Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Chloe! Guess who I saw at the mall last night?”

“Not now Jenna.” She couldn’t do it- not today.

If Chloe was being honest, she didn’t have many bad days. Okay fine- she had plenty. Brooke could attest to that, she’d been there for all of them. From the tears, to the not so subtle door closings when she heard her window creak open and Brooke crept in through it. That was one thing she didn’t need to explain to her mother- assuming she was even conscious of what was going on at that hour. But still- better safe than sorry.

But she was referring to the kinds of bad days most people assumed a popular girl like her would have- including smudged makeup and boyfriends who wouldn’t follow her every whim. First of all- her makeup was flawless. It always was- it was just a fact of life. As for the second point… boring. She’d had a boyfriend like that before- it was sweet that so much of his attention seemed to go to her but she had to admit it was wearing.

All the same, she was human- wasn’t she allowed to get upset about being dumped? Particularly the part where he’d told her that he was breaking up with her, and that he thought they should see other people in front of other people? She couldn’t stand Brooke’s sympathetic looks- and she was sure that Jerry kid Brooke had been interested in (was interested in? It had been a bit since she’d mentioned him) was watching the whole thing go down.

“With Jake”

The. Hell.

“I want details- now.”

Jenna continued to describe the date (Sbarro’s- classic Jake) and something about a Payless being sold out of shoes, but Chloe’s attention was on the girl who Jenna had brought to her attention. So this was who Jake had been sneaking not so subtle glances at, who he’d been so ready to date that he’d dumped Chloe Valentine for her. Not that she was bitter or anything- totally not.

Objectively, she had to admit the girl was cute. All dimples and bright eyes, which were currently locked with hers. When had that happened again? Her pale pink lips curled up into a smile, and she raised a hand to wave to her- silver bracelets seeming to clink together as she did. Her outfit was something that Chloe had to admit seemed… comfortable. The green shirt and pink leggings seemed like a combination that shouldn’t go together but fit her well. Her ebony locks were held back by a clip, a simple style Chloe honestly wished she had the secret to pulling off. She pushed back her own brunette hair, bristling slightly. She was still waving, looking confused as for why Chloe wasn’t responding. Did this girl really not realize who she was waving to?

Shaking off a feeling of deep misgivings, Chloe walked over to Brooke, shooting the girl a look as she did. Christine Canigula, Chloe was pretty sure.

“Hey Chlo- I talked to Jake”

Despite herself, Chloe smiled a little. He could be a pain at times, but that didn’t change the fact that they’d been best friends since six. She cared about him more then she’d care to admit- so knowing that Brooke was keeping an eye on him reassured her just a little.

“Oh?”

She aimed for a detached tone, but one look into Brooke’s vivid green eyes and she knew that it was fairly obvious. Or it could be the fact that Brooke knew as well as she did what she was thinking thanks to the years of friendship. Could be both- but Chloe would prefer to think it was the latter. She had enough on her mind without worrying that her emotions were on full display.

She could feel Brooke shifting beside her, fiddling with the cuffs of her favorite yellow cardigan.

“Wha-”

She whipped around, coming face to face with Christine. She straightened up slightly, glad for the extra height her heels gave her. Christine was pixie like for lack of a better comparison, small and compact in a way that would have been adorable if it wasn’t making Chloe want to pick her up and put her somewhere far, far away from her field of vision. A new school maybe? Somewhere where she didn’t have to stand here and watch Christine stand there awkwardly as though she didn’t know why exactly Chloe was glaring at her and Brooke was smiling apologetically. It was seriously off putting- and it felt almost weird to stay mad at this girl.

Right- she no longer had a boyfriend but Christine did. Not good.

She raised an eyebrow, waiting and Christine laughed nervously. Of course even her laugh was cute, tinkling like… well, Chloe didn’t know. Not that it mattered anyway. She was still… existing? For a moment Chloe nearly forgot her issue with the girl

She turned her attention back to the situation at hand, observing that Christine had began a conversation with Brooke and the two of them were now discussing something about rehearsal.

