Philip made his way past the basketball court, heading towards Salem Place at an easy pace. It was finally the weekend and he and Shawn has planned to shoot hoops after grabbing some grub at DotCom. He shoved his hands into his pockets as the autumn breeze mussed his hair.

Approaching the heart of his small town, the hustle and bustle of the busied streets interrupted the peace and calm of the previous blocks. Philip turned the corner, finding the local burger joint as crowded as ever. He peered in through the window, trying to spot Shawn, but was soon nudged from behind. The playful squeal of, �Guess who?� that followed instantly betrayed the culprit�s true identity, making the telltale reflection before him a rather futile advantage. Still, Philip decided to be a sport about it and play along.

Standing with his back to her, he closed his eyes as if mulling it over. �Hmmm�well, the voice IS familiar. However, it�s too high to be Shawn�s�too enthusiastic and cheery to be Chloe�s�so, let�s see here, who does that leave? Utilizing my other god-given senses, I detect a distinct fruity-tooty fragrance wafting my way right as we speak which narrows the possibilities to one perky, ultra-hygienic individual�an individual who, no doubt, totes around pompons and a megaphone��

�Oh, alright, alright,� Belle tugged Philip around to face her, tapping her foot in annoyance. �It was my voice, wasn�t it? You just wait, Philip Kiriakis, one of these days I�ll get tricky and disguise it�I could maybe do, like, a whole Darth Vader imitation or something.�

�You�d be better off sticking with Betty Boop!�

�Hey!� Belle lightly swatted at his arm in mock reproof. She rolled her eyes as he hammed it up, doubling over in �pain.� With a sigh of exasperation, she then raised an inquiring brow, �So, what IS King Kiriakis up to today?�

�Meeting your boyfriend,� he deadpanned.

Suspicious, Belle squinted up at him, �My boyfriend?�

�Yeah, you know, your loverboy�the one, the only, Mr. Shawn Brady,� Philip erupted in gales of laughter as the usually pacifistic Belle Black directed a few more deserved swings at him. Taking a step back, Philip lifted his hands as if in surrender. �Okay, all joking aside, what are your plans for today, my vertically challenged friend?�

�Actually, I�m meeting YOUR girlfriend�oh wait, that�s right, Chloe�s not EXACTLY your girlfriend yet, is she?� Belle smiled sweetly and her lips stretched into a triumphant grin as she suddenly spied her friend through the window. �Oh, there she is!�

Philip followed Belle�s gaze and stopped cold. Chloe was in the midst of what appeared to be quite the engrossing conversation, couched between two muscular, letterman�s jacket clad jocks�Guys Philip would have called buddies only moments before, but who were now added to his mental �hit list� as they, too, had apparently fallen under his Chloe�s spell.

It was almost comical watching Jeff and Tom, two self-proclaimed studs, practically fall over one another, jockeying for the former Ghoul Girl�s affection. Almost, but not quite. Somehow, Philip failed to fully appreciate the irony of the situation unfolding before him, especially when a familiar smile curved her lips and she began to shake ever so slightly.

At that moment, from the distant outdoors, Philip could have sworn he heard that tinkling laughter of hers ringing in his ears. �What the hell is she doing? She�s giggling like a god-damned fool!� he ground out through clenched teeth.

�Well, I had to give her some pointers, didn�t I?� Belle replied coyly, cocking her head to one side.

�Pointers?�

�Yeah, you know, for flirting�though, I never would have guessed she�d turn out to be such a pro,� reflected Belle with a hint of pride. She had to give herself props. After all, her very own prot�g� had somehow managed to snag not one, but two of Salem High�s most eligible bachelors.

�Flirting?!� Philip practically choked over the ridiculous notion.

�Yes, flirting. I�d think you, of all people, would be familiar with the concept, Philip. I mean, you�re like the Prince Charming of Salem High, right? I bet you flash these babies at least 100 times a day,� Belle reached up on her tiptoes to pinch the infamous Kiriakis dimples.

