Nervous
"Don't tell me you've never watched a soap opera!" KC said as he and Claire sat on his bed. He had his arm around her shoulders as looked at his laptop.
Claire just shook her head negatively and pointed to a clip that said 'Spixie'." She frowned a bit. "What's Spixie?" She asked in confusion. Surely that wasn't the name of the soap. It wasn't even a real word!
KC laughed and clicked on the link. "Spixie is a nickname for the pairing of Spinelli and Maxie." He explained. Without another word,he watched the clip intently. Claire let out a loud shriek beside him and he jumped,startled before he looked at her questioningly. He stifled a giggle when he saw Claire covering her eyes and that her cheeks were flushed red. "Claire? What's wrong?" He asked in amusement,prying her hands away from her eyes so he could look at her.
She averted her eyes and pursed her lips,brow furrowing. "W--Why didn't you tell me that---that they," She said stressing the word they and pointing with one shaky finger at the computer screen. "Were going to have----sex?" Her face turned even more red when she whispered the word sex.
KC just blinked at her. "Um...sorry. I just didn't want to ruin it for you." He muttered,his head lowered in disappointement. He truly thought that Claire would like this show.
Claire felt guilty when she saw the sad look on her friend's face. "KC." She said, taking his face in her hand to get his attention back onto her. "I'm sorry. I DO like the show or rather what I've scene of it---I just...didn't expect to see that guy,Spinelli's? Belt being ripped off. It was shocking."
KC smiled at her wryly. "About every Spixie fan who was online the day this episode aired was shocked!" He said with a laugh. He quieted when he felt her hand still caressing his cheek.
As if just registering in her mind what she was doing,Claire pulled her hand away in embarrassement. "Sorry." She whispered shyly turning her body away from him and taking the laptop away,shutting it.
With no noise from the computer,the room was silent. The two friends glanced at one another awkwardly for a few moments. KC guessed the Spinelli and Maxie scene they had watched had made things so weird. Claire and KC could usually talk about anything.
Claire was fidgeting in her seat,restless. She was twisting her hands and fingers in he lap and chewing on her lip nervously.
"Claire?" KC asked gently,but firmly.
She jumped up from the bed as if she had been burned,pacing around the room.
KC watched her,blinking in disbelief at her movements. "Claire!" He shouted,his voice firm and serious. He grabbed Claire's wrist gently,stopping her on the spot.
Claire froze and turned her head slowly,looking down at him. "I----I should be going." She muttered,releasing herself from KC's grasp. She turned on her heel,without another word and rushed from the room,her long hair flying behind her like a banner.
KC ran after her. "Claire! Why do you have to leave? We can usually talk about anything." He said sadly.
Claire stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to face him. She walked over to him until their toes touched. "That show made me nervous." She told him,voice crackling.
KC laughed nervously at how close he and Claire were. He could feel her warm breath on his neck.
She frowned at him furiously. "I guess you think I'm a prude now." She said,looking down at the carpeted floor.
KC looked at her in confusion. His eyes widened as realization slowly seeped in. "No! Claire. I wasn't laughing at you. I would never do that!" He told her,pleading with her,with green eyes. His hand went to her chin and tiltedit up so he could look her in the eye.
"Then what were you laughing at?" Claire asked brokenly,pouting.
KC looked at her,then looked away if he kept staring at her he knew he would kiss her and he wasn't sure Claire would want that. He slowly took a step back,stumbling a litte over his own two feet. "I was nervous about how you make me feel." He mumbled.
Claire looked at him with wonder reflecting in her blue eyes behind her glasses. "And..how do I make you feel?" She whispered,staring up at him curiously.
He shook his head and sighed,taking a step torward her,his hand carressed her cheek again,thumb slowly stroking the soft skin. The two stared into eachother's eyes for a few moments before he leaned down and pressed his lips to her's. He could feel her body stiffen in surprise before she calmed and raised a hand to put at the back of his head.
When they pulled away,Claire looked at him with wide eyes. "What was that for?" She asked breathlessly.
KC smiled at her unsurely. "I like you Claire."
Claire cocked her head at him. "Well of course you do. We are friends. Friends HAVE to like eachother." She told him,obviously oblivious to what he really meant.
"You don't get it do you Claire?" He yelled in frustration,a hand running through his messy,sandy hair. "I LIKE you Claire. As in more than just a friend." He smiled at her bitterly and turned away. "Nevermind. You can go Claire. I know you don't feel the same." He said with as sigh,defeated.
Claire swallowed her nervouseness and her pride and said,"I never needed a guy in my life until I met you."
KC looked at her hopefully.
"When I met you,that all changed. I felt these feelings I had never felt before. And I've tried to ignore it...I have. But I can't!" She looked at him,making sure she still held his attention. "What I am trying to say is that...I like you too."
A smile curved on KC's lips. "You do?" He asked.,being sure he heard her correctly.
Claire grinned at him and nodded her head. "I do." She whispered,standing on her tiptoes and pressing her lips to his in a sweet kiss.
And in that moment,everything was fine.
The End