Ali and Chloe Revisted (Book 2)

Chapter 8: Vegetarian Restaurants Are Great For Stalking

Early Wednesday evening, Ali lurked in a dark corner at Rabbit Rabbit, the Montgomery family's favorite vegetarian restaurant. The room smelled like a mix of basil, oregano, and soy cheese. A Regina Spektor song played loudly over the stereo, and the place was bustling with families, couples, and kids her age. So far, so good. Her plan was working out almost perfectly: She was now a mysterious stalker known as A, and she'd sent the first A note to Chloe and the four girls. But there was one problem, Ian's release. Ali had a feeling she was going to have to shut him up and keep him from talking.

Just like she did with Xavier.

Ali gazed out at the many people in the restaurant. Chloe, Aria, and Aria's younger brother, Mike, sat at a table together. Mike scowled around the dining room and pulled up the hood of his oversize Champion sweatshirt. "I don't get why we have to meet this dude anyway. Mom's only gone out with him twice."

Chloe gave Mike a disgusted look, but the look only lasted for a split second before disappearing, as though it had never been there before. Ali already knew why Chloe had the look: Mike's hood being up over his head reminded her of Ali.

"We're not meeting him, Mike," Aria said, a confused look on her face. "Didn't Mom tell you? He never showed up for their date last night."

Chloe's expression changed from relaxed to suspicious. "What do you mean he never showed up?"

Aria shrugged. "He stood her up, I guess. I was helping my mom get ready, and we were waiting for him to come to the house. But he never did."

Mike sniffed loudly, clearly not picking up on what Aria was saying. ""It smells like rabbit pee in here." He made a retching noise.

Aria rolled her eyes. "You're just pissed Mom picked a place that doesn't serve wings."

Mike crumpled his napkin. "Can you blame me? A virile man like me can't live on vegetables alone."

Chloe remained silent, watching everyone in the restaurant. Ali knew Chloe couldn't see her—she'd picked a spot where she'd be covered in shadow—but she could see it in Chloe's face. Chloe knew she was there, watching them.

Aria cringed at what Mike had just said. "How was your date with Savannah the other day, by the way?"

Mike cracked his knuckles, thumbing through the menu. "That's for me to know and for you to obsess about."

Aria raised an eyebrow. "Aha! You didn't immediately correct me that it wasn't a date."

Mike shrugged, stabbing his fork into the cactus centerpiece. Chloe's iPhone beeped, and she pulled it out of her tote, checking to see who had just sent her text. Aria picked up a cornflower blue crayon from the little cup in the middle of the table; Rabbit Rabbit put crayons on every table and encouraged its patrons to draw on the backs of their place mats. Finished drawings were hung on the restaurant's walls. These days, the walls were all covered, so the staff had started hanging place mats from the ceiling.

"You made it!" Ella cried as she walked through the door. Ella's newly dyed hair shone, and her cheeks were pink from the cold. Chloe smiled in a way that made Ali's heart thump. She was wearing the teal dress that Ella had planned to wear on her date with Xavier. It was simple and slimming, with just the tiniest scalloping at the neck. And it looked way better on Chloe than it did on Ella.

Ella looked at Chloe in amazement. "That dress looked really good on you, Chloe."

Chloe smiled again. "Thanks, Mrs. Montgomery."

Ella shrugged out of her coat and sat down. "How many times have I told you to call me Ella?" she said nicely. "By the way, I'm glad you came to dinner with us. It was supposed to be four, but with Xavier not showing up for our date last night, it felt weird with it being just us three."