Claire gave herself another once-over in the mirror, before finally exiting the room, grabbing her purse, and leaving on yet another date.
It was 7:30pm and Peter was in his room, moping about miserably, yet again. And Claire was out on another date.
"This is the 3rd date she's gone on this week, what's up with her?! And she HAS been acting strangely around me lately too…..what's up with THAT…! 0.o"
Then he realised, then and there, that he should seek some women advice, about this. Peter decided that he would go pay Nikki a visit, considering that her and Claire were such close friends, practically sisters, maybe she could help him with this problem. Peter left a note for Claire, in case her date ended badly, and she returned home early.
"Gone to Nikki's house. Leftover pasta in fridge, help yourself ."
Simple sweet and to the point, but for some reason, he couldn't decide whether to write,
"Love Peter" or simply, "Peter."
He settled with "Love Peter," meaning it in a best-friend way. After all, they had been living together now, for over a year, after they had 'saved the world'. Peter thought it was normal.
oOo
Claire returned home early, again. None of these dates had gone as planned.
"Why can't I find someone, who will keep my mind off Peter? Everytime I go one 1 of my dates, I seem to think of him more, and imagine what it would be like, to have him sitting in front of me, rather than this random guy, that don't particularly like, who seems to be feeling my leg up and down, and with flirting with me, with that spark in his eyes." "Why can't it be Peter?? And that's the moment I say I'm feeling sick, and that I have to go home and lie down." she thinks silently to herself.
Not too long ago, Claire's feelings for Peter had resurfaced. The 'only a crush' feelings, Claire thought she'd gotten rid of, had in fact resurfaced and only last week, too. She had been trying to avoid Peter all week and she knew he was starting to suspect her, but what could she do? She couldn't, as hard as she had tried, just get rid of her feelings for Peter again. She had a feeling it would only work once, and even then, it didn't work properly, because here they were...it just wouldn't work this time, so, she had instead tried to use a plaster, to cover up the re–opening wound. The plaster, being a new boy yet to come into her life. Of course, her plan wasn't working as well as she would have hoped, and she knew she couldn't confront Peter, because he had just gotten back together with Simone. They were both her friends, so breaking them up would make her feel soooooo guilty, especially if Peter didn't feel the same way towards her, then not only would she have ruined Peter's chance with Simone, but also her Friendship with Peter as well, and she couldn't bear to do that. As much as she loved him, she couldn't risk the chance to ruin his life, and hers too.
As Claire read the note Peter had left her, her heart soared as she read the "Love, Peter" ending, she couldn't help it! And as she thought about it, the more times she read it, the more she realised that these feelings were here to stay. She had to tell him. Regardless or whether he felt the same way towards her, or only as a 'Best–Friend'. She had to tell him. She had to get it off her chest, "Maybe once I've told him how I feel, they might stop haunting me, and I could get on with my life" she thought "Okay, I'll tell him tomorrow night." She planned, before getting up to have a nice looong bubble bath to ease her worries and pains, and to prepare her speech to Peter
for tomorrow night.
oOo
Over at Nikki's house, Peter was explaining the situation to Nikki,
"And then I couldn't decide whether to write, "Love, Peter" or simply, "Peter." What does that mean???" Questioned Peter intently,
"Hrmmm..." Thought Nikki carefully "sounds to me like Claire's having a hard time grasping her feelings for you, and you, your feelings for her." Answered Nikki,
"And that means...?" said Peter, completely oblivious to the ginormous hint Nikki just gave him,
'Boys!' Nikki thought rolling her eyes, "It means that you need to sit down somewhere quiet where you can think, and go over your feelings for all the major women in your life, including Claire,"
"Oooook, but why?"
"Just do it! Make a list and write down how you feel about them, in what way do you love them, and as what. Why you might currently hate them, and finally, Claire. I can't tell you the reason she's been acting strange lately, because I don't think she wants you to know yet, otherwise she would have said something to you already."
Peter nodded and stood up slowly, processing all that information, taking his things and heading towards the door.
"Thanks, Nikki. Oh, and don't forget to wish Micah a Happy Birthday for me, but don't tell him about the surprise party, 'cause that's what it is, a surprise," grinned Peter,
"Don't worry, I won't, and I'll give him your warmest wishes as well" replied Nikki smiling at the thought of how surprised and happy her son will be at his party tomorrow night, "'Night!"
