Without Love ::: Claire, Wes

[wickedmagik]

Picking up his cell, Wes started at the contacts lists, sighing. Ever since last night he couldn't get one of the thoughts out of his head, Claire's smile. She always seemed so happy to see him when others weren't, she even readily agreed to do his work for him so that he could stay on the team, and stay in school. Because of that, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her for some reason. Dialing the numbers, Wes listened for an answer, but instead got a voice mail. "Uh hey Claire, this is Wes. I was just calling to tell you something but I guess you're not near your phone. Meet me out on the field after practice?" he asked, before hanging up.

Practice would be hell with all of that circling his mind, he was barely able to focus as he was crushed by tackle after tackle. When it was finally over, Wes limped off the field to change back into his normal clothing. After the whole shower and change deal, he wanted in the stands for Claire, if she had not already arrived before it all ended. What was he going to say? He had no idea, but right now Kyra was the furthest thing from his mind at this moment. It was like he woke up with this obsessive fixation on Claire that he just couldn't shake.

Leaning back against another row of bleachers, he closed his eyes and let the breeze cool him. If anyone approached him he would be unaware, too lost in his own head to hear them coming.

---

ooc: Sorry its a bit short. Intro's are usually my worst post xD

[Claire Diastone]

Claire really had a lot on her mind from the last couple of days, even weeks by now from all that had happened, all the fights, all the things that she had found out, that her brother was changed into a vampire and then a human vampire hybrid even and found him tortured and everything before she even knew that. And then there was the talk and everything with Rodney at the last football game that had stayed with her.

Like always she couldn't really actually get Wes out of her head, if she was going to try and convince people or herself that she could, she would be lying very badly. Especially since last night, her head seemed to be in overdrive with thinking of Wes and her feelings with those thoughts seemed even more obvious and stronger than they already were all the time, it actually scared her a bit noticing how much more she felt it, and she just didn't know what the reason was exactly that it had become so much more, she had actually been trying after all to get him out of her mind, not even deeper into it and her heart.

As she had been reading one of her new books in her room, it had taken a few small minutes for Claire to actually realize that she had gotten a new message on her cellphone and a voice mail message with it. She had been so busy trying to get her mind to think of something else, that she had also ignored her phone for a big part. Still eventually she thought of it and quickly got up, hoping randomly that it would be Wes and when she looked at the number... She saw it was! He had called her and even left her a message! She quickly called her voice mail and listened to the message, almost immediately raising her eyebrows feeling her curiosity growing to what it was that he wanted to tell her, so when she heard that he wanted to meet her on the field after practice, she quickly hang up when she heard the message was done and looked at the clock.

Claire saw that she had to hurry, that if she wanted to be sure that he didn't think she stood him up or something, she had to rush it a little, so she quickly checked if she looked okay, if she was really sure that she could show herself in her outfit, but eventually figured it would be good enough and that she didn't even know if he just wanted her to do another assignment for him or something. So after grabbing her phone for sure and some of her other stuff she took with her when going out the door, she left the dorm and went to the football field, where practice had just ended a few minutes ago already.

Feeling her heart jump slightly and instantly beat faster once she saw Wes waiting in the stands, leaning against another row of bleachers, with his eyes closed. She didn't see anyone else like a part of her had feared actually, so that even made her feel more nervous about this, but she wasn't planning on letting him notice that so easily. So she took a deep breath, calmed herself down for as far as she managed to do and then walked up toward Wes where she eventually took place next to him and looked over the field silently for a moment before looking at Wes. 'Hey, so... You wanted to talk to me?' She said with an as normal smile as possible as she looked at him, not knowing much else to say just yet, first she wanted to see what this was about. Even though like usual, only even worse, she had to keep herself calm from not blushing already instantly or even just jumping him and kissing him.

ooc: No problem, I totally know that feeling so xD

[wickedmagik]

So lost in his own thoughts, Wes had no idea that Claire was moving up the stands towards him. When she sat down, he felt the vibration which made him jump a bit. His eyes snapped open as he looked around, only to realize that she showed up after all. He was pleased to see her, yet at the same time he was filled with dread having to lay this all out there on her. How would she take it? Did she really even like him or was she just truly that helpful? Smiling at her so that she didn't think something was wrong, Wes sat up straight so that he could face her as he looked for the words to describe how he felt. The problem with being Wes was, he wasn't always very articulate when it came to his feelings.

"Yeah, thanks for actually showing up by the way." he said as if she wouldn't have actually chosen to show up. There was no subtle way he could think of to break into this topic, he would just have to suck it up. "Look Claire, I realize that I take you for granted. You're always there for me when I need help with my work to stay on the team. You're probably the only person who seems happy to see me when I show to circle sessions too." he said, growing quiet after he dropped that bomb. There was more to it all but he had to think about it, what else he had to say. There was some nagging feeling in his head that there was something he was forgetting about.

