Philip anxiously paced back and forth across his bedroom floor, anticipating Chloe�s arrival. He had given Henderson specific instructions to send her up as soon as she rang the door. The suspense was killing him�he wasn�t sure how much more of it he could take.

Once again, Philip�s train of thought inevitably drifted back to the previous evening�s events as had been the case all day long. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn�t rid himself of the vivid images that had since endlessly consumed his thoughts, insidiously seeping into memory. Every detail concerning Chloe Lane swirled around him, ultimately abandoning him in a sea of raging sensations. Philip could still feel her warmth against his body and smell that intoxicatingly fragrant scent she had radiated, tempting him relentlessly with its alluring sensuality. His recollection was so unbelievably strong that he was left momentarily staggered after opening his eyes to an empty room, no trace of Chloe in sight.

Therefore, even now, in the light of day, distanced from her beguiling gaze, Philip found himself becoming increasingly certain that given the chance, he�d undoubtedly do it all over again � the whole day, from initially entering the tree house up through eventually getting lost in the middle of the woods � without one single regret to his name. Hell, even that infuriatingly smug superiority in Shawn�s voice when he had finally deigned to answer his phone that morning followed by his exaggerated amusement when he�d stumbled upon them huddled together under that tree hadn�t managed to dampen Philip�s high spirits in the least. Shawn�s annoying insinuations had been more than worth it in the end, considering the shared contentment their embrace had evoked throughout the night underneath the blanket of shimmering stars.

And, while Philip had been glad to learn that, contrary to his previous assumption, JT was indeed fine and that Shawn had simply been out celebrating his uncle�s birthday at the Pub until the wee hours of the morning, he had been even more relieved that he hadn�t known that particular fact prior to exiting school the day before. For, if he had, the most amazing night in all of his existence would never have occurred. Looking back now, everything had worked out perfectly. Absolutely perfectly.

Just then, Philip was brought to his senses as a soft knock jolted him back into reality. Opening his door, he hurriedly motioned Chloe in before closing it right behind her in a somewhat mysterious manner.

Chloe eyed him suspiciously, �So, are you going to tell me what all this is about, Philip? What�s so urgent? I mean, I get a letter in my locker today which was barely legible, by the way, asking me to meet you here after school�And, I�m warning you right now, if this has anything to do with trudging off half-cocked on yet another nature trek like yesterday afternoon then you can just forget about it! I�ve been yawning nonstop all day long as it is.�

�No, it�s nothing like that.� Philip�s gaze was downward cast now, intently focused on his sneakers. He shuffled nervously then thrust his hands into his pockets, determinedly raising his chin to make eye contact with a bemused Chloe. �You know that Algebra quiz I took yesterday before we cut class? The one you helped me study for the other day? Well, they were handed back in class today and� and I wanted you to be here with me when I checked my grade.�

�What, you mean you haven�t even looked at your quiz yet?�

�Nope�I folded it over as soon as Mr. Ramirez gave it to me and then stuffed it into my backpack without so much as a second glance.�

�Well, what are you waiting for? Don�t keep me in suspense�� Chloe gently chided him, genuinely touched that Philip wanted to share this moment with her and only her.

Philip hesitantly hauled his backpack onto his bed and then slowly unzipped it. His heart racing wildly, Philip impulsively grabbed at the stray piece of paper buried in amidst his folders and textbooks and unfolded the test sheet in one bold motion.

Peering closely at Philip, Chloe was unable to decipher the curiously ambivalent expression etched across his face in immediate response to his grade�Was it one marked by success or failure? Chloe�s question was satisfied a mere split-second later as Philip turned to her with a big grin, his sapphire eyes fairly twinkling, �An A, I got an A!�

No sooner had he shouted those words before spontaneously bounding forward to scoop Chloe up in his arms, twirling her �round and �round. Philip�s booming laughter was infectious and Chloe soon found herself responding in kind, giggling along with him as she floated through the air, holding onto Philip for dear life.

Placing Chloe back on the ground a few euphoric moments later, Philip smiled down into her eyes, his arms still circling her waist, �Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away�But I think that now�s definitely the time to celebrate, follow me!� With that said, Philip linked Chloe�s arm through his and began to lead her out of his room and back down the stairs.

