Friends and Lovers
By Misha
Author's Notes- Alright, I guess your wondering about the Chloe/Shawn thing. Well, they grew up together, of course he has feelings for her! But don't worry, Belle & Shawn are going to hook up. They're the main couple in this along with Chloe & Phillip.
Chapter One
Thursday, October 5th 2000
A month.
It had been an entire month since Kiriakis had begun pursuing Chloe and watching the two of them together made Shawn sick.
Why can't Phillip just move on to the next girl, like he always does? He thought bitterly, then he felt ashamed of himself.
Chloe really liked Phillip and would be devastated if he dumped her.
But I could be there to pick up the pieces. Shawn thought as he tried to get some homework done.
Just then the phone rang.
"Hello?" He answered with harshly.
"Shawn?" Chloe asked hesitantly. "Is something wrong?"
"Of course not." Shawn told her quickly. "Just Algebra."
Chloe laughed. "Of course, I should have known. Do you want to hang out, just the two of us?"
"What about Kiriakis?" Shawn asked a tad bitterly.
"Football practice." Chloe answered. "It goes until five thirty, so I thought that the two of us could hang out. You know watch a movie?"
"Alright." Shawn agreed. "I'll be over in a minute."
"Great." Chloe said and then she hung up the phone.
Shawn hung up his end and stood up. "Maybe if we spend the afternoon together, you'll see how much better I am for you than Kiriakis."
* * * * *
Chloe was waiting for him when he arrived at the Wesley's.
Shawn was surprised by how much colour she was wearing. Chloe usually stuck to black, but looking at her Shawn realized she had been wearing a lot of colour for the last couple weeks.
"You look great." Shawn told Chloe, taking in her peach coloured stirrup-pants and matching tank top with blue and white flowers embroidered on the stomach. "Peach, wow. I don't think I've ever seen you wear peach before."
"It's no big deal." Chloe said with a shrug.
Shawn sighed, betting the no big deal had something to do with Kiriakis.
"Well, you still look great." Shawn said sincerely.
Chloe smiled. "I'm glad you think so. Oh, by the way... How would you like to go to Dot.Com later?"
"Just you and me?" Shawn asked with interest.
Chloe shook her head. "No. A friend of Mom's just moved to California and she has a daughter our age. Mom wants me to show her around and introduce her to people. So I thought the four of us could go to Dot.Com later."
Four, Shawn thought bitterly, that means Kiriakis is part of the equation.
"Of course." Shawn answered with what he hoped was a believable smile. "What's her name?"
"Isabella Black."
"Any relation to Marlena and John Black?" Shawn asked. " 'Cause they're friends of my parents. Although I can't remember when the last time we saw them was. I think they have a daughter named Isabella."
"That's her." Chloe told him. "Marlena's the friend of Mom's."
* * * * *
Belle stood nervously on the doorstep of the address her mother had directed her too. This was a bad idea. What if the daughter of her mother's friend hated her?
She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
A minute later a good-looking girl with wavy dark hair and blue eyes opened the door.
"You must be Isabella." She said with a warm smile. "I'm Chloe."
"It's Belle." Belle said smiling. "And it's nice to meet you."
Chloe smiled again and moved over so that Belle could come in side. "Come in."
Belle stepped inside and was greeted by the sight of the most gorgeous guy she had ever laid eyes on.
Wow, he's cute. She thought, but then she realized that he was probably Chloe's boyfriend.
"This is Shawn." Chloe said, nodding to the boy.
"Shawn Brady." He said with a smile, standing up and turning off the VCR.
"As in Bo and Hope Brady?" Belle asked. " 'Cause they're-"
"Friends of your parents, I know." Shawn said with a smile.
Belle felt shivers go down his spine when he smiled at her. It wasn't fair... He was way too cute.
Just as she was about to get seriously depressed the doorbell rang again and Chloe sprang to answer it.
On the other side was a tall, good-looking guy with blonde hair.
Belle good look at him and decided that while he was hot, he was no Shawn.
He didn't even seem to notice her, instead his eyes were locked on Chloe. "Hey beautiful." He whispered, taking Chloe in his arms and kissing her.
Belle stared at them in confusion, who was this guy and what was his relationship with Chloe?
She got her answers a minute later. When the two pulled apart Chloe leaned against him and looked over at Belle. "Belle, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Phillip."
Belle's eyes lit up at the word.
Boyfriend. That meant that Chloe and Shawn were just friends. Maybe she had a chance with him after all!
"It's nice to met you, Phillip." She said with a pleasant smile. "I'm Belle."
Phillip nodded and smiled back. "Hi. Chloe was telling me all about you. Welcome to Salem."
Belle looked over at Shawn and saw that he was carefully watching Phillip's reaction to her, he actually seemed disappointed that Phillip didn't seem that interested.
Belle wondered why and then caught the way that Shawn was staring at Chloe.
He's in love with her. She realized, also noticing Phillip and Chloe's mutual adoration. Oh, boy.
"Let's go." Chloe said, taking Phillip's hand. She turned to Belle. "I thought we'd all go to Dot.Com, it's the local hang out."
"Sounds great." Belle said with a smile as she followed the other three out to Phillip's sports car.
She climbed in the back, with Shawn while Chloe and Phillip sat in the front.
Belle noticed Shawn's unhappiness during the ride as Phillip drove with one hand on the wheel and the other holding on tightly to Chloe's.
* * * * *
Shawn sighed as the four of them walked into Dot.Com.
He had been hoping that once Kiriakis laid on eyes on the new beauty in town he would drop Chloe and then Shawn could be there to pick up the pieces.
But that hadn't happened. No, instead he barely glanced at Belle and seemed as in to Chloe as ever.
Maybe it's the real thing. Shawn thought, but then he pushed that thought aside. It couldn't be. Kiriakis was incapable of really falling in love.
"Are you okay?" Belle asked softly.
Shawn turned to her and smiled.
She really was beautiful. She wasn't Chloe, but... There was something about her.
"Yeah." He answered and then realising that she had probably already guessed he sighed.
"It's just those two." He replied, motioning to Chloe and Phillip who had gone to order Lattes' for the four of them. "I don't get what she sees in him."
"He seems very nice." Belle said hesitantly.
"Seems being the operative word!" Shawn exclaimed angrily. "Kiriakis is a jerk pure in simple. He dates a girl until he gets tired of her, then he discards her."
"He seems to really like Chloe." Belle said softly, looking over at the counter where Phillip had whispered something in Chloe's ear causing her to giggle.
"Yeah, I know." Shawn said with a sigh. "It's strange. Usually he's dumped the girl by now, but..."
Whatever he was going to say got interrupted by Phillip and Chloe returning.
"So, how are you two getting along?" Chloe asked as she sat down beside Belle.
Shawn caught the glint in her eyes and groaned inwardly. Chloe planned on setting him up with Belle!
"Good." Belle answered, before he could. "Shawn's very nice."
Chloe smiled happily. "Great! I was hoping that you two would be friends!"
Shawn closed his eyes for a minute wondering why this had to happen. Not that he didn't like Belle, but... Chloe was the only one he wanted.
* * * * *