by Jo Cattell
“Chloe, let’s go,” Nick said, taking her arm. He didn’t want anything Josh said to hurt her anymore. She’d been through enough and she was right, Josh wasn’t worth the battle.
Josh laughed at that. “Chloe, next time when you’re sucking my dick, use a little less teeth,” he taunted.
Without warning and using all he had in him, Nick cold cocked Josh and laid him out. The Jock lay flat on his back on the pavement.
Kevin stood in shock along with everyone else. “And that’s the way we Allen boys roll! Get in the car, Nick!” Kevin yelled, finally full of adrenalin for what his little brother had just done.
The rest of Josh’s friends just held back and watched them drive away.
“Ouch, ouch, damn! I think I broke it,” Nick complained, shaking his hand as they walked into the kitchen.
“Do I want to know what happened or should I play dumb when Mom gets home?” Mark questioned as Kevin turned to get Nick some ice.
“You better hope you didn’t. Mom will have a cow. Mark, I have never been more proud to call him our brother. He cold cocked Josh and laid him out flat! Where did that come from?” Kevin asked Nick.
“I don’t know. I just saw red and the next thing I knew, he was on the ground. Chloe, I’m sorry. I know you asked me not to, but—”
“He was asking for it. You tried and he just wouldn’t let up. You had no choice.” Chloe took the ice from Kevin and held it on Nick’s hand.
Nick looked at her as she gently held the cold pack on his hand. The bruising on her face was starting to fade. He’d never done this for a girl before, but for her, it‘d been worth it. “When is Mom coming home?” He had to break the spell he was feeling with her. The longing to touch her hair and the overwhelming need to kiss her was pulsing inside of him Even with the pain he was in, nothing compared to the warmth of her hand at that moment.
“Not for a while. I’ll get your stuff and take you to get it checked out. We’ll make up something on the way to tell them if it’s broken. I really don’t know what to say, Nick. I’m pissed you fought the guy, but from the grin on Kevin’s face, you held your own. Just don’t do it again.” Mark playfully smacked him upside the head and went to find his keys.
Chloe could feel Nick’s hand flinch as he tried to hold it still. “Does it still hurt?” she asked shyly, not wanting to look him in the eyes.
“Ah, yeah, it still hurts a little. I know this really isn’t the best time to ask you this, but after that kids’ party at the hospital, there’s a Halloween party at Dave’s. Did you want to go?” He could hardly get the words out. He’d been thinking about it since the day Josh had asked her out and had been afraid it was too late.
“Yeah, Gabbie was talking about going and I guess I am going to. I mean, I’ll be dressed up as it is.”
“We could go as friends? I don’t want you to think I’m trying to be another Josh. I just thought since we were both—I’m sorry. I’m making a fool out of myself. It’s just I don’t think of you the same anymore…” Nick closed his eyes. Did he just say that out loud?
“Oh.” She looked downward.
“No, Chloe, that’s not what I meant. I’m starting to see through the illusion you keep talking about and I’m seeing the real you, and I like it. I was just thinking that since we would be together anyway, maybe you would want to go with me?” He felt so stupid. If he was trying to ask her out, he was doing a horrible job at it.
“It’s fine. We can go as friends. And I don’t—think of you like Josh. You’re not.” She looked up at him finally.
He could tell she was feeling it, too. The way her green eyes were aglow and the shy smile on her face as she gazed at him.
“Okay, are you ready to go?” Kevin walked in and seemed to notice the moment they were having and smiled at Nick.
He quickly gave his brother the evil eye. “Yes, thank you, Kevin. We can drop you off at home on the way,” Nick said to her when she let go of his hand.
Kevin started laughing as Chloe walked past him, and Nick hit him with his good hand.
* * * *
At school the next day, all anyone talked about was how Nick had knocked out Josh and what Josh had done.
Chloe was standing at her locker when Nick got to school.
“So, you’ve had your honor restored,” he joked as he leaned next to her locker.
