Alright, here's the scoop ya'll! I'm going to wedding number 4 of 5 this summer and will be out of town all weekend, so I made sure to write this chapter ahead of time to make sure I got an update in this week for you all! This chapter opens on the Watson's arriving in Spain for spring break to visit Aleheather and Co. Hope you all enjoy! :)

(Claire's POV)

Okay… it's fine.

I'm fine.

Everything is… ugh, shit.

Who the hell am I kidding?! I feel like a total disaster right now… and it was MY idea to come here!

We just got to Spain an hour ago and mom and dad were going out to see Diego's parents for a dinner/financial review meeting, so Matt and I were just on our own to do whatever we wanted.

Well, at least it was that way for about 30 seconds until Matt immediately wanted to go out into the city to 'scope it out' (or his way of saying to go out to bars and or cafés and try to meet girls).

So… it's just me… at Diego's house… alone… with him.

Ja pierdole…

Okay, it's fine. This is fine.

Besides, it's not like I've never been here before?

I've been coming here practically since I was born! And I'm not going to let my weirdness ruin this week and what I want to do.

I'm on spring break right now! I should be having fun and just enjoying my time off here hanging out with Diego like I always do.

Diego…

Luckily the front door of the house opened as I saw the Burromuerto's housekeeper Luz step into view as she smiled at me and said, "Hola señorita Claire! Come in, please! I think señor Diego is just winding down from his training, but make yourself at home. Is there anything I can get for you? Are you hungry? Would you like a drink?"

I smiled and nodded at her as I replied, using the minimal Spanish that I knew, "Gracias Luz. I'm fine and that's okay. I think I'll just go to the media room upstairs and wait for Diego there."

Luz has always been nice to me for as long as I could remember.

Ever since Diego and I kind of 'out grew' nannies and the nursery, Luz was always kind of like our caretaker whenever our parents were gone. If not mostly a glorified chaperone to escort Diego and I whenever we wanted to go out anywhere in our preteen and early teen years.

So being treated like a regular 'adult guest' by Luz?... It was kind of a different feeling, not gonna lie there.

But, Luz just smiled and nodded to me as she replied, "Muy bien, señorita! You just let me know if you need anything." I thanked her again and then started to go upstairs.

See? You're fine Claire! Nothing's changed about anything here.

All I need to do is just make sure I stay relaxed and find a comfortable spot to not lose my mind.

Diego's parents always had this 'media room' that his mom mostly used for 'private screenings' with clients with her being in the entertainment industry, but when it's not being used for that… it's actually just a really cool in-home movie theater.

Except it has the comfiest sofas and armchairs ever in it.

I still remember back when we were kids, Diego and I would build a fort out of pillows and sheets in the viewing room and hang out in it while watching movies before we'd pass out while sharing a bowl of popcorn.

You know, back when things were easier, less awkward… less complicated.

I was pulled out of my head when I collided into something head on and felt almost as taken off guard if I got hit by a basketball in the face… well, until my stomach clenched and my face felt like it was lit on fire when I realized what happened.

I must've been so out of it as I was walking that I didn't realize at first what or who I just ran into.

Diego.

I realized I was just passing Diego's usual bathroom that me, him, and Matt usually shared whenever he came over and just happened to walk by at just the right moment as he was walking out. Sure under normal circumstances, it would be awkward for a split second and then I'd just brush it off and say 'sorry'.

Well… except for the fact that Diego looked like he just got out of the shower since his hair was still wet and even though he was wearing his usual slate colored designer pants… he wasn't wearing a shirt and just had his towel hanging over his shoulders.

Look, this is stupid, WHY IS THIS GETTING TO ME?!

I've seen Diego with his shirt off before when we'd go swimming and yes he's an Olympic athlete and has the body to show for it, but… Was I seriously so blind about how hot he is until NOW?!

Ugh, stop it! Dammit Claire, you're better than acting like those same weirdos from his fan club who pretty much objectify him.

