Disclaimer: I own nothing but the comforter. Which, sadly, is imaginary.

Author's Note: Episode three of season two involved the movie projectors that projected movies into reality. It also included the introduction of Todd, who we all know Claudia has a crush on. The episode ends with the team heading upstairs to watch a movie and this chapter picks up right after it ends. Judging from what we now about her past, I think it's pretty likely that Claudia has never before had a crush or been in a romantic relationship. So this chapter came out of that. (If you're in that boat with her, don't worry. So am I.) Enjoy!

Relationship 101

"Next time we have a movie night, someone else picks," Claudia said as she, Myka, and Leena exited Pete's room. "That movie was weird."

"I, for one, have had enough of Raymond St. James," Myka said.

"Oh, I don't know," Leena said. "He's kinda cute."

"Speaking of cute," Myka said with a sudden twinkle in her eye. She turned to Claudia, who immediately shook her head.

"No," Claudia said. "We are not having this conversation."

"Why not?" Leena asked.

"Because there is nothing to talk about," Claudia said firmly. "And because I am going to bed now."

She turned and headed quickly toward her room. Myka and Leena followed after her.

"Admit it," Myka said, keeping pace behind Claudia. "You think Todd is cute."

"There is nothing wrong with admiring the way a guy looks," Leena pressed as they entered Claudia's room.

"He is not cute!" Claudia insisted. She reached her bed and turned around to face Myka and Leena. "And besides, it's not like I was looking!"

"Well, something made you go all doe-eyed," Myka teased.

"I was not doe-eyed," Claudia insisted.

"And now you're blushing," Leena added as she crossed her arms.

"No I'm not," Claudia said, suddenly nervous.

"She was really awkward around him too," Myka said to Leena.

"Sounds like a crush to me," Leena concluded.

"Mhmm," Myka agreed. "A big, fluffy, gooey crush."

"Alright!" Claudia cried, throwing up her hands. "I think he's cute! There. I said it. Are you happy now?"

"Yup," Leena said smugly. She and Myka exchanged knowing looks. For her part, Claudia suddenly looked mortified.

"I sound like such a girl," she groaned. She let herself fall onto her back on the bed.

"I hate to break it to you," Myka said as she and Leena both sat down on either side of Claudia, "but you are a girl."

"There is nothing wrong with that," Leena added. "Every girl has a crush at some point."

"Not me," Claudia told them.

"Are you really telling me that you have never had a crush on a guy before?" Myka asked. Claudia's only answer was silence. Unfortunately for her, that said more than enough.

"Never?" Leena asked in surprise.

"I am such a freak," Claudia moaned. She flipped over onto her stomach so her face was pressed into the comforter.

"You are not a freak," Myka told her, an affectionate smile on her face.

"When did you have your first crush?" Claudia asked, lifting her head from the blanket.

"When I was twelve," Myka admitted. "There was a boy who sat in front of me in history. He had beautiful eyes. And he skateboarded, which was very cool at the time."

"What happened?" Claudia asked curiously.

"He asked my sister to the winter formal," Myka said. Her brow furrowed as if she still didn't quite understand it.

"Wow, that sucks," Claudia said sympathetically. She turned her head to look at Leena. "What about you?"

"I was four," Leena said. "His name was Tyler. His mother and mine were best friends. We had play dates. We would hold hands and tell each other we were going to get married."

"Obviously that didn't happen," Claudia said drily.

"No," Leena agreed with a smile. "But we did stay good friends. We're still in touch, actually. He's a soldier now in Afghanistan. I write him letters every week and he writes back whenever he can."

"That's sweet," Myka said with a smile.

"Now I feel even more lame," Claudia said. She dropped her head back down to the comforter with a dramatic thud.

"So you have really never had a crush?" Leena asked.

"No," Claudia said. Her voice was muffled by the comforter.

"Not ever?" Leena pressed.

"No."

"How is that even possible?" Myka asked. Claudia lifted her head back up.

"Because most of the guys I've known have either been douche bags, foster siblings, or clinically insane," she said bluntly. She paused and then added, "Some of them were all three."

"All the more reason to go out with Todd," Myka said with a grin.

"Whoa, pull up," Claudia said seriously. She pushed herself up into a sitting position. "No one said anything about going out with him."

"I think you should," Leena said.

"You haven't even met him," Claudia exclaimed.

"He sounds nice," Leena said defensively. "Besides, you're nineteen. You need to get out and live a little."

"Oh, because my day job is so not lively," Claudia said drily.

"All we're saying is that you shouldn't write him off," Myka told her. "He seems sweet. And he's not bad looking either."

"Besides," Leena said, "you never know. He might be your knight in shining armor."

"Right," Claudia muttered. "Or he could just be a moron in tinfoil."

"A very cute moron," Myka said with a smile. Leena chuckled.

"If you like him so much, then you can have him," Claudia told her flatly.

"There does happen to be a shortage of eligible single men in Univille," Leena said in mock seriousness to Myka.

"That's true," Myka said, playing along. "Maybe I should grab him while I can."

"Oh my gosh," Claudia groaned, covering her face with her hands. "That's one image I did not need."

Myka and Leena's laughter was interrupted by Pete sticking his head into the room.

"Well, look at you lovely ladies partying without me," he said.

"We're just having some girl talk," Myka told him.

"Claudia has a crush on Todd," Leena said smugly.

"The guy from the hardware store?" Pete asked, walking over to Claudia's bed. Leena nodded. Pete turned to grin at the youngest member of their team. "Oo-ooh."

"Great," Claudia said irritably. "Now the whole world knows."

"Do I need to give him the big brother talk?" Pete asked seriously. "You know, 'if you hurt her, I will end you'?"

"It's not like that, okay?" Claudia insisted. "I barely even know him."

Her phone beeped just then, signaling that she had a text. Claudia pulled it out of her pocket and punched in the unlock code. When she saw the text, a funny look crossed her face.

"Who's that from?" Myka asked curiously.

"Nobody," Claudia said, quickly jamming the phone back into her pocket.

"It wasn't Todd, was it?" Leena teased.

"Maybe," Claudia said with a wince.

"And how, pray tell, does he have your number?" Pete asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I... may have... given it to him," Claudia admitted awkwardly.

"I knew it!" Myka cried in triumph. "I knew you liked him!"

"I think it's time for a little Relationship 101," Leena said.

"I agree," Myka said.

"I'll go get the ice-cream," Pete said, heading out toward the stairs. Myka stared after him and then looked over at Leena in mild surprise. The innkeeper just shrugged.

"He probably has more stories than either of us combined," she said.

"True," Myka agreed. "And most of them are probably don'ts."

"I'm not going to bed, am I?" Claudia asked dejectedly.

"Nope," Leena said with a smile. Claudia let herself fall back onto the bed.

"I give up," she groaned into the comforter.

Myka and Leena just laughed.

How did I do? Leave a review and let me know! And thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are awesome. :)