Chapter Ten

(The Next Day... Preparations for the Last Blast begin.)

Belle looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her blonde hair was curled and left down to flow freely, and her makeup was nearly finished. She uncapped her lip gloss and carefully added a coat of color to her lips. At first glance she looked like any other teenage girl on her prom night, but she knew if anyone took a good look at her eyes, they would know differently.

There were many milestones in her life that she had always dreamt of. Her first date, her first kiss, graduation, her wedding day, the birth of her children, and this night. Tonight was her senior prom, or at least Salem High's version of it. Throughout her life, Belle had imagined these events a million times, and no matter what, there was only one person who she wanted to be a part of all of them.

Belle sighed loudly and put the cap back on her lip gloss. She glared at the girl in the mirror, and saw what she was sure others could see too. She saw a girl who was missing an important piece of herself. Belle knew that deep down she was strong and independent and could live without Shawn, but if she did, she would always be missing that piece.

The doorbell rang loudly through her house and Belle nearly jumped out of her chair. She tightened the belt on her bathrobe and ran downstairs to answer the door. Belle took a deep breath, plastered on a smile and opened the door to reveal Chloe waiting for her on the other side.

"Chloe... Hey... You're right on time."

Chloe stepped in, carrying a white box under one arm, and looked Belle up and down suspiciously. "I'm right on time? Then why do you look like I'm an hour late?"

"Huh?"

"Your hair and your makeup looks all done to me. I guess you don't need my help after all."

Belle shrugged innocently. "Sorry... I was sort of bored, and I wanted to keep myself distracted so I started early. Like really early."

Chloe nodded in understand. "That's okay... Any time there is less work for me, I 'm okay with it."

"So, what's in the box, Chloe?"

Chloe looked at the box in her arm and shrugged. "I don't know. It was sitting outside the door when I came in. And, it's got your name on it."

Belle's eyebrows scooted together in confusion and she took the box from Chloe. She saw her name written in Shawn's familiar scrawl and she sighed softly. "I can't believe this."

"What? What is it?"

"It's from Shawn."

Belle stood there staring at her name as Chloe waited nearby, nearly dying from the anticipation. "Well... Open it!"

Belle laughed and tentatively opened the box. There was a thin sheet of wax paper lying on top of something and Belle slowly moved it away. She felt a smile creep slowly across her lips as she stared at what was inside.

Chloe stared at her expectantly and noticed something different about Belle's smile. "It must be something pretty special in there. I haven't seen you do that in weeks."

Belle broke her reverie and looked at Chloe in surprise. "Do what? Smile? I smile all the time."

"Yeah, but not that smile. That's your smile that has always been reserved for Shawn. Maybe you don't think there is a difference, but I noticed it a long time ago."

Belle shrugged but kept the smile firmly planted in place. "It's just... This brings back some really good memories."

"Okay... And, what is it?"

Belle moved the box away from her and showed the contents to Chloe. "Cookies. It's cookies."

Chloe inspected them curiously and looked back at Belle in confusion. "It looks like homemade ginger snaps. Am I missing some sort of significance here?"

Belle nodded and continued. "It's my favorite cookie. I think Shawn is the only person in the world who would remember that. When I was about 7 years old, I got the chicken pox and I had to miss a week of school. Shawn and his mom made a whole batch of ginger snaps for me and brought them over. And, ever since then... it's been my favorite cookie. And it seems like the only time I would get them is when I was sick or feeling bad. Shawn would always bring them to me to make me feel better."

Chloe nodded and smiled slightly. "The two of you... You have the most amazing stories about each other."

"You want to know the best part? Shawn had not had the chicken pox yet, and his parents didn't want him to come over, but he just wouldn't give up... So, they finally gave in and brought him over, and of course, he ended up catching them from me."

"Wow... If that isn't love, then I don't know what is. No man has ever caught a disease just for me."

Belle laughed as she closed the box again. "Well, that was then. Things have changed."

"Things haven't changed that much. He would still do anything for you."

Belle shook her head and walked towards the stairs. "I just wish he'd leave me alone. I begged him to leave me alone, and he won't."

Chloe sighed and pleaded with her. "Belle... He can't. He loves you. He's never going to give up on that."

Belle stepped on to the first step and turned back to look at Chloe. "Please... I don't want to talk about this. Not right now."

