She's Being Played (A Chloe Lukaisak fanfic)

Chapter 4

Chloe POV

The sky was a clear, innocent blue, and as I stared at it, I wished that it were gloomy and grey to match my mood.  I was playing Dustin, lying to Paige, and secretly in love with Josh.  What the Hell is wrong with me? 

I forced a smile onto my face as I saw Paige's car pull up to my house.  I opened the door and she greeted me happily.  It was Saturday and Paige came over every Saturday.  Now that we quit dance at Abby Lee, we had a few free Saturdays here and there.  I pulled out my phone and checked instagram.  I don't really know why.  I usually don't considering I get so many likes and follower notifications by the second, but I felt terrible today, and I was trying not to take it out on the first person I saw.

I clicked the refresh button on my phone several times, resisting the urge to throw it across the room.  When it finally did refresh, what I saw made me feel worse. 

Maddie had posted a picture of her and Josh kissing on the couch.  Josh has his arms around Maddie and her arm was raised to take the picture.  He looked like he was half way though a smile. I wanted to puke.  Now I had a reason to throw my phone.  I felt Paige watching me and I quickly scrolled down my feed and smiled half-heartedly at a picture of a kitten.

"What are you doing?" Paige asked, sitting next to me on the couch.

"Laughing a this picture," I showed her the kitten, and forced a scratchy giggle. She took my phone and looked at it.

Paige looked at me in disbelief, "Seriously? Do you really think I'm that stupid?"  She handed the phone back to me and I saw the picture of Maddie and Josh on the screen.  I looked away.

"I wasn't looking at that," I lied.

"Chloe, you looked like you were ready to murder someone, you only get that look on your face when you see Maddie with Josh."  Paige said, looking at me like she was trying not to laugh.

"Oh please, I told you I was over them," I said, trying not to vomit when I looked at the picture on my feed.  "Anything new with you and Landon?"

 "Yeah, he gave me this necklace," Paige said, pulling a necklace out and smiling happily.  "It's one of those ship-necklaces, you know, the ones where you put half of your ship-name on one side and the other half on the other, and then when you put it together it spells your ship-name.

"Oh, yeah those," I said, only half paying attention.

"Yeah, they're kind cheesy, but I thought he would like it if I wore it so I did." 

"That's nice," I said, smiling at her.

She seemed convinced so she changed the subject.  "How are you and Dustin?" She asked that question a little too hopefully.

"Good," I said unconvincingly.  Paige smirked at me and rolled her eyes.

"Seriously?  You're not even trying are you?  C'mon Chloe!! He's really hot, he likes you, and he's willing to go out with you even after you dumped him at the last dance!"  Paige exclaimed, standing up.  "Do you want to explain to me why you can't move on from my freaking brother?  I mean, we're talking about the guy that launches cheerios out of his nostrils at breakfast in the morning!"

I looked awkwardly at the floor.

"Yeah, real charmer, right?  I can't believe that Maddie finds him attractive, let alone you!!!"  Paige shook her head like I had just gotten a bad grade on a test that I had been studying for, for months.  "Please just don't make this any more awkward than it already is."

"Okay..." I said, half-heartedly.  I don't care, Paige.  I like your brother.  That is that.