Chapter 2: Chloe's Troubles

Chloe could hardly believe her ears. Her new friend wanted to join the paper. They were seriously understaffed at the moment and could use any help they could get. Apart from that jock Clark, her cousin Lois and her, no one working on the Stevenson weekly was remotely serious about it. Even the name that Mr White had insisted they use sounded more like a magazine that a proper newspaper.

She couldn't contain her excitement and let out a squeal of delight.

"Now your in for it," Eric joked to Veronica. Chloe ignored him and explained the situation. After a moment she got a great idea.

"I have to show you the press room!" She exclaimed. Chloe got excited easily, especially when it came to her life long passion journalism. When she was little she went through a phase where she would interview everyone she met and write it down in her journal. She still had that journal.

She jumped up from her seat and led the way out of the cafeteria. Veronica and Eric followed her a little less eagerly. Chloe led them the fastest way to the pressroom, talking incessantly the whole way. Eric added things every now and then but Chloe did most of the talking.

When they got to the room Chloe pushed open the cream coloured door and ushered the others in. She turned around to face the room and was met with the site of two people making out on one of the desks.

"God guy's," She huffed "Does this look like a supply room to you?" Slowly they stopped kissing and looked over at the three people in the doorway, not seeming even slightly embarrassed. The boy was Italian, he looked confident and it was obvious he was fit. The girls' nationality was hard to place. She had dark, wavy brown hair and brown eyes. She was taller that Chloe and Veronica but wasn't tall.

"Sorry," The boy smirked. He didn't look sorry at all. "We didn't know anyone came in here on Mondays." He slowly pulled the girl out of the room and she giggled a bit as they left. There was only one thing Chloe didn't like seeing and that was public displays of affection. Those two did it a lot.

"Do they work on the paper?" Veronica asked, looking over her shoulder at there retreating forms.

"Tony and Kate?" Chloe replied, "Yeah right. They're your stereotypical jock/cheerleader combo. The golden couple of Stevenson High. You'd think they'd been together forever."

"I'm sensing some unresolved issues," Veronica commented.

"She's just pissed because she's not getting any." Eric smirked, only to be rewarded by a punch from Chloe.

"I could if I wanted too," She defended herself. Eric kept his next comment to himself.

Chloe spent the rest of the break showing Veronica around the room, she actually found it quite interesting. She really hoped journalism could be her new thing. All to soon the bell rang. Veronica pulled her timetable out of her pocket.

"What have you got?" Chloe peered over her shoulder. She always seemed so eager about everything.

"History and Maths," Veronica replied.

"Cool, that history teacher's good and your in my maths class."

Veronica smiled; it was good to have friends that knew the school. She turned around to ask Foreman what he had but he was gone.

She turned to Chloe with raised eyebrows.

"Don't ask me where he went," She answered the unspoken question, "He always disappears after lunch on Mondays, I've never actually seen him go.

"Strange," Veronica muttered.

Chloe had been right about the History teacher. Mr Cabot was a really good teacher. As clichéd as it sounded, he made History come alive. Apparently he was the father of a girl in her grade. Lucky kid. She left the class with a smile on her face and walked into maths in the same mood.

She had found both classes easily thanks to Chloe's carefully written instructions. Maths was good but mainly only because Chloe was there. The teacher was this grumpy old guy. He kept yelling at everyone to pay attention but they didn't listen to him. The only one not talking was this blond boy in the first row. At least Veronica thought it was a boy at first. At the end of class when they were walking out she noticed that she was just a girl in baggy boys clothes.

Chloe grabbed her arm as they walked out of class.

"How are you getting home," She asked brightly.

"My dads picking me up," They walked out into the parking lot together.

"I'm walking," Chloe sighed, "My dads got a late shift tonight."

"They're a bitch aren't they," Veronica empathised, "Why don't you come over for a while, I'm sure we can find a way to pass the time."

"Sounds good," Chloe smiled and so did Veronica.

After a few minutes Mr Mars pulled up in his no descript car and they hopped in.

Veronica introduced the two of them.

"Call me Keith," Her dad insisted. Other than that the ride was pretty quiet.

Veronica's apartment was small, six rooms in total. Mars Investigations was stamped on the glass door. Veronica had done that the day before.

"Your dads a private investigator?" Chloe had asked when she saw it.

"Yep," Was all Veronica offered.

Veronica led Chloe passed her dads office and through the reception and the living room into her bedroom. It was only then that she remembered her wall. She tried to stop Chloe from seeing it but it was too late.

"What's that?" Chloe pushed passed her and into the room.

Spread out in front of her covering the entire wall were photos, letter and documents all about one thing: the Lily Kane murder case. Veronica's dad had yelled at her for two days when she had put it up in their new house. He had wanted to leave all of it behind in Neptune but Veronica couldn't do it.

"My most important case," Veronica answered Chloe softly.

"I remember this," Chloe said, "It was all over the news."

"Lily Kane was my best friend," Veronica supplied the missing link.

"I'm sorry," Chloe rubbed her arm. Veronica looked over at her.

"It's over now, I solved it." Chloe let it go.

At about five Chloe decided it was time to go.

"I want to be home when my dad gets in," She explained. She looked as if she was about to say something but she held it in.

"What is it?"

"I was just wondering," She began, "Next Monday I'm going to try and find out what been up with Eric and I just thought it would be better to have a partner."

Veronica had to think about it for a moment. He dad had told her she couldn't help on cases anymore. He wanted her to be a normal teenager. But didn't normal teenagers help out there friends?

"Sure," She replied finally, "If there's anything I've learnt from horror movies it's that bad things only happen when you're by yourself."

Chloe laughed. "You remind me of my cousin."

"And is this cousin nice?" Veronica teased.

"Well actually," Chloe thought about it for a second.

"Goodbye Chloe," Veronica led her to the door smiling. She hadn't genuinely smiled that much for a long time.

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