Pas de Trois

Chapter 23: "We don't have to talk about it."

Slade: im sneaking out to see you pls dont go to sleep yet

Chloe knew before she got the text that something had happened over the weekend. She could read between Slade's texts and knew there was something - a lot of things - missing. Maybe it was because he replied to her texts but didn't send many of his own unless he was telling her goodnight.

That nagging feeling aside, Chloe had a good weekend. Ballet classes were back to normal. There were no professional dancers watching and everyone seemed to be in a better mood. She'd visited Hannah after her ballet classes on Saturday and met her new friends and roommate.

Emma seemed to be doing better. She hadn't said anything else to Chloe about quitting ballet. Chloe knew her parents would have kept bugging her about it if Emma was still upset but no one said a word. Overall it was a quiet weekend.

But the quiet did give Chloe a lot of time to think. It was easy to imagine what might be going on while her boyfriend and his crush were hundreds of miles away. On a romantic Valentine's trip, no less.

Chloe didn't want to wait by the door. She wanted to trust him, to believe he was rushing to see her because he just missed her so much he couldn't wait one more day to see her. But she already knew that wasn't true. The fact Slade was sneaking out to see her? That proved it.

"Chlo?" Brent squinted down the stairs at her. "What are you doing?"

"Um, Slade's on his way," Chloe looked at her phone. It was almost 11.

"Ah, it's a little late," Brent didn't move.

"I know, but," Chloe tried to think of the magic words that would get her dad to back off. "He's going to break up with me."

"Chloe," Brent's frown changed. "What makes you think that?"

"I just have a feeling, Dad," Chloe sighed. "Please don't make me explain."

"We'll talk in the morning," Brent looked more worried than mad. "Make sure he gets a ride home, don't let him walk."

"Yes, Dad," Chloe wasn't sure she'd have any control over that but she wouldn't argue. Not now.

She sat on the stairs to wait. It felt like hours passed before Slade finally opened the front door but when Chloe checked her phone again it was 11:15.

"Hi," Slade's face didn't light up like it usually did when he saw her. He looked ready to cry.

"It's okay," Chloe couldn't help it. She jumped up and hugged him immediately, almost as if by squeezing him tighter she could change his mind.

"Nothing is okay," Slade's arms closed around her and he buried his face in her neck. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. I didn't mean to do it."

"Didn't mean to do what?" Chloe's heart pounded. She knew, she just had to be sure. Slade pulled away.

"I did it, I..." he closed his eyes but even still he didn't actually say the words. "With Danny. And I'm sorry, Chloe, I never should have done it."

"But it's what I told you to do," Chloe reached for him but he wouldn't let her touch him.

"I know what you said," Slade's hands were shaking. "But you and Danny both deserve so much better than what I've done. I wish you could see that. It was my job to make you see that and I failed, Chloe, I can't," he stopped.

"Please," Chloe didn't bother fighting back the tears. "Don't do this."

"I have to," Slade closed his eyes. "I love you so much, Chloe, and I wish I were a better person. I wish I were the guy you deserve. I wish I could be good enough for you."