When I See You Cry, I Smile, a clique fanfic

When I See You Cry, It Makes Me Smile: Disclaimer: Don't own the Clique. Own the plot.

Beta'ed by RhiniHeartBreaker

Claire skipped along the cobblestone steps of the courtyard. She had a permanent grin on her face while she went to meet up with the PC. Knowing that she was in the 'Scene of the crime' of the worst day of her life didn't even bother her anymore. In fact, she felt absolutely no pain.

After the impromptu kiss with Josh, he had asked her out. They had been together for a few weeks and were extremely happy. He was much better for her than Cam ever was.

Her smile hadn't left her face since that day.

Since the Pretty Committee wasn't there yet, she sat in their usual spot and waited. She hoped they would come soon. She was seeing Josh later. She giggled like a little schoolgirl. He had such an effect on her, even in her thoughts.

Claire heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She was going to reprimand the PC playfully for taking so long.

Then Claire looked up. And the smile was wiped clean off her face. It wasn't her friends. It was Cam.

Josh stealthily crouched on the floor as he hurried to some bushes. Derrick had told him that Cam was going to try to talk Claire into getting together despite the fact Claire was his.

"Wow. I'm already becoming possessive," Josh thought taking a pause in his 007-ish moves. He shrugged and kept going.

He needed to spy on the exchange between Cam and Claire. If Cam said or did something out of line to Claire, he will not see tomorrow.

Josh got to the bushes and could clearly see Claire. He smiled tenderly. She was was smiling too and he chuckled. He hadn't seen her stop smiling since they started dating. She looked up and he saw the normally undisturbed smile leave.

He got a little closer to the gap in the bushes to see what had stopped the smile. Cam had arrived.

"Hey Claire," Cam said, a grin touching his features.

"Hello Cam," Claire said coolly. She really didn't want to see him.

That heartbreaker was on her list titled 'Who I must kill before I'm thirty'. Coincidently, he was number 1 on that list.

Cam looked surprised at her tone of voice. She didn't know why he did. He was the one who broke her heart and he knew it. "So what's up?" Claire said. She wanted to get this over and done with.

"No pleasantries, I see," he responded instead.

"For you, no."

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, Claire. I like you. And I want you to be with me."

Claire's jaw fell. Was he completely serious? He broke her heart and now he wants her? She had many things to say to him (some extremely rude), but settled on something to start with.

"What about Olivia?" Cam smiled brilliantly. Then Claire realized how that must have sounded. It sounded as if she wanted him too. But she couldn't take it back now.

"She's history," he said, his smile still in place.

She stared at him disbelievingly. "You do know I'm with Josh now, right?" Claire really liked Josh. How could Cam think that she would just throw him away because he wanted her now?

"You could break up with him. And then we'll be together," he said patiently, soothingly almost.

Claire stood. "No! I'm not going to break up with him, Cam."

Cam looked confused. "But, don't you like me?"

"No, Cam. I don't. You broke my heart, how can you expect me to still like you?!" she shouted. He did not know what he had gotten himself into. He had unleashed the wrath of Claire. And as the saying goes, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Josh continued to watch the conversation between Cam and Claire from his place in the bushes. When he finally heard what Cam wanted, his jaw dropped too. How could that bastard actually think Claire would still want him after all he had done to her?

He had seen the damage first-hand and still cringed when he thought about it. The dead look in her eyes had been almost unbearable to see. But he had brought the shine back and brighter than ever.

But when Claire asked her next question, his initial doubts began showing. In the extremely early stages of the relationship he was unsure how much Claire actually liked him. He wondered that if Cam ever wanted her again, would she go running back? Though, later on, the fears left as her complete devotion to him and only him were plainly obvious.

But now, when she asked her question about Olivia as if that was the only thing standing in the way, he freaked out. Would she really leave him? However, as he continued to watch and listen to the exchange, the fears left again. Claire looked furious. And as Josh very well knew, messing with a woman scorned is not a good idea.

This could get really interesting.

When Claire had shouted her last sentence, students in the courtyard began listening intently. A crowd was formed in seconds as others began realizing what was happening. Claire felt a bit of sympathy directed toward Cam for what she had to do next. She would have liked just to tell him off in private.

Well, that hope was tossed out of the window. Everyone wanted to see a Pretty Committee member tell off an ex-crush.

Yes, even the regular people of OCD knew of what went down on the lowest day of her life. It was a bit noticeable when they saw Cam walking around with Olivia and Claire dejectedly looking disregarded the crowd and turned back to Cam. Seeing his face after that completely idiotic move he did brought fresh fury that overshadowed the miniscule amount of pity.

The livid blonde tried to manage her anger into something that would resemble sentences instead of loud swear words. "You only want me now because Olivia probably dumped you, don't you?" Claire asked, underlying anger barely hidden beneath the surface of her calm voice.

"No, Claire! I dumped her. You're the only one I love," Cam responded desperately.

"You love me?" she questioned flatly.

