A/N Sorry this took so
long. I just wasn't feeling it but here it is anyway. Enjoy!
And a big thanks again
to my reviewers especially those who do every chapter like Jenifer,
Darkobender, TWBasketcase, Santafelover, and AliciA.
When I got to Claire's house I was shocked. I mean I knew the princess lived well but her palace really took me aback. It was set way back from the street with a tall hedge surrounding it. As I walked up the drive and I could finally see the house it reminded me of something Scarlett fucking O'Hara from Gone with the Wind would live in. Hell my whole neighborhood could have fit into there.
Gathering up my courage I approached the front door. I must really like Claire to be doing that. I don't think I had ever been so nervous. My legs felt like jelly and I could hear by pulse in my ears. I reached out and knocked using the brass door knocker thing. I wondered how that would be heard if the lord and lady were frolicking in the palace dungeon or something. Waiting a moment I knocked again and waited some more. Just as I was about to turn away the door opened to reveal a woman dressed to the nines, with hair the color of Claire's , and talking on the phone. She looked me over quickly and said, "Could you hold a moment Eleanor." Then to me, "I'm sorry we already donated to the homeless shelter last week," and proceeded to shut the door in my face. Normally I would have grabbed it or stuck my foot in the door but I was just too shocked. I don't know. I was kind of expecting Jeeve's the butler or a maid but not her mom. Seeing her mom was like being plunged into the future and seeing Claire in twenty five years.
I left the porch in a daze and wandered around the outside of the house looking up and trying to determine which window was hers. The yard itself was a park. I could only imagine what it would look like once spring arrived. As I arrived near the back door a maid came out and grabbed my arm. "There you are."
"What the …." I began but she kept talking about cleaning the pool and mowing the grass. Apparently she thought I was the gardener.
"You need to clean leaves out of pool," she spoke with a thick Polish accent. "Mrs. Standish is not happy that everything dirty and the service didn't send you yesterday."
She led me too a small wooden shed and told me to get to work. I mean what the hell? First her mom thinks I'm collecting for the homeless and then the maid thinks I'm the pool boy? Fuck this. I slammed the door to the shed and headed back out toward the street. What was I going to do? Going back to school made no sense and hanging out here didn't seem to matter too much either. If she was in the palace there was no way I would be able to find her unless Rapunzel let down her hair to show me which of the tower rooms belonged to her. Maybe this was a mistake. How was I ever going to fit into the world that she was from? Bet they listen to classical music and consider a family outing the opera.
Yeah, I was disappointed. What could I offer her? So I headed back to the White Castle this time by foot. I didn't have any place urgent I had to be and if Claire was in her palace she was safe there. After the burgers I stopped by the arcade and played Donkey Kong ™, Pac Man ™ , and whatever else until I didn't have any more change. Normally I wouldn't have hesitated to pop open one of the machines in the back corner for some more but vandalism wasn't something I was interested in today. What was wrong with me? Did the princess have me so wrapped around her finger? I skipped school because I didn't see her and… "Hey Bender!"
"Lenny! Man, haven't seen you in ages." We shook hands and he pulled me into a hug.
"I know. I know! Shouldn't you be in school or did they kick your lazy butt out by now."
"Know all about getting lazy butts kicked huh?" I hadn't seen Lenny since he left school the middle of last year. He was probably the only kid at Shermer who had a worse reputation that I did. Now that honor went to yours truly. "Really what have you been up to?"
"Not much here and there. Was doing construction a while but now I'm working here at this bastion of entertainment." He spread his arms wide. "This shift isn't bad since hardly anyone comes while school is in. What about you?"
"What about me?"
"It's not like you to skip on your own. Where are Boomer and Mahoney? What's going down man?"
"I'm screwed up."
"Tell me something I don't know," he said jokingly.
"Hey I'm being serious."
"What's wrong a girl got you by the balls?"
"Something like that," I said plopping down on a carpet covered step and lighting a cigarette.
"Still seeing Suzy?"
"Nah, worse."
"Worse than Suz? What can be worse than her? I mean that girl was as tough as nails and a wildcat in the sack, not to mention a total bitch."
I glared at him wondering how he knew what she was like in bed. "Worse."
"Come on give me a clue Bender, which one of the multitudes of babelicious beauties is giving you blue balls this time?"
"Nothing like that. Well not yet." I was hesitant to tell him how low I had sunk. I mean I never let a girl get to me the way I let Claire get to me. Absentmindedly I started to play with the stud in my ear. Lenny gave a low whistle.
"Man oh man where did you get that?"
