Sunday night finally came, the last show Claire would ever do if she had any say in it. She was over doing what her mother wanted, she was going to start living for herself now. Claire had refused to see her mother last night after the performance, she would no longer be criticized. She would do the same tonight, stay in her dressing room until the very last person left. Ben had the car tonight but she knew that if she called him then he'd come get her. She could also just take an Uber but that would be a pretty penny.
Knock knock
Claire wanted to bang her head against the wall at the sound. No way her mother would come back stage before right? Claire cracked her neck before making her way to the door and flinging it open. She was ready to attack her mother if needed to get here away right now. Instead though she saw a bouquet of daisies sitting on the ground, just like they were last night although this time the person knocked instead of just leaving them there for her to trip over. Claire stepped out and looked around seeing a few dancers stretching against the wall, all chatting about the after party tonight.
"Hey, did you guys see who dropped this off?" Claire asked while showing the bouquet. Her mother would never do such a thing, she's never given flowers to anyone except Sarah. Ben said he had something planned for tonight when she got home so she knew it wasn't him. She looked around for a note but found none. Even her father would always leave a simple small note.
"Oh, yeah. Some big tall guy dropped them then ran. He did it last night too. Seems like you have an admirer," the one girl of the group giggled before they all started down the hallway to take their place on stage. Claire sighed, she knew who these came from.
Quil.
She would have to take to him later but for now she must go put on the best show of her entire career because tonight marked the end of her career. As she walked on stage she started her breath work, calming herself. This is the last night she would ever let her feet bleed and break open. This is the last night she would ever spin until she felt like puking. This is the last night she's see any of these dancers again in this setting. This is the last night she would be clapped for by hundreds of people.
One, inhale. Two, exhale. Three, inhale. Four, exhale. Five, inhale.
Two hours later Claire was sitting in her dressing room with the door locked so her mother couldn't get in even if she tried. She had already cleaned her feet again and rebandaged them. She had hung up her costume before changing into sweatpants and a hoodie with a pair of comfy slippers. Her hair was now brushed out and pulled into a messy bun, she couldn't wait until she could chop the mess of it all off soon. Claire was now taking off her stage makeup when she heard the knock.
Shit.
"Go away mom!" Claire yelled before scrubbing her eyes, getting all the mascara off. A knock sounded out again making Claire groan. She was about to yell again when a voice rung out along with another knock.
"It's me...Quil," Quil was standing outside in the hallway looking around to see that everyone else had left. He had waited outside of the building to watch and make sure she had a ride but then she never came. He began to worry when he saw her mother leave.
"Hurry, inside," Claire unlocked the door and grabbed his arm pulling him inside before looking the door again. Claire walked back over to finish taking off her makeup while Quil sat in the spare chair by the door.
"Your mother already left," Quil knew why she had to be waiting in here. Ever since she declared she quit dance everyone was a little on edge about what was next. Emily stepped in and offered a job so she could keep an eye on the girl, they were aware memories were starting to come back and one of them needed to stay close in case she went crazy when she really remembered.
"Oh? Then I can just head home," Claire finished cleaning her face before grabbing her duffel bag and looking around the room one last time. She vowed to herself that this was it. She would never come back into a dressing room here again, or anywhere else as a matter of fact. Claire nodded to herself before she turned grabbed her phone and the daises, she walked to the door and unlocked it to leave finally. She didn't have to look behind her to know Quil was following. It was a given. They walked in silence out the theater and into the snowy night. It was almost Christmas and they snow couldn't have come at a better time. Claire looked up and down the street and didn't see any cabs or ubers sitting. She pulled out her phone but Quil blocked it with her giant hand.
"I'll give you a ride. Come on," Quil just started walking away down the block without letting Claire even respond. She wanted to protest but once she caught a gust of wind she shivered and ran to catch up before she lost sight of him.
"I could just call Ben," Claire knew she was just arguing to talk. She wouldn't really call Ben, it was snowing and she would worry about him driving to get her.
"Bullshit, it's snowing. You wouldn't dare ask him to come," Quil called her out like he read her mind. Even after all these years he could still easily guess her thoughts like it was as easy as breathing air.
"Well, you didn't have to call me out," Claire mumbled under her breath as she rounded the corner with him to see him walk towards a historic baby blue Chevy truck. She stopped and stared at it for a minute trying to place it in her mind before a memory hit her.