Chloe nodded and followed Belle upstairs to her room. She only planned to let Belle change the subject for a brief time. There was no getting out of discussing the subject of Shawn Brady for her tonight. Chloe sat on the edge of Belle's bed, as Belle went to the closet and pulled her dress out to show it off. She held it up to herself and twirled once in a circle with a grin on her face.

Chloe nodded her approval and Belle hung the dress up on the closet door. "So, what do you think?"

"I love it. You always look good in pink, Belle."

"Do you think I made the right decision about my hair? I didn't know if I should put it up or leave it down."

"Down is definitely the right way to go. You're going to look great."

Belle smiled appreciatively and perched herself in the middle of the bed. She grabbed a bottle of nail polish off of her nightstand and began carefully painting her toenails. "So, Chloe... What do you have in store for my brother tonight?"

Chloe laughed and shrugged slightly. "A night full of boredom, I'm sure. Junk food and bad movies, I guess. I'm sure he'll be absolutely miserable before the night is through."

Belle laughed and gave Chloe a devilish grin. "I wouldn't count on that."

"Oh really? What makes you say that?"

"Because, it's you. You guys could do absolutely nothing together and it would still be interesting. He'll have fun just because he's with you."

Chloe looked at her with suspicion. "I wouldn't exactly say that..."

Belle paused her toe painting to look at Chloe with seriousness in her eyes. "Chloe... Let me ask you something. How do you feel about my brother? Honestly."

"I care about Brady a lot. You know that. You shouldn't even have to ask. He's one of the best friends I've ever had."

"I know that... But, what I'm trying to ask you is... Do you love him?"

Chloe nodded without hesitation. "Of course I do. I love Brady, and I love you too."

Belle sighed in frustration and continued. "Okay, let me be as clear as I possibly can. Are you in love with my brother? As in, do you have feelings, other than the friendly kind, towards him?"

Chloe tried to stutter out her answer, but found that her words had deserted her. "I... I... I..."

Belle's eyes widened and she nodded knowingly. "You do. I just knew it. You ARE in love with my brother. I knew it. I knew it. I knew it."

Chloe frowned and tried to deny what Belle was reading in her eyes. "Oh yeah, and how do you know? Are you gifted with the ability to read people's minds now?"

"No. You don't need to be a mind reader to figure it out. I've been noticing it for a long time now, Chloe. Remember what you said downstairs? About the smile that I have reserved just for Shawn?"

Chloe nodded and bit her lower lip nervously. "Uh-huh."

"You have the same thing when you're around Brady. I have never seen anyone be able to make you smile the way the he does, or make you laugh as much as he does. Not even Phillip. Around him, you always seemed to be reserved... But, with Brady, you're more open, and honest and just plain happier. I think that I know both of you pretty well, but it's not even close to the way you two seem to know each other."

Chloe smiled in embarrassment and looked downward. "It's so confusing, Belle. I think my subconscious has probably known it for a long time, the rest of me is just now catching up. I tried so hard to make things with Phillip work, and push aside what I was feeling for Brady. But, it just wouldn't work."

Belle grinned and continued Chloe's thoughts for her. "And, now you just can't deny it any longer."

"Basically. I just don't how to tell him, or even if I should."

"You should. Without a doubt, you HAVE to tell him."

"I don't know. I feel like I have to wait the right moment, the perfect moment."

Belle shrugged and went back to painting her toenails. "There's no time like the present, if you ask me."

Chloe rolled her eyes skeptically. "Oh no, I don't think so."

"I'm serious, Chloe. Brady expects honesty from the people he cares about, and if you keep this from him, you're lying to him and you're lying to yourself. There is no such thing as the right moment or the wrong moment when it comes to love. You have to do it as soon as possible. Do it tonight."

"You're crazy, Belle. I can't tell him how I feel. What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if it ruins our friendship? I couldn't stand it if I lost him."

Belle sighed as she screwed the cap back on her nail polish and put it back on the nightstand. "Don't even think about that. Brady would never let anything come between you and him. Believe me, when Brady Black makes a friend, it's for life. Besides, everybody loves to hear that they are loved. So, just tell him how you feel and how much he means to you. It couldn't possibly end up as bad as you think it will."

