ahhh ive been waiting to post this chapter for a while.. just review guys. i have them waiting for you, all you have to do is give me some feedback. enjoy :)

Chloe POV

It's the day after the text incident and I'm late to work. Again. Just as I'm about to go barreling down the block, something catches my eye. Or rather, someone. Brian. He's sitting at an outdoor table, sipping his coffee. A girl with long wavy brown hair sits across from him but I can't see her face. Brian puts down his cup and laughs at something she's saying. I freeze and hide behind a wall, listening into their conversation.

"-hilarious," Brian is saying.

I hear the girl giggle and something inside me twitches. "I'm so glad we could do this. It's been a while," she says.

"Yeah, definitely too long." I peek my head out to see him reaching out to hold her hand that's resting on the table. He's blushing. Are you kidding me with this? We don't talk for a few days and he's already over me? From the corner of my mind I hear- You're dating Alek, you bimbo. To which I maturely respond- shut up, inner voice. No one asked you.

"To be honest," the Brian-stealer continues, "I kinda thought you had a girlfriend. You know, that girl from last time."

I realize that she's the same girl Brian introduced as his "friend" one of the times things got awkward between us. For the life of me I can't remember her name. For now we'll call her Giggles.

Brian flinches and looks down, swirling his coffee cup between his fingers. "Nah, she's dating someone else."

Wait, he knows about Alek and me? How could he? I hadn't even told Amy yet.

Giggles tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and looks down at her hand that's still being held by Brian's. I have to strain to hear what she says next because it's a whisper in this crazy loud street.

"She's missing out."

Ouch.

I'm about to give Giggles a piece of my mind when my phone buzzes.

Do u no how late u r? -Lana

It's my fault, really. Never give your boss your cell phone number. They will use it against you. I give Brian one last look then turn on my heel and briskly stride my way through the door, apology already on my lips.

She crosses her arms and scowls at me.

"Funny how you came as soon as I sent that message."

I give her a nervous laugh and make my way behind the counter. "Coincidences are crazy sometimes, huh?"

"Chloe, I need you to start taking this job seriously. I appreciate what you did for me, but that doesn't excuse you from-"

"I know, I know." I cut her off, so not in the mood for another lecture. Especially not now with Brian's face taking over my mind. "I'm really sorry." I say, meeting her eyes and trying to look sincere.

Lana rolls her eyes and flips a magazine page. "That's what you always say."

I'm not sure how to answer, so I don't. Instead I pull out my price tag gun and walk through the shop, spying out new merchandise to mark. I'm only about ten seconds in when I hear a high pitched shriek and freeze.

Alek POV

I watch Chloe watch Brian watch what's-her-face. From a distance of course, she doesn't have a clue that I'm here. To be honest, it kills me to watch her face transform into that look of jealousy over Brian. She's never looked that way at me. Not when I took Mimi out for the first time, or when Chloe would come over to talk to me and I had ten girls surrounding me on all sides. She was always so composed, constantly sweet and polite. Not now though. Now she looks like she's about to pounce. I want to walk over to her and grab her hand. Pull her away from him...but I'm trying to respect her space. If we really are a couple now, I can't keep being so insecure about her liking me. Even if she did tell her mother that she loved Brian and she's never said it to me once...

Okay, maybe I can be a little insecure.

Bzzzzzzt.

1 New Message: Unknown Number

Good job, Alek. Keep your eyes on the Prize.

"Will do," I mutter under my breath, assuming wherever they are, they can hear me. After a few minutes Chloe takes a deep breathe and finally turns around to walk into her shop. I stay a little while, watching the surroundings and Brian. Okay, fine. Mostly Brian. So he got himself a new girl did he? Good. Now he can get over mine. I follow Chloe in a few minutes later and its a few minutes too late. As I enter through the swinging doors, I hear a high pitched screech. All I can think is Chloe.

yes, its a cliffhanger. how else am i supposed to get you to review? :P