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How could this be? Chloe Moore sat in the corner of her bedroom, warm tears gently flowing down her naturally rosy cheeks. She turned the lights off, listening intently to the heavy raindrops tapping on the roof of her small apartment. Small but loud flashes of lightning lit the sky at certain intervals, making Chloe cringe deeper into the wall. As always, the weather seemed to match her mood. She was almost certain that the sudden bad news she received would drastically put a damper on her life’s happiness forever. Chloe could feel her eyes swelling up from all her crying, but the stinging pain didn’t force the streams on her face to a stop. She was definitely in a state of hopelessness, and it filled her cœur, coeur with anger and agony. Her mind kept playing painful memories over and over again, like a broken record. Memories from years, months, ou weeks before, but the most painful were the memories of today. Just thinking about today for a seconde made Chloe’s cœur, coeur skip beats, and throb like blood under a horrible bruise. She was out shopping today with her best friend and self-proclaimed sister, Amanda Tanis. She and Manda were so excited because, after finally coming accueil from doing an internship in D.C., Manda’s boyfriend, Rick, had proposed to her. Chloe was ecstatic about Manda and Rick’s engagement, and couldn’t wait to start helping with the preparations. They were shopping today for Manda’s engagement party dress, and, being girls with gorgeous but picky style, they had to come across the perfect dress for her before they consented to buying anything. “Oh. My. Goodness!!! Chloe, come here, quick!” Manda frantically called to Chloe from half-way across the store. Chloe sighed, “Geez, Manda, I’m coming! What on earth could be so…WOW.” Chloe gave a low whistle, and dropped her jaw in awe. Manda giggled, “Oh, silly Chlo.” She pushed up Chloe’s jaw with her dainty, manicured finger. “I take it that toi agree to this one wholeheartedly?” Manda’s mischievous grin grew wide with pure delight. It took a moment, but Chloe did snap out of it, “Agree?! Manda, it’s what we’ve spent all jour looking for! It’s perfect in every way possible!” Chloe couldn’t help but admire the elegant dress Manda was holding up to her face. It was made of exquisite white satin sewn into a shapely and floor-length hourglass form, draped around the waist with a pale rose sash, and decorated on the bottom with a white flower-patterned lace. Chloe became a bit jealous of her friend’s 20/20 vision for style. “You’ll look like a princess in this.” She said, admiring Manda’s flawless curvy figure. Manda had to giggle at every compliment Chloe made, mainly because she usually thought the opposite of what Chloe a dit about her. “Really?” “Of course! Manda, sweetheart, you’re stunningly beautiful, and honestly, I think toi can definitely get a guy better than Rick,” Manda pretended to have hurt feelings and gently smacked Chloe on the back of her head, “but, since he’s obviously your Prince Charming, your rare and lovely inner and outer self will be his to have and to hold. He’d just better see how lucky he is, ou else we’ll have to teach him the old cliché, ‘you never know what toi have till it’s gone.’” Chloe gave her bestie a gentle smile and wink, hugging her tightly in reassurance. Chloe was always the plus emotional person in their friendship, but a loving hug from her friend calmed Manda’s nerves quite a bit. “Okay then,” Manda took in a deep breath, “Off to the changing rooms!” Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as she took in her friend’s happiness. “I’ll be right there in a moment, darling.” Chloe’s voice was breaking because of her crying as she turned her back to Manda so she could dry her eyes. Manda shook her head and grinned, knowing par just a peek at Chloe that she was crying tears of joy. “Okay, missy. Hurry up!” She skipped off to the dressing rooms, Chloe turning to admire Manda’s bouncing red curls. She sighed with contentment, “If she’s happy, then I’m happy. I want everything to be stress-free and picture perfect for her engagement and wedding.” She turned to face the store window and looked up to the clear blue sky, closing her eyes as if she were making a wish. “Everything will be per…” Chloe stopped short in her sentence because she heard a scream that sounded exactly like Manda’s. “Manda? Manda!” Chloe sprinted