“Yes, brave Knight, thanks to you. How’s your hand?” She laughed, checking to see if they put it in a cast
“Just sprained. I guess I got lucky. Has he said anything to you?” He didn’t think Josh was going to give up so easy on her.
“No, nothing, and he won’t. You bruised his ego,” she answered and shut her locker. She had to admit, she enjoyed seeing the big black eye Josh was sporting now. It helped some to make her wounds feel better.
“So, are you ready for Sister George’s class? Today, is the big day.”
“For someone about to become a father, you’re very calm,” she noticed. She, on the other hand, had been a nervous wreck, not about the assignment but about the attraction she held towards Nick now. How every time he looked at her, she could feel the heat in her cheeks.
“I have to be. Just keep breathing, Honey. We’ll get through this.”
They both laughed, as his witty joke paid off until they entered the classroom.
Josh stared at them with his new black eye very apparent.
Robyn sat next to him while glaring at them.
“Wow, if looks could kill,” Nick said and sat down. He noticed Chloe getting suddenly uneasy. “Hey, I won’t let him near you again,” he reassured her, touching her hand.
Chloe could feel an icy stare coming from Robyn’s direction. “I know. I just don’t trust her now, either. They seemed to get really chummy since everything happened.”
“I wouldn’t worry about them. I can say the letters stopped in my locker, so maybe she has her sights set on him now.” Nick said with hope in his tone.
* * * *
Three days later, the new arrival had kept Chloe up almost every night. The event of this new ‘baby’ was a little too much to handle, but they seemed to be doing okay with it so far.
Now, as they worked on their log for family living, Chloe found it hard to keep her eyes open. “Can you take him tonight?” she asked, almost begging him, looking at the doll.
The ‘baby’ sat in his carrier, making little gurgling noises.
“Yeah, I’ll sleep down here, so I don’t get murdered in my sleep. He’s kinda cute when he’s like this,” Nick said, looking at the doll.
“Tell me that at three in the morning, when you try everything and can’t get it to stop crying. Okay, let’s get to work on history.” Chloe yawned, pulling out her books and opening the notebook.
Nick opened his book, and then looked at Chloe. She was leaning on the couch with her head in her hand, asleep. As her hand fell, she jumped a little. “Shh, go back to sleep,” he whispered softly, as he covered her with one of the blankets. He watched her sleep for a few minutes and fought the urge to touch her cheek. Earlier that day at lunch, she’d leaned against him and laid her head on his shoulder. Everything just felt so right with her. Why was he so afraid to just take that next step?
The doll started to become more vocal and he decided to quickly take it out of the room.
In the kitchen, he found his mom making dinner and his brothers doing homework. “Get that kid out of here, I’m trying to study,” Kevin said and put his head in his hands as soon as he heard the mewing noise.
“I can’t take it back out there, Chloe just fell asleep. It’s been keeping her up all night.” Nick’s voice was a whisper as he talked.
Kevin and Mark looked at each other.
“When are you just going to admit it?” Mark asked.
“What?”
“You like her,” Mark accused.
“He likes her? I think it’s more than that at this point,” Kevin added with his knowing all nod.
&n
bsp; “She’s just a friend.” Nick didn’t want them to know how he really felt. If they did, the teasing would only get worse.
“Okay, let’s play a little game,” Kevin suggested, ready for Nick to fess up and say he broke his own rule.
“What color are mom’s eyes?” Mark asked.
“I don’t know, blue?” Nick answered as he tried to remember what their mother’s eyes looked like.
“Wrong. Brown, like yours, Dummy,” Kevin snickered.
“What color are Chloe’s eyes?” Mark knew that if Nick knew, then he was falling for her.
“Green, like after it rains when the trees and grass have that brightness to them,” Nick replied, thinking about her eyes.
Kevin laughed. This was going to be good. “What does Tiffany smell like?”
“Death—mixed with some expensive stuff her dad gets her,” Nick answered and laughed.
“Nicholas, that’s not nice!” his mother scolded.
