And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. The dance chapter! It's time to party, and have fun. Enjoy! I don't want to keep you guys waiting any longer.
Chapter Six: Special
Claire opened up her bedroom door that evening. She smoothed her dress out and checked her curled hair in the mirror. Kate appeared behind her in a blue dress that hugged all her curves. Kate's hair was piled on top of her head.
"Kate, you look great," Claire said turning. Kate posed and Claire laughed.
"Thanks, so do you," Kate said. Claire rubbed her hands together, excited and nervous. "So, do you think you and Charlie might kiss tonight?" Claire smiled.
"I hope so, I really like him," Claire said. "I'm nervous."
"Don't be, Charlie is so smitten with you. He really likes you Claire," Kate said touching Claire's shoulder softly. Claire nodded.
"What time is it?" Claire asked.
"Almost 6:45, the guys should be here soon," Kate said. No sooner had the words left her mouth there was a knock on their apartment door.
"Speak of the devil," Claire said laughing nervously. Kate smiled and walked to the door.
Claire sighed and took deep breaths to calm her nerves. She then put on a brave smile and walked to the living room where she heard Kate and Jack's voices. Shannon was still up in the bedroom getting ready.
Claire peered around the corner to see Charlie standing there. Hands in his pockets. He was wearing a blue button up shirt with a black tie. He was also wearing a jacket to go with it. Claire thought he looked adorable. She breathed deep one more time and walked out to the living room.
"Hi, guys," Claire said. Charlie turned and smiled lopsided at her. She smiled back.
"Hi Claire," Sawyer and Jack replied. Claire walked up to Charlie. His head was cocked smiling at her. Claire smiled and they embraced each other tightly in a hug.
"Claire, you look beautiful tonight," Charlie whispered in her ear.
"Thank you, you don't look so bad yourself," Claire commented back. Charlie pulled away and smiled.
"I try," he joked. Shannon rushed down the stairs in her pink strapless dress to embrace Sawyer. After they kissed they all walked out to their cars. The guys had each brought their own, just so they could have some time with their girls.
Charlie escorted Claire over to his car and opened the passenger door for her. "Thanks," She said scooting in. He winked at her and shut the door. He got in and they followed Kate and Jack's car to the dance.
At the dance...
The "couples" had been at the dance for about an hour and a half now. Charlie and Claire had never left each other's sides. They didn't dance much to the fast songs. Claire was waiting for the slow songs to come on.
"Here Claire," Charlie said coming back with two glasses of water. Claire took hers and drank some.
"Thanks," Claire said. Charlie sat next to her.
"So, after you graduate from college next year, where are you going to teach?" Charlie asked.
"I hadn't thought about it much. Hopefully around here, I love Sydney," Claire said. Charlie nodded. "And where would you like to open up your music store?"
"Around here too, I would never open it back up in England. I don't think it would be appreciated as much," Charlie said. "Plenty of music stores in Manchester." Claire giggled. They sat there and watched Shannon and Sawyer bust a move on the dance floor.
Charlie laughed at the couple. "What's so funny?" Claire asked looking at him.
"Nothing, just I've never seen Sawyer dance, and now I know why," Charlie said. Claire giggled. A minute later, the lights became dim and a slow beat starting playing. Claire shifted in her chair hesitantly. Charlie looked at her and stood. He held out his hand. "Come on, let's dance. I didn't come here to sit and look pretty." Claire smiled and took his hand.
Charlie pulled Claire out onto the dance floor. He wrapped his arms around her waist and Claire put hers his body and laid her hands on his back. They looked at each other as the music played.
'What am I to you
Tell me darling true
To me you are the sea
Vast as you can be
And deep the shade of blue
When you're feeling low
Oh, to whom else do you go
See I'd cry if you'd hurt
I'd give you my last shirt
Because I love you so
If my sky should fall
Would you even call
I've opened up my heart
I never want to part
I'm giving you the ball
When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies
I'll love you when you're blue
Tell me darling true
What am I to you'
During the musical break Charlie smiled at Claire and motioned for her to lay her head on his shoulder. Claire smiled and laid her head gently on Charlie's shoulder. Charlie laid his cheek next to her head and gently tightened his grip around her. Claire felt safe and warm from in this place. She never wanted to let go of Charlie.
'Now if my sky should fall
Would you even call
I've opened up my heart
I never want to part
Giving you the ball
When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies
But could you find the love in me
Would you carve me in a tree
Don't fill my heart with lies
I will love you when you're blue
Tell me darling true
What am I to you.'
Claire could certainly feel those butterflies. Claire lifted her head up and look at Charlie. He leaned closer to her and Claire leaned closer.
"Claire!" Claire pulled away to Shannon yelling her name. Charlie glared at Shannon, he was so close! Shannon rushed up to them.
"Claire, I'm sorry to break up you two, but I have something major to tell you!" Shannon exclaimed. Claire sighed and looked at Charlie.
"I'll be right back," Claire said. Shannon and Claire walked over to the bathrooms. "What's up?"
"Okay, you need to cover for me tonight," Shannon said. Claire looked at her.
"For what?" Claire asked.
"Sawyer and I are ready to make love for the first time and I'm going over to his place. It's your turn to cover for me," Shannon said. Claire nodded.
"Okay, but this is the last time," Claire said. Shannon smiled and hugged Claire.
"Thanks, you are the greatest. See you later tonight!" Shannon said running off. Claire giggled and stood there when someone tapped her shoulder. Claire turned thinking it was Charlie, it was actually Ben Stewart, a classmate of Claire's.
"Hey Claire, you look great tonight," he said moving closer to Claire. Claire edged away a little.
"Thanks," Claire said uncomfortable. He took her hand.
"You want to dance?" he asked pulling her closer. Claire pulled away.