Wes swallowed hard, laughing nervously to break the silence that settled over them. "I was sort of wondering if you had plans tonight. It's not a problem if you do, I just.. figured you deserved something for all you do for me.." he said, placing a hand on the back of his head as he rubbed it waiting for a response. It was sort of his way of showing that his nerves were pretty shot. Normally he had more courage than this, this was incredibly stupid and he couldn't figure out why he couldn't man up.

"It doesn't have to be a date you know, unless, you're cool with that?" he asked, looking at her tentatively. Wes wasn't used to losing, he wouldn't accept no as an answer he decided, no matter what she said to him. He would find a way to show her that he wanted this, that he always had.

[Claire Diastone]

Claire looked at Wes but still she didn't look too long, she didn't want to let her feelings for him get in the way more than they always already did, especially because she seemed to be too kind most of the time to actually even defend herself when he didn't take her for granted, but she was still very curious to why he had asked her here, and he wasn't acting like he usually was when he just wanted to ask her help for homework or something again.

So when he thanked her for coming by the way, Claire pulled up her eyebrows and gave him a look that kind of asked him how he could even doubt that she would after everything, in fact, if there wasn't a major life changing or dangerous thing that got in the way, she ALWAYS came when he asked, and even some times when he didn't she came looking for him, even though he didn't give her the attention she wanted at those times. 'Of course, why wouldn't I?' She asked him as calmly as possible with a slight smile on her face.

So she listened to him, she looked at him and she just kept quiet then to listen to how he started about how he actually seemed to realize now that he took her for granted, how she always was there for him, how nobody seemed to be happy with him at the circle sessions but that she was, even though when a certain person was there too, he didn't even seem to notice that she was there too. 'Well... I wish I could say you weren't right Wes... But we both know I can't...' She said softly, not actually wanting to blame him for anything but that comment just had to come out after everything while looking in front of her, biting her lip for a second and then looking back at him and saw him rubbing the back of his head, which kind of was an obvious sign of his nerves. Was he actually nervous? With talking to her? The always arrogant and confident guy that she knew was nervous because of her? That actually made her heart jump a little and beat faster and made her want to know even more what this was about.

When the words rang through Claire's head multiple times on a sort of repeat mode about him asking if she had anything to do that night, and that it didn't have to be a date necessarily unless she was cool with that. Wait... Was he actually asking her out? She must be dreaming! And how silly it might seem, she actually pinched herself quickly in her skin to feel if she felt pain, which she quickly enough did so that only made her realize more that this was real. 'Y-you're... Asking me out? Like really? You're not screwing with me?' She asked him with an obstruction because of the nerves in her throat that made her voice sound softer automatically before she tried to swallow it away and rubbed the back of her neck now herself. 'I uhh...' She started but then instantly yelled at herself in her mind. Just do it damn it! This is real! You're not dreaming! He's finally opened his eyes and got some sense into him! Do it![/i] So she smiled, looked at him and nodded instantly after that went through her mind. 'I would love to, really but... Do we really have to wait until tonight?' She asked him because now that she gave into this and the extremely happy and fluttering feeling in her stomach, she couldn't wait for any longer than necessary.

[wickedmagik]

"You could have had better things to do than chill with a jerk." he said cooly, playing off his anxiety that she wasn't going to show. He was starting to regain that cool composure he loved to cling to in every day life. Shifting the way he was sitting so that he could get a better look at her, she seemed to be handling this as well as he was, from what he could see. There was that air of awkward tension, one that could have been cut with a knife. "You know, it would have been totally cool if you were busy." he added. It was already bad enough he was dropping all of this on her with such a short notice.

He could see that she was struggling to work things out in her head, she was confused by the fact that he was suddenly interested. Truth be told, he was confused as well, but he was confused as to why he never saw it before. She was even smokin' to boot which made it even easier for him at the same time to make the call. "You had to see it coming at some point right? I mean.. you're smart." he started, though realizing how dumb that sounded when he said it aloud. "I couldn't keep over looking the things you do for me forever right? I mean, no one else helps me the way you seem to." he said, laughing though it was due to nerves.

When she took awhile to respond, Wes figured he was losing her somewhere. Something he said must have been wrong somehow, how did he do this before he wondered. About to say something to recover he realized she was only working it all out in her head, she was bewildered by how he had just blindsided her with this. "Well, yeah, I am. But I'm not messing with you Claire, I'm one hundred percent for real right now." he said, moving forward and placing a hand on hers for a moment. "You know I'd never intentionally say anything to try and hurt you right? I may be a jerk, but only to people I feel deserve it." he said, though he had treated her that way before.

"No, we can go now if you like. I was thinking something like drinks, maybe dinner if it's not too much.." he said, looking into her eyes trying to gauge some sort of reaction. He was also pretty terrible at this date thing, usually Kyra or their posse of friends just dragged him around to wherever the party was. "I was actually hoping you wouldn't make me wait long. I came with the idea that you might honestly say no, circumstances and all." he said, though he couldn't figure out what they were exactly. Kyra seemed to have evaporated from his immediate thoughts, there was only Claire.