across the store to make sure her friend was safe, but when she reached the entrance to the dressing rooms, she was harshly pushed to the ground par a woman wearing a purple silk top, khakis, and a white ski mask. Manda rushed out with the dress half unzipped, trying to chase after the woman to the best of her abilities. “Stop, stop! Someone help me stop this woman, she has my purse!” But before anyone could come to her rescue, the woman ran out of the store, and Manda followed close behind. Chloe jumped up to her feet, “Manda, don’t chase her! We’ll get the authorities!” Manda couldn’t hear Chloe anymore though, because she was already chasing the masked woman down the crowed sidewalk. Chloe dashed out of the boutique and ran to where she heard the ruckus coming from. People were screaming and shouting, “She’s armed! She’s armed!” This made Chloe’s feet pick up to full speed, praying that Manda would be unharmed. Then, out of what seemed like nowhere, she heard a car violently screech and crash into another vehicle. The frantic shouting grew plus and plus intense, and Chloe could feel her cœur, coeur breaking as she pictured what could have happed to Manda at that moment. Finally, there she was, she made it. But a seconde too late. In the middle of the street, lying in the arms of a man she didn’t know, there was the body of her friend, bruised from the car’s hit. Chloe was in shock, and she began shaking with disbelief and utter sadness. “No. Manda, darling,” she whispered to herself softly, feeling the stings of her distressing tears. Her cœur, coeur shattered into a million unfixable porcelaine pieces. She walked as stably as she could to the man who was hold her friend. She just could not believe this was actually happening. Her friend, so beautiful and sunny, was skipping off safely to the dressing rooms to try on her award-winning dress. Then, she was running out the store at the heels of a masked criminal with Chloe trying her absolute hardest to chase her down. “Why, why, why? Why couldn’t. No. Why didn’t I stop her from chasing that maniac woman?! This is my entire fault. None of this would have happened if I…she…Manda…she wouldn’t be…be…” The sobs overwhelmed her, and she had to fight hard to keep herself from having a breakdown in the middle of the street. When she made it to the place where her friend was laying, she could barely contain her inner screams of agony, so she clenched her teeth tightly. The mysterious man looked up at Chloe with worry written all across his impeccably handsome face. Despite the situation, the man’s angelic eyes knocked the breath and words out of Chloe. But she quickly picked herself up again. “She’s…she’s..oh, please, please!” Chloe screamed out. “No, no, it can’t be..be..be true. Is she...” There was a pause as she gazed at the man’s concerned face. The medical examiner arrived so the man stood up and carefully laid Manda’s body on the cold, hard paved road. “Did toi know her?” The man sweetly asked Chloe. “Y-e-sss. S-hhe wa-ss mm-y bb-e-sst frr-iend.” Chloe was quaking with fear and kept embarrassingly stuttering in front of this beautiful stranger. “Ah, then toi must be Chloe. Manda, your friend, told me to tell toi that she loves toi dearly and she knows and will always believe that everything happens for a purpose. She says she’ll miss you, but asks that toi don’t cry for her since she’ll see toi someday. I’m so sorry about all of this, Chloe. I’ve been through a horrible death of a loved one before, and I know this is a time for necessary comfort.” He pulled her into a comforting hug. Chloe held onto him, though she didn’t even know his name, and buried her sobbing eyes in his chest. She stood there in the middle of the rue with this kind gentleman, grateful that this man was here for her when she was so close to fainting from agony. He didn’t seem to mind it either, but Chloe didn’t let her mind stray from Manda’s death. She knew that would be completely inappropriate and disrespectful towards her always-considerate bestie. After a while, when she gained a little composure, Chloe let go of the man and properly introduced herself. “It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, Chloe Moore.” The beyond handsome mystery man flashed to her an adorably attractive smile, making her cheeks grow from pale to bright red. He chuckled at her embarrassed yet elegantly innocent face, but made no commentaire about it. “My name is Keith