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Chapter Title taken from the song "Saturday Night" by Eve 6
Saturday night rolled around much faster than Quil was prepared for. It was officially the night of his and Claire's first date. Quil didn't think he had ever been more nervous in his entire life, and that was saying something considering he had fought against vampires. Vampires suddenly seemed like child's play compared to this.
As he stood in the bathroom, looking at his reflection in the full length mirror hanging on the back of the door, he couldn't help but give himself a disgusted look. Nothing's going to happen it's just a date he told himself. He adjusted the collar of his dress shirt and scrutinized himself. Dress shirt, slacks. Not to dressy, but not his usual baggy jeans and tee shirt combo. He turned his head right and left, cracking his neck then shook out his arms. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes. She will behave herself. Nothing will happen. We're going to be chaperoned. He opened his eyes and tried to smile. It came out as a half grimace, half maniacal grin. Okay no smiling.
"Hey Romeo! Open up!" Embry pounded on the bathroom door. "There are other people that live in this house that need to use the bathroom."
Quil rolled his eyes and opened the door.
Embry raised his eyebrows. "Hmmm."
Quil looked down at himself. "What?" When Embry didn't respond he started to panic. "What, what?"
"Wow, calm down Sally. I was going to say you don't look half bad. Hell I'd even consider going out with you."
Quil made a face. "Could you not? Please not tonight, okay?"
Embry's eyes widened. "You are really nervous, aren't you?"
"Well, yeah, I mean, this is my first date in twelve years. And it's with Claire, you know?"
"Yeah, yeah I know. You imprints are all so pussy whipped. I mean have you even seen Seth's face since he met Julie? I know I haven't and we were right in the middle of a General Hospital marathon."
"Well, I'm sorry your soap opera boyfriend is busy getting laid." Quil gave Embry a mock look of pity.
"Hey, General Hospital is a good show. Why the hell do you think it's been on so long?"
"Whatever." Quil took a deep breath. "Well, here goes nothing." He walked past Embry into the hall.
"Hey Quil?"
"Yeah?"
"Good luck tonight man. I mean that."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
Embry nodded. "No problem. Now get the hell out of here, I have the bathroom to myself all night, and I'm not letting it go to waste." He held up a stack of magazines.
Quil laughed. "Knock yourself out."
Ten minutes later Quil was nearly to Claire's house. As he approached her street he had a crazy idea that he should just keep driving. Just drive right by Claire's house and get the hell out of Washington. He could go anywhere. Pushing the ridiculous idea aside, he turned into Claire's driveway. He shut off the engine and sat for a moment, his heart pounding as though it was trying to escape his chest. You're fine, this is no big deal. Don't sweat it. Quil opened his door, extricated himself from the car and walked slowly up to the back porch. One last thought of fleeing crossed his mind before he hesitantly knocked on the door. It felt weird knocking. He hadn't knocked at the Ortecho home in years. He stood nervously shuffling his feet until the door opened.
"Well don't you look nice," Sharon greeted him.
"Oh thanks," Quil said, his voice coming out in a croak.
"Don't worry, I think she's probably more nervous than you are," Sharon said with a smile.
"I don't actually know if that's possible." Quil replied.
"Hey."
Claire's voice was so low, Quil could barely hear her.
"Wow, you umm you look…wow," he breathed.
Claire was wearing a simple black dress with thin spaghetti straps that clung to all the right places. She carried a thin red cardigan over her arm and wore a pair of black ballet flats. Her dark brown hair was down in loose waves. She wore very little make up other than her eyes which stood out with the black liner and mascara she had applied.
"You look really nice too. I think this is the first time I've seen you dressed up since my middle school graduation."
"Are you going to be warm enough? It's cool out."
"I've got my sweater, plus if I get too cold I'll just snuggle up against you."
"Ahem," Sharon cleared her throat at that comment.
"Mom, he's a natural heater. If I get cold it will just be convenient." Claire informed her mother in a practical voice.
"Uh huh," Sharon rolled her eyes.
"Well, I guess we should get going," Quil said.
"Yes, I guess we should," Sharon said grabbing her coat.
As Quil followed Claire to his car and opened the passenger side door for her, he suddenly realized just how weird this was going to be. He was going on a date with his imprint…..and her mother.
"This totally sucks." Claire flopped back in their booth and pouted.
"What? You're the one who wanted to do the supervised dating," Quil reminded her.
"Yeah but when she said 'supervised' I didn't think she really meant 'supervised'."
Quil and Claire both looked at a booth across the way and two down from theirs.
Sharon, reading a book, noticed their looks and glanced up. She smiled and gave them both a finger wave.
Claire sighed. "I can't believe she doesn't trust us."
Quil raised his eyebrows. "I can."
"Whatever, you know this is discrimination. Grace doesn't have to have supervised dates."
"Grace's boyfriends aren't fourteen years older than her."
"How does mom know that? She doesn't go on Grace's dates!"
"Look," Quil leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. "You got what you wanted. We're allowed to go on dates." He reached forward and tucked a strand of Claire's dark hair behind her ear. "I mean you had fun for the most part, right?"