"Trust me, it's going to be a ton of fun." he said, standing and holding a hand out to her with a grin.

[Claire Diastone]

Claire had to give Wes a point there again, at least he was man enough to realize it finally obviously and even admit it straight to her face that he knew he was a jerk, because he was a total jerk, she knew it but... It still didn't change how much she liked him, how she couldn't get him out of her mind, that she would do about anything for him and especially to be with him, even though she had decided a while back that she was getting him out of her head, here she was, feeling even more in love with the guy than ever before this very moment. 'Like making the jerk his work for him?' Claire asked dryly to Wes, removing some strands of her from her face and smiling because she was actually partially joking, she couldn't really stay mad at him, especially not with the total surprise of this conversation. 'That's good you say that, but no I'm not, so stop.' She said as she chuckled a little and blushed slightly even about him saying it would have been cool if she had been busy.

A part of Claire was just desperate to know what made Wes change his mind like this all of a sudden, as it seemed that she was the only one that he cared about right now, if he had some life changing epiphany for some reason or something, not that she didn't mind of course, but a small part of her was trying to get the message through that something was wrong about this... Damn, what am I saying? Nothing is wrong about this, this is perfect, now I just need to show him how I really am and what he's missing out on![/i] She told herself as confident as possible and looked at him with a smile at the same time. When she heard what he asked her about her having to had seen it coming at some point, that she was smart and all that and looked down shortly. 'Honestly? No... I thought you didn't even think I looked good, that you just saw me as a nerd that was part of the circle and helped you make things simple with your priorities... She admitted him honestly, not going to lie about that now that he seemed so open to her. 'But you're right, totally right even, so if you keep realizing this and admitting it, I'll be way more than happy to give you a shot.' She told him again as she smirked to make him know she was sure about that.

'Fine... I believe you, I can't but believe you, you've never talked to me like this... Looked at me like this.' Claire said as she smiled and felt really happy but still somewhat nervous too about that fact. 'But seriously, you have to realize that a part of me still feels like a deer caught in the headlights or something, this feels so unreal.' She said as she shook her head and then laughed it off, not wanting to think about such things. Her heart made a jump again and her beats quickened again as her cheeks flushed and she smiled as soon as she felt him placing his hand on hers for a moment. 'A part of me does, always has, but on the other hand I don't know if it makes it better that you didn't even notice.' She said him honestly again before turning her hand over and grabbing his and giving it a squeeze. 'But it's okay... You're here now.' She told him to let him know that was most important to her now and that she didn't want to guilt-trip him or something.

She was quiet for a moment after Wes suggested they'd go for drinks and maybe dinner even if it wasn't too much and she just looked at him, smiling, enjoying the moment and thinking about it before nodding. 'That sounds like a plan, just don't make it an all too fancy dinner please? I sure as Hell won't accept you trying to buy me over after everything.' She said to him as she grinned and gave him a wink then. She herself totally wasn't thinking about Kyra now either, she had shortly passed her mind, but Kyra was such a bitch herself, that she actually totally didn't care now, she wanted Wes, it felt like she had always wanted him, and now she was getting the chance, so almost as instantly as the thought had crossed her mind, it had totally vanished too.

'I'm way too kind to play all hard to get and pay you back, so I've said yes, just focus on that.' She said to him to stop him talking about his fears of her saying not or something, even though she knew perfectly well that it actually made her good to actually honestly tell these things to her, it actually felt great! So she grabbed his hand again when he was standing and he had reached his hand out to her and pulling herself up by it which made her stand right in front of him and looked right in his eyes and smiled after that, keeping where she was for a moment. 'Definitely, let's go now.' She said determined and with a hint that he should lead the way and she would follow him, it was his turn to impress her after all.

[wickedmagik]

Wes let out a loud laugh, shaking his head at her. She couldn't be serious, could she? She had to know that even if he wasn't chasing her down trying to dry hump her leg, she was definitely attractive to him on the surface as well. "You can't be serious. I thought you were smarter than that, you don't look anywhere close to what I imagine a nerd to be." he said, trying to reassure her, rebuild some of what he destroyed. Even if it was unintentional, indirect, it seemed that him passing her over had damaged her self esteem a bit. Being one to have his own self esteem issues, he knew just how much something like that sucked.

There was a handsome smirk that followed, it seemed that he was getting his way. Was that any surprise however? Wes always seemed to win, it was just in his nature that he got what he wanted. "If I've got a shot, you know I'm going to take it. I've never been one to quit and you know that I can't miss." he said, making a stupid pun. He would have to remember to smack himself later for it, seemed appropriate for the moment though. Usually there were browny points for laughter or coming across as funny, able to make fun of yourself.

"Honestly? I never thought I'd look at you like this either. But last night I couldn't sleep, my mind kept wandering to you. It was like someone was trying to tell me something, maybe I was having some sort of vision.." he said, laughing at his own uncertainty. Was it even possible for him to have visions? Probably not, but that was how all of this felt to him. "Just try and relax. If you think about this too much you'll end up making an ass of yourself in a football stadium. I would know." he said, laughing again.

