Chloe nervously readjusted the bridge of her glasses while studying her reflection in the mirror. With one last deep breath of resignation, she swung the girls bathroom door open and prepared herself for battle. She had been dreading this day all summer and now that it had finally arrived, Chloe was determined in her resolve to survive the first day of Junior year back in the hell that was Salem High. Only two more years of this place and then I�m on to Julliard and never looking back, Chloe reminded herself once more.

Memories of the previous year invaded her thoughts as she walked deliberately through the hall corridor, making a beeline for her locker, as familiar, though unfriendly faces passed her by. They blurred together while the nightmare of the events that had taken place upon her arrival to Salem wreaked havoc on her composure. She half-expected for everyone to start chanting �Ghoul Girl� once she set foot on campus right then and there, but apparently the masses were too preoccupied with sharing their outrageous summer adventures and comparing tan lines to notice the arrival of Chloe Lane, their very own resident outcast.

Upon opening her locker, Chloe let out a small sigh of relief. There were no dead rodents, threatening letters, or the ever-popular rotting eggs that had so often found their way into her personal space with a little help from Jan and Jason, of course. So far, so good.

As she slammed her locker shut and headed towards homeroom, Chloe marveled at how three months of vacation had completely spoiled her. The perpetual namecalling, the nagging harassment had been pushed from her mind as a new locale had temporarily inspired a lightness and ease of mood and spirit. Not to say that visiting her grandparents had been the idealistic summer she had originally imagined before boarding the plane, but, comparatively speaking, it sure seemed like heaven right about now. Heck, even Nancy�s company would have been preferable to these nerve-racking moments of waiting in anxious anticipation for the impending onslaught of attack she�d be sure to receive once Vampira�s presence was noted.

�Chloe!�

Snapping back to reality at the high-pitched squeal, Chloe felt a quick release at the familiar tone. Cheerful�bubbly�friendly�only one girl in all of Salem High fit that description. Sure enough, Chloe turned and came face to face with the petite blonde, the first of a grand total of two friends she had made in all the months she�d spent in Salem following her arrival. Before she could utter a single word, Belle had thrown her arms around her and pulled Chloe into a big bear hug. Although generally uncomfortable with physical acts of affection, Chloe had become somewhat used to Belle�s touchy, feely manner and yet was still amazed at how such a tiny person could hug with such enthusiasm and might.

�Chloe, I missed you so much! You have to fill me in on your vacation with your grandparents. It just wasn�t the same around here without you. You know, I still can�t believe that you up and deserted me like that,� Belle placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips in mock reproof.

�I�m sure you managed to get by, somehow,� Chloe wryly replied. �So...how�s Shawn?� Chloe couldn�t help but smile when she saw her friend�s eyes light up at the mention of Shawn Brady, Belle�s unacknowledged, yet undeniable crush.

A blush swept over her face as she managed to stutter out, �He�s...uh�he�s fine.�

Belle peered past Chloe and turned an even deeper shade of rouge as she whispered under her breath, �Speak of the devil.�

�Hey Belle, Chloe. What�s up?� Shawn sidled up next to Chloe and casually draped his arm across her shoulders, a gesture that was not lost on Belle.

�Chloe and I were just having a PRIVATE conversation, Shawn. In fact, I don�t recall either one of us inviting you to join us,� Belle piped up, practically seething with jealousy.

�Whoa...Belle, calm down,� Shawn�s hand dropped to his side. �Look, I just wanted to come over and catch up with Chloe, considering she�s been gone all summer. Is that alright with you?� Shawn�s chocolate eyes widened in confusion at Belle�s sudden outburst and noticeably flushed face. Lately, it seemed he just couldn�t read her at all.

�Yeah, whatever. We should get to class,� Belle spun on her heel and led the way, embarrassed about the way she had reacted. After all, she knew deep down that friendship was the only thing that Shawn and Chloe shared. And even if that wasn�t the case, why should it matter to her anyway? Who cared who Shawn was interested in? Certainly not me, Belle inwardly declared, as she strode self-consciously down the hall with Shawn at her heels. Keenly aware of his presence, Belle couldn�t help but silently reprimand herself for failing to run a comb through her hair just moments before. Striking a compromise, she tried to appear nonchalant as she instead ran her fingers through the length of her hair, smoothing a few stray locks back into their usual place of perfection.