Quil had taken Claire to the Port Angeles Symphony. For all her teenage tendencies, Claire had a surprising love of classical music. She had never been to the symphony before and Quil was glad he had been able to share it with her. After the symphony they had taken a short walk before heading back towards La Push. On the way Claire got hungry so they had stopped at a small local diner.
"Yeah, I mean the symphony was amazing, but…" She sighed.
"Come on Claire bear this is our first date. Don't ruin it by pouting."
"I'm not pouting," Claire pouted.
Quil laughed. "Then what's with the sour puss?"
"I just want to spend time with you. Alone."
Quil sighed "Let's just be happy with what we have. Sharon is really being cool about this whole thing. Cut her some slack."
"I know, but if we were alone, I could do this."
For a moment Quil was confused. Claire just sat across from him, smiling. He was about to ask her what she meant, when he suddenly hissed in a breath. Claire had slipped her foot out of her shoe and was rubbing his thigh. She slid down a little further in the booth and rested her foot on the growing bulge in his pants.
Quil took a deep breath and said, "What are you doing?"
"Just having a little fun," Claire giggled.
Quil glanced down at his lap and then gave her an incredulous look. "You know what amazes me?" He asked.
"No what?" Claire whispered.
"That you do the things you do, no let me rephrase, that you KNOW how to do the things you do. I mean we haven't even kissed yet. Should I be worried about where in the hell you learned this stuff? It's that god damn Mindy Klein isn't it? I always knew she was a bad influence," Quil grumped.
"No, I get it from magazines and movies," Claire said. Seeing Quil's pointed look she relented. "And Mindy."
"I thought so."
"Well I can't wait for you to make the first move or I'll be waiting until I'm sixteen. Besides I have to tell my friends something besides 'Quil's a total prude who won't touch me'."
"First of all that's twice now that you've called me a prude, which I'm not, and secondly why in the hell would you tell your friends about anything that happens between you and me?"
"Umm, because I'm a teenage girl and that's what we do. I have about fifteen texts on my phone already asking me what's going on. We talk about everything Quil. Besides even if I didn't already know that you tell Seth and Embry everything that goes on between us, the whole pack is going to know anyway, so how is that any different?"
Quil frowned and pushed Claire's foot out of his lap. "I don't intentionally tell the whole pack stuff. You don't understand that when we're together, even though we're individual beings, our minds are all linked. I know everything that they do, way more than I want to know and vice versa. It's not something I choose, it just is."
"So it's the same thing!" Claire stated.
"No it's not!" Quil snapped. "You can choose to not blab your mouth to your teenage friends who might tell their parent's about their friend Claire's pervy older boyfriend. Seth and Embry and even the whole pack know that our situation is unique. The rest of the world doesn't!"
"Why are you getting so mad about this?"
"Because Claire! Just because Sharon is okay with this little arrangement, that doesn't mean everyone else will be. I could get in trouble. Serious trouble. Jail time trouble. And it's like you don't even care about that. It doesn't even register in your head. It's just all about Claire getting what she wants."
"Is that what you think? You think this is about me being selfish?" Claire's cheeks flushed red with anger. "I can't believe you think so little of me."
"Well what else am I supposed to think? You keep pushing and pushing when I ask you to back off. If it isn't about you getting what you want then what is it about?"
"It's about me being in love with you!" Claire snapped. "It's about me not being able to concentrate in school because all I do is think about you! It's about me laying awake for hours at night, just waiting until the morning when I get to see you! It's about me feeling hollow and alone when I'm not with you! I mean…" Claire let out a choked sob. "Don't you feel the same?"
Quil sighed. "Oh, Claire bear. I do feel the same. You are all I ever think about. You know I love you. But God Claire, I can't keep going around in circles with you. Just because we feel that way doesn't make it right. And it doesn't make it legal either."
"Oh you with all the legal crap. Don't you think almost everyone on the reservation knows that you guys aren't normal? Do you think it's escaped their attention that not one of you has aged in twelve years? Don't you think they notice that Jake used to have a toddler hanging around who's now a grown woman and married to him? They notice that things are different for you guys. No one is going to care if they see you holding my hand on the street!"
"It's not just them Claire! It's me too! I look at you and I know that it's wrong for me to want you but I do! I want you so badly it hurts. But then deep inside I feel sick and disgusted with myself because I shouldn't want you like this." Quil sighed and hung his head. "Claire, I get angry with you about the physical stuff because….when it comes to you…….I can't trust myself to stop."
"I don't want you to stop! Can't you see that?" Claire reached forward and took Quil's hand in hers. She turned it over and lightly kissed his palm. "I don't want you to stop," she repeated. "We can just kiss and stuff, okay? Is that okay?" She kissed his palm again.
Quil closed his eyes and nodded yes, absorbed in the feeling of her lips on his palm.
"You kids okay over here?"
Quil's eyes snapped open and on reflex he jerked his hand away from Claire. Sharon was standing next to their booth, hands planted on her hips.
"We're fine mom," Claire sighed.
"Well it was starting to look pretty intense from where I was sitting."
"No, no it wasn't," Quil cleared his throat. "We were just talking."
