(To memor sol solis: nope, no patent on my name..hehe)Okay...I'm just getting back into the groove of things, so...don't hit me if chapters are too short. Oh yes, thanks to everyone for being so welcoming:) I've missed you! :')
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Once Jack arrived, he commented on how beautiful Clarice looked. She watched him carefully and could tell that he meant it. Clarice knew that Jack was completely taken with her; it was quite obvious. "Would you like something to drink before we go, Jack?"
"Oh, no," he said with a smile, "I'm fine."
"Alright. Well, I guess we'd better go, then."
"Yeah."
An awkward silence followed, one that Clarice quickly broke. "Well, are we ready?" Jack shook his head, as if to shake out of something.
"Yeah." He opened the door and gestured for her to exit. She walked out of her house and on to her porch. She handed Jack the key and he locked the door for her. Once at the car, he took her hand and helped her in. The car ride that ensued was silent. Silent for different reasons, mind you. Jack was busy trying to think of something to say to Clarice that would't sound absolutely stupid. Meanwhile, Clarice was thinking of something else. Someone else, rather. Someone she'd just promised herself that she wouldn't ever give another thought. But it was difficult, as he was so much a part of her now.
Jack timidly reached and took Clarice's hand. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that it made her jerk. "Oh, Jack, I'm sorry," she said apologetically. She knew what it looked like, that it seemed as though she didn't want him to touch her. That wasn't really the case at all. He quickly removed his hand and looked down at his shoes. Clarice sighed. Maybe tonight wouldn't be perfect, after all. He nodded an acception to her apology and remained silent.
Clarice nervously fidgeted with her jewelry, sliding a ring on and off her finger. Jack cleared his throat. "You . . . look lovely tonight, Clarice."
"Thank you," she replied quietly.
"Absolutely beautiful," he continued. "I don't think I've ever seen you like this." She shot him a puzzled look. "I mean, you're usually in casual clothes, that's all. You look beautiful dressed up."
She knew that it was meant to be a compliment; Jack always had trouble expressing himself verbally. Not Dr. Lecter. He had such a way with words. She wondered what he'd say about her attire. It was almost a shame that he couldn't see her now, she thought. "No . . . ." the almost silent whisper came from her throat. She would not allow herself to think of this anymore.
"What?"
Clarice shook her head. "Nothing." More confident, Jack reached for Clarice's hand once more. This time, she allowed him to take it, saying nothing. The rest of the car ride was filled with senseless chatter, meaningless conversation. Not if Dr. Lecter were there, Clarice said to herself. If he were there, the conversation would be very intense and 'deep'. What she wouldn't give to have just one more conversation with him, to talk to him just once more. The sudden reality that she'd never see him again brought tears to her eyes. If only she knew how wrong she was . . . .
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Okay. Sorry that this chapter is so sort as well, but I kind of needed to set it all up before we get to the 'interesting' parts . . . :)
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Once Jack arrived, he commented on how beautiful Clarice looked. She watched him carefully and could tell that he meant it. Clarice knew that Jack was completely taken with her; it was quite obvious. "Would you like something to drink before we go, Jack?"
"Oh, no," he said with a smile, "I'm fine."
"Alright. Well, I guess we'd better go, then."
"Yeah."
An awkward silence followed, one that Clarice quickly broke. "Well, are we ready?" Jack shook his head, as if to shake out of something.
"Yeah." He opened the door and gestured for her to exit. She walked out of her house and on to her porch. She handed Jack the key and he locked the door for her. Once at the car, he took her hand and helped her in. The car ride that ensued was silent. Silent for different reasons, mind you. Jack was busy trying to think of something to say to Clarice that would't sound absolutely stupid. Meanwhile, Clarice was thinking of something else. Someone else, rather. Someone she'd just promised herself that she wouldn't ever give another thought. But it was difficult, as he was so much a part of her now.
Jack timidly reached and took Clarice's hand. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that it made her jerk. "Oh, Jack, I'm sorry," she said apologetically. She knew what it looked like, that it seemed as though she didn't want him to touch her. That wasn't really the case at all. He quickly removed his hand and looked down at his shoes. Clarice sighed. Maybe tonight wouldn't be perfect, after all. He nodded an acception to her apology and remained silent.
Clarice nervously fidgeted with her jewelry, sliding a ring on and off her finger. Jack cleared his throat. "You . . . look lovely tonight, Clarice."
"Thank you," she replied quietly.
"Absolutely beautiful," he continued. "I don't think I've ever seen you like this." She shot him a puzzled look. "I mean, you're usually in casual clothes, that's all. You look beautiful dressed up."
She knew that it was meant to be a compliment; Jack always had trouble expressing himself verbally. Not Dr. Lecter. He had such a way with words. She wondered what he'd say about her attire. It was almost a shame that he couldn't see her now, she thought. "No . . . ." the almost silent whisper came from her throat. She would not allow herself to think of this anymore.
"What?"
Clarice shook her head. "Nothing." More confident, Jack reached for Clarice's hand once more. This time, she allowed him to take it, saying nothing. The rest of the car ride was filled with senseless chatter, meaningless conversation. Not if Dr. Lecter were there, Clarice said to herself. If he were there, the conversation would be very intense and 'deep'. What she wouldn't give to have just one more conversation with him, to talk to him just once more. The sudden reality that she'd never see him again brought tears to her eyes. If only she knew how wrong she was . . . .
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Okay. Sorry that this chapter is so sort as well, but I kind of needed to set it all up before we get to the 'interesting' parts . . . :)