Baby, This is Paradise

•10•

Vic's POV

I woke up at about 11:30, after Jaime's Star Wars marathon had finally concluded. Claire was peacefully sound asleep on my chest, snoring softly. I stroked her hair. She was so beautiful.

Last night at the concert, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. There haven't been any girls that caught my eye for months now.

I'm used to girls throwing themselves at me. Claire was different somehow. She acted like I was just a regular person. She didn't love me for what I did, but who I was.
Who was I kidding? Claire didn't love me. She'd known me for a full day. But I felt myself slipping, starting to love her.

I quietly scooped her up and carried her to my bunk, pulled the soft blanket over her, and returned to the couch.
I harbored dreams of warm, sleepy Claire that night, and how I'd make her love me too.

•••
Claire's POV

When I woke up, I was alone in one of the bunks. I don't remember falling asleep here, but oh well.
I opened my suitcase and carried some clothes to the bathroom. I pushed open the door with my butt.

"HEY", came a surprised yelp from inside the door.

"Oh crap. Sorry!" I called through the door.

A tousled Tony appeared from behind the door. "It's cool" he said, with a chuckle. He was really cute- tattoos, gauges and kind eyes.

We shuffled around each other and I changed into high wasted shorts with a black Green Day shirt tucked in the top. As I exited the bathroom, I heard hushed voices around the corner.

"-Can't just invite random people to come on tour with us. They have to go back. This is completely not okay. We barely even know them!" It sounded like Mike.

"Dude, I really like them! I don't see a problem. Jaime seems to be enjoying himself." That was definitely Vic. "Just because you don't necessarily agree yet, Mike, doesn't mean we have to totally ditch them."

"Whatever. Oh, and by the way, I see that thing you two have for each other."

I retreated back a bit so my eavesdropping wasn't so obvious.
Mike turned and stormed away from Vic, pushing past me and scowling.

I slowly walked into the couch area, where Vic sat, frowning at the floor. He looked up at me, lighting up a bit.

"Hey Claire!" He said, halfheartedly. "Want to go get breakfast?"

"Yeah, sure! Where are Jaime and Alex?"

"Pretty sure they had the same idea. C'mon, we'll walk to Waffle House or something."

We stepped off the coach and started towards the street. We were in a large parking garage underneath the hotel we had yet to check in to. It was sort of chilly, I forgot we were 8 hours north of warm, familiar San Diego. Vic immediately noticed and offered me his sweatshirt, which I gratefully accepted.

"So tell me about yourself. I'm not sure we've yet had the chance to be acquainted." He said, with a small smirk.

"Uh, well... My name is Claire Marie Becker. I am... Well, was a student at UC School of Medicine, and I hate my parents."

"Nice to meet you!" He giggled. "My name is Victor Vincent Fuentes and I play in a band."

"Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Fuentes, especially after sleeping with you twice.

He blushed. We laughed and joked en route of the glorious yellow blocky letters of the Waffle House sign.