(28) Aftermath

Jason and Chloe were standing at his locker when Jan made her subtle, yet grand entrance.

She was in the midst of unzipping her coat when Philip came up behind her and draped himself around her miniature shoulders.

Jan shook herself free and fired Philip a dirty look. “What the HELL?”

Philip pulled her towards him, keeping a watchful eye on Jason and Chloe. He wanted to make sure they saw this.

And they did alright, their expressions had to be worth millions- complete and utter shock.

Jan looked over her shoulder before staring at Philip. “I am not part of your act Phil. Forget it.”

“It’s not an act.”

Jan broke free and went to her locker. She pulled off her jacket and reached for books. She rolled her eyes upon Phil’s approach. “What do you want?” she asked dryly.

“Good morning to you too.”

“Morning Phil,” she managed.

Philip laughed, pointing to her. “You’re funny.”

“Ha ha,” she forced.

Philip hovered over her, overwhelming her with the dimples. “You are such an actress,” he quipped.

Jan shot him another dirty look, “Whatever you say Phil. I’m a regular Academy Award winner.”

“You are.”

“Whatever!”

Philip walked her to class and sat next to her. “That’s just it, I understand you now. You are an actress. You ACT tough and bitchy, but you’re not.”

Jan rolled her eyes, “You don’t know shit about me.”

“Wrong, I do.”

Jan froze before continuing further. Jason took a seat across the room, dumbfounded by his latest finding. Jan’s gaze drifted to solemn Chloe who abandoned in the doorway, ignored by her latest sweetheart.

Jan sunk in her seat, clearly beside herself. Just seeing the look on Chloe’s face as her two “admirers” became distracted… It was so strange the way everything fell effortlessly into place. She didn’t even have to lift a finger. No, Philip and Jason unknowingly did all the work.

Damn Chloe, aint payback a bitch?

*********************

(Later that morning in art class)

“Hey,” the voice said from behind her.

“Looking for someone?” Jan said flatly when Jason appeared next to her. “You’re in the wrong room. The whore you’re looking for is in choir, two doors down the hallway- singing with that precious voice of hers.”

“What kind of shit was that in the hallway this morning?”

“Hey, you know me, I never lie… Phil’s got a NICE cock. I’m impressed,” she said in a steady tone, trying her best to withhold a smile. “Chloe was a fool to dump him,” she added.

“Shut up Janice. They never fucked, all right.”

Jan raised her eyebrow, “How do you know?”

“I just know,” he said, looking around.

Jan continued to shade her castle, “That’s nice Jase, you de-flowered her,” she answered sarcastically.

Jason regarded her in complete disgust as she continued her drawing.

“Yep,” she sighed, continuing with another jab, “Phil is definately packing.”

Jason looked over her shoulder before leaning into her ear “You’re a crazy slut, you know that?”

Jan, now fuming, replied a curt “What did you just call me?”

Jason bore his eyes into hers with an unwavering, “I said you’re fucking crazy.”

Jan threw her pencil down as she stood up. “Fuck you,” she hissed as she brushed past him in an undetected exit.

Jason bit his thumb as he stared at her German castle drawing. He froze, recalling the origin of that castle- he was with her when she tore it out of a book in the library, vowing to draw it one day.

She always did keep her word.

Jason snapped out of it when he realized he was being stared at. He turned around to a pimply face sophomore. Probably the kid Jan told him about- apparently he had a crush on her and was always asking to draw a nude portrait of her.

He ignored him, suddenly considering the ramifications of his harsh words. He ran into the hallway, instinctively looking to his right. She was entering the girl’s room.

Busting through the doorway, he found her pacing frantically. He rushed towards her, but her reflexes were too quick. He reached for her, accidently pulling her to the floor, “Janice L, I need to talk to you.”

Jan wrestled wildly beneath him, crawling to escape under one of the stalls. She kicked at his arms as he reached for her. She locked the door and stood behind the toilet. “Get away from me,” she pleaded.

Jason’s shoulders emerged from beneath the door. He crawled through and rose panting. Jan shoved him, reaching to unlock the door. Jason tried his best to stop her, but she shoved him with all her force and was able to break free.

She grasped the sink ledge behind her, gauging his next move.

Jason caught his breath as she stood across from her, “Don’t make me chase you like some animal.”

“You shouldn’t chase me at all. I don’t want you near me you lying bastard.”

“You want to fuck Kiriakis, then go right ahead,” he shouted.

“I don’t need your permission,” she said matter of factly.

Jason stared at her. Jan stared back, holding her ground.

Jason walked towards the door. A girl came in, gasping when she saw Jason. She took one look at his piercing green eyes and exited quickly.

Jason sighed and turned back to Jan. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said about you being crazy.”

“Yes you did.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“I don’t need you to feel sorry for me.”

“I know that.”

“And DON’T pretend like you care.”

Jason swung the door open and returned to the empty hallway. He found the nearest exit and stepped into the December afternoon, attempting the impossible- to cool down. He looked around, realizing he was in the midst of faculty parking.

He scooped a handful of snow, packing it into a tight snowball. He hurled it as far as he could, feeling somewhat relieved. He continued for another ten minutes, finding each throw more theraputic than the previous. He stopped when he heard the bell rang, signaling lunchtime.

He reentered the school where he exited. He walked slowly down the hall, staring blankly ahead. He passed the choir room, refusing to look at the other students filing out of the room. He stopped about halfway down the hall and turned around.

Chloe was not among any of them.

He worked his way through the crowded hallway to his locker. He politely declined several invitations to join friends. He went straight to his truck, scanning the parking lot. Chloe and Mimi’s VW was nowhere to be found. He flipped through his CD selection until resting on Staind’s “Home.”

