American Girl: Can't I Just Be Chloe?

When we got to the hospital, I saw that, to my utter delight, Frankie was not there with Victoria. I walked over to my best friend in an attempt to talk him, but he turned away. Something’s wrong, I knew. Frankie would never do this, not to me. I tried again, this time putting my hand on his shoulder. He pulled away. What the hell? I wondered when it happened for a second time. What did Victoria do to keep Frankie from talking to me? I groaned. “Frankie, what the hell? What is going on with you? I haven’t spent any quality time with you since Betsy’s wedding and now you’re freezing me out. What’s going on here?”

Frankie turned to face me. “You! I was told by Vicky that you threatened her last night. You called her at home and told her that she was cutting into our quality time. Don’t you get that I have a girlfriend now and that I’m not going to be spending as much time with you. People change. They move on. Now, how could you have upset Vicky like that?”

When I heard that, I knew exactly what had happened. Victoria knew. She knew that I was in love with him. I don’t know how she knew, but she did. And now, instead of threatening me to stay away from Frankie, she went straight for the hat trick and started lying. You know it’s bad when your mama doesn’t like her. All your friends saying she’s a liar. Those were the lyrics from Video Girl that I kept repeating. I had already proved that Denise did not like her. Now was the time to fulfill the second half of the lyric. “Frankie, she’s lying to you!” I yelled, tears streaming. “She’s trying to keep you for herself, to ensure that she gets all the fame and fortune her heart desires. I never said any of that to Victoria. Think about this, Frankie. Think about what I’m saying. Surely you must realize the similarity of what I’m saying to a song you know all too well. You’re becoming the song. Your brothers wrote the song almost as a warning to you. And, what do you do: do exactly what the song said not to do. I can’t believe that you would do that, Frankie!”

“Do what?” he asked.

I decided to quote the song. “You’ve become another victim of the Video Girl Syndrome!” I exclaimed. Tears were still rolling down my cheeks. “You may not realize it now, but you will. And, soon you will realize what I was trying to tell you two weeks ago before you introduced me to your Video Girl girlfriend.” I then stormed off before Frankie had the chance to respond and went to sit with Kevin. “Well, I told him. I told him.”

Kevin raised an eyebrow. It was as if he was unable to believe what he was hearing. I suppose it’s natural though since I said that I wasn’t going to tell him after seeing Victoria on his arm two weeks ago. “You told him that you’re in love him?” he asked.

“Well, not in so many words. I didn’t exactly tell him either. I merely implied what was going on in the hopes that he would realize what was going on and how much I love him. Victoria started lying to him about what was going on, hoping that Frankie would flip out on me. As she expected, he did and I don’t know if my best friend is ever going to speak to me again after the lie that Icky Vicky concocted to keep him away from me. It’s as if she knows that I’m in love with him,” I said sadly. “I’m not sure how, but she does.”

“The lyrics to Video Girl,” Kevin said. “They’re coming true. You know it’s bad when your mama doesn’t like her. All your friends saying she’s a liar. Did you mention that to Frankie?”

I nodded. “Of course I did.”

“And?” he asked.

“I stormed off before I could find out,” I said. “I was just too angry with him. Frankie refuses to believe that I wouldn’t threaten Victoria just to get my best friend back in my life. Sure, I hate Victoria because of what she has that I do not, but I would never do that. I’m not a mean person like Victoria. But, I talked to Zoe a little earlier and she thinks that I need to make Frankie jealous by dating her brother. He’s the same age as Frankie meaning that he might get jealous by me dating him. I don’t know if it will work, but it’s worth a shot.”

“But, it involves Mandolin’s cousins flying out here to California for her plan to work and make Frankie jealous of what’s going on, right?” Kevin asked, eying me suspiciously.

I nodded. “Afraid so.”

“Figures,” Kevin groaned.

“Kevin, what is so wrong about having Amanda’s cousins flying out here to California to see their cousin? I mean, they barely get to see Betsy. The last time they really saw her and got to spend time with her with something going on was before you met Amanda—the summer of 2008—when they last went to visit them. So, what’s the problem?”

