Hello I'm really sorry about the late update ANYWAY here's the new chapter! Please R&R

I sat on the couch kicking my feet in complete frustration. It's been 15 minutes, why did they have to go? My stomach was in knots, what if Monica sees them she'll have a field day knowing that Claire's dumb enough to come back, and she's never liked Eve so that won't help. I should have gone, why didn't I go?

From the second I saw Claire I knew we were similar. We don't whine and we don't take for for an answer. That's not necessarily a good thing.

The one thing I didn't have to worry about was Michael waking up and burning me for letting them go. I've lived here for about a year and never once has that lazy bastard bothered to go up before dinner.

My stomach was churning so hard. Why? Because I let the girls go without me, but everyone in this town knows I can't be near Monica. Dumb bitch, I was getting angry just thinking about her.

The key turned in the lock and Eve's boots proceeded into the house quicker than usual. Oh hell. I got up and ran to the door.

'Agh! Collins, what the hell is wrong with you?' Eve half yelled in my face as I nearly took her out running.

'What. You where running I though you know, trouble.' I said in my defence.

Eve scoffed. 'You thought Monica would chase us? Like she's risk wearing the heels off her Louboutins.'

Okay fair point. 'So what happened.'

'Exactly what was meant to happen funnily enough. Claire grabbed her stuff in peace, no Monica, and went to class.' Eve mused. 'High five on that victory.' She held up her hand grinning.

We didn't get many victories but still I wasn't sure. 'Wait she just casually told you she didn't see Monica?'

'Well.' Eve frowned. 'I mean, she looked a little spooked but I think it might have been nerves.'

Ughh! 'You think?' I asked her.

'Yes Shane, don't worry about her.'

I revisited my earlier thoughts on me and Claire being alike. Would I admit to being threatened if it meant people would be all over me? Hell no.

'Eve I don't think-'

'Shane, quit worrying! She'll be home in a few hours you can ask her yourself then. I just came to put her stuff away.' She held up the three bin liners she'd been clutching in her hand. She then ran upstairs and came back down a minute later empty handed. 'See ya.' She said and marched off. Oh I will be asking her about her little trip. She's lying and I know it.

For the rest of the day I didn't have the energy to do much. Not even X-boxing, so I just lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling. My temper was pretty high considering my mind had hours to wonder about all things that Monica could have don't to Claire in that short space of time, and then Claire lying about it.

I'd decided it had been enough time for 'a couple of classes' and I walked into the hallway and slumped onto the bottom stair in front of the door so I could greet Claire.

After about 10 minutes the key turned in the lock and I vaulted to my feet. She's not getting away with this.

She walked in head down, not seeming physically more hurt than she was before but I still stared at her, after a second she met my eyes and held my stare.

'Eve put your crap up in your room.' I started.

'Thanks,' she replied, like I wasn't being an asshole. Several bags rustled in her hand.

'What's that?' I asked her.

'Stuff for dinner.' She seemed totally casual. Maybe nothing did happen. Or maybe she's putting on an act. I studied her curiously for a moment and said.

'You know for a smart girl you do some dumb things.' Pretty much sums her up.

'I know.' She said and walked toward me. I was getting pissed off again. I've been worried sick and here she is acting normal and lying to my face.

'Eve says you never saw Monica.' I said keeping my tone steady but not particularly nice.

'That's what I said.' Yep, but that doesn't make it true.

'Well you know what, I ain't buying it.' She glared at me,

'Well you know what I don't care.' She told me and took a few steps forward so she was directly in front of me.

'Excuse me.' She said and ducked under my arm. Is she angry now? Was she telling the truth, possibly a reason for her attitude. God damn I thought as I followed her into the kitchen I can't do right for doing wrong.

'Lemme guess you're making Chinese.' She ignored me. Be nice, be nice. 'Anything I can do to help?'

'Chop onions.' O...k not what I meant. But I guess I have to do it now. I picked up one from the bag and fiddled with it for a while. Looks kinda big.

'You have to peel it first.' She said like it was the most obvious thing, I just shot her a look.

'Um-I should probably call my mom.'

'You have to pay for long distance.' I told her. Only other person that does it is Mike when her calls his parents.

'Sure' she replied. I shrugged and gave her the phone, when she nearly dropped it I smiled but she looked pretty proud she didn't. I acted like I was concentrated on the onions, but actually I was curious about Claire's normal little life back home. Eavesdropping might give me some more info on her.

'Mom it's Claire.' She said after a couple of rings, I could hear a happy voice on the other line but couldn't tell what was being said. Claire smiled and continued talking. 'Classes. Sorry I haven't been home much.' Yeah too busy running.