This is still just Diego, your best friend. The same guy you've known since you were pretty much born.

GET A GRIP AND STOP BEING WEIRD!

Eventually Diego smiled at me and picked me up in a hug a little and spun me around a bit like he does sometimes and started, "Claire! What are you doing here, chica?! I thought you weren't coming in until later?"

He was holding me close and I was trying so hard to keep my focus even though… Ugh, GOD! He smells so good.

Again, I tried to get a grip and normalize myself as I hugged him back (trying to ignore he was still shirtless) and smiled, trying to get back to something more us, as I replied, "Our flight was moved up! So mom, dad, and Matt are doing things in the city, but I kind of just wanted to come to the house and hang out. The jet lag is hitting me pretty hard right now if I'm being honest."

I let out a laugh as Diego smirked and said, "And to think someone always judged me for going to bed no later than 10:30 every night? Looks like I may have you beat tonight then if you're already tired at 4 in the afternoon. Any bragging rights I may be entitled to then?"

I just smirked and shoved his shoulder as I remarked jokingly, "Like that would stop you from bragging about anything anyway."

We both immediately laughed about it, for once feeling comfortable as we felt more like 'normal us'.

He smirked before saying, "Here, I'll throw something on and meet you back out here, sí?"

I tried to keep focusing on him from the neck up to keep my eyes from wandering, or even my mind if I'm really being honest to keep it from going to the same 'gutter' it keeps wanting to go to right now every time I think about him.

Eventually I was able to get a grip again as I responded, "Cool, sounds good. Actually I was going to go to the media room. Wanna hang out there and watch something?"

He just smiled and gave me a wink (which only made me more internally flustered) as he replied, "Your wish is my command. After all, you are the guest."

Ugh, dammit, why does he always have to be such a teasing flirt? And WHY is it just now driving me crazy when before I thought he was just messing around with me?

And why do I have to be like this with him now?!

Sure, I know how I feel about him now, but… why the hell does getting older have to mean things get more complicated?

But, maybe that's where I'm going wrong here?

I keep trying to remember what my dad said about trying to be brave and just talk to him about it and just be honest… but I'm freaking out!

Seriously?! What is wrong with me?!

I was never this much of a total wreck with any of the other guys I've crushed on, so… why Diego? He walked off toward his room to grab a shirt and I was internally grateful he was putting more clothes on to make me act more like a normal person and not some sex crazed teenager (even though I am a teenager but that's besides the point).

Point is, I have been sexually attracted to my best friend for the past few months and have been having very regular sexual fantasies about him despite the fact that I also feel disgusted with myself for seeing him like that.

It's like I feel like I'm not seeing him as a person anymore (at least not in my opinion) since all I want is him physically more than anything else.

Dammit… why am I such a hot mess?!

Okay, just get your shit together, Claire!

I flew all the way to Spain to see and hang out with Diego and dammit I am going to do it! I just need to calm down and let things flow.

(Diego's POV)

Okay, she's here.

All you have to breathe and not make anything awkward to make her hate you and never want to see you ever again.

And what the HELL was I thinking earlier?!

I act like I have it together but she turns me into this disaster! And I'm still not brave enough with her either. Recently, I keep trying to tell myself I'm going to tell her during our video calls, but all I do is leave with my tail between my legs like some pathetic scolded, cowardly animal and she hardly even wants to make eye contact with me anymore.

WHAT DID I DO?!

All I do is keep trying to figure out what I could have possibly said to make her seem so uncomfortable with me most of the time that I feel like I've completely lost my mind.

Eventually I stopped just short of the media room and took a chance to take a deep breath and straightened out the collar of my shirt.

Just breathe…

I stepped into the room and I was surprised to see her sitting with her legs crossed on one of the sofas smiling at the screen.

Right when I looked over, my eyes went wide to see what was paused on its opening frame that I haven't personally watched in years despite it being one of my favorite movies, if not my favorite now that I think about it.

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938).

