Pas de Trois

Chapter 12: "I'm not quitting"

Chloe woke up the next morning to a text from Slade. He'd sent her a picture of himself in a suit. She had to smile because he actually looked like he was trying not to smile which was always so cute.

Slade: one more trip to the courthouse

She shook her head and started to text back but realized he was typing. A second later a new text popped up - but not from Slade.

Danny: we are so transferring schools

Danny: i want to see you wear that every day

Chloe looked at the text again and realized they were in a group text. She sighed. It wasn't like Slade had said anything personal, but that didn't mean she wanted to share him.

Slade: i knew youd like that

Instead of replying in the group text, Chloe switched over to the other texts from Slade and told him she missed him. Normally she would have told him he looked nice, because he did, but it didn't seem like he needed to hear that now that Danny had said it.

She put her phone aside and started getting ready for the day. A week ago, Chloe wouldn't have cared at all if Slade was group texting her and Danny but now it all felt so different. It was practically haunting her how he'd spent all that time before he left worrying about Danny and making sure he was okay while she had no idea what was going on or why everyone was so upset.

"Are you up? Did you see?" Danny let himself into her room.

"Yeah, I saw," Chloe said, pulling the straightener through her hair.

"If he's texting us pictures that means he's in a good mood," Danny said. "So whatever happened yesterday can't be that bad."

"I hope," Chloe made herself focus on that idea. "Do you think he'll be home soon?"

"If they have to be at court today then they'll probably come home tomorrow," Danny said. "Ooh, Colin you look good in a sweater," he left her alone again just like that as her brother passed by.Chloe took a deep breath and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The sick feeling in her stomach was exactly what she'd been trying so hard to avoid. She'd pushed Slade away for this very reason. Now that she was really falling for him the thought of losing him made her want to throw up.

"Chloe, Dad's going to drive everyone to school," Hannah knocked on her door. "It's raining again."

"Be glad you get to stay home," Chloe sighed and turned her straightener off. What was the point if it was raining?

It was another long day. Normally Chloe didn't think too much about school and what her classmates were doing. She got along with people, that wasn't hard, but for the first time since she started school, Chloe really missed having friends. She wanted someone who wasn't Danny or Slade to talk to and Hannah wasn't there.

They had their first dress rehearsal that night. The run through went well, so that was one good thing. But instead of getting to leave early they had to go through the show a second time which actually put them home later than ever.

"Maybe we can talk your parents into bringing us dinner in bed," Danny groaned as they went up the stairs to the house.

"They so would," Chloe agreed. She heard music playing as she opened the front door and felt like screaming. Why couldn't she have a nice quiet family for one day?