Chloe (Chardonnay Series Book 1)

by Hollye Davis

  “Absolutely,” he answered.

  Once dressed, they made their way to the staircase when Chloe heard a lot of commotion in the living room. She started down the stairs to see that Christoph, Duke, Sharon, Penelope, and Christine arguing about something, She think it was directions. She looked up at Edwin.

  He said, “See you don’t hate all surprises.”

  She ran down the stairs “You guys came!” and hugged everyone. She was about to ask what they were arguing about when the door opened again and in walked Kim and Cole. “Oh my God!” She exclaimed and ran to give them a hug too. “This is the best Christmas EVER!” She announced to everyone.

  Chloe went over to Edwin and hugged him “Oh Edwin, this is perfect!” Chloe couldn’t believe her friends came all this way to spend Christmas with her and Edwin.

  Aunt made her way down stairs shortly after and said, “Oh! I’m glad you all could make it.” They all sat down and just chatted about the drive, the snow, etc. When it was time to open presents, Chloe became worried because she had left everyone’s gifts at her house.

  She turned to Edwin and whispered, “I didn’t bring the gifts.”

  “Give me some credit Chloe, they’re here. We packed them up with your clothes,” Edwin said. Thank goodness, she thought. Everyone piled up gifts next to her which felt embarrassing. Edwin kissed her and told her it was okay, but that wasn’t the only thing that was bothering her. She didn’t want Edwin opening his gift from her in front of everyone. It was private and personal that she made specifically for him.

  All her gifts were beautiful and expensive as usual. She felt that her paltry gifts were so insignificant, why did she even bother? However, everyone was so thankful of the little things she got them, it made her feel good. She tried not to think that her friends were professional actors who are used to portraying feelings that they didn’t feel.

  When Edwin reached to open the gift from her, she put her hand over his and said, “If you don’t mind, could you please open it in private? It’s personal.”

  He smiled sweetly and said, “I’m glad. I was hoping I would have privacy. When it comes to you, I never know where my emotions are going to take me.”

  After everyone was finished with the gifts, Edwin announced that it was time for Chloe’s gift. She clinched her hands tightly. If Edwin was making a huge production out of it, she was sure it was going to be expensive and big. It would make her gift ridiculous and she already felt so indebted to him.

  But what he did next was so surprising that she didn’t have time to feel embarrassed. He turned to her and then he went down on one knee. He pulled out a jewelry box and said shakily,

  “Chloe, my love, I know we’re young but I also know that there will never be anyone else for me. I love you more than life itself. I refuse to live without you. Will you marry me?”

  Chloe was glad she was sitting down because if she was standing, she was sure she would’ve passed out. Tears blurred her vision and she couldn’t move. She couldn’t talk. She worked her jaw but nothing came out. She looked around and saw all the stunned faces. Obviously none of them knew. Then she slid off the chair onto her knees and reached for his face. She was trembling so bad that it was hard for her to control herself. So many emotions rolled through her; confusion, elation, love, fear. She looked into his eyes and said, “Yes,” because that was all she was capable of doing at that moment. The emotion and elation showed all over his face. He pulled her to him, kissed her, and squeezed her so hard that she thought she was going to burst. He stood up wiping moisture from his eyes and smiled at everyone who hadn’t moved, and all had similar shocked expressions. No one was saying anything and her aunt was in the corner crying.

  No one seemed happy. She looked back up at Edwin and he just laughed. She turned to look back at her aunt who had moved closer and said, “Oh, Chloe, I’m so happy for you! Way too young, but still happy!” With her Aunt’s approval, everyone seemed to snap out of their shock.

  Christoph came over and gave her a huge bear hug and patted Edwin on the back “Man, you continue to surprise me when it comes to this girl. I had no idea and I’m your best friend.”

  Kim hugged her and said, “You’re like the first person in our high school to get engaged and your not even pregnant! It’s crazy. Congrats. I’m so shocked I don’t know what to say.”