Chloe's face scrunched up in worry and fear. "Maybe you're right, but I'm so scared, Belle. I've been rejected by so many people in my life and I don't know if I could handle being rejected by Brady. I haven't had a lot of experience being loved. And now, I feel like I've finally found someone that I could imagine being with for the rest of my life. If he doesn't feel the same way, I don't know what I'll do."

Belle nodded in understanding and pleaded with her. "But, you have to try and find out. If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Besides, I have this feeling deep down in the pit of my stomach that just maybe Brady feels the same way that you do."

"And why would you think that?"

"I told you, I know you both really well. I know he cares about you much more than he's willing to admit. He denies it to me, and my dad, but I know that he has feelings for you too."

Chloe shook her head and shrugged. "I don't know about that. Sometimes I think he just thinks I'm some kid, the friend of his little sister... I don't think he sees me as someone he could fall in love with. Someone he could have a future with."

Belle rolled her eyes and groaned loudly. If she hadn't spent so much time fixing her hair, she would have pulled at it in frustration. "Damnit Chloe... You and my brother are like the masters of denial. But, I'm not buying a single word of it. You may think that he sees you that way, he may even say that about you. But, he doesn't treat you that way, and he never has."

Chloe sighed and looked away. She knew that Belle was right. Brady had never treated her the way that he treated Belle's other friends. He treated Mimi like an annoying kid sister, but he had always treated Chloe like an equal.

Chloe did not speak, afraid to admit that she was wrong, so Belle kept on going. "Chloe... I know it's hard sometimes to see what's right in front of you. But, I see it. Brady has never been the kind of person to open up to someone easily. He's only ever been really close to me and our dad. But, from the day he met you, he's opened up parts of himself that he's never shared with anyone else. He's been a different person since he's been friends with you. He's been a better person."

Chloe's expression changed as she looked at her friend. Belle suddenly saw all of Chloe's insecurities and doubts written all over her face, and she had never seen Chloe look this vulnerable. Chloe quietly rasped out just one word. "Really?"

Belle nodded enthusiastically and impulsively threw one arm around Chloe's shoulder. "Of course. You have to believe me. I wouldn't encourage you to tell him if I thought he was going to break your heart. I love you both, and I would never want to see you hurt like that. I know that you're afraid, and you're thinking about what will happen if it doesn't turn out the way you want it. But, you can't think about that. You have to think about what will happen when it DOES work out."

Chloe tried to smile at Belle, and Belle could tell that her words had struck Chloe. "I just hope you're right. Because, if you aren't..."

Belle held up one hand as if she was swearing a promise and finished Chloe's sentence. "Then I promise to make it up to you every day for the rest of your life. That's how completely sure I am."

"I just don't know if tonight is the night to do it. I don't want to be like, 'Hey Brady, have some popcorn', and then right in the middle of a bad horror movie say, 'Oh, by the way, I think I'm in love with you.'"

"I know, and if you don't do it tonight, that's okay. I understand how difficult it must be. But, you should do it as soon as you can, because you never know when the moment is going to pass you by forever."

Chloe nodded in understanding. "I guess you're right."

Belle grinned and stood up from the bed. "Of course I'm right. I'm always right."

Belle winked at her and grabbed her dress off the closet door. Chloe laid her head on Belle's pillow with a sigh and shut her eyes. She quietly muttered under her breath. "Not always, Belle..."

Belle quickly removed her robe and changed into her dress. She hung the robe on a hook and then turned her attention back to Chloe. "Chloe, did you just say something?"

Chloe sat up and shook her head innocently. "No, it was nothing."

"Okay then... Zip me up?"

Chloe stood and walked around the bed to stand behind Belle. She zipped the back of the pink dress up, and adjusted a few stray curls on the back of Belle's head. "There you go... Almost ready."

Belle turned and smiled widely at her friend. "Thank you very much. So, what was that you said?"

Chloe sighed softly and walked a few steps away from Belle, leaving her back turned to her. Belle would never let her get away with anything, not even three words that she had barely said above a whisper. "I just... It's about Shawn."

Chloe did not turn, but she could almost feel the air in the room change at the mention of his name again. "I told you, I don't want to talk about him. In fact, I really want to avoid thinking about him at all."

