Dance Moms - Chlobird

Chapter 19 : The Uninvited

It began to rain after midnight, bringing the temperature further down. The weather report said that this may be the last rain of the winter, before Pittsburgh starts to snow.

Chloe rolled up in her warm bed, sipping her honey lemon tea while catching up reading "The Lord of the Rings". She started the book back in elementary school, but with everything that happened growing up, it felt like forever to finish it.

She treasures these moments, being so late at night when the world was asleep, leaving only her and the sound of rain, while the hot drink warms her from the cold outside. It makes her feel cozy and secure.

The buzzer rang at 2:20 a.m., Chloe jumped on alert, thinking those men may have tracked her down, then she heard Brooke's voice from the intercom.

"Chloe. Are you sleeping?" she whispered, not knowing it meant nothing on the speaker.

If I don't make a sound, maybe she thinks I'm asleep...

"Chloe. I can see your lights on! Let me in!" another buzz came, this one longer.

Just a little while, and then she'll leave...

"Come on, Chloe! I'm freezing my ass off out here!" Brooke yelled.

Damn it!

If there's one thing Chloe couldn't bring herself to, was being responsible for other people's suffering. Looking away from someone who chose a messed-up life was one thing, but leaving one catching cold in the rain was another.

Cursing at her soft heart, Chloe slammed the book shut and hit the door switch, then hurried to the bathroom to insert her glass eye, checking the mirror to see it in place.

Outside came rumbling steps, growing louder on each floor, until there was heavy banging on the door.

"Do you realize what time it is? You'll wake up the neighbors!" Chloe yanked the door open, trying to keep her own voice down.

"Finally! Thank God!"

What came into the door was a dripping Brooke, her garbage bag dropped to the floor with a big splatter sound. She was back in her all-black fashion, with the exception of Chloe's old sneakers.

"Boy, I'm soaked!" the girl stomping and shaking like a dog out of water, spilling drops everywhere.

"Stop!" Chloe held her still. "What happened to you??"

Brooke's other hand dropped something heavy, and Chloe saw a skateboard rolling across her apartment floor.

"You bought a skateboard?" her eyes bewildered.

"It's a gift! Some guy got a new board so he gave this one to me! Pretty cool, eh?"

"And you came here on this?"

"Yeah! Save me the bus fare!"

Soaking wet, Brooke dropped on the couch like it was her own house, started removing the sneakers. They were still presentable this morning, but now they looked badly worn. There was also a big hole in her jeans, revealing a patch of pink flesh.

"What happened? Were you hurt?" Chloe gasped at the wound on her knee.

"Hey, first time for everything, right?"

Brooke dug out a stack of cash from one of her sneakers, stood and offered it to Chloe's face like a boy sharing his candy.

"Here!" she smiled like it was the best thing.

"What's this?" Chloe backed away in disgust.

"My share of the rent! I'm moving in!"

"No. You're not!"