Harkin. Excuse my accent, please. I’m actually from Donegal, Ireland, so the accent could be a bit overwhelming to such a stunningly beautiful American girl.” Chloe looked down at her feet and giggled, blushing an even deeper red. “No, it’s fine. My grandparents are from Dublin, Ireland. I’m quite used to and fond of Irish accents.” “Well, what do toi know, an Irish-blooded, American raised lassie!” Keith winked at her, making Chloe’s cœur, coeur soar. Then, Keith noticed Chloe’s smile fade into a look of despair once again. “Are toi alright, sweetheart?” “Oh,” Chloe felt very horrible for letting Keith read her like an open book. She didn’t want to worry him even more. “I’m okay, Keith.” She tried her hardest to make a convincing smile. Unfortunately, Keith didn’t buy it, and Chloe knew that. “You’ve been through too much today, Chlo. Let’s get toi home. Did toi come here with a car?” Chloe hesistated. “Um, no. We walked here.” Her memories of the jour deepened her frown. “Great! Well, I have just one other question for you, Chlo. Do toi trust me, ou think I’m an insane blondie?” Keith smirked at using his famous nickname, blondie, which evidently would make him sound crazier than he looked right now. Chloe just smiled up at his gorgeous blue eyes. “Blondie, yes. Insane…hmmmm..” she pretended to think, “well..no. I trust you, Keith. There’s something about toi that’s just, I don’t know. For lack of a better explanation, different than any other guy I’ve met before.” “Really?” Keith’s eyes grew wide with disbelief, “Well, guess that’s a good thing, right?” he a dit with a laugh. “Of course.” Chloe’s cœur, coeur skipped a beat at the sound of his musical, velvety voice and enchanting laugh. “Then, with that a dit and done, shall we?” He held out his arm to blushing Chloe, and she took it happily. Her breathing became uneasy because of her throbbing heart, but she tried her absolute best to remain calm even though Keith was enchanting her every second. She kept reminding herself about Manda’s death and how unhappy she should be, despite what Manda a dit before she passed. She just had to have a time of mourning, ou else it would just be improper and rude.
“Chloe? Hello, Chlo?” Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Keith calling to her. “What? Oh, sorry Keith. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Maybe I was just in a trance.” “Don’t worry about it, darling. I was asking you, what’s your address?” Chloe was completely embarrassed. How on earth was she going to live the same without her dearest friend around to help her through it all? She gave Keith her address, and in no time they showed up at her apartment. Chloe forced herself to get out of the car, but she had to call Manda’s family and let them know what happened. “Thanks so much for the ride, Keith. toi truly were my savior today, and I am entirely indebted to toi forever. Thanks again.” She flashed a bright and pearly white smile at dazzlingly Keith, and he did the same, but he wasn’t about to let her stay in this state of mind alone. “Chlo, do toi not have anyone staying with you?” Chloe turned around slowly, lire his mind already. “Keith, no, toi don’t need to…I mean…if toi were thinking about…you know…staying with me…you really don’t need to burden yourself with that…responsibility.” She felt like an idiot trying to grasp for words and air at the same time, since Keith absentmindedly took both away from her. He laughed loudly with delight. “I see toi are no foolish, pretty girl. Really, though, Chlo. I am not about to let toi stay par yourself while you’re going through all of this. Even if toi did offer me a room, just give me a oreiller and blanket and I’ll be sleeping on your living room floor. I know I’m sounding crazier par the minute, but even though we’ve just met, I look at toi like a close friend already, and I want to be sure you’re protected and happy,” Chloe’s cœur, coeur did flips when Keith a dit he wanted her to be protected and happy, “so, what do toi say Chlo. Will I need to get on my knees and beg?” She smiled at him, but before she could give an answer, Keith knelt down on the concrete sidewalk and looked up at Chloe with sad puppy-dog eyes and a pout. “Please, please, please, with a cerise on haut, retour au début Chlo!” That did it, she busted out into a fit of uncontrollable giggles, washing away the painful memories and temporarily numbing her aching heart. “Oh, Keith, get up