Rather then get involved in it, she looked around, wildly hoping for something to bring Brooke’s attention away from Christine, long enough for her to do what she had to do in peace. She noticed Jeremy and shot a subtle glance in his direction, hoping Brooke would catch on and do the same.

She did, and before she could say anything Christine was looking in that same direction, a slight smile playing at her lips.

Chloe sighed and turned around, resolving to confront her during rehearsal instead, after she was able to have a conversation with Jake first.

She told herself it was because she owed him that much. That she was tired and she needed a minute to wrap her head around what in the actual hell had just happened.

It was in no way whatsoever about the rising blush she felt coming on, and the fact that her heart was racing out of her chest.

Absolutely not.

Chapter Text

At least ten people seemed to find it necessary to comment on the breakup throughout the lunch period alone.

Which equated to… more times than was probably healthy that Chloe seriously complentated murder.

Though maybe that was a tad dramatic- she’d have settled for ruining these people’s reputations beyond repair.

In all honesty, she couldn’t tell what made her angrier- the fact that she’d been broken up with, or the fact that it was apparently everyone else’s business. Maybe it was that people she’d never spoken to seemed to deem their extremely unwelcome opinions worthy of sharing, right to her face.

On a normal day, she loved the attention, the spotlight was a place she was well suited to. She could warp perceptions once everything was in the public domain- so long as she was the one who’d put it there.

Unfortunately though, this was determinedly not her decision- which meant dealing with the comments of

“Good for him-”

“Have you seen who he’s going for?”

“She was way too uptight for him anyway”

“Valentine? Uptight? Ha, not that night she wasn’t…”

That- that was her breaking point. No way in hell was she allowing some rando whose name she didn’t even know to try and act as though they’d had relations- she had standards for Gods sake.

“Fascinating, please- tell me more!”

Never before had she seen a person’s jaw drop quite so quickly, or heard a table go quiet so silent. For the first time in her life, she finally understood the term “hear a pin drop.”

“Continue, can’t you see I’m on the edge of my seat? We all want to hear all about it.”

With a practiced ease she displaced some unfortunate girl from her seat as she occupied the head seat at the table, resting her chin in her hand- dark blue eyes innocently wide.

“Chloe! We… we were just-”

“Yes, discussing that marvelous night we spent together. Like I said, continue”

The guy grinned and glanced around the table, confidence growing.

“So it was-”

“What color was my lingerie? What’d we talk about before hand? Do you remember asking if I was using protection?”

He stuttered out an incoherent response, and Chloe leaned forward on the palms of her hands, eyes flashing dangerously as she set her gaze on him.

“Exactly what I thought. Call me uptight all you want. But if you dare to speculate as to what I do with my time again and judge me for it, or even worse insert yourself into the position of someone who deserves the honor of my time, I will make you regret the day you were born. By the way- keep on dreaming dear. I guarantee you it’s the closest you will ever get to the real thing”

As she turned on her heel and walked out of the lunch room, she heard the whispers accompanying her.

“Damn…”

“Valentine strikes again”

“Least she could have done is go along with it”

“Bitch”

“Slut”

“Whore”

“... Chloe? Are you okay?”

Chloe whipped around, brunette curls falling to rest across her shoulder. Smile fading the second she saw who’d tried to get her attention.

Of course, just because her day couldn’t get any worse.

Still though, she figured she didn’t have to deal with this- the veiled hatred concealed under the pretense of “caring” and whatever other bull Christine could possibly come up with she just knew was coming.

Besides, Brooke had followed her out amd was waiting halfway enroute to her mothers car. An actual friend, someone who she could trust with the answer to the question “are you okay?”

So Chloe turned to Christine, a practiced smile playing at her lips.

“I’m wonderful hun, thanks for asking. Although… I have a message for you and Jake if you wouldn’t mind passing it on?”

Christine looked surprised but nodded, legitimately pulling out a notepad as though she needed to be able to think back to this message for study purposes.

Chloe flipped her off as she walked towards Brooke, not bothering to glance back to see her reaction.