****

In the warm glow of the raging fire before her, Chloe snuggled back into the plush cushions of the leather couch upon which she was now perched, instinctively curling her legs up beneath herself. Philip had ushered her into one of the many spacious sitting rooms within the Kiriakis quarters just moments ago and then suggested that she �get comfortable� while he momentarily took care of something.

True to his word, Philip returned immediately carrying what appeared to be mugs of some sort. �Here, I thought with the blustery weather we�ve been having lately, some hot cocoa would hit just the spot,� Philip smiled, offering Chloe a mug as he settled in beside her on the couch.

With a small smile of her own, Chloe willingly obliged, raising the mug to her lips for a few tentative sips. She then placed her mug on the coffee table, sighing slightly. �Thanks�I guess I should be saying �congratulations,� huh? I�m so proud of you, Philip. I always knew you had it in you.�

�Well, at least someone did,� Philip remarked, affectionately nudging her shoulder. Met with no response, Philip then tilted his head appraisingly, �Is something wrong? You seem kind of stressed.�

�Oh, it�s nothing. I�ve just been having some problems at home lately�it�s no biggie, really,� Chloe tried to assure him, nervously straightening her glasses.

�Anything you want to talk about?�

�No,� Chloe stated flatly, pointedly ignoring Philip�s concerned gaze as she stared straight ahead at the incandescent gold flames battling it out in the fireplace.

�Okay, fine. I have a better idea, anyway�turn around,� Philip ordered, setting his own mug of cocoa next to Chloe�s upon the coffee table�s glass surface.

Apprehension troubling her features, Chloe cocked an eyebrow, �Why?�

�Just do it.�

Too exhausted to duly spar with Philip, Chloe reluctantly spun around in her seat, thereby conveniently escaping him and his piercing baby blues. A second later, she felt his masterful hands gently massaging her aching neck and shoulders, incidentally sending pulsating waves of heat rippling through her veins. Involuntarily, she stiffened at his sudden touch, but then just as easily relaxed as he continued his rhythmically soothing kneading.

Leaning forward to whisper in Chloe�s ear, Philip commented, �Man, you are really tense! Are you sure you don�t want to talk about it? I mean, sometimes that helps��

�It�s nothing, Philip. Just my run of the mill problems with my insufferably overbearing mother,� Chloe responded, rolling her eyes heavenward.

�I know what that�s like,� Philip said softly, a faint frown curving his lips.

Abruptly shifting to face Philip again, Chloe�s eyes flickered dangerously, �How could YOU possibly know?�

Philip let his dangling arms drop at his side as Chloe hastily scooted away from him, clearly offended. Although, Philip couldn�t help but be a tad offended, himself. �Don�t sound so surprised, Chloe. My family�s not perfect either, in fact, they�re far from it. I may not have to check in 24/7 with my parents like you do, but that doesn�t mean that I�m immune from all parental interference. My father carefully picks and chooses his battles with me and, believe me, when he gets into battle-mode, there�s no stopping him. For instance, take my academics�you know why he hired you? He hired you hoping to insure higher grades from me in the months ahead and, by extension, acceptance into the Ivy League College of HIS choice by the time next year rolls around all so I�d finally make him proud and live up to the Kiriakis name, regardless of how I feel or what I want��

Chloe was literally speechless. She had always just assumed that Philip�s picture perfect life extended into that of the familial realm. However, right on the heels of that admittedly startling revelation was an even bigger shock to ponder -- Philip�s initiative in relaying that very same intimate truth. And, to her, of all people. Without practically any prodding whatsoever, Philip Kiriakis had actually dropped his guard to confide in HER. This realization utterly staggered Chloe, propelling all formerly affirmed logic reeling.

Similarly surprised by his own admission, Philip exhaled deeply, experiencing a rare sense of lightness fill his heart as the stifling pressure he forever endured began to wane. Well, Philip had to admit, in this case, the truth truly had set him free. Purposefully seeking out Chloe�s soulful eyes once more, Philip continued on in a gentle murmur, �But, putting all that aside, I know deep down that his intrusion into my personal life is mostly because he cares, just like your mother undoubtedly does for you.�

�So, you think that that makes it alright? That it�s okay to smother and constantly try to control someone as long as it�s all in the name of love?� Chloe asked incredulously, her eyes widening in confusion.