Philip backed away, unamused. �Look, we�re not talking about me here. We�re talking about CHLOE. You know, the quiet, reserved Chloe who up until earlier this week lived inside a freaking potato sack. She�s not like one of those bubbleheads you hang with. She�s not a�flirt.�

Choosing to ignore the derogatory remark directed at her friends, Belle simply shook her head as if resigned to some truth Philip had yet to acknowledge. �Maybe so�but what was I supposed to do, Philip? Sit by and watch my best friend cower in the corner, overwhelmed by all this newfound attention. Chloe needed my help�She�s not used to the whole social scene. You can�t tell me you haven�t noticed all of the admirers Chloe has suddenly gained following her little makeover.�

Philip�s gaze dropped to his sneakers. Of course, he�d noticed. Only too well, in fact. It seemed every available guy, including some not so available, had emerged from the woodwork to pursue the new reigning beauty of SH. Hell, he�d practically come to blows with several of his buddies in the locker room when Chloe�s physical attributes had been crudely debated and his face now deservedly hurt from the strain a week�s worth of delivering menacing glares had induced as he had quite effectively warded off the competition. He had reminded himself repeatedly that it was HE who Chloe smiled at, who Chloe laughed with, who Chloe was beginning to finally trust�And yet, now here she was animatedly giggling at some undoubtedly lame jokes his teammates had just cracked. Philip glanced in at Chloe again. Maybe he�d just been fooling himself all along.

Belle couldn�t believe how somber Philip looked. Sure, Shawn had previously apprised her of their friend�s infatuation with Chloe and she had seen it firsthand at school that week but still�she had never imagined the once shallow golden boy had fallen quite so hard for the once ridiculed outcast. �Geez, Philip, don�t take it all so seriously. So I advised her a little on dating dos and don�ts�it�s not like I�m driving her down to the Salem strip so she can cruise for dates.�

�That�s not funny, Belle!� Philip whipped his head back �round to the petite blond, but not before witnessing Chloe flip her hair over her shoulder and toy with a tendril. A definite Belle move, if ever he saw one, hardly that of the inexperienced bookworm who was inclined to blush at the slightest provocation. Damn Belle and her flirting tips, Philip cursed inwardly.

Belle laughed easily, unaffected by his accusatory glare. �Get real, Philip. You can�t deny the fact that Chloe�s gorgeous and frankly, that shy, distant thing she�s got going on is working for her more than anything I taught her. Let�s face it, she�s a knock-out and guys are gonna be interested in her. You�re just going to have to learn to deal with it somehow.�

Pained by the flicker of disappointment that troubled her friend�s features, Belle correspondingly softened her tone. �Hey, why don�t you give Chloe a little credit here. Just because they�re hot for her doesn�t necessarily mean it�s reciprocal. Do you seriously think she�d get involved with one of those jerks? Come on, she has more taste than that. And, besides, she�d never hook up with those jock-types who were so cruel to her in the first place. Let me tell you, that alone crosses off a good 90% of your competition.�

�I wouldn�t count on it, Belle. I used to be one of those guys, too,� he reminded her softly.

�USED TO are the key words there, Philip. You�re nothing like the others�not anymore. I know that, you know that, and CHLOE knows that. You proved yourself last week when you stood up for her. You were a true friend and Chloe won�t forget that.� Belle spoke with such conviction that Philip�s faith was almost nearly restored.

He shuffled his feet before tentatively venturing a glance at her again. To his satisfaction, Chloe had apparently fended off the duo�s advances and was now sitting, reading at one of the quieter booths, ALONE, while cliques chattered around her. She looked adorably out of place as she often did, Philip reflected, not without affection. Her wardrobe hadn�t changed that fact�her spirit, the essence of Chloe Lane would forever emanate a uniqueness that superceded any and all altered superficialities. It wasn�t so much a shocking revelation, more an elusive belief established at long last.

Philip was none-too-gently ripped out of his reverie just then as Belle impatiently tugged on his arm, pulling him past the double doors in towards the Goddess herself.

****

Exasperated, Chloe focused her attention on her iced tea, taking deliberate sip after deliberate sip, as Belle and Shawn plodded on in their usual song and dance. A hair joke here, a �Tough Boy� reference there�Chloe was about ready to gag. Needless to say, her day had started off bad and measurably gotten worse. Over breakfast, she had thoughtlessly waltzed into another mind-numbing argument with her mother only to then escape to DotCom where she had had the misfortune of being cornered by two Abercrombie and Fitch clones. And now, she was seated next to Philip who, by all appearances, seemed to be brooding over one thing or another and opposite Salem High�s very own Dawson and Joey.

