Chapter One

"Chloe, have you seen my black skirt?" Chloe watched as Selina ran around the apartment looking like a mad duck. "No sorry" Chloe apologised and went back to her studying. "Umm.. Clo, Jesse called this morning while you were out... he wanted to know if you were ok for Friday." Chloe looked up from her books. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Chloe asked. Quickly she grabbed the phone and dialled Jesse's number. Sighing, Chloe remembered the first time she had met Jesse. She had just turned 19, working part-time as a waitress, when Jesse had waltzed in, and from then on things had gone uphill between them. He had understood perfectly when Chloe had explained to him that she had been hurt one too many times, and had only just regained trust in guys again. Jesse was sweet, and it didn't matter that they had only been together for a short time. But Chloe was still hurt... hurt from the pain Nick had inflicted on her. Oh how stupid I had been, Chloe thought. I was a love-struck teenager, but I'm over that phase now. I'm older... wiser... more mature. "Yo, you have reached the number 522-4198, also known as Jesse's phone number. I'm not here right now, but leave a message, I'll get straight back to ya!" Chloe heard Jesse's answering machine say. Damn, he was out. "Hi Jesse, it's Clo, ring me when you get back k?" And with that Chloe hung up. "I'm off to work now Clo, take care ok?" Selina said. "Sure Selly, see ya later!" Chloe replied. She heard Selina close the front door. Trying her best to concentrate, she read the small text in her art history book. Damn this! she thought. Her mind was somewhere else, so she decided to get up and grab a snack. Her mind raced back to the time when Nick and her were so happy together. Not one day had passed by since she had left Florida that she hadn't thought of Nick... how he was, what he was doing... Even when she was with Jesse, she couldn't help thinking about Nick. What is wrong with me? she thought. I love Jesse, Nick loves someone else... why do I still have feelings for that bastard? But Chloe couldn't help thinking about how Nick had made her feel, something she knew deep down inside Jesse could never make her feel. Chloe decided to forget the snack and go up to her room to get some sleep. She walked up the stairs of her beautiful apartment. She was lucky to get this place for cheap. Since they came to California, this had been where Selina and Chloe had stayed. Selina had quit school and now worked as a reporter for some magazine company. Meanwhile, Chloe had spent the last 3 years studying art and design. She took night classes, and worked 1/2 the day as a waitress. When she had earned enough money, Chloe planned on becoming a designer of some sort. One day, she thought to herself. Chloe looked at herself in the mirror. I've aged, she thought. The once vibrant, innocent looking 16 year old had been washed away and was now replaced by a mature, sophisticated looking 19 year old. Looking closer, Chloe noticed dark circles under her eyes, probably from lack of sleep. The first few months after her parents had died and she had left Florida, Chloe had found it hard to get to sleep. She often cried, it helped her nod off. Those first few months had been hard for both Selina and Chloe, they had struggled to find jobs and settle in. It had been hectic, but things had settled down now, and they were coping. They were nicely settled now... yet Chloe still felt loneliness. She had missed her parents terribly... the Carters... and though she hated to admit it, she also missed Nick. No, I have to get over him, she thought. How could I possibly care about him after all he's done? Just then, the phone rang. Chloe walked over to a nearby phone unit and answered. "Hello?" she said quietly. "Chloe!!!!" she heard a woman shout. "Yes, that's me" she answered. Chloe had no idea who the other person on the other line was, but she seemed very excited. "Chloe, it's me, Jane! I haven't talked to you for about a year, how are you?" the woman exclaimed. Jane? Did she know anyone called Jane? "I've been fine..." Chloe said hesitantly. Oh now I remember... "Mrs Carter, it's so good to hear from you again! I'm so sorry I haven't stayed in touch, I've just been really busy" Chloe said. "Please Chloe, call me Jane. It's perfectly alright, I understand you must be a pretty busy young lady now... how are your studies coming along dear?" Jane asked. "Oh, it's been great, really good. So how is everyone back there?" Chloe asked, hoping she didn't sound too concerned about Nick, the one she really wanted to know about. "Oh, Aaron's just released his 2nd album, the little darling, Angel's fine, BJ has done a few modelling jobs, Leslie has just joined a soccer team..." Jane said proudly. "And Nick is going on tour." "Oh... that's good" Chloe said trying to sound enthusiastic. After a long pause Jane said, "You know Chloe, you have been like a daughter to me... ever since Nick brought you home. I just don't understand why you 2 decided to seperate." Chloe sighed. "Do you really want to know?" she asked Jane. "If you're willing to tell me. Nick hasn't acted the same ever since you left. It's like I can't talk to my own son anymore." Chloe heard Jane crying softly on the other end. "I'm so sorry Jane" Chloe said. Jane replied, "It's like a part of him is missing... he's just not the same. Ever since he opened that box you left for him..." Chloe's memory flew back. Yes, she remembered the box. She had put inside a check for the bikini he had bought