Hello again all you beautiful people! I had a day off the other day and I managed to have a good deal of time to write. I'll make this short and sweet, but we're going to jump right back into the current Claire and Diego situation. This chapter takes place about a month after Claire figured out she liked Diego back. Hope you all enjoy it!

(Diego's POV)

I just got back to my room from my usually nightly shower and… I don't know? Eventually, I couldn't help myself as I reached under my bed and pulled out my guitar.

Even though I prefer the piano, even I will admit that a piano isn't the most 'convenient' instrument to have around.

So, when I was 13 and gave up piano to focus more on fencing… I didn't realize how much music helped me.

If there's one thing I always pride myself on, it's my diligence with my passions.

But, when I'd travel for competitions for fencing, I had no idea? It's like I felt more uneasy when I stopped music all together. So, when I was 13, I asked my parents for a guitar and taught myself how to play.

And it was like the piece to the puzzle on myself was filled in again once I was able to play an instrument on a more regular basis.

Again, while I do prefer piano if given the choice, I do like guitar too.

Not only is it more 'portable' so I can take it with me when I have to travel, but I do find the sound very soothing… particularly since I taught myself to play more using notes rather than chords.

Besides, especially with what Felix asked me to help out with 'something in particular'… I've been trying to practice a little more often to make sure everything is absolute perfection.

That and these days it's been a good source of distraction from something else that's been going on even more recently.

I stopped short on playing when my phone started going off and I immediately felt my stomach tense up and my heart start racing almost simultaneously at the only person who seemed capable of making me feel that way calling.

Claire.

I pursed my lips and tried to calm down as I let out a long sigh before trying to recompose myself and pick up the video call.

Right as I picked up I saw her smiling a little as she started, "Hey Diego, what's up? I didn't know if you were still up or not?"

I looked at the time and saw it was 10 PM my time, meaning she probably just got back home from school and basketball practice Toronto time.

But, that wasn't all I noticed, as I smirked and commented, not really answering anything she said since I just felt 'distracted' in the way that only she seems to be able to do to me, "Glasses today?"

She looked down slightly as she let out a slight laugh and took off her glasses for a second and rubbed her eyes before putting them back on as she started, "Yeah, I don't know what the hell I was thinking last night? But I ended up falling asleep with my contacts still in last night and woke up feeling like someone poured salt in my eyes. So… yeah, I was an idiot and today became a glasses day until my eyes 'calm down'. Go ahead, you can laugh at me. I can take it."

After she said that, she smiled slightly and let out this slight self-deprecating laugh as she looked down that I couldn't help but smile slightly at. Seriously, glasses or not… she always looks beautiful, at least to me she does.

I remember when she first got her glasses and she was joking around and struck a pose looking over her shoulder over our video call asking how she looked and I played along saying I thought she looked 'sexy' and we laughed about it, but… I wasn't really 'joking' about it at the same time, at least not completely.

If anything… there's something about seeing her in her glasses that gets to me even more.

Well, considering in only some of my many fantasies I've had about her in my head (since I'm a coward who can't do anything in real life), she'd be wearing her glasses and take them off herself and just that alone pathetically turns me on just thinking about it.

I could even feel myself getting turned on now and quickly tried to think of me taking my usual ice bath after training today to turn myself back off and not make anything more awkward than it already was as I responded, "Why would I laugh? I thought you always knew where I stood on you wearing your glasses?"

But right after I said that, expecting her to start laughing… dead silence.

She was hardly looking at me and biting her bottom lip as she looked away, making my stomach immediately seize up and I felt an instant deep sense of dread.

Shit… did I make everything awkward? AGH, estúpido!

But, she was quick to shake her head as she started, completely changing the subject, "Yeah, anyway, um… I don't know if your parents said anything yet, but… we'll be coming over next month! This year was my year to pick where to go on spring break and I asked if it would be okay if we flew over to visit? And I guess your mom told my dad it was okay so… I just wanted to let you know I'll be coming over to hang out! I know things are kinda tight with your dad being PM now, but… maybe we can think of some cool stuff to do during the week, ya know?"

Ay… carajo…

I mean, I'm so glad she's coming over but… I don't know?

It's like over the past month with Claire things have been… off.

Even though we still talk often like usual, it's just been more 'tense' and awkward than usual between us. Especially when we video chat, Claire just always seems like she's almost… uncomfortable. Like she's acting now where she hardly makes eye contact with me and bites her lip a lot and things just fall into this awkward silence that makes me want to rip out my insides.