She was desperately trying to think of a plausible excuse for exiting prematurely when Belle�s voice rose an octave and she cried out, �Mimi! Hey, we�re over here!�

Chloe instinctively glanced toward the entrance, feeling her nemesis� gaze narrow in on her. In that split-second, she could feel the jealousy, the pain, and, most intensely, the hatred Mimi Lockhart harbored toward her. It was all there in her eyes. Truth be told, Chloe couldn�t have cared less�Mimi was weak and immature, not to mention annoying�but the fact that Belle cared was enough to make Chloe crack a small conciliatory smile. She had never wanted to come between Belle and her childhood friend and she vowed right then that if Mimi made the effort to be civil, she could manage it, too, for Belle�s sake.

However, Mimi simply nodded coldly before crossing to the other side of the room where Jan sat, taking in the whole scene with satisfaction.

Belle�s face dropped, visibly shocked. �What is going on with her? I just don�t get it, Shawn. Lately she�s been avoiding me and acting all distant�and now she�s hanging out with Jan! My God, what could Mimi possibly have in common with HER?�

Hmmm�besides hating me? Chloe shook her head bitterly. Suddenly she felt Philip�s hand brush against her knee, his palm settling on her lower thigh.

�Maybe the queen of gossip has finally met her match in the queen of bitches!� Philip offered, chuckling along with Shawn as he gave Chloe�s leg a reassuring squeeze, silently communicating his support and understanding of the awkward position she found herself in.

Without thinking, Chloe, too, allowed her hand to drift beneath the table, covering his with her own. She felt her cheeks flush and pulse quicken at not only the foreign sensations she was momentarily experiencing, but at her uncharacteristic boldness in responding to Philip in such an intimate manner.

As Belle proceed to defend her �best friend,� Chloe found herself increasingly embarrassed and she abruptly rose to her feet, startling Philip. �Um�I�ll be right back. I�ve got to�uh, visit the restroom,� she eventually stammered out before making her swift getaway.

Shawn eyed Philip questioningly. He shrugged innocently enough, but his self-satisfied smirk spoke volumes. �Hey Belle, Philip and I are gonna go get some dessert�our treat, okay? We�ll just be a sec,� he promised, gesturing for Philip to join him.

Once they were at a safe distance, Shawn spun Philip around to face him. �Well?�

�Well, what?�

�What the hell could you possibly be waiting for? You�re obviously into Chloe � don�t even try to deny it � and yet, as far as I�m aware, you haven�t even asked her out on a date, let alone kissed her. I mean, you are the K-Man, right? Don�t tell me Mr. �so many girls, so little time� is afraid of a little rejection!� Shawn snickered mockingly.

Philip roughly pushed Shawn in toward the counter, insuring no indiscriminate passersby were within earshot. His jaw then jutted out as his expression hardened. �You are so off base, Shawn! Besides it�s not like that with Chloe.�

�Because you care about her,� Shawn murmured, finishing his friend�s unspoken thought. After a sobering moment, he lowered his voice, �Look, I just don�t want you to blow it. Chloe�she�s special��

Incredulous, Philip�s eyes widened at his friend�s skewed assumption. �What, you think I don�t know that? Man, that�s why I�ve been trying to hold back�not scare her off.�

�Well, if you don�t make your move soon, Phil, some other guy will, that�s all I�m saying.�

�Maybe you should practice what you preach, Brady,� Philip suggested, his tone harsher than he had originally intended. Shawn�s words had unwittingly struck a chord with him�Philip acknowledged his point, but also realized that Chloe wasn�t ready for his advances or anyone else�s, for that matter. Not yet. Though, a smile crept across his face when he remembered how she had deliberately touched him just moments before. She may not be ready yet, but she would be soon. And HE�D be waiting.

Now Shawn looked incredulous. �Huh?�

�Don�t expect little Miss Perfect over there to wait forever for you to come to your senses, ole buddy,� he punched his friend playfully in the arm before moving to place their order while Shawn stood frozen in place, staring over at his favorite blond.

****

Chloe splashed some cool water on her face as her heart rate returned to normal. God, what was it about Philip? With the slightest of touches, he always managed to fluster and excite her more than she ever thought possible. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

At the sickening moan that sounded just then, erupting in staccato bursts, Chloe turned toward the row of bathroom stalls behind her. She was about to check on the poor soul when she heard a toilet flush and a drawn Mimi emerged, looking paler than ever.

