Chapter 2
The hours passed in a blur. Making coffee after coffee as customers wandered in and out of the shop. Even after two days since getting smacked with a heavy door, Clara still had to apply layers of concealer to her face in a feeble attempt to mask her hideous bruise. Numerous startled expressions had been shot in her direction, surely from the assumption she was the victim of domestic abuse. After what must have been the fifth disturbed face, Clara made a point to keep her head down.
Finally receiving a reprieve from the fast passed job, Clara leaned against the front counter, enjoying a hot cup of caffeine on her break.
"Oh, I don't know, Oscar, I really should be studying tonight."
Currently, Oscar was attempting to convince her into attending a senior night out, under the pretense that this was their last year and they should be celebrating. To Clara, this was jumping the gun a bit. The semester had barely begun, and no one had graduated from anything yet. In her opinion, they ought to keep their heads down and focus.
Oscar whined in return, "C'mon, this is our last semester."
"We still have spring semester," Clara corrected.
"Okay, it's our last year."
Clara stifled a laugh, "Be that as it may, I am certainly not going out with this abomination on my face."
Blue eyes met green, and he gave her a woeful look, "It really isn't so bad now."
Clara scoffed.
"No really! It's much better."
Clara rolled her eyes, "I'm disgusting to look at."
Oscar gave her a discerning stare, "Clara you're never disgusting to look at."
Bless him. She truly wondered some days what she deserved to receive Oscar's friendship. He was a genuine soul and Clara was positive there wasn't a mean bone in his body. To be honest, Oscar was probably her only true friend. Sure, she had a few classmates in her Psych. program that she had gotten along with relatively well with, but she couldn't call them anything more than acquaintances. Not Oscar, Oscar had friends by the handfuls. People naturally gravitated to him. He was the kid that made everyone feel welcome and kept them in high spirits. You felt better just being in his presence, it was hard to frown around him.
And he had that big, teethy smile that was over the top bright. Clara wasn't ignorant to his popularity, especially with girls. Girls that seemed to get the impression that two of them were more than friends and would ice her out. Not that she really paid them any mind.
Clara let out a sigh, "Ok."
"Ok?" Oscar pressed in anticipation.
"Ok, I'll go."
Oscar hooted loudly and Clara almost snorted hot coffee out of her nose.
/
Now Clara remembered why she never attended outings and preferred the confines of her four walls. None of her clothes seemed to fit or remotely go together and she was supposed to be at the bar twenty minutes ago and had yet to leave. Clara hated being rushed just as much as she hated being late.
Giving up, Clara decided on a little strappy black midi dress and a jean jacket to dress it down as well as keep a barrier between her and the cold. As quickly as she could run in black booties, Clara hailed a cab and made it to first bar. Better late than never.
Weaving through the already busy crowd, Clara spotted Oscars golden crown and made her way to the group piled in the back corner. Spotting her, Oscar lit up, flashing his boyish grin, immediately shoving a shot in her hand.
Right away Clara shook her head, "No. Absolutely not."
Oscar turned to receive his own shot of liquor from the bartender, smacking their shots together, cheering,
"Yes."
"Oscar, I don't do shots. You know I don't do shots."
"You do tonight!"
Clara could already smell the absurdly strong alcohol and had to swallow a gag,
"Oscar, I won't even make it past the first bar."
A strong arm wrapped around her shoulders as Oscar held her close, lifting his shot in the air with the other students.
"Live a little!" Oscar exclaimed loudly with the rest of the group, cheering in a deafening roar. One by one, they shot their heads back, allowing the powerful liquid to easily fall down their throats. With hisses and bared teeth, her classmates shook the taste from their mouths.
Clara held caution in her eyes as her friend gave an encouraging nod. She bit her bottom lip in agitation. Oscar sighed and placed both of his hand upon her shoulders, giving her his full attention.
"Clara, I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you."
