New Horizon [Morganville]

Chapter Three

It surprised Claire when she asked Shane what he was making for dinner, and he said that it wasn't chili. She hung around the kitchen, sitting at the table with her legs folded on the wooden chair reading through her physics book. Shane would often chuck jokeful comments at her and she would throw them right back.

"Why do you sit like that?" He had said. "Isn't it uncomfortable?"

"Not really." Claire said, not moving her eyes away from her book.

"You know," He said as he started chopping up garlic. "Someone invented chairs, so you don't have to sit cross-legged."

Without moving her eyes, she unfolded her legs and let them touch the floor. "Happy?" She asked.

"Who wouldn't be with a girl like you?"

Claire must have been reading for a while, because she laughed when she realized what Shane had made for dinner.

"You said that you weren't making chili." She exclaimed.

He shrugged as he settled into the chair next to her and began eating, "It's the only thing I can make good."

Claire rolled her eyes, "Then why don't you start your own business?" She said mockingly.

"Nah," Shane said. "It's not manly enough."

Claire shook her head, "Men and their stupid macho reputations."

"Queen of the Damned!" Shane called. "Dinner's ready."

"Bite me Collins!" Eve called from upstairs. Shane looked up from his dinner to watch Claire. She took a small bite of her chili, before looking up at him.

"What?" She demanded.

Shane was about to answer before Eve walked into the kitchen.

"Where's Michael?" She asked as she made her way to the counter to get herself of bowl of chili.

Shane looked back down at his food.

"The last time I saw him was here. He was reading the paper, then I went up to see Shane." Claire said.

"Well, where the hell did he go?" Eve asked as she took a seat next to Claire.

"He's probably fine," Shane said taking a big bite from his chili.

"He might have gone to see Amelie?" Claire suggested. Both Shane and Eve looked at her. "Well, I think he was pretty curious about why Amelie didn't want me seeing Myrnin tomorrow. That's all."

"You're not seeing him tomorrow?" Eve asked. Claire shook her head. She raised her eyebrows.

"You think that's what he went to do?"

"I don't know," Claire said. "It was only a suggestion." That didn't ease Eve's nerves.

"Hey," Shane said. "Mikey's fine. Trust me."

She smiled a little and took a bite out of her chili. "I just don't get why he would leave without a note or something?" Claire didn't know what to say to that, so she took a bigger bite of her dinner.

Shane tried for a joke, "Well, like you said before. What comes around, goes around? I mean, for what he did to your room?"

Both girls groaned.

Shane sat on the couch shooting zombies on the T.V. screen, and he was doing a really great job, even though Claire was leaning on him. Eve sat in Michael's arm chair flipping through her fashion magazines. She didn't like the fashion, she just liked making fun of the models. Claire flipped through her notes she had taken with Myrnin, and occasionally during the loading screen Shane would peer over and look through them too. A zombie baring a lot of sharp teeth jumped in front of the screen just as the front door banged open, which made them all jump. Shane immediately threw the remote controller down and stood in front of Claire, fists clenched.

"Sorry," they heard Michael call.

Claire watched as Shane's muscles relaxed and he settled back onto the couch next to Claire. She took hold of his hand and smiled. He smiled back at her.

"Jeez Mikey," Shane said as Michael walked into the room. "You could've told us you were going out."

"Michael Glass!" Eve cried and jumped out of the arm-chair and into his arms. "You scared the hell out of me." Michael smiled and ran his fingers through Eve's hair."Where were you?"

"It's nothing important." Michael could tell when Claire was lying. Claire could tell when Michael was lying, and he was lying now. Michael's angelic blue eyes closed breifly, and when he opened them, they met Claire's. It had only taken that one, quick glance, but Michael already knew what Claire had just been thinking. Eve was happy, so Claire decided to wait and catch Michael alone before confronting him. Claire moved her eyes to the floor. Eve finally let Michael go and she smiled up at him, her eyes wet from tears of relief.

"Sorry," Claire barely heard Michael whisper.

"You can make up for it later." Eve said and winked at him before taking a seat back on the chair.

"So, Mikey," Shane said reaching for his remote control. "You up for a game?" Michael smiled, and Claire scooted over on the couch so he could sit down. He took hold of the second control. "Just so we get something clear," Shane said. "No vampire reflexes."

Michael nodded, "Game on."

* * *

Eve left about ten minutes after the guys had started their zombie-shooting competition. Claire had put away her notebook, but she managed to sit a little longer and watch them play. After about the millionth zombie brain had been shot, she rolled her eyes and pushed herself off of the couch.

She was walking towards the stairs when she heard Shane call out to her.

"Claire." She turned to look at him. The look in her eyes told her what he was going to say.

"Don't worry," She said smiling. "I won't fall asleep."

He returned the smile and continued killing zombies. Claire walked up the stairs and stopped at Eve's door.

She knocked once.

"You can come in." Eve said.

Claire pushed open the door to see Eve sitting on the floor sorting through her shoes. She had so many pairs, Claire wasn't sure how she had gotten the money to buy them in the first place.

"What you doing?" Claire asked, taking a seat on Eve's bed.

"Hunting zebras," She said and dropped one black boot and moved onto the other. "What does it look like?"

"Sorry," Claire teased and peered over Eve's shoulder. "You going out or something?"

"Not exactly," Eve said and hugged a pair of black combat boots with studs on them. "I'm looking for a pair of Dr Martens buckle boots. If you see them, tell me."

Claire slid off the bed and sat beside Eve. She sorted through a pile of dark coloured boots.

"Aren't they the ones Michael bought you?" Claire asked and set aside a pair of black converse.

"Yup. My lucky pair." Eve grinned and stretched out her legs revealing her black and purple polka-dot pyjama bottoms.

Claire smiled in amusement, "Something going on that you haven't told me about?"

"Well," Eve began. "I might have gotten a job as manager."

"Eve, that's awesome! Where?"

Eve's smile faltered a little, "Common Grounds."

Claire's smile weakened a little too. "Oliver's taking time off, huh?"

Eve shrugged, "I guess. I mean, he won't be around as much and I get the shop. Sort of."

Claire nudged Eve's shoulder, "Well hey, it's still awesome."

"It is, isn't it?"

"And, we've got to find those boots too. After all, they're your lucky ones."