What happened next surprised even him, but as she spoke Wes stepped in towards her. Placing both hands gently on her shoulders, he looked down at her with a smile. "I am here now. But this is all wrong, we shouldn't be here, we should be somewhere else having a good time." he said, not removing his hands right away. Something felt pretty right about being this close to her, like he never wanted to leave her side. Only stepping back because he had to, he held out his hand to her.

"Fine, nothing fancy if you insist. But if it's all the same to you, I want icecream before this nights over." he said, leading her away towards his car. He was honestly glad that she didn't make him work like a slave to earn her trust, he just wanted all the time he could manage to get with her. "But just so we're clear, I may or may not have been willing to beg." he said, teasing her about it. Opening the door to his car, he held it for her so that she could climb into the passenger seat before getting in himself.

"Nothing fancy? What does that mean exactly? Want to just grab some pizza or something then?" he asked, starting the car. It was really basic, sort of lame, but he was trying it her way. If he had his way, they would be going somewhere that bled his wallet like a vampire.

[Claire Diastone]

Claire had quickly pulled up her eyebrows in curiosity when Wes let out a laugh because of what she had admitted to him and was instantly wondering how to take the laugh, but it seemed like her initial thought about how he thought about her looks had been totally off, something she of course didn't mind at all if that was the case. So when he said that she couldn't be serious and that she didn't look anywhere what he imagined a nerd to look like, she smiled and blushed while looking down for a second. 'You better make that clear a few more times before I probably actually believe it.' She told him honestly with a soft laugh as she looked at him, letting him know that he didn't really manage yet to reassure her or make her damaged self esteem be repaired , but if he said it more and she saw that he meant it, that would probably help.

Claire tilted her head to the side as she shook those thoughts off for now, since she didn't actually have a real self esteem issue, just with him, she didn't want to go into it too much, she just wanted to see if he was going to keep surprising her like he was still doing since he had asked her to come. She let out a laugh for a moment before she smirked and then smacked him against his arm, just like with Eli, now not being so scared to do it now she had his attention, and it seemed appropriate with his stupid pun. 'You've always had a shot.' She still said simply and with a smile but totally serious, she as Hell wasn't going to lie about that now anymore. 'You've just been missing it for that whole time, so you deserved that smack for being cocky.' She teased him, pointing at him for a moment with her finger before lowering her arm and keeping her eyes locked on him.

She couldn't help it but pull up her eyebrows somewhat surprised when she heard how he told her he didn't think he'd look at her like this ever either, but that last night that suddenly changed and it had been some kind of vision. Was he serious? It wasn't like he actually had any visions before as far as she knew, and she didn't think he would suddenly get it, so what was going on? What made him change his mind? But she honestly didn't want an answer to that, she wanted to use it, prove to him what exactly he was missing out on with her. 'Believe me, I'm trying to, and I'm not freaking out, even though I'm still pretty surprised that I'm not still... But I'm relax for as much as I can be, so don't worry that I'll think too much.' She now tried to reassure him about that with a smile.

Claire's heart jumped again then when Wes stepped towards her and she felt both of his hands gently on her shoulders, a feeling that actually made her shiver slightly, in a good way nonetheless, and feel herself getting warmer, as her cheeks flushed yet again and she wondered what he would think of her having a blush yet again as she looked straight at him in his eyes. 'Yes you are...'[/coor] She said softly with a smile when he said that he was here now and listened to the rest he said. 'Yes... Yes, you're right, so let's go.' She said, softly again because she was still looking at his eyes, being even less able right now to look away from him and his eyes.

Still when eventually Wes stepped backwards anyway, but still holding out his hand to her, she tried to calm her heartbeat down while without doubting for a second grabbing the hand he held out to her. 'Totally.' She said very simply with a agreeing smirk on her face about the ice cream before the night was over. She walked with him to his car while she held his hand as long as she could, enjoying the warm feeling of the hand itself and that it gave her, and when he opened the door of his car for her, she smiled again. 'First of all, keep doing this, I like you being a gentlemen for me. Secondly...' She stopped for a moment as she smirked and shrugged then. 'You can do a little begging.' She told him, teasing him back the more she actually believed in this and the more relaxed she got and was possible under the circumstances, as she gave him a wink and then got into his car.

'Exactly something like that, just something that's mostly between the two of us, a whole fancy dinner seems way too much right now like you're trying to buy me.' Claire told him when he asked what nothing fancy meant and began about grabbing a pizza or something, but she also actually teased him with that again, she just wanted something more personal than something expensive or something. She looked at him as she told him that with a slightly questioning smile to see if he agreed with that, and just to look at him.