silly! Fine, toi may stay with me. I would offer toi a room, but sadly, it’s a one-bedroom apartment.” Keith stood to his feet and look down at Chloe. He lifted her face to his with his finger, and Chloe’s mind could no longer think straight. “What did I tell you, Chloe Moore? Do not feel bad about not having another room, because I wouldn’t take your offer anyways.” Keith pretended to scold her. He read her expression wrong, but Chloe didn’t feel guilty about it anymore. “Great. toi know, you’re an easy house guest.” She winked at him and turned to walk to her apartment. Keith followed her close behind. “So,” Keith began, looking around the complex, “how long have toi been living here in LA?” “I’ve been living here for a an now. Since I completed my undergraduate degree in dance, I came here to start working. I found a job at one of the major ballet companies here in Los Angeles, auditioned, signed a contract with them, and now I do shows for them. But, the secondary reason as to why I came here is because I absolutely adore surfing as much as I do dancing. I figured a big city in Cali would offer me the luxury of being near amazing beaches and good jobs.” Chloe paused, staring with confusion at Keith’s sudden change of expression. He was astonished, to say the least, and had his mouth hanging wide open staring at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. Chloe giggle again, pushing his mouth shut. “If toi happen to catch a fly in there, don’t blame me.” Keith shook his head out of the daze, “Yyy-ou sss-urrr-f?” “I know, kinda unbelievable, but I adore surfing. Been doing it since I was 10 and I fell in l’amour with it after that.” “Wow,” Keith gave out a low whistle, “I would never have guessed…Chlo, I’m a huge surfing fanatic too! I’ve never met a girl with so much passion for surfing, until now. I’m…simply…just…huh…wowed.” “Hmmm… I think toi need to meet plus people Keith, mainly girls.” She laughed and grabbed his hand. “C’mon slow poke! At this rate, we won’t even make it to the flight of stairs until sunrise. He laughed along with her, and the two ran up to Chloe’s apartment hand in hand. Chloe unlocked the door and they both stepped into her quaint, country-like home. The walls were wooden, covered with pictures of Chloe with Manda and her other loved ones. The fireplace’s mantle was decked out with médailles and trophies Chloe won in various dance competitions, followed par photos of her dancing and surfing. The furniture and curtains were all shades of green, ranging from soft to dark. The kitchen, living room, and hallway walls had different pictures of picturesque photos from all over Ireland, which matched beautifully with the apartment’s touch of green. The small outdoor patio was also covered in green, with soft green silk curtains surrounding clover-shaped green chairs and a small round table. “Keith, don’t tell me you’re ‘astonished’ again.” Chloe remarked with a playful roll of her eyes. “I told you, my family is Irish. I’m quite a big fan of Ireland and the Irish culture.” “Chloe Moore,” Keith protested loudly, “if toi surprise me anymore, I seriously think I’m going to have a cœur, coeur attack. I certainly won’t be missing accueil while I’m here.” He smiled and began looking at her dance trophies and medals. He was quite impressed at how well she could dance. “Well, make yourself at home, Keith.” She smiled and her cœur, coeur pounded loudly when he turned for a moment to wink at her. “I’m just going to run off to the bathroom for a quick shower. If you’re hungry, please, you’re plus than welcome to help yourself to absolutely anything in the kitchen. I’ll be back with some sheets and a oreiller in a few minutes.” With that, she gracefully skipped off to her bedroom. Then, Keith noticed something hidden at the very end of the mantle, covered in a layer of dust. He pondered for a moment whether he should look at it ou not, but he decided to anyways. He carefully took it off the mantle and wiped the dust off of it. It was a trophy that had a golden microphone on the haut, retour au début of it. He wiped the dust off the little plaque at the bottom of the trophy and read what was written on it. “1st place for Best Female Soloist. Awarded to Miss Chloe Moore.” Keith’s curiosity grew as he read every word written on the trophy. “Huh,” he wondered in amazement, “she’s a dancer, a surfer, and now a singer? Could she be anymore perfect?” He kept his eyes on the