Disclaimer: Twilight is owned by Stephenie Meyer
Authors Note: Sorry about the delay all explained in my note on chapter 19 of What Came Next. Thanks for the reviews and alerts etc. Keep them coning please:D
Quil and Claire conversation requests are being given a lot but they will follow in time, Claire is shy so don't expect great conversations just yet!! But they will come!!!
Chapter Fifteen
C.P.O.V.
The surprise I felt at having my breathing return to me so easily, made me stare up at Quill, before I blushed at his stare and pulled away from him. I couldn't understand the overwhelming emotions that I felt when I was around him, why should I want to touch him to lunge at him like I did right now. The best option was to try ignore Quill while he was around me, he was much older than me and wouldn't be interested in an awkward kid like me.
As a result of my furious thinking I didn't even notice that Quill was talking to the twins, there words were incoherent to me I was so absorbed in my own thoughts. I knew that there was something odd about the way they were all acting towards each other, and like my feelings for Quill I couldn't quite figure out what it was or where it stemmed from. It was then that I noticed that Hannah had been trying to gain my attention, once I had acknowledged her she began silently asking me about Quill and teasing me about having a crush on him. I grimaced at Hannah's teasing and blushed, horrified at the thought that if Hannah who didn't really know me yet knew that I had a crush on Quill, then how obvious was it to Quill himself.
A voice interrupted my thoughts, it sounded familiar to me but I couldn't place it, I didn't look up for a moment or two as I got a suddenly horrified feeling that it was my mother that was going to be standing in front of me. However when I realised that I wasn't being screamed at, it occurred to me that it was obviously going to be Emily. Looking up I saw that it really was Emily, and for the first time I started paying attention to what was being said; Quill was being invited to dinner…I gulped nervously a whole evening being spent with the God like Quill. I blushed again and heard Hannah giggle beside me. Before I knew what was happening Emily was ushering us along towards her house, and without thinking about it I looked up at Quill and seeing him looking back at me I smiled; I blushed immediately, when I saw that Quill was just staring at me with an odd expression on his face.
"Claire!" Hannah called holding back from the rest of her family as I ran to keep up with them. "Sorry…"I panted reaching into my bag automatically for my inhaler only to realise that I didn't need it. Not for the first time I was surprised by my asthmas sudden decision to give me a rest. "No worries…you alright?" Hannah asked curiously peering at me with a small grin on her face. I blushed again, "Yes I'm fine…was just..". Before I finished Hannah interrupted me "Just eyeing up one of the hottest guys on the reservation" , Hannah glanced dreamily off into the distance before continuing her commentary; "Pity he doesn't date…". Up to this point I had being trying to feign a lack of interest but my head automatically snapped up at this, causing Hannah's grin to turn into a full blown smile. I cursed myself for the involuntary reaction, I shouldn't encourage Hannah's teasing or imaginings…..no matter how true they were.
It was too late now to pretend that I hadn't been interested so I tried to look what I hoped was only mildly interested; or at least interested to a point where it would seem acceptable. Hannah studied my face for a moment and I could see her smile fall slightly in doubt, but she seemed to dismiss what she was thinking before she continued; "Well I mean it's not from lack of trying, most girls have tried to go out with him at one stage or another and he just tells them that he wants to be their friend…a few of my friends older sisters have tried but they say that he didn't seem in the slightest bit interested…" Hannah continuously glanced up at me to see what reaction I was having to what she was saying and I kept a permanent thoughtful expression on my face. "Well here's the thing though if you ask me….I think that he is waiting for someone special… must have got tired of his old lifestyle.." at this Hannah sighed and looked ahead, obviously enticing me into asking her what she was talking about. I tried to pretend that I didn't have any interest yet again but this time I couldn't help it; "What old life do you mean?". Hannah positively beamed at me before she answered, and I couldn't help but smile back at her. "You see when he was a teenager he had a bit of a reputation for being a womaniser, cocky you know and had dated most of the girls in the reservation….then he went through this depression apparently for about a year or so and when he got over it he didn't date anymore.." Now that the subject had turned slightly darker Hannah seemed taken aback at her own story and didn't speak about it again.
"Claire, walk with me will you?" Emily suddenly cut into my thoughts, forcing me to disband all the theories which were raging in my mind. Hannah looked surprised at this and quickly walked ahead to her brothers where they promptly began to argue. Emily fell into step with me and smiled at me kindly, "Are you having a good day so far?", I looked up and smiled at Emily in return, seemingly pleased by my response she continued "I see that Hannah was letting you know all about the local gossip back there…you really shouldn't pay attention to her, all of that happened before she was even born!". This surprised me, of all the conversation starters this was the last thing that I had expected, and what did she mean that this had happened before Hannah was born….exactly how old was Quill anyway.
"Oh I see…. Emily just out of curiosity how old is Quill … it's just that you said that he was a teenager before Hannah was even born and he doesn't look that old…". I blushed despite myself, now Emily would think that I had a crush on Quill too! Emily looked away from me almost as though she were deciding whether or not to tell me, "I'm not sure exactly but old enough… you should probably ask him yourself…I'm not entirely sure of his exact age…" Emily finished cryptically making me all the more curious, but I didn't want to push it. Emily looked at me then and there was a somewhat pained expression on her face, I wanted to give her a hug right then to see if I could restore the smile which I was growing to love so much. I couldn't understand what was causing her to look at me like that and it was making me increasingly nervous; my change in breathing seemed to snap Emily out of whatever she was thinking about.
"Claire could you please do me a favour…" Emily asked apprehensively "I know it may seem odd and you haven't known me for very long either but…" I interrupted Emily before she could continue, surprised at my own sudden bravery; "Whatever you want Emily all you have to do is ask.." I smiled reassuringly, which seemed to ease Emily before she continued. "Well Claire its just that your mother wouldn't be to happy with you coming down here today so I assume that your not going to tell her about this particular visit..". I blushed at this and inclined my head in assent. Emily laughed sadly, "I understand Claire and it's fine by me if you come here without your mother knowing, I probably shouldn't condone it but your mother is being unreasonable and she is coming around so it shouldn't matter too much…." Emily wasn't making much sense and seemed to be trying to convince herself more than me; "…It would be better if you don't tell your mother about the visit…and don't mention Quill..". This surprised me more than anything else that she had said, I could understand her not wanting Jane stopping me from seeing them, but Quill…. What had he to do with anything?. A brief memory of my mother driving like a demon out of La Push upon seeing Quill and I staring at one another sprung to mind, but I quickly dismissed the notion as ridiculous. "I just don't think that you're mother would approve of you spending time with someone older than you is all" Emily finished lamely, making me think that I wasn't going to hear anything more about it no matter how far I pushed.
Looking around I soon realised that we were back at Emily's and I grew quiet soon upon seeing a large looming figure standing on Emily's porch. The man looked like an older version of Quill, beautiful in his own way but paled in comparison; without knowing how I immediately knew who he was.