  Sandra answered, “Easy, you say ‘Let’s see the rock.’” Everyone laughed. She hadn’t even looked at the ring. He gently picked up her left hand and took the ring out of the box placing it on her finger. The diamond was so big. Smaller diamonds swirled in an intricate design around the larger diamond. She had never seen anything like it. Sandra gasped. “Oh Edwin, that’s perfect for her. Where did you get it?”

  He smiled, “It’s custom.”

  Cole sat there looking dumbly at her hand and at Edwin then he said, “Well it makes my gift to Kim seem cheap.” They all busted out laughing.

  As the sun set they put on music and danced. Edwin held her close all night and every so often she would notice more times than not their friends would be watching. She was engaged. She never thought would marry. Heck she thought no one on this earth could love her. She felt whole at that moment.

  Late that night, she and Edwin made it back to their super-sized suite where he opened her gift. She had taken everything she had collected through the summer and put it together in a book. She had painted pictures and drawn sketches to go along with the items. It seemed so stupid when he opened it that she wanted to cry. But when he looked up his eyes shone with emotion, “I had no idea that you kept all this from the very beginning, you have no idea how much this means to me.” He dropped his head and said, “You don’t how many times I have doubted that you felt even a quarter of what I have felt for you. I figured that if you loved me just a little, I could love you the rest. When you give me something like this, it shows that just maybe your love is significant.”

  “Oh Edwin, how could you ever doubt that. All anyone has to do is watch me watch you walk in the room and they know how much I love you. Don’t ever doubt that. I know it isn’t much, Edwin. I don’t have a lot…except my love.”

  “It’s perfect. Just like you.”

  I am not a cruel person. I do not sit back and think of revenge toward the people who have tortured me in my life. However, when something so sweet is presented to you, and you have the opportunity to finally get the revenge you so richly deserve, wouldn’t you jump at the opportunity?

  —Chloe’s Diary

  Chapter 19

  The Audition

  Chloe was sad that they were heading back to the beach five days at the cabin, but Edwin and fellow actors had to get back to celebrate a New Year’s party with everyone involved in the show. They thought it would be better if they left while the weather was pleasant. Aunt decided to ride with Cole and Kim. Chloe supposed that she and Edwin were so nauseating with their affection that Aunt or really anyone could stomach it. She didn’t really blame her.

  Once arrived at the cottage, everyone was worn out. She was glad to be home despite knowing that in a few more short days the vacation would be over. It was the best Christmas of her life and she didn’t want it to end. How funny that five days earlier, she hadn’t wanted to go.

  She didn’t go to the New Year’s bash with Edwin and friends because of the media. The risk of exposure was just too great. She didn’t expect Edwin home that night but it was no later than 1am when he walked into the cottage and woke her up by kissing her. He was fully dressed in a tuxedo.

  She laughed. “Wow, where did you come from?”

  “I couldn’t stand to be there without you, it was miserable and when the New Year came in the only person I wanted to kiss was you, so I came straight home. To hell with the production staff, they were all drunk anyway.”

  Monday started the first week of school in the New Year. It was hard to be excited but she tried. Her only consolation was this was the last semester of high school forever.


  As she got dressed for school, she debated on wearing her ring. It wouldn’t exactly go unnoticed.

  Edwin smiled when she got into the car and he spotted the ring.

  “I wondered if you were going to wear it,” he said with a silly grin.

  “I couldn’t bring myself to take it off, to hell with what people think.”

  He pulled her left hand up to his face and kissed her knuckle next to the ring. “To hell with everyone.”

  As usual Jeff met her upfront. When he saw the ring he let out a low whistle. “Holy Cow, I can’t believe it. Is that what I think it is?”

  Before she could answer Kim came jogging up next to her and said, “Yep, and I was there. Chloe got engaged!”