"Look Quil! I'm driving?" Claire sat in the drivers seat of a torn down and beaten up historic baby blue Chevy truck. She turned the wheel back and forth while making a mean face, pretending she was in one of the racing movies.
"Be careful, kiddo. This is a classic," Quil tapped the side of the truck that had a huge dent in it. Embry laughed from the front of the truck staring at the missing hood and engine.
"Yeah, classic piece of shit," Embry laughed again while pushing Jakes shoulder who stood next to him shaking his head.
"Watch, I'll have this thing fixed up in a few years. Hell, I'll have this thing fixed up before Claire is even a teen," Quil flipped off the two boys before coming over to the driver window to watch Claire play race car.
"Hey, Quil, you think maybe one day I can drive this thing?" Claire asked with a toothy grin. She knew he would do anything that she asked.
"Of course," Quil gave a grin back before giving her a wink. He was completely wrapped around her finger.
"Claire, it's snowing harder now. Come on," Quil called to her from the driver side of the truck. He looked concerned about the snow more then that fact that she just had a memory come back. He didn't want to take the chance of getting into a wreck with Claire in the truck. Claire pushed herself to go to the truck and jump into the passenger seat. She shook some snow off of her body while Quil worked on getting the heat going for her. Once they started back to La Push though they were quiet. Claire texted Ben that she was on her way home with Quil and not to worry. Quil was wondering about things to say. Claire though thankfully fixed that.
"I remember this truck," Claire almost whispered as she stared at the steering wheel. He had rebuilt the whole truck but it was still baby blue.
"Excuse me?" Quil coughed a little, wanting to turn and look at her but also knowing he needed to focus on the road. The snow was coming down hard. He should have just offered to pay for a hotel room for her and he just would have slept in the truck.
"Yeah. I remember this truck vaguely. I remember it wasn't like this though, it was nothing but a piece of shit but you were right, huh?" Claire looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. If he said what she thought he might then it confirmed that she wasn't crazy. If he said what she thought he might then it confirmed why she couldn't picture him as a child, because she didn't know him as a child. Only as a teenager and now a little bit older looking Quil.
"It was fixed by your teen years," Quil let the sentence escape his mouth knowing what she was rooting for. He couldn't tell her everything yet but he could calm her nerves a bit.
"I was right then. I didn't know you as a child and neither did Ben. Only like this," Claire stared at him harder now watching his face. He kept his face straight though and focused, not giving anything away. Claire was always good at reading him too.
"Yes, you didn't know me when I was a child and yes, you've always known me as only this. No, before you even ask, I can't say why yet," Quil knew what the next question would be and beat her to it.
"At least you told me I wasn't crazy," Claire just shrugged finally and leaned into her seat. She let the heat blow on her, warming her body up finally and drying her damp clothes. They rode in silence for about an hour before either one spoke again.
"You think you'll like baking?" Quil asked trying to just hear her voice. He hadn't heard it for seventeen years and when he was around her that's all he wanted.
"Maybe. It's worth a shot right?" Claire chuckled a little while wiggling her damaged feet inside her slippers. She was happy to know that she would never force them to stand on the points again.
"I think you'll be good at it. Plus, it's gotta be better then those mud pies you use to make," Quil smiles at the memory of her trying to shove a pile of mud in his face every time it stopped raining. Every now and again he would please her by liking it which she would get extremely giddy about.
"I was the queen of those," Claire stuck her tongue out at him before looking out the window at the falling snow. She loved when it first snowed and everything looked magical.
"Pull over," Claire finally said when they got on the main stretch to La Push. Quil looked at her like she was crazy before looking at their surroundings. On one side was woods but the other side was clear and covered in fresh powder with no light on it but the full moon. Quil sighed, he knew what she wanted to do. He pulled over slowly on to the shoulder before watching Claire jump out and run. Once a few feet away she turned around and stared at him before smiling and winking. She lifted her arms up into the air before letting her body free fall on to the snow. She landed with a soft thud before laughing. She was cold but she didn't care. She felt so carefree. She soon started moving her arms and legs to make a snow angel. Quil pulled a blanket out from behind the seat so she could wrap up in it when she was done playing before walking out into the field with her and watching. He couldn't believe this beautiful woman was Claire, his imprint.