"'Night, thanks again Nik." Peter said before heading home.
oOo
On the way home, he had already started to go over his feelings for the major women in his life, and now he was up to Claire. 'Well,' he thought, 'She's cute, spunky, sweet, caring, and I love the way she feels so perfect resting against him, and the way his heart skipped a beat whenever he sees her, and the way her body feels so perfect against mine, and whenever she looks at me with those gorgeous emerald eyes, and I feel like hugging her and never letting her go, protecting her from the cruel outside world, and...' then he stopped himself. He realised that those thoughts were the same type of thoughts he had come up with previously with Simone. 'Now, that can't be right, after all, I love Simone, not Claire' he reassured himself, but still not entirely convinced. He finally decided to do Claire later, and concentrated on opening his front door and getting himself some dinner. Peter was so surprised to find that his hand couldn't keep still enough to fit the key in the lock, and settled on knocking instead.
Claire was surprised to hear a knock at the door, and even more surprised to see Peter standing there, key in hand, giving her that lopsided grin that made her heart beat 100 times faster
"And you didn't use your key, Why?" Claire asked stepping aside to let him in, being careful as not to betray her emotions.
"My hand had the shakes, it wouldn't keep still!" protested Peter, excuse sounding stupid. But for some peculiar reason he realised his hand was once again steady, and he felt more relaxed too. His stomach gurgled, and Peter glanced down to look at it oddly,
"Geez, I'm starving, I didn't even notice!"
"Didn't you have anything to eat at Nikki's house?" Questioned Claire,
"Oh no, all the food she had was for Micah's party. Man, it's gonna be a blast, Micah will be so pleased!" Peter beamed, clearly excited,
"Oh yeah, it's this Saturday right?" Asked Claire, although she already knew the answer,
"Yeah. What are you wearing, huh?"
"Oh, this & that, haven't really decided yet…"
"Oh really? Let me choose for you!" Declared Peter, leading the way to her room.
As Peter went through Claire's wardrobe, now and again pulling out tops and skirts, and handing them to Claire. Finally they laid all the clothes out on her bed and Peter chose a few outfits, then ordered Claire to try them on,
"Go on! I'll wait outside, be quick!!" he said excitedly, before exiting the room.
As he stood outside, he stared at the many photos of him and her put up all over the, apartment, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked in them all, how happy she looked back in Odessa, how happy she looked standing next to Zach, and as he looked, he felt the burning emotion, of jealously, that grew stronger everytime he looked at that photo. He turned away, wondering as he did, why he felt so jealous, and of what? He (Zach) didn't even remember her, and they were only friends, best friends at the most, nothing else! Peter moved along the hall, still confused over his emotions. 'Tomorrows the night of the party, I should be happy and excited, not worried about Zach!' he told himself, as Claire's door opened and e smiled. She looked gorgeous.
oOo
Tonight was the night of the party. The plan was, to let Micah think there wasn't going to be a party, then as he opens the door, arriving home after school, "SURPRISE!!" they would all shout, and then they would party all night.
Claire stood in front of her mirror putting her earrings on. The ones Peter had given her just before she left for Paris, so she would never forget him, not that she ever would anyway. She marveled at how perfect she looked, and thought how lucky she was to have Peter as a friend, who had such a flair for fashion. He could make her wardrobe look like a Princess's! Not as big maybe, but just as glamorous, if not more.
Claire took a deep breath, before stepping into the lounge, in full view of Peter. Peter was speechless, as he stared at the beautiful image in front of him, and he marveled at how gorgeous and perfect she looked in the simple god dress, and he couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face,
"Wow." Was all he could manage, but that one word was enough to make the blush start spreading across her cheeks, she ducked her head bashfully, "Say something else otherwise I'm
going to think that "Wow." Was a bad thing…" Claire said smiling modestly looking at her feet.
"What's there to say? You look amazing." Peter said, emphasising the 'amazing'.
"I don't look THAT great, I mean, I'm not a goddess or anything." She insisted, looking up at him,
and still loving the praises all the same,
"You are to me." Peter said sincerely, those words coming straight from his heart.