Without meeting Chloe�s inquiring gaze, Mimi quickly made her way to the sink to freshen up.

After a moment�s hesitation, Chloe finally spoke, �Are you okay?�

�Yeah, why wouldn�t I be?� she replied shortly, throwing her used paper towel in the waste basket. Mimi then hurried out the door, leaving a puzzled Chloe to wonder.

Philip slumped in his chair as he none-too-enthusiastically pored over his assigned chapter, recounting the resolution of World War I. He gave his tutor a sidelong glance then sighed in disgust. True to form, Chloe had scanned the pages at record speed and was now apparently answering the review questions posed at the end. Frustrated, he redirected his focus to his book, but found the written words to be blurring together beneath his fingertips. Preparing to suggest a break, Philip paused when Chloe abruptly shifted, propping her face in her hands. He eyed her speculatively, �You okay?�

�I just have a headache,� she sighed as she rubbed softly at her temples.

Philip suppressed a chuckle. �That hairstyle probably isn�t helping,� he instead noted with a touch of irony, observing her tightly woven tresses.

�Yeah, I wasn�t too keen on the concept of braids in the first place. But you know Belle�when she�s set her mind to something, Lord help anyone who tries to get in her way.�

Philip smiled faintly. �Hmmm, that sounds like someone else I know.�

Chloe met his smile before pulling out her left hair band. She reached for her right, but paused when Philip�s hand brushed against her shoulder.

�Allow me,� he murmured. Slipping the wound thread through the length of her hair, Philip set it aside on the desk then returned to her loosened braids. Starting at the ends, his touch swept in and out, freeing the silken waves, lock by lock.

Chloe faced Philip as she felt him smooth back her hair with long, deliberate strokes. Her eyes involuntarily closed at the sensation. She loved how he touched her�gently and almost adoringly, easing his way through the stray tangles he encountered with excruciating care. She loved how his free arm had since circled the back of her chair, hovering no more than an inch from her charged presence. But, most of all, she loved how his attention was centered on her. His intent gaze and soft, rhythmic touches made her feel valued, cherished even, as if she, Chloe Lane, was worthy of such pointed consideration.

With one last lingering caress, Philip smiled again. �There, all done,� he whispered, warming anew when Chloe�s lashes fluttered open to reveal a confusion of sorts.

Managing a mumbled, �Thank you,� Chloe forcefully broke eye contact and straightened to continue on in the chapter review.

�Head better?� he eventually spoke, interrupting the awkward silence between them.

Chloe swallowed hard. �Uh, yeah, actually it is.� It wasn�t exactly a lie, she reasoned. After all, her headache as well as the Treaty of Versailles, for that matter, were currently the furthest things from her mind, considering the close proximity of one dimpling Philip now commanded center stage.

�Hey, what can I say? The K-Man�s fingers work magic�� he declared, cracking his knuckles with exaggerated flair.

Philip Kiriakis and his over-inflated ego�Chloe shook her head ruefully before releasing a small laugh. �I wouldn�t exactly say that!�

�Well, Ms. Lane, I haven�t heard any complaints before.�

�Why am I not surprised?� she countered scornfully, her mouth quirking at the corners.

A devilish twinkle flitted across his depths of blue just then, warning Chloe of what was to come. �Hmmm, if I recall correctly, I seemed to have worked my magic on you on more than one occasion�a certain instance involving a paper cut comes to mind as does another evening in front of a roaring fire. In fact, I seem to remember a day, not unlike today, when you called me, and I quote, �one hell of a sweeper,� after I �swept� away your tummy ache. Ring any bells, Chloe?�

Watching her grow increasingly uncomfortable at the memories his words had evoked, Philip forced back his grin and determinedly changed the subject at hand. �So, are you coming to the game on Friday?�

Relieved for the shift in topic, Chloe�s wavering gaze locked on his once more. �The football game?�

�No, the chess game�Of course, the FOOTBALL game,� he nudged her mockingly. �And, it�s not just ANY game, it�s the Homecoming game!�

Unimpressed, Chloe rolled her eyes. �FYI, there are no chess GAMES, only chess MATCHES and, to tell you the truth, they�d probably be of greater interest to me than some testosterone fest. At least I�d know what the hell was going on�plus, I could finally watch Kevin in action. Apparently he�s some sort of chess prodigy.�

Philip practically flinched at the male�s name Chloe had so casually dropped, unfamiliar as it was. �Kevin?�

�Yeah, Kevin Lambert. You know him�he�s in our Chemistry class, remember?�

He vaguely identified Kevin as the Honor�s dude whose social status was inextricably linked to that of his high IQ. Philip never would have thought in a million years he could feel threatened by a nerd and yet having fallen for a �nerd� himself, he realized all at once his true competition. Belle had been right�He needn�t worry about Jeff or Tom. Truth be told, Chloe shared a hell of a lot more in common with a guy like Kevin than the aforementioned Neanderthals. For God�s sake, Kevin and Chloe were both freaking geniuses, not to mention identically bespectacled!

