Chapter Five

"I can't believe this. Brian wouldn't just NOT come home," Claire said, sighing worriedly. "Something had to have happened to him. We need to go LOOK for him."

"Can't the police do that well enough on there own?" Lynn inquired, "Listen. He probably just got lost or something, Claire."

"I can't just sit back if he's out there somewhere, you guys!" Claire snapped back.

"Okay, okay," Jeanne replied, "Let's just go by my house. I have some flashlights and bug repellent. We're gonna need it if we're searching through the woods." They walked over to Jeanne's house. Lynn and Menlie slipped in after her, but before Claire could follow a voice called her name. She turned around, confused.

There, standing in front of Jeanne's stoop, was Watts Kemmer.

"Claire!" he called again, taking a step forward.

"Oh, uh, hello, Mr. Kemmer," Claire stammered, looking for an easy way out of the situation without being rude.

"Call me Watts," Watts said smoothly, taking another step and putting one of his feet up on Jeanne's first step. "Listen, baby, lemme ask you something." She stared at him. "Lean in, it's a secret." Sighing inwardly, Claire walked down to the middle step and leaned in. "Do you have any black in you?"

"Uh, no…" she replied, wondering what he was getting at.

"Would you LIKE some?" asked Watts lasciviously. Claire's gag reflex was almost audible, and she backed up so quickly that she nearly hit Watts in the face with one of her arms. "But really, Claire," he called up, unfazed, "Baby, you're the most beautiful girl in Cherry Hill! Marry me! I've got money you'd never imagine just looking at this ramshackle house over here! I only moved here for the schools. Yeah, baby, if you marry me, our kids'll have the best education in this state. You're seen Tyna. Look at her. Imagine how much better our kids'll look when YOU'RE one-half the equation. And you'll go to parties, free tickets to everything, a chauffeur! So what do you say, Claire?" He stepped up the middle step so he was face to face with her now. "Do you need to think about it, maybe back in my room?"

"I uh, just don't see us being compatible!" Claire stammered. Her hands reached behind her, fumbling for the doorknob.

"I do," whispered Watts, leaning in to her lips. Claire turned the doorknob and fell backwards, onto Jeanne's porch. Jeanne, Menlie, and Lynn rushed in to see where the THUMP had come from. Watts had fallen too; forward on to Jeanne's top (concrete) step.

"SHUT THE DOOR!" Claire yelped, and Jeanne rushed forward and did her bidding. Watts scrambled up and shook his fist at the door before stalking away.

"What was THAT all about?" Jeanne asked.

"You don't want to know. Come on, let's go find Brian."