[wickedmagik]

Wes couldn't truly believe how much they seemed to be on the same wave length, it was like a heavy burden was lifted off of his shoulders. With a quiet sigh of relief, he beamed at her with a goofy, yet charming grin. This was going to be a fun night, he could tell, though he didn't get too far ahead of himself with what could come of this. It was a date, not a garuntee that by the end of all of this that she would actually want to be with him. Plus there was something he was forgetting, something important that seemed to be tickling the back of his mind. For the life of him though he couldn't figure out what it was, it drove him nuts but there was nothing he could do.

"Don't worry about that, I swear, I'm a newly reformed Wes." he teased as she spoke about him being a gentleman. For some reason he found himself actually trying to be better than he usually was. In private he was actually pretty nice, even if he couldn't show that to anyone else, but today he was.. mooshy nice. Everything he did have some sort of emotional need plaguing it, the need to be closer to Claire than just words, or the space between them in his car. "Hopefully we can make tonight something actually worth remembering, after all that has happened we deserve it right?" he asked, refering to the incident with Selena.

He never knew however that she had a funnier side to her, she was right when she said he probably thought she was a nerd. Wes assumed that there wasn't much else going on for her other than her appearance and intelligence, but she actually seemed to have a down to earth sort of humor. He gave a little smirk as he shook his head at her, "Well, maybe I can do a little. Should I get down on my knees and grovel? Kiss your feet?" he asked with a laugh, as if the idea was far fetched. Right now however he felt like he would do whatever he had to do, quite literally.

"You don't have to worry Claire, I couldn't buy a girl like you even if I wanted to. That is what I like most about you, your loyalty is real, not based on the amount of things someone can give you." he said, pleased. All his life he had only known the type to chase the things they didn't have, take them from others. Fame, fortune, and all the social things that came with both of those things. Even though he hated to admit it, even he was like that at times, which was definitely something he knew being with Claire might change about him. There was this feeling deep down inside of him that she could help him get over who he was and become who he should be.

When Wes's car came flying around the corner, the pizza place was not far. Of course he drove like a maniac. It was normal for him to do this, even if today he was trying to impress Claire. Though the plan seemed a bit flawed from an outside perspective, what was he going to do, give her the most romantic heart attack of all time? As they pulled up to the place, he looked at her again, this time with an apologetic gaze. "Sorry, I have a led foot. When I first got my license I swear they were already preparing to take it away from me. I got this three hour long lecture on how the road belongs to everyone." he said, laughing as he got out of the car. Running around to her door he opened it for her, giving her the chance to step out.

"I realized the other night though, we don't talk much do we? I know some things about you, but not as much as I wish I did." he said, offering her his hand as support. For the first time ever he would ask a question that didn't in some way have to do with him. "How are you doing? How is Claire's life?" he asked, tilting his head a bit waiting for her to speak.

[Claire Diastone]

Claire looked back at Wes and had a pretty obvious smile on her face because of the goofy yet charming grin on Wes his face and tilted her head to the side again as she couldn't stop feeling great of how amazing this was going, on how it suddenly seemed like they were on the same page with almost everything, something Claire had always secretly thought in herself that they could be, that they could help each other make the best of themselves and the other. And any thought about the one thing, or person that she actually slightly still realized, that might screw all of this up, was just totally banned from her mind right now in the hopes that Wes wouldn't think about that either, which he obviously didn't yet luckily.

Claire chuckled a little again when Wes said she shouldn't worry and that he was a newly reformed Wes and she looked in his eyes with hers with a smile again on her face. 'Seriously not TOO much I hope? i still want some of the Wes I know.' She said, making the comment a bit more flirting than it would originally have been and gave him a wink with saying that. 'We totally do, and I'm about completely sure we will.' She said with a pretty sure about it smile on her face to what Wes said about making it a night worth remembering and them deserving it, and she instantly knew what he meant, as her hand went to one of hr ears with the thought about it too. 'Is it me or do you also have on rare occasion that your ear is still buzzing from that horrible screaming?' She asked him seriously before laughing about it a little too, after all, after they survived it it was something they could do their best to laugh about too right?

As they started driving Claire took a moment to look outside the window for a few seconds but quickly enough her attention was dragged back to Wes and she couldn't stop a smile from coming immediately to her face again because of this, that she was sitting next to Wes in his car, heading for a date, him making a real effort for her, it just felt so... It just simply felt amazing, and that was even an understatement in her opinion, already, let alone if the night actually became so much more amazing as she secretly thought and hoped. When she heard his words about the begging and that he could do a little and even suggested kissing her feet, she burst out in laughter again and had to close her eyes for a few seconds too. Eventually she shook it off and with a slightly red head from the laughter still, she looked back at him. 'Well... You could, I can't say I would actually mind that, but I'd rather you choose another spot to kiss me then, I'm not really the foot fetish type.' She teased him as she winked at him again and then grinned as she looked through the front window.

She honestly didn't know what to say the next moment when Wes told her that she didn't have to worry, that he couldn't buy a girl like her even if he wanted too, listening to the rest that he said about her and her loyalty for instance and instantly a blush was back on her cheeks as she looked down for a moment and laughed. 'You really think I'm that special?' She asked him as she looked at him again, not trying to show too much surprise with that, she didn't want to make him feel bad or guilty again or something, or have a low self esteem of herself, but she just couldn't help it with him, not after how he had treated her before and how this seemed so unreal still, but she already didn't really want this night to end.

