"No Belle. I'm just so tired. I'm going to go to bed" Brady said.

"Wait, first you have a few questions to answer"

Brady rolled his eyes and plunked down on the couch. "Go ahead. Ask away, but I'm not guaranteeing an answer"

"Where were you?" Belle said situating herself across from him on the coffee table.

"In my car."

"Why?"

"I had to think things through"

"What kind of things? Things about Chloe? Did it help?"

Brady had to chuckle at the persistence of his younger sister. "Which one do you want me to answer first?"

"You pick" Belle smiled.

"No, it did not help. Yes, it was about Chloe, and I was thinking about what happened between us last night."

Belle's mouth was open but before she could continue Brady began to speak again.

"Before you ask, I kissed her" Brady said as if reading her mind.

Belle of course, already had this information but she did not have his perspective yet.

"I don't even know what came over me. It was just...she was there and we were soaking wet and her skin was so soft...and this is waaay too much information than I want to share with my baby sister. The bottom line is, I was wrong to kiss her"

"Did she kiss you back?"

"What?"

"Did she kiss you back?" Belle said slowly and annunciated "Because if she kissed you back then you weren't wrong"

"Whether, she kissed me back or not, doesn't matter. I was wrong because she has a boyfriend and I was trying to come between them."

"Yes, but Brady if she kissed you back then she must have feelings for you. You see the way Philip has been treating her lately. I don't know why she thought they could work things out."

Brady closed his eyes as soon as Philip's name was mentioned. Just one more reminder of the mistake he had made.

"I'm going to bed now. No more questions okay? At least for today." Brady stood up and stretched.

"Okay. I'm going to...uh Shawn's house. I'll be home later"

Belle watched Brady go to his room. She picked up her purse and went out the door to Chloe's house.

*******

Nancy let Belle in. Chloe did not feel like getting out of bed nor did she feel like getting dressed. She was still adorned in the robe she had put on sometime during the night.

Belle walked into Chloe's room and sat on her bed. Chloe turned around to face Belle. All at once she began to cry. She could not control herself. No matter how hard she tried.

Belle laid down beside her pulling Chloe close to her and stroking her hair. When the sobs finally died down and the room seemed quiet Chloe spoke.

"I guess I really screwed this one up huh?"

"Well, it is not the easiest of circumstances."

"Belle, what am I going to do?"

"Follow your heart"

"I want to Belle, I really do, but everything in my heart tells me that I want...no need Brady"

"What's wrong with that?"

"It scares me Belle. I mean, ever since the summer I have seen him in this whole new light. He has opened up so many things for me. I think differently because of him. I sing differently because of him. He listens to me and I to him. I just feel like we are so connected. And I'm scared because what if one day he's gone. What if I let him into my life only for him to be taken away? I wouldn't know what to do without him. He occupies such a large part of my heart, no, no he is my heart. Belle, what should I do?" Chloe said looking up into Belle's eyes.

"Chloe, I can't tell you what to do but I can tell you that you need to talk to him. He thinks that you don't feel the same."

"I will but not yet. Belle thanks for being here for me"

"That's what friends do Chloe"

To be continued.......