Chapter 9 - The Confrontation
TORI's POV
Inside, I leaned against the wall of the elevator. So much had transpired in only a day! Zach showing up at my apartment, the Samantha thing, Nathan's confrontation, skipping class, the lunch date, did I miss anything?
As the elevator had gone up the floors, the silence had me thinking about something that I had missed.
After our date, Zach had taken me home.
Then it hit me.
I couldn't believe I'd kissed him! I was shocked—and horrified. It was kind of a big deal because I just kissed—initiated it, the guy I hated most. It was hard to accept that on my part. I hated the guy. He'd been making Chloe's life miserable! He must think I was trying too hard to be all flirty.
Wait.
I was reacting like I kissed him on the lips but as I recall, I swear I kissed him on the cheek. A friendly gesture was what I thought, but we're not exactly just friends, were we?
Thinking about it made my head hurt a lot. I shouldn't had gone out on that stupid date with him.
Hey, but you enjoyed it right? The inner me said.
Well, it was kinda fun, skipping class for the lunch date and stuff. For a major douchebag, he was pretty funny, quite the charmer too. Actually, he was kinda cute. I was trying hard not to smile at the thought of him. I knew I had to keep my head in the game. I was playing him to keep him away from Chloe and to protect her relationship with Greg.
Play the player, not the other way around. I reminded myself.
The elevator doors opened and I stepped out, looking forward to a hot bath to relax. When I got to my room, I was surprised to see Chloe waiting for me. I had been trying to avoid her the entire day.
"Finally!" She said when she caught sight of me, giving me one of those we-seriously-need-to- talk looks.
"C-Chloe! I-is everything alright?" I stammered. I wasn't ready for this, the confrontation!
"Shouldn't I be asking you those questions, Tori? You know the sole reason why I'm here. Stop asking and start explaining."
And talk we did. Of course, it was about Zach. It was understandable that my friends would be incredulous over my seeming (and sudden) change of heart.
"Look, I really want to talk to you about this but I-I just don't know where to start." I honestly said.
"Okay, let's start with why? Of all people, why Anderson?"
If only I could tell you the truth, Chloe. I despised him for thinking he could control your life. I hated his arrogance, pride, superiority complex, but still... "You know the answer to that question, Chloe. Everyone likes him." It was the truth anyway. Almost everyone wanted to be with him.
"And since when did you become an everybody? I believe you beg to differ. And how come you never mentioned this?" I think Chloe's been watching too much CSI. She's on to me.
"I'm still human, Chloe. I can't just turn off my feelings. I like Zach." For some odd reason, the way I said it wasn't forced unlike before, but I dismissed the idea and continued. "I did the right thing of confessing to him. Weren't you the one who told me to find the person I like and experience love? Why are you disapproving this?"
"I have nothing against you falling in love with someone, but look Tori, it's Zach! Don't act as if you don't know him. You know how he is with girls. What are you thinking? You're risking that once in a lifetime romance over a guy who doesn't know anything but to kiss and... wait a minute..." She looked at me shocked, her mouth slowly opening and pointing her finger at me.
And it takes no genius to understand what she meant by that. "No! Chloe! Come on! You know I'm better than that!" I defended. Well, now that she mentioned it, we haven't really done anything. And knowing him, he should've attempted at least. Maybe I'm just not kissable or whatever.
"Fine, I believe you. But since when were you attracted to him? How come you never mentioned this? Why now?" She eagerly asked. She was asking way too many questions.
To convince her that I truly did have feelings for the blonde, I told Chloe the story of how I first saw Zach. It was a true story too. "I was new here in New York, back in ninth grade I was trying to get a book from the top shelf. I couldn't reach it. Then this guy appeared out of nowhere and helped me. It was Zach," I said. "I fell from the ladder, and he caught me. Before you think I'm just basing this on some cheesy romance movie, I promise you that I'm not. Knowing his history, I just never bothered to say anything about it."