His eye caught a familiar duo from across the parking lot. It was Belle and Mimi together, sans Chloe. Normally the three hung together at lunch. But now she was nowhere to be found.

Unusual, he thought.

His eyes drifted to another odd duo crossing the parking lot. Jan released her hand from Philip as she broke into a slight run before skidding expertly across a patch of smooth ice… Philip smiling at her in intrigued wonder as he entered the passenger seat of her BMW.

Jason reached into his coat pocket to grab his cell phone. He turned down the volume as he dialed his brother’s number. Several rings later, Matt answered the phone.

Jason smiled, “Shitface, wake up…It’s lunchtime…I’m coming over. I want to shoot some hoops and maybe play some one-on-one…Yeah… I don’t care… Then tell her Matt, I don’t fucking care…Whatever. I’ll see you in a few.”

That’s what he needed- to get away from all this.

Away from the complication of girls and their high drama guilt trips….

**********************

Chloe found Brady near the bar watching an ESPN commentary. He stood, oblivious to her presence until she cleared her throat. He turned at the familiar voice, “Chloe?”

Chloe stared at him stony faced, “You jinxed me.”

“Huh?” he asked, completely lost. “I jinxed you?”

“Me and Jason.”

“Whoa, whoa. First of all, what happened? Second of all, I didn’t jinx anything. What goes on between you two has nothing to do with me.”

“You were right,” she admitted feebly.

“About what?”

“Jan and Jason- I mean what the hell was I thinking? How could I have been so stupid?”

Brady noticed Brett prying with interest into their conversation. He lead her into the dining room and found an empty table. “Sorry, I just think we needed a little more privacy.”

Chloe threw her purse down and pulled her hair into a knot.

Brady leaned back, “You want something to drink?”

“No. Well, yeah, maybe.”

“What do you want?”

“Something hot. Do you have any tea?”

“How about a coffee?”

“Whatever.”

“Cream or sugar.”

“Both.”

Brady returned with her drink, “Ok, now what the hell happened?”

Chloe cupped her drink in both hands, blowing on the surface. “I gave it up,” she said softly, staring at salt and pepper shakers.

Brady was about to clarify what he thought she meant when her clear blue eyes met his own- confirming.

“Wow,” he said, speechless.

“I thought it was special, you know. I thought he and I really had something. But it’s not true. It never was.”

“What makes you think that?”

“I’m just some kind of game to him.”

“For the last time Chloe, what happened?”

“I just fucking told you Brady.”

“So you had sex with the guy. Where does Jan fit into the picture?”

“Today, she showed up to school, with Philip hanging all over her…”

“And you got jealous?”

“No! HE got jealous.”

“He said he was jealous of Philip?”

“No, he didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to- it was clear as day. Anyone could read it.”

Brady said nothing. He tore a package of sugar open for her, “You forgot this.”

Chloe sat her coffee down and poured the contents inside. She stirred, eyeing Brady as he stared out the window. “You don’t have anything to say, do you?”

“I doubt it’s as bad as you think it is.”

“Pbbsh,” she muttered.

“What do you expect me to say?” he asked.

Chloe shrugged in frustration, “I don’t know!”

“You knew exactly what you were dealing with when you went into this.”

“You’re a real friend, you know that?”

“I’m not Jason, Chloe. I have no idea what’s going on inside his head. I can’t speak for him. I’ll listen to you all you want. But don’t ask me to speak for him.”

Chloe sipped in silence, completely chastened.

“Why don’t you talk to him?” he said, acknowledging the hostess behind her. He stood up, “I’ll be back in a minute, I just got a table.”

“Go,” she said, waving him off.

Chloe sat in silence, reflecting on what Brady said so simply, “You knew what you were getting into…”

She polished off her coffee and stood up. Brady received another table after finishing up his drink order. The lunchtime rush was beginning. She threw a five on the table and put on her coat. She nodded to him on the way to the lobby.

Brady followed her, catching up with her in the parking lot. He grabbed her elbow gently, “I’m sorry about what happened, honestly, I am. But I really think you need to talk to him to find out what’s going on.”

Chloe gave him a small smile, “It’s ok. I’m the one that should be sorry. I came in and threw this on you unexpectedly.”

“It’s all right. Are you going to take my advice?”

Chloe shook her head, “Not right now. I’m going to go home and pack and call Nancy. I have a photo shoot in St. Louis this weekend, hopefully she’ll agree to leave early. The drive will be good for me- it will give me time to clear my head.”

Brady cupped her face and kissed her cheek, “Have a safe trip. And don’t be so paranoid.”

Chloe rolled her eyes and waved, “Go back to your customers, oh and be sure to take care of my roommate while I’m gone.”

Brady turned to go back inside, “Oh I will. I’ll take care of her all right.”

**************

Chloe had a severe headache less than 30 miles down the road. Not that the winter landscape of rural Illinois did anything to help. She gave her best attempt of small talk with her mother, listening as intently as possible, but finding it difficult. All she could think about was last night.

The weight of his body on top of hers… probing painfully and deep within. The feel of his tongue and lips intertwined with hers…

Hours later at gas station near Springfield, Chloe sat in the passenger seat in a head pounding daze. She looked over her shoulder to Nancy, who stood in the frigid wind, refueling their near empty tank. Chloe got out of the car, “Do you want anything from inside?”

Nancy nodded from over the roof, “Sure baby, one of those iced cappuccinos sounds nice.”

Inside Chloe waded her way to the private restroom. She locked the door behind her, and slid down the wall.

She released several hours of a pent-up, aching cry. She hugged her knees, sobbing.

As much as it hurt, and as much as she wanted to hate him for still having feelings for Jan, she couldn’t.

By now, it was too late to turn back.