Like did… 'something' happen?

Or is it me?

Did I do something to make things awkward?

I couldn't think of anything I said to her that could've made things this 'painful' between us since usually talking always comes as natural to both of us as blinking or breathing, but now… it's like our conversations almost need 'medical attention' of some kind, if not absolute life support at this stage.

But, I didn't want to make things more awkward than they were as I tried to straighten up and smile as I started, deep down feeling genuinely excited she was coming over, "That's great! Maybe I can see if Padre can organize something to let us go to a beach or something? I'm sure security can be spared to section off a spot for us. Besides, you look like you could do with a little sun, those winter months over there made you lose some color."

I smirked a little after I teased her as she scoffed before laughing a little and retorting playfully back at me, sounding much more like herself, "Hey, you know I'm Polish, German, Welsh, and Irish, right? There's no part of my skin that has any 'tan' pigmentation under any circumstances. We can't all be blessed with perfect olive skin, ya know?"

We both immediately started laughing, feeling the awkward weight lifting off the conversation, and just feeling more like 'us'.

Well… until the laughing stopped and we both were just looking at each other in almost 10 fold awkward silence.

I was about to finally ask her what was wrong until she just shook her head and said, sounding like she couldn't get off the call fast enough, "Well, great! Talk later, okay?"

She just hung up as I kept staring at my phone in confusion in the silence of my room as my brain felt like it was almost malfunctioning.

Again… did I… do something?

(Claire's POV)
Immediately and like an insane person, I almost threw my phone at my bed in my room as I gripped my hands into my hair.

Just… AGH! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!

Seriously?! Natalie tells me Diego has a crush on me and I just turn into this socially awkward weirdo around him for no damn reason other than me just being an idiot?!

Just… FUCK!

God fucking dammit! Great Claire!

You probably just made him super uncomfortable and insecure when you know he's already insecure enough as it is and an emotional trainwreck most of the time on top of that!

Ugh… wwwwhhhhhhhhyyyyy?

WHY?

Did all I have to do is figure out that I have a crush on him too to turn me into a trainwreck that's not only wrecked but also on fire with screaming people running away from it?!

And now Diego probably also thinks I lost my damn mind… so that's just great.

And even better since I decided I wanted to go to Spain to see him in person when I can't even handle just talking to him when he's over 6000 Kilometers away across a FUCKING ocean!

Finally, and I had no idea what was going on anymore since I felt like a full on out of control runaway train as I threw my glasses aggressively at my bed before just shouting, "SHIT!"

And almost to punctuate it I just fell to my knees and slammed my face into my comforter and letting out this frustrated and almost 'grunting' scream of some kind that was not a sound I knew I could make.

As I kept myself face planted on my bed and kept going in my downward spiral of an existential crisis, my eyes immediately sprung open as I heard knocking on my door before I heard a familiar deep, calm and slightly concerned voice say through the door, "Claire? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Dad.

I felt my heart almost stop for a moment until I almost felt even more of a feeling of frustrated dread.

Great… and now my dad probably thinks I'm crazy too.

But, I didn't want him to suspect anything as I somehow managed to get to my feet and took a deep breathe before opening my door and saw my dad standing there, looking like he just got home from work in his suit… even though I could tell he was trying to take off his tie since it looked loose already.

As I expected he was looking at me with this look in his eye as he absentmindedly readjusted his glasses.

But I was still determined to not let him think I was losing my mind as I started, even though I was already screwing it up as I stuttered right off the bat, "H-Hey dad. Y-yeah, I'm fine. What made you think something was wrong?"

Yeah… he's not gonna believe any of that.

Immediately he tilted his head at me before proving what I was thinking as he started, "Sure about that? Because I just got through the door from work and heard my daughter scream 'shit' at the top of her lungs out of nowhere when she hardly yells or swears ever so… I think I had a good reason to think something was wrong?"

Dammit… I knew it.

I hung my head, knowing I was completely busted and I knew lying more would just dig me into a deeper hole than I was already in.

Especially since my dad literally said it all that his daughter was acting like some kind of screaming, insane harpy creature from mythology or something for the stupidest reason ever.