Claire realised it. This was it. This was the moment where she was going to tell Peter her true feelings about him. But what was she going to tell him?? "Peter, I hae something to tell you. I love you." No. to straight forward. 'Damn' she thought, 'this is going to be harder than I thought...' She took a deep breath, more nervous than she had been all her life. "Thank you, sooo much..." smile spreading across her foreboding face, "Peter...I've got something I've been meaning to tell you..." Claire said, not too sure how to begin.
Placing herself carefully on the couch, so as not to crinkle her dress,
"I know I've been acting really weird around you, and avoiding you, but I haven't liked it at all. Ignoring our friendship, barely speaking a word to you, being unavailable to just sit laugh, & chat with you, it's been plain torture, but I have a reason, and please don't laugh or walk out of the room before saying anything to me." 'Okay, here goes nothing' Claire thought,
"Over the past few weeks, well, my feelings towards you have, um, changed, and dramatically at that. When I first met you, you saved my life. I knew straight away that you were my hero, and I knew from the moment I met you, that I had a crush on you, so I thought. My feelings for you, might have always been there but only recently, have they developed, and become stronger and more recogniseable. I realise now, it was love. Love, that makes my heart beat at 100 km/h when you just brush against my cheek. Love that makes my heart do a somersault when you give me that heart warming lopsided grin that is absolutely adorable. And when I realised what these emotions were, I was too afraid to tell you, in fear of jeopardising your relationship with Simone, and our friendship would shatter into a million pieces too...and I knew I couldn't risk all that..."
"So, I decided I'd try and find someone to replace the place in my heart that's reserved for you, to protect you, but mostly, me, so I wouldn't be heart broken again." said Claire, referring to the time her adopted father wiped all her family and friends memories so they didn't even remember who she was. It broke her heart to not even be able to say goodbye to the brother that she had loved and grown up with, and she didn't want her newly mended heart, to be broken by the same person who had nurtured it back to normal.
Claire raised her head and gazed straight into the sky blue eyes of the person she loved the most,
"The truth is Peter, I love you, and I might have loved you right from the start, even though I might not have realised it, and I had to tell you, because it was gnawing away at my insides, and I've been dying inside, slowly, every time I see you with Simone, and realise, again and again, that I cant be with you, and you probably don't love me back in the same way…" Claire said despairingly. Her gaze by now, had already dropped down to her perfectly manicured toes and she suddenly looked up, breathing deeply as if she was going to say more, and burst into tears, bawling her eyes out , crying out all the pent up emotions that had wound themselves up into the tightest ball ever, she cried it all loose and away, she cried over all the mistakes she had made and the beautiful relationship that she knew would only exist in her heart, and another fresh wave of tears escaped.
Peter was so surprised by the sudden out burst of tears and he had embraced her in his most heart-warming hug he had. But, to his astonishment, he had been completely relieved in her confession of emotions towards, and he now realised that he had completely felt the same towards her. He had loved her in exactly the same way, but mostly, he loved her heart.
She had been heart broken when he had seen her last, and he had cared for her and mended her until she wasn't crying every single day, and he had loved every single moment he had spent with her. And he now knew why he always felt it. He felt like the world had lifted of his shoulders, and he wasn't bearing all its problems anymore.
He lifted her chin up, and brushed her tears away, as gently as ever, and as he gazed lovingly into her gorgeous green eyes, his heart skipped a beat and he said,
"The only reason I would ever break your heart again, would be to prevent you from ever falling in love with anyone else, that's not me." Then he leant forward and kissed her, ever so softly, like the slightest movement could break her fragile heart, and he loved her. So, so much.
They pulled apart and he rested his forehead against hers, and he spoke,
"I love you, Claire. Just as much, and only just now had I realised that, so Thank You."
Claire breathed a great big sigh of relief and she glowed inside, she had been so sure that Peter didn't love her in THAT way, but in fact, he had. And she was so happy. Now, that place in her heart, was empty no longer, and she didn't have to go to all that trouble just to replace it.
She rested her head on his chest, and they sat there for a while, snuggled there on the couch. Together. Finally.
And when they finally decided to go to the party, they walked hand in hand. All the way there, and in to the party, not caring at all what anyone thought, just happy that their paths had finally collided, and were going to stay that way forever.
The End