trophy, but put it back quickly when he heard footsteps coming toward the living room. Keith tried to look like he didn’t notice anything, so he turned on the TV and attempted to look neutral. Chloe walked into the room in her blue polka-dotted nightgown and plopped a bunch of sheets and a oreiller onto the recliner. Keith looked at her with a dazzling smile, “Thanks, Chlo.” “Absolutely no trouble at all, Keith!” She smiled back at him, but she definitely couldn’t compete with his beauty, ou so SHE thought. “Are ya hungry? I’m a pretty decent cook, not the best, but decent. Whatchya in the mood for?” “Anything you’re willing to eat. I’m not too much of a picky eater.” Chloe didn’t believe him, because she knew that was a copout answer. “Look mister, you’re staying at my place, which makes toi my guest. You’re not using excuses on me!” Keith threw his hands up in an “I-surrender-all” fashion. “Alright, alright, I’m no competition for stubbornness herself. But, I’m going to let toi guess what my favori nourriture is.” Chloe put her hand on her hip and tapped her foot on the floor, staring at Keith like he was a maniac. “That’s one thing out of a million nourriture options!” “Well, hey, I answered, didn’t I?” He smirked and stretched back on the sofa. “Ugh, fine. toi win.” Chloe shook her head, smacked Keith playfully on his cheek, and skipped off to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and stared into it, thinking about what his favori nourriture could be. She decided she’d just make burgers and hope that it was the correct answer to his riddle. Besides, Irish people tended to l’amour burgers anyways. “Did I guess correctly?” Chloe asked when she walked into the living room after she was done. She was carrying two plates and set one down in Keith’s lap, taking a siège on the sofa suivant to Keith. He stared the plate and then at her. “Okay, you’re seriously starting to freak me out. How on earth did toi know?” “Hahaha, I’m psychic. Sorry to inform toi so late.” Keith gave her a little coup de poing on the arm, throwing his head back laughing. After they ate, Chloe made thé and they began to chat. Chloe was interested in knowing what Keith was doing here in LA, since he lived in Donegal. She also wanted to know what his occupation was and things like that. The thought of whether he had a girlfriend ou not also crossed her mind a few times, but she exhausted herself trying to push away those thoughts. Little did she know Keith also had a few interesting questions to ask her too. “So, Keith, what are toi doing here so far away from home? And when do toi have to leave?” Chloe cringed when she asked him when he had to go back to Ireland. She had already grown so fond of Keith, and would hate for him to leave soon. “Actually, I plan to stay in LA for another month, because I’m taking some vacation time from work. My dad owns a timeshare here in LA on the beach, mainly because he knows I adore surfing, so he wanted to give me someplace near the plage where I can enjoy myself and relax. I’ve also spent some time visiting Friends of mine. It’s been plus of a social visit rather than a surfing visit, until now.” Chloe looked puzzled when he a dit “until now.” What do toi mean, until now?” Keith gave her a mischievous grin, “I mean, I wanna take toi surfing. toi need some fun and relaxation time, Chlo. And perhaps I’ll challenge toi a bit.” He winked at Chloe, who wished he’d stop making it so hard for her to think straight and keep her cœur, coeur on the ground. “Oh…well…I guess I could take some vacation time. I’ve accumulated so much, and, after today, I do need it.” Chloe, being the most emotional person she knew, started feeling the tears in her beautiful green eyes. Keith looked at her with concern, putting his arm around her. She admittedly did like him being close to her, but still forced those thoughts out of her head as best as she could. She patted her eyes dry with her fingertips and straightened up, feigning the appearance of happiness. “I’m sorry, I just get..so…so,” but before she finished, Keith finished her sentence for her. “Emotional? I know, sweetheart. It’s okay. Friends are here to be comforters during times like these.” She smiled at him as a sign of intense gratitude. “Keith, one last question? If that’s okay.” She was very shy around him, yet couldn’t, and didn’t want to understand why. “Of course, toi don’t have to ask, Chlo. Shoot.” “Okay, thanks. So I was