Against his better judgment, Philip stood his ground. �No, I�m just saying that not everything is always in black and white. In life, there are infinite shades of grey to consider�shades that maybe you�re purposely ignoring.�

Chloe�s voice rose dramatically as her anxiety escalated, �Why would I do that?�

�Because it�s easier to just sit back and wallow in every wrong you�ve ever had the misfortune of enduring instead of acknowledging the fact that everyone makes mistakes, even with the best intentions in mind, including you,� Philip tentatively replied, studying Chloe all the while, somewhat fearful that she might haul off and slug him right then and there in response. To his relief, Chloe didn�t appear angry, in fact, she seemed downright thoughtful, absentmindedly fingering a lock of her dark mane.

�Okay, okay. I�ll give you that much,� Chloe conceded a moment later, nodding almost imperceptibly. �But am I supposed to therefore welcome Nancy butting into my life at every given turn with open arms because NOW she cares for me when she didn�t give a damn about me before? Am I just supposed to sweep all our history under the carpet and pretend that she never abandoned me, that she didn�t cast me aside when I was a baby without a second thought?�

�First of all, I don�t believe that for a minute. However, for the sake of argument, let�s ASSUME that that�s true. Maybe, then, as you say, �forgetting� isn�t a possibility, but accepting sure is. Why don�t you accept the past and move on? Stop dwelling on the fifteen years when she was gone and momentarily consider the one where she wasn�t. For better or worse, you have to admit, Nancy has been right by your side this past year, doting on you, lavishing you with attention, desperately trying to be the perfect mother to you, the mother she was, for whatever reason, incapable of being when you were born.�

Her equilibrium completely shattered, Chloe remained silent, attempting to internalize Philip�s rather insightful assessment in an appropriately calm, rational manner.

Philip suddenly leaned forward, now resting his elbows comfortably on his knees. He then turned his head to meet Chloe�s expectant gaze once again and was unable to hold back any longer. Fidgeting slightly, Philip began in a soft, tremulous timbre that betrayed the raw emotion hovering beneath the usually composed fa�ade, �You know, when I was little, my father suffered a massive stroke and was sent away to a nursing facility for years, YEARS of my childhood. And, I�m not gonna lie to you, it was really tough on me. What I wouldn�t have given to have turned back time and changed it all somehow. Hearing my mom cry herself to sleep night after night, praying that he would return home to us as each passing month proved otherwise�was pure torture. And, now, as grateful as I am with him fully recovered, back heading up Titan, I still can�t help but regret all that time that was lost in the process. What I guess I�m trying to say is that I�ve finally come to realize that all the �could�ves� and �should�ves� in the world can�t change the past, what�s done is done. If you can accept that fact, you can begin to release all those nagging regrets and instead focus on the here and now, taking things as they come, one day at a time.�

Philip paused as though considering something. Throwing caution to the wind, Philip decisively continued, his voice further affected, �I�ve never told anyone this before but�my parents aren�t married. It�s a very long, very complicated story but basically the timing was always off. Anyway, it used to be really difficult for me to accept�especially as a kid. As I got older though, I was able to step back a bit and finally see the big picture, putting everything into perspective. I mean, so what if my parents aren�t legally �husband� and �wife,� it doesn�t make them any less in love or us any less of a family. No matter what, we ARE family.� Philip straightened to face Chloe, �Just like you and the Wesleys, Chloe.�

�Wow, you�you never cease to amaze me, Philip,� Chloe eventually whispered, certain that she had never heard a person speak with as much honesty or conviction as he had just exhibited. At that moment, she envied Philip, more than anything, his strength of character. The strength of character that had allowed him to be as forthright as she had never once dared in all of her 16 years.

Philip grinned broadly in response, a dimple winking flirtatiously, �Well, that�ll teach you. You know, you�re not the only one full of surprises, Chloe Lane. Lurking beneath this letterman�s jacket lies an enigma, a mystery, a contradiction to one and all, especially girls such as yourself who are drawn to the brooding, privately tortured type. In fact, maybe I should start wearing my heart on my sleeve more often�I�m sure that would sit REAL well with the guys on the team!� Noting Chloe�s curiously distracted state, Philip�s smile faltered. �Look, I didn�t mean to upset you even more with what I said before. It�s just that I hate to see you so unhappy when there�s obviously so much in your life to be thankful for, including your �insufferably overbearing� mother!�

