All The Bright Things

Chapter 2

When Tex and Claire arrived at the inn, Claire couldn't feel more relieved. She was so ready to clean up and head to sleep. Maybe even stop reliving the image of that someone—or something.

"So Claire, people are probably drink—Woah, you look like you saw a ghost!" Tex was still holding the door of the inn, Claire could hear the faint voices of people chattering and laughing, "Did I really scare you back at the mine?"

"Uh, no, I just.." There was an old, rusty bench just right beside the door. When Claire sat down, she realized how exhausted she felt, "Is everyone back already?"

"Yeah, we all left together actually," Tex hesitated for a while, but then he sat next to her, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were jumpy."

"What?no. No, it wasn't you," Claire giggled a bit. Tex had joined her group because Melissa recruited him, so he was always closer to her. They often went back mining together, but they were usually too tired to even talk about anything, "I saw, like, a figure before you came. I don't know, it had like.. blue eyes. Kind of reminds me of a wolf, you know?"

When Tex didn't answer, Claire felt stupid. She looked at the lamp post above them, although faint, bugs were flying around it.

"I— Maybe it was just my imagination, I didn't get enough sleep last night. We should head inside," Claire stood up, but Tex reached for her hand.

"Er...I don't know what to say. Will you be okay?Tomorrow, I mean. Whatever you saw— we do have to get back there." He stood up too, his face scrunched up a bit.

"Yeah, um, hopefully," They stood there awkwardly for a moment, the sounds of cricket beating the laughters from inside the inn, "Thanks for bringing my bag."

"Sure, yeah, no problem," Tex handed her her rucksack, then looked up to meet her eyes, "Goodnight, C."

**

Surprisingly, Claire slept awfully well that night, she didn't even remember the encounter until breakfast, when everyone was gathered around, scarfing mashed potatoes and then she saw him.

"C, what's wrong?" She heard Daniel say, "Claire?"

She really wanted to reply, but nothing came out. She just stared at the boy across the room. He was wearing a dirty apron above a simple white shirt, he had a necklace with a logo Claire couldn't really make out, his black hair was tousled and his eyes were piercing blue. The same blue from the night before. It was definitely him.

"Holy shit."

Claire quickly spun around, facing confused Daniel and Tex, who were trying to see what she was paying attention to.

"You like the rough looking ones now, huh?" Daniel tried to tease, laughing, oblivious to Claire's death stare, "What happened with smart is sexy, C?"

"What makes you say he's not smart, Dan?" Tex piped in, also oblivious, he probably pretended yesterday didn't happen, and that Claire really was just crazy.

"Oh, I dunno."

"You're such an ass," Claire thanked the Lord for Tex's comment, Daniel kept his mouth shut after that, "Let Claire like whoever she wants." Then she rolled her eyes at him.

"Tex, it's him. The figure from yesterday," Claire motioned to the guy, still cleaning the table across the room, she figured he worked here.

Duh, why else would he be cleaning tables?for fun?

"What?You said it was a wolf!" Tex almost knocked over his glass, and also Daniel's, which made him even more interested in the conversation, "He doesn't look like a wolf."

"I said he reminded me of a wolf. Ugh, never mind. Look, maybe that's not him—it— whatever," Daniel and Tex looked at the boy, then at Claire, then at their food, "I wish Mel was here."

"Speaking of Melissa, what'd she say on the phone yesterday?" Claire looked up from her food to Daniel, she decided she was done eating.

"She's getting better," Claire drunk a bit from her glass before putting her rucksack on and heading for the door, "We should get to work."