Finding Claire

Chapter 19

If I was a mind reader, I wouldn't need to use my powers to know what they were thinking.

My mom was already planning the wedding on her mind; Nathan's mom was too busy trying not to pass out from the glee as she held on for life to her husband. Matt had a giant smirk on his face -mostly directed to his son- and my dad..... well let's just say his glare was already placing Nathan six feet under.

"What was that?" my mom squealed and I rolled my eyes.

"It's called a hug. You know, when two people share warmth for a couple of seconds?"

"That was more than hugging," Matt stated, wiggling his eyebrows. I heard Nathan groan and shake his head as he murmured words so low I couldn't catch them.

"Oh come on! That was just a hug! There is nothing going on between us, I promise."

"That looked more than a hug to me," my dad huffed. "Are you sure you two are not going out."

"Yes!!" We both screamed and they all jumped.

"Well dang, you didn't need to raise your voice at me," my mom murmured and I rolled my eyes.

"Well if we are done, I am going to my room and try to forget this day. Good to meet you all and have a Happy New Years." I stated the last part to Nathan's parents and walked away. I heard my mom begin to complain, but then a rough voice stopped her mid-sentence as I closed the door behind me.

"Claire, wait."

I spun around to face Nathan as he caught up to me and I sighed. I was tired, groggy and ready to plop into my warm bed but someone had to stop me. If it wasn't important, someone was going to get hurt.

"What is it? I'm tired and I want to go to bed. Can't we talk tomorrow or something?"

He shook his head and looked down as he spoke. "Do you regret meeting me?"

I blinked rapidly, the drowsiness evaporating from my mind as his words hit me. What? Did I regret meeting him? Why would he ask that? He slowly looked up at me and I blurted out the one question that was running through my mind. "Why are you asking?"

"Because of what happened today. If we hadn't met, this would have never happened and-"

"And I wouldn't have a best friend," I interrupted him. He stopped speaking and looked at me with wide eyes. "Don't push it. You're my only friend so that automatically puts you in the best friends category."

The mood in the air quickly changed and I couldn't help but to smile as he presented me with his megawatt smile. "Really? Best friend?"

"I said don't push it. Now your downgraded to friend."

"Aww. Don't be mean. You know you want to be my best friend," he said as he stepped closer to me. With each step he took, I took a step back and he laughed.

"Nope. Now leave me alone. I need to poke my eyes out before I kill myself," I groaned and he stopped walking. He looked at me as if I had spoken another language and I sighed. "Contacts. Annoying plastic that helps me see. Hate them, but need them."

"Oh," he breathed and motioned for me to go. "I'm not stopping you. If I had something in my eyes that was bothering me, I would want it out as well."

I ran to my bathroom and sighed in relief as the damn things floated in the solution. After fumbling with the caps, I put them in the farthest corner of my drawer and slipped on my glasses, blinking rapidly as everything came into view again.

"There's the girl I know," Nathan said from the front door as soon as I walked back out. I shook my head and smiled a little as I saw Prue's sleeping form on his arms.