A/N - I'm sorry, I know it sucks... I just need to build it up so my whole plan doesn't just burst outta nowhere... Blugh I've been very tempted to give it all up, but I love you all that much that I won't :) Plus when ideas build up and I don't write them down I go crazy. Hehehehe... Anyways, here's the 11th instalment of my suckish attempt at fanfic.
Claire's cell beeped multiple times, each beep filling her text inbox with yet another death threat. Claire and Eve had shared a chuckle over them during the evening, and it had cheered her up a considerable amount. She had forgotten about Myrnin, and almost about Morganville itself - it would have been more successful if she didn't know she had to stay here for life. Living in Morganville, under Amelie's "protection" (Shane preferred to call it control) was almost like a marriage vow: 'till death us do part', which is way more likely in Morganville than in a marriage.
"So, Eve... you nervous about tomorrow?" Claire asked, after a well-deserved glug of ice-cold Coke. Eve's strangely non-painted face lit up as she smiled, and clapped her hands together like an excited little girl."I'll take that as a yes." Shane said bitterly as he walked through the front room to the kitchen. Eve through a potato chip at him, aiming for his head. She missed."Is anyone gonna eat that?" he asked, attempting a joke, but failing. The gloom was still surrounding him."Lighten up, moody." Shane shot her the finger, and sighed as he re-entered the front room, sitting down next to the girls. He directed his first words at Eve."Eve, are you really, really sure about this whole modelling thing? We're worried for you." Eve rolled her eyes, not as effective without the makeup, and smiled wearily."Yes, Shane. I want to do this. They're cool guys, honestly." Shane opened his mouth again to speak, but Eve held up her index finger and sighed."If you dare say 'are you sure' again, I swear I will kick you so hard in the nuts that every girl you've messed with will feel it." Claire tried to keep a straight face while drinking her coke, but she spluttered, and nearly choked. Eve grinned. Shane rolled his eyes."Fine, Eve. But I swear to God, if you get your ass kicked, you'll get no sympathy. First words outta my mouth'll be 'I told ya so'.""Well, I don't doubt that."
Claire awoke in bed, the sunlight filtering through the blinds and warming her pillow. She stretched and checked her clock - she didn't have classes until the afternoon, so didn't really need to be anywhere. But she had a plan. She didn't know why, but her instincts had told her to follow Eve to her photo shoot. Just because she was an ordinary, paranoid teenager, worried for her best friend. Before she could realise she was comfortable, she got out of bed and tiptoed to her closet. She fumbled around for a moment, until she reached the clothes at the back - clothes that could only be described as wouldn't-be-seen-dead clothing. That was the good thing, Eve never saw them, wouldn't recognise them. So at least if she noticed Claire following her, it would take her a while to realise just who it was. Claire shrugged off her nightgown, put on fresh underwear and grabbed the clothes. Camouflage combat pants, and a loose grey hooded sweater. For extra reassurance, she rammed a hat onto her uncombed hair, and wrapped a scarf around her neck and mouth. She even had fake thick-rimmed nerdy glasses which she placed on her nose for that final touch. She looked in the mirror. Scruffy. She grinned and gave herself a thumbs up (only to put her hand down immediately after realising how dumb she looked). She heard Eve pottering around in her own bedroom. She skulked as quietly as she could to her bedroom door, and locked it. She heard Eve emerge from her room, humming a tune which Claire noted as a Marilyn Manson song. Claire stood by her locked door for a minute, hoping Eve would just walk past and not sense that she was awake. Eve's heavy boots made a noise, and stopped at Claire's door."Claire-bear?" Eve whispered, trying to open the door - succeeding in only rattling it a little. Claire stood as still as she could until Eve gave up, and went downstairs. Claire didn't move from her room until she heard the front door close - but then she realised the one flaw in her plan… What if Eve drove to this photo-shoot? She couldn't exactly run alongside the car, or behind it. Eve would notice, and either get out and yell at her, or step on the could have kicked herself for being so idiotic as to not realise that her friends had cars of their own. She contemplated jacking Michael's car, until she remembered that he was a vampire. Tinted windows - impossible for a human to see through. Claire peered out of the window, to see Eve walking down the path.. Towards her beat-up yet ever beautiful hearse… and straight past it. Claire punched the air triumphantly, only to stop quickly, thinking she looked like an idiot. She pulled the hat down over her ears and pulled up her hood, and set off best-friend stalking.
Claire didn't know how long she'd been following Eve, but it had been a while. Eve was almost skipping along; her earphones shoved in, the music blasting. Claire could hear it herself, well enough to attempt to sing along in her head. There were many twists and turns in their journey, and a couple of heart-stopping moments, Eve had stopped as if she sensed she was being stalked. Claire would follow her around until she didn't know where she was anymore, keep following, recognise where she was, then all too soon she'd be lost again - whereas Eve obviously knew very well the direction to go. Claire soon became aware that she too was being followed. She risked a quick glance behind her, and from what her brain could analyse from that second was a tall male figure with long, dark hair. Myrnin.. she thought to herself. Why are you following me? I thought I was just another assistant. As creeped out as she was getting, she couldn't risk quickening her step for bumping into Eve. Hey, who knows? They were strolling along a pathway. Maybe Claire was just being paranoid - everyone has to get somewhere at some point in the day - maybe this guy was just doing his everyday business. Claire just concentrated for now on not tripping over her own feet, and not shouting to Eve to slow down, because she had to admit, she was getting pretty out of breath keeping up with her friends pace.
