Forever.

Chapter 6: I Swear, Nothing Happened

Braden's P.O.V. (The same day)

I hated having to leave Claire. It's close to 11:30 PM right now and I just now finished the stupid interviews. The only thing I hate about this basketball thing is all of the press I have to do.

I unlock the door to my apartment and step in as I turn on the lights. I am greeted by the most beautiful, yet sad, sight ever.

The beautiful part: Claire

The sad part: She's asleep on the couch by herself because I got home so late.

I am a horrible person. I just left her and who knows how long she's been here alone. I quietly walk into my room and grab a blanket. I go back out to her and gently place the blanket on her.

I gently kiss her forehead. "I love you." I whisper to her.

She is my everything. I would do anything to protect her and to keep her out of harm. I still can't believe she's here. I get lost in her relaxed, beautiful face. She's different from other girls. She doesn't need a lot of make up to be beautiful. She doesn't need to have long hair to be beautiful. She doesn't need to be thin to be beautiful. She was beautiful before she had all that stuff, and still is now, with or without it.

I slip my hand into hers as I sit down on the floor next to her. I gently press my lips to the top of her hand and softly trace shapes on the back of it afterwards.

"That tickles." She says quietly. Her eyes lazily open and she gives me a small smile.

"Sorry, just go back to sleep." I whisper.

"That doesn't work on me." She says with a lazy smirk. "Here. Sit down." She says as she pulls her legs towards her and sits up. I sit next to her and she takes a pillow and places it in my lap. She lays her head in my lap, her head facing away from me. I smile and run my fingers through her hair. "Now I know why you like this so much." She says.

"Yeah." I say as I continue. I reach down and pull the blanket up to her shoulder. She slightly moans with happiness and a few moments later she goes limp.

I fall asleep soon after she does.

***in the morning***

My head swings go the side and I jolt awake. I look down and see the back of Claire's beautiful blonde head, causing a small smile to form on my lips. I go to play with her hair, but I quickly stop because I don't want to wake her up. I then feel her thumb gently slide across my knee in a soft motion.

"You up?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah." She replies. She turns over to her back and gives me a small smile.

"Sorry I got back so late." I say as I stroke the top of her head.

"It's okay. Derrick gave me my living arrangement, so I can get out of your hair today." She says as she sits up.

"I like having you in my hair." I say with a smile.

She laughs a little.

"Come on, just stay." I beg.

She slightly shakes her head. "I don't know, Braden. I don't want to intrude or anything." She says.

"You're not intruding, and you never have intruded. I really do want you here, and come on, you know we were gonna move in together eventually. Why not now?" I ask.

"I don't want to mess up anything you have going on here." She says as she gives me a sad look.

"You aren't messing anything up, you make it a hundred times better." I say as I wrap my arm around her. "Please." I beg.