Friends and Lovers
By Misha
Author's Notes- I'm on a real streak which is why I'm getting this out so fast. It usually takes me longer than a few days to get this far, so that's a good thing. The song I use in this chapter is "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams. This chapter is kind of sappy. Enjoy.
Chapter Four
Friday, November 10th 2000
The next night Belle waited at Chloe's for Shawn to pick them up.
She wondered why Shawn was doing this, after all Phillip's party had to be the last place he wanted to be. Probably because Chloe was going, she guessed.
Belle fiddled with her costume and waited for Chloe.
She wondered what had made her decide to go up as Cinderella, but that's what she had chosen. She looked down at her poofy ball-gown and delicate silver slippers so shiny they looked like they were made of glass.
"Wow, Belle, you look great." Chloe told her when she came downstairs.
"So do you, Chloe, so should I say Leia?"
Chloe looked down at her Princess Leia costume and sighed. "I wanted Romeo and Juliet, he wanted Leia and Han, so we put three slips of paper in a hat and chose."
"What was the third?" Belle asked curiously.
"Marc Anthony and Cleopatra." Chloe answered.
"Phillip must have been happy." Belle said. "After all, the other two possibilities included him either wearing tights or a skirt."
Chloe smiled. "Yeah."
Just then the door rang and Chloe answered.
"Shawn!" She exclaimed. "You look great!"
Belle looked at Shawn and had to agree. He was dressed as James Dean and looked really hot.
"Chloe, Leia?" Shawn asked in surprise. "You can't even sit through the movie!"
"Don't remind me." Chloe said. "I feel weird enough as it is with this hairdo."
"Then why the costume?" Shawn asked. Belle groaned, knowing he wouldn't like the answer.
"Phillip won the draw." Chloe said making a face.
Shawn was quiet. "Ah. Well, let's go." He turned and walked out to the SUV with the girls following behind him.
* * * * *
Chloe kept on darting looks at Shawn as they drove.
What was wrong with him? All of a sudden he was acting so strange.
It couldn't be jealousy still, after all she had gone out of her way to make sure she and Shawn spent time together, so what could be bothering him?
That question was still bugging her when they got to Phillip's.
Chloe watched Shawn and Belle as they got out of the car. Shawn looked unhappy and tense, while Belle looked worried about something. Chloe wondered if they were hiding something from her and if so, what?
When they walked inside Chloe winced. "I hate this kind of music." She muttered.
Shawn smiled and leaned over to whisper in her ear. "What did you expect, opera?"
Chloe laughed, feeling glad that she and Shawn were just laughing and having fun talking to one another.
Suddenly she saw Shawn tense and she looked up to see Phillip.
She rolled her eyes, wondering if the two of them would ever get along and walked over to Phillip.
"I missed you." He told her, kissing her lightly.
"Phillip, you only saw me at school!" Chloe said with a shake of her head.
Phillip hugged her tight. "So?" He teased. "Aren't I allowed to miss you?"
"Let me think about it." Chloe said, pretending to deliberate. "Yeah, you can miss me."
Suddenly the music changed and a slow song came on.
"Dance with me?" Phillip asked her softly.
Chloe wordlessly held out her hand for him to lead her on to the dance floor.
Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Shawn watched as 'Princess Leia' lay her head on 'Han Solo's' shoulder and he wrapped his arms tightly around her.
It didn't seem fair. He was the one that should be holding Chloe in his arms. He should be the one who was dressed up in a coupleishy costume with her.
But he wasn't. Phillip was.
Shawn sighed, knowing that no matter how unfair it was, Chloe saw him as her Luke, not her Han.
Knowing he would go insane if he watched Phillip and Chloe for a moment longer, Shawn turned to Belle. "Do you want to dance?"
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Chloe looked up into Phillip's eyes and was warmed by what she saw there.
When he had first asked her out she was afraid that she would be another one of the girls he just used and then threw away, but she had realized that wasn't true.
She could see it in his eyes, had been able to see it since their first kiss. What they shared was real.
She knew from the promise in his eyes that what they shared was different than all his other relationships. It was real.
Look into my heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice
Belle looked up at Shawn, trying to fight the delight that was swimming inside of her because she was finally in his arms.
Sure, it was only one dance, but it was a step.
She looked over at Chloe and Phillip and saw how preoccupied they looked. They only had eyes for one another.
She looked at Shawn, glad that his back was to Chloe and Phillip, because she knew it would really hurt him.
Still, a part of her wished that he could see it so that maybe he would realize how hopeless his feelings for Chloe were.
Just like yours? A voice inside her head asked. belle closed her eyes, trying to deny it.
But it was true. Just like Chloe would never think of Shawn in that way, he would never think of her in that way.
She had only lived in Salem a month, but in that month she had become Shawn's friend and confidante.
Nothing more.
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Phillip tightened his hold on the girl on his arms, amazed that he could feel so strongly for her.
None of the other girls he had dated had ever really affected him emotionally, but Chloe... She made him feel things he didn't even know it was possible to feel. She had shown him how empty his life had been before she came into it.
As she gazed into his eyes he saw the emotion in her eyes and knew that she cared as deeply for him as he cared for her.
Whatever was going on between them was deep and it was real.
There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way
Belle watched the intensity between Phillip and Chloe and wondered what was going on over there.
If she had any doubts about how serious they were watching him would get rid of those doubts. They looked as if they were made for one another's arms.
She wished that just for one moment Shawn would look at her the way Phillip looking at Chloe. She would give anything for that to happen.
Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - yeah I'd die for you
Shawn wondered what was Belle was staring at, but he bet he knew.
Chloe. Chloe and Phillip.
Just the thought of their names together like that upset him. He didn't want to think of as of being with Phillip.
This had to be one big nightmare that he would wake up from any minute.
But if it was, then Belle would be too. Would you want that? That irritating voice reminded him.
Shut up. He told the voice, but it was right.
As much as he wanted the Chloe/Phillip scenario to disappear he didn't want Belle to disappear.
He had only known her a month, but already she had come to mean a lot to him. Next to Chloe she was his best friend, and unlike his relationship with Chloe their relationship with simple, relaxed, carefree.
It was Belle that made the whole Chloe/Phillip thing bearable.
You know it's true Everything I do...I do it for you
The music ended and the two couples separated.
Well, Shawn and Belle separated, Phillip and Chloe just moved off the dance floor. His arm was around her waist as they walked back to Shawn and Belle.
Chloe watcher two friends, hoping that they were beginning to hook up. Shawn and Belle together would b perfect.
"Where are Mimi and Jason?" Belle asked Phillip, looking around for the other members of their gang.
"Right here." Mimi answered, coming up behind Phillip.
Everyone looked at their outfits.
"Cute." Chloe said.
Mimi smiled and held Jason's hand. They were dressed as Jasmine and Aladdin.
"Nice hair Chloe." Mimi said with a grin.
"Don't remind me." Chloe said with a groan. Everyone laughed.
Chloe looked over at Shawn and was glad to see that he was lightening up. The sulky expression he had for weeks was gone and he looked like he was actually enjoying himself.
Good, she thought, I would feel guilty for having so much fun if Shawn were miserable.
* * * * *