Chloe groaned miserably as she stared helplessly at her calendar. It was March 20, but her friends would not return until quite late on March 24. Tossing the pocket calendar onto her desk, Chloe grumbled, "How am I going to survive being tormented by Jason for the next few days?"
Opening her bedroom door, Chloe unhappily walked down the hall and tromped down the stairs. Entering the living room, she snatched the newspaper from the coffee table and threw herself into an armchair. Chloe purposely ignored Craig and Nancy's inquisitive stares as she pretended to read an article.
Gently placing her coffee cup on the stand beside the couch where she and Craig were sitting, Nancy hesitantly asked, "Chloe, is everything alright? You seem a little upset."
"I'm fine," growled Chloe without glancing away from the incredibly boring article about the latest sanitation plans for the city.
"But, sweetheart . . ."
"Nancy, I'm fine!" Chloe snapped rather harshly. Though she instantly regretted the unkind tone she had used with her mother, Chloe refused to apologize. She was still far too angry at Jason Masters to show weakness or regret to anyone.
Just as Nancy thought the silence following Chloe's outburst would completely engulf her, she was saved by the doorbell chiming throughout the home. Quickly jumping to her feet, Nancy chirped, "I'll get that."
As Chloe said a silent prayer that the early morning visitor wasn't Jason, Nancy departed from the living room to greet whomever she would find.
After a few minutes had passed, Nancy returned to the room alone. However, in her hands she held a small package. Handing the object to Chloe, she explained, "You got a delivery, sweetie."
Taking the delivery from her mother, Chloe gave the box a suspicious glare before reaching into the drawer to her right and pulling out the scissors. Having successfully unsealed the package, Chloe took a deep breath and pulled back the top flaps.
With great care, Chloe pulled out a smaller package from within the original delivery. Also, she retrieved the card that was tucked inside. Chloe opened the envelope and retrieved the actual card from within it. Opening it, she found a neat message written in a rather feminine handwriting. Chloe quickly read the brief note before looking at Craig and Nancy who were monitoring her every move.
"It's from Jason's stepsister. She wanted to say thanks for the gift, and she thought I might want to have whatever is in this . . ." Chloe explained as she displayed the smaller manila package.
Nancy gave a brief nod but said nothing as she continued to watch her daughter. The redhead could not help but notice that it was the first time that morning for Chloe to mention Jason's name. Nancy also heard the added tension in Chloe's voice as she mentioned the handsome blonde young man.
A pensive smile appeared on Chloe face as she opened the bubble mailer and recovered the contents. Holding the stack of photographs in her hands, Chloe refused to allow herself to become any more emotional than possible. After all, Chloe knew that she and Jason were anything but a real couple - however, Chloe's mind somehow had forgotten to tell her heart.
Flipping through the photos from Kaitlyn's birthday party, Chloe was surprised by how genuinely happy she and Jason appeared to be in each shot. The last picture in the stack caught Chloe's eye even more than the others. She and Jason were standing under the large oak tree in the backyard of Kaitlyn's home and the colorful decorations filled the background as the two teens wrapped their arms around each other - for "looks". After all, that day had supposedly only been about making other people falsely believe that they were in love. Looking back, Chloe wondered just how false those supposed feelings really were.
Chloe slowly rose from the chair and carried the photos with her across the room. After sticking the stack into the top desk drawer, Chloe slipped her favorite photograph of herself and Jason into her purse. Whether she like it or not, some part of her just wanted to keep Jason close.
Jason entered the living room wearing his usual denim jeans and a white tank. His normally spiked hair fell flat on his forehead as the last few drops of water from his shower trickled down his handsome face.
Much like Chloe had done at her own home, Jason grumpily threw himself into a chair as he attempted to push away the memory of his argument with the stunning brunette. Mumbling incoherently to himself, Jason rested his feet on the coffee table and began to flip through the small book he had brought down from his room.
Glancing over the names written on each page of his infamous little black book, Jason found reasons to not call every single girl. One was too selfish. Another was too selfless. Some girls were already taken. Others were just too hideous to ever be taken by anyone. Still, there was really only one reason that the girls listed in his book didn't catch Jason's eye - none of them were Chloe Lane.
While Jason sat unhappily flipping through the pages, his brother appeared in the doorway. Crossing the room in nothing but his baby blue boxers, Devon groggily tossed his body down on the couch and used the remote to switch on the television.
Blocking out the annoying sound of the news program, Jason kept his forlorn eyes locked on the names of girls he had known in the past - girls he hoped could somehow make him forget how hard he was actually falling for Chloe.
"So, do you think Katie Couric is a babe? Cuz' I think she's sorta hot in the stuffy business woman kinda way."
Jason rolled his eyes with extreme displeasure. Listening to Devon babble senselessly about female news anchors was not on the top of Jason's list of ways to spend the morning after a huge fight with Chloe. Through gritted teeth, Jason crankily suggested, "Why don't you just shut your mouth, Dev?"