Shawn�s warning thundered in his ears, �If you don�t make your move soon, Phil, some other guy will, that�s all I�m saying.� Well, that settled it, he was now officially ready to make his move and thus was forced to resort to out and out begging�Hell, he wasn�t too proud for that.

Pointedly ignoring her inquiry regarding Kevin, Philip flashed her his best puppy dog pout, �Look Chloe, I�d really like you to be there��

�Why? I�m not exactly the type of girl who lives to spend her Friday nights out carousing at rowdy football games, cheering the team on�It�s hardly my idea of a good time.�

�Considering you�ve probably never even been to a single game before, I don�t think you should be so quick to judge. Besides, you wouldn�t be cheering on the whole team, you�d be MY personal cheerleader,� he teased with a wink, projecting that old Kiriakis charm. �Come on, Chloe, take pity on me. You�ll be my moral support, actually my sole support�God knows, no one else will be there rooting in the stands for me.�

�What about your parents?� Chloe regretted her question as soon as the words escaped her lips. For a person who was so guarded about her own private affairs, she sure seemed more than willing to delve into others� uninvited, she realized, much to her chagrin.

�They�re out of town on business again. Not that they ever made it when they weren�t.� Philip�s frown deepened before disappearing altogether as he brushed it off, regaining his prior train of thought. �Anyway, we�re friends now, aren�t we? Well, friends cheer each other on. I promise I�ll be the first person to jump to my feet to give you a standing ovation when you perform at the talent show.�

Chloe cocked an eyebrow at him, daringly, �Friends�oh, is that what we are?�

However, Philip simply shrugged good-naturedly. �Hey, you shook on it, there�s no getting out of it now. So, what do you say?�

�We�ll see,� she replied coyly enough, but the promising spark of consideration that stilled her features didn�t go unnoticed by Philip.

****

Surrounded by his teammates, Philip was practically carried into the gym. The usual celebratory decorations were in place�balloons, posters, and streamers lined the walls while the center of the space now served as a dance floor for the writhing student body. It was tradition at its finest. In fact, the annual mixer following the biggest game of the year was one of those rare events in which kids plopped down money to set foot on school grounds. It along with the Homecoming game preceding it were anticipated months in advance, well before the season even began.

Although, this year, Philip hadn�t quite viewed the game in the same light. He still enjoyed football, itself, and was driven to succeed by his blazing competitive streak, it�s just that it wasn�t his first priority anymore�it wasn�t his everything. When he had run onto the field earlier that evening, he had been pumped, but he hadn�t truly felt the rush of exhilaration until he�d spotted HER up in the bleachers. With Chloe�s support secure in his heart, he had then led the team to victory, ultimately beating Lakeshore High, 21-7.

Bumped from behind, Philip was suddenly thrust into present. Apparently his posse had gradually widened their girth over the past few minutes, allowing cheerleaders access to their elite circle. At the tap on his shoulder, he twisted around.

�Hey, Phil, just thought I�d come up and give you a quick pat on the back before you�re jumped by my girls,� Belle laughed, eyeing her wily cheer pals. A sly smile then crept across her face. �So, it looks like you had nothing to worry about after all, huh?�

Puzzled, Philip�s brows creased, prompting Belle to further explain. �I never thought I�d live to see the day when Chloe Lane would willingly attend a sporting event�and something tells me she didn�t come to bone up on her knowledge of football.�

Philip gave a broken shrug, but his telltale grin shattered any illusion of nonchalance. As a new thought struck him, a hopeful Philip leant in closer to Belle, �She isn�t here, by any chance, is she?�

The booming music suddenly intensified, forcing Belle to raise her voice. �Yep, she sure is, although I practically had to drag her stubborn butt here from the bleachers. Anywho, I was with her just a moment ago but you know how it is�I got swallowed up in the crowd and haven�t seen her since.� Belle�s gaze abruptly shifted past Philip then as she bounced up on her tiptoes, straining to make a positive id. She let out a small squeal of recognition, �Oh, there�s Shawn�I�m gonna go congratulate him, too.�

Philip nodded knowingly, causing Belle to shoot him a glare as she proceeded to disappear into the faceless masses. Scanning the packed room for Chloe, Philip got the sinking suspicion he�d never find her in all the hubbub. He was preparing to change location when Jason strode up, slapping him on the back.

