Hi! This is Part 2 of the Date I hope you all like it, and sorry if it's too long… I'm not really good at writing short works. Anyway, to Inuyashadude1000: you're pretty much right :) .
Again, thank you to those of you who have reviewed so far.
And here we go…
CAM'S Recap of Date: Part 1
I had picked Claire up to go to Aditi's around seven. She looked stunning as usual in a blue dress that made her eyes stand out. She seemed nervous, but I'm sure I did too. In the car I stupidly forgot that the radio was turned all the way up, so I nearly blasted out the both of our eardrums, but was pleasantly surprised that Claire liked the Strokes song that was playing. When we got to Aditi Claire helped my decide what I wanted, and seemed to be enjoying herself. Until I asked why we ever broke up. Then she started getting angry, which made no sense, because I was the only one who got hurt when SHE dumped ME. I felt kind of bad for asking, but I also knew I deserved answers. She didn't look at me after that, but then saw someone I guess she knows named Kirk, whose name she nearly screamed when she saw him. And I don't think she was expecting for this Kirk guy to be there…
CLAIRE
"What. The. Hell." Claire's eyes narrowed and fist clenched as she stood from her chair.
"What?" Cam asked.
Claire finally realized Cam was still there. Then she realized again that Cam was still there. Cam was here. Kirk was here. Shit.
"Nothing!" Claire quickly flashed a fake smile and sat back down. She tried to spot Kirk from the corner of her eyes, but when she couldn't, she gave up and turned her whole head around.
"You know that guy?"
"Huh?" Had she mentioned she knew him?
"That guy," Cam gestured toward Kirk with his drink. "Kirk? You practically screamed his name a couple minutes ago…"
"Yeah-yeah I, uh, take some classes with him." Claire wasn't completely lying; she did take a Latin class with him at the college.
"You want to go say hey?" Cam asked.
Claire most definitely did not want to go say 'hey.' Because even though Kirk was there with some chick Claire didn't know, she was with Cam, which was just as bad. Kirk didn't know who 'Derrick,' the guy Claire told him she was going to dinner with, but he did know Cam. From pictures anyway. And if he saw them together, he would burst. Claire had told him all about Cam when they first started dating, just as he had all his past girlfriends.
"No," Claire stated firmly. Wait, but what if he sees me? Claire's palms started to itch. She had to get out of here. "Do you wanna get out of here?"
"Huh?" Cam's eyes grew big, like he thought she was hinting at something.
"Leave. Do you want to go somewhere else?"
"We haven't even ordered the food yet…" Cam's confused expression was begging her for answers to her weirdness.
Claire saw Kirk move his hand out of the corner of her eye. She whipped around and saw him moving a strand of the other woman's hair away from her face. Claire stiffened. He was so cheating on her. She could tell. Aren't I doing the same thing? She shut herself up and turned back to Cam.
"We should really go. Like, now. Right now." Kirk turned around again to talk to the waiter and Claire instinctively ducked, nearly hitting her head on the wood table.
"Claire, what's wrong?" Cam leaned forward to make sure she hadn't hurt herself.
"Nothing. We just need to leave." Claire eased herself up, and grabbed her bag.
Cam still seemed confused, bust didn't ask any questions as he pulled out a twenty to cover the drinks and tossed it on the table. They both stood and Claire made a beeline for the door.
She maneuvered through tables and chairs, waiters and waitresses, trying her best to watch Kirk and the woman to see if they were seeing her, and trying to make sure she didn't bump into anything or anyone along the way. Almost there… she thought as they neared the doors.
"Claire?" Said a voice that was not Cam's. Of course. Of course. Of course this would happen to me. Of course I'd get caught. Wait, but he got caught too, right?
She whipped around to see none other than Kirk, who was now walking toward her.
"Wh-What are you doing here?" Kirk shook his head back and forth, like he couldn't believe she was there.
"Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?" Claire stood a little taller, trying to look confident.
Kirk reddened, just realizing maybe he shouldn't have come up to her.
"Kirk, is everything alright?" The woman he was with appeared behind him, resting her hand on his shoulder.
"No, actually." Claire crossed her arms across her chest, and raised her eyebrows, urging Kirk to explain himself.
But Kirk just crossed his arms too, and his expression darkened. He was urging for Claire to explain herself too.
"I don't understand…" The woman looked up at Kirk, then at Claire, then back at Kirk. "Do you know her?"
"Oh, he knows me." Claire pursed her lips in a 'haha-you're-in-trouble' sort of way.
"I'm not really following either," Cam was starring daggers at Kirk, starting to put it all together.
Claire suddenly realized she was at fault too. She went on a date with someone other than her boyfriend, and didn't tell the other someone she had a boyfriend. But she figured there was no getting out of it.
"He's my boyfriend," Claire spilled. "Well, ex now."
"Wait, boyfriend?" Cam sounded disgusted.
"Yes. Boy-friend," Kirk practically spat. "And you must be Cam," He glared at Claire. "Not, Derrick."