As I was standing there trying to figure out what to do, I felt my dad put a hand on my shoulder as he said, "Honey, it's okay. I know you'll be 18 in July, but I'm still your dad and no matter how old you get I'm still gonna care if something's going on with you. Because me and your mom have noticed you've been 'not you' sometimes in the past month. Is it school? Is your coach giving you a hard time?"

I shook my head and mindlessly brushed my hair behind my ear and my eyes still burning from leaving my contacts in also wasn't helping as I started, "No, dad. Don't worry. It's not school or basketball or any of that, its…"

My eyes went wide and my stomach tensed up at what I was just about to say.

Dammit… how lame am I that I'm losing my mind over a boy? Who also happens to be my best friend… and I can't stop thinking about him and have been having recurring almost 'wet dreams' about him almost nightly at this point even though I've never gone that far with a guy yet (and that's whole other thing I also keep thinking about WAY too much lately) like… dammit, I am actually the living embodiment of the 'hormone crazed teenager' right now.

AND IT'S OVER DIEGO!

Okay, I'll admit it, I've always considered myself a pretty 'normal' teenage girl.

I've had crushes, made out with a few guys at parties, gone out on a couple of dates, and had a boyfriend for a little under 2 months until he broke up with me after I beat him in one-on-one which to me was stupid and I didn't even care since I was so offended.

I mean, Diego can be insecure about some things, but he wouldn't care about something as stupid as me beating him at a stupid game.

Wait, did I just bring Diego up again? AND compare him to my ex-boyfriend?

UGH! Can I go 5 seconds without thinking about him?! And why can't I talk to him about it?! I already know he likes me and I know I can talk to him about anything so why can't I just TELL HIM!

Ugh… why?

Seriously, can I just rip open my head and put everything that has to do with Diego in a jar just so I can finally think clearly?

Finally my dad filled in the blank as he said, "Claire, I think you need to sit down."

I think I was too in shock and overwhelmed to do anything else since my dad just ended up guiding me to my bed and eventually got me to have a seat.

As I kept losing my sanity, I felt the weight on my mattress shift next to me as my dad sat down too and let out a long sigh before saying, "Claire, I know I'm just your dad and you probably think I won't get it or judge you, but… you know I was your age once too, right? So, if you need to talk about something? Go for it. And trust me, I'll bet my new car there's nothing you can say that I'll think is stupid."

I slowly looked over, still feeling awkward and tense as all get out as I started and quirked up an eyebrow, still feeling totally hesitant and slightly weird that I was talking to my dad of all people about this, "Sure about that?"

My dad just smiled before saying almost playfully (most likely trying to get me to chill out), "Try me."

Then… I stopped.

It was like I was trying to come up with words and I had a million of them going through my head right now, but it was like I had no idea what to say or how to say them and eventually… I just had no control as I spouted, "I-I don't know what's wrong with me? Up until a couple weeks ago I had NONE of this going on. I mean.. ugh! I can't concentrate! I can't sleep! I can't do ANYTHING without thinking about him! I just…"

Just as I felt like I really was actually going crazy, dad put his hand on my shoulder as he said, "Claire, honey, look at me."

It took a couple seconds to finally look at dad and I think he was just going to look at me and think I was insane until I just saw his usual calm expression as he said, "Claire, just relax take a deep breath for me here, eh?" Eventually I closed my eyes and slowly took a deep breath in before letting it out just as slowly, feeling better.

I mean, still not anywhere near fine… but I did feel a little better.

Then I was brought back as my dad squeezed my shoulder before asking, "So… what's been going on here? Is this about a boy at your school or something?"

Again, as weird as it feels deep down that I'm talking about this stuff with my dad, I seriously don't care anymore.

Besides my dad has already seen how much I'm totally losing my mind right now. Why not tell him who I've been losing my mind over, right?

I decided to take another deep breath until I scrunched my eyes shut before fessing up, "I-I think I like Diego."

I kept my eyes shut, not knowing what to expect, until I heard casually, "Oh."

What?

I whipped my head over and looking at myself partly confused but also partly (as I suspected) not remotely looking surprised as I directed, "Wait, what? You knew?!"

Seriously?! Was I the only person who didn't know?! Should I call my grandma Watson and ask her if she knew too for fuck's sake?!

