Chapter Three: Chloe Gets a Phone Call

Chloe and Ashley were sitting on Chloe's bed that evening, flipping through Ashley's old yearbooks when the phone next to Chloe's bed started ringing. She reached over to pick it up.
"Hello?" she spoke, and her voice seemed to echo. She heard the confusion in Craig's voice on the other end of the line.
"Chloe?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes.
"Ali, I've got it." she spoke into the receiver. There was a brief pause that was punctuated by a clicking sound that indicated the other phone line being returned to it's cradle. "Craig, what's up? How was the evaluation?"
"Chlo, I don't know what I'm going to do." He cried, voice sounding thick from tears that were threatening to fall. Ashley looked at Chloe questioningly, and she shrugged.
"Why? What happened?" she asked, moving out onto the chilly balcony. He was silent. "Craig, are you okay? Do you want me to come over?"
"Would you?" he asked hopefully. "Later on, tonight?"
"Of course I will. What time?" she replied, and he was silent for a moment.
"Nine-thirty. Joey's going out on a date, I'm watching Ang."
"That's fine. I'll see you then." She spoke, moving back into the warmth of the room.
"Good. I love you, Chlo." He added quickly, and hung up before he could catch her reply. Chloe gazed quizzically down at the receiver before placing it back on the end table.
"What was that all about?" Ashley asked, closing the album she had been looking at and returning it to the stack on the floor. Chloe shook her head.
"I don't really know. Craig sounded almost hysterical. I'm going over there later tonight. He needs to talk, I guess." She replied, and was interrupted by the sound of her mother calling them for dinner.