“What does Chloe smell like?” Mark asked, while wearing a smug look.
“Like a candle, coconuts and strawberries, I don’t know, tropical. Come on, that doesn’t mean anything. I just like the way she smells,” he defended, but he knew that they had him now.
“Okay, last question. Close your eyes. Chloe walks into the room. What is the first thought that comes to your mind?” Kevin asked, knowing that this answer would seal the deal.
Nick smiled. “How she moves or the way the stray locks of hair are tucked behind her ears. Her smile when she sees me, and how whenever she sits down, she starts to bite her pencil?” He smiled at the little details that drew him to her. Things they would think was stupid, but he found attractive.
“Wow, all that and I asked you the first thing that comes to mind. I was wrong, you don’t have it bad. You’re like in love with her or something!” Mark gasped aloud.
“I’m not. Mom, come on, tell them to stop,” Nick pleaded with her, hoping she would put a stop to it.
“Oh, Honey, I wish I could. But they’re right. You like her more than a friend,” she honestly answered.
“I do not. She’s just a friend,” Nick continued to protest.
“Okay, then you won’t mind if I ask her out. I mean, I’m not like Josh so it’s fine, right?” Kevin suggested while watching him closely.
“You wouldn’t!” Nick challenged him.
“Well, she’s just your friend, so there’s no harm in me asking. She is really cute and I think we would be a cute couple,” Kevin continued to goad him.
“You can try,” Nick said, knowing he wasn’t kidding and Chloe would turn him down.
“Okay, I will. Unless, you tell me not to and admit you like her,” Kevin taunted him.
“She’ll say no,” he argued.
“You know, Kevin, let’s make a bet on who would ask her first. I mean, I know she’s younger than me, but I’m in college. She may just like to have a guy who she can talk to on her level,” Mark added, joining in the taunt.
Kevin just laughed at Nick. “Wow, now both your brothers are gunning for the girl you are like in love with. And the chances are, she will say yes to one of us.” He just put the icing on the cake.
Nick started to say something smart, but figured that they could be right. She had kidded before about Kevin, but there was an off chance that if he asked her, she would say yes. Nick put his hands to his temples and closed his eyes, bracing himself for what they would do. “Fine, I do like her, okay? So, Kevin, please don’t ask her out. I’m working on it.”
“See? Was that so hard? I’ll give you a couple of weeks, and if you don’t, she’s mine,” Kevin teased and mussed up his hair.
Chapter Four
A few days later, after the hospital Halloween party, Nick took Chloe out to dinner before the party at Dave’s. Chloe had been unusually quiet and seemed to be lost in her thoughts. All she could think about was how sick Millie looked. She had a sick feeling in her stomach that this was it. She only wished it wasn’t happening now. It was too close to what had happened in her mother’s situation. “Hey, you want to cut last period Friday and go see Millie?” she said suddenly, not sure if she should go alone.
“You cut class? I’m shocked. Do you know how much trouble we would get in?” Nick mimicked a severe sounding voice, trying to sound like his dad.
She stared at him. He was trying to be funny, but this wasn’t the time. “Yes or no?” she questioned.
“I’m in. You got that feeling, too, hunh? I almost wished we had moved here sooner, so I could have spent more time with her.”
“Yeah, I just really think we should go up on Friday. I mean, I know she’s going to pull out of this. She always does. I just want to make sure she’s okay.” But she wasn’t so sure this time. Millie had never looked this bad. She’d never talked about angels before, either, but during their last visit that was all the girl had talked about.
“Yeah, I think so, too,” he agreed. He suddenly looked nervous. “So, Chlo, I was thinking, do you want to call this a date? I mean, we’re going to the party together and all, and I’m just wondering if maybe you wanted to.”
“I’m not sure. Is this a date?” she questioned shyly. She could see he was nervous and suddenly she was, too. Was their relationship changing?
“What if I wanted it to be a date? Would you—say no?” he asked her, stumbling to get the words out.
