Ghost Soldiers || Bucky Barnes

Chapter 8: The Invitation

That Sunday Afternoon in the club didn't end up being so boring, as Clementine had expected. They had spent around an hour by the lake, talking and catching up, and they had lunch with their families at the restaurant in the club. It was the first time in years she had enjoyed going there, and she was glad Thomas and Eleanor were going to stay in the city for a while. During lunch, she always felt Thomas' gaze fixed on her face, which she found a little strange and awkward, since she knew he had noticed how she blushed every time she noticed it. She could see he tried to talk to her alone multiple times, but Eleanor was always there when he tried, so eventually he gave up and didn't end up saying anything else to her.

By Thursday, Clementine felt almost ready for her final exam on Saturday. She had spent three days locked up on her room, only leaving it so she could eat with her sister. She was extremely nervous and anxious, but the thought of going bowling with the Vanderbilts and James relaxed her, and she couldn't wait for the day to come. She was still unsure if it was a good idea, since she didn't know how would James react when she told her Thomas was back, especially after she told him how hurt she had been when he left. She thought of writing him a letter inviting him to the plan, but decided to go see him personally instead. She knew he was still working on Brooklyn Bridge modifications, so she told Arthur to pick her up at 6 o'clock on Thursday afternoon so they could head there.

She was a little nervous of seeing him again. Last time she had done it, they were both drunk, and she had said things she didn't really want to say. But, it had been almost a week since she last saw him, so she waited impatiently all day for Arthur to arrive. She studied all day, and by 5 o' clock in the evening, she was exhausted, so she decided to take a shower and get ready to go to Brooklyn. Those last weeks of April had been warm, and the weather was about to get even warmer, so she took a very cold shower that made her feel like new. She picked a purple and white dress her mother had given to her that week, and an elegant white hat that matched her dress.

Arthur was downstairs with the car 10 minutes before 6 o' clock. She left her room quickly, excited, and got into the car.

"Where to, Miss?" He asked, smiling at her.

"Brooklyn Bridge, please. I don't really know exactly where, though. I know they are doing some modifications there, but I don't know exactly in which part of the Bridge." She said.

"Oh, they are doing the modifications on this side of the bridge, so we should be there really soon." He explained.

"Thank you, Arthur." She said, giving him a warm smile.

She noticed how he was staring at her with a confused but amused look on his face. "May I ask why are we heading there, Miss Clementine?"

"Oh, I need to see Mr. Barnes, he works there." She explained.

"Is that the gentleman I took home last Saturday with his friends?" He asked.

"Yes... I am sorry for that, I hope they didn't cause any trouble." She said, worried.

"Not at all. He seems like a nice man..." He said.

"Yeah, he is." She thought. She just smiled at him and nodded, staring out the window. She could see people heading home after a very long day, and the sky was clear and sunny, which made her smile and love New York City even more than she already did.

After half an hour, they parked where the construction trucks were at the bridge. Almost all the men were working on the bridge, but she could see a few sitting around in a circle, eating dinner. She didn't see him sitting there, so she guessed he was working.

"Should I wait for you, Miss?" Asked Arthur, opening the door so she could step out of the car.

"Yes, please. I don't think it will take more than 15 minutes. I have to get home to study. And Arthur, not a word to my parents about this, please." She said.