Salem High, Tuesday afternoon, before lunch.

"Chloe, wait up," a voice calls from behind her. She turns to look and see who it is, but the crowd of faces does not distinguish the person calling her. Turning around, she continues on her way to lunch, entering the Salem High cafeteria to her right. Quickly scanning the daily menu, Chloe heads for an empty table in the corner. The usual.

Sitting down, Chloe takes off her book bag, removing her packed lunch before stuffing it under the chair.

"Hey," a very familiar, very annoying voice says.

Not looking up, not even acknowledging his presence, Chloe unpacks her lunch of chicken salad, a packet of ranch dressing, an apple, and one cold coke from the brown paper bag.

"It's me, Stewart," the young man says, still unsure if Chloe knows that he is standing there.

Finally giving up any hope that Stewart would just leave, Chloe looks up to acknowledge him. "Hey Stewart, how are you doing today," she asks in the customary ritual. She hated days with second lunch because she was sure to run into Stewart Maltworth, Salem High's resident geek. Sure, she was the resident outcast, but Stewart was just plain...weird. Even so, she still tried to be nice to him as much as possible, though she probably succeeded in avoiding him more.

"I just got out of AP Euro. Mrs. Barnes gave one heck of a quiz today. I'm sure I did well though," Stewart finished, adjusting his pocket protector and his glasses simultaneously.

Who still uses the word 'heck', Chloe thought to herself. Smiling, she nodded to Stewart. "I'm sure you did."

"Yeah," Stewart replied, still standing, looking his usual uncomfortable self.

"You wanna sit down and have lunch with me," Chloe asks as is practice. Stewart would never just sit down, rather choosing to wait for her invitation.

"Sure," he replied happily, his usual reaction.

How many days until Graduation, Chloe asks herself, opening her dressing and pouring it over the salad Nancy had fixed for her today.

"...everyone was groaning about how hard it had been, though I actually thought it was more simple than what I had expected. Oh, and in Calculus this morning, Mr. Farris gave a pop quiz, so you might want to study for it. It'll be over the--"

"That's okay Stewart. I'm sure I'll do all right." Trying to steer the conversation away from academics, Stewart's favorite subject, in fact, the only subject he ever discussed with her, Chloe asked him if he had at date for Homecoming.

"Well, no. But it's still weeks away, so I haven't really thought about it yet. I'm going though. Yeah, I am."

"Okay," Chloe said, not suprised by his defensive behavior. It wasn't as if the ladies were taking numbers to go out with Stewart. "Well, if you want to, I'd like to go. I mean, if you're not busy," Chloe corrected, not wanting to make it sound as if she was desperate. Too late.

"Really? You want to go with me? You  want me to take you to the Homecoming Dance? I mean, you really--"

"Yeah, I do," Chloe interupted. She watched as he seemed to think it over. Geez, you try and do someone a favor.

"I don't know Chloe. I mean, I'd be honored to take you...But--"

"But what," Chloe asked. He wasn't actually going to say no, was he? How embarrassing.

"But, I think it's still kind of early to be making such final plans. I mean, I have to keep my choices open. What if someone else wants to go with me?"

"Of course. What was I thinking." Packing her lunch up quickly, Chloe stuffed it back into her bag and stood. "Just get back to me on it Stewart." Turning, she left the cafeteria. It was one thing to be shunned by all of her peers, it was a totally different thing to be rejected by someone less popular than herself.

Salem High, end of Calculus class.

"And the assignment is--"

Mr. Farris is interrupted by the bell ringing. A lot of the students stand, trying to make a rush out.

"THE ASSIGNMENT IS SECTION 2.5 AND 2.6," Mr. Farris bellows to the leaving class.

"Hey Chloe, is it true," Jan asks, Jason right beside her. Another one of God's cruel jokes was putting these two in most of her classes.

"Is what true," Chloe asks, not really in the mood to do this today.

