All along Claire could not focus at work. She constantly found herself going blank as her fingers massages her lips especially the lower one. She still could not believe that she had lost her first kiss and not just to anyone but her celebrity crush. She felt confused reason as she did not know what to make of the situation. Wait a minute, situation? There was no situation. Probably it had been a mistake as she knew Tristan Jenkins would have no business kissing women like her let alone start anything with her. She had seen the kind of women he hung out with on television. She was absolutely nothing compared to any of them.
She was still there thinking again when someone suddenly clapped. Luckily for her, it was Danielle and she had come for dishes. Alright that was her excuse to come see Claire as she could not talk to her while she was still working but certainly she had seen Claire walk out of the office hurriedly and almost blindly. She had not come around since then which was when Danielle began to worry. The other day had been pretty tough on Claire and she just hoped something worse had not occurred. She came inside the place and met Claire sort of blacked out but could not tell whether she was happy or sad as her back was turned to her. In order to bring her back, she clapped her hands and Claire looked over her shoulders at her before turning to check on the dishes in the sink.
“Danielle.” Claire called her
“Are you okay?,” the lady asked Claire coming to stand in front of her
“I don’t know how you mean, if you’re talking about my wound, I feel better now,” Claire said shakily.
Danielle knew better than stand there or there would be chaos. Claire’s hands were already quite shaky and there was a couple of plates in them. If she chose to let her steady up, that would only mean more dishes would be broken and more money deducted from her salary. Danielle chose not to stand there and quickly collected the dishes from her.
“You know well enough that is not what I’m talking about. The boss, what did he want with you?,” Danielle asked
“Oh that, nothing really.” Claire said shaking her head and closing her eyes as if thinking. Her voice was seriously unsteady giving off this worry in her that she was not convincing enough.
Danielle leant over closely to peep into her eyes as she was not convinced. She could tell something had happened and Claire was trying her hardest to avoid her eyes.
“Claire?,” she called her
“I told you already, nothing happened.” Claire said turning away from her to face her dishes in the sink.
Danielle sighed and walked away to go drop the dishes. She was not done with Claire and only would go off to give her a moment to get a grip on herself. She dropped the dishes and was about going back when Tristan Jenkins entered. He looked around at them and she reckoned this was about the fifth time he had come there to look around without saying anything. She was guessing something had happened between he and Claire and that something was keeping his toes up. Usually he would come check on their food or inspect them but this time around, he would come inside only to stand and look around or touch the back of his neck like he was nervous about something. Danielle noticed something also, he was quite sweaty most of the times which was what she needed to probe out of Claire. Something really had happened behind the doors of that office. She decided to speak up as he was finding it hard to get back his voice.
“Um… sir, would you be needing anything?,” she asked.
The boss looked at her for a while like he was thinking about something.
“Not anything…. where is Miss Willows?,” he asked her
“She’s um…. she’s around the back doing dishes,” Danielle said pointing in the direction.
He made as if he wanted to go there and then changed his mind.
“She’s alright I presume?,” he asked
“Yes sir. I guess so,” Danielle said slowly totally not understanding either of them
“Good, that’s just good.” he said and without another word, he walked back into his office.
“Alright, that does it. That’s just about enough amount of weird for me. I’ll be right back.” Danielle said to no one in particular as she walked back inside where Claire was.
She was done waiting to understand as her inquisitive mind has it’s questions stored in heaps. She closed the door behind her and accustom Claire as she was carrying dishes in her hands.
“Um Danny, I was wondering if you could help me…,” she did not finish all but looked down at the dishes
“The dishes? No.,” she said
“Why not?,” Claire asked her
“Nothing.” Danielle said and rested her back on the wall looking at her nails
“Seriously? Fine. Is the boss in there?,” she asked her friend
“Yes and apparently he sent me to get you.” Danielle said.
As soon as she heard that he was out there and asking for her, Claire began to wish the ground would open up and swallow her up as she was not prepared to find out what he had in store for her. Instantly she began to shake and Danielle had to rush over and hold her hands that bore the plates although one of the little dishes fell over and smashed on the ground instantly cracking to pieces. Claire’s eyes widened that moment and that was when Danielle asked her to calm down as she was only joking. Claire was feeling worried and afraid as she tried hysterically to pick up the pieces. Danielle whom had collected the dishes and kept them aside came down to assist her asking her to calm down. That was not something Claire wanted to hear at the moment, anyone asking her to calm down when there was nothing to calm down about. She asked Danielle if she knows what would become of her if the boss finds out, there would be more deduction. Danielle started laughing just as the door opened and the manager entered. Claire panicked as he saw the pieces of shattered glass. Before he finished asking what had happened, Danielle said she was at fault as her hand mistakenly hit the top dish. The man nodded and asked if Claire was alright and the lady nodded. He smiled and left the place.
“What did you do that for? ,” Claire asked her
“Told the truth. It was my fault and say no more. Now you my darling, you need to take a chill pill,” she said helping Claire up and they went to sit.
The both of them sat down facing each other neither of them looking away. Claire was shaking all over and Danielle was trying her best to make her calm down. They needed to talk this things out that moment before they escalate. Danielle drew her into her arms for what would come as a hug as she tried to get Claire to get calm.
Claire on her own part could not seem to get a hold on herself. She had never had anyone she would open up too. That kiss obviously was too much for her to handle and somehow she felt she wanted the advice of an expert on what it would seem like. Danielle did look experienced on that sort of thing as there was absolutely no one else she could turn to ask the questions on why she was feeling that way. Her step mother was already on the no-no list. She began getting a grip and broke apart looking Danielle in the eyes.
“Can I tell you a secret Danny?,” she asked
“Come on Claire, I thought we’ve gone past that stage in our friendship. You know you can tell me anything,” she said
“Anything?,” Claire asked
“Anything.” Danielle said.
Claire seemed thoughtful about it for a while as she really wanted to say this thing in the less provocative way. She gathered up morale and spilled it off.
“We kissed.” she said.
At first Danielle was not certain she had heard her right but then she looked Claire in the eyes and noticed she was not blinking her eyes. This was real and serious too.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Danielle said.
“Is that a bad thing?,” she asked
“No. That’s every lady’s dream come true really.” Danielle said.
She could tell Claire’s dilemma and also her own fears. It would not be fair she Tristan Jenkins decided to prey on the innocent girl. Claire was pretty much naive and much more a softie to begin her break into womanhood through a playboy. It was high time she pushed her into someone caring and responsible. Someone like the guy that had dropped her off that morning. The Jake of a guy seemed all the more better for her friend than the player king they knew. She turned to Claire and held her by both shoulders enjoining her to forget about the kiss and dismiss it as a mistake during a stressful moment. After all, Tristan Jenkins did seem stressed that morning.
Claire nodded agreeing because it would help her but she could not help but wonder at the back of her mind if Tristan Jenkins kissed random persons simply because he was stressed.