"Yes," Cam said, as if she finally got the point of this conversation. He smiled at her.

"Well, Cam," Claire started, "That doesn't mean jack. I don't love you. I don't even like you! You're the lowest excuse for scum I've ever had the displeasure of meeting."

Cam looked shocked. How the hell could her words shock him? He must have known that she hated him after what he did to her. He took away her happiness all those weeks ago. She was totally lost.

Claire had felt used and unwanted. Her friends couldn't even help her. Claire had thought she would stay like that for a long time. Damaged goods, that's what she called herself. But because of Josh, her happiness came back and more than before. As said before, her smile hadn't left since that day.

And now, he has the nerve to want her back?! She is not someone who will just wait around for him. She will not be used, thrown away, and then expected to be used again. Thanks to Josh, Claire has become stronger than that. She doesn't just see the end of the tunnel, she's there.

"I hate you, Cam. You just want someone now that you're alone. But that someone is not me and never will be." Claire practically saw Cam's brain working overtime for a way to respond.

A light bulb seem to flash above his head before he looked crestfallen. The blonde-haired girl was very confused. What could this ex-crush have up his sleeve?

Salty tears began to fall off Cam's cheeks. Her jaw was on the floor. Was he seriously crying?

The Yankees-obsessed boy watched the heated dialogue as closely as he would in a baseball match. His head went left or right, depending on who was talking.

Josh got a bit of pleasure seeing that Claire was the most angry he had ever seen her. Though when he heard Cam's casual declaration of love, his fists clenched. Oh, what he would give to just punch Cam right in the nose for saying that.

He knew Claire was with Josh. But Josh stayed. He wanted to see the end of this argument and could not get involved. This was Claire's fight. Josh smiled when he heard Claire's retort to Cam's announcement.

He never knew Claire could get that. Oddly, he liked it.

Josh brow scrunched together when he saw tears coming out of Cam's blue and green eyes. He couldn't believe it. What a low way to fight. Using the tears? Who even does that besides manipulative girls? Apparently Cam.

More tears kept streaming down Cam's face. Claire stared dumbfounded back at him. He was crying? Honestly, it's not like she insulted him that bad. She just told him the truth. Although, Claire knew he was crying only because he wanted her pity. Cam was probably hoping that Claire would relent and be with him just because he was crying.

He obviously hadn't met the new Claire. The old Claire would have her eyes shining with empathy and do whatever he asked.

The new Claire didn't even have remorse. He deserved it. As he kept crying, a half-smile crept it's way onto Claire's didn't understand why she smiling. She knew it was horrible to smile when someone was crying but she couldn't stop the grin even if she tried. Claire felt as though he finally got his just desserts.

Even though she knew he was only crying to get on her good side, she felt happy that hot tears were falling from his face this time around. A giggled bubbled from her throat. And that giggle eventually turned into a full fledged laugh.

"Why are you laughing? I'm crying for God's sake!" Cam shouted through his fake tears.

"You must have messed up my mental health. Because your misery is extremely hilarious to me," she said between fits of glared at her. She just smiled.

After laughing at bit more, she sobered up. "Cam, here is the thing, plain and simple. I don't like you. I like Josh and I'm not breaking up with him for you. So, leave me alone because I don't want to be near such a disgrace to humanity," Claire added coolly.

Cam glared one last time and walked away. Claire smirked after him.

Josh was more confused than ever when he saw Claire laughing at Cam. Did she have some sick pleasure in watching people suffer? Even people who are pretending to suffer?

Although, when he thought about it, Cam did deserve to be laughed at. He was being ridiculous crying for pity. Josh almost laughed himself. Josh knew Cam deserved everything he got, even Claire's final scathing insult.

When the blue-green eyed boy finally left, Josh stood and walked over to Claire. As soon as he was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her small waist and laid his head on her shoulder.

"Hey Claire," he whispered in her ear. She turned around and gave him a giant hug.

"Josh! How are you? Sorry I didn't meet you, I was a bit detained," she said apologetic.

"Don't worry about it," he responded. And he really didn't want her to worry. She had gone through a lot in a few minutes. She didn't need to worry too.

Claire smiled up at Josh. The smile was back as if the whole Cam dilemma had been just a twisted day dream. He was such a wonderful guy. Completely forgiving and attentive. She really didn't want to let him go.

"So," she started shyly, "Did you see the fight?" He probably did. All the shouting Claire did was probably heard for miles.

"Yeah," he said as shy. Claire wondered why. "I was behind the bush making sure he didn't do anything"

Claire laughed. "You didn't!"

"Yes, I did," he said softly. "I was fighting the intense urge to hit him."

"So was I." They both laughed.

"Josh," she started, "I'd never choose Cam over you. You're so much better than him in so many ways, I'm surprised anyone can say Cam has good qualities compared to you. I really like you, Josh. And I'd never give you up."

He smiled. "I know."

He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss. She responded quickly. Everything faded into the background. And it was just them. Claire and Josh. Forever. And nothing was coming between them again.