“We have to get moving.” She smiled as she got up. She was going to make him wait it out.
“So, you’re not going to answer the question?” he accused, as they started to leave.
“Um, not right now… I’m not.” She smiled and went out the door.
“But it isn’t a no, right?”
She just smiled back at him.
Later that night they arrived at Dave’s. Everyone from school was at the party. Even Kevin and a few of his friends found their way there.
Dave grabbed Nick and took him out back.
Gabbie grabbed Chloe and took her into the kitchen.
* * * *
Dave seemed to disappear when Nick got outside where he ran into Kevin, who handed him a beer.
“Not too many though, I don’t want to have to explain to Mom tonight. So, where’s Chloe? I can’t believe you would let her out of your sight,” Kevin said.
Nick smiled when he heard her name. “She’s inside with the girls. I’m going to try and steal her away in a minute. I kinda want to talk to her.”
Kevin smirked. “Will you just do it already? Christ, Nick, you like her and I kind of have the feeling she likes you. Just ask her already!”
“How do you know she likes me? Did she say something?” Nick felt funny now. He’d never had a problem asking a girl to be his girlfriend until now. Why she was different he didn’t know, but she just made him nervous, in a good way.
“Dude, when I took her home the other night, all she talked about was you and how cute and funny you are. News flash, little Bro, you’re not even a bit funny and not that cute,” Kevin teased him.
“She thinks so.” He laughed.
“You have until ten to ask her out. If you don’t, I will,” Kevin warned him.
“It will happen before ten,” Nick vowed and went to look for Chloe.
He found her sitting on the counter in the kitchen, talking to the girls. She’d dressed up as a hippy chick and he decided to be a hippy, so they matched. The floppy hat she wore shaded her eyes, but as she spied him coming through the doorway, they seemed to light up just a little.
“Oh, my God, Nicky, we’re trying to talk. I can’t possibly leave to go and spend time with you. And besides, Chloe is right here and it would crush her if I did that,” Tiffany whined, a little grin on her face, acting like he was there for her.
He shook his head and smirked. “It’s okay, Tiff. Chloe, you want to go for a walk?” he asked, putting his hand out to her.
Tiffany’s face turned red. “No, see, you don’t seem to understand. They go nowhere until I find a gu
y to hang with,” she fumed.
“No, see, you don’t seem to understand. She’s looking really pretty tonight and I want to spend some time with her—alone.” He winked at Chloe..
She giggled. “I think this is the way things are now, Tiff. Sorry,” Chloe replied and followed him outside. She was still laughing when they got outside and over by the fire.
He loved the way her face lit up when she smiled. The music was blaring outside and it was going to be hard to talk, but he needed to tell her how he felt about her. The song changed to ‘Into the Mystic’ by Van Morrison while Nick pulled her up and took her into his arms.
“I think you really pissed her off,” Chloe stated as she gazed into his eyes.
He thought about that for a second. “Maybe I should go back and tell her I’m sorry and then bring her out here,” he teased her and started to move away from her like he was going to go back in.
“No!” Chloe laughed and pulled him back.
They started to slow dance to the song and Chloe relaxed into his arm. “Did you mean what you said in there about me being pretty?” she asked him.
He gently touched her face. “I have thought you were pretty since the first day of school. You have to know I’m crazy about you,” he confessed to her finally.
She looked down shyly. “What am I going to do with you, Nicky?”
“Trust me. Chloe, I would never hurt you like Josh did. I’m not going to walk away when I find out your secrets or when the illusion finally fades and I really see the real you.” He lifted her higher, so he could see her eyes. He needed to see if she was feeling the same way.
“What if you don’t like what you learn? The truth isn’t all that great and the real me isn’t what you would expect.” She tried to look away, but for some reason, she couldn’t.
“Funny, I’ve learned some of that stuff and I’m still here. I’ve also seen you at your worst, and yet, I’m standing here, holding you like this and hoping you’re not feeling my heart pounding. I didn’t want to feel this way about you. But the more I get to know you—“