Author's note:

I am awfully sorry for updating so late. I was having final term examination so I could only finished this chapter up at this moment in this evening of the last day of the exam. There aren't much drama in this chapter, as I call this chapter as "transition chapter" for bridging up to the 'climax chapter'. Still I hope you'll enjoy reading this chapter!

O u t s i d e r

Chapter 4

Fate knocks the door

" ... I've also heard of that restaurant! I longed to go there. And the grandest candle-lit dinner? Oh, How sweet of Leon to know my want!"

Claire nodded on the other side of the phone. Angela didn't need to hear her agreement, for now she was deep into the joy herself. Claire heard the sparkles of happiness in Angela's voice which had surprised Claire at first, for she had never imagined the sophisticated and strong S.R.T member could actually sound like a young girl yearning for love... She could feel that Angela really liked Leon a lot.

After the breakfast with Leon, Claire had mulled upon the way to deal with her revealed feelings towards Leon, and Angela's request. And now the phone call to Angela was her choice. She was consciouness only after Angela had confided her passions to Leon... Although she had never believed in fate, especially after all those vital zombie-chases, but she thought that she'd better consent to her unfortunates .

"... When would Leon meet with me? Oh I should have dressed up before meeting Leon, right? Which dress shall I choose..."blabbered Angela with enthusiasm.

" Angela," addressed Claire, reminding Angela her existence. " Leon said he would pick- you at seven on Wednesday. At my apartment. So may I know at what time would you arrive? Coincidentally I actually have a day off on Wednesday. I may meet you in the airport."

" Oh yeah? If I would meet Leon at seven than I'll take the flight arriving at six. And no, I'm okay to come alone."

" Um, that's okay," said Claire. She considered spending the afternoon with Angela, to have some girl talk and go shopping together, but apparently the later didn't have the interest. " Then could you please write down my address?"

" Leon presumes to meet you at your place, doesn't he? Alright."

" Okay, so my address is--" Claire told her address and waited patiently for Angela to write down. " Right. Have you booked hotels yet? I have a spare room and you may consider staying here..." She felt that Angela would not really accept her offer but she still decided to raise it to Angela. She was trying to be helpful to the young woman who could be considered as a friend of her. If she took the offer, Claire would be more than happy to sleep in Chris's room and let Angela stay in hers.

" No, thanks. I think it's not necessary." delcined Angela immediately. " Instead I want to know the exact address of Leon's. Probably I'll stay with Leon after the dinner."

" Yes... that's true..." responded Claire softly. She felt a clench in her stomach suddenly. She should really have thought it. She fumbled for Leon's address in her address book for a while and told Angela the information she asked.

" Yeah. Now, Claire, if you don't mind, I've got to get back to work. You know, I'm very busy and I have to finish the work in hand before I could come to see Leon. Thanks for your help, Claire."

" You're welcome, Angela. Sorry for interrupting...Well, Good-."

" Bye," said Angela rushly before she cut the call quickly.

" Bye... " muttered Claire to the dead air. She slowly placed back the speaker. She must say she didn't enjoyed this phone call with Angela very much. She thought she heard sardonicism and disinclination in Angela's words... But she quickly censured herself inwardly.

I shouldn't have suspected Angela's character. Angela is a strong-willed and passionate woman who suits Leon...

If so.... Then what about me?... Am I...?

Claire shook her head immediately.

Don't be silly. And the most important of all, Leon also likes Angela. I really should not think like that anymore...

Soon it was Wednesday and Claire woke up early as usual, stretching her arms and breathing in the fresh morning air. The tough redhead managed to resume her lively spirit again after these few days. That didn't mean she did not want to be with Leon, somehow it still hurt; but more important was that she learnt to step back and would be able to bless Angela and Leon the in love couple.

Claire went to have a breakfast in the same old cafe. This time she ordered a hero sandwich, but found that it was a bit too much of her. Then she went on some shopping in the supermarket nearby. She bought some tasty looking chocolate cookies. She also bought herself some ingredients for her dinner. A simple dish of pasta would be good enough. She had already prepared a nice novel to go along with it. She hoped that a full dinner together with a light reading would make her night and help her to push the dating pair out of her mind temporarily.

For the remaining time, Claire decided to do some housework to clean her home a bit for her coming guests. Though she didn't think they would stay long, still she thought she should create a better environment for the two to meet up. The flat was not unkempt though so Claire didn't find great difficulty in tidying the department. ( It would definitely be really messy if her slovenly brother had stayed here with her... Still she wished Chris could return home and live with her...) She mopped the floor and cleaned the furniture and wiped the dust. Getting all housework done, she smiled contentedly at her work and then rewarded herself with a refreshing bath.

Later with her clothes changed, Claire sat on the sofa and enjoyed a warm cup of coffee. She glanced at the clock on the wall. 5:05. Her housework progress was a bit behind her ideal schedule, but anyway, about one hour later Angela would arrived. She switched on the television and planned to kill some time with the reruning old TV drama. She watched the drama for a while, but was totally confused with the relationships among the characters as she had never watched it before. Later the tiredness after housework and the mumbling conversations from the TV had made her eyelids closing unconsciously.

A buzzing sound inexorably intruded Claire's nap. Blinking, Claire lazily sat up from the comfortable leaning position on the sofa. A moment later she realized it was the phone so she reached to answer it.

