Chapter Two: Confidence Man

That weekend...

Claire was the only one off from work that day so she decided to go pamper herself and spend a day to herself.

Claire had not found out much about Charlie over the past four days besides the fact he was 24 and he lived with Sawyer and Jack in an apartment five blocks away from their house.

Shannon had Sawyer's number, but Claire was too scared to ask Shannon for it. She didn't know what to say to Charlie if she ever talked to him again.

Claire drove to the mall and decided to go into the music store first off. Claire started looking around for anything appealing.

"Claire?" Claire turned to see who called her name. She came face to face with Charlie. He held a cardboard box in his hands.

"Charlie? What are you doing here?" Claire asked. Charlie smiled.

"I didn't think you'd remember me," Charlie said. He looked Claire over; she looked even more beautiful today than she had when he last saw her. She smiled at him.

"Why wouldn't I remember you?" Claire asked. Charlie shrugged. "So, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I work here," Charlie said.

"I haven't seen you here before," Claire replied.

"Well, I just started two weeks ago," Charlie said meekly. "Looking for anything in particular?" He motioned to the CD she had in her hands.

Claire looked down at it. "No, not really. Just looking."

"Well, if you need anything, I'll be stocking the shelves," Charlie said winking at her. Claire blushed a little and smiled at him.

"I will Charlie, thanks," Claire said. She cursed herself for blushing; she needed to gain confidence in herself when talking to guys. Claire turned back to the shelves to look at CD's.

Charlie kept looking at Claire out the corner of his eye. He wanted to ask her what he had wanted to ask her since he first saw her, but he was too nervous. He took a deep breath. It wasn't everyday that he met a cute girl with a pretty smile, he decided to jump at the chance.

"Say Claire," Charlie said coming up to her. Claire turned to look at him placing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Yeah Charlie," she said.

"You doing anything tonight?" Charlie asked. Claire smiled but then remembered what she was doing tonight.

"Uh, yeah actually. Kate, Shannon, and I are going out tonight," Claire said disappointed she wouldn't be getting to spend it getting to know Charlie.

Charlie's smile dropped. "Oh, okay. I was just wanting to know if you would like to go get some dinner or something with me tonight."

"I'd love to if I could," Claire said. She felt horrible. "I'm sorry."

"Oh no, don't apologize. It's okay, some other time," Charlie said picking up the box.

"Yeah, some other time. I'll call you, Shannon has your number," Claire explained.

"Yeah, bye Claire," Charlie said.

"Bye, Charlie," Claire said. As she watched Charlie walk away she couldn't help but feel miserable that she might have just let the best thing in her life walk away.

Later...

"Claire! You could have cancelled on us to go out with him!" Kate said. The girls were getting ready to go out that night.

"But I always thought friends came before guys?" Claire asked sitting on Kate's bed.

"Not when you have a guy that's totally interested in you asking you out!" Shannon yelled from the bathroom.

"Sorry, I wish I could turn back time and ask him out again but I can't," Claire said. Shannon rushed out of the bathroom.

"Here," she said. She picked up Kate's phone and handed it to Claire. "Call Charlie, I'll give you the number."

"Guys, I'm not going to call him now! You've got to be kidding me! It's too late," Claire said placing the phone on the bed.

Shannon and Kate sighed. "Claire, you really need to gain more confidence. It's your best friend," Kate explained. Claire sighed and smiled sadly.

"I'm going to finish getting ready to go," Claire said. Claire walked out of Kate's room and into hers.

Shannon flopped onto Kate's bed. "What are we going to do about her and men?" Kate asked jokingly.

"Not to worry my dear friend. That is exactly why I called Sawyer in the bathroom and told him where we are going. He, Jack, and Charlie will be there a little after we will be there," Shannon explained. Kate gasped and smiled at the same time.

"Shan, Claire is going to freak! You know they would make the cutest couple," Kate said.

"Them, what about you and Jack?" Shannon asked.

"Me and Jack what?" Kate asked.

"Oh come on, like you are not interested in Dr. Jack Sheppard?" Shannon asked. Kate giggled and hit Shannon with a pillow.

In Claire's room...

Claire looked through her closet of clothes. She had no idea what to wear. They were going to a restaurant that provided a lounge and a dance floor and a bar.

Claire decided on black pinstripe pants and a pink spaghetti strap top to wear. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and apply tasteful makeup. She grabbed her black sandals and then walked out into the living room.

Kate was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels on the TV; Shannon was finishing up her makeup in the mirror in the living room.

"Well, well, well, going out are we?" Boone asked coming up the stairs.

"Boone, what do you care?" Shannon asked. "This is coming from a guy who has no date or nowhere to go on a Saturday night."

"For your information Hannah is out with her girlfriends tonight so I don't get to spend time with her tonight," Boone explained. Shannon rolled her eyes and Kate and Claire snickered.

"Just guys, please be careful tonight, and don't get into very much trouble," Boone asked. "That goes for you Ms. Rutherford."

"We're over 18, I think we'll be okay Boone," Kate said turning the TV off.

"Just have fun okay?" Boone asked. "And one of you can't drink so you guys can have a designated driver."

"We know Boone!" they all replied in unison.

"Have fun girls!" Boone said.

"You bet we will," Shannon said. Her and Kate smiled at each other holding the anticipation in of how Claire would react when she saw Charlie there.

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Let's hope Claire gains some confidence and wins Charlie's heart by the end of the night. We'll see what happens in the next chapter! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

Until next time,

Bloomy Angel