Claire looked down and picked at a piece of lint hanging off her dress. Ugh! How could this be happening! Please God, make it stop! I swear I'll go to Church from now on, no excuses! Just please make Kirk shut up, and Cam- well I don't know, but do something! Please!
"-Oh please, I have heard all about you, Cam Fisher," Kirk's words brought Claire back to the situation. She missed what Cam had said to Kirk, but she figured it wasn't too nice.
"Yeah? What have you heard?" Cam's fists were red from clenching, and Claire was afraid he might punch Kirk. Not that she would stop him.
"Oh-well, just that-" Kirk was shifting angrily, as he found that he knew nothing bad about Cam. There really wasn't anything bad to know.
Cam smirked.
Claire looked to the woman Kirk was with, but she was gone. Must have left Claire thought, Not that I blame her.
The three of them stood there, each afraid to be the first to speak. Claire picked at her nails, Cam starred daggers at Kirk, and Kirk looked around the restaurant for a way out. But he soon turned to Claire.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going out with him?" He gestured to Cam, but didn't take his eyes off Claire.
"I-I thought you'd be mad." Claire stuttered.
"Well, duh, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have told me."
Claire took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
Kirk let out the tiniest of smiles, which quickly faded when Claire asked her question.
"Who was she?"
Kirk kind of fidgeted, possibly looking for a lie, but thought better of it. He sighed and said, "Angela. I met her at the convenience store the other day."
Claire nodded slowly.
"And I was going to tell you about her Wednesday… but…" he trailed off.
Claire knew what he was trying to say. He had been planning to break up with her Wednesday.
"I get it," Claire was surprised with herself for not bursting into tears, or worse, trying to kill him with the steak knife on a nearby table.
"You do?" Kirk and Cam said in unison.
"Yeah," Claire shrugged. "It's not like I wasn't thinking the same thing."
"Yeah, apparently," Kirk half-joked, pointing towards Cam.
CAM
She had a boyfriend. And didn't tell me.
His name was Kirk, and he was at the restaurant too. And as the both of them had just found, on a date with someone who was not his girlfriend. But Claire was sort of doing the same thing.
And Cam was seriously pissed.
He wanted to punch Kirk, for hurting Claire. But Claire honestly didn't seem hurt at all. Neither did Kirk after they both told their sides of the story. He was angry with Claire now, because she was just as guilty, it seemed. Cam felt like a fool just standing there. Angela, the girl Kirk was with, had left ages ago, looking hurt and confused. Kirk had made a move to go after her, but stayed to give an explanation of why he was with her at all.
"So let me get this straight," Cam said, knowing full well what was going on, but wanted to hear it come from them again. "You," he pointed to Claire. "Have been dating him," he pointed to Kirk.
"Yes."
"And went on a date with me," he inquired, pointing at himself. "While still dating him."
"… Yes?" Claire answered, the answer sounding like a question.
"Unbelievable." Cam shook his head and turned towards the door.
"Cam! Wait!" Claire ran after him, but Cam didn't stop. He nudged his way through the line of people without reservations and went through the door. Out of habit, he held it open a second longer, since he knew Claire was coming. But he let it go when he realized what he was doing.
"Cam, please-" Claire caught up to him as he told the valet he needed his car.
"What?" Cam starred her down. "What, Claire?"
"I'm- I'm sorry."
Cam softened a little. Maybe she really was sorry. She certainly looked it.
"Please just- don't go." She begged, shaking her head. "I didn't realize he was going to be here, and, I really do owe you some explanations."
Cam finally smiled. "You do. And I owe it to you to listen."
CLAIRE
Claire and Cam were walking up to her favorite spot of the park, where you couldn't see anything but the trees around you.
"-I think we liked each other at first, but we just lost interest along the way," Claire shrugged as she explained her relationship with Kirk, which had ended less than an hour ago. Cam listened intently; staring straight ahead, with his hands stuffed in his jean pockets. "And neither of us really knew how to just say it, you know? I guess that's why I didn't completely freak out when I saw her with Angela. I mean, I'm sure he felt the same seeing me with you."
Cam nodded, taking it all in. Claire kept going.
"And I really did want to say something. Or, I thought of saying something… I guess I just thought it wouldn't be a big deal, or that you wouldn't like him."
"Claire, it doesn't matter if I like him. It's kinda more important that you like him." Cam let out a laugh.
"True…" Claire laughed with him.
They got to the spot Claire loved, and she plopped onto the ground, then lay on her back. Cam followed.
They just laid there for a while, and looked at the stars. Claire could smell Cam's Drakkar Noir, which she had been deprived of for much to long. She inhaled deeply, and then smiled like she was high off of it.
"When you asked me to dinner on Wednesday I didn't even think of Kirk until after I agreed," She continued. "I was happy to see you. Shocked, but happy. And, like I said before, the relationship with Kirk really wasn't even working out."
She waited for a response, but none came. He wanted to explain something else too.