I think Claire saw I was there as she said, "Look what I found when I was scrolling through. Remember when your nanny would play these old movies for us while we had lunch when we were little whenever I came over?"

I just stood there looking at the screen until I looked back at her with a smirk and pointed out, "It wasn't just whenever you came over, you know? Nanny used to play these older movies all the time for me when I had lunch."

She gave me a teasing smirk back as she remarked playfully, "Saying I wasn't anything special?"

I smirked back and retorted playfully, "I never said that."

Because you are special to me.

She laughed and I tried to keep my thoughts on track as I laughed with her before saying, "But, no, this is perfect! Here, I'll let Luz know and see if she could bring up an early dinner for us. What would you like?"

I heard Claire let out a slight laugh as she said, "I feel bad since I literally just told Luz I didn't want anything. I don't want to be that girl and be a total pain in the ass."

I just looked at her and said in all seriousness, "Nonsense, that's her job. Besides, I want to make sure you're looked after… you know, as my guest. Otherwise what sort of host would I be?"

Carajo… I barely saved myself on that one.

Luckily she just smiled at me and that almost immediately put me more at ease despite still feeling like my heart was crawling up my throat from nerves.

I know I always say it all the time, but… she just always has this inherent ability to both relax and stun me simultaneously without even trying. And the older we get the more I can't resist her and try to do whatever it takes to make her happy since… she really does make me happy just by being herself and treating me like me.

Eventually I got back on track again after I asked Claire what she wanted and gave Luz our orders to send to the cook.

We settled in on the sofa as Claire started the movie before I said, "Remember after we watched this, how we'd always go out and play in the garden and try to climb the trees like they'd do in the movie?"

She gave me a playful smirk with a quirked up eyebrow as she asked, "Which one? The time where my dad yelled at us for hitting each other with sticks we found like the quarter staff fight in the movie or the time Matt almost fell out of a tree when we were climbing and ended up splitting his pants?"

We both immediately started laughing, almost completely forgetting about that last one with her brother.

Although I had to admit, this almost felt like a relief. Like everything was a bit easier right now and not painfully awkward like things had been recently between us.

We both eventually settled in on the sofa and started watching the movie.

It was like I was so wrapped up in it at first that I hardly noticed how close we were sitting next to each other right now. I mean, not that we never sat this close, but… I couldn't help but notice something 'different'.

Mainly that we were close to being almost shoulder to shoulder and I looked down and felt my throat get tight when I saw her hand resting down on the sofa quite close to me. My palms immediately started sweating as I pursed my lips, trying to resist the temptation.

Not that I don't want to since I really do want to hold her hand as pathetic as it sounds, but… I also don't want to scare her off after she just got here and make her uncomfortable.

Unless… she wants me to?

I kept contemplating and feeling like I was going to give myself an aneurysm as I kept just looking at her hand.

Because as much as I'm still scared to tell her… it also feels like it's getting even more difficult for me to resist her. And how can I not resist her in anyway?

I know we're hardly 18 yet and some people who don't know me would probably think I'm absolutely insane or stupid to admit it, but I really do love Claire. At this point I'll admit that I'm pretty much completely in love with her to the point that I can't even accept any 'substitute' for her.

Because as pathetic and even crazy as it sounds, I feel like I can't even look at other girls without comparing them to Claire or even thinking about her.

Considering the only two girls I ever involved myself with were girls who reminded me of Claire… at least physically.

Tall, pretty, dishwater blonde hair… but that's part of the reason why I broke things off immediately with both of them and had nothing that lasted more than a month between or beyond those two girls.

This girl at my school, Ana, who I dated and we didn't do anything past a kiss before leaving school and holding hands between classes since I was really only dating her (sadly and pathetically) for the only purpose of making Claire jealous when she had a boyfriend for only a couple months.

But, I think Ana got over me quickly too and has been understandably ignoring me whenever I see her since I never even wanted to take her out on dates and only cared about Claire's reaction whenever I talked about Ana to her, and Claire didn't do anything beyond being happy I was going out with someone like she was.