My dad's eyes went wide before saying, almost WAY too casually, "Well, I can't say I'm surprised? I mean, I always suspected something from the way I always noticed how Diego was around you, but I just thought you were just less 'obvious' about it, I guess? That and you asked to go to Spain to see him next month so…"

It was like I was still trying to comprehend everything as my mouth kept opening and closing despite no words coming out. Eventually, my dad continued, "Why? Are you and him?…"

I didn't even know if dad was going to ask about dating or anything else that I really didn't want to talk about since I felt like I had enough 'sex talks' from adults from my parents and health class combined and I put the brakes on as I cut in, "No, we're not dating or anything. It's just… okay, at the winter fundraiser, Natalie told me Diego liked me and then it just kept getting in my head and then I realized I liked him too, but… but now I don't know what I'm doing? Diego won't say it to me for some reason and now I'm too freaked out to say it even though I should. And every time I talk to him I turn into an insane person and now… ugh, what's my problem?! What's his problem?! We've always been able to talk to each other about anything! I mean, Diego can be a lot of things but he's always been confident with this kind of stuff. So… why won't he just tell me?"

I put my face in my hands out of frustration and almost felt like I wanted to rip my face off at this point that my dad and I were even having this conversation right now.

Eventually, after a couple beats of silence, my dad finally said through a sigh, "Claire, as someone who was once a 17 year old boy that liked girls, I'm going to tell you something very important here when I'm talking about Diego or any other boy at his age. Because when it comes to us at that age with girls we like… we're pretty damn clueless."

I whipped my head up and saw my dad smirking a little at me as he shrugged and continued, "Hey, I'm speaking from experience here. I don't care how 'cool and confident' a teenage guy thinks he is… he isn't. Because believe me, most of the time when it came to me and my friends, we always needed a girl we liked to 'spell it out' somehow and at least show some initiative. Even your mom took the lead with dropping more hints on me to get me to see that she liked me and I was 18 and in college by then! So, as confident as Diego seems on the outside, I can tell you he is probably a confused mess just as much if not more than you on the inside right now. And if I'm right… he's probably hoping you'll just know or give him some kind of a sign you like him too. And if you do like him too like you said… then you should tell him how you feel. The ball is in your court right now, hun. I know this kind of thing can be scary, but… you'll probably feel a lot better once you and him talk it out. And don't be afraid to step up and do it yourself either. You shouldn't have to wait around for an answer when you can get it yourself by being honest. All you gotta do is just figure out how you want to go about it."

We sat in silence again as I kept thinking over everything I heard until it looked like my dad said, "And hey, I know you don't like your glasses as much as I like mine, but I think they suit you."

He put my glasses back on my face that I threw on my bed and looked like he was about to get up until I stopped him and started, "Wait, dad… thanks. You know, for being so cool about this."

Dad just looked at me for a second before smiling and giving me a kiss on the top of my head as he said, "Anytime, kiddo."

I rolled my eyes slightly at him still calling me that, but I still smiled in appreciation as he started walking out. As my dad walked out, I playfully questioned, "Why? What sort of 'hints' did mom need to drop on you?"

My dad stopped before slowly looking back and giving me a smirk before shrugging and responding simply, "That… I'll leave you to ask your mom about. All I'll say is she knew what she was doing on the dance floor when we first met, that's for damn sure."

We both just smiled before he walked out and closed my door behind him.

After my door was closed, I slowly fell back until I was laying on my bed and looking up at my ceiling, just… thinking again.

And Shane comes in clutch once again folks! Although unlike last time when he helped Alejandro and Heather get together through some 'day drinking' in Heather's parents' basement, this time 'Papa Shane' came in to save the day to help his very emotionally confused daughter sort out her feelings for Diego. Again, even though Diego has been crushing on Claire for years, Claire only recently discovered she liked him back after not even considering him a 'romantic interest' prior to knowing about his crush on her. Think about it and I can relate since I lived this too, if I all of a sudden realized I had feelings for a very close friend who I thought was 'just a friend' all that time… it would be a bit of a confusing experience to try and sort through realistically. Unfortunately for Claire; however, her and Diego's mutual crush has seemed to drive her crazy a bit from frustration with Diego staying silent on it out of his own insecurity… if not just making her pretty sexually flustered at the same time. Lol. XD Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter as well as seeing an almost 50 year old Shane passing on some good relationship advice to his daughter. I'm very close with my dad so this was a very nice chapter for me to write since it helped me think of my dad too and everything he's done for me in my life to make me the woman I am now. :) Thanks as always so much for reading and constructive reviews are always appreciated.

Stay classy and safe out there everyone!

Dexter1995