Wesley kitchen, a small while later.

"No, you have to factor first," Chloe corrected him. They had been studying for only twenty mintues, but it seemed like forever. "Did you even pay attention in Pre-cal," she asked him, erasing the marks he had just made on the paper.

If he had been himself, Phillip would have retorted with a smart line, something that he knew would piss her off. But nothing came to him. He didn't remember anything Farris had said in class today. He didn't rememember any of the new plays he had just learned at practice. He couldn't even remember the name of the girl he had made a date with for the weekend. Right now, in the moment, sitting at the table, his whole world consisted of only one person: Chloe.

They had been studying for almost a half hour and he had spent every second of that time memorizing her different features. Like the way her hair looked so soft, similar to fine threads of silk. Or the cute way she bit her lip and her forehead wrinkled up when she was trying to figure out one of the problems. And though he was sure it constitued him as a pervert, he couldn't keep his gaze of that dress, or the body in it.

She said something to him, but he must've missed it staring down her chest. "What," he asked again, probably for the hundreth time. And the perfume she was wearing. He didn't know what it was called, but would find out and buy stock in it. Finally giving up and admitting he was in lust, with Chloe no less, he asked her.

"What," she said, now her turn to use the phrase.

"What's the perfume you're wearing? What's it called,"  he asked, trying to make himself more clear if she hadn't understood the first time. Yet, the confused look on her face led him to believe she still didn't understand what he was talking about. "I mean, I was just wondering., you know. My mom's birthday is coming up real soon." What a lie! He didn't even know when his mom's birthday was and chances were it had already passed.

"I don't really know what it's called," Chloe answered. "Nancy made me put it on. I could find out from her."

"Yeah, that would be great." Deciding a compliment was in order, he told her she smelled nice.

"Compared to all the other times when I don't," she asked, raising one eyebrow.

His face quickly turning red, Phillip blustered, "No! That's not what I meant. I just...Well, you smell okay all the other times, but you smell better now." I didn't just say that!

"Why are you acting so weird? Is it because of the dress? I knew I should have just babysat," Chloe said, more angry at herself for going along with Nancy.

"What does babysittting have to do with anything?"

"What does the perfume I'm wearing have to do with anything," Chloe returned.  Rolling her eyes, she went back to finishing the problem they had been working on. So far, Phillip had contributed nothing to this study session and she was about ready to tell him to go jump off something. Luckily, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of the pizza.

"Chloe," Nancy called from the laundry room, where she had been folding clothes after putting Nigel down for a nap.

"I'll get it," she responded, jumping up to retrieve money from the jar.

"Is that where Wesley's stash their dough," Phillip asked. If he had a jar like that at home, there'd never be anything in it.

"We just put loose bills in here for whenever we buy out," Chloe told him. Reaching in, she enough for the pizza. "I'll be right back," she said, disappearing into the other room.

Phillip relaxed in his chair, combing his fingers through his hair. He'd been wound up so tight and it had nothing to do with calculus and everything to do with the girl teaching it to him.

"...made me wear it. I think she's trying to prove something to someone," Chloe said in the other room.

"That dress looks great on you Chloe. Why don't you dress like that to school more often? The guys would be all over you," came another voice, one Phillip did not know. Standing, he walked made his way into the foyer where he saw Chloe talking with a boy about thier age, maybe younger.

Seeing Nick's gaze caught on something behind her, Chloe turned to see Phillip had come out of the kitchen.

"This the someone," the guy asked, obviously referring to Phillip.

"Do I know you from somewhere," Phillip asked, know peeved that they had been talking about him.

"This is Nick Rosini. He's a Junior at Salem High. Nick, this is--"

"Phillip Kiriakis, captain of the football team. I know who he is. Nice to meet you," Nick said, offering his hand.

Phillip just stared.

"Nick's father, Tony Rosini, owns Rosini's Pizza Restaraunt in Salem Place. Nick delivers most days after school," Chloe told Phillip, setting the two hot pizzas on the table by the door.

"You would know best. The Wesley's order at least once a week, most times twice."

"Not my fault," Chloe said, holding up her hands. "Nancy and Craig are always busy and I don't know how to cook."

"Yeah, yeah. Excuses, excuses. You should come over to my place sometime. Both my parents go nuts in the kitchen. I think it's in their blood or something."

"Meaning you know how to cook too," Chloe asked, enjoying the conversation. Though Nick was a nice enough guy, he had never seemed to notice her that much. Maybe there's something to this dress after all.

"Why don't you let me take you out so you can judge for yourself," Nick said, apparently serious.

Being the King of Lame Pick-up Lines himself, Phillip knew  exactly what Nick was up to. Okay, time to end this, Phillip thought. "You know, that's great, but Chloe's busy right now. She's tutoring me. Maybe you can call later," and with that, Phillip shut the door in Nick's face, effectively ending the conversation.