  Although she can’t imagine why, rumors started flying. The most popular one was that she was pregnant, which wasn’t impossible but at the moment wrong. One rumor was that she was terminally ill. As the day went on the rumors got more ridiculous. At one point people were saying that her rich father had arranged a match with an oil tycoon from the Middle East. She knew the truth and that was all that mattered. She was in love and she didn’t care. So when Britney put in her show, Chloe was prepared.

  “So you must like be pregnant,” her shrill voice pierced her ears. It was akin to finger nails on a chalk board.

  “It’s possible, although I don’t think so,” She answered truthfully then added, “but if I was, unlike you, I’d know who the father would be.”

  “You bitch!” Britney raised her hand to slap her but Chloe sidestepped and said, “You know what Britney I think everyone is pretty much done with your jealousy. It’s so tired. Why don’t you go and find something else to put your energy toward. Something that you are good at like fornicating with your clothes on in front of lockers.” Then Chloe turned and walked away. Chloe was in way too good of a mood to let anyone bother me.

  At lunch Britney tried her tired trick of dumping her food on her but in the process a teacher caught her and took her to the office. She didn’t think Britney was having a great day. Her week was about to get worse too. Her audition for the part on Edwin’s show was coming up on Wednesday and Britney was about to find out what happens when you treat people badly.

  Chloe skipped school on Wednesday in order to witness Britney’s audition. Edwin drove her to his work where the front gate guard took a second glance as they drove through. Edwin walked her to a section of the studio where the auditions were conducted. It was true that Britney knew one of the producers but after explaining the kind of year, Chloe had with her, and all the recent troubles they had with Victoria, they decided it would be best to eliminate her from the get go. Therefore this audition was more of a production from a group of volunteers Edwin had collected to get even on someone who deserved it.

  Chloe was in a separate room watching the audition through a television screen with Edwin. They were joking around when Britney showed up on the screen. She was bubbly and charming. It was hard to believe she was the same person that was so horrid at school. A slight twinge of guilt pierced Chloe’s heart at ruining anyone’s chance at a career. She pushed it aside. The girl literally tortured her, Britney needed a life lesson, or things wouldn’t change, ever.

  As part of this particular interview Britney was going to ask to undress down to her underwear and cover herself in whip cream. She knew that Britney would do just about anything to secure a role on the show, so they were going to take it as far as they could, within legal limits of course. Chloe did have a conscience.

  Chloe hadn’t ever laughed that hard in all her life. At one point one of the “make-up” artists put a whip cream beard on Britney. The videography and photographer snapped pictures of the whole interview, and to make sure it was legally okay for distributing the pictures, Britney had to sign a bunch of release papers. It was priceless when the “faux” interviewer said, “I’m sorry, we just didn’t feel that you’re right for the role.” Then left Britney in her underwear covered in whip cream without a way for her to clean it off. The true Britney came out at that moment and she started screaming profanities and throwing a huge fit. They escorted her out to the parking lot and asked her never to return.

  The next day at school was mayhem. With the help of her friends, they were able to send a picture text to every single person in school. Not only the picture texts were distributed but paper copies of some of the most outrageous pictures were taped to the lockers and every available surface. She really didn’t have to do much because Britney was not as popular as she would like to believe. In her years of ruling that school, she must have made a few enemies, because some ingenious soul decided to cover her entire car with pictures they had collected in the hallways and lockers. It was brilliant to see her reaction when they left school that day.

  Edwin looked at Chloe and she shrugged, “I wish I had thought of it but I can’t say I can take credit for that one.” She reached over and kissed him.

  Okay, I admit that I have twinges of guilt from what I did to Britney. But then I remember the beatings and harassment, and I can’t be sorry. Since then, Britney has been somewhat bearable. I hope it lasts through Prom. I can’t believe I am going to prom.

