Chapter 3

Cold...

Scared....

Alone...

Heart Racing...

What do I do? What did I see?

I slam my door shut! CLICK! The sound of the locks echoed through the empty hallway.

Why...? Claire...

No no! She didn't look happy, she didn't look like she wanted to.

He hit her! Yeah, he did, so Blackmail! Yeah, blackmail!

That's the only explanation. She definitely wouldn't do that.

CHIME! My phone's notification sound pierces through the silence to my ears.

I immediately pull out my phone to receive a text.

"We gotta talk!"

Of course you'd think it's Claire. But it's not, it's the crazy café chic, Cindy. I stand up and walk towards the kitchen. My parents are gonna be back soon, my solace is gonna be interrupted again.

"Come over to my place?"

DING!

That was... fast!

I pull the door open and she just rushed in and slammed the door behind me.

" Why did you follow me? "

" Huh? H-How do you know my house? " She pushed me inside more as she took more steps in.

" Are you stalking me now? "

She said as she poked a finger at my chest.

She looked disheveled. Maybe chaotic, her breathing and her makeup, all a mess and there was still a scar on her cheek.

"Claire..."

"How much did you see?! Do you follow me everywhere?!"

She yelled as she pounded her fist on my chest.

"Claire!" I know it's harsh, but I had to say with a stern voice.

She stared in my eyes, and I looked in hers...

This is progressing way too fast.

Tear drops streamed down her cheeks.

She looked hurt. What am I saying, I was there! She IS hurt!

"Jerome..." She sniffled intermittently.

"Did you see everything?" She said while looking down. Her tears dropping to the floor.

"Claire...What's going on?" We've already gotten this far, I might as well pop the question.

"How much did you see?"

"I didn't see much..." More like I saw it all .

"Good! Uhm..." She wiped the tears from her face.

"... Please, just forget what you saw! And please, don't let anyone know, my life would be over"

She said as she turned around to leave.

"Claire!" I yelled.

"You should clean yourself up. I'll make you a sandwich."

" No it's okay, I'm fine... "

" Claire! I insist?"

She paused for a second, then turned around.

Her pretty face, lined with tear marks and red marks.

Even in a scandal, she's still beautiful.

"There's a shower upstairs at the end of the hall way. You can freshen up in there. I think I have a shirt on the rack in there, so you can use it. I'll get you something to eat. "

She nodded quietly as she climbed the stairs.

I headed to the kitchen to make the sandwich.

Then it dawned on me!

Claire! Claire is in my house, taking a bath in my shower right now.

It's not the first time I'm having a girl over, so why do I feel so nervous?

After a few minutes, she heads down the stairs. The light thuds of her foot pushing against the plywood staircase planks echoed through the silence.

"All good?" I ask with a faint smile.

She nods

"Yeah, thanks"

"You can sit here, I'll get your sandwich"

She walked over to the couch and sat down.

She looked so pretty, and sexy in my clothes. The strands of wet hair that dangled was like added effect.

I walk over to the kitchen to get her the sandwich.

Oooooph! Okay, here I go!

I walk back to the living room with a saucer with a sandwich on it and hand it over, then I drop a coke on the chair.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" I know that must'a been the worst approach, but I shot for it anyways!

She looked hesitant for a moment, then.

"Yeah... I'm sorry about earlier. I was just flustered, I wasn't thinking straight "

She took a huge bite in and then some chews and a swallow.

" This is so goooood!" She said with a huge smile.

" Yeah, thanks... It's good to see you smiling again... Crying isn't you"

Once again I Kill the mood, cause she became quiet suddenly.

All through the time she ate, we were just awkwardly silent.

"Do you like me, Jerome?"

And like that, out of nowhere, she didn't only break the silence, she broke all the walls I used to keep myself calm.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

I replied

"Don't bother"

She says with a smile.

"Oh" This... This is my chance. If I don't take it now, then I might miss it.

"Yeah, I do" I said quietly.

She turned to me, and then scooched over gently.

How didn't I notice this sooner!

She isn't wearing a bra.

"Hey. My eyes are up here" She laughed.

Busted! Dammit! I was caught staring.

"I'm sorry"

"It's fine. I'll tell you a secret of mine"

Her face became serious all of a sudden.

"Oh, okay. Sure, what is it?"

"Earlier, in that alley. The guy you saw, that's brad."

Brad, I knew I recognized him! Brad! The leader of those cool guys.

"Brad has some... well, videos and pictures of me at work. And my job is a rather secretive one." She says while her fingers were fidgeting.

" What's your job? " I push my luck.

She smiles and then she pushes up against me.

Her hands running slowly down my chest.

Her boobs pushing up against my arm.

Then she whispered in my ears.

" I'm a red light district worker! "

Those words echoed all the way through my head.

I can't believe this! No way. Claire could never be-

" Just kidding! " She laughs.

" You should've seen the look on your face"

I remained quiet and looked at her face.

" It's a secret. Maybe if or when we get closer, I'll let you know." She pulls away slowly.

"I was supposed to meet up with you this evening, but since we're here, I'll tell you!" She climbed over me.

"H-hey! Hold on!" I said as I tried to take her off, but she proned herself on and locked on.

"Relax" She said quietly as she leaned in on the side of my face.

I can't relax right now. The lil guy down there's not relaxed at all!

"I like you too" She says then jumps off.

My mind's a mess, my heart's a mess! My body's a mess! I can't think straight!

She... she likes me?

"Claire..."

"I have to leave now! I'll borrow this!"

She grabs one of my jackets off the rack and runs out the door.

"Thanks for everything!" She yelled as she ran.

Oof! I slowly close the door but then I heard a thud. The door didn't close. So I looked to see what stopped it and it was a foot.

I open the door to see who was there.

"Cindy?"

"You were supposed to meet up with me? What was she doing here! "

... to be continued