*Chapter 1* Monday, May 16, 2002
At the Brady's home...
"Shawn Douglas Brady, if you don't wake up right now, you'll be late for school," Hope yelled from downstairs.
"I hear you! I'll be downstairs in 15 minutes...tops!" he yelled back as he made his way to the shower. "That's
fine, hey, before you get in the shower, go make sure Jan is up." "K" Opening the door, he made his way down the
hall to Jan's room. I still can't believe this. It's been three months since I broke the heart of the only
girl I've ever loved. Damn, if only I could tell her! But I can't because I made that damn promise to Jan. If only...
I could go back. "Jan, are you ready to go?" "Yea, I'll be out in a few minutes" she stated. Shawn headed off to
the shower, while inside Jan's room, she was getting her things together. Every since she had moved in with Shawn,
things in her life hadn't seemed all THAT bad, well, except for the whole "Oh I miss Belle" lecture she got everytime
she brought up what he did for her.Well, it doesn't matter now, because Belle is refusing to talk to him, she
thought to herself.
10 minutes later
"Okay mom! We're leaving! I have to go to dot com after school but I'll be home around 7 o'clock! Okay?" he yelled.
"That's fine," Hope yelled from within the kitchen. As he and Jan were opening the door, Bo came down form the
stairs. "Bye, son,be careful." "Later Dad, he yelled as he headed out the door. Life at the Brady's had been strained
and now, they were trying to get back some normalcy in their home, well, as normal as you can get in the town of Salem.
At the Black household
Why am I even bothering with this? she wondered out loud as she put the finishing touches on her hair,
he hasn't even spoken to me in a month!The only guy I seem to trust is Brady and Phil "Because...your
Tink and you moped around for at least a month after you two broke it off and now it is time for the rest of
the world to get the pleasure of knowing my annoying litle sister, and oh, let's not forget that you are way
better that Shawn and his knocked up tramp or girlfriend or whatever your little gang refers to her as," Brady
lectured from the door," and "oh yea, by the way, Philip called and said he'll be here to pick you up in 5 minutes
and I quote, "If she's not ready when I arrive, I am coming straight up the stairs and literally carrying her down.
It's been way to long for her to be going around moping over my stupid nephew!" he laughed.
Belle couldn't help but laugh at her brother. He was really losing his mind now that he and Chloe were dating.
"Thank you for the wonderful pep talk Brady but shouldn't you be on your way to pick up Chloe? You know she
likes to get to school before me so she'll be able to be at my locker and tell me all the things that you two
do even though, I have told her a thousand times in the past month that that certain topic is just..not right
for me to listen or care about!" she said. But they both knew that even if she got the slighest bit mad, she'd
forgive him. "Well, let's go downstairs ,I'll leave at the same time you and Uncle Phil do, okay Tink?" Brady
said already knowing the answer. "Of course it's alright, Big Brother", Belle said.On the way down the stairs,
Belle whispered, "Thanks again Brady, I really needed a pick me up" He smiled to himself, "Anytime Tink, anytime"
Just then the doorbell rang, which could mean one of two things. A...Philip could be here or b...Chloe got impatient
and got Craig to drop her off on the way to work.
Running down the stairs,Belle and Brady raced for the door Belle reached there first and couldn't help but laugh
at her brother. She turned and opened the door to...
Outside the penthouse
Pulling into the penthouse garage, Philip eagerly got out of the car. Over the past three months, he and Belle had
gotten closer. He was over Chloe and fairly happy that the guy she had decided to date was none other than his
nephew. Belle was slowly getting over Shawn and he hoped that something could become of their close friendship but
he decided not to rush anything with Belle because he knew Belle, he had grown up with Belle, and he knew that she
needed time but hell, that didn't matter because he was willing to wait. As he was walking toward the elevator he
noticed a familiar figure and once he got closer and caught whiff of the perfume in the air he recognized who it
was. "Chloe, is that you?" he asked. "Philip? Oh, hey,"she said as she hugged him, "you here to pick up Belle?"