I watched her roll her eye's,

'Mom I-I'm fine. Really it's all ok now.' She carried on. I cut the onions into cubes as it said in the recipe book in front of us on the counter.
'Honestly mom I don't – I'm fine. It's OK. Classes are really good-I've made friends here they're looking out for me.' I smiled again; yes we are as much as we can when she refuses to listen.
'Yes mom.' Wow. I couldn't hear half the conversation and I already knew what kind of mother Claires was just from her responses. I opened my mouth intending to ask if if she's told them about her bruises but before I got the first breath out she was waving her arms at me. No no no, she mouthed. I shut up. She clearly hadn't filled them in on her living arrangements either. That's going to be awkward.

'What mom.' She said after her attention had slipped. And I figured out why she didn't want me to speak.

'Yes mom Howard hall has somebody on duty 24/7 to keep evil nasty boys out of our rooms.' Ha-ha! I held back a laugh and raised my eyebrows. Her parents don't even like boys being in her dorm building, wow now I cannot wait for her confession about all this, I wonder if it will include that part about people actually having sex in this house. Mommy Danvers is going to lose her mind.

'Mom I have to go. I have a ton of studying to do. How's dad?' I was done with the onions so I silently handed them over to her.

'Classes are great daddy.' She threw the onions into the pan and immediately tried to block the frying sound from going to the receiver.

'Um... no, I just opened a coke.' She went over to the fridge and got a can out and sipped it. Looks like she doesn't like lying much.

'How are you feeling? ...I know daddy, that's great.' She frowned looking worried. Is there something up with him.

'Um... do you know anything about Morganville? The history, that kind of thing.' She mused. Can't blame her for being curious.
'I know just an interesting town that's all. Bye dad!' and then 'Love you too mom, bye.' When she was finished I said,
'So, finished lying to the folks?' she didn't answer then took some of the cheese, so I let it go.

'Taco's, brilliant. Damn I'm glad I voted somebody in with skills.'

'I heard that Shane!' Eve called ohh shit,

'Do your own bathroom cleaning this weekend.' Why does she have to be like that?

'Truce.' I replied. Because me doing my bathroom cleaning means her picking home supplys.

'Thought so.' She answered as she walked in giving me a smile.

'Oh my gosh that looks like real food.' Hell yeah.

'Taco's.' I announced proudly so I'd get some credit. Claire picked up on that and responded by elbowing me in the rib. I don't know if it was meant to hurt, but it didn't.

'Ow.' I said.

'Is Michel here?' she asked. Wonder why she wanted to know that. I shrugged.

'Guess so, he's always here for dinner.' We all lined up and got our food. I just finished loading my plate when a bunch of blonde hair was in my face.

'Hey.' Michael said, 'This looks good.' I opened my mouth to say I helped but Eve wasn't going to let that happen,

'Claire did it.' She said, 'Don't even let Shane take credit.' WHAT?

'I wasn't gonna.'

'Riiiiiight.' She answered.

'I chopped, what did you do?' I narrowed my eyes at her. We would be onion-less if it wasn't for me.

'Cleaned up after you as always.' We walked into the living room. And Eve gave out the napkins and coke. We started eating in silence. I decided it was time for talking.

'Hey dude.' I said to Michael, 'When you gonna get a gig?' he waited a bit before he answered.

'When I'm ready.' What a girl. That is not a real answer.

'Pussy.' I shot at him. 'You had a bad night mike. Get back on the horse or whatever.' Eve glared at me whatever. 'Seriously man. Don't let them get you down.'

'I'm not, not everything is about beating you're head against the wall until it breaks.' With my past I can't recall.

'Just most things.' I declared. 'Whatever you just tell me when you stop hermitting.'

'I'm not hermitting I'm practising.'

'Like you aren't good enough. Please.'

'I get no respect.' Best thing about living here. No parents that need respecting. I decided to be a gentleman and not respond with a mouth full of food so instead I told what what I thought of his self-pity by rubbing my thumb and index finger together.
'Yeah, I know, worlds smallest violin playing for me.' He rolled his eyes. 'Lets change the subject. How was you're hot date with Lisa anyway. Rented shoes, turned her on or what?'

'It's Laura.' I started, man I don't date that many girls. 'Yeah she was hot alright, but I think she had the hots for you - kept saying how she saw you over at the Waterhouse last year and you where all like wow, amazing. It was like a ménage a trios, only you weren't there. Thank God.'

Michael smiled. Probably not wanting to continue the conversation of threesomes in front of Claire. 'Shut up and eat.' I grinned and Eve and Claire looked at each other.

