St. Clare, Or So They Say
What would happen if Eli did let Clare stay that night, after their conversation at Little Miss Steaks?
"Hey," a soft voice turns my attention away from my parents talking across the table. I know the voice before I look, "I'm Clare, by the way," she confirms my assumtion.
"This is Clare," my dad asks, "Welcome," I sigh internally. "They call me the Bullfrog, this is CeCe." he introduces himself in my mom, embarrassment sets in.
"Oh, we heard all about you, please," my mom chimes in, inviting her to sit.
"Thanks, I hope you don't mind me interrupting your family dinner," she apologizes, I put my head in my hand.
"Oh, no no, we were just talking about how Eli wrecked Lollapalooza," my mom explains, I play with the ring on my left index finger, sarcastically smiling at them. "So, what brings you to the steak house?" she asks, boldly.
"Well, I just-I couldn't handle being around my parents," she confesses, I lay my arms on the table and look at my hardly touched plate. I make a short bit of eye contact with her before my dad continues their conversation.
"Hey, it's none of our buisness, if you need a place to crash, our house is your house, anytime." I squease my eys shut, wishing he didn't say that.
"Wow, thank you. It's nice to know there's a guest room with my name on it," she smiles.
"Yeah, no guest room," he laughs.
"Excuse me," she says nervously.
"Dad, uhm," I try to interrupt before he ruins anything.
"We've been trying to get a girl into Eli's room, for a while now," he continues to embarrass me, and clearly her too. Her cheeks flush a light shade of pink.
"Dad," I plead, and beg in one.
"He even has a double bed in there," she laughs.
"Hey mom, could you give me and Clare a moment alone," I ask, going back to playng with a ring.
"Young love," she giggles to my dad as they leave.
"Sorry about CeCe and The Bullfrog," I turn in my chair.
"Well, they sure are interesting. Were your parents serious about me staying in your room?" she asks, cocking her head towards her left shoulder. I sit up a bit straighter.
"Well, uhm, they just assume that since we've been dating-" I try to explain, but she cuts me off.
"That we have sex," she continues, "Why would they think that?"
"It's just that, well, Julia," I pause.
"Your girlfriend," she answers my statement.
"Yeah, uh, she a-she had a lot of problems with her step mom," I take a breath, "So she stayed with us,"
"Like, with you, with you," she makes sure of what I'm trying to say.
"I didn't even know you existed yet," I defend myself.
"You know I'm not having sex until I get married," she starts.
"I got the memo," i interupt slightly.
"Does it both you," she aks the question I would have loved to avoid.
"It's not my favorite thing, but that's what's gotta be," I confess.
"We're really different, aren't we," she sighs.
"Opposites attract," I note.
"And get married, and have gets, and get divorced," she rants on.
"Clare, we're not your parents," I try to stop her.
"I'll call you later," she gets up fast and leaves. I take a slow sip on my water.
I'm walking towards my kitchen to get an apple when there is a frantic knock at the door, I open it.
"Clare?" I ask, shocked to see her. "Hey, what are you doing here?" I add more care into my voice.
I want to spend the night with you," she says, immediately start shaking my head, slightly. I stare for a minute, then walk down the stairs. She watches as I grab her bike, confused.
"I'll put your bike in the hearse, and drive you home," I wheel her bike towards Morty.
"But I don't want to go home, I want to be with you," she puts her small hands on my arm, stopping me.
"You don't have to do this," I try to reason.
"I want to, don't you," she asks bluntly.
"You have beliefs, this isn't who you are," I say truthfully.
"I don't know who I am," she yells, her eyes glossing over with hot tears.
"Alright," I give in, pulling her into my arms. "You can come in," I whisper in her ear. I take her bag from her and put it just inside door. "I'm still putting your bike in the hearse," I do so, and we go inside.
"This is not what I expected," she confesses, looking around my room.
"Sorry, I hide the coffins when I have company," I joke. She laughs, then sits on my bed. I sit next to her, and put my hand on hers, leaning over to kiss her.
It's late, my desktop keyboard is loud.
I guess you'll have to wait and see where this leads...
dunDunDUN.