wondering, what’s your occupation in Ireland?” Keith froze for a second. He forgot that she didn’t know about Celtic Thunder, ou at least she didn’t recognize that he was a part of it. What was he supposed to tell her? That he’s some famous vocalist who is part of a well-loved Celtic male vocalist group? That would sound egotistical and VERY awkward. But he certainly couldn’t lie to Chloe. “Keith, toi okay? toi look, well, pale and nervous. Did I say something toi don’t want to talk about? I mean, we don’t need to talk about your occupation if toi don’t want to. I was just curious.” Chloe put her hand on his, trying to look into his eyes. Keith woke up from his thoughts. “I’m sorry, Chlo. It’s fine, I have no problem speaking about what I do, it’s just, what I do isn’t exactly…common.” “Well, whatever it is, I can take it. I’m very gullible, Keith, so even if toi a dit toi were Santa Clause, I’d probably believe toi too.” That commentaire made Keith laugh, and definitely loosened him up quite a bit. “Okay, well, before I tell toi about that, I hope toi don’t mind me asking, but I’m just so darn curious.” Keith put down his thé and walked up to the fireplace mantle. He reached for the hidden trophy he found earlier and walked back to Chloe with it in his hands. “I didn’t mean to pry; I was just admiring all your success. But, would toi mind telling me why this was hidden away from plain sight behind all your other awards?” Chloe couldn’t move, nor could she speak. She was shy and embarrassed all at once, and she knew that was surely not a good combination. Why did he have to find the one trophy she tried her best to avoid speaking of? Oh well, she had to tell him why she was being so secretive about it. Chloe breathed in heavily to steady her breathing, “I won that trophy a an ago, before I left for LA. In my hometown, Charlotte, North Carolina, a fine arts competition was being held. Back then, chant meant a lot to me, mainly because it brought my dad and I closer together. He was always so distant and we never really did get along very well. Then he became my vocal trainer, and from that jour on we were the best of companions. I won that competition because of him, and he could’ve never been prouder. After the competition, when we were heading home, we were having some fun chant along to some country songs on the radio, and that’s when it happened,” tears were flowing down Chloe’s red cheeks as Keith listened ever so intently, “My dad wasn’t paying enough attention to the road, which was all my fault, and he didn’t realize the traffic light was red. Before he could smash the breaks in time, a yellow Porsche rammed into the side of my dad’s truck. He was hospitalized for a week, but never woke up from his coma. He died the Friday of that week, which was April 17th.” Chloe could never take that story no matter how many times she shared it, and ended up breaking down crying. Keith, so dearly concerned about Chloe, gave her a comforting hug and started to sing “You Raise Me Up,” even though it was really Paul Byrom’s song to sing instead of his. Well, it worked for Keith’s voice too. At the sound of Keith’s singing, Chloe’s mind and cœur, coeur calmed completely. The song, but plus so Keith’s voice, rendered her at ease instantly. Then, she thought that his voice sounded somewhat familiar. She lifted her face to look at Keith in admiration. When he finished the song he smiled down at Chloe with worry and consideration, “Feeling better, Chlo sweetheart?” “Most definitely, Keith. That story is always a tough one for me, but I, in no way, blame toi for asking me about it. Besides, toi really did help calm me down, which is very weird. Usually no one could ever reach me when I start crying about something.” “I’m just extremely happy to know that you’re okay again. I’m so sor...” Chloe quickly put her finger to Keith’s lips, “No Keith, no I’m sorries, because there’s nothing to be sorry about, like I a dit before. But, now, toi still haven’t answered my question. What’s your occupation, silly?” Keith smiled that same dazzling smile right at her, “Have toi ever heard of Celtic Thunder?” “Of course! Except, believe this ou not, I’ve heard a few of their songs and ADORED them, but I’ve never seen them in concert and I’ve never seen what any of them look like, nor have I heard their actual individual names before. I l’amour their song ‘Heartland’ though! Sorry,” she laughed at herself, “rabbit