Chapter One

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"Was it something I said to make you turn away? To make you walk out and leave me cold?"

Lance Bass slid the key into the lock and turned it right. The door swung open and he walked inside closing it behind him. He took off his jacket and threw his briefcase on the floor. He walked through the hallway and into the kitchen.

All the lights in the house were off and the house was still except for a rustling sound coming from upstairs. He headed up the staircase and into his bedroom.

When he walked inside he saw a suitcase on the bed and clothes strewn about the room. Chloe Miller, his girlfriend of the past two years, was frantically throwing clothes into the suitcase.

"Spontaneous vacation?" Lance joked as he looked around the room.

Chloe’s head shot up. She hadn’t heard Lance come in.

"You could say that." She said quietly.

Lance took a closer look at her. Chloe’s eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks were tear-stained.

"What’s wrong sweetie?" he asked moving toward her.

"Nothing." She said taking a step back.

Confused by her actions he pressed on.

"Are you okay? Is someone hurt, sick?"

She shook her head.

"Nobody’s hurt or sick."

"Then why are you crying? And what’s with the suitcase?"

Chloe didn’t answer…she didn’t know how to answer.

Lance noticed that the closet door was open and all of Chloe’s clothes were gone. He turned and saw all the dresser drawers were empty as well.

"Chlo, where’s all your stuff?" he asked.

"In my car." She replied.

"Why?" he questioned with confusion in his voice.

"I’m leaving." She whispered.

"What?" he asked.

"I said I’m leaving." Chloe replied a little louder.

"How long are you leaving for?"

"I’m moving out."

"You’re what? Why?"

"I can’t be here anymore."

Lance was beyond confused at this point. What was going on?

Chloe looked at Lance.

"It’s better this way Lance."

"It’s better for you to leave me for no reason?"

"I can’t explain it."

"Why don’t you try?" Chloe shook her head.

"Here." She said handing him the necklace he gave her on their first anniversary. "I have to go. My flight is leaving soon."

"Flight? Chloe, please tell me what’s going on." Lance pleaded.

"I told you…I can’t. Just let me go." She said.

"No. You’re going to throw away everything we have and not even give me an explanation."

"Look Lance you’re on your way to super-stardom and I’m only going to stand in the way." She said.

"What? Why do you think that? Did Johnny say something to you? One of the guys?" Lance asked.

"No one said anything to me. Just believe me. You’re going to be better off without me." Chloe replied. "Now if you’ll excuse me."

She grabbed her suitcase off the bed and walked past Lance.

Lance stood dumbfounded.

Was this a dream?

It had to be a dream.

He followed Chloe down the stairs and out to her car.

She slammed the trunk shut and started to open the driver’s side door.

"Chloe…you can’t leave."

"Please Lance don’t make this any harder than it already is."

"Are you going to call me when you get wherever you’re going?"

She shook her head.

"No, this is it." She said getting into the car. "Good-bye."

And with that she shut the door and drove away.

Lance stood in the driveway for a few minutes…or maybe it was a few hours.

Who really knew?

All he knew was the girl he loved more than anything was out of his life with absolutely no explanation.

Chapter Two