Chloe turned around and frowned at Belle. "You can't do that. I know you're trying to, but Shawn is such a part of your life and your history... You can't just forget him altogether."

"I can try. And, I would..." Belle pointed towards the box of cookies resting on her dresser. "If he would leave me alone like I asked him to."

"That's not possible. Shawn needs you, and he loves you, Belle. He's not going to give up that easily. And neither should you. You two belong together."

Belle shook her head in denial, trying to fight back the tears that had been below the surface since she had opened the box of cookies. "What can I do? Does he expect me to just forget about what he did to me? I can't do that. I can never forget how he hurt me. Never."

Chloe nodded sympathetically. "I know that. And, you shouldn't be expected to. Shawn won't forget about it either. It will stand as a reminder for the rest of his life of what NOT to do ever again. He knows how badly he has screwed things up, and I honestly believe that he's truly sorry for what he did. It kills him inside to know that he caused you all that pain and he's dying for your forgiveness, for your mercy... But nobody expects you to ever forget about it."

Belle swallowed hard, trying to keep her tears from flowing freely and ruining her makeup. "Oh God, Chloe... I do love Shawn, with all of my heart. Part of me wants to just let all of this madness go, and run straight to his arms. But, the rest of me just doesn't know if I can forgive him. If I can live every day worrying that he's going to hurt me again."

"People have forgiven much worse deeds of their loved ones. Because, that's what you are supposed to do. People make mistakes, nobody is perfect and if you love someone, you have to forgive them. He needs you to forgive him, he needs you to let him make this up to you. He wants to show you that he won't hurt you ever again. Shawn deserves a second chance, and you deserve another chance to make your relationship work."

Belle nodded, and Chloe could see how conflicted she was inside, it was written all over her face. "I just don't want to take the easy way out. I don't want him to think that just because I forgave him once, that I could do it again. I want to know that I'm going back to Shawn for the right reasons. I don't want to be weak."

Chloe raised her eyebrows skeptically. "You? You are one of the strongest people I have ever known. And, you're not weak if you forgive Shawn. If you can look past his mistakes to love him again, that shows that you have strength. Forgiveness is one of the bravest acts that people have to offer. This isn't a situation where the girl takes back her boyfriend who beats her because she has no self-esteem. You're not like that. This is forgiving someone because you love them, and in the end, love is all that really matters."

Belle looked towards the floor and sighed. Deep down, she knew Chloe was right. Shawn needed her forgiveness, just as much as she needed to forgive him.

"She's right, Belle. Chloe is right." Belle looked up in surprise and saw her mother standing in the doorway. Marlena smiled at her daughter and stepped further into the room. Ever since she was a baby, Belle had loved her mother's sympathetic, caring smile; the one that always told her that everything was going to be fine.

"Mom... How long have you been standing to there?"

"Long enough to know that Chloe knows what she's talking about. I'm not pleased about what Shawn did to you, but if you truly believe that he's sorry for what he's done, and has learned from his mistakes... Then you owe it to yourself to forgive him."

Chloe nodded in agreement and directed her words towards Marlena. "He is sorry. I talked to him yesterday, and it's like he's dying inside because he hurt the people he loves the most."

Belle sighed softly and frowned. "I know that he's sorry. But, I'm just so scared..."

Marlena walked closer to her daughter and placed her hands on Belle's arms, staring her straight in the eyes. "Do you love him, Belle?"

Belle nodded without hesitation. "More than I ever thought it was possible to love someone besides my family. I've loved him for my entire life, and that's what makes this so hard."

"No, sweetie.. That is what should make it easy for you."

"What? Why?"

Marlena wrapped her arm around her daughter and walked her to the bed where they sat on the edge together. Chloe remained in the same place, observing silently.

Marlena smiled at her daughter and continued. "Because, what Chloe said is exactly right. Love is the only thing that matters. So many things have stood in the way of your father and me in the past. We both made our mistakes, we've both been hurt... Sometimes it was things that were out of our control, and sometimes it wasn't. But, the important thing is that we worked hard to keep what we have. And, all the bad moments are worth it when you have that kind of love. If you love Shawn even one one-thousandth of how I love your father, then you'll realize that's the truth."

Belle looked at her mother questioningly. "Really?"

"Of course. The pain, the heartbreak, all of the obstacles, they just make you appreciate the good moments even more."