He had been silent and kind. I've been attracted to him at first. But when I was in the ladies' room, I overheard a girl crying and telling her friend that Zach had broken her heart. And when her friend found out that she was dating Zach, they fought over him. As it had turned out, he'd been two-timing both of them. Not only had he broken their hearts, not to mention their friendship.
"As for why now, well, I thought it was about time I found out what it felt like to love and be loved," I said. I was hoping that the last line would soften her stance, but she remained impassive. This had made me feel terrible. I'd never meant to lie to my best friend.
"What about Nathan?" Chloe asked.
"What about him?" I asked, wondering if she knew how I felt about him.
"I thought you liked Nathan. I know you never mentioned it, but after all these years of friendship, you've never developed any feelings for him. Yet here you are in a relationship with a guy you barely know." She said, and gave me a skeptical look.
"H-he's just a friend, Chloe." I wanted him to be more, true, but I couldn't exactly say that to Chloe. I didn't want to let myself hope because I knew that he was so obviously in love with her.
"Have you mentioned this to him? That he is just a friend?"
"What do you mean, Chloe?" I asked keenly.
"Nothing. Anyway, I'm still not convinced. With the way things are going right now, it's all so sudden, so strange, like this is all part of Zach's plan or something. I know you're hiding something. You should've at least talked to me before all this. It's very unusual for you to do things on your own." Chloe was really at it. It was very unlikely for her to go all Sherlock on me.
"I'm not hiding anything. I've been meaning to tell you about it, but you have enough problems of your own to deal with, like Greg for instance. I don't want to be a burden. I decided to keep it to myself. Trust me on this, Chloe. I can take care of myself, and Zach is really nice." I smiled at her.
Chloe gave me one of her I got you now looks. Smiling back, she nodded and looked at me. "Fine, you win for now. So, what happened?" She probed suspiciously. The interrogation was finally over. But I'd gotten the feeling she was on to something.
"What do you mean what happened?" I asked cautiously.
"Well, I just assumed something happened with him from the fact that you smile whenever you talk about him. Come on, Tori, I might hate Zach for being who he is, but I'm still your best friend. I think it's about time you tell me your love story. So start!" I hugged Chloe. That was probably the sweetest thing she'd ever said to me. "You're so silly." She giggled.
"We had lunch today, late lunch actually." I informed her.
"Late lunch? Wait..." She pulled me back, holding my shoulders. "You skipped class? Classes?"
"Yeah." I wondered why she was so surprised.
"Tori! Your first ever hooky! I'm so proud of you! So how does it feel, huh? Skipping class to enjoy the rest of the afternoon with someone?" We both sat on my bed. She scooted near me, begging for answers.
"Well, at first I was totally against the idea, but he told me he spoke to my teachers, made up some story to excuse me, I was hesitant but—" Before I could finish my story, Chloe stood up and shrieked!
"Oh my! He did that? Zach really did that?" She exclaimed. I just nodded in response to her question. "Would you look at that? A guy like Zach would go that far for a girl. I always did find him more of a settler. For him to reach out to someone that way was something else."
I couldn't help but blush and feel flattered. The idea that Zach had never done this with any of the other girls he'd dated kind of made me ecstatic. It wasn't a big deal, right? It would be bad if I gave meaning to all this.
Chloe looked at her watch and then prepared her things. "I have to go now, but this is far from over, Tori. You still owe me for not telling me all this. From now on, I want to be updated down to the last detail. If he does something bad to you, I'm just a phone call away." She said and gave me a hug.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
She fixed her hair a little before heading to the door. "I have to take care of something. You watch yourself, Tori. Bye!" She beamed and winked at me as she left.
I wondered what she was up to, leaving in such a hurry. There was something she was not telling me. "I will! Bye!" I said, instead of questioning her.
Today had been such a long day. It felt good though, to at least explain things to my friends even though they got the falsified version. It made me feel bad, lying to them, but this was for Chloe after all. She deserved to be happy.
For now though, I deserve some happiness.
A nice long hot bath.
---END OF CHAPTER NINE---
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