"Get what?"
"Knock over a jewelry store?"
Then I realized what he was talking about. "Oh the earring. That is part of my problem."
"Give it back and your problem is solved. Bender, man, no girl is worth getting this worked up over and if she can afford something like that then you have to know she will only be trouble."
I snorted, "She is already trouble. She's a Princess."
"One of them gave you the time of day?" He rocked back on his heels and leaned against the wall. "Which one?"
"That isn't important."
"Let me guess. Jenna Martinez?" I didn't answer. "Christina Williams?" Still didn't answer. "What is the little poodle like one…AmyJo What's-her-face?" I gave a small laugh and shook my head. I was actually surprised that he knew most of their names since he spent ninety percent of his school time in a pot induced daze. "Cherry Claire-y?" I still didn't answer but something must have given it away. "Wow when you get yourself in deep you really do. Leader of the Pack huh? So what you gonna do about it?"
"What do you mean?"
"You gonna screw her and then leave her or what?" And people liked saying I was crude. "Oh so it's more? Man you have it bad don't you?"
"Yeah, I have it bad." I drew long on the cigarette sucking it all the way down to the filter and then exhaled long. Something was calming about smoking.
"How does she feel about you?"
"I'm not sure."
"But she gave you what" he asked as he leaned over to get a better view of the diamond in my ear. "Half a carat at least and you don't know if she likes you? Bender, I would say that if she gives you diamonds she is crazy about you." He looked up at the clock. "School is out. It'll be filling up here pretty quick. I need to get to work but I say go for it. Worst she can do is reject you. The best she can do is," he wiggled his eyebrows up and down." I laughed and he went on his way. I stayed around and smoked another cigarette as kids started filing in.
"What the hell," I said to myself out loud, "Lenny's right. Worst she can do is tell me she doesn't want to see me." I decided to skip the bus again and go back to her house. It was nice although I got some looks as the walk progressed and the houses became nicer. As I reached her house I saw a little girl in the yard. Claire didn't mention having a sister but maybe the kid had seen her.
As I approached I noticed her crouching behind the bushes near the pool house with a camera. "Hey," I said and she looked up and started to run knocking over a flower pot in the process. I went the opposite way around the large pine tree in the center of the yard and caught her. "Hey, have you seen Claire?"
"Is that her name?"
"Whose name?"
"The pretty girl with the red hair."
"Sounds like who I am looking for. If you don't know her what were you doing behind the bushes?"
"I wasn't doing anything. And if she is your girlfriend..:" She left the sentence unfinished, shook her head and then ran off. Something about the little girl seemed familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it. "Claire!" I called heading back to the pool house. "Claire." As she came out of the pool house she looked as though she was talking to someone.
"John." She called and seemed glad to see me. "What are you doing here?"
"I was worried that you weren't at school."
"I wasn't feeling good today. My dad called me in sick." I had a feeling something more was wrong since she didn't meet my eyes.
"Have the flu?"
"No."
"Then what's wrong."
"If you must know I'm having female problems. Okay?" She glanced briefly at the pool house.
"What are you hiding?"
"Nothing. Brian just came over to bring me my homework."
"Hey Bri, come on out." I called and started toward the door. Claire hopped in between and kissed me. Wow did she kiss me. The kiss on Saturday was just a friendly peck compared to this. My toes curled.
"Hey Bender," Brian said as he came out. As Claire and I separated he was blushing red and drawing imaginary circles on the concrete with his foot. "Uh…I think I'll go on home."
Claire smiled at him. "No need for that. Call your mom Brian and stay for dinner. You too John."
She was actually asking me to stay for dinner and I was really tempted but I didn't think I was quite ready to eat with the woman who thought I was collecting for charity. "I can't tonight, Cherry."
"Why? Are you planning on having dinner with your parents?"
I just glared at her. I knew if I spoke I wouldn't be nice. She had to go and ruin everything.
Brian spoke up. "If he doesn't want to Claire then,"
"I can speak for myself," I told him cutting him off. I hate when people speak for me like what they say would mean more than anything I would say. "Just tonight isn't a good time." She looked at me suspiciously.
"Guess we'll see you tomorrow at school then."
"Guess so." I wanted to kiss her again but now Brian was staring. I could wait. As I turned she kissed me again. "Why did you do that?"
Smiling she replied, "Because I knew you wouldn't."
"See you tomorrow, Claire. You too Brian."
Brian gave a little wave and I was off. While I appreciated the kisses from Claire something seemed off. I knew I should just accept it as good luck but I had a nagging feeling it wasn't just that.