"Phillip," Chloe exclaimed, not believing what he had just done. "That was rude!"

"He was hitting on you," Phillip said, as if it was something that could never happen.

"So what? Guys can hit on me if they want to," Chloe told himangrily, though it had never happened before.

Hell no! Not when you look like that, Phillip thought to himself, but kept his mouth shut. Picking up the pizza's, he left to return to the kitchen, Chloe close behind him.

"You should go out there and apologize to Nick before he leaves. Then, you should apologize to me!"

Setting down the pizzas on the counter, Phillip turned to Chloe. "I'm not apologizing to him. He's the pizza delivery guy," Phillip told her arrogantly.

"He goes to our school. And Nick is really nice guy, one of the few people who actually treats me like a human."

"I don't care if he's the next President of the United States! Today, he was the pizza guy, and I'm not apologizing to him. And I'm not apologizing for protecting you--"

"Protecting me," Chloe cut in. "You are the last person I need to protect me. In fact, if I need protection from anyone, it would be you!"

"Hey, hey, hey," Craig said, coming into the kitchen. "I don't really care what the two of you are fighting about, but if Nigel's asleep, then it ends now." Dropping his suitcase on the floor, he surveyed the room. "Where's Nancy," he asked, finally, deciding he would rather get the story from her than have to weed it out himself.

"I'm in the laundry room," she called.

As Craig walked off, Chloe went to the cupboard to take out plates for dinner.

"Chloe--"

"I don't want to hear it. Just don't say it." Bringing the plates over and setting them beside the pizza boxes, she went in search of napkins.

"Can I help," Phillip asked, now feeling bad for his behavior earlier. What was wrong with him, he wondered.

"No," Chloe told him, setting a stack of napkins beside the plates. "I've got everything. We just have to wait to say Grace."

Phillip nodded. Grace wasn't a regular at his house. All he was expected to do was show up at the table and eat, though recently, he had found excuses to even dodge that.

"They're never coming out of there," Chloe said, her stomach starting to grumble.

Looking towards the laundry room, Phillip couldn't see anyone coming or hear any voices. "Maybe we should go get them," he told her, taking a step towards the room.

"Don't. You'd ruin their plotting."

"Plotting," Phillip asked, confused.

"What do you think this dress is about," she asked him, holding out the center of the most atrocious thing she had ever worn. "The dress, the hair, the make-up, the perfume, and you being here. It's not a coincidence Phillip. Nancy's trying to teach you some sort of lesson." Walking over to the pizza, she said a silent grace for both her and Phillip. "Just come get some food," she said, handing him a plate when he walked over.

Once they had each gathered a few slices of pizza on their plates,  Chloe asked if he wanted anything to drink.

"You have coke," he asked her, picking up enough napkins for the both of them.

"Yeah, I'll get you a can. We can eat out on the deck," she told him, pointing to the door that led to the backyard. Balancing two cans and her plate, Chloe walked through the open door onto the deck.  She saw that Phillip had taken a seat on the stairs instead of at the table, so she followed him, forgetting to close the door behind her. Not caring if the dress tore to shreds, Chloe took a seat beside him, offering him his Coke.

"Thanks," Phillip said as he popped the top and took a sip. He kept his gaze trained ahead towards the elaborate playset they had put up in their backyard. Looking at her might just kill him.

Chloe stole a quick glance towards him, wondering why he had turned so quiet all of a sudden. Picking up a slice of the plain chees pizza they had decided on, neither liking the toppings the other favored, she took a bite. She wouldn't talk to him first. He'd have to apologize first.

"I'm not apologizing," Phillip said.

"How did you," Chloe began, but thought better of it and stopped, returning to her pizza.

Setting his plate down on the deck, Phillip turned towards Chloe. "I'm a guy, you know," he began.

"Really," Chloe asked in a voice of mock disbelief.

Not acknowledging her sarcasm, Phillip continued. "And guys use lines like, 'Let me take you out so you can test for yourself'  to get things from girls."

Chloe almost rolled her eyes, but decided to play along. "What things, Phillip," she asked demurely.

Phillip shrugged. "You know. Things. Anyway, Nick's a sophomore--"

"Junior," Chloe corrected.

"Whatever! He's not good enough for you," Phillip exploded. Seeing Chloe flinch, he instantly felt sorry.

She saw the remorse on his face, but there weren't any words to accompany it. "Is everything all right," she asked him.

"Everything's fine," he quickly answered, when his world was anything but fine. "Look, let's just get back to studying," he said as he stood, taking his plate and can inside.

Chloe watched him leave. Anyone would be able to see that everything was not fine with Phillip Kiriakis. She only hoped he'd let her close enough to help him.