Claire had to admit, Wes driving like a maniac made her heart feel like it was having a slight heart attack at first, but after a moment and once they came flying around the corner with the car, it actually kind of excited and impressed her too, not that she would want to repeat it again right after it, but once in a while, it was something she could really appreciate, a fast car and enjoying the speed that it had. So when they stopped and Claire saw the apologetic gaze from Wes while listening to how he apologized and his explanation, she took a deep breath and then laughed while shaking her head. 'I can see that happening with you, but don't worry, for this one time and for this night, with you keeping us alive too, I actually kind of liked it...' She admitted as she blushed slightly because of that admission again.

When he gave her the chance to step out once he had ran over to her side and opened the door for her, she grabbed the hand he offered to her for support and pulled herself out of the car with that support so she was quickly enough standing right in front of him again, looking up in his eyes and feeling her stomach flutter and her heart beat faster again. 'No we don't... I've tried sometimes but... You know.' She said as she shrugged with a smile that showed that she didn't want to guilt trip him even more, not now that they were on an actual date, so she held his hand and squeezed it for a second. She was just about to tell him that he shouldn't worry about that right now, when his question rang through her head ans she looked thoughtfully at first. 'Honestly? I can't say it has gotten a lot better since the whole Selena thing.' She told him honestly, thinking about the things that had happened to Eli for one of the biggest things she referred to. 'Let's go in and get some pizza okay? We'll have enough time to talk with that.' She then said as she smiled and pulled him by his hand toward the entrance and inside.

[wickedmagik]

"Don't worry too much about that, I'm sure most of him is still in here somewhere." Wes joked, giving her a playful wink at her comment. Unfortunately there would always be a remnant of the power hungry jerk that he was before the spell. He was raised to be this way, to show an uglier side of humanity with every breath. He hated it, how he could never change the way he was simply because it meant that his dad won. He would never be good enough if he was not what they wanted, what they had always envisioned as the perfect son. Most days that thought made his blood boil, he wanted to smash his room to pieces. "I had a feeling if I changed too much you wouldn't be interested anyway." he said.

Nodding his head, he knew what she meant about the buzzing, the ringing noises. That supernatural scream had almost left him deaf for a week, the after effects were pretty obvious. "Good, I'm glad I was not the only one who seemed to get the full blast of that. At least you can share in my pain." he said, laughing as if there was anything funny about what happened. Putting it all behind them was the goal now, they had to be stronger together to prevent it from happening again. For awhile he thought that meant him and Kyra, but right now in this moment he was starting to think maybe that was wrong. Maybe he and Claire would be the ones to ascend to a new level of power.

She was so much funnier than he had ever imagined, her figured her for an uptight brainiac for a long time. Her intelligence was what made her unapproachable to him, but today that was gone. With a laugh he shook his head at her, "I'm sure I could think of something." he said, grinning. Now that she brought it up, the desire jumped from the back of his mind to the fore front, along with several other impure thoughts. He truly never realized just how much he felt for her. "Though if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not count my chickens before they hatch. Usually things turn out bad that way." he said.

Taking her hand in his own, he led her inside to order. Looking at her with a raised brow, he handed her the reins as he had no idea what she ate. But after they placed their order, the conversation would immediately flip back to her. "Do I really think that you're special? You have no idea Claire. All this time I've been a bit blind to it, but I see things clearly now. I couldn't even imagine there being another out there who could handle me at my worst like you do." he said, shrugging his shoulders. Even when he was nothing more than an imposing jock, she still waited for him which said alot about the kind of person she was to him.

Moving to a table, Wes pulled out a chair for her as he made the gesture to sit. He would sit across from her, that way he would never have to stop gazing into those eyes of hers. It was kind of sickening, how mushy he felt when he did. "Have I told you how sorry I am yet?" he asked, laughing as he twiddled his thumbs a bit. "I know it couldn't have been easy for you, but if you want to talk I'm here you know. You look like you have something else going on in there, something eating at you." he said, searching her expression. There was a genuine smile from him, he was being an all around nice guy today. "If there is ever anything you need to tak about, you can just tell me. I'm not going to refuse you."

[Claire Diastone]

Claire couldn't help but let out a laugh again when she heard Wes joke about that most of him was probably still in there and she gave him a playful look and smile on her face but didn't really say anything to it, not really knowing what she could say even. She did like most of him, but she also knew for the most part how he could also be, what a jerk for one he could be too, and sometimes that worried her, especially with how Kyra was too, but that was a name that was out of her mind within no time. 'Well I don't think that would have happened, but you can be a jerk, we both know that, but I also know there's good inside you, you just haven't had someone make you realize that I think.' She said as she kept looking at him with a smile as she said that.

