𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 • 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦

eight

claire was face down on ash's bed. ash was sitting in shock. claire still hadn't settled down from what had happened a few nights ago with clay, and she was just now telling ash about it, who looked just as confused as claire felt. "so youre telling me he like, almost kissed you?" ash reiterates, trying to understand what had happened. "i wouldn't say he trued to kiss me, but he was very very close, and like, touched my waist" claire said, finally sitting up in ash's bed and looking at her friend.

"so you're just avoiding him now?" ash asks looking around their room. "trying to, it's mark and i's anniversary today so were going out for dinner, meaning i need to go home and he's gonna be there" claire explains, noticing a change in ash's demeanour. "cant believe you've put up with him for a year" ash said, rolling their eyes at the mention of mark. "ugh not you too, i cant even deal with clay telling me to break up with him i cant deal with you too." claire complains. ash shrugs, "i'm just saying clay has a point, he's kind of a dick." they say, giving up on staying quiet on their feelings about the boy. "asshh" claire draws out, annoyed at the constant nagging of people telling her to break up with mark when he's done nothing wrong. "ok, ok, fine. don't you have to go home now?" they say, checking the time and seeing it was almost 3pm.

"wow are you trying to get rid of me? i'm wounded" claire jokes, but nodding and standing up to gather her things into her bag. "yeah, addison is coming over" ash giggles, hurrying the girl up as she gasps over-dramatically. "i see where your priorities lie, shithead" claire says sarcastically, hugging her best friend goodbye and leaving the house, walking the 5 minutes home.

she walked in the door to an empty living area, although the cars parked outside told her that her brother and housemate were most likely closer off in their rooms. she makes her way up to her own room, and began picking out an outfit for the date mark was taking her on tonight seeing she had an hour and a half to get ready.

she had showered and dried her hair, standing in her room with just a towel wrapped around her torso when clay walked in, without knocking. he began saying something when his eyes landed on her, his gaze faltering as it slowly moves down her body and his jaw dropped. he awkwardly clears his throat and looks back up at her eyes, where he could see she wasn't even looking at him, rather looking in the mirror as she applied her mascara. thankful that she hadn't seen how distracted he got by her body, he begins talking, the waiver in his voice trying to be suppressed as his mind wandered. "you're going out tonight, yeah?" he says, and takes the opportunity of her still not looking at him to take in her figure once more. "yeah, marks picking me up at 4:30" she says, still not bothering to look at him.

she turns her back to the boy, his focus now failing even more, as both his eyes and mind wander and he walks away to stop himself. the girl continues getting ready, putting in the small black dress that she had picked out earlier. the dress was shorter than she had remembered when she bought it, but the tight style of it complimented her figure as she paired it with chunky boots. noticing the time was almost 4:30, she grabbed her black purse and made her way downstairs. thankfully nick was still in his room, and was not able to see or object to her outfit. unluckily, clay was sitting in the living room and turned to look at the girl, his jaw dropped and his eyes followed her, unable to tear away. he brings himself to avert his eyes, reaching over to the blanket next to him to lay it over his lap as he bids the girl goodbye. he hears the door open and close and he sighs, moving to his room.

claire walked outside to see mark's car parked on the side of the street, the girl impressed that he, one, showed up and, two, was on time. she gets in the car and greets mark with a kiss on the cheek and a smile, mark examining her body and how good the dress made her look, ignoring her greeting as he stared. the girl starts to shift uncomfortably and pull down the hem of her dress to cover more of her legs, mark finally snapping out of it and looking out the front windshield as he starts the car. there is an amount of small talk and the wishing of a happy anniversary between the two.

they reach the local fancy restaurant, where mark had made a booking and made their way towards the designated table and sat down. the conversation flows as they order food and chat. it was a nice change to their usual activities, where claire would tag along when mark was hanging out with his friends, or other activities that include mark not talking to her much, and the night reminded her of the beginning of their relationship. her boyfriend laughed and joked while they ate, claire having a genuinely good time with him for the first time in at least a few months. she had just finished eating when she excused herself to the bathroom, leaving her belongings on the table with mark as she walked to the door secluded at the back.

when she returns to the table, she sees the bill sitting on it. however, she does not see mark sitting there. she sits down slowly and assumes he just went to the bathroom, but questioned why he ordered the bill right before leaving. she sits for a few minutes before a napkin with messy writing sprawled over it caught her eye, and she picks it up and begins to read.

hey babe, something came up and i had to go. thanks for paying

she reads the note over and over again, anger filling her body. she opens up the book that held the bill and saw now money in it, the amount she owed being way more than she had been able to comfortably afford. she picks up her phone to see not even a text, taking out her wallet and putting all the cash she had, feeling bad that she wasn't able to leave as big of a tip as she had wished. she stood up and walked out of the restaurant, thanking the staff as she departed. she stood outside, the realisation settling that mark had driven her and she had no way home. claire makes her way over to the nearest bench, sitting down and considering her options. she recalled how nick had said he was doing an important stream tonight and could not be interrupted, and how ash was currently with addison and she didn't want to interrupt them. she sighs with the final option, not wanting to go through with it, but had no other choice.

she clicks on the contact and hesitantly presses call, bringing the phone up to her ear. the line rings for a few seconds before it is interrupted with a deep voice. "hello? what's up?" he had said, the polite tone taking the girl off guard. "hey, clay. can you pick me up please? i'm really sorry, but-" she starts to explain but is interrupted by loud rustling and clay's request for her to send him her location, and that he'd be there as soon as possible.

her anger with mark is almost dissipated by her heart warming with the kind gesture. maybe she was wrong about clay, he had been different lately.