Chapter 2

"I'll close my eyes, then I won't see

The love you don't feel, when you're holding me

Morning will come and I'll do what's right

Just give me 'til then to give up this fight

And I will give up this fight

I can't make you love me if you don't

You can't make your heart feel something it won't

Here in the dark in these final hours

I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power

But you won't, no You won't . . . "

I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt

"Clarisse. You look lovely." Technically this was her first date, and she had dressed beautifully. Her mother had tried to stop her from going, saying that Joseph was riffraff and hardly suitable for pending royals, and saying that she was engaged and shouldn't be 'running around' on her fiancé in the first place. But Clarisse had just waved her off, for the first time in her life . . . she was in charge.

"You don't look so bad yourself." She flirted. "Joseph."

"I'm glad you think so." He offered his arm, and she took it. They walked into the café and the man behind the counter looked up, doing a very obvious double take. She's with a guy? On a date? Andrew was furious. He had tried for years to get her to go on a date with him, with no luck. She had always said she was engaged. Now here she was, with some guy Andrew had never even seen before.

"Can I get you anything?" His question was formal, as if he'd never laid eyes on Clarisse in his life.

"Hello Andrew. Yes, I'll have my usual, and Joseph?"

"Coffee, black." Clarisse stuck out her tongue.

"Black coffee? That's repulsive."

"Well, I don't like tea." He teased.

"You live in Europe and you don't like tea?" Clarisse was shocked.

"Nope. And we just moved here. Better health care."

"From where?"

"Puerto Rico."

"Oh . . . I see." She had known he was from somewhere 'like that' as her mother would put it. His accent was evident in his voice.

"You know, Clarisse, I'm not one of those guys with a new brunette on my arm every week end."

"Really?" She sassed. She didn't believe him for a moment

"Yes, I much prefer blondes . . . "

"Oh!" She reached across the table and hit him playfully in the arm. "You are terrible."

"I know. But you seem to like it." He sassed back.

"Hmm." He had caught her.

After tea and black coffee, Clarisse and Joseph left the tiny café to walk together in the moonlit streets of Genovia. Joe boldly reached for Clarisse's hand, and she took it without even a word of protest.

"Clarisse. Wait. I have to ask you something." He stopped her and physically turned her to face him.

"What?"

"You see, there's this girl . . . "

"Oh?"

"I really like her, even though she's kind of a rich snob and totally not my type."

"Excuse me?" She broke out of his hold and turned the other way. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned back reluctantly.

"No listen! I've been wanting to . . . well . . . maybe kiss her. But I don't know if she'll mind or not. What do you think?"

"I think that you should go for it." The response was plain, and not what he was expecting at all. So by the lake, at exactly 10:03 p.m. Joe leaned in and captured her lips in a slow kiss. He was experienced, she was not, so he wordlessly coached her through the kiss. Her hands came to encircle his neck, and his came to encircle her waist. As they parted, Clarisse looked shocked. It had been a profound moment in her life, her first kiss. She leaned in to make it happen again, but he stopped her with a finger placed on her lips.

"Whoa there. Slow down." He laughed softly.

"Why?" She was eager to kiss him, and tried once more, failing once again.

"Because, we're not even dating." Normally this would not have been an issue for Joe, the person who really did have a new girl every weekend, but he felt something for Clarisse that he had never felt for anyone in his life, a feeling that he must protect her, and never let her get hurt.

"So?"

"Clarisse, I've only known you for a few days, but do you want to go steady?"

"I...can't, Joseph, I can't."

"I..." Joe stuttered. "I don't understand."

"Joseph, I'm engaged! I'll be the queen in two years. I can't love you."

"Please? Just for this year, please!"

"Don't beg. How pathetic!" She yelled, tears forming in her blue eyes.

"All right. Fine, but can we continue this? Can we be friends?"

"Yes, of course." Her heart was ripping in two, having to do this. She knew how easily she could love him, but also knew how hard it would be if she did.

"All right, well at least let me kiss you again."

"It wouldn't be appropri . . . " She was cut off by his lips crushing against hers. A sensation ran through her body that she had never felt before. She wanted him to touch her. To kiss her until the sun peaked out from behind the clouds. She wanted to stay forever in this empty park, in his arms. But the moment was now, and she knew in her mind that it would only be now. Her knees grew weak under the weight of the passion of this kiss. How could she feel this for this man? This boy? This foreigner she hardly even knew? Was this love? Was this the heavenly feeling she would never feel with her husband? Questions raced through her mind until they finally broke apart.

"I think I changed my mind." She whispered as her knees gave way and she fell to the ground by the lake, laughing as she hit the ground.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, me? I'm perfect. Come down here, I like the view." Clarisse extended a hand and Joseph took it, not knowing that he would be pulled down, accidentally landing on top of her.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" He said, trying to roll away, but she didn't allow him to leave.

"I'm not." She murmured in his ear, kissing his neck, then his cheek.

"No, Clarisse." He rolled over, only to take her with him.

"Why?" She asked pitifully. "Just think of me as one of those weekly girls." She leaned in to kiss him again, but he refused.

"I can't. I...can't"

"Oh no, got a girlfriend already?" She was teasing him, while running her hands through his hair.

"No. . . . I just . . . like you too much! Ok? I know that sounds stupid, but I do. I like you and I don't want you to get hurt."

"Oh, Joseph. It doesn't sound stupid." Her reply came as she rolled off of him, to lie next to him on the grass. "It's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really." They lay in silence for a while until Clarisse finally spoke. "I like you a lot too."