Chapter Three
Claire woke up to the door opening, letting in the rushing sound of the hard wind. Her father said to her,
"Claire there's a young man waiting for you outside." She blushed.
"Who?" She tried to sound calm, although she wasn't.
"He told me to keep it a secret. Now get dressed!" He told her, rapping his scarf around his neck. She nodded and got up, her warm feet touching the ice-cold ground. She thought to herself,
"What kind of spring is this?" She put on a light blue blouse with her good jeans. They were darker than her normal ones and they didn't have any rips. She admired herself in the mirror and braided her hair.
"Your not going to a ball, you know." Her father said holding the door for her.
"I might as well be." She smiled, flouncing outside. She wore a pretty, long, jacket rimmed with fur, a matching scarf, a matching hat, and her brown uggs. She looked outside, and saw Marlin. He was wearing a sweater, his hair ruffled, a scarf, and good pants and shoes. He looked up and saw Claire and blushed. She ran up to him and he looked her in the eyes and blushed.
"Will you go to the spring party with me?" He asked quietly. She smiled and blushed.
"Sure…" He hugged her tightly, and they both blushed. Rock was coming into her yard with flowers that could only be found in the high mountains. He saw them hugging and he turned green. He screamed and through his flowers on the ground. He stomped on them and ran to the safety of the bar, wiping a tear from his eye.
"I hate him…" He mumbled, crying.
When he got in the bar, he saw Muffy flirting with her mirror, and he had a mysterious shine in his eye. He went up to her and looked dreamy.
"Hey Muffy…" He said.
"Oh, hello…. Uh…"
"Rock. You look very pretty today." She looked angry.
"Today!?"
"I mean better that usual, and that is pretty great…" He continued, wishing that Nami were here to see him finally get a girl. She looked at him. Smiling evilly, she spoke.
"You aren't getting a free drink." She smirked. He looked embarrassed, then he caught himself.
"I don't want a drink…" He gulped. "I want to go to the Spring Dance with Cl- you!" He said coolly, almost saying Claire's name.
"Kay. See ya then." She smiled flirtatiously. "And remember, no free drinks." She winked and he left. He couldn't believe that he just set a date with Muffy in order to get Claire. Who was he?
"Oh well…" He thought, "I am sorry though…" Then he saw Marlin leaving Claire's farm. "On second thought, maybe she deserved it."