She closed her eyes, took some breaths, and began. "Okay, in high school, I was beyond happy. I was in love with you. I knew you were in love with me. You were the only guy I had ever really dated, and the only guy I ever planned on dating. You were the sweetest, most wonderful guy I had ever met, so trust me Cam, I didn't break up with you because of anything you did. It was truly and honestly all me. You have to get that," She glanced his way, but he showed no difference in expression. "Anyway, then you got a soccer scholarship to the University of Virginia (A/N: I know they have a pretty good soccer team sooo… yeah.), and I wasn't going there, I was coming here and I wasn't sure if a long distance relationship would work-"
"Claire, I said I'd come here instead if you wanted me too."
"And forget your scholarship? Cam, I could never make you do that. Soccer means the world to you." Claire said.
"So do you."
Claire held her breath. He hadn't said it in past tense. Did he still feel that way? Did she? What would Massie say? Claire wanted to slap herself, since Massie shouldn't even be a factor in deciding that, but thought Cam would just be more confused.
"That's not the reason I broke up with you," Claire said softly. "I mean, it's part of it, because I didn't want to hold you back, but it was also… Massie."
"Massie? What does she have to do with anything?"
"Something she said."
"What did she say?"
"That you were my first love and I had to let you go. That I had to go out and live a little, that you had to live a little. She said I hadn't had any fun or something. That it would better for the both of us if we stopped there." She finished and waited again for a response.
"That's bullshit." Cam said.
"Huh?" Claire was startled by Cam's words. Not the profanity, but just the words themselves.
"Bull-shit," He simply replied. "We had fun right? We could have gone out and seen the world together," he said in a mocking Massie-tone.
Claire had never thought of that, which made her feel kind of stupid. Her dream was to go to many different world countries when she was older, but why hadn't she realized she could've done that with Cam? She could live a little with Cam. She'd already tried to without him, and that didn't turn out so great.
"You're right," Claire admitted.
"I know," Cam said. Not in a smarty-pants way, but just a simple way. He knew she knew he knew. Make sense?
They again sat in silence, Claire more peacefully than before. A huge weight had just been lifted off her chest, a burden she had lived with vanished.
"Have you dated anyone else?" Claire normally wouldn't ask such a straightforward question, afraid of what he might say, but she felt freer than before.
"Not really," Cam wrinkled his nose. "I dated this girl, Mandy, for a few months, but she wasn't the girl for me."
"What was she like?"
"Kind of snobby, wore lots of pink," Cam laughed. "And she did not like sweets."
Claire fake-gasped. "What! Oh, how terrible!"
"Right? We even went to the movies one time and I ordered her some sours and she was like, 'No… The carbs will murder me,'" he finished in a generic female voice, then they both burst out laughing.
Claire laughed till her sides hurt. It felt good to laugh. Even better to laugh with Cam.
"I don't even know why I was attracted to her, she wasn't my type at all."
"Maybe that's why. You wanted to try something different," Claire suggested.
"Maybe," Cam paused. "I think I'll stick to my type from now on, though."
"Sounds good," Claire giggled. She knew he wasn't necessarily talking about her, but he very well could be.
"Oh, jeez, it's really late, I should take you home." Cam stood, then offered his hand to Claire. She grabbed hold of it and nearly flew as Cam's strong arms pulled her up.
They trekked back to his car, her arm in his. She rested her head on his shoulder, exhaustion sweeping over her. She slowly closed her eyes, and not to long after felt Cam pick her up. He soon had her in the front seat, where she fell into a deep sleep.
"Claire…" Cam sing-songed. "Claire… wake up…"
Claire opened her eyes groggily and looked around. They were in the parking lot of her apartment building.
"Oh, we're home." Claire yawned, then opened her door. She slowly walked toward building, nearly too tired to stand.
Cam caught up to her and slid his arm around her waist, helping her stand up straight.
They eventually made their way up to her door, and she dug out her keys. After unlocking the door, she turned back to Cam.
"Thanks so much for tonight… Even though we didn't get to have dinner," Claire said guiltily.
"You're welcome," Cam smiled. "We should do it again some time."
"Definitely," Claire smiled back. "Well, I'll see you Monday."
"Yup," Cam leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek goodbye. Only, she didn't realize that, so she turned, and his lips crashed onto hers. At first she was shocked. But it felt so right. So she didn't bother jerking away. And neither did he.
Until her phone started ringing.
They both jumped back, and Claire pulled out her phone.
Massie, it read. She hit ignore, because even if she was in the position to answer, it was way to late for Massie to be calling.
"I'm sorry," Cam blushed.
Claire giggled. "It's fine."
They stood there awkwardly, staring at each other, then Cam shifted his feet and started to back away.
"You should get some rest… I'll call you tomorrow."
"Okay," Claire nodded and smiled. She rested her head on the doorframe as she watched him walk away. She didn't even bother pondering whether he would actually keep his word and call. She knew his would. He was Cam Fisher, after all.
The only guy that made her the best Claire Lyons she could be.
Whaddya think? Like it? I hope so
Please review and all that good stuff… I hope to update this within the next few days, but tomorrow and Wednesday I have SOL's (Standards Of Learning tests, but SOL ironically also stands for Shit Out of Luck.. which is exactly what the students are ;) )