Chloe followed behind Shawn and Belle, stifling the urge to laugh. How any two people could be so totally clueless, was utterly beyond her. Chloe wasn�t exactly known for being an expert when it came to matters of the heart but it was obvious, even to her, that her two friends were undeniably attracted to each other but just couldn�t admit it.

The three entered the oddly empty classroom.

�Ugh...alphabetical seating!� Belle sighed in disgust upon reading the seating chart displayed on the overhead projector.

�Hey, I resent that sigh,� Shawn joked, privately thanking his lucky stars that he and Belle were both blessed with B-last names. Shawn was rewarded with Belle�s trademark giggle and the two moved toward their seats in the front row, oblivious to Chloe�s reaction to this new turn of events.

She stood in absolute horror rereading the chart until it began to sink in. Last year, Chloe had had the misfortune of having to endure a whole semester of Spanish beside Mimi Lockhart due to the evil, teacher-mandated alphabetically ordered seating concept.

That had been one thing, but this was quite another. Recognition and then finally acceptance of the situation washed over her in waves as she struggled to regain the newfound equilibrium that Shawn and Belle�s presence had afforded her with just moments before. Chloe noted the two chairs per table configuration and felt her stomach instinctively knot up. At this point, sharing a table with Mimi sounded positively heavenly. In fact, sharing a table with anyone else, even Jan and Jason for that matter, would have suited Chloe just fine. She could handle it as long as it was anyone but HIM.

Chloe negotiated her way through the maze of tables until she found the seat that corresponded to that of the one that was assigned to her up on the overhead. Abruptly collapsing into the chair, Chloe let her backpack drop to the floor causing a loud thud to echo throughout the classroom. Although, even that failed to wake Belle and Shawn from their mutual euphoria over being table buds!

Chloe buried her face into her arms, momentarily allowing the cool surface of the table to make contact with her flushed cheek. Closing her eyes, Chloe envisioned herself onstage at the Met having just finished an aria to receive a standing ovation. She could almost hear the roar of applause and feel the elation that only her singing provided her with.

She was jolted back to her senses as the door swung open. Mrs. Johnson, their English teacher, entered accompanied by the raucous hubbub that bellowed forth from just beyond their classroom, obliterating the peaceful silence that had been Chloe�s sole comfort at that moment. The silence had served to feed her denial, allowing Chloe, if only for a few seconds, to forget her predicament and drift away to her safe haven where only she and her music existed.

But the chaotic burst of Salem High�s boisterous students thrust her back into reality and she knew it was only a matter of time before she would have to face him. Any minute now, the bell would ring, signaling the start of class and then the students would be ushered back into their homerooms for yet another year in which Salem�s �finest� educators would be sure to take what little knowledge the students already held and flush it down the toilet, leaving them essentially academically inept.

Having transferred from school to school in her youth had taught Chloe a thing or two at least with respect to the field of education. In her experience, the majority of teachers were indefinitely a sorry lot. In fact, most were not even adequately equipped to ponder taking on such a crucial responsibility as educating the next generation. Chloe had acquired all her knowledge of the outside world by relying solely on herself...She figured that she knew a hell of a lot more than the clowns who taught at the various schools she had been forced to attend. So far, her assumption had proven to be right on target. And Salem High definitely wasn�t an exception!

The first bell rang warning students of their last five minutes of freedom before school would officially resume. Chloe sat up in her seat, straightening her posture. Her eyes glazed over and her jaw was set in determination as she awaited the arrival of the person she would be forced to spend the next few months, day in and day out, crammed into one table, side by side in this godforsaken class. She mused once again over how truly twisted and cruel fate must be to decree that their paths would cross like this, pairing them together once more. Staring at the empty chair to her right, Chloe wondered yet again, how does he always manage to burrow his way into my life at every given turn? Because he�s Philip Kiriakis, that�s why, was the inevitable conclusion, Chloe thought shaking her head in disgust.