After dinner Eve and Michael did the washing and I played video games, Claire just sat there watching. She did a lot of that and today so did I. I'd learnt a lot about her today, mainly that there was a lot more too her than meets the eye. You could be forgiven for thinking she was just a mousy city girl but underneath she was smart and tougher than I initially thought. In general I like people like Claire, people who don't take no for an answer, but I had to look out for my friends. Why where the police looking for her? Was it just because of Monica? Even earlier she'd asked about Michael. I hated being suspicious, but sometimes you have to be. I would definitely employ Claire to be a spy for me. However another thing I'd learnt about her was she doesn't like to lie and I'm going to call her on it.

'You want to see something cool?' I asked casually.

'Sure.' Awesome. I stood up and lead the way upstairs. Only one place we can talk in real privacy. I realised she wasn't following; I went back to the stairs and gestured her to come. And she did looking a little on edge. I moved the picture on the wall as I'd done only a couple of times before and pressed the button opening the hidden door.

'Cool huh? I said. 'This damn house is full of crap like that. Trust me in Morganville it pays to be up on hiding places.' I carried on upstairs, flipping the switch as we went up. 'First time I saw this, and the room at the back of the pantry, I figured yep vampire house. What do you think?'

'Does everyone know about this room?' Why does she want to know that?

'Oh yeah, Eve says its haunted. Can't really blame her scares the crap out of me too. Cool though, we would have stuck you in here when the cops came. Only they'd have seen you though the window coming out of the kitchen, there nosy basterds.' The door slid closed and I went over to the couch, time to find out who Claire really is. As I sat a cloud of dust rose off of it.Do we ever clean this place? FOCUS SHANE.

'So what do you think?' I cast my eyes to the ground, for some reason I didn't want to look at her. I'm just going to have to come out with it. 'Think Michael sleeps off his evil un-dead days in here or what?'

'What?' She blurted confused. Oh the innocence.

'Oh come on. You think he's one of them right. 'Cuz he doesn't show up during the day.'

'I-I don't think anything.' Weird for a smart person, I nodded. Plunging further into my theories.

'Right. You weren't sent here.'

'Sent here-sent here by who?'

'I got to thinking the cops were looking for you... but maybe they were looking for you to make us want to keep you here, instead of pitching you out. So which is it? You working for them?'

'Them-them who?' She stammered. I glanced up at her quickly and saw the light tears shimmering in her eyes. Oh damn. That better not be guilt I'm feeling. Maybe she's trying to throw me off. I focused back on the ground.

'Shane I don't what you mean. I came to Morganville to go to school and got beat up I came here because I was scared. If you don't believe me then I guess I'll go hope you liked the tacos.'

This was the bit I was not looking forward to. I heard her footsteps approach the door then stop suddenly. Refusing to look at her I said.

'The reason I think this a vampire room is because you can't get out unless you know the secret. Which is real convenient if you want to bring victims up here for a munch session.' I could see her feet turning around to face me.

'Let me out.' She said the fear was raw in her voice. Stick to it Shane.

'In a minute. First you tell me the truth.'

'I have!' She raised her voice and I heard her start to cry.'Dammit! You think I'm trying to hurt you- hurt Michel how could I. I'M THE ONE EVERYBODY HURTS.'

Okay now I was definitely feeling guilt. I've always hated it when girls cry but this was worse. This was bruised little Claire terrified because some guy she just met had basically locked her up. Being an asshole to her isn't as easy as I thought. I have to change my tactics up.

I finally met her eyes. 'And if I was someone who wanted to kill Michael, I'd put someone like you in to do it. It'd be real easy for you to kill someone Claire. Poison some food, slip a knife in his back... and I have to look out for Michael.'

'I thought he looked out for you.' She wiped her eyes looking tougher already. 'Why do you think someone wants to kill him?' she asked.

'Always someone wanting to kill a vampire.'

'But he's not-eve said - '

'Yeah I know he's not a vampire but he might as well be, and I can't get him to tell me what happened. And somebody's going to think so sooner or later. Maybe some protected or clueless -kind of like you. It's like you can raise rabbits for either pets or meat. But some of them fight back.'

'Like you.' She said. Now I couldn't help but look at her.

'Maybe. How about you Claire you a fighter?'

'I'm not working for anybody, and I wouldn't kill Michel even if he was a vampire.' I laughed. I haven't read Twilight but I doubt it can make bloodsuckers look all cuddly.

'Why not?' I challenged, keeping my tone in check. 'Besides the fact that he'd snap you like a twig if he was.'

'Because-because- I like him.' She said. I watched her for a second longer and I knew she was telling the truth. She's smart she'd know when to. I sat up and pressed the relatively hidden button on the lions' head causing the doors to slid open behind her.

'Good enough for me. So desert.'

I can safely say, I've had a lot less awkward desserts.

Thanks for reading, new chapter next week.

Nikkie X