[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
“We need to celebrate,” Aj said, collapsing into the comfy looking chair next to Claire.

“What do you mean?” she asked, looking up from the book in her lap.

“Well it’s been two weeks,” he told her.

Claire didn’t have to ask what he meant of course. She already knew. “But two weeks isn’t anything to celebrate. Not really.”

“Oh but it is Claire,” Aj insisted.

“Not really,” she sighed. “I mean, what I did two weeks ago isn’t something I really care to remember. Even if I did make sure I’d never forget.”

She absentmindedly rubbed her wrists. They were healing nicely but the scars would remain forever.

“Claire, you told me about your friend Ronny. About how she can barely make it through a class period without asking for a bathroom pass so she can go cut. You’ve gone two whole weeks without cutting. And that, my dear, IS something worth celebrating.”

“Ok, ok,” Claire relented, smiling. “Let’s celebrate.”

Aj clapped his hands together once. “YES,” he said. “Be ready tomorrow at six. I’m taking you out.”

And with a brief one armed hug accompanied by a brilliant smile, Aj left the room.
*~*~*~*~~*~*

Claire had no idea where Aj was taking her so she didn’t know how she should dress.

So of course she went with her favorite thing to wear. You could NEVER go wrong with purple and sparkly, ESPECIALLY when it was a sparkly purple sundress and matching sandals.

Her blonde hair was pulled back into a loose French braid that fell over her left shoulder.

Claire had just finished putting on some lip gloss when there was a knock on at the door.

With a last glance in the mirror, Claire smiled and went to open her hotel room door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“You look lovely,” Aj said, for at least the seventh time since leaving the hotel.

They had snuck out. Well, not really. But Claire’s brother and cousin, who were well occupied as their girlfriends had now joined the tour, didn’t know she’d left.

One person DID know they’d gone. Aj had told him mom, Denise, that they were going out just incase someone came looking.

“Thank you…again,” Claire smiled. She was fast getting the feeling that this little “celebration” was a date. A DATE date.
Their cab pulled up to a small restaurant called VILLAS and Aj held her door open before paying the cab driver.

Once inside they were seated immediately and given menus to pursue.

Claire almost squealed when she saw that the entire menu was Mexican food. Her absolute favorite was on the menu.

“I love Mexican food,” she sighed happily.

“I remembered,” he told her. “You mentioned it a few weeks ago.”

That small confession made her smile; she hadn’t thought he’d been listening.

Their waiter brought their drinks and left promising a quick return with their food.

“What’s your favorite Disney movie?” Claire questioned.

“Snow White,” he didn’t look the least bit embarrassed by this confession the way some guys might have been. “What’s yours?”

“Aladdin. And not just ‘cause Kevin played him at Disney World.”

Aj chuckled. The fact that Kevin had played Aladdin just a short time ago still made him laugh.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I’m serious!” Claire laughed. “Those were the best tamales in the world.”

Aj nodded his head, like he wasn’t actually agreeing but more like he was acknowledging her right to make that statement.

They were walking to their second destination which was just down the street from VILLAS.

“Bowling?” she asked, walking through the door Aj held open.

“You’ll see,” he said. “You’ll see.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Ok. This is weird.”

They were at a bowling alley but the way the bowling worked was odd.

Each pin was color coded and whichever color you knocked down first was automatically sprayed on to a small canvas at the end of the lane. Each following color came with a few options such as, did you want to use it? What angle should it be shot from and how much of the paint to use.

“But it’s fun,” she giggled as Aj knocked down his first pin. The base color of his paint splattered canvas would be pink.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Too bad we couldn’t play again. That was fun,” Claire said as they left the bowling alley. They’d tried to play again but the line for the place was out the the door so they hadn’t been able to.

It was nearing nine thirty when Aj asked, “Do you mind stopping for ice cream before we head back?”

“Ice cream sounds good.”

There was an ice cream shop a few blocks from the hotel so that’s where they had the cab driver drop them.

As they sat down at an outside table, Claire spoke.

“I had a lot of fun tonight. Thank you for suggesting we celebrate.”

“You’re welcome,” Aj smiled. “I have a confession to make.”

“Oh?” Claire asked, taking a bit of the rainbow sherbet from the cone she held.

“I suggested we celebrate tonight because I really wanted to go out with you.”

Claire blushed. “Well, why didn’t you just ask me out on a date before then?”

“I tried to. But I could never find the courage to do it.”

“Awww. Well, for future reference, just ask, I’ll say yes.”

“That’s good to know,” he smiled.

They finished their ice cream in silence and rose from the table upon being told that the shop was closing.

Aj transferred his bowling alley painting to his right hand. He grabbed Claire’s hand with his unoccupied hand and laced his fingers through hers.

They both remained silent until they got on the elevator.

“I like you Claire.”

“Well I like you too,” she replied.

“You don’t understand Claire. When I say I like you, I REALLY like you Claire was watching him silently. She sighed contentedly when she felt his lips against hers.

Aj leaned his forehead against hers and whispered, “will you be my girlfriend?”

Claire smiled. “Of course,” she answered.

Her reward was another kiss.

When the elevator doors opened, Brian was waiting for them. “Where have you been?!?!”

“Relax Bri,” Claire said, discreetly dropping the hand she held. “We just went to dinner and then bowling. If you would have asked Denise you would have known.”

“Next time, tell me or Kevin you’re leaving.”

“I will. Promise.”

Brian gave Aj and Claire one last glance and trotted back to his room.

Claire and Aj walked the opposite way down the hall from the elevators to Claire’s room.

Once inside, Aj kissed her as he had in the elevator.

When they broke apart, Claire sank to the bed and Aj took the chair.

They both started talking at the same time. “You go first,” Aj insisted.

“Ok, I don’t think we should tell my brother, or my cousin for that matter, about us just yet.”

Claire was looking him straight in the face to judge his reaction.

“You’re right,” he agreed. “I was going to suggest the same thing.”

“You’re not mad?” she asked.

“Goodness no. why would I be? I do think Brian and Kevin would come unglued on me if they knew.”

Claire smiled, relieved. “We WILL tell them. Maybe when this leg of the tour is over. But for now, I’ll stay a secret. IT’LL stay a secret.”

Aj chuckled. “You’re an “official” Backstreet Girl now. A Secret Backstreet Girl.”

Claire laughed at that. “You make me sound like some sort of secret agent. I like that.”