" ... Hello?" said Claire to the speaker, gently rubbing her sleepily eyes.

" Claire!"

" Oh Angela," Claire turned to take a quick a glance at the clock: 6:35. She really didn't realised she had napped for so long.

" Claire, this is really bad," said Angela on the other side of the phone rather desperately.

" What's wrong, Angela? Is that you can't find the site of my home?" asked Claire as she trod to look out from the window. The black clouds overshadowed the whole sky as dark as midnight. " Gosh, it seems rainstorm's coming. Shall I come to meet you now?"

" No way. You know, it's awfully terrible!"

" What happens, Angela? More importantly, where are you now?" asked Claire concernedly.

" ... I'm on the way to the airport. Hope I'll catch up the 7 p.m flight... "

" What?" Claire was surprised by Angela's words. She thought she was already on the way to her flat! " But why?"

Clarie heard Angela sighed deeply. " I was supposed to get my day off starting from today, but there's a robbery in a bank and all S.R.T. members got to rescue the hostages and arrest the robbers. And my damn boss forced me to go also, no matter I've repeated a hundred times that I have a day off today and I am going to have a date! Oh, damn it!"

" What a pity," said Claire. " Then... what should we do now? Shall I inform Leon to delay the dinner then?"

" I think I could only arrive at 10 at most..." sighed Angela. " So I'm gonna miss the date."

" Well, I think you may meet Leon again the other day, perhaps tomorrow, right?" replied Claire, trying to cheer Angela up from her bad mood.

" Yes, you're right," sighed Angela again, this time, lighter. "I think this time I would invite him myself. Luckily I've asked you to help or I would really get a terrible impression from Leon for absenting from the date."

" Um, " uttered Claire shortly as a respond. She didn't feel well about this comment, though it was reasonable.

" So, Claire," Angela said in a formal and low tone, which was utterly different from the desperate shaky tone she had held one or two minutes ago. " This time I hope you would do me one more favour. Tell Leon that you're not going to the date."

Claire blinked. She thought Angela would be kindly let her to go along with Leon, as a gathering with friends. She would not take the advantage of this 'chance', surely, but she had missed Leon after the breakfast with him and wanted to have a longer buddy chat. But Angela didn't let her to have it. And she would be going to be like what Angela had said- getting a terrible impression from Leon.

After a moment, as Angela didn't show the possibility of changing her mind, Claire inhaled rather deeply and finally whispered," I know what I should do."

Claire felt Angela nodding contentedly. " You're always a good friend of me and Leon, Claire. I'd better hurried to catch the next plane. Catch up later."

"Bye," said Claire before Angela cut off the phone. Thumping into the couch, Claire's mind reran the conversation that ended seconds ago. Angela couldn't arrive at Claire's flat and surprise Leon as planned, and now she asked Claire to decline the dinner at the last moment like she was slipping off Leon. She was not being weak to obey what Angela asked her to do, but after thinking for a moment, she agreed that stopping the act before it happened to go wrong would be the best way to deal with it. Perhaps Leon wouldn't be angry with her, even he had, he should later figure out the whole truth when he dated Angela the next day.

And now she should better phone Leon as soon as possible.

Nodding to herself, Claire fetched the telephone and pinched Leon's mobile phone number quickly. She held the speaker and trod around the living room anxiously, but the rang still monotonously continued and no one answered it.

" Come on, come on," muttered Claire as she redialed again. Still no answer. She tried out a few dozens more but with the same result. " Leon, this is Claire. I'm- er- thinking if our dinner tonight should go on... Anyway, please call back," said Claire to the answering machine of Leon's phone. She glanced out the window and saw the streets mounted with complete darkness. Numerous raindrops scattered onto the window, creating audible sounds. It was raining cats and dogs outside. Feeling desperately down in mood, Claire sighed involuntarily. She wished Leon hadn't forgot bring along his mobile phone and was on the way to her home.

Claire literally jumped up when she heard the doorbell rang.

Claire walked to the door, feeling as anxious and frightened as like a zombie was right outside her flat and about to bite off her head. After fumbling the knock for a while, she turned the knob and hesitantly pulled the door open.

" Hi," greeted the visitor, whose wet sandy hair glowed mildly under the yellowish light, shading one of his eyes.

A/N: Have the little twist surprised you a bit, I hope? So this is the fourth chapter, and I hope the coming chapter would be the best of all because I'll try to make some romantic scenes out of Leon and Claire. XD I guess some readers may consider this story having too much Leon/Angela but I must confide that I don't enjoy writing about Angela also. But this little drama is supposed to be started by Angela's silly plan so I could not neglect her existence when telling this story. Hope you'll all understand that...

Huge thanks to- Anon , Hobohunter , Crimzon-Girl , SPEEDIE22 , Nekomi Tsuyo Takeishi , ken08002 , shayxel , Resident roach code metallica & jesus morales for reviewing the previous chapter! I also need to thank the reviewers of Chapter 2 ! (but I forgot to do so when I posted up chapter 3) I'm also grateful to nice people who favourited or subscribed this story! It always feels terrific to receive emails being informed that someone is actually reading and likeing my story!

7/5/2009- 17/6/2009