Chapter 4

(Marcos Party 2 Months Earlier)

Claire sat on the swing on Marcos front porch and inhaled. The sweet smell of fresh air was ecstasy compared to the smell of cheap beer and cigarettes inside of Marcos house. The party was in full force and Craig and his band were playing music in the living room. Darcy had immediately left Claire's side when they walked in the door because of Manny and her ridiculous text messages. Apparently Darcy hadn't known that Craig was the very same guy that had broken Manny's heart a million times before. Claire had heard the story of how Craig was different now from Darcy about eight million times and she even almost enjoyed it. It gave her time to zone out and just think about him.

He had come over a dozen times since the night they met. One night they watched a movie and Craig had insisted that she stay despite Darcy's annoyed looks. That night when Claire had reached for the popcorn her hands brushed against Craig's. She could have sworn he held his hand there for at least a second longer than he should have.

The air was warm and Claire could spot a few of the constellations in the sky. She lost herself in the stars for a moment, happy just to be sitting in silence allowing herself to be taken away by the beauty of nature. She had been wishing on those stars for as long as she could remember even thought she had never had a wish come true. But that was okay, because those stars were always there. She could always depend on them and that was very comforting to her.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted, however, by the sound of a screen door opening and soft footsteps padding across the porch. She looked up, startled, and was surprised when she saw Craig standing there.

"Hey you, why did you skip out so quickly. I was hoping you would watch me play a song or two." He smiled, running a hand through this thick brown hair.

"Oh," Claire looked down at her hands in her lap. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." He sat down next to her.

"Well, it's just, this isn't really my scene. I know that sounds stupid but I'm just not the kind of girl who likes to get drunk or make out with boys whose names she doesn't even know."

"Somehow, that is totally okay with me," Craig laughed. "You know that there is nothing wrong with you, right?"

"You mean besides the fact that I am completely socially retarded, and physically I am just totally plain? Oh yeah, I'm perfect." Claire couldn't believe that those words were actually coming from her mouth, even though they were always in her head.

"Claire," he sat down next to her. "There is nothing wrong with you. You're smart and funny. And you're not plain. You're beautiful."

Claire looked at him, dumbfounded. She didn't know what to say. No one had ever called her beautiful before. And no one besides her parents had ever complimented her on being smart.

"Thank you," she said finally. "No one has ever told me that before."

"No one has ever told you that you're beautiful before? That's insane." He looked genuinely surprised.

"Why is that insane?" She looked up at him shyly.

"Because," he took her hand and looked into her eyes. "You are...more beautiful than...I don't know...you are just so beautiful." He spoke slowly and nervously. She wondered for a minute if he was going to say that she was more beautiful than Darcy, but was quick to brush that thought away.

"Craig, what is it?" She asked, trying not to show how eager she was to hear his answer.

"Claire, I don't have the words for it, I don't, I wish I did. Just know that you aren't plain, okay? I go over to your house and I notice you. And I like that you are passionate about life and learning. And I like the color of your eyes. And I..."

Suddenly, his hands were on her face and his lips were pressed against hers. The whole world came crashing down and then just faded away. There were stars and silence. He pulled her closer and wrapped his hands around her waist. She put her hands around his neck and her fingers tingled when she tangled them in his hair. When he pulled away he leaned his forehead on hers, never losing eye contact. They breathed, slow and heavy.

And then, before he could say anything, and before she could over think everything, Claire pulled him closer and kissed him again.