Finding Claire

Chapter 35

As the crowd awwed at his name for me, I felt my dad stiffen behind me as my eyes stayed glued to his form on stage. He quickly looked at me, cleared his throat and continued his speech.

"It's actually a pretty good story on how she got that name, but it's a long one and we don't have the time." A couple people booed and others groaned and he just smiled and shook his head. "Something happened between us -which is another story I can't say- but that actually left me with the real Cinderella." He crouched down to the end of the stage where his mom was and I saw her wink at him as she handed him something before he stood back up. In his hand was a shoe.... a heel.... My heel. Everyone gasped as they saw the heel and I took a step back, getting even closer to my dad, who was already hugging me to the squeezing point. "Yes this is her shoe, the only thing I have left of her. My Cinderella is missing and I want her back...... I don't know if she will take me back.... but if I can just earn her trust for one second, I would just promise her one thing. To never stop being Prince Charming to her. To never lose the trust she will give me and eventually if she wants to, become more than friends again. I can't be Prince Charming without my princess and I am waiting for her." He took a deep breath and then he continued as everyone listened to him with hope and tears in their eyes. "This song is something that means something to both of us. It was a time when we were both happy and when I still had my princess. I hope she is out there right now, listening to the words I'm saying and I hope she forgives me for what I did. This song is for you, Cinderella."

Everyone applauded at his speech as he got comfortable in the chair and took a few gulps of water from the bottle someone had placed near him. After he adjusted the guitar in his lap, he cleared his throat and began to play the song he had in mind.

My gasp got stuck halfway in my throat as I immediately recognized the song, and I could feel my eyes start to water as he got closer to the mic and opened his mouth.

"When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
Well, there's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?"

I couldn't believe he was singing that song. Our song. The song we had our first dance together, and if the accident hadn't happened, our first kiss as well. The tears that had threatened to come before were now freely falling down as I watched him sing, tilted a little towards me as if he was serenading. I felt my dad wipe away the tears and held me even tighter as my knees buckled underneath me.

"Well, I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not, and who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up, I'm still looking up."

My mouth opened in shock as a girl around our age quickly stood up at the top of the stairs and sang with him on the necessary parts. I had never seen her in my life, but I knew she knew Nathan by the smile she gave him as he looked at her for a second. An emotion quickly went through me, but I couldn't dwell on it as Nathan's voice dragged me out of it.

"Well, I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)"

(Parentheses is girl singing)

The girl quickly left and then Nathan was left alone. This time, he really looked at me as he sang the last verse of the song.

"I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up."

The spotlight slowly faded away as he slowly finished and then we were bathed in darkness for a few moments. As soon as the lights were turned back on, the crowd went up to their feet and roared out words of encouragement and all other things. I heard sniffles and people still crying all around me and I found myself turning around to bury my face on my dads chest.

Why? Why had he done this? Did he really want me back that bad?..... He must have a good reason on why he did it and why he wants me to forgive him.

My dad slowly let me go as the crowd continued to cheer and hoot while the teachers went out to talk to them. He wiped the tears that had not seeped into his shirt and then cleared his throat as he looked above me. He quickly used his body to shield me from the students who were running towards the stage.

"I'll let you talk to him.... Don't take too long though, okay?" I nodded, he kissed my forehead and then he left.

"Claire...." I slowly turned around and faced him. He still had the guitar strapped to his chest and my heel was in his hands. He slowly twirled it before he held it out to me with a sad expression. "I think this belongs to you."

I nodded and slowly reached out to grab it. When I started to pull my hand back, I noticed he still kept a tight grip on it, but I didn't let it go as well. I looked up at him with wide eyes and then whispered, "Why?"

"Why what?" he murmured so softly, I almost didn't hear him.

"Why did you do it?" He knew what I meant. His eyes quickly flickered around us before he pulled the heel away from my grasp and put his hand instead. He dragged me out the backstage doors and into the theatre hallway -the theatre class was literally next to the stage- before wedging the door so it wouldn't shut and looked back up at me.

"Where should I start?"

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I'm sorry if the last two chapters were just bathed in lyrics. I promise you the last few will not be like this. Thank you!!