her, his promise ring and his grandmother's anchor necklace. It had been hard to let go of the last 2 items, but Chloe knew she had to return them. She had to give everything back that he had given her. They were just too painful to keep. Chloe remembered the note she had placed on top of those items. Even to this day, she knew exactly what she had written. It would always be etched into her heart.... "Dear Nick. Here is a check for the bikini you bought me, plus a bit extra for your trouble. I have also included a few other items that belong to you in this box. I'm really sorry things didn't turn out, but staying here will only increase the pain. I wish you all the best for the future, stay happy. God bless, Chloe." Chloe remembered how hard she had cried when she had written that note. It tore her heart up into little miniature shreds and surprisingly she had lived through it. The memory brought tears to Chloe's eyes. "Chloe are you there?" Jane's voice pierced her thoughts. "Umm, yes, I'm sorry Jane, I dropped the phone" Chloe lied. She didn't want to tell Jane what she had really been doing. "Oh... well Chloe, please tell me the reason why you broke up with Nick. It will help put my heart at ease" Jane said sadly. Pausing for a while, Chloe decided to tell Jane everything. What have I got to lose? And so Chloe told Jane... how Nick had been unfaithful... his infrequent phone calls... the time Chloe had rung him only to be answered by a girl... the picture on the Net... him telling her that she really didn't know him at all... everything. All the while Jane listened intently and after Chloe had finished Jane said, "That doesn't sound like Nick, but oh what would I know, my little boy has changed so much, I can hardly talk to him anymore." Chloe sighed, feeling sorry for the poor woman. "I'm so sorry Chloe, I didn't realise how much pain you had gone through, and then your parents..." Jane's voice trailed off. Chloe started crying... the tears were rushing down heavily as she thought about her parents. She couldn't talk, but managed to control her tears down to a sniffle. "Chloe, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to upset you" she heard Jane say. Just then Chloe heard the doorbell ring. Glancing out the window Chloe saw Jesse's car parked in the driveway. She said to Jane, "Sorry Jane, but I've got to go, my boyfriend is at the door." "Your boyfriend?" Jane asked in shock. "Yes, is something wrong with that?" Chloe asked. "Oh no... it's just that I didn't... well you see, Nick hasn't had a girlfriend since you left Chloe... I just assumed..." Jane said. "Well, I do have to get on with my life. But I really hafta go now, I'll call you soon ok? Bye!" Chloe said into the phone and hung up. Racing down the stairs she opened the front door to greet Jesse. "Hey Clo, wussup?" Jesse said. He had a cig in his mouth and was puffing it slowly. Chloe hated it when Jesse smoked, he smelt sick. "Jesse put that thing out now!" she cried out. "Ok, ok, you don't need to get all uptight" he told her as he crushed the cig in his hand. Jesse never used to smoke, it was only a few weeks back when he had his first puff. From then on, he couldn't help having at least one a week, and lately it had begun to get more frequent. "So how's my baby been?" he asked her sweetly. Chloe smiled. "I've been a good little angel" she replied. "That's how I like 'em" he said. He grabbed Chloe and gave her a forceful kiss. "I've missed you baby!" he told her, his stale breath hitting her lips. Chloe wrinkled her nose. "Jesse, your breath stinks" she exclaimed. Jesse pulled away from her. "Does not" he defended and started tickling her. Chloe giggled hard and tried to squirm from his grasp. "Stop!" she yelled out at him. Obeying Jesse stopped. His face turned serious. "Chloe, I know we've only been together for a short time.... and I was going to do this on Friday, but I couldn't wait that long. What I'm trying to say is..." Jesse got down on one knee ".... that I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world, I love you to pieces, and I want you to be my fiancee." Jesse held out a beautiful gold ring in front of her. Chloe gasped. "Will you be my fiancee?" Jesse asked. Chloe couldn't believe it. They had only been together for a very shory period of time, but Chloe never imagined this. Chloe didn't know if she really did love him... but then again, he made her happy. "Yes... yes I will be your fiancee" Chloe smiled. Tears of joy ran down Jesse's face. "Oh Chloe, you don't know how happy I am" he told her as he slid the ring onto Chloe's finger. He hugged her, and they both passionately kissed and had sex in her bedroom. Afterwards when Jesse had fallen asleep after their intense experience, Chloe laid awake thinking about what Jane had said to her earlier on. Nick hadn't had a single girlfriend after she had left? Chloe wondered why. And why didn't she feel overly ecstatic about being engaged like Jesse was? She hadn't even come yet when Jesse had taken her. Her right hand tingled. The ring on her middle finger felt misplaced... but how could a ring feel misplaced if it had never been on any other finger before? Chloe didn't know, but somehow the ring just didn't feel right. It was as if it had stolen the place of another ring, but Chloe hadn't worn a ring on that finger after... after she had taken Nick's promise ring off. Nick's promise ring. The promise ring which had felt so right sitting on her finger... the promise ring that promised nothing. Sighing, Chloe drifted off to sleep.