****

After suffering through the initial 6:00am wake-up call, once smack dab right in the middle of the chaotic hallways in Salem High, Philip had to privately admit that it was somewhat comforting to be back at his familiar stomping ground. Salem High and his position within it had been one of the few constants in his life the previous year.

Philip slammed his locker shut and turned at the sound of his name. �Hey Phil! What�s up?� Jason swaggered up with Jan on his arm.

�Nothing much...um�have you seen Belle?� Philip glanced over his shoulder once again but to no avail. Belle Black was no where in sight.

�No...But wait a second did you two hook up or something? Out at the lake�man, I wish I�d been there to witness Shawn�s reaction,� Jason hooted.

�No Jase. We hung out together, but nothing happened or at least not in the way that you mean,� Philip shook his head at his friend�s crassness.

�So, you struck out Philly?� Jan smirked, reaching her hand out to caress his shoulder in mock concern.

Philip�s eyes narrowed at this remark and he roughly brushed her hand away. �Just for the record Jan, I did NOT strike out. It�s just that Belle�s the kind of girl you take things slow with, but I guess you wouldn�t know anything about that, would you, Jan?�

Before Jan could muster up one of her trademark slow-witted retorts, Philip took off down the hallway in the anxious pursuit of finding Belle before class. With still no sign of her anywhere, Philip figured that she probably went to homeroom early, considering her overly conscientious nature with respect to school and her academics.

Philip pushed open Mrs. Johnson�s door and then stopped dead in his tracks, unable to tear his eyes away from the vision before him. Although the object of his attention was not Belle Black, but, in fact, none other than Chloe Lane.

To the general populace at Salem High, Chloe looked identical to that of the day she first arrived in town and, for that matter, every day from there on out, black clothes and all, but to the astute observer, there was one slight but notable addition to her appearance that day. Needless to say, Philip most definitely fell under the latter category. Months of covertly observing the mystery that was Chloe Lane from afar, including memorizing every detail of her appearance, no matter how minute, had served to heighten his awareness of Chloe and any given change in her whatsoever.

A locket on a thin gold chain hung around her neck, sparkling in the morning light the window displayed. Nestled into the black fabric of her top, the locket shone even brighter, contrasting against the darkness surrounding it. The necklace was undeniably beautiful and yet, at the same time, Philip thought that somehow it just didn�t fit with his impression of Chloe. From the little he knew about her, he doubted she ever would have chosen to wear something so showy, almost bordering on gaudy. Although he had never witnessed any of Chloe�s jewelry preferences firsthand, Philip bet that something more simple or basic would have suited her much better�the locket must have been a gift of some kind, he offhandedly deduced.

Philip redirected his attention from the necklace back to Chloe herself. As though in slow motion, he watched Chloe reach out and turn the page in her book, unaware of Philip�s gaze. She bit her lip as she scanned the paragraphs, a sure sign of her complete and utter concentration. Philip shook his head, only Chloe would be reading so intently before class had even resumed from summer vacation.

The effect Chloe still had over him became apparent as his heart rate skyrocketed and his mouth suddenly went dry. God, what is it about her, anyway? Philip wondered. From their initial meeting, Philip had felt inextricably drawn to the mysterious girl cloaked in black. His attraction to Chloe baffled him, to say the least. After all, Chloe definitely was NOT his type. And yet, he felt his breath catch every time she entered the room and her very presence left him mesmerized as was the case right then. Philip had tried to convince himself that Chloe�s absence over the summer would help rid himself of the overwhelming attraction he felt for her, kind of like going through detox, but somehow it had only served to intensify his fascination with her.

Attempting to distract herself from counting the seconds until his arrival, Chloe had catapulted herself into the times of Anna Karenina. Though, as if sensing his gaze, she abruptly raised her head from behind the novel mid-sentence.

At that moment, their eyes met and everyone else in the room faded into the background.