She crumbled underneath his coaxing, feeling more relaxed with his promise. Not wanting to be the party pooper of the group, and for once not wanting to be such a drag, she lifted the glass to her lips and jerked her head back.
What a mistake. It was like fire in her throat. Once it had traveled past her mouth and into her stomach, Clara finally let out a gasp and coughed violently. It was in no way amusing to her, but Oscar leaned back in laughter. He patted her shoulder, congratulating her.
And that was what it was like mostly for the next hour or so. New bar, a shot, half-finished drinks and then onto the next location. Her uneasy resolve melted away with each drink till she giggled freely with the others, all just as loose. With the night continuing, the bars turned into a club and Clara found herself in the middle of a disco light dancefloor.
Currently, Oscar was spinning her around to whatever mainstream pop song was popular and Clara felt as carefree as ever with her best friend. Oscar motioned with his hand "another drink?" as shouting over the loud blaring music was futile. Wiping sweat from her hairline; Clara nodded.
But the lights were flashy, and the floor was packed like a can of sardines and in her effort to follow Oscar to the club's bar, she had lost him. Swearing under her breath, she made it to the edge of the crowd, near a pillar where only a few scattered individuals swayed. Reaching clumsily into her purse, she searched for her phone.
Paying no attention to her surroundings, she felt the close, too close, presence of another. Slowly turning her head upwards, a tall man towered over her, with a grin that made her feel anything but comfortable. Clara took a step back to establish more space between them, but he only took a step forward.
She knew this game and put her hand up in a stop motion,
"Not interested."
This didn't deter him in the slightest, "Can I buy you a drink?"
His breath was repulsive and the fact that she could smell it meant he was way too close. Irritation prickling her demeanor and without another word, she turned to excuse herself from the carouser, but a hand shot out and tightly gripped her forearm, halting her in place.
With furrowed brows and panicked breath, she tried shimmying away from his hold, but to no avail.
"Are you crazy?"
He leaned in, enough she could see a smidge of drool pool in the corner of his mouth. Gross.
"C'mon just let me buy you a drink," he said forcibly.
"No," she said, attempting to sound the least bit assertive. The man was none to happy and tightened his hand around her arm, pinching her skin. The nip caused her to involuntarily flinch and panic set in,
"Stop it!"
"Hey don't be such a bitc-"
Suddenly, the hand that seconds before locked her in place was gone and Clara was pushed back a few steps. Instead, she faced the back of some man who had, thankfully, liberated her.
"Take a hike buddy."
Her aggressor looked angrily at her savior.
"I was just buying the girl a drink."
"Yeah, she looked real interested. Get lost."
With that, a hand placed upon the small of her back guided her promptly away. She looked back at the gob smacked man, who thankfully just rolled his eyes and walked off, then looked up to see who had rescued her.
"Tony," she breathed, almost relieved.
Still decked in those shaded glasses he placed a hand over hers which still grasped the pinched skin on her arm.
"We gotta stop meeting like this," he playfully stated.
That same small feeling crept up on the back of her neck and she lowered her gaze, ashamedly. Clara damned her helplessness and damned that it seemed that every time this man popped up, it was at the most troublesome times. Just once, she would like to at least seem put together.
The expression on her face must have appeared guilty as Tony quickly lifted his hands humorously to diffuse her tension.
"Hey it's no sweat. You got friends here? You didn't come here alone did you?"
Remembering what she was doing in the first place, she whipped her head up to search through the bodies around her.
"I lost him," she said, wavering off in her sentence.
Tony raised a playful eyebrow, "Him?"
She blushed, thankfully the dark lights covered her humility, "It's …not like that."
A mischievous nod came from him, "Well why don't you wait for your "guy friend" at my booth to avoid any more run ins with jackasses."