  —Chloe’s Diary

  Chapter 20

  Prom

  The night of Prom Chloe was nervous. She had never been to a formal dance and she didn’t know what to expect. Britney was on a warpath trying to figure out about who got those pictures from her audition. Luckily for Chloe, Britney didn’t believe Chloe was that connected. Therefore, Britney’s energies went to accusing every single other person including her own cheerleading squad.

  Even after the audition, Chloe still didn’t like going into any social gathering where Britney reigned supreme and this was definitely one of them. When Britney made prom queen, and there was no way in the world she wouldn’t be, Chloe thought she would just vomit. In fact, the thought made her want to vomit right now.

  Chloe was decked out in a beautiful red and pink dress that was custom made. Her aunt had worked hard to find the perfect dress and Chloe was in love with it. Aunt had taken her to a famous designer who owed Aunt a favor, or actually several favors, and he gladly made Chloe’s prom dress. She felt like Cinderella going to the prince‘s ball. As if on que her very real Hollywood prince walked in.

  Edwin was looking heart-stopping handsome in his tuxedo, which she highly suspected was custom made as well. He had two things in his hand: A jeweled mask and a corsage. The mask was designed to cover her eyes and hardly concealed her identity at all. It had tiny red and pink crystals that sparkled all over. It was beautiful. The corsage was the most exotic flower she had ever seen with swirls of red, pink, and white. Then he pulled out his mask, which was jeweled in darker tones and covered almost all of his face.

  “I had them made custom,” Edwin said referring to the masks.

  “They’re beautiful, you spoil me.”

  He touched her cheek, “You deserve it and so much more.”

  Then he pulled another jewelry box from his pocket. She rolled her eyes and held up her hand.

  “Enough Edwin, this is getting embarrassing.”

  He said, “It will never be enough, Chloe. The sooner you realize that the easier it’s going to be.”

  He opened the box and in it was a diamond necklace with red rubies to match her red and pink dress. She gasped. He put the box down and reached to remove her necklace he gave her all those months ago but she grabbed his hand. She hadn’t taken it off since they made up. He pulled her hand to his lips and said, “Just one night my love, I promise”

  Since Chloe couldn’t seem to deny him anything, she let him remove her necklace and put the other one on. It felt cool and heavy but otherwise perfect.

  The biggest surprise of the night was when they got into the limo, they weren’t by themselves. Christoph, Sandra, Duke, Christine, and Penelope with some date she didn’t recognize sat there smiling at her.

  “What in the world!?” Chl
oe exclaimed. They all laughed.

  “We are officially crashing Prom!” Sandra announced.

  They all held up their masks.

  “This is so great! But, like, why?”

  “None of us have ever been to a real high school, much less a prom. We thought this might be our only opportunity,” answered Christoph.

  “Cool,” Chloe said as she glanced at the new guy. Penelope introduced her date who ended up being another person from their show. Penelope said, “We had to even out the numbers or it would have looked odd.”

  When they pulled into gym at the school, she was very nervous.

  “How are we going to get you guys in?” Chloe asked.

  “Oh we have invites!” Christoph held up prom tickets.

  “They’re counterfeits,” explained Edwin.

  “Oh, well if they work; whatever.” Chloe shrugged.

  They got out of the car and walked into the highly decorated gym. Chloe wasn’t prepared for everyone turning to look at the new arrivals. It was obvious her friends weren’t the rent-a-tux and off the rack prom dress type of people and it caused a reaction. Chloe sparkled from head to toe and was feeling a little outrageous. She knew her mask did little to disguise her. Britney’s eyes narrowed in recognition. However, with her obviously wealthy friends, Britney was smart enough to refrain from saying anything.

  Their group made their way around to an empty table and sat. Kim and Cole found them quickly.

  “Oh my God, Chloe, I can’t friggen believe you brought them all!!” she whispered urgently.

  “I didn’t have a choice in the matter,” Chloe answered back teasingly.

  “Cole looked at Edwin and said, “Hey man, how are you doing?” and held out his hand. Edwin stood and shook his hand, “I’m doing well.”