�We kicked ass out there tonight, Kiriakis! So, my man, ready for the reward?� he chortled, motioning toward the young, starry-eyed string of admirers that hung on the fringes of their studhood.

�Actually, I�m busy,� Philip stated flatly. Though his eyes lit up no more than a moment later as crowds parted to reveal the object of his desire. Philip could only stare in awe at the dark-haired Goddess before him, taking in every detail of her appearance. Tonight she had reclaimed the color black, at least from the waist down. Although instead of the baggy and loose pants of weeks before, she now wore hip-huggers that molded quite nicely to her long, shapely legs. However, it was the crimson button-up blouse that drew his immediate attention as its color set off her full, exotic features to perfection, richening her exquisite beauty. As initial amazement began to wane and rationality made a return, Philip was then finally able to see Chloe in the context of her surroundings�uncomfortable and very much alone. Hell, she had practically burrowed into the far corner of the gym as if trying to shrink away into oblivion.

Jason had followed his teammate�s eye line and likewise appreciated the vision. �Ah, the newest flavor of the week,� he murmured approvingly. He wouldn�t have minded getting in on the action himself, that was for sure. Damn, how was he to have known all that time that beneath Ghoul Girl�s shroud laid the body of a freaking Victoria�s Secret model?

Philip�s eyes narrowed at Jason�s innuendo and he fought to rein in his temper. �Flavor of the week? Try flavor of my life,� he retorted tersely, stalking off toward Chloe without so much as a backward glance.

Weaving through the throngs of people, Philip eventually reached Chloe. He purposely pushed his way in to stand directly in front of her, blocking out the rest of the high school world from their corner. �Hey beautiful! I�m glad you showed.�

�Nice game�� she gave a forced, almost humorless laugh before continuing, �not that I know what I�m talking about or anything.�

Philip smiled warmly in return, attempting to ease Chloe�s obvious tension. �Hey, want to dance?� he asked with as much enthusiasm as he could manage. Needless to say, dancing was definitely NOT his forte, but for Chloe he would be willing to take the plunge.

However, Chloe only averted her gaze. �Uh�I�m not feeling too well. I was actually planning on leaving�� she stuttered out with great difficulty.

Philip faltered a moment, but quickly connected the dots. �Oh, okay. I�ll drive,� he offered, firmly taking hold of her arm before she could protest.

****

Chloe stared out the window, feeling stupid and utterly foolish. What could she possibly have been thinking? She should never have gone to the game, much less the mixer. If it hadn�t been clear enough before, it had certainly been made crystal clear that night�she didn�t fit in and she never would. Except for the brief moment in which Philip had sought out her gaze in the stands and smiled, she had never felt more alone than she had those past few hours. There was nothing worse than feeling lonely while surrounded by crowds of people, she reflected bitterly.

Philip studied Chloe quizzically out of the corner of his eye as he negotiated the slick, narrow roads. After serious consideration, he had decided to forego the usual �hands off� approach he had taken with Chloe that past month. It didn�t seem to be getting them anywhere�in fact, if anything, it was probably sending Chloe mixed signals. For all he knew, she had misinterpreted his recent restraint as proof of his indifference, rather than respect, toward her. One thing was certain�they had reached a crossroads long ago and had yet to choose a direction. Maybe it WAS time to start pushing the boundaries a bit, furthering their relationship, at least emotionally speaking.

Taking note of his current location, Philip couldn�t help but see it as a sign from the Fates. �Hey, what do you say to going for a little walk? The park is up ahead and it�s lit this time of night�the fresh air will do you some good,� he pressed the issue until she nodded slightly, her face still turned away from him.

Pulling into the vacant lot, he parked his car under one of the many street lamps that covered the area. After both had dutifully bundled up to combat the frosty chill, they then ventured out into the night air.

