The Search

17. Prutha

Claire looked up as I approached the table she was seated on. Her face registered surprise and a little hesitance. I didn't let it get to me; I had to build a bridge there. 

I pulled out a chair next to her and settled myself on it. 

"So, Mattie said you didn't want to dance" I commented casually. 

For a moment, Claire was too shocked to speak. She got over it quickly and shook her head. 

"I just wasn't feeling like it" she said. 

"That's new" I said "you never say no to dance" 

Claire just shrugged. 

"Well, the dance floor's pretty packed anyway" I said. 

"Why are you doing this?" Claire asked. 

Because it was the right thing to do. 

"Doing what?" I asked. 

"This is what, talking to me. Why are you doing that?" 

"Well, shouldn't I talk to you?" 

"I wouldn't have talked to me if I were you" Claire muttered. 

"Good thing that you are not me then, eh?" I said 

"I hurt you, I betrayed you" Claire said "how can you talk to me anymore? How can you even look at me after what I did to you?" 

"Well, if you want me to stop..." I trailed off. 

"No" Claire said and then took a deep breath. "Look, I'm sorry" 

"I know" 

"You know?" 

I nodded. 

"I can see it in your eyes" I said. 

"I didn't mean to hurt you" Claire said "I never wanted to hurt you. It just happened" 

"It is okay, Claire. You like him, he is clearly in love with you; I get it now" 

Claire looked up, surprised. 

"No" she said hurriedly. "You are getting it all wrong." 

Huh? 

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

"I don't like Martin" she said. 

"What?" 

"I mean, there was never any emotional attachment between me and Martin" 

"He clearly told me otherwise, that day" I pointed out. 

"I had no idea he felt that way" Claire said "I always thought it was just physical" 

Now that was a surprise. 

"I swear I didn't want it to happen, Prutha" Claire continued "I didn't mean to, it just happened and then I couldn't stop. I knew it was wrong but I was too unfocused on everything else. I was just going with it." 

"Now wait a second, you don't like Martin?" I had to clear this confusion. 

"No" Claire clarified. 

Whoa. So all this betrayal was just to get physical? 

"I didn't want any harm. I didn't know Martin liked me. I thought he liked you and was getting physical with me because, well, only because you weren't ready to put out" Claire said. 

My eyebrows shot up as my eyes widened. 

"I'm sorry" Claire said before I could say anything "I gave Martin a piece of my mind the other day as well. I think he's guilty too."