Under Philip�s intense stare, Chloe squirmed uncomfortably but for some unexplainable reason she was unable to look away and break the eye contact Philip had initiated. Why is he looking at me like that? Chloe had prepared herself for the inevitable look of horror and disgust that was sure to cross his face upon receiving the news of the seating arrangement and the implications inherent in it being alphabetically ordered, however the expression on his face at that moment definitely wasn�t one of horror or disgust but of something else entirely. Something Chloe couldn�t quite identify.

Though she would never admit it, Chloe had been keenly aware of Philip and his heartbreakingly handsome features from day one. And today was no exception. He looked as handsome as ever. His sunstreaked hair set off the deep tan he must have acquired from all those days up at the lake.

Sensing that the tables had turned, Philip got the distinct impression that Chloe was sizing him up just then. For some odd reason, he suddenly felt extremely nervous. Why should it matter what Chloe thinks of me? Philip wouldn�t allow himself to thoroughly consider the question because the obvious answer was one that he wasn�t quite ready to process.

Philip searched Chloe�s eyes for some clue as to what she was thinking. Although with those hideous glasses that managed to cover half her face, it was difficult to gauge her expression. It took all of Philip�s willpower at that moment not to run over to her and impulsively remove the glasses that were hiding the key to his unacknowledged question. Suddenly, memories from that night out on the pier came flooding back to him�those incredible eyes of Chloe haunted him to this very day. Just then, Philip was broken out of his reverie by a loud guffaw.

�Lucky you, Kiriakis. By the end of the semester I�m sure that you and Vampira will have become real chummy. That is, unless she sucks you dry first!� Jason slapped Philip on the back and motioned toward the seating chart. Philip then noted that the classroom had begun to fill up while he had been otherwise engaged, lost in Chloe�s gaze. A few of the kids in the front of the class who had overheard began to snicker and noticing Chloe�s sudden interest in her notebook, Philip figured she, too, had probably heard his comment.

Jason�s laughter subsided when he caught the menacing glare that Shawn shot him. Jason definitely did not want to be on Shawn�s bad side. Though, he still didn�t understand why Belle and Shawn, the elite duo of Salem High, were so protective of Ghoul Girl and chose to hang out with her voluntarily on a daily basis. Nevertheless, he reminded himself to lay off Chloe whenever they were around. That way, he wouldn�t risk the chance of having to endure the wrath of one Shawn Brady.

Processing this new situation Philip found himself in, he languidly made his way back to his seat, avoiding eye contact with Chloe. All his insecurities about his reputation had resurfaced upon hearing Jason�s remark, mirroring the events that had taken place that night after meeting Chloe out on the pier. Frankly, he felt bad about the way she was treated but realized the only way he could defend her would be to put himself on the line. And he wasn�t ready for that. He wasn�t ready to risk losing his popularity or his position within the school.

Besides, he reasoned, Chloe was doing it to herself. She was purposely choosing to present herself in such a way that was sure to be ridiculed. If Chloe wanted to fit in and be accepted, she wouldn�t always dress like she was going to a funeral in her black attire and adorn big oversized glasses that he�d learned weren�t even prescription lenses, which only served to hide those amazing blue eyes of hers. No, Chloe had made her choice and she was going to have to live with it.

Out of the corner of her eye, Chloe noted the sudden shift in Philip�s attitude. His infamous bored expression, bordering on the aloof, was now plastered across his face, making Chloe wonder if she had only imagined the curious sentiment his eyes had betrayed only moments before. Typical Philip, Chloe thought sarcastically, he jumps from hot to cold in ten seconds flat. No doubt Jason�s dig had precipitated Philip�s trademark cold shoulder routine.

If he wants to pretend I don�t exist, so be it. Two can play at this game, Chloe decided as she straightened up higher in her seat and rose her chin in determination. Bring it on.

�You can�t be serious,� Philip exclaimed as he leapt to his feet in one swift motion, his eyes blazing with anger. A sudden overwhelming sensation swept over his body that moment as he realized the full implications of what his father had just disclosed. He felt his body flush from head to toe as his heart sped up uncontrollably, beating double time. Philip took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down. He needed to keep his emotions in check if he was ever going to find a way out of this.