Claire sighed at first, thinking back of the pain that it had given her when Selena had screamed and how she had really felt for a moment like she would be deaf forever or even the slight expectation that it would be the end and she would die, but they had made it out of it, and it had only made her more determined of enjoying her life and the idea of wanting Wes out of her head if he wasn't interested anyway, but now here they were, and her feeling were stronger than ever and that idea seemed very unrealistic right now. 'Yeah, well I just hope the buzzing will stop completely eventually.' She said as she laughed a little again as she looked at Wes, still not really getting enough of looking at him.

'I'm sure you could too.'[/color] Claire said as calm as possible even though in reality her heart was beating like crazy still with only the idea going through her head of him actually kissing her, and honestly it surprised her what other thoughts instantly came to mind with that one. She laughed because of his comment about if it was all the same to her, he'd rather not wait until his chickens hatch because things usually turned out bad that way. 'I think I get that, so that's okay.' She told him to let him know that she thought she got it and her voice sounding soft and understanding with it too.

Once they had placed their order, Claire looked at Wes again when the conversation almost instantly fell back to her and how he repeated her question with somewhat disbelief about if he really thought she was so special. So when his words about how she had no idea and the rest that followed came to full realization inside her, she felt how she blushed pretty obviously again and she felt how she got even warmer inside and looked away very shortly before looking back at his eyes. 'Damn Wes... I always found you charming and cute but, you really know how to make a girl even crazier for you don't you?' She asked him, joking and teasing him a little, but also just feeling very flattered and happy with those words, especially because she was sure that there was a truth to it, even though there was a very small part still in the back of her head nagging that something was off about this sudden change.

'Thank you, again.' Claire told Wes thankfully and smiling with a slight sort of bow when they had found a table and he pulled a chair out for her where she took her seat and looked up at him for a moment. When he was again in front of her on the other end of the table, she sat a little forward, having a good as view as ever of looking straight into the guy she was in love with for so long, finally looking so deeply back into hers. 'Yes you have, but I still don't really mind.' She chuckled and teased him a bit when he again asked if he had said he was sorry yet. Still her smile disappeared for a moment when he observed that there seemed to be something nagging at her, and it wasn't that barely existent voice very deep inside her that said something was wrong, that said to watch at how many people inside here were actually making out and all over each other, but it was more a slight part of her still thinking about the stuff with Eli. 'There is... It's just that I don't want to ruin our date her now, so let's just keep it at that my brother, Eli, he's still my brother, he's still the same guy with his personality but he's... Changed, I just worry about him, that's what I do, somewhere I'm just worried I might even end up losing him..' She told Wes honestly as she looked back at him, smiled slightly and bit her lip at the same time.

[wickedmagik]

Claire was probably the only person to ever say something like that to him, making Wes pause for a moment. He had never considered that someone else could see anything in him other than the smothering aura he put off. Even with Kyra he knew that it was his natural leadership, popularity, and confidence that made her pick him. He was an assertive, aggressive man with a habit for being a jerk to those he deemed not worth his time. Their attitudes sort of meshed, however there was more to him than that. There was a side of Wes that wanted out, to be something better than this machine his father created.

"You might be the first person who has seen anything beyond my being a jerk then. Sure you don't need to see a shrink or something? You might just be a bit crazy." he joked casually, leaning back in his chair. Even the way he sat said a bit about him, how much confidence he had in himself, his own abilities. He was full of himself, vain, though he was trying to get over that to be a better person for Claire now. That was what he decided.. just this morning when he thought of her. That single thought dominated his entire day, destroying all other priorities.

"I've built my entire "empire" around knowing what to say, when to say it, and to who." he said, radiating confidence. He was always rather smooth, knowing just what to say, when to say it, all of that nonsense. Even when he was being rude or sarcastic he had the uncanny ability to push your buttons and make you do things you didn't want to do. Most of his friends absolutely hated him, but they were still his "friends" simply because they couldn't deny that he had a way with people. "So it shouldn't come as a surprise if by the end of the night you lose it entirely." he said, adding a sly wink.

Wes didn't truly even have an end game for once, this was honestly it. He wanted to be closer to her, he set out to do it, and he did. There was always closer, which made him a bit warm to consider. What was with him today? He was acting like a stupid kid with a crush, normally the idea of getting a chick out of her clothes was something he would never have to even think twice about. With Claire it felt different though, even if he wanted it, he had to consider her for once. There was a sense of urgency in the back of his mind however, as if there was no time to waste courting her.

"It's completely cool if you'd rather not. I just figured I would offer, you don't seem like you have many people who ask." he said, shaking his head. "Well I mean, too many people like me..? I have no idea what I am trying to say." he said, chuckling. "If you need anything you know you can call me at anytime, day or night." he said, leaning forward and putting her hands into his own. "I would do anything to help you, know that."