"That Stewart Maltworth, nerd extrodinaire, turned you down for the dance," Jason finishes, trying to hold in his laugh but not succeeding.

"Well, I don't know. He said he'd think about it," Chloe answers honestly, putting her text and notes into her bag and zipping it up. She tries to stand, but is blocked by Jan, Jason, and two other kids, Misty and Kevin she thinks. "Can you please move," Chloe asks, her annoyance coming through in her tone.

"It's a sad, sad day when the school's resident weirdo gets turned down by the resident nerd. I mean, Stewart turned you down! How embarrasing is that," Jan said, laughing along with her friends.

How embarrassing indeed, Chloe thought. Well, that was the last time she ever tried to do anything nice for anyone who wasn't a family member or already her friend.

"I guess now, you are at the very bottom of SH's popularity list."

"Well, I'd rather be at the bottom than anywhere near you or your friends," Chloe told Jan.

"I guess Vampira really does bite," Jason said as the group left the classroom, laughing all the way out.

Chloe decided to just wait a moment, to make sure that they had left before leaving herself. Or maybe, to make sure she didn't shed tears in front of them. She would not give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Don't let them get to you Chloe," Phillip said as he walked up. He had heard the whole thing, being in a position to stop it, yet just watched. Now he was kind of sorry. Kind of being the lucrative words.

"Oh please," Chloe said as she stood and walked out of the classroom, Phillip right behind her.

"You've got to hand it to them, they do know how to capitalize on the latest gossip. And that's all it is anyway, just gossip."

Stopping, Chloe turned to look at him. "If you want the truth to pass onto your friends, its yes. Yes, Stewart did turn me down for the Homecoming dance. Oh no, wait. He didn't really turn me down. What were his words, hmm let me think. Oh yeah, it was I have to keep my choices open.Those were the exact words he used. Now go forth and spread the news." She was turned and taking a step away when she was pulled back. Looking behind her, she saw Phillip had a hold of her bag's strap. "Let go Kiriakis."

"I won't Wesley. Oh come on Chloe, you have to see the humor in the situation. I mean, we're talking Stewart," Phillip explained with a wide grin.

"Funny you should be making fun of someone from which you are seeking help."

That knocked the grin off really quick. "Does that mean you're going to help me," Phillip asked hopefully. He'd already asked everyone, each person having a different excuse to not do it.

"No," Chloe told him, yanking the strap he held in his hand away. Turning, she started walking down the almost empty hallway.

"Come on Chloe. Please? I already apologized for the things I said the other day. And, I let you slam the door on my face."

"You deserved that," she told him without stopping.

"Maybe, maybe not." Seeing that he wasn't getting through to her, he ran up ahead of her to block the door she would be exiting through.

"Move Phillip," Chloe told him through clenched teeth when she reached the door.

"I will if you'll help me out. Please Chloe? I really, really, need your help. I'm practically begging here," he told her.

"Fine, fine," Chloe gave in. "Now move."

"So, when are we studying," Phillip asked, sure to get a confirmation before even stepping away. "Practice won't be over until five, I'll be finished with my shower by five twenty. Can I come over then?"

"To my house," Chloe asked horrified. It was one thing to tutor him, but a totally different can of worms to bring him into her home.

"Why not? Something weird going on there," he asked, now curious.

"Nothing as weird as what happens at your house," Chloe told him. She saw his face change, from cocky to serious in just a few seconds. "What'd I say," she asked.

"Nothing," he replied quickly. "We just can't do it at my  house. I mean, it'd be too loud and all," he lied.

"No one lives there but your dad and your mom," Chloe pointed out to him.

Not for long, Phillip thought to himself. "Look, my place is out. And if we can't study at your house, maybe we could meet here. You'd just have to go back and tell that fogey Farris."

"You tell him! You're the one that needs the help, not me."

"I'm already late for practice Chloe."

"Fine! Just come over after practice. But expect to have dinner too. Now move it," she said again. This time, he complied.