“They remind me too much of Mandolin and how much I miss her,” Kevin replied. “That’s why Zoe stayed with Joe while she was here; I couldn’t stand to be around her.”

“That’s a stupid reason, but whatever,” I said. “I guess I really don’t have any room to talk since I haven’t exactly told Frankie that I’m in love with him over the past two years.”

“Obviously,” Kevin said.

Just then, Teddy came out. “A son.”

“His name?” we asked

“Gregory Warren Geiger,” he said.

“Can we go in and see her?” Kevin asked.

He nodded. “Kevin and Chloe first.”

So, Kevin and I got up, wondering why Betsy wanted to see us first. Well, I could understand Kevin, but why me? Why did Betsy want me to come in there as well? I couldn’t be sure what Betsy wanted, but I could be sure that it had to do with Frankie or Zoe. We walked into Betsy’s room. “What’s up, Betsy?” we asked, coming over and sitting down.

“Kevin,” she said, “I know this probably isn’t the best thing for you to hear considering what day it will be in two days, but I just gave birth to your nephew. My sister’s nephew. And, in two days, you’re turning twenty-nine, which would be the seventh anniversary of my sister’s death as well as the fact that it will be Garrett, Madison, and Jason’s seventh birthday. That’s the day I’m getting out of the hospital: the 5th. I know that’s not a good thing because I’m your sister-in-law and I know how much that day means to you…and me, but there’s really no choice in the matter. I’m here for two days.”

“Okay,” Kevin shrugged.

Betsy turned to me. “Now, Chloe, what did my cousin say?”

“Zoe and Kyle are going to try to come out here around Thanksgiving,” I told her. “They’re going to try and help me convince Frankie of the truth, which is probably going to be pretty difficult considering the fact that Icky Vicky has already started lying to him about things. She claims I threatened her to stay away from Frankie because I’m jealous of him spending time with her all the time. And, while that’s partially true, I most certainly did not threaten her. I wouldn’t do that to my best friend, even if I do hate his girlfriend.”

“Unbelievable!” Betsy exclaimed. “I can’t believe that Victoria would sink so low as to making up lies that she was threatened. I mean, I know she’s spoiled as evidenced by her connection to Video Girl, but trying to keep Frankie away from his best friend; that’s going too far.”

“Duh!” I said.

“Your cousins are going to try and help me with all of this though. They have a plan that they think will work to get Franoe together. I’m not really sure if it will work, but it’s worth a shot. I’m going to need everyone’s help though if I am to do this and ultimately tell my best friend how in love with him I’ve been for the past two years. It seems as if Frankie probably won’t even speak to me after what Icky Vicky did to keep me away from my best friend,” I told Betsy with a heavy sigh, upset that something like this had even happened to me. I then changed the subject, not wanting to talk about this any more than I already had. “So, Gregory Warren, huh? How’d you come up with that name?”

“Demi came up with Gregory seven years ago when we were trying to find a name for Garrett. Ultimately, I liked the name and kept it in mind. As for Warren, that’s a family name, a way to help me in remembering the mother I lost nearly eight years ago,” she said.

“Oh,” I said.

Betsy shrugged. “I had to find a way to remember my parents. I mean, I’m the one who suggested that Jason’s middle name be Jacob. It was that name in which we would have been named if we were boys. Joe always called us Panda and Lizard. Well, if one of us was a guy, it would have been Snake that Joe would call which ever one of us was a guy. And, Matthew—Garrett’s middle name that I came up with as well—is our cousin’s name. I intend on doing the same with my father’s side of the family. One of the middle names will come from my father’s side of the family so that he will be remembered as well.”

“That’s nice,” Kevin said.

“Yeah,” Betsy said. “Now, Kevin, could you send Frankie in? Chloe, hide. I’m going to be yelling at Frankie for not believing you about Victoria. He needs to understand just how much of a liar his girlfriend is. Of course, if Frankie knew that you were in here while I was doing this, he would suspect that I am only trying to help you. Now, while everyone else knows that I am, Frankie must not. Just as he is clueless regarding how much you’re in love with him, Frankie must be clueless about that fact that I’m helping you. Maybe with me will Frankie believe that Victoria is a Video Girl. I’m not really sure if he will, but it’s worth a shot. And, I have to try. I’ve known Frankie since he was seven years-old and he might believe what I have to tell him about the girl he’s chosen to date since I’ve known him for that long. So, go hide Chloe while Kevin gets his brother.”

