would NEVER pose for naked pictures, or sell them on the internet. God, Phillip, Chloe would never want to hurt you. "

"No way, Shawn. Forget it. I thought I loved her, but I was wrong. She never loved me. She couldn't even say the words, so she must not have loved me after all. She used me."

Shawn sighed deeply, "Phillip. I know you're hurting right now, but you have to open up your eyes. You are so wrapped up in yourself and how YOU look that you can't even see how hurt other people are. How can you care for Chloe, when all you care about is what people think about YOU? Chloe is hurting right now too, but you only care about how it affects you. Stop acting like a spoiled selfish little rich-boy."

"Shut up, Shawn. I'm not buying any of it."

"Fine, Phillip. But, let me tell you a few things because I can tell that you're too blind to see them for yourself. Chloe had NOTHING to do with those pictures or the slides. Brady & Victor had nothing to do with it either. Mimi confessed to everything. Jan planned it and Mimi helped. Just so they could humiliate Chloe and make sure that the two of you broke up. They set up a camera in the Girl's Locker Room to get the video, the website, the whole thing. And knowing Chloe's mom, they're probably going to go to jail for it too. You've really made a bad judgement, Phil. Chloe never did anything to hurt you, but you automatically assumed that she had."

Phillip was stunned into silence. He had to lean one hand against the bench to keep from toppling to the floor. The shame of what he had put Chloe through last night had hit him like a brick.

"Oh God. Shawn. I can't believe it. I...I've been such an idiot. I've lost Chloe, and I'm not going to get her back. Ever."

Shawn nodded and looked at Phillip with pity, "No, you probably won't. I don't know, Phillip. No matter what, you have to apologize to her. The way you treated her was wrong. Nobody deserves that."

"She's the best thing that ever happened to me, Shawn, and I just threw it away. She'll never forgive me for it. And, I don't even deserve her forgiveness. I don't deserve her."

Shawn stood in silent agreement.

"Shawn, I'm sorry for the way I acted."

"Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Chloe."

Phillip nodded, "I'm going to. I just hope she'll let me talk to her. And, Shawn - thanks for being here to keep my head on straight for me."

Shawn put a friendly hand on Phillip's shoulder, "No problem, man. Somebody has got keep a clear head around here, because God knows the rest of you are totally insane. Just think of me, as your conscience..."

Phillip and Shawn began to walk towards the parking lot, continuing their conversation.

"Like Jiminy Cricket or something?"

Shawn laughed, "Right, except without the hat. I look terrible in hats."

"Well, it's because your head is just...so BIG."

"Hey! You should talk, Kiriakis! It must run in the family, Uncle Phillip."

"Ouch. Definitely ouch."

The two friends laughed once more and then parted ways.
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