Welcome to the Fall Out

Joe walked Claire to her front door as he was dropping her off. She leaned up against the door.

"It'll be okay." Joe said, but even as he spoke, he didn't know if it would be.

"What are we gonna do, Joe? What am I gonna do?" she shook her head and rubbed her temples. "ugh" she groaned. "Hollywood sucks." she said crossing her arms childishly.

Joe chuckled half-heartedly. "Yes, it does." he took his hands out of his skinny jeans pockets and set them on Claire's shoulders. "You'll be fine. We'll worry about it in the morning. Until then, get some sleep." he said kissing her forehead. She gave him a small smile and said goodnight before walking inside.

But despite Joe's wishes, Claire barely slept a wink. She tossed and turned and was worried to pieces about what would happen. The press and her reputation wasn't all that worried her. Her worries also drifted toward her father. What would he say when he heard?

The sun slowly rose and climbed in through her window the next morning. She groaned and through a blanket over her head. She had pretty much been awake all night. Another thing that was bothering her now was, why hadn't they been more careful? Why weren't they thinking last night? She sighed and shook her head at herself and the predicament she'd managed to get herself into, before heading downstairs to pour herself a bowl of cereal.

She flipped through the television channels until she settled on Gilmore Girls. She watched and thought long and hard about what she would do, what she could do, to get herself out of this one.

she finished her cereal and Gilmore Girls ended. She got up, lazily and went upstairs to take what she hoped to be a relaxing shower. But, there was no less on her mind than when she stepped in, when she got out.

She dressed herself in no hurry, deciding on a cute skirt outfit. She brushed her hair out and began to gently blow dry it and let go down in its natural waves. She gave herself a half smile in the mirror and grabbed her ray bans and trench coat, before throwing it on, not bothering to button it, and taking her keys before going out the door and locking it behind her.

She walked on with her hands in her pockets and her sunglasses on her face. She breathed in slowly and her phone rang interrupting the stillness. {i]oh, oh, how could you do it? and oh oh, i never s-

"Hello?" she spoke into the receiver.

"Hi, Claire!" the cheery voice of Joe said. She smiled a little and bit her lip. All it took was Joe's voice to make her forget her troubles completely.

"Hi Joe." she said a little more happily than before.

"Hey, look. I called your dad about last night."

"You did what?!" she asked calmly. ((note the sarcasm?))

"It's okay, he believed me when I told him the story." She sighed in relief. "But anyways, together we set up an interview with People so that you and I could clear things."

"Well that's great! When?"

"This afternoon."

She nodded. "Great. Now I am happier... and more relieved."

He chuckled. "Good. What are you doing?"

She looked around. "I'm standing a little ways down the block from my house."

"Well, then you're not doing anything?" She shook her head and said no. "Good. Meet me for lunch? No, wait. I'll pick you up. Five minutes?" he asked.

She smiled. "I'd like that."

"Great. See ya soon."

"Buh-bye."

"Bye" he said. Claire hung up the phone and ran back to the house, almost tripping in her boots. She made it to the front door and unlocked it before going inside and up the stairs. She had like three minutes to throw on some make-up.

The doorbell rang just as she was pulling out her lip gloss. She took a look at herself and bit her lip, just not quite satisfied, but walked downstairs anyway. The door swung open as she pulled the knob, and Joe's face lit up when he saw her.

"You look great." he said kissing her cheek. She smiled and blushed a little.

"You look better."

"Impossible." He argued. "I could never be compared to an angel." She blushed darker and he led her out the door, allowing her to lock it. They jumped in his car and were on their way to Arby's for lunch.

they reached the fast-food restaurant and ordered their food, before seating themselves at a high-top table near a window.

"So, did Daddy for sure say he was okay with this? Like I mean, was he mad at me for being so careless?" she asked Joe.

"What? No. He fully understands that the press was being a pain." he answered her. She nodded and bit into her sandwich.

She took a nervous glance at Joe as they stopped at the doors of the building they were to be interviewed in by People. He smiled softly.

"It'll go fine." he kissed her knuckles and held her hand as they walked through the doors and up to the front desk.