I nodded and hid, knowing that Betsy might be the only person other than me and his mother who could convince Frankie of what Victoria really was. When Frankie came into the room, with a pout, I knew that this probably was not going to go very well. “Hey, Betsy,” he said.

“Tank, don’t even speak. From my delivery room, I could hear you and Chloe arguing,” Betsy lied. “I heard her trying to convince you that she would never threaten your girlfriend, no matter what happened. Now, listen to me, Tank; why in the world would Chloe ever do something like that? She’s your best friend. You’ve known her for seven years, since my sister died. Now, has Chloe ever shown any indication that she would threaten anyone?”

“No,” Frankie said.

“Exactly,” Betsy replied. “Now, why would you believe your girlfriend—a girl you’ve only known for a few weeks—over your best friend of seven years? That makes no sense.”

“But…” Frankie started.

“No buts, Frankie,” Betsy said. “You must understand the truth. A secret is being kept from you, a secret known to everyone but you for two long years. Chloe tried telling you the day she was introduced to Victoria, but you wouldn’t let her. Now, she’s been sulking since she lost the chance to spend time with you. All you’ve done since the day I got back from my honeymoon is spend time with Victoria. There have been only two days in which Victoria hasn’t been at your side: today and my twenty-third birthday, days we forced her to stay away during. Now, how do you think that makes Chloe feel, her being your best friend?”

“Terrible?” Frankie asked.

“Well, duh!” Betsy exclaimed. “Plus, the day that I came back and Kevin played that song he wrote for my sister, Victoria tried asking to be in that video. Hell, Frankie, you know what Amanda means to us and why that song got written in the first place. Why didn’t you reject Victoria being in that video like you were supposed to rather than having Chloe do it. Victoria knows nothing of the Jonas family or the history that the Weimar family has with them. You should have told her what that song meant and why only I was asked to be in the video. I mean, Garrett, Madison, Jason, and my son have more of a chance of being in the video for A Mandolin’s Heart than your Video Girl of a girlfriend.”

Frankie groaned. “Why does everyone keep saying that?” he asked. “My mother hates her; you and Chloe say she’s a liar. Why don’t you guys get the fact that Victoria is my girlfriend?”

“Because,” Betsy said, “it’s the truth. And, I can tell you right now that Victoria will start laughing at you when you’re not even being funny; there will be never-ending phone calls. Victoria is in only in it for the money; she lives for the fame. Now, when you come to understand that, only then will you realize what Chloe has been trying to tell you since Rebecca was born two years ago. Now, if I were you, I would go apologize to Chloe. She does not deserve to be treated in such a way and you know it. So, go apologize.”

“No,” Frankie said.

From where I was hiding, my jaw dropped. I could not understand why my best friend was so against apologizing to me for yelling at me. I just didn’t get it. Why? I thought. Why won’t Frankie believe me about all of this? Betsy, find out why he won’t do that.

“Why?” Betsy asked.

“Because she threatened Victoria. I’m sure of it,” Frankie answered. “Despite what you may say, Betsy, I’m positive of the fact that Chloe did all of this. I mean, sure, Chloe was like that before, but people change and promises are broken. When we were little, Chloe and I promised each other that we would never get jealous of one another dating and that we would always remain friends through it all. Well, I am here to tell you that I’m through being friends with her. People change and promises are broken. And, make sure to tell her that because I never want to see Chloe ever again. I won’t deal with it.”

With that, Frankie walked out of Betsy’s hospital room, angered by the fact that Betsy was only trying to help me. I came out from my hiding spot and collapsed in tears. “He quoted his brothers’ song,” I remembered. “He quoted Take a Breath in order to make a point.”

Betsy rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, Chloe. We’re going to fix this. Victoria is not going to get away with doing this to you, not if I can help it. I’m going to talk to my aunt and see if I can get my cousins out here. They are the only ones who can help us right now. Zoe’s plan is the only thing that can ensure that Franoe exists instead of Virankie.”