Chloe folded her arms, pulling her coat even tighter to her chest. Letting out a deep breath, she finally spoke. �Well, I should probably come clean�I wasn�t exactly feeling sick before like I said, I just needed to get out of there. I guess you could say I�m not big on mosh pits!�

With the trace of a smile, Philip slowed to a standstill. Confused, Chloe similarly paused, turning to face him.

He looked at her thoughtfully then. �You don�t have to wear these when you�re with me, Chloe,� he eventually said in a quieted voice before reaching out to remove her glasses.

Grabbing at his hand, Chloe protested, �Give them back, Philip!�

�No,� he stated simply. �You want to hunt for them, be my guest,� he teasingly smirked, slipping them into his jeans� pocket.

Chloe glared at him helplessly, but reluctantly fell into step beside him as he began sauntering along the path once more.

They continued on a good while until a long established, though seemingly unexplained truth stirred within Philip, prompting him to break the silence. �Chloe, why do you love opera? I mean, what drew you to it in the first place?�

Surprised, Chloe paused again in thought. Gradually finding the words to voice her answer, she spoke slowly as if only just coming to understand it herself. �Remember that day in English class when you said poetry was a language for feelings? Well, opera�s similar to poetry in that way. I�m sure it comes as no great shock to you that I often have a difficult time expressing my own feelings�and I guess I�ve always been intrigued and just a bit envious of those that can so easily.�

Philip briefly considered what she had said. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other then tentatively began. �I don�t think you have to be a poet or an opera singer to be one of those fortunate few. But you DO have to be connected with your heart and soul and trust them enough to guide you where you need to go�� Philip�s voice trailed off as he found himself once again lost in her gaze.

Moonlight danced within her eyes, illuminating and intensifying the depthless blue. Slowly, he leant in toward Chloe, so as not to scare her. Though, this time, her expression was one of wonder rather than of fear. When her lashes drifted shut, he descended upon her lips, lingering a moment in her softness before pulling back to smile.

Chloe managed a small smile, but inwardly hoped the night shadowed her features as she felt her cheeks burn at the realization of what had just transpired.

Unfortunately for Chloe, Philip could see her features all too plainly. Her eyes darted to and fro while she self-consciously bit down on her lower lip, waiting for Philip to make the next move. His smile faded, wrapping itself around his heart as he looked upon a shy, completely vulnerable Chloe Lane. Before he could stop himself, he had gathered her up in his arms and pressed her to him. As she relaxed into the embrace, Philip pulled her even closer, nestling his face into the silken skin of her neck and the endless tendrils that cascaded forward over one shoulder.

Chloe closed her eyes again as Philip�s warmth surrounded her, clearing away all confusion and doubt. She knew right then the validity of his words�There was no doubt in her mind that her heart and soul had guided her toward him, toward this very moment in time.

She felt a certain sense of loss when he loosened his hold on her, but he merely shifted so as to rest his arm around her shoulders, gently directing her back to his car.

Philip first opened Chloe�s door, settling her in before moving to his side of the car. Once he had started up the engine, he�d immediately reached out to take her hand in his as they eased out of the parking lot, unable to resist another moment�s distance from her touch.

They rode in silence, but their shared touch communicated more to one another than even they, themselves, realized. After a few minutes, Philip flipped on the radio, decidedly in the mood for a romantic ballad of sorts.

Chloe leant back in her seat as an angelic voice filled the air. She gazed out at the passing scenery, listening to the lyrics deep from within.

Morning smiles like the face of a newborn child, innocent, unknowing.

Winter�s end, promises of a long lost friend.

Speaks to me of comfort.

But I fear I have nothing to give.

I have so much to lose here in this lonely place.

Tangled up in your embrace there�s nothing I�d like better than to fall.

But I fear I have nothing to give.

Wind in time rapes the flower trembling on the vine.

And nothing yields to shelter from above.

They say temptation will destroy our love.

The never-ending hunger.

But I fear I have nothing to give.

I have so much to lose here in this lonely place.

Tangled up in our embrace there�s nothing I�d like better than to fall.

But I fear I have nothing to give.

I have so much to lose.

I have nothing to give.

We have so much to lose�

A strange tightening in her chest took hold as the concluding note faded beyond a whisper. Clasping Philip�s hand firmly within her own, Chloe forced back the tears that had formed and silenced all fear.