At last, after what seemed like forever, but without actually leaving the Morganville border (as if they could!) Eve pulled to a stop at a rather large, gloomy building. Just her style, then. She punched the air in triumph, clapped her hands once and pressed the buzzer on the door. A crackling static sound was heard before a deep, abrasive voice came from the speaker."Who are you and what do you want?" Eve held the button and replied."Lee, it's Eve. Eve Rosser? I'm here for um.. Here for the photoshoot that Starbuck scheduled for us all today?" Eve stammered, seeming as if all her confidence was draining out. At least it was her confidence rather than plasma."Oh yeah. Come on up. I'll get the door." Lee crackled back. Eve was bouncing around slightly at the door, and Claire couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter whilst hidden behind one of the specially shaped bushes. She stopped herself as Eve turned round, wide-eyed, shrugged and entered the building on the sound of the buzzer. Claire realised she wouldn't be able to rush past and follow Eve in, as her cover would be blown. She also wouldn't be able to buzz to enter, because she didn't have an appointment or whatever. She noticed the guy who had been following her was now stood at the door and was also murmuring something into the intercom. All she caught him saying was his name - Phineas. At least it isn't Myrnin. He must work there.The buzzer sounded and Phineas waltzed into the building. Claire walked over to the slowly closing door, and pushed it back open before it could shut her out. She tried to keep at the best distance she could behind Phineas as they both ascended endless stairs. This man was so painfully obviously not a vamp - or if he was, and he HAD heard her, he was just… letting her follow him. They finally stopped climbing stairs and Phineas entered a blank door. Claire didn't know what to do from this point, until she noticed a door with a female stick figure on it. Bingo - she would hide out in here whilst figuring out what to do! She knocked lightly on the door, then entered. It was a changing room/rest room, and if she was not mistaken, those were Eve's clothes hanging up on one of the pegs in the corner. Had she lied to the Glass House residents about not having to strip? Oh, if Claire could kick butt, butt would be kicked! Intensely! She felt for her cellphone, and kept her hand clasped around it, just in case. She felt it vibrate twice to notify her of a text, but she couldn't really look at it now. On the other side of the room was another door, labelled 'Shoot Room'. That sounded sinister. Claire pushed the door open just a crack and peered through, only to be faced with a blinding white room, and Eve, who was stood in the centre of it, and phew! Not naked or in lingerie. She was stood awkwardly, with her arms crossed over her stomach, and staring at three people who were staring right back at her. One was Phineas. Claire realised, now she knew he wasn't Myrnin, that he looked nothing like the vampire at all. His nose was turned up slightly, whereas Myrnin's was hooked, his hair had a glimmer of blue in the strands compared to the beautiful brown shiny locks that Myrnin possessed. And his eyes… well… they had no joy. No playful glint.
Thinking of Myrnin sent a searing but brief pain through Claire, so she decided to try and take her mind off him. Lee, the other male in the room, was a short man with a bald head, but a snake tattoo wound itself around behind his ears and onto his face. Claire shuddered, a little freaked out. And Starbuck - whoah, Starbuck was NOT what she expected at all. For one thing, Starbuck was a woman. She had a HUGE green Mohawk, many pieces of metal pierced through her face, and the baggiest clothes ever. She was… intimidating, to say the least."Alright, Lee. Shall we get this thing over and done with before I pass out from boredom?" she droned, her voice deep, yet feminine. Lee laughed - a strange sound in the room of gloom. "Alright. Eve, don't you worry about a thing. We'll tell you what to do - we'll even come up and adjust you if need be. Obviously the makeup and hair is perfect. Thank you, Starbuck." Starbuck snorted and turned her back to Eve, who nodded and shoved her hands on her hips. She let a grin play across her lips, which was terrifying - Starbuck had made her look slightly like Harlequin. That, once again, made Claire think of Myrnin. It hurt.
After a few minutes of watching Eve pose and strut through the room, Claire realised her best friend was a natural. The vibe in the room was overall happy and cheerful, despite the very strange undertone of creepiness. A couple hours passed (Claire was constantly checking her phone to make sure she wasn't late for class) and Phineas (who was the photographer) shouted out: "Alright guys, that's enough for today. We'll wrap it up and see you again next week, Eve. Good job." Eve grinned again, took a playful little bow and pranced in the direction of the changing room. Claire scurried out before she got there, leaving the door swinging, and a slightly scared Eve watching, not sure who had been spying on her. Claire bounded out of the building. At least she'd memorised her way back to the Glass House (because no way in hell was she going to turn up at TPU wearing the scruffiest outfit ever). She set off at a brisk walk, smiling to herself as she thought how pretty Eve looked up there, despite the terrifying makeup and the foot-high hairdo. She was just thinking about which books she needed for her classes this afternoon when a large hand closed in on her mouth and nose from behind, and she was dragged away and thrown into what she presumed was the back of a van.
A/N - I know, I know, what is it with me getting Claire kidnapped? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this masterpiece as it took me a while to write, and I am finally over the block, and HOORAY I SEE A STORY EMERGING! I am truly sorry I left you all flapping last time, I will honestly try my hardest now. I'm nearly finished with college too! Review please! MWAH! 3