Blind Date ~ A Photo Story

Hey guys!
I'm super proud of this story, even though the lighting kept changing.
#photographystruggles
But I hope you enjoy. :)

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It was a typical Thursday morning. Claire was on her laptop, scrolling through Pinterest, just relaxing.

Then Charlie came up and said, "Claire, I'd like you change your sheets, to these- oh." She broke off.

"You already have a pink blanket. Never mind then." Charlie finished.

"Why does it matter what colour my blankets are?" Claire asked in confusion.
"Because we're decorating, silly." Charlie replied.
Claire gulped, "For what?"

She scanned the room, noticing that Taryn's bed was also pink,

There were paper hearts laying on Lanie's side table, and other assorted pink and red items were strewn around the house.

Claire gasped.
"You don't mean it's..."

"It's Valentines Day." Charlie finished.
Claire groaned, again.
Last year, Kit and Ruthie had tricked her into a date, then pranked her and the guy right in the middle of it. He blamed Claire, assuming she had planned it all, and now, every time she saw him she had to duck and try to avoid eye contact.
Valentines Day is the worst.

Afton's voice pulled Claire out of her memories,
"And done! You are completely dressed for a perfect Valentines day!" She announced as she finished.

"Thank you, Afton!" Lanie smiled, "I'm sure it looks perfect!"

"Oh it does, now," Afton turned her attention to Claire, "Would you like me to help you pick an outfit for this evening?"
She said it more like a command than a offer.

"No, I'm good, thanks." Claire replied in a curt manner.

"Don't tell me you're going out tonight, looking like that!" Afton's horrified glance took in Claire's sneakers, patched jeans, and often-worn sweater.
"Oh, of course not." Claire replied seriously.
Afton took a deep breath, very relived.
"I'm not going out." Claire finished.

"What?!" Afton cried in dismay, "But you're old enough to go out with a boy if you wanted to!"

Here Taryn interjected, "Claire doesn't like pink, or make-up, or boys, or Valentines Day."
"You took the words out of my mouth." Claire answered.

"But you can't be alone on Valentines Day!" Afton cried.
"Why?" Claire shot back.
Afton sputtered, "Well I-I, um, i-it's the principal of the thing!"

"Well, it's to late to do anything now. You would have to find a guy, who doesn't have a date, for tonight, who can get enough cash to take a girl to dinner in the next 5 hours."
 Claire said with a heavy load of sarcasm, 
"Plus, you would have to get me to agree to dress up, be nice, and go on the arranged date."

Afton was about to start shouting at Claire, but Lanie talked her down.
"Come over