�I don�t know if I�d go quite that far!� Chloe suddenly laughed, shaking her head ruefully. She glanced back at him and then deliberately reached forward to touch him lightly on the arm, a small gesture that she hoped would help convey her heartfelt sincerity and gratitude. �But, thanks Philip. You really gave me a lot to think about. Oh, and I swear that I won�t ever tell anyone what you told me tonight about your parents, so please don�t worry. Your secret�s safe with me.�

Philip regarded her thoughtfully, �Yeah, I know it is.� Trying to lighten the mood, Philip picked up his mug, �Now, come on, let�s have a toast -- To my very first A!�

�And all those yet to come!� Chloe added smiling.

Their mugs collided with a click as they sunk into a companionable silence, each reflecting upon the thought provoking dialogue that had just occurred, consequently changing EVERYTHING irrevocably as commonality gave way to uncharted territory.

Glancing at her watch, Chloe hurried down the hall corridor, cursing herself all the way. Here she was, Philip�s tutor, and yet she had eagerly gabbled on with him for hours on end the evening before, heatedly debating the merits of classical vs. pop music, thereby allowing their purely irrelevant phone call to eat into both of their studying times, hardly setting the best example. Though, she had to admit, it HAD been a thoroughly entertaining conversation�However, how anyone could make a case for the bubble gum Pop Queen, herself, was still utterly beyond her. And, what was her name again? Britney�something?

Chloe shook her head at the sheer ridiculousness of it all and then headed towards the library, intending to spend the next hour of lunch poring over her previously forgotten history notes. Only Philip Kiriakis could somehow manage to deter the �Class Brain� from her studies, Chloe mused smiling slightly, unaware of the mass of devious students congregating around the lockers just beyond the corner, awaiting Vampira�s arrival.

****

Philip exited his Chemistry class, becoming more and more convinced by the minute that his decision to skip out on football practice that afternoon was undoubtedly a wise one, considering his headache most definitely wasn�t subsiding even after taking that god-damned Tylenol. Yep, academic malaise was well beginning to settle in after over a month back at Salem High, trapped within the oppressive quarters once again.

Suddenly booming laughter rang throughout the hallway, interrupting his self-pitying reverie. Philip angrily turned toward the deafening commotion -- The hooting and hollering was only aggravating the pounding in his head, after all.

Although, he froze the moment his eyes aligned with the source of the racket, his breath backing up into his lungs. There Chloe stood surrounded by Jason and Jan with their usual entourage, shamelessly taunting her. Chloe vainly struggled to negotiate an escape route through the densely packed crowd before ultimately falling face first onto the carpeted floor, intentionally tripped up by Jason�s left foot.

Boiling lava surged through Philip�s veins as his shock swiftly erupted into full-blown rage. Philip bolted forward, forcefully pushing his way past the tormentors to the center where a dazed Chloe had now pulled herself up into a semi-sitting position. Jason and Jan stood off to the side, doubled over in a fit of hysterics.

Without a second�s hesitation, Philip stormed over to the oblivious couple, determinedly stomping down HARD on the offending foot.

Jason screamed out in pain, �What the hell was that for, man?�

�Maybe, next time you should be a little more careful where you put your foot, huh, Jase?� On instinct, Jason edged back, wary about further challenging the K-Man�s wrath. For, when Philip�s explosive temper was ignited, he was dangerous as hell. Though, Jason couldn�t quite figure what had gotten him so obviously worked up�It�s not like Philip and Chloe were friends or anything.

Abruptly shifting to face Chloe, Philip knelt down beside her, his eyebrows furrowed in concern, �Are you okay?�

Chloe could only nod mutely, unable to properly comprehend what had just taken place. Philip gave a small smile of reassurance in return, extending his arms toward her for support. Accepting his help, Chloe slowly rose to her feet, slightly wavering on her now unsteady footing.

Relieved that she was seemingly alright, Philip then turned his attention back to a stunned Jason and Jan, his softened features immediately hardening. He deliberately strode up to them once more and locked eyes with both. �This all stops today, you got me?�

�What the hell are you talking about, Kiriakis? And, why are you even defending Ghoul Girl in the first place? I mean, she�s nothing more than a blood sucking witch!� Jason countered scornfully, astonished at the turncoat that stood before him.