trail. So, why?” “Well, Chlo, believe THIS ou not but, I’m one of the five vocalists in Celtic Thunder.” Keith laughed in amusement when he saw Chloe’s eyes grow wider than her mouth. Chloe was absolutely speechless. A celebrity was here right now, in her poor excuse for an apartment, and she didn’t even know?! “I…I…I…really don’t…know..what to say, Keith. Goodness! You’re…you…you’re…a..a..CELEBRITY!!! I can’t believe I didn’t even recognize your voice. I knew your chant sounded familiar, because I adore your song ‘The Island,’ but I just couldn’t put my finger on where I’ve heard toi sing before. WOW! So, why aren’t toi with the rest of your group?” “Well, we’ve just finished a tour, so we have a mois off now before we start practicing for our new show. The guys are down in Orlando, Florida and I decided to come down to my dad’s timeshare here in LA to catch some waves and meet up with some old friends. I never in my life, though, thought I would actually meet up with such an unbelievably incredible girl.” There he went with the complements again, making Chloe’s cœur, coeur dance and spin. “I would l’amour for toi to meet to rest of the guys, too. I know they’d just fall in l’amour with toi right away.” Chloe blushed a pretty red color at his choice of words. “In fact…” Keith continued, letting his voice trail off as he was thinking. “What is it, Keith?” “You a dit toi signed a contract with a ballet company, so, when is that contract up?” “Next month, Keith, but, why?” “Hmmm…well, I need toi to do me one favor.” “Okay, sure! What is it?” “You a dit toi l’amour Ireland, and would toi déplacer there any chance you’d get?” “Yup.” “And toi l’amour dancing and singing?” Chloe cringed at the chant part, but still, she did l’amour to sing. “Yes.” “Okay, so, promise me toi won’t renew that contract nor take up any other job offers for the suivant month?” “Sure, but why?” “I can’t tell toi yet, because I want it to be a surprise, but, based on what you’ve just told me, I think you’ll be happier than ever when I do tell you.” Chloe looked at him like he was crazy, again. But she was so curious that it made her giggle. “I’m so curious now…” “No, no, no.” Keith tsked. “You know what they say, ‘Curiosity killed the cat.’” “The two laughed hysterically. “You are such good craic, Chlo. I’ve honestly never been happier.” The sparkle in Keith’s eyes Il était une fois Chloe’s heart, and she wished she could tell him that. But that was the very thing she was trying to avoid. She knew all too well about how a heartbreak felt, though she was only heartbroken par a lover once. His name was Enrique Valdez, and she thought he was her soul mate, but he fell prone to the cheating disease. Ugh. She wasn’t willing to let down her heart’s guard, even for Keith. “Well, Keith, I think we’d better hit the sack, it’s already 2 A.M.” Keith looked at the clock on the mur with astonishment and yawned. “You are very right, Chlo. toi must be exhausted.” He examined her gorgeous face, noticing the redness of her eyes. He stood up and kissed her on haut, retour au début of her long, soft blonde hair. “Goodnight, sweetheart. I’ll be here, and please, please, please, don’t hesitate to wake me. I’m a big night owl, not so much a morning person.” “I will, Keith.” Chloe gave him a hug as a return for the kiss, “Goodnight, Keith! Sweet dreams!” “Goodnight, Chlo! Don’t let the bedbugs bite!” “Will do!” She called from her bedroom door. She shut the door, and immediately the tears began to flow. “Manda, Manda, Manda!” were the only words screaming out in Chloe’s head. It began to rain as she buried herself in the darkest corner of her bedroom. She had to keep these tears bottled up in front of Keith because she didn’t want him to worry over her, let alone pity her plus than she needed to be pitied. He was such a cheerful, fun, and happy guy to be around, so why put a damper on his spirits because of her? This was her battle, not his, so there was no reason to drag him into the blood shedding warfare of her heart. Keith was a loved and super-talented vocalist for the amazing Celtic Thunder, and he deserved to be happy during his stressful but rewarding life. Chloe looked up to the dark and stormy night sky, praying to God for hope. Then the lightning and thunder rolled in, seeming to shatter her prayers.
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Hope toi enjoyed it! Update to come soon ;) Thankies all toi sweethearts for reading!