And like that he whisked her away up a nearby flight of stairs, still touching the sore spot on her arm. His hand felt cool to the burning sensation and Clara wasn't sure to make of the feeling of relief that came with it. Tony strutted with ease up the steps, his longer legs making her work harder ever so slightly behind him. When they arrived at a secluded lounge area, Tony simply waved off the bouncer that attempted to question her. Clara was certain he had done that many times before. With a snap of his fingers, he could get whatever he wanted.
Clara entered a small half-circle room that was hidden behind a pair of red velvet curtains that Tony held open. He allowed her to sit first before sliding in next to her on the plush couch. Grey goose was chilling in an ice bucket on the table, surrounding by crystal glasses. Tony reached to pour two glasses, but Clara shook her head,
"I'll just have water."
She wasn't sure if it was Tony that was making her head spin, or the alcohol, but she decided it was better safe than sorry to cut herself off.
"What do you want? A water? Hey, yeah, can we get a water over here?"
There he was again, waving his arm in the air, commanding. As fast as he ordered, she already had a glass in hand. Relaxing naturally, he rested his arm on the back of the chaise lounge, practically encompassing her, his fingertips ever so slightly, grazing the tips of her shoulder. It was only now that she realized her jean jacket had been missing.
It was much quieter in these quarters, and it made Clara nervous. Without warning, his face invaded her personal space, dark eyes dangerously close.
Tony let out a huff, "Man, I really did a number on you."
He did what?
Clara thought she had done a pretty good with her concealer to cover the purple mark on her face, but apparently not. Not wishing to make him feel guilt, and still grateful for his rescue, she passed it off.
"It's really not that bad," using Oscar's exact words from earlier.
Tony took his thumb and skimmed it over the mark. Clara's breathed hitched and her shoulders stiffened under his contact. His skin was rough like the hands of a laborer to which shocked Clara. It dragged coarsely against her soft skin.
Unfazed by their intimacy, Tony slouched backwards, redirected the conversation, "Ya know, I'm shocked you didn't call me."
Clara gave him a curious look, "Why?"
Tony shrugged in his black suit, "I mean it's not everyday a girl gets the great Tony Stark's number."
When she still seemed unconcerned, Tony continued, "Um, CEO to Stark Industries? Daddy was Howard Stark? Anything ringing any bells?"
Clara didn't live under a rock. Who didn't know Tony Stark? The guy who practically owned half the world. But how did she not put two and two together? Was she really that naïve? It wasn't as if she hadn't seen his picture countless times on the front covers of tabloids caught up in some new trouble. That Tony Stark who was currently physically sitting with her at some random club in New York on a Saturday night. The very same. Clara never hated her naivete more than in this moment. Nonetheless, she feigned knowledge.
"Maybe that's why I didn't call you."
This made Tony laugh with gusto.
"Gotta say, that's a first."
Copying his high spirits, Clara countered, "First time for everything."
Tony seemed impressed with her quick response and nodded thoughtfully.
"Touché."
From her hands, Clara's phone lit up, alerting her of a notification. Tapping the screen, Oliver's name in bold text shown bright against the low lights of the lounge.
Hey, by bathrooms.
Clara lifted her device, "That's my friend."
"Ah, can't say I'm not disappointed."
Clara wanted to agree, but slowly stood on her heels, pulling her purse up her shoulder.
"Thank you for before."
"Anytime."
Tony walked with her to the balcony rail from where she could see Oscar below. As she went to bid goodbye, Tony interrupted her,
"This time, use my number, and let me know you got home safe?"
Clara hesitated, "Ok."
When Clara reached the bottom of the steps, she looked back at Tony, who looked back at her. With a sly smirk, he casually waved. In return, Clara smiled. Waiting till he was gone from eyesight, Clara frenziedly searched her small black purse until fingers found that small card. Only until then, she felt her heart rate slow.
Present Clara was thanking past Clara for not throwing it away.
Author's Notes: I know, I know. Just a little encounter hehe. Don't worry, Tony and Clara will have way more time together soon! Also, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