Philip boldly pressed on, his voice shaking ever so slightly as he attempted to hang on to what fragile control he had left, �How could you go behind my back and hire CHLOE LANE to tutor me?!�

Anticipating his son�s reaction, Victor reached out to place his hand on Philip�s shoulder. A small gesture that he hoped might help in soothing Philip�s rapidly increasing fury. He met his son�s intense gaze, �Listen to me, Philip. This is for your own good.�

Philip shrugged his dad�s arm off and crossed his own, looking up at him incredulously. He absolutely hated the ever-present condescension in his father�s voice and manner toward him as of late. Ever since Victor had returned home after years of recovering at the nursing home, he had begun to take an active interest in his son. At first, Philip had basked in the glow of his father�s newfound attention, but now he felt smothered by it. It seemed that he was always intervening in his life and, more specifically, trying to control him but then proceeding to rationalize his actions by claiming that it was �for his own good.�

Victor�s eyes narrowed at the flagrant defiance that was displayed so vividly in his son�s taut posture and clenched facial expression. �Philip, your grades have been slipping for the past year. I let it slide in the past because of all your extracurricular activities, but now you�re a Junior and we have to start thinking about your future. Ivy League colleges don�t admit students with C averages, not even ones that happen to be Kiriakises. The Kiriakis name and money can only take you so far,� Victor�s stern voice rang out.

�But Dad, I don�t need a tutor. I can raise my grades on my own, I swear,� Philip pleaded, a note of desperation evident in his voice.

�We�ve tried that before, Philip. Several times, in fact. Look, Principal Cohen recommended Ms. Lane very highly...�

Before Victor could continue, Philip blurted out, �Chloe hates me, Dad. I don�t think that exactly makes her the most ideal candidate to tutor me, do you?�

�Actually, that is the precise reason that I chose her. Any other girl and I�d be worried that she would cause too much of a distraction for you, however with this young lady, I think we�re safe.� Victor chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he added, �I must say, she is one tough cookie.�

Philip looked off out his bedroom window as though lost in thought, then suddenly turned back to his father, furrowing one eyebrow, �Just out of curiosity, how did you get Chloe to accept anyway? I mean, I�m like the last person she�d ever want to help out.�

�Well, it took some doing, I�ll tell you that much. She had a lot of reservations at first. Even after tripling her pay, she still seemed reticent. But when I challenged her ability to do the job, she became very adamant about her superior academic record, spouting off grade point averages and her chances of becoming Valedictorian next year. The next thing I knew, she accepted my offer.� Victor shook his head at the memory. He had never met such a spunky young lady. Her iron will surpassed that of many top execs he had come into contact with through his office at Titan. Although, in the end, she, too, had proven to be no match for Victor Kiriakis. After all, Victor mused, his years at Titan had taught him more than a thing or two about the art of manipulation.

�So she accepted on a dare?� Philip experienced a twinge of disappointment at this revelation.

�I don�t know if I would go that far but yes, I think she accepted mainly in part to prove her �stellar� tutorial abilities. She sure is a piece of work.� Victor shook his head yet again in disbelief.

�That�s one way to put it,� Philip mumbled under his breath, rolling his eyes.

Choosing to ignore the note of sarcasm in Philip�s voice, Victor continued, �I�ll make a deal with you, Philip. If you work diligently with Ms. Lane each week and raise your grades to As and Bs by finals, then you can try the second semester all on your own, okay?�

Philip raked his fingers through his dirt blond hair and bit down on his lower lip in frustration. A few moments passed and then in a resigned voice he muttered, �Fine.� There was no point in arguing with his father, he reasoned. It wouldn�t make any difference. Philip had learned at an early age that Victor Kiriakis was not a man to be trifled with. His mere presence left even the most self-assured quaking in their boots. His impressive height and stature combined with his startling silver hair only served to enhance the fact that he was a man of great wealth and power. Philip knew that when his father made up his mind, no amount of begging or pleading would change it.

Victor let out a sigh of relief at his son�s verbal consent, even if it had been forced. �Your first session with Chloe is tomorrow evening at 6:00.� Victor glanced at his watch, �It�s getting late and I�m sure you want to rest up for tomorrow�s academic endeavor, so good night, son.� Victor patted him on the back before turning to leave.