"Hmm. Well it's getting late. Time to wrap it up soon, okay?"
Quil nodded. "Sure thing, Sharon."
They both watched Sharon retreat back to her booth. When she was out of earshot, Quil leaned back and groaned.
"If she's going to be our supervisor, I really don't think stopping is going to be a problem," Claire grumbled.
Quil gave her a weak smile. He leaned closer to her across the table and whispered, "I'm sorry we fought on our first date."
"It's okay," Claire whispered back. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Time's up!" Sharon walked back over to their booth.
"God, mom! Is this really necessary?" Claire scowled at Sharon.
"Oh come on, I'm letting him drive you home aren't I?"
"Big whoop," Claire muttered.
"Hey young lady, I can just as easily take you home myself right now."
"No, no it's fine. We're going to go now. Come on Claire." Quil stood and held his hand out to Claire. He helped her out of the booth, and clasped his fingers with hers.
Claire smiled up at him and, hands joined, they followed Sharon out of the restaurant.
Quil's car pulled into the Ortecho's driveway behind Sharon's car. He watched as Sharon parked and jumped out of her Jetta. She ran over to Quil's window and knocked. Quil rolled his window down and Sharon stuck her head in the car.
"Two minutes. That's all. Two minutes and then I send Mr. Ortecho out here."
Quil's eyes widened. "That will absolutely not be necessary," he assured Sharon.
Sharon nodded. "Two minutes."
Quil rolled his window up and watched until Sharon was in the house. Once the back door was closed he turned to Claire.
"So, our first date. What'd you think?"
Claire smiled. "Well other than my mother watching us like a hawk and us having a fairly ugly fight, I'd say it was okay."
Quil grinned. He reached over and took Claire's hand, lacing his fingers with hers. "I'm sorry it kind of sucked."
Claire looked down at their joined hands and whispered, "Quil, remember in the restaurant when you said we could kiss and stuff?"
"Yeah."
"Well…..are you going to kiss me?"
"Do you want me to?"
"You know I do. But Quil?"
"Yeah?"
Claire looked up at Quil and he was surprised to see tears gleaming in her eyes. "It's just, you know…..I know I've been acting like I know what I'm doing, but I've never kissed anyone before, and I don't want you to hate it."
Quil reached over with his free hand and put his fingers under Claire's chin. "Claire, I've been waiting twelve years to kiss you for the first time. You could slobber all over my face and I'd love it."
"Oh my God, you think I'm going to slobber?" Claire moaned and dropped her head back against her head rest.
Quil laughed.
"Don't laugh at me, this is serious! I mean what if kissing me is horrible? What if I totally screw it up? I mean-"
Claire's lament was broken off when Quil pressed his lips lightly against hers. "See," he whispered. "That wasn't horrible, was it?"
Claire just shook her head. Quil leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers again, this time lingering there a moment before pulling back. He could see Claire's chest rising and falling, her eyes still closed. Unable to resist, he leaned forward again, this time his mouth a little more insistent, his tongue lightly tracing her lower lip. Claire opened her mouth and suddenly her tongue was touching his. Quil growled deep in his chest and deepened the kiss, his hands fisting in Claire's silky hair. He moved his lips from Claire's mouth to her jaw, kissing his way along her jaw line to her neck. Claire clung to Quil's shoulders, small contented sighs escaping her lips. Suddenly a light on the back porch of the house flashed. Quil and Claire broke apart, both panting slightly. Quil looked at the house and saw Sharon at the back door flashing the porch light.
"Wow," Claire whispered.
"Yeah, that was one of my better kisses," Quil bragged.
"It can get better than that?" Claire asked, her voice awed.
Quil just nodded.
"Wow," she whispered again.
On the back porch Sharon flashed the light more insistently.
"I'd better get you inside."
"Quil, even with everything, I had a really nice time tonight."
Quil smiled. "Me too Claire bear." He gave her one more soft kiss, then opened his door. He walked around to the passenger side and opened Claire's door, taking her hand to help her out of the car. They walked hand in hand to the back porch. Sharon opened the door for Claire and raised her eyebrows at Quil.
"I trust you had a good time tonight, Claire," she said with a smirk as she took in the dazed look on her daughters face.
"Yeah I did," Claire replied.
"Say good night to Quil," Sharon said.
"Sweet dreams Claire." Quil smiled.
"You too, good night," Claire said dreamily as she floated into the house and disappeared into the kitchen.
Sharon turned and gave Quil a look. "Wipe that smug look off your face. It can't have been that good. It was her first kiss. She has no comparison."
Quil laughed. "You always know the right words to make a guy feel really secure, Sharon."
"It's what I'm best at," She smiled.
"Thanks for letting us go out tonight. She might not appreciate it now, but I'm sure Claire's thanking you too."
Sharon rolled her eyes. "I'll bet. And you're welcome by the way. Now get the hell out of here."
Quil laughed again. "Good night Sharon."
"Good night Quil."
Quil stepped off the porch and found himself walking back to his car with a little spring in his step. He got to his car and opened the door then froze. He suddenly realized what he had just agreed to in the restaurant, and it dawned on him that it was not a good idea. Not a good idea at all.