"No, I'm here with somebody," Claire said. As if on cue, Charlie came up.
"What's going on here?" Charlie asked eyeing Ben carefully. Charlie wrapped an arm around Claire protectively. Ben smiled.
"Nothing, just talking with Claire," Ben said. He got the message and left. Charlie turned to Claire.
"Are you alright?" Charlie asked. Claire nodded.
"Just fine, he didn't do anything to me," Claire said. Charlie smiled. "Let's go dance again." Truthfully, she wanted to get back on the dance floor just so she could be close to Charlie again. Charlie smiled and led her back to the dance floor.
They danced to 'This Love' by Maroon 5 (my fav band!). They then sat and took a break when Claire got up to use the bathroom.
She did her business and walked back out. Ben was standing there waiting for her.
"Why are you following me Ben?" Claire asked pushing past him. Ben grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
"Come on Claire, you don't want to be with me?" Ben asked. Claire tried to pull away but Ben tightened his grip on her wrist. He pulled her closer to him. Claire was scared and she could feel his hot breath on her neck.
"Ben, will you let me go!" Claire said struggling. She tried pulling away when she felt Ben pull away from her.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing!" It was Charlie. He had come to her rescue. Charlie had Ben by his shirt up against the wall. "If I ever see you touch her again I'll kill you." Ben smirked at Charlie.
"What are you going to do?" Ben asked pushing Charlie. Charlie, who was a good five inches shorter than this guy, stumbled. Ben laughed at Charlie's weakness. Ben then looked at Claire. "Come on Claire! You want to stay with this limey runt (thanks Sawyer for that nickname!)? Or do you want to come home with a real man?"
Charlie glared up at Ben and punched him in the stomach. Ben doubled over in pain and Charlie smirked. Charlie took Claire's hand and started leading her away when he fell to the ground. Ben had lunged on him knocking him to the ground.
Charlie and Ben started a heated fistfight. Claire started panicking; she didn't know what to do. Luckily, through the congregation of students gathering, Jack and Kate pushed through.
"Hey! Charlie!" Jack yelled pulling Charlie up. Charlie struggled against Jack. "Charlie! You need to calm down! Go outside!" Jack yelled. "And you! Stay away from him and Claire!" he yelled at Ben. Kate hugged Claire.
"You okay?" she asked. Claire nodded. Charlie got up and stormed outside. Claire sighed.
"Thanks Jack, I need to go talk to him," Claire said. Jack nodded. Claire walked over to their stuff and gathered up his jacket and her purse. She walked outside to see Charlie standing rubbing his temples.
"Charlie," Claire said softly. Charlie turned to look at her. He looked guilty. He walked up to her and sighed. He smiled up at her sadly.
"I'm sorry Claire, I didn't mean to get in a fight with him. Just, when I saw him do that to you, I snapped," Charlie said. Claire smiled and handed him his jacket. He took it.
"It's okay, you did it because you want to protect me. I understand," Claire said. Charlie looked up at her.
"You do?" he asked surprised. She nodded and smiled. "I just did it, because you're special to me Claire."
"Really?" Claire asked. He nodded; blood started to appear on his busted lip. "Oh Charlie." Claire grabbed a tissue out of her purse and held it up to his lip. "If it makes you feel any better, I felt absolutely glad you were protecting me. You're special to me too Charlie. I was freaking out in there thinking you were going to get really hurt."
Charlie smiled as she said that. He slid his hand up to his lip to hold the tissue. Claire checked out the rest of his face.
"Well, you look okay. I'll just say a busted lip, maybe a black eye. That's about it, you're a fighter," Claire said. A soft wind blew by making her shiver. Charlie picked his jacket up from the bench and draped it around her shoulders.
"I don't want you to get sick," Charlie said. Claire smiled. They both heard the music changed inside to another slow ballad song. "Care to dance milady?" Claire giggled and took his hand. Charlie spun her into his arms and held her close.
'And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now.
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breather is your life
And sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight.
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's meant to be broken
I just want you to know who I am.
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive.
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's meant to be broken
I just want you to know who I am.'
Charlie pulled away thinking about the words. He couldn't believe how this night was turning out. He had the most beautiful girl in his arms, dancing under the stars, and he had gotten in a fight over this girl he...loved.
His heart almost beat right out of his chest because he realized it. He could not believe he loved Claire.
"Claire?" Charlie asked softly. Claire looked up at him. "Would you kill me right now, if I ask you can I kiss you?" Claire smiled at him.
"I don't think that will be a problem," Claire said. Charlie eased down slightly. "I trust you Charlie."
Charlie smiled. He loved hearing those words come out of her mouth. He leaned down and closed the gap between them. He felt like a fire burned in his soul and it would never die down.
Claire felt sparks and passion go through her body. Then she realized it, she loved him. She loved good old Charlie Pace. Charlie pulled away from her and looked into her eyes.
"Oh Charlie," Claire said tears springing to her eyes. She had no idea why she was crying, she just felt like it. Charlie noticed.
"Don't cry love," he said. Claire sniffed and smiled. He pulled her close again, his lips hanging centimeters above hers. "Will you be mine?" Claire looked up at him.
"Yes," Claire whispered. Charlie kissed her again and this time lifted her into his arms and swung her around. Claire giggled as her and Charlie spun.
Claire had not felt this happy in such a long time. She looked down at Charlie's tape on his fingers. It was all up to 'FATE'.
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Okay, this was a great chapter for me to write! I love this chapter! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it. This is not the end. There is more stuff coming up, and you will definitely want to see what happens. Thanks for all the reviews for chapter five!
Songs: 'What Am I To You' – Norah Jones
'Iris'- Goo Goo Dolls
Until next time,
Bloomy Angel