Philip stood there, frozen in place, as he watched his father�s retreating figure. Could this get any worse? Philip certainly didn�t think so. Now, not only would he be forced to spend his English period alongside Chloe, but he would also have to cope with weekly sessions in her company one on one, and in his bedroom no less. While considering the possible damage his reputation might endure once the kids at school got word that his tutor was none other than Ghoul Girl, Philip realized, to his astonishment, that maintaining his image was hardly his primary concern just then. The sense of dread that had gripped him forcefully following his father�s admission, was, in fact, based in another fear entirely�The fear of the effects Chloe�s close proximity were sure to have on his psyche.

How was he supposed to keep Chloe at arm�s length when she was at his side 24/7? Time after time had proven that Philip couldn�t trust himself when left alone in her presence. Somehow, his self-control flew out the window whenever she was involved. Hell, today alone had proven that his intense attraction toward Chloe overrode any rational thought or good sense Philip had to begin with.

These new overpowering feelings scared Philip and he instinctively pushed them back down in an effort to continue along the familiar path of denial he had initially set foot upon, following the night Chloe had first bewitched him with her amazing eyes and angelic voice.

Why am I making such a big deal out of this? After all, Philip reasoned, Chloe�s just my tutor. So what, if she comes by once a week and helps me with my studies? It�s not personal, it�s business, Philip reminded himself repeatedly. This mantra somehow managed to gradually calm his nerves.

I�ll just keep my distance, that way no one gets hurt. Philip plopped back down onto his bed and sighed. Oh, who am I kidding, that way I won�t get hurt.

****

On the other side of town in the Wesley household, Chloe, too, laid in bed shifting restlessly. She kept replaying the conversation she had had earlier that evening with Mr. Kiriakis over and over again in her mind. Seconds after she had hung up the phone, Chloe had cursed herself for being so blind to his apparent manipulations. She had been taken aback by Mr. Kiriakis� sudden criticism of her and her academic capabilities that she had immediately jumped to defend herself and prove that she was worthy of his consideration but, in doing so, she had unwittingly fallen for his baiting. Hook, line, and sinker. Chloe had never once in all her life been able to back down from a challenge and somehow Philip�s father had honed in on that weakness and used it against her. Her unwavering pride always seemed to be her downfall. She sighed in disgust, when will I ever learn?

Chloe had repeatedly fought the impulse since their conversation to call him back and decline his offer, but she realized that would give Philip way too much power. She would rather walk through hot coals than give him the satisfaction of knowing that she cared enough one way or the other about him, and if she backed out at the last minute, he was sure to come to that conclusion. Knowing Philip, he would probably see it as some sort of personal triumph, that he had gotten the best of Chloe Lane. She could almost envision that smug smile of his. Damn him and his arrogance, Chloe inwardly cursed. She would not let him win. Besides, she did need the money so why should it really matter if it was Philip she had to tutor?

Although, Chloe was surprised that Mr. Kiriakis had called her in the first place, considering the history she shared with Philip. She doubted he would ever forget her mother storming his mansion following the headless chicken prank. After much thought, Chloe just assumed that the school had recommended her to Mr. Kiriakis since she was ranked first in her class and all. Once she was certain that there was no turning back, she had then faced the difficult task of confronting her mother about this new arrangement. Needless to say, Nancy had been none too pleased. Reminding Chloe of the aforementioned prank, Chloe had assured her mother that that was months ago and that she could take care of herself. Eventually her mother had given in, but her last words still echoed in Chloe�s ears, �Chloe, I�m warning you. You need to watch out where the Kiriakises are concerned. They can�t be trusted.�

For once, Chloe actually agreed with Nancy and planned on heeding her warnings. After having witnessed Mr. Kiriakis� ploy to rope her into tutoring his son, she was certain that he was a man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And considering how ruthless Philip could be at times, she would have to say the apple didn�t fall far from the tree. The Kiriakises were definitely not to be trusted.