Chloe nodded at Marlena's words and interjected her own thoughts. "Your mother is a very wise person, Belle. You should always listen to her. I can't think of a single couple who hasn't had obstacles to get over, but when you love someone the way that you love Shawn, or the way that your parents love each other... You do everything in your power to overcome them."

"And Shawn knows that too. He's witnessed it with his own parents. Bo and Hope have had so many things that kept them apart, but they always find their way back to each other."

Belle sighed and hugged her mother tightly. "God, I hope you're right... both of you..."

Marlena let go of her daughter and nodded. "And I wish that I could promise you that everything will work out, but nothing can guarantee that. But, you'll never know unless you try."

Belle stood from the edge of the bed and smoothed down the front of her dress. "I just need time, I guess. The wounds are still so fresh, and I need to let them heal before I do anything."

"Of course you do. A broken heart doesn't just heal overnight, no matter how much you want it to."

Chloe smiled at Belle and was suddenly struck by how lovely she looked. "You look very pretty in your dress, Belle."

Marlena stood and chimed in as well. "You look so beautiful, and so grown up."

Belle grinned at them bashfully. "Thank you... thank you both. For everything, for all the advice and words of comfort. I know that I have a lot of thinking to do, and I'm going to really try and figure out what I want to do about Shawn. But, not tonight. No more talking about it tonight. I just want to go out with my friends, dance and have some fun. Every minute of every day my thoughts have been about Shawn, and I just don't want to think about it for the rest of the night. Okay?"

Marlena nodded affirmatively. "As long as you promise us, that after tonight you WILL think about what Chloe and I have said. Please?"

"Of course. I promise. You've given me a lot to think about, that's for sure."

Marlena smiled and hugged her again. "So, what time is Phillip coming to pick you up?"

Belle glanced at the clock on her nightstand and let go of her mother. "About an hour or so... I just have to get my shoes on and do a few touch ups, and then I'm ready to go."

"Good, good... I'm going to go downstairs and call your father. I want to make sure he's on his way home. You know he'll want to take pictures before you two leave for the dance."

"Of course. Thanks, mom."

Marlena gave her one last smile and quickly headed out the door. Chloe looked at Belle as if she was waiting for Belle to say something.

"Thank you too, Chloe. Thanks for coming over here tonight."

Chloe shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not like I was a big help. For the first time in your entire life, you were ready over an hour early. I didn't have much to do, did I?"

Belle giggled and nodded in agreement. "That's true. But, that's not what I'm thanking you for. Thank you for doing everything you can to keep me from going off the deep end. And Shawn too... I know that whatever you said to him yesterday, must have really meant a lot."

Chloe smiled and hugged Belle tightly. "That's what friends are for. It's my goal to do everything I can to ensure your happiness, and if that means being with Shawn, then that's the way it has to be."

"Well... Ditto for me. There are no other people in this world that deserve happiness more than you and Brady. That's why I'm so pushy, it's because I love you both."

Chloe grinned and took a few steps away from Belle. "Well, thank you... And, that reminds me... I have to run to a couple of places before Brady comes over tonight."

Belle raised one eyebrow curiously. "Plus, you don't want to be here when Phillip gets here."

"Well, sort of. I know things are better between Phillip and I. But, still, that's a whole brand of awkward that I'd rather not get into tonight."

Belle laughed and nodded her understanding. "Of course."

"So, I'll just see myself out so you can finish getting ready."

"Alright... Have fun tonight, Chloe."

Chloe walked to the door and turned back briefly to smile at Belle. "You too."

Chloe exited and left Belle alone with her thoughts. She padded her bare feet across the floor slowly and stood near the box of cookies that Shawn had left for her. Belle opened the box with one hand and took one cookie out of the box. She took a small bite out of the cookie in her hand and sighed.

Belle knew what Shawn was trying to do. He was trying to remind her of all the reasons that they had fallen in love in the first place. Her pain was still too close to the surface, but maybe in time it would float to the back of her mind, and she would be able to take Shawn back into her heart.

But not tonight. Tonight she would do her best to forget about the misery and heartache. Tonight she would dance, laugh and spend time with one of her best friends, and hopefully, thoughts of Shawn Brady would be nowhere in sight.

***

(Woo... I sure make those folks talk too much, don't I?)