The minute she tried to find out what Angie was hiding about her and Aj, tears streaked down Angie's face. Claire reached into her purse and grabbed a few tissues, handing them to her. She waited as Angie dabbed her eyes and took a sip of her drink.
"I'm sorry. I am just really worried about me and Aj's relationship. I don't think he enjoys being with me anymore. I feel like he is only sticking with this relationship for my sake. And I just feel like he doesn't love me anymore." she said sadly.
Claire shook her head, "No Ang, you know that's not true. He's probably just busy with the group or something. Talk to him and he will tell you how much he really does love you."
Angie sighed and threw down the tissue, "I hope so. I really hope so."
Claire offered a reassuring smile before they finished eating and paid their bill. Once they left the restaurant, Claire looked at her watch and saw she had twenty minutes to get to class. She hugged and said a quick good-bye to Angie, then headed off.
Claire got to her class two minutes before the professor came in and started his lecture of the day. After what seemed like a century, the class ended and Claire headed off to her next. She still had two classes today, and she wasn't in the mood for either.
She sat listening to the lecture and she felt her eyes slowly closing shut. She shifted in her seat and looked at her watch and saw she had an hour left. Twenty minutes later, someone knocked on the classroom door and the professor sighed with annoyance. He walked to the door and whispered to someone then walked back inside.
"Miss Bennett?" he said with an obvious annoyance in his voice, "You have a visitor."
Claire grabbed her books and bag and hurried down the steps to the door. When she closed the classroom door behind her, she ran right into him.
"Nick?! What are you doing here?" she asked with a goofy smile spreading across her face.
"Well, I figured you might get bored sitting in classes all afternoon. So I figured we could go out and do something. I hope you don't mind." he said.
"Mind?! Nick, you just saved me from falling asleep in class. Again." she said with a laugh.
Nick took her books and they walked outside to his car. He opened the door for her and put her books in the back seat, then crossed over to his side and got in.
"So what's the plan for tonight?" she asked.
"Your choice." he said.
"Hmm ... I am kind of in a movie mood. You mind?" she asked.
Nick shook his head no and drove to Blockbuster. As Claire got her purse together, Nick came over and opened her door for her. He grabbed her hand in his and didn't let it go till the got inside Blockbuster.
"I have no idea what I want to watch. So why don't you get the movies and I will get the snacks. Okay?" she asked.
He nodded and headed off to the movie section. A few minutes after she paid, he came up behind her.
"You ready?" he asked.
"Yep." she said holding up the bag of candy.
They walked back out to his car and got in. Claire opened up her bag to show Nick what she had bought.
"Skittles, M&M's, popcorn, chips and gummy bears." she announced.
Nick smiled and opened his bag, "Singing in the Rain and Casablanca."
"Ooh, in the mood for classics?" she giggled.
Nick just smiled and drove over to his house. Within twenty minutes, Claire and Nick were in his kitchen popping popcorn and getting sodas. They settled on the couch after Nick put in Singing in the Rain. Claire sang along to some parts and Nick just laughed at her like she was crazy.
After Singing in the Rain was over, Claire got up and put in Casablanca. During the middle of the movie, Claire let out a loud sigh.
"How come there is no romance or real gentlemen left in the world?" she asked.
Nick flicked off the movie and turned on the soft rock channel on his sound system. He put one arm behind his back and extended a hand out to Claire.
"May I have this dance?" he asked politely.
Claire smiled and grabbed his hand, "Yes, you may."
They began swaying back and forth to the music on the radio, and Claire couldn't help but smile.
"Okay, so there are some real gentlemen and romance left in the world." she said.
Nick smiled and held on to her closely. As they danced, Claire knew how lucky she was to have a relationship like she did, with Nick. The song ended and there was a comfortable silence in the room as they kept swaying.
"What can I do to make you mine? Falling so hard, so fast, this time. What did I say? What did you do? How did I fall in love with you..." Nick sang softly into her ear.
Claire smiled and lifted her head to look Nick in the eyes. He looked deeply into her eyes before he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.
After they shared the kiss, they were both quiet and their hearts were racing. As Claire held on to Nick tightly, she wondered, how did she fall in love?
