Middle of Summer

I stared at the piece of paper, the handwriting of a five year old. Elizabeth had put this in my hand when Clara was talking to her parents.

Clara Harper
Room: 158
Mirage Hotel

I grabbed the phone and dialed the number to the hotel, asked for the room and soon a voice answered.

“Hello?”

“Is this Clara?” I asked.

“Yes, who is this?” She asked, she sounded sleepy.

“It’s Brendon, did I wake you?” I asked.

“No,” She said.

“Can you meet me at the hotel’s restaurant at 8?” I asked.

“Sure,” She said, I was sure she was smiling.

“Okay, meet you there,” I said and then I hung up.

I got up and did a little dance, when I had finished, Ryan stood there looking at me. He had his eyebrow raised, so I raised mine.

“And why where you dancing? Did you eat a lot of Nerds again?” He asked.

“No! I’m going to meet with Clara in one hour” I explained.

“I’m going” he said.

“Why?” I whined.

“Because I want to meet the girl you keep talking about, I want to know if she’s good for you or will end up breaking your heart like Marion did” He said.

Fifty minutes later, we were at the restaurant. It wasn’t crowded, so we didn’t have to put our sunglasses on.

“Go and hide!” I said to Ryan.

“Why?” He asked.

“I didn’t say you were coming” I said.

“Fair enough” He said and went to hide.

I sat there, waiting for her. I was nervous, she made me nervous, just one glance and she put a spell on me, I wasn’t complaining.

“Good morning,” She greeted, waking me from my haze.

“Good morning, I hope you don’t mind that I invited my friend, Ryan,” I told her.

“No, I’m totally fine” I said.

“Good, he’s just hiding in case you said no,” I said and then winked at the plant behind her.

Moments later, Ryan was sitting beside me, a smile on his face, I think he liked her.

“So, you’re the famous Clara?” Ryan asked her.

“Famous?” She asked.

“Yes, Brendon talks about you non-stop, even though he’s only met you once and … ouch!” Ryan stopped talking and rubbed his shin; I had kicked him and felt a blush on my face.

“I’m just a regular girl” She said.

“So, what bands are you into?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Well, I like The Beatles, My Chemical Romance, Panicatthedisco, The Beach Boys…” She started to say, but was cut off.

“Did you say Panic at the Disco?” Ryan shouted, earning a glare from the couples around us.

“Yes?” She blushed.

“I like them too” I said, winking at her.

The rest of the breakfast went pretty fast, every time she laughed, my heart fluttered, we were having a good time when her phone rang. She answered and her happiness went to sadness in a matter of seconds.

“Listen guys, my sister wants to go to the park again” She said.

“Oh, can we go too?” I asked, smiling.

“Umm, If you want to…” She said.

“Clara, are you okay?” Ryan asked.

“I really wanted to see LOVE but my parents don’t want to take my sister and I, so… yeah” She said, getting up and going to the room.

On the way to the room, Ryan started to whisper.

“I like her”

“I knew you would” I answered.

“Take her out” He said.

“What?! Are you insane?!” I asked.

“No, take her to see LOVE, you can know her better” He advised.

“And what about her sister?” I asked.

“We will take care of her” He said.

We arrived at the room and she knocked.

“Brendon!” Elizabeth yelled as she ran to my arms.

“Hey, Liz” I said, picking her up.

“And who are you?” She asked, looking at Ryan.

“I’m Ryro, Brendon’s friend” Ryan introduced himself, shaking Lizzie’s little hand.

“You’re cute, Wiwo” She said, extending her arms to Ryan.

Ryan took her and he received a hug from her sister. Good, this would give me time alone with Clara.

“Come on Elizabeth, we have to go to the park” Clara said trying to grab her.

“No, I want Wiwo to take me” She said holding Ryan.

“Ok?” She asked Ryan.

“Yeah, no problem” He said smiling at Lizzie.

Once they started walking, I grabbed my cell phone and called my friend so he could buy me a pair of tickets for the LOVE show, without thinking, I grabbed Clara’s hand, once I realized what I had done I thought she was going to shake it off, but she kept it there. It felt right.

When we arrived at the park, Ryan and Lizzie went to the swings and I led Clara to a table.

“Clara, can I ask you something?” I asked, becoming nervous again.

“Sure” She said, smiling.

“Would you like to go to see LOVE with me?” I asked.

“As in, a date?” She asked.

“Yes?” I asked, not really sure.

“What about my sister?” She asked.

“Ryan, Jon and Spencer can take care of her” I said.

“Then its fine” She smiled.

Clara, you don't know what you do to me I said to myself.