Chapter 1
It was late Thursday night, and Clare couldn't sleep. She was staying at the Bhendari's until Sunday while both she and Alli's parents went on a kind of couples retreat. Clare's attempt at sleep was cut short by Alli talking in her sleep. While thinking that Alli would quiet down in a few minutes, she realized how thirsty she was. She decided to go downstairs to get some water.
As she reached the kitchen, she noticed Sav sitting in one of the big chairs around the table, writing in a notebook. He heard her steps approaching and turned to see who was coming.
"Oh I'm sorry Sav."
"It's cool. Why are you up so late on a school night?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"I couldn't sleep. I've got so much to do with student council."
"I'm sorry. Alli was talking and woke me up."
"That girl. I swear she never shuts up." They both laughed at the truth. "So what brings you to the kitchen?"
"Huh? Oh I was thirsty." She walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a glass. She then filled her glass with water from the tap.
"You don't want to drink that water. It's so gross. Get some from the fridge." She dumped out her glass and began to look in the fridge. She couldn't find any water.
"There's none in here." He got up and walked over. He took one look and noticed that the pitcher was gone. He then walked to the counter, where he knew it would be sitting. He refilled it and set it back down. He then took Clare's glass and put ice in it for her and filled it with fresh water. When he handed it back to her, she had a thoughtful look on her face.
"What?"
"I've never had a guy fix me a glass of water before. Thanks." She smiled at him. He smiled back, suddenly realizing just how pretty she was. She had always just been his little sister's friend so that's how he saw her-like a little sister. But as she was standing there smiling at him, with the moon's soft rays shining on her through the window, that's not what he saw. She wasn't just pretty, she was beautiful. Even looking tired and disheveled in her old t-shirt and boxers. How had he never noticed this?
"You should really reconsider the guys you hang around." She smiled in you're-so-right kind of way. She then finished her water and put her glass in the sink.
"Well I'm sure Alli's stopped by now so I better get to bed. See you in the morning." She smiled softly and started to walk away.
"Yeah. Goodnight Clare." He watched her go upstairs as he thought about his realization. He couldn't like her. She was only a sophomore, and his little sister's best friend. She was Saint Clare. The girl who went to church and swore to never have sex until she was married. She never said curse words and never did anything wrong. But then he thought about her some more. She had been there every time something bad had happened to him. She was there when his grandfather died. She was two years younger than him, but had tried to comfort him along with Alli. She was there each time he and Alli got into trouble for whatever reason. She was there when he and Anya had broken up so many times. She was always there to comfort, listen, or smile when he had really needed it.
He decided it was too much to handle right now. There was no way he could have feelings for Clare Edwards. He got up and walked upstairs to the room down the hall from the hopefully sleeping girl, who would now be in his dreams.