[Claire Diastone]

Claire herself didn't see it as such a surprising thing what she said about Wes and how she believed in that part of him being inside of him just never really having got the chance to come up, but she was sure a part of that was showing now too, she just still couldn't really place because of what all this suddenly came to be, but another big part of her didn't even want to think about it right now, she didn't want to figure out what it was, she just wanted to hold onto the fact that it was how it was meant to be, that Wes had finally realized what he was missing out on without her.

So Claire looked at him with a smile still present on her face and laughed softly when he said that she might be the only person that had seen anything him being a jerk. She was just about to say something but first closed her mouth to shake her head with a laugh because of his joking comment if she was sure she didn't need a shrink because she might be crazy. 'No, I'm sure I don't, honestly I'm pretty sure you just hang out with the wrong people and value the wrong people's opinions.' She told him teasing but also meaning it seriously for the other part as she kept her eyes locked on Wes in front of her while she herself kept leaning on the table with her elbows.

'Hmm, empire huh? That sounds like you want to wear a cape or something.' She joked and teased him as she grinned but listened to him and then shrugged eventually. 'But I know some people don't believe in that people can change, and maybe that's true, but on the other hand, like I said, I still believe there's a way more softer and respectful and honest person inside you, that no one ever really gave a crap about to let you know.' She said as she looked at him, friendly and smiling still. She started laughing again when he talked about it not coming as a surprise if she lost it completely by the end of the night and she surprised even herself when she tilted her head and gave him a flirting and sightly challenging look. 'Is that a challenge?' She asked simply as she grinned and gave him a questioning wink back again.

Most of the time Claire was pretty careful and thoughtful about things, and especially when it came to dating or just flirting with a guy or getting flirted with, which the last two hadn't happened that often is she was honest, she didn't go into it all too fast, but with Wes right now? She kept feeling her body and a part in the back of her mind almost screaming to just give into him if she got the chance, of just wanting to have him completely for herself and him wanting her completely for himself, all kinds of thoughts that honestly surprised her. 'I'll first have to see that happening before I believe that, but I'm sure you won't blame me for that.' She said with a smile about that she could call him day or night and all that.

'But honestly, this is our date and I honestly don't think we should be talking about this right now, I just... Want to enjoy this, with you.' She said as she smiled and blushed quickly after that again too as she felt the warmth of his hands being put into her own as she kept her eyes locked on his, not really being able so quickly to come up with something else to say, actually a part of her was just impatient for their order to arrive and just as she was thinking about that, she saw it arrive shortly after that which again made her smile pretty happy and obviously, but she didn't care, not now.

[wickedmagik]

It took him a moment to consider what she said, though he knew she was far from wrong about him. The people he hung around didn't care about him, if someone else like him came along who was even the slightest bit better he would be gutter trash in a heart beat. Yet that was how he was raised, conditioned to believe that the people he needed to impress were the ones in higher places, so to speak. It was drilled into him his entire life that, now he felt that he was beyond help. There were quite a few people in the school he would have hung out with, even Rodney, were the circumstances different than they were.

"You're probably not wrong about me. I was taught how to climb the ladders, as I like to put it, my father is a bottom sucking leech." he said simply, laughing. They would probably eat Claire alive if he brought her home, they were always over critcal of whoever entered his life. No one was good enough for Wes, somehow he figured due to their madness he would end up a shut in with no real love life. They would see to it that they were all driven off, he was almost certain of it.

Flashing her an amused smirk, Wes chuckled quietly. "I might have a cape in the car, if you prefered I wear it. Maybe I could be your own personal hero." he said, holding her hands in his own. There was a look in his eyes, one that said he didn't care much about what happened here, that he just wanted Claire to be his completely. His gaze lingered a bit longer than it should have on her lips, perhaps, making him clear his throat as he looked back into her eyes.

"I'm sure that everyone will continue to tell you to drop me, that you would be better off." he said, without seeming phased or bitter about it. By now he was used to how the "unpopular" people spoke about him to others. He treated them like dirt beneath his heels, he expected no less from them. If they couldn't physically get to him, they would try to assassinate him with words. The problem with that plan was the fact that he was above their petty insults, rumors. Wes established a place of dominance, a place where he knew unlike the rest of them he was untouchable until he fell.

"It might be, are you up to the challenge?" he replied cooly, entirely ignoring where they were. The food had already arrived, been placed on the table, but he no longer cared. It was more about getting through this moment, seeking the next, trying to find that perfect moment between the two of them that he could capture and hold on to. Something was definitely taking the drivers seat in his body, if he had been fighting it before, the resistance had entirely fallen in battle.

Shaking his head, he'd laugh, but he honestly hoped she realized that he had meant it. "I'm serious, nothing is too small to wake me up over. Anything you want, I'll do my best to make it happen." he said with his best smile. "I agree with you, though, it is a date so let's push on ahead, I wouldn't want you to get all bummed out. You're still free after this, right? There is one more thing I need to show you.." he said, casually picking at a piece of pizza.

---

ooc: Did you want to skip ahead a bit? Since my time has been a bit more restricted, I didn't want to hold up the plot here for too long ;P