I'll even admit it was not one of my finest moments.

Then there was Siobhan…

Ay, carajo...

Somehow that one was almost worse. Even I'll admit that to myself.

I never even told anyone, not even Natalie or Claire, about this one and I was just relieved Siobhan got so pissed at me that she didn't seem to tell anyone either and just ignores me when I see her at competitions for World's these days.

Anyway, long story short, before I won my gold medal last summer in the Olympics, I was in the dining room of my Olympic village residence having dinner and every day since opening ceremonies I tried to sit on my own to keep myself isolated and focused on the games… except this girl had other ideas and I knew exactly who she was.

Siobhan Thornton, 17 year old Irish fencer and ended up being the Silver medalist that year in her division at the Olympics.

She was clearly making plays for me (probably because of how 'well known' I was and being my mother's son) and I was just accepting them since… okay, fine she might as well have almost been Claire's doppelganger.

With the exception of the freckles across her nose, she had everything.

Tall, athletic build, dishwater blonde hair, pretty light brown eyes, cute smile… I thought she had it all and I found my way out of wanting Claire.

Well, until it happened.

After I won my gold medal, Siobhan came to my room and at first was congratulating me which then quickly turned into us making out in my room… and then it all went south into a disastrous nosedive from there.

I could tell she wanted more with me since she was trying to take off her clothes after my shirt came off. But the whole time 'something' was almost… fighting me.

Until it finally clicked.

That whole time I was with Siobhan in that situation and spending time with her and even making out with her, I wasn't. I couldn't stop thinking about Claire and realized I was only taking Siobhan's advances because I was almost using her as a vehicle to think about doing those things with Claire.

Suddenly nothing felt right at all and I got almost wracked with 'guilt' (almost like I was cheating on Claire even though I had no reason to feel that since she wasn't even my girlfriend... and still isn't) as I abruptly put a stop to it right as Siobhan was letting me know she wanted to go further by trying to undo my belt.

I immediately stopped everything and told Siobhan I was sorry and that I couldn't because there was someone else.

And based on her reaction… it was clear Siobhan thought I already had a girlfriend and was just using her for an easy score. Despite the fact that it wasn't that situation whatsoever and in my opinion I knew she was using me too, she slapped me before throwing my shirt at my face and told me to go 'fuck myself'.

Then I somehow made it worse by trying to save face and saying that I didn't have a girlfriend, but I just wasn't interested… and that understandably got me a middle finger and an offended death glare before telling me to 'piss off' and slamming my door shut behind her as she stormed out.

Now that I think about it, that whole situation with Siobhan was FAR worse than Ana if I'm really being honest… by a major long shot actually.

But, at the same time, that was when I started to realize how I actually felt about Claire and knew my feelings were more than just 'a little crush'.

I kept looking down at her hand almost dangerously close to mine still as I continued to contemplate.

But, and as much as I was trying to hold to Abuelo's advice about 'allowing things to happen naturally'… I also couldn't deny that Natalie was also right.

I can't expect anything to happen with Claire if I don't make it happen to some degree and just let her know how I feel by telling her.

Besides, maybe holding her hand while I talk to her is as good a start as any, right? Sure there's still a possibility of crushing rejection, but… I won't know until I tell her.

Because Natalie's right, I need to be honest with her.

I straightened up and summoned every bit of determination I had as I grabbed her hand with a gentle but firm hold as I turned myself toward her and started, looking down with my eyes shut as I tried to get my words together, "Claire, there's… there's something I have to tell you. It's something I've been meaning to tell you for awhile and I…"

I stopped short when I felt her readjust her hand around mine as I watched her fingers interlocking with mine on my hand.

That alone would have shocked me if it also wasn't for her putting her other hand on the side of my face before she said, "I know."

My eyes went wide as I looked up at her, feeling too shocked to even say anything anymore, almost like I swallowed my tongue.

Wait… She knows? She KNEW?! HOW?! Was I that obvious?! Was I that much of an idiota?!