Still though, as she sat in the passengers seat listening to Brooke’s familiar reassurances and tirades against the guys, she couldn’t help but wonder if there was possibly some sincerity behind Christine’s question.

Wouldn’t that be something.

Chapter Text

“Earth to Chlo”

“Ooh uh yeah, that one’s nice!”

Which was apparently the incorrect response, because Brooke just gave her a look she was certain she reserved only for her- a mixture of amusement, exasperation and sympathy all rolled into one.

“Typically I’d say I should hope so, seeing as it’s your house, but I don’t think it counts while you’re in this state. Especially considering she’s home.”

The universe really had a sick sense of humor.

How many times had she waited up at night hoping that she’d magically end up with a mother who she could share her relationship troubles with, who actually cared about her life?

Go ahead, the universe seemed to taunt. You have a mother, now take the chance.

Assuming her mother wasn’t black out drunk of course. Or occupied with whoever she'd brought home for the night.

Screw it. If Chloe was that ready to talk to a parental figure who actually cared, she knew the path she’d have to take by heart. Straight ahead for a few miles, make a right and then she’d be there. A listening ear ready to hear about her day, feelings, whatever. Maybe to really stick it to the universe she'd tell her mom she was going, force her out of the house and along with her.

How’s that for a heart to heart conversation.

“Right. Thanks Brookie”

Brooke looked at her for a moment before grinning, looping an arm through hers

“Ah, don’t think you’re getting away from touchy feely talk that easily. C’mon, girls night. I’ll invite Jenna? We can grab some magazines on the way to my house- you know my mom won’t mind…”

Chloe smiled and glanced back at her house.

“That sounds like… exactly what I need. Just let me grab a couple things and then we’ll go?”

Brooke nodded and led her towards the house, calm and reassuring, her very presence assuring her that yes she was there, and yes- it would be okay. In and out, and then she’d have one wonderful night in a place where she knew she was safe and cared about- with her best friend of since she was born and a woman who was more like a mother to her then her own flesh and blood.

“Chloe? That you?”

“Right here mom”

Chloe would never get used to looking at her mom. Partly because so many of her features were reminiscent of her own, just ever slightly off kilter.

Same brunette locks, though Chloe’s was a bit lighter.

Same cheekbones and nose, though her mother insisted Chloe’s nose was like her father’s.

Sometimes when her mom made the effort to put on makeup and dress up like the former debutant she used to be Chloe could almost reconcile the idea of that regal, elegant woman who charmed and schmoozed like a pro with the same person she knew she’d see in the morning barely functioning except to unleash whatever tirade of rage she had to take out on someone (Chloe) in the moment.

Her eyes though, were her father’s- from the color to the shape and even the thick lashes.

Her body- entirely her own. She was perfectly confident in it- everything from the curves of her hips to the many, many places that had been explored by the people she deemed worthy of it.

Yeah, she said people.

She wasn’t particularly picky on who she spent the nights with- so long as they acknowledged two things- the scars were not to be mentioned, and they left as soon as the morning came. After all, she didn’t need them around when the chaos set in and her mother’s… adventures from the night before had to be cleaned up.

Chloe couldn’t judge on that exactly- but at least she didn’t have nameless strangers sitting across from her daughter on the other side of a dining table making awkward conversation like she wasn’t old enough to understand what had been happening.

That wasn’t the worst part. She could handle the men, coming and going like the wind. But she didn’t want to think about what happened when they left and she had to deal with the aftermath of a mother who hit the bottle to cope with their leaving.

“Dean is going to be over tonight- are you going to be around?”

Chloe shook her head as she headed into her room, grabbing a duffle bag and tossing in a pair of pajamas and her case holding her retainer, plus a few toiletries. She didn’t worry about a spare change of clothes for the next day- she’d probably left an outfit over at Brooke’s.

“I’ll be at Brooke’s if you need me, enjoy your night”

“Is that all you have to say?”

Not even close.

“Yep”

Slipping into Brooke’s car, she let out a breath she hadn’t even realized she was holding in.

Girl’s night had never been quite so necessary.