Wiping his sleepy eyes with the back of his hand, Devon gave his brother a bemused grin and commented, "I guess you screwed things up with Chloe last night, huh? Nothing else would make you this much of a pain."
"News flash, bro. My world does not revolve around Chloe Lame-O."
"Like hell it doesn't," Devon responded.
Ignoring his brother's remark, Jason continued, "It's not my fault Chloe's like she is. And, it sure isn't my fault that we had some stupid argument. She's the one that had to go and mention the so-called great loves of her life. And, another thing, my attitude has nothing to do with Chloe. It's not like I need that freak hanging around me or anything."
Rising from the couch and walking toward the kitchen, Devon simply asked, "Who are you trying to convince - me or you?"
Nancy picked up the phone on the second ring. Bringing the receiver to her ear, she said, "Hello? . . . Oh, yes . . . just a moment."
Addressing Chloe as she sat curled up in the familiar armchair with her script, Nancy said, "Chloe, you have a phone call."
Chloe tossed a weary glance not at her mother but at the actual phone itself as she questioned, "Who is it?"
"I'm not sure, but he sounds like he just rolled out of bed . . . and, no, it's definitely not Jason ."
Tossing the script onto the coffee table, Chloe remarked, "That's good, because I never want to speak to that jerk again."
As she handed the cordless phone to her daughter, Nancy could not help but wonder what exactly had transpired the night before with Jason Masters. It was painfully obvious that the young man had done something to upset Chloe.
"Hello," Chloe began almost hesitantly. She didn't know very many guys and those she did know could easily have had their voices recognized by Nancy.
"Hey, Chloe," Devon greeted with a distinctly sleepy edge in his voice.
"Devon?" Chloe questioned as she turned her face away from Nancy and her expectant gaze.
Releasing a yawn, the older young man replied, "Yeah, it's me. Listen, could you and Jase hurry up and make up? This dispassionate act of his is getting really old, really quick. Plus, I'm sick of seeing him wander around like a sick puppy dog."
"I'm sure you're exaggerating things," Chloe replied even as she silently hoped that Devon was being totally truthful. For some reason, thinking of Jason missing her filled her with a rather satisfying feeling.
"Not quite," answered Devon as he watched his brother enter the kitchen, open the refrigerator door, and then slam it shut with a grumble before leaving the room. "And, I'd bet dollars to donuts that you're feeling just as bad as he is. So, why don't you just swallow your pride for once and be the first to say that you're sorry. Honestly, Chloe, it wouldn't kill you to make the first move."
"I know you're only trying to help, but maybe you should just mind your own business this time."
"Don't, all right? Just don't."
"Don't what?" Chloe defensively questioned.
Devon pushed himself off the kitchen counter and replied, "Don't do what my brother is doing. Don't shut down and try to ignore how you feel."
Chloe opened her mouth to speak but discovered that there simply weren't words to express what she truly felt. Somewhere along the way, she had honestly fallen for Jason - and, she had fallen hard.
As a sudden flash of Jason's angry words filled her mind, Chloe gave a light shake of her head and said in a near whisper, "I can't. I just can't forgive and forget while Jason gets his own way."
"No, what you mean is that you and my brother are both refusing to get over your incredibly large egos," snapped Devon with an amount of conviction that even surprised him. "That's it," he muttered as he pushed open the door leading to the living room.
Passing by the couch where his brother was now lying, Devon roughly tossed the phone at Jason's chest and simply stated, "Just say you're sorry. You are way too old to keep acting like a spoiled preschooler."
Jason waited until his brother had left the room before bringing the phone to his ear. There was no need to ask who was on the other end of the line. Jason knew without a doubt that it was Chloe. The only question was if he would finally admit to being sorry. It was decision time. His precious ego . . . or a chance with his former nemesis.
Swallowing the Manhattan-size boulder known as his pride, Jason bluntly stated, "I'm sorry I was a jerk."
Her eyes practically popping completely out of her head, Chloe responded, "Excuse me?"
"Great, you even make apologizing a pain in the butt," complained Jason with only half the annoyance he pretended to feel.
"Yeah, well," Chloe reluctantly replied. "I'm sorry, too."
"Good."
"Good."
After a few seconds of silence, Jason quietly confessed, "I really didn't mean to blow up at you last night. So, what do you say we try that whole dating thing again? And, this time, we'll leave our exes out of it."
A mist of tears appeared in Chloe blue eyes as she realized that she was one of the selected few to be privileged to see Jason's softer side. Happiness beaming in her words, Chloe replied, "It's a date."
"Great," Jason said. He then added, "I'll be at your house in half an hour, so don't spend forever staring at yourself in the mirror."
"Oh, I'll try to restrain myself," answered Chloe with joyful sarcasm.
"See you soon," Jason stated as he hung up the phone with a smile. Maybe, just maybe, he didn't need that little black book after all.