Trust...Chloe inwardly cringed at the thoughts that one simple word conjured up. Trust was one area in her life that she had been a complete and utter failure. In all her experiences, she had never once had anyone or anything, besides her music, she could rely upon. Least of all, Philip Kiriakis.

Chloe thought back to when she arrived in Salem. After her first few encounters with Philip, she felt she had him all figured out. Every school she had ever attended had a student just like him -- the Big Man on Campus. To her mind�s eye, Philip was a popular, egotistical jock who was a Kiriakis through and through, with the money and power to back it up. Chloe had been sure her initial character assessment was right on target. But that had all changed in one night�That night out on the pier after Shawn�s birthday party.

It was that night that Chloe became more confused than ever when she saw another side to Philip, one a world away from the cocky Crown Prince who strutted down the halls of Salem High as though he owned the place. He had been sensitive and caring, gentle and thoughtful. He had actually made her feel like she could just be herself, too, and start to lower the barriers that she had used to protect herself all her life.

Although, all tender thoughts came to an abrupt halt when she recalled the phone conversation between them following that memorable night when he asked to keep their meeting a secret. BMOC Philip had swung back around in full force as he had frantically pleaded with her not to ruin his precious reputation. After she had hung up the phone, an all too familiar numbness had enveloped her instantaneously. All she knew was that the one time she had actually allowed herself to open up to someone, she had been brutally rebuffed and it was right then and there that she vowed never to make that mistake again.

Chloe felt the color drain from her face as the pain from that night resurfaced, starting deep in the pit of her stomach and then spreading throughout her entire body. Feeling nauseous, she got out from under her covers and headed to her private bathroom to splash some water on her face.

The warm water did little to soothe the sudden pounding in her head. As she dabbed her face dry with the hand towel, Chloe caught her reflection in the mirror. On a whim, she reached for her glasses that rested on the top of the bathroom counter and slid them on. Chloe had to admit that Philip had been right about one thing. She had gone to great lengths to hide her true identity from the outside world.

Chloe could barely recognize the girl she saw in the mirror. Even now, she was lost behind a dark, bulky nightgown, big black glasses, and her trademark waist-length unruly mane. To say nothing of the permanent scowl plastered across her face which served to further distance anyone who even thought of approaching her.

It was a miracle she had ever become friends with Belle Black and Shawn Brady in the first place. But it was so easy with them, Chloe mused. They were both so warm and friendly but, most of all, Chloe appreciated their patience. She knew she wasn�t the easiest person to get close to, but Belle and Shawn had taken the time and effort to befriend her. Ignoring Chloe�s initial awkwardness, the two had been fairly persistent until soon she had finally begun to open up ever so slightly. They knew this whole being-a-friend-thing was foreign to her and acted accordingly, giving her the space and time she needed. They didn�t ridicule her for her abnormal behavior or dress and they always somehow managed to make her feel included, like she was a part of the group.

Though even with that said, at times she felt very separate from them because of their vastly different experiences. Belle and Shawn could never understand what it felt like to be all alone in the world without anybody you could truly trust. They had grown up secure in the love and joy emanating within their homes, surrounded by doting parents, family, and friends. It didn�t matter how sensitive or empathetic they tried to be, they would never fully understand.

Chloe glanced once again at her image and became acutely aware for the first time in her life that somehow in the midst of her quest to hide from others all this time, she had ultimately ended up losing herself. When exactly was the last time I looked into a mirror and saw the real Chloe Lane staring back? she wondered.

I am such a hypocrite, Chloe thought. Here I am denouncing Philip for not being true to himself while I�m guilty of doing exactly the same thing. She leant back against the bathroom wall and slid down to the floor in one fluid motion. With her knees tucked in tightly to her chest, Chloe began to slowly rock back and forth in a vain attempt to stifle her sobs. Closing her eyes, she imagined a strong pair of arms enveloping her from behind in a firm embrace that warmed her from the inside out. Chloe forced her eyes to remain shut, unwilling just yet to give up that elusive feeling of absolute security and love her fantasy was providing her with at that moment. Her whimpers softly faded as she drifted off to sleep, dreaming the dreams she only dared dream while safe within the confines of her slumber.