Then I was thrown more into shock when I felt her smooth her thumb over my cheek while she leaned forward and kissed me before I could even form another thought, making a satisfied chill go down my spine almost immediately.

It was like I was paralyzed in shock at first as she slid closer to me and leaned more into the kiss.

After the shock eventually wore off and even though I was confused about how this ended up happening, I decided not to question why my best friend and the girl I've been into for years is now kissing me and to just go with it as I leaned into the kiss more too, almost trying to memorize all these new sensations I was feeling with her right now.

She moved her hand to the back of my head as I felt her fingers brush through the hair at the nape of my neck, making my eyes roll to the back of my head.

I couldn't help myself as I pulled my hand out of hers and cradled her face in my hands as we kept progressing in the situation, making her let out this long breathy sign through her nose.

Agh, her skin is so soft.

I think I was so wrapped up in the situation so far that I hardly noticed she somehow shifted closer to me on the sofa until she was practically sitting on my lap as we made out. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I couldn't fight the impulse to pull her closer against me.

The movie or anything for that matter seemed to be the last thing on both our minds and I was determined for this not to end any time soon as I kept holding her close. And it was clear Claire was there too since her hold on me was clearly not 'relaxing' either.

But… it was like I still couldn't believe it was happening?

Almost like I was questioning my sanity and reality about if this was really happening or not. But, whether it's a twisted delusion or reality… I didn't want to let go or allow anything to ruin this moment with Claire if it killed me.

"Hey, I heard a movie going in here, what are you guys wah… Whoa."

Both Claire and I stopped abruptly and looked over and saw Matt standing there just looking at us (still pretty much clinging to each other at this stage) before he put his hands up and stuttered with a smirk and slight laugh, "My bad. I'll… I'll just… yeah."

He back off around the corner, leaving Claire and I paralyzed in a fog of embarrassed, flustered awkwardness.

Either way, I will stand by what I said back at the country club fall fundraiser.

I normally don't consider myself violent… but her brother is walking on very thin ice with staying in my 'good graces' if he keeps interrupting Claire and I like this.

So, I think if anything has been proven in this chapter… it's that Claire and Diego have both proven to be an equally awkward hot mess for each other when it comes to their mutual crush. But, more on this later. ;) In this chapter, I wanted to show how Diego (much like his parents and all people in general) is not perfect no matter how hard he pretends to be. As I've shown previously, Diego is a very, VERY insecure teenage boy. Despite his outward self confidence and being a talented fencer, he is kind of a hot mess when it comes to his personal life… as well as a bit of a hypocrite. Because while he got upset when he realized Alejandro as a teenager took advantage of girls' feelings on "Total Drama" just to win, Diego isn't all that innocent in this regard either when it comes to the two girls he romantically involved himself with so far in his young life. Because as much as Diego would still deny it to an extent, he did use girl's feelings too as a means to fill a void he himself created by not being honest sooner about his feelings and instead was looking to fill the void he created with his own insecurities and ended up 'burning some bridges' with his classmate/kinda sort ex-girlfriend and a fellow competitive fencer in Siobhan Thornton by kind unintentionally making an ass of himself. But, hey, which one of us as teens especially didn't make any mistakes? All of us are flawed and at least Diego eventually learned from them and has decided to take Natalie's advice by trying to be brave and be honest with Claire. Even if he doesn't know yet that his cousin already 'set him up' as an unintentional wing-woman with Claire. Unfortunately Matt yet again unintentionally keeps 'cock blocking' his little sister much to both Claire and Diego's dismay and frustration. But at least Matt knew he interrupted this time so everyone is learning something new here today! Lol. XD Stay tuned for next to see what unfolds and SO much more beyond this plot line! We're getting so close to the official ending of this series of mini-arcs before this fanfic becomes updated by fan requests only. So keep your suggestions coming if you want to see this fic continued! Thank you all again so much for all your kindness and support with this fic and I will see you all in the next update!

Stay classy and wonderful all!

Dexter1995