With Or Without You

Chapter Seven: The Sweetest Thing

“Where are we going?” Clare asked suspiciously. “And why am I an idiot?”

Michael laughed and glanced briefly away from the road to Clare’s blindfolded face. “I’m not telling. And do you really want me to answer that?”

Clare folded her arms and sulked. This was not how she wanted to spend her birthday – blindfolded in a car with Michael Phelps going who-knows-where. The “with Michael Phelps” part wasn’t so bad, but the rest she wasn’t so fond of. She felt the car stop and heard the driver’s door close. The passenger door opened and Michael helped her out of the car. “How on earth did I let you talk me into this?” she asked. “I’ll have you know I have no idea how long I was in that car, but it felt like a really long time. And I’m really not sure I trust you.”

“You will. You’re going to love me.”

“You’re very sure of yourself,” she told him, gripping his arm so she wouldn’t fall over or walk into anything.

“I know. One of my better qualities. Step,” he told her. She took a step just in time to not trip. She could tell they were going into a building, and was very confused when they stopped. Michael took off her blindfold, but all she could see was a plain grey door in front of her, and a long hallway down either side. She glanced at her watch. “It’s six o’clock. We drove four hours to stand in front of a door?”

Michael smiled, a secret smile that made her somewhat afraid. “Why don’t you knock?” he suggested. Clare looked at Michael warily and knocked very softly on the door. There was no answer. “Maybe you should knock a little louder,” he suggested. She glared at him, but knocked on the door harder.

“Coming!” called a male voice from inside the room. Clare frowned. That voice.....

The door opened and her legs turned to jelly. She started to fall backwards, but Michael caught her before she could hit the ground.

“You must be Clare. Nice to meet you. And happy birthday,” Clay said. She squeaked. Clay chuckled and held the door open. “Come on in,” he said. Michael helped Clare into Clay’s dressing room and sat her down on the couch.

“You...,” she managed.

“I hear you know my mother?” Clay asked. Clare nodded. She hoped he was used to dealing with crazy fangirls who couldn’t speak. “She told me about you. Your boyfriend here called her up and she called me.”

“Oh, I’m not her boyfriend,” Michael said.

Clay nodded. “Fair enough. Honey, are you ok? Can you breathe for me?” he asked.

She started squealing at that point. Grabbing a pillow that was sitting next to her on the couch, she screamed into it and then breathed heavily, watching Clay’s amused expression. After a minute or two she’d calmed down sufficiently to speak. “Oh God. I’m sorry,” she said.

“No problem,” Clay said. “Believe me, you’re not the first.”

She nodded in agreement. “Your mother’s very nice,” she told him.

“Yes, I think so.”

“She had me over to her house for my birthday last year because I live down the street and it was really sweet of her, and she doesn’t think it’s weird that I love you.” Clare clapped a hand over her mouth and her eyes went wide. “I didn’t mean to say that,” she said. Clay just laughed. Michael, meanwhile, was hysterical. Clare elbowed him in the gut and he stopped laughing abruptly. She smiled sweetly at Clay. “Happy birthday,” she told Clay.

“Seems like you and I have a lot in common,” he said. “Same birthday, same street.”

“I’ve always thought so. You’re cuter in person.” She slapped her hand over her mouth again. “Sometimes things just fall out of my mouth and I can’t stop them. You’ll have to excuse me.”

Clay laughed. “It’s not a problem. At least you’re talking at all.”

Clare nodded, taking a deep breath. She shook as she let it out.

They talked for another half an hour before Michael and Clare went out to the arena to take their seats for Clay’s concert. Clare was dumbstruck by everything that had happened. “You...” she said to Michael, unable to finish her sentence. Before she had a chance to think, the lights went down and the concert started.

Three and a half hours later, Michael and Clare were walking back to Michael’s car. After the concert, they’d gone back to talk to Clay again, and he’d sung “Happy Birthday” to Clare. The audience had sung “Happy Birthday” to Clay during the concert, but he waited until later to sing to her. He’d asked for her phone number and said he’d give her a call the next time he was visiting his mother.

Clare couldn’t believe it. She’d never had a better birthday, and she knew Michael was behind it all. As they reached the car, she threw her arms around him. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you so much.”

Michael hugged her back, a grin on his face. “I’m glad you had a good time.”

“I had the best time. Michael, you’re the greatest,” she said. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. “I’m so glad I smashed you in the nose,” she added.

He laughed and then, because she was staring up at him and he couldn’t help himself, lowered his lips to hers for a second. When he pulled away, her eyes were wide with shock, but she still looked flushed and happy and excited. “Come on,” he said, helping her into the car. “Let’s go.”

I met Clay Aiken I met Clay Aiken I met Clay Aiken I kissed Michael Phelps, was all Clare could think about as she entered her dorm room. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it. Ali was sitting on her bed, a knowing grin on her face.

“So how’s Clay?” Ali asked.

Clare squealed. “Oh, Ali, it was so great.” Clare jumped onto Ali’s bed and sat cross-legged, eager to tell Ali everything. “Clay is so nice, and he thinks it’s awesome that I know his mother, and he said he’s going to call me the next time he’s in Raleigh. Oh God, Ali. I love him so much.”

“You have forever. I know,” Ali said.

Clare frowned. “No,” she said. “I mean, yes, I do. But....Michael kissed me.”

Ali’s eyes grew wide. “He did!?”

“Oh, Ali, please don’t be mad. I was hugging him and thanking him for the best day ever, and he kissed me. And I...”

“Why would I be mad?”

“Because you love him. Don’t you? I thought you did.”

“I did. I don’t anymore.”

“What?”

“While you were in Australia I spent a lot of time with Aaron. And I really like Aaron. And when I had that talk with Michael, I realized I don’t really like him the way I thought I did. Just as a friend. A very hot friend, but still a friend. So if you like Michael, go for it.”

“I do. But now I don’t know what to do. Because I met Clay and he wants to hang out with me, but I kissed Michael and it was so great. I totally didn’t expect it, but it was really nice. I was so afraid to tell you, because I didn’t want you to hate me.”

“Clare I could never hate you. Even if I did like Michael, if you really like him, I’d be happy for you. Besides, Aaron kissed me again last week while you were away. Which is why I like him so much. Or...part of why anyway.”

Clare hugged her best friend. She was glad they weren’t fighting over guys anymore, but she still didn’t know what to do.