[Okay, let's pretend that all of this happens: At Belle's urging, Chloe & Phillip get back together after the school trip to Puerto Rico. Still, Chloe & Brady spend a lot of spare time together and become closer than ever. But is it TOO close? At the beginning of this story, Phillip & Chloe have been back together for a little over 3 months. Brady is not in the first two chapters, but he will figure very prominently in the next few, so Brady fans should stay tuned. Now, let's join the program already in progress...]
Chapter One
Chloe Lane stood in the restroom of the Tuscany Grill all alone. She didn't actually have to use the restroom, she had only used that as an excuse to leave Phillip alone for a moment. It was Phillip's grand idea to take her out for a Friday night on the town. Dinner and dancing at one of Salem's nicest restaurants. Sure, it was a nice thought, but Chloe wondered if it was really just a feeble attempt at rekindling the spark that they hadn't been able to find in quite awhile.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. What she should have seen was a deliriously happy, and completely in love teenage girl. But, she only saw the opposite. Chloe's reflection didn't look sad by any means, just lost. Whatever had been lost between Phillip & Chloe when they broke up, had yet to be regained. Chloe frowned at the girl in the mirror. "What is wrong with you? Why can't you either fix things with Phillip or just break up?"
She stopped frowning and sighed deeply. She knew exactly why. She didn't want to hurt Phillip, and besides, he was the only good thing that had ever happened to her. Even if it wasn't perfect, maybe it was still worth fighting for. Chloe shook her head, "Stop that, Chloe. You know that's not entirely true. Phillip wasn't the only good thing she had. She had Belle, Shawn.... and Brady."
Chloe tried not to think about Brady. Thinking about Brady and Phillip in the same sentence was not something she enjoyed to do. The two got along on all acounts, except for when it came to Chloe. Phillip was jealous of their friendship, and Brady still couldn't stand the fact that she had given Phillip another chance.
Chloe shook all thoughts of Brady Black out of her head, re-applied her lipstick and headed back to her table with Phillip. When she got back, the dinner dishes had been cleared and Phillip was looking downward absently mindedly fiddling with his napkin. She smiled as she watched him, and took her seat across from him.
"Hey Phillip... Deep in thought there?"
Phillip put the napkin down and looked up at her, "Mmmm... Uhhh. No. Just... uhm, glad you're back."
Chloe smiled at him and grabbed his hand across the table. It seemed more cold to her than it used to, and the familiar twinge that she used to get with even the slightest touch seemed to be non-existent now. She smiled anyway, hoping that this wasn't some kind of permanent condition.
Phillip smiled back at her and stood up, kissing her hand on his way up from the table. "Dance with me, Chloe. Please?"
Chloe nodded silently and stood up. Phillip led her to the dance floor and they joined each other in an embrace. The band was playing a slow jazzy tune, and other couples began filling up the dance floor around Phillip & Chloe. The two swayed to the music, but Chloe felt as if she was just going through the motions. She hardly noticed the music, and only moved because she was robotically following Phillip's movements. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. She reciprocated, but it was as if she could feel nothing. Phillip wasn't a bad kisser, it was her that had the problem. The kiss that she used to crave, was now barely enough to register with her senses and emotions. Phillip broke the kiss off and noticed that a single tear was falling down Chloe's right cheek. He reached his hand up and wiped it off for her.
"Chloe... what's wrong?"
Chloe smiled weakly, not ready to tell him what she was thinking. There was no way she would have "the conversation" that was looming over their heads right now in the middle of Tuscany. She just sighed softly, and said, "It's nothing, Phillip. Just hold me."
Phillip held her closer and she put her head on his shoulder. He gently stroked her hair as she fought back the tears. The sparks may not have been there anymore, but the caring was. She still felt loved when she was in his arms, but it just didn't have the magic that it used to.
***
Chapter One
Chloe Lane stood in the restroom of the Tuscany Grill all alone. She didn't actually have to use the restroom, she had only used that as an excuse to leave Phillip alone for a moment. It was Phillip's grand idea to take her out for a Friday night on the town. Dinner and dancing at one of Salem's nicest restaurants. Sure, it was a nice thought, but Chloe wondered if it was really just a feeble attempt at rekindling the spark that they hadn't been able to find in quite awhile.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror. What she should have seen was a deliriously happy, and completely in love teenage girl. But, she only saw the opposite. Chloe's reflection didn't look sad by any means, just lost. Whatever had been lost between Phillip & Chloe when they broke up, had yet to be regained. Chloe frowned at the girl in the mirror. "What is wrong with you? Why can't you either fix things with Phillip or just break up?"
She stopped frowning and sighed deeply. She knew exactly why. She didn't want to hurt Phillip, and besides, he was the only good thing that had ever happened to her. Even if it wasn't perfect, maybe it was still worth fighting for. Chloe shook her head, "Stop that, Chloe. You know that's not entirely true. Phillip wasn't the only good thing she had. She had Belle, Shawn.... and Brady."
Chloe tried not to think about Brady. Thinking about Brady and Phillip in the same sentence was not something she enjoyed to do. The two got along on all acounts, except for when it came to Chloe. Phillip was jealous of their friendship, and Brady still couldn't stand the fact that she had given Phillip another chance.
Chloe shook all thoughts of Brady Black out of her head, re-applied her lipstick and headed back to her table with Phillip. When she got back, the dinner dishes had been cleared and Phillip was looking downward absently mindedly fiddling with his napkin. She smiled as she watched him, and took her seat across from him.
"Hey Phillip... Deep in thought there?"
Phillip put the napkin down and looked up at her, "Mmmm... Uhhh. No. Just... uhm, glad you're back."
Chloe smiled at him and grabbed his hand across the table. It seemed more cold to her than it used to, and the familiar twinge that she used to get with even the slightest touch seemed to be non-existent now. She smiled anyway, hoping that this wasn't some kind of permanent condition.
Phillip smiled back at her and stood up, kissing her hand on his way up from the table. "Dance with me, Chloe. Please?"
Chloe nodded silently and stood up. Phillip led her to the dance floor and they joined each other in an embrace. The band was playing a slow jazzy tune, and other couples began filling up the dance floor around Phillip & Chloe. The two swayed to the music, but Chloe felt as if she was just going through the motions. She hardly noticed the music, and only moved because she was robotically following Phillip's movements. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. She reciprocated, but it was as if she could feel nothing. Phillip wasn't a bad kisser, it was her that had the problem. The kiss that she used to crave, was now barely enough to register with her senses and emotions. Phillip broke the kiss off and noticed that a single tear was falling down Chloe's right cheek. He reached his hand up and wiped it off for her.
"Chloe... what's wrong?"
Chloe smiled weakly, not ready to tell him what she was thinking. There was no way she would have "the conversation" that was looming over their heads right now in the middle of Tuscany. She just sighed softly, and said, "It's nothing, Phillip. Just hold me."
Phillip held her closer and she put her head on his shoulder. He gently stroked her hair as she fought back the tears. The sparks may not have been there anymore, but the caring was. She still felt loved when she was in his arms, but it just didn't have the magic that it used to.
***