Thanksgiving was in a month. Clara and Clay couldn't wait. Clara was sitting around with her sorority sisters playing truth or dare.
"Ok Clara, your turn, truth or dare?" Her sorority sister Natalie said.
"Truth." Clara said.
"Are you a virgin?"
"No."
"No?"
"No."
"Was Clay your first?"
"Yeah." "My first and only."
"So are you guys like gonna get married?" Amber asked.
"I don't know." "I mean we're to young to be thinking about that now." "After college, maybe we'll start taking about it." "I wish you guys could meet him." "He's so sweet." "Before every time we have sex, he looks at me and says." "Is this ok?"
"Aw." They all said.
"I know."
"Most guys I've been with are grabbing at my jeans as soon as we get on the bed." Amber said.
"That's what so special about Clay." "He's like no one I've ever met."
The next afternoon Clay was in his room. There was a knock at the door. Frank answered it. It was Tricia.
"Hi Frank." She said. "Is Clay here?"
"Yeah." He walked away from the door. "Clay it's for you."
Clay came to the door
"Hi Tricia." He said.
"Hi." "One of my classes was cancelled." "Wanna go get a coffee?"
"Sure."
Tricia and Clay were at a coffee shop.
"This is good but there's a coffee shop back home that's way better." "It's called "Monet's" they have a drink there that I love called a Triple Americano."
"How's Clara?"
"She's good." "She got a job waiting tables at a local diner."
"How long has she been working there?"
"A couple weeks, she likes it."
"Good." "How do you think you did on that math test?"
"I did good I think."
"I'm gonna go to the student union and request a tutor." "I want to get my grade up a little higher."
"I can do it." "I'm free on Thursday afternoons from three to four."
"That works for me."
"Ok."
"Wanna meet me in my room on Thursday?"
"Ok."
Later that night Clay was back in his room. Frank had just gotten back to the room.
"Hey." Frank said.
"Hey."
"How was coffee with Tricia?"
"Fine."
"I can't believe it." "I can't get one girlfriend and you have two."
"Tricia's not my girlfriend."
"Do you like her?"
"As a friend."
"She likes you."
"No she doesn't."
"Yes she does." "It's so obvious."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
The next night Clara was at the diner she worked at. Ben came in with a few of his frat buddies. They sat in Clara's section. She brought them menus and took their drink orders.
"Well we know what Ben wants." His frat brother Mike said. "Clara on table with her legs spread wide and her panties off." Everyone but Ben laughed.
"You're hilarious." Ben said annoyed. "Shut the fuck up."
When they left Ben left her a twenty dollar tip.
Clara went home and showered. She decided to call Clay on Skype before going to bed. It started to ring. Clay answered.
"Hi sweetheart." She said.
"Hi baby." "How was work?" He said.
"Good." "I just wanted to talk to you before I went to bed "
"Do you think on thanksThanks night you can lie to your parents and stay gone all night?"
"Yeah." "I can tell them I'm staying at Tony's." "Why?"
"I wanna get us a room for the night."
"You do?" She said smiling.
"Yeah."
"Sounds good."
"I miss the closeness of being with you."
"I miss it to." "I'm gonna go to bed."
"Ok." "I love you."
"I love you too." "Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Two nights later Clara was working at the diner. She was the only one there she was working till closing. She had about a half hour left.
Ben came in and sat down at the counter..
"Hi Ben." She said.
"Hi."
"Let me guess." "Double cheeseburger, mayonnaise, lettuce, ketchup, large fry and a Coke."
"Exactly."
"I'll be right back."
Ben was eating. Clara was cleaning up.
"How's Caleb?" Ben asked.
"Do you mean Clay?"
"Yeah."
"He's fine."
"How did you two meet anyway?"
"He was my English tutor my senior year." "We were just friends at first but we fell in love."
"Are smart guys the type you always go for?"
"No." "Actually I normally date jocks."
"Jocks like me?" He said smiling.
"Yeah but I learned my lesson, no more jocks."
"Why?"
"They all treated me like shit."
"I wouldn't, if you were single that is." "Those other guys just didn't know how great you are." She smiled. "You have a gorgeous smile."
"Thanks." He paid and stood up.
He walked over to her. "I'm glad we met." He slowly drifted closer to her lips. Someone else came in and he backed away from her. "See ya."
"Bye "