Sincerity Lane (a short story)

Chapter Seven

Landon, Aaron, and Lindsay arrived at Chloe's house, for the party, around six-thirty. They had their arms full of bags containing food and drinks.

"I hope this will be enough," Lindsay said while they were in the kitchen setting things up.

"I got some things just in case," Chloe told her. "So did you ever get a final head count?"

"Yeah, there's supposed to be sixteen people coming," Aaron answered.

"Not bad," Chloe replied, chewing on her bottom lip.

Landon leaned closer to Chloe so that their shoulders touched. "Hey, it'll be okay," he assured her, keeping his voice low.

"Did you remember to bring your IPod?" Lindsay asked Aaron.

"Crap, I knew I was forgetting something," Aaron said, frustrated. "I can go back to my house and get it."

"We can just use mine if you'd like," Chloe told Aaron.

"What kind of music is on it?" Aaron asked.

"Probably folk music," Lindsay said, keeping her voice low, but not low enough.

"Today's hits. I have a variety," Chloe answered, ignoring Lindsay.

"I think that would be fine," Landon told Chloe before throwing Lindsay an evil glance.

Chloe went up to her room to get her IPod, leaving the others in her kitchen. She grabbed her IPod from her desk, and stopped to pet Zeus who lay pouting on her bed. "Sorry boy, I'll walk you in a little while," she told her four-legged friend.

When Chloe got back to the kitchen, she could hear Aaron and Lindsay whispering. She usually didn't eavesdrop, but something felt off about them. She doesn't trust them like she does Landon.

"So we've got to make sure everyone is out of here by ten-thirty," Lindsay said.

"I can make sure that happens," Aaron said with confidence.

Suddenly Chloe heard the bathroom door click open just a few feet down the hallway, and Landon walked out.

"Found it," she told him, holding her IPod up to show him.

He walked up to her and stopped. "I meant to tell you that you look very lovely tonight." Landon's voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. The intensity in his eyes caused warmth to spread throughout her.

"Thank you," she told him. They walked into the kitchen together just before the doorbell rang.

"I can get it," Lindsay said, and then she rushed to the front door.

Lindsay walked back into the kitchen with two girls. "Chloe these are my two best friends, Kirsten and Amber. Kirsten and Amber, this is my new neighbor Chloe Archer."

"Nice to meet you Chloe," they both said with bright smiles.

Chloe felt a stab of disappointment that Lindsay introduced her as 'her new neighbor' instead of her new friend. She soon pushed the disappointment away, they had only known each other for a few days. Plus, she wasn't even sure she trusted Lindsay enough to think of her as a friend.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang again. This time Aaron answered the door, inviting two of his friends inside. He introduced them to Chloe as Hunter and Freddie.

"It's very nice to meet you," Freddie said as he took Chloe's hand and gave the back a light kiss.