Authors Note: this chapter is rated PG:16 for some mild sex talk ( :

Chapter 10

(Present Day)

"What?" Ali shrieked. "You used me for a cover, and I didn't even know about it? "

"Shhhh!" Claire hissed. "There are people here, you know!"

"Seriously, Claire I'm dying here. Please tell me that you didn't spend the weekend with him. Actually wait; please tell me that you did and that you made sweet love and that it was perfect!" Ali clapped her hands together giddily.

"Ali, how can you not see the severity of this situation? " Claire rolled her eyes.

"Well, if you had sex with him than the situation is clearly more serious than it is if you didn't have sex with him. So did you?"

"What make you think that we didn't just have tons of oral sex all weekend?" Claire laughed, forgetting the situation momentarily.

"What?" Ali almost jumped out of her chair. "Did you..did you like go down on him? Or did he, like.."

Claire was almost surprised at how quickly Ali had quieted down at the mere thought of her "innocent" friend doing something like that.

"No, of course not. I haven't changed that much. I was just kidding, you perv."

"Jesus, Claire! That is so not funny!" Ali frowned. "So what happened then? You just hung out and talked about life?" She rolled her eyes.

"Well," Claire smiled "Not exactly.."

(One month Earlier)

"Whoa," Claire said as she sat down at the breakfast table. "What happened to you?"

Darcy was staring into a bowl of untouched cheerios, looking like she hadn't slept in days. It had been a few days since the discovery of the texts between Darcy and Craig, and Claire was beginning to wonder if agreeing to spend the weekend at Craig's house was a good idea after all.

"Boys suck. " Darcy snapped, shoving her cheerios away and spilling milk on the table. "Craig was supposed to go to Emma's beach house with me this weekend for her summer party but he bailed on me last night. He's going to a car show with Joey. A car show. Seriously?"

Claire was momentarily lost for words. What was the right way to respond to that? She couldn't exactly say "Gee Darce, I sure am sorry that you're boyfriend blew you off so he could spend the weekend alone with me!" But then, she couldn't pretend that she didn't even care, because she really did feel badly about the whole situation.

"Well, maybe he promised Joey? Or maybe he just isn't that big on partying?" Claire tried to reason sympathetically. Maybe if she could find an excuse for Darcy not to feel bad, then she wouldn't feel so bad herself.

"He didn't promise Joey anything, and he does like to party. Why am I even talking to you about this? You don't even know him!" Darcy pushed back her chair and started to stand up.

"Darcy, wait," Claire sighed. "I'm sorry that he blew you off. It really sucks, and you're right, it's a total jerk move."

Surprisingly enough, Darcy sat back down. Biting her bottom lip, and twirling a piece of hair in-between her fingers, she looked at Claire with watery eyes.

"He's been so distant lately, Clairebear," a tear slid down her cheek and onto the table. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I've never had a guy behave like this before. What if he dumps me? I've never been dumped!"

Claire felt like dirt. Worse than dirt actually, more like the scum on the bottom of your shoe after you get off of a crowded train.

"Maybe you should dump him then, if he isn't treating you right, I mean." For a split second Claire had herself convinced that this was actually a decent solution, before she realized that it wouldn't fix the fact that she was still the Other Woman and that her sister would still have to find that out someday if she and Craig were ever going to be a real couple.

"I can't just break up with him, Claire," Darcy jumped from her seat and yelled. "I love him!"

Darcy was out the door and down the hall before Claire could even think of a response. She heard Darcy's door slam and simultaneously her cell phoned chimed a familiar ring tone. Craig. She hesitated before looking down at her phone.

Craig(4087695432)

10:32AM

Hey babe, I can't wait for tonight!

Claire(4087651234)

10:24AM

Ya, me too

Craig(4087695432)

10:38AM

Wow, don't sound so enthused. Is something wrong?

Claire(4087651234)

10:40 AM

Just watching my sister cry over you. You know, the usual. ) :

She knew that last text wasn't fair but she was angry and taking it out on him was easier than admitting that she was really angry at herself. But really, how could he put her in this situation? He had days to tell Darcy that he couldn't go, and chose to tell her the night before they were supposed to leave. How did he think Darcy would react?

Craig(4087695432)

10:45AM

I'm sorry. You don't deserve to be put in this situation. Neither does she.

Craig(4087695432)

10:46AM

I understand if you don't want to come over tonight.

Claire sighed. Now she felt badly for making him feel bad. She hadn't meant to guilt trip him; after all it wasn't entirely his fault. And she did still want to spend the night with him.

Claire(4087651234)

10:47 AM

No, I'm sorry for snapping. I still want to come over, if I'm still invited.

Craig(4087695432)

10:50AM

I feel like shit, now. But I still want you here. I rented Ghost World. ):

Claire(4087651234)

10:52AM

Don't be sad. I'll be there at 8 and we can cheer each other up. ( :

She sent the text message and then sat back in her chair, confused. How had the tables turned so quickly? One minute she was mad at him and the next she was feeling incredibly guilty. What kind of power did he have over her? It couldn't be very healthy, she knew that for sure.

Craig(4087695432)

10:55

I can't wait to hold you in my arms again. See you at 8.

Claire stood, shoving the phone into her pocket. She couldn't wait to be in his arms again either, warm and safe in the perfect place to make her forget the terrible thing that she was doing to her sister.