It has been almost two weeks since Jurassic World caught the proverbial fire. After we were evacuated from the island, Masrani Global stationed Claire and I at the Hilton in San Jose for a week. As we were the only two people, other than Barry, to survive the disaster that was the Indominus Rex, they wanted to hide us out for as long as possible in order to avoid the avalanche that was the media. They wanted to make sure they had some sort of defense strategy before they let us go back to the US to face the inevitable, long and arduous legal battle.
During that week in San Jose, Claire and I talked. A lot. Mainly about what had happened and how she wished she could chop off her feet after running away from a freaking dinosaur in heels. There wasn't much to do other than talk to each other and watch TV, which I couldn't quite enjoy as my Spanish is barely existent. Claire found it ridiculous that I could barely utter a word in Spanish, having lived on the island for over 2 years. In my defense, the environment I lived and worked at was crawling with people who only spoke English. She shook her head.
We would alternate between spending time in each other's rooms. The first day the only thing we could think about was having a long, warm shower and an uninterrupted good night sleep. So, that first day, we didn't really see each other. I think we needed it; time to process everything that had happened on our own. The next day though, I couldn't stand being in my room, so I went to knock on Claire's door after lunch. When she opened it, dare I say, she looked glad to see me? I thought so, which immediately make me giddy. She invited me in and put me up to date with what the big, important people of Masrani Global had told her.
On our fifth day, while Claire was talking to Karen and the kids on Skype, I finally gathered enough courage to ask her about us. I wasn't sure where we were exactly. I mean, I know she agreed to stick together for survival, but we had just escaped a very near certain death. She could've meant it at the time, but now that she had time to think about it, I wanted to know how she felt about us now. Would she give us another shot?
So, after she hung up with Karen, I blurted it out.
"Did you mean it? About us sticking together? For survival?"
She just stared at me. A little surprised, her mouth slightly open.
"I think so" she said, not quite sure of herself.
She closed the laptop and stood up from the chair and sat on the bed, facing me.
The disappointment must've shown in my face because she was fast at reassuring me.
"Don't misunderstand me. I want us to stick together. But at the same time, we barely know each other, right? We went on one date. One horrible date and then the few times we crossed paths, we barely even so much as glanced at each other's eyes, you know?"
She's right. We barely know each other, but at the same time, I feel like I know her. We learnt more about each other running away from the Indominus Rex, than what we could've learnt on 20 dates.
"So, you want us to get to know each other more?" I sit up a straight. "Okay, it's settle then. Ms. Dearing, would you be so kind to accept a second date with me?"
She wasn't expecting that, if the sudden stiffness in her shoulders is anything to go by, but she recuperates.
"I.. I would like that. But there's the issue of us not being able to leave the hotel for the next 2 days. Would you be willing to wait?" She's playing innocent. At this point she knows I would wait a million years for her.
"Would I be willing to wa… Do you even need to ask, Claire? And I promise, no board shorts this time"
"You better keep that promise, cause I'm not sure I can bear seeing you in one of those again" She laughs and relaxes a little. There's a glint in her eyes, something that I have never seen on Claire Dearing before.
"And I promise no itineraries"
I cover my mouth with my hand and bulge my eyes as much as I possibly can.
"No itineraries? Who are you and what have you done to Claire, you evil spirit?!"
"Really, Owen? Don't be so melodramatic. I'm an organized person. What's so wrong with that?"
"Oh, there's nothing wrong with being an organize person. Just, you know, let me take care of the romance this time, yes?"
"Romance? Seriously?" She stands up from the bed and opens the door of her bedroom. "You know what? Get out of my room before it truly sinks in that we're going out on a date again"
I start walking towards the door and stop right beside her.
"I have no idea what we're going to do on our date or when it's going to be, but be certain that is going to be the best date ever" I move in front of her and mouth the words, Best. Date. Ever.
She was about to say something but before she could, I planted a kiss on her lips and run out of the room and into mine. Small victories.