"Who else?," he joked. The only other person who knew of his desire for Miss Black was Chloe. It had kind of slipped
out a few weeks ago while they were arguing but they were friends now. A piece of Chloe's heart would alwayz belong
to Philip but everyone, including Brady knew it would never be more than that. He pressed the button to go up the
elevator and they both stepped in. When they arrived at the door, Chloe pressed the doorbell and heard someone
pounding down the stairs and then Belle's giggling and figured that Brady and Philip had alot to do with that giggle.
The door flew open and their stood brother and sister, both out of breath laughing. " I see you two are up and having
a good morning," Philip said as he walked over to Belle and hugged her, "you ready to go?" "Yeah, Phil, hang on, let
me get my purse," she said as she bounded up the stairs. "Brady, you alright," he asked through laughs. Brady had his
hands on his knees out of breath from chasing Tink down the stairs. "No but I will be," he said, as he grabbed Chloe
and kissed her passionetly.Philip couldn't help but laugh. "Excuse me, but what is so funny," Chloe said as she pulled
her lips but nothing else away from the love of her life. "Nothing, not a thing," he said attempting to keep a straight
face. "Oh Phil, I am so sure of that. Ya know what I think? I think that you want to do exactly what we were doing,
with Belle," Chloe said before she realized what she had let slip. "Is that right Philip?" All heads turned to the stair
case where Belle stood frozen at the bottom of the steps. "We will leave you guys alone but don't be too long, you'll be
late for school," Chloe said, as she started pulling Brady towards the door. "NO, I want to hear this. Phil, do you really
like Tink?" "Brady, LET'S GO, I will explain on the way!" Chloe said as she pulled him out the door.
"Phil, is it true, do you want that with me?" Belle asked half hoping his answer was yes. She knew that if it was true,
he wouldn't have said anything. He knew how much Shawn had meant to her and knew that he'd never push her toward anything
too soon. Before she knew what she was saying, she said, "Phil, I want that with you. You know that I needed to get over
Shawn and that is what I have done and I never would have been able to do that without you. You have been there for me
and I want that with you more than anything." After absorbing what she had just said, he walked over and standing inches
away from her face, said, "Yes Belle, I want that with you, I want to hug you and kiss you and never let you go." He
grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. With that, their lips met in a soft but firm kiss. After what seemed like forever,
they pulled away. "Phil, we need to get going before Chloe sends a rescue squad that would consist of everyone in Salem,"
she laughed. Hand in hand they walked out the door.
Inside Jason Welle's green, 2002 Convertabile Mustang
"Jason, I'm telling you! That was not Philip Kiriakis and Belle Black kissing in front of a stop light. They are just friends!" Mimi
yelled at her boyfriend of 6 months, Jason Welles. "Meems, I know what I saw and if you don't believe me then ask them when
we get to school." he laughed. "God, your cute when your mad" "I' not mad Jason, but it's just not possible ." "Okay then," he
said," well, just talk to them, your right, I probably just made a mistake." he said as they pulled into the Salem HIgh School
paking lot.
By Locker 212 inside Salem High School
"Kev, do you have your set of keys to my car?" Susan asked Kevin Lambert, her boyfriend since the Last Blast dance theri junior
year."Yea, they're in my car, why?" he asked. "Since we're going out of town this weekend, my parents are gonna pick my car up
at the airport." she said as she turned to face him. "I'll give 'em to you when I drop you off tonight." "Okay, well, let's go outside
and find Belle. She seems to be in a better mood these past weeks, I think Phil has something to do with that," she said as she
placed a quick kiss on his lips, They turned and walked out into the student parking lot where they saw Jason and Mimi pulling up in
Jase's new 'Stang.
More to come soon but only if I get a review! Just one who likes it will get the privlege of reading the next installment.