Philip roughly grabbed the lapels of Jason�s jacket in response, pulling him close. �Her name is CHLOE and if you mess with her again or even go near her, you�ll be sorry,� he glowered menacingly.

With that warning established, Philip reluctantly released Jason and spun around to address the entire posse, �The same goes for all of you, got it?�

The students balked at the fearless intensity Philip projected, averting their gazes and shifting nervously under his intimidating stare. A few finally nodded their heads almost imperceptibly, acknowledging the all too real threat in his tone of voice and manner.

Satisfied with their affirmative responses, though admittedly reluctant, Philip returned to Chloe�s side, all hostility fading away. �Come on, Chloe, let�s go,� he fairly whispered, placing his hand on her back to gently guide her through the gradually dispersing hallway out to the nearest exit.

****

Once beyond the main doors, a cool gush of air arced past them as they softly padded across the front lawn, the expanse of green currently littered with autumnal hues of red, orange, and yellow, the leaves crackling beneath their feet.

Philip had kept silent since exiting school, but had purposely left his right hand resting lightly on Chloe�s back, occasionally soothing in a circular pattern, hoping that that comforting caress would somehow express all that he was unable to voice aloud just yet. Her flowing hair mercilessly tickled his fingertips as the breeze had swept a few tendrils into his grasp, consequently sending shivers flitting throughout his body, rivaling the chilling effects of the frigid temperature, itself�He had repeatedly resisted the urge to sink his hand into her mass of curls right then and there and run it through the length of her hair, thereby satisfying the overwhelming desire that had since welled up within him following his fleeting contact with her silky tresses.

As they aimlessly wandered the campus, Philip had watched Chloe closely, searching for any indication of what she was thinking but she had been as guarded as ever. With most girls, you knew EXACTLY how they were feeling and what they were thinking every minute of the day�in fact, only too well. However, with Chloe, it was all so damn puzzling! Philip mused in exasperation. But, then again, he had yet to come to terms with what he himself was thinking so who was he to judge? Philip finally concluded that he would wait for Chloe to breach the silence first and then follow her lead.

Chloe gazed out at the increasingly bare trees scattered before her, happy for the distraction. She sensed that Philip was waiting for her to respond in some manner, but frankly she had no idea what to say�She was confused�but more than that, for some unexplainable reason, she was angry. Extremely angry.

Unable to curb her unyielding anger any longer, Chloe instinctively jerked away from Philip�s hold and bolted past him, her head held high. A bewildered Philip stepped up the pace to match Chloe�s accelerated gait, stride for stride, until finally coming to an abrupt halt when she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, regarding him with ice blue eyes.

�Why are you following me, Philip?� Chloe eventually asked, her tone surprisingly calm and confident, considering how chaotic she inwardly felt. She rushed on before Philip had the chance to respond, �I�m fine now. Thanks for your help earlier, but I can manage from here on out.�

Chloe turned to leave once more, but was spun back around by Philip, his palm catching her shoulder.

�Wait, Chloe�what�what�s the matter?� Philip managed to stutter out after a moment�s pause, his mouth dropping open in shock. She couldn�t have possibly meant what it sounded like she meant, Philip reasoned bemusedly.

Chloe shrugged his arm off, taking a step back, �Nothing, I said I�m fine�What, are you, like, waiting for some kind of medal for the honorable deed you just performed? I mean, Mr. Popularity standing up for the biggest freak on campus�you must be so proud of yourself right now, huh?�

Philip couldn�t believe what he was hearing. �What the hell is that supposed to mean? I was just trying to help,� he frowned, a slight edge now creeping into his voice.

Chloe shot him a withering glare in response, �I didn�t NEED your help, Philip. I can take care of myself. I always have.�

�Chloe, I�m sorry, I thought maybe you�d want someone on your side for once. But no, you probably just want to keep with the whole loner thing, forever hidden under layers of black and a useless pair of hideous glasses, right?�

Chloe�s eyes narrowed defiantly at the mocking tone that accompanied his vile words, �You�re such a god-damned hypocrite, Philip. You may not be wearing dark clothing or glasses, but you sure as hell hide from everyone at school. You hide behind that letterman�s jacket of yours, your family�s wealth, and most of all the legendary Kiriakis name. I mean, be serious, Philip. I met you less than a year ago and yet I bet I know you better than any of your lifelong friends, including Shawn Brady, your so-called best friend!�

�You don�t know what you�re talking about, Chloe�You�re just jealous!� Philip spat back defensively.

�Jealous? Jealous of what exactly? Jealous that I don�t have hordes of superficial snobs hanging around me all day long? Do you think for one minute any of your dozens of �friends� would stand by you if you were suddenly penniless?� Philip�s eyes glazed over, the glassy blue betraying the intense emotion within, but he remained silent. Chloe�s mouth then quirked into a knowing smirk, �Ooh, did I strike a nerve, Philip?�

�What�what the hell do you know about it, anyway? I doubt you�ve ever even had a single friend longer than a day. No, that would be too scary for you. You might actually have to care about someone other than yourself. It�s really easy to stand there and say that you can�t trust anyone and there�s no one worthy of your friendship, but maybe the truth is that YOU�RE the one that can�t be trusted. Because, after all, if you can�t or WON�T open up to people, how can you expect others to react?� Philip took a deep breath then deliberately looked Chloe dead in the eye, �You know, you can pretend that you�re this martyr in black to everyone else, but I see the real Chloe Lane. You are, by far, the most self-centered person I�ve ever met.�

Shaken a bit, Chloe hesitated before launching her counterattack. �Well, if that isn�t the pot calling the kettle black. Philip Kiriakis, the Big Man on Campus, who arrogantly struts down the halls of Salem High barely noticing anyone or anything that gets in his path besides the congratulatory slaps on the back by his fellow football stars and the admiring glances of cheerleaders, is actually claiming that I am self-centered? Yeah�that�s rich!� she scoffed with a strained laugh.

�What I�m trying to say is that if you ever just got over yourself and looked around, you might finally realize that not all people are the same. Not everyone�s out to hurt you. You don�t have to be so damn scared all the time,� Philip�s voice softened to a mere whisper as he reached the last few words, finally saying what he had wanted to say since that night on the pier, all those months ago.

�I am NOT scared, Philip!� Chloe hissed, taking yet another step back in her acute discomfort.

Philip let out a ragged sigh, �That is total bs! Of course, you�re scared. And, I know that your childhood��

Before Philip could continue, Chloe hastily interrupted, her voice dropping to a dangerously low pitch, �You don�t know ANYTHING about my childhood so just give it a rest, alright? You know what, I�ve had enough of this, I�m out of here!�

�Sure, fine. Run away and hide, Chloe. That�s what you do best!� Philip yelled out after her, watching her disappear back into the school.

Both angrily swatted at the stray tear that managed to escape from their flooded pools of blue, Chloe now holed up in a bathroom stall, Philip still outside, frozen in place. Both sets of eyes stung from the pain the cold, hard truth had just inflicted, ultimately piercing through their defenses to shatter their fragile souls even further.

****

Philip reluctantly opened his locker to retrieve his History book. Only one more period to go, he reassured himself once again as he slipped the text into his backpack. It had only been two hours, two classes, since the disastrous confrontation at lunch and yet it had seemed an eternity�Now, he just wanted this nightmare of a day to end.

�Hey, Phil!� a lilting voice rang out, awakening Philip from his murky daze. He looked up to see Kelly sauntering towards him, her pleated cheerleading skirt revealing a scandalous amount of skin with each exaggerated swing of the hip. They had sporadically dated over the past year and she was pretty�and sexy�and popular, so why then did he wish her a million miles away at that moment? Philip wondered, shaking his head incredulously.

�So, I hear you have a big game coming up next Friday, huh? I can�t wait to cheer the star quarterback on�With you leading the team, we�re sure to go undefeated again this year,� Kelly smiled flirtatiously. �But, you know, why leave everything up to fate? A good luck kiss should seal the deal,� she declared with a confident wink.

The blond then leant forward and boldly pressed her lips to Philip�s. However, when he failed to respond, she hesitantly pulled back, surprised and a little hurt.

Philip blinked twice, momentarily at a loss, until his line of vision casually swept past Kelly only to be captured by none other than Chloe Lane�s icy gaze, emanating from those hauntingly cold, emotionless eyes. Suddenly he felt sick to his stomach.

Screw History, Philip decided bitterly, the pain surfacing anew. He forcefully slammed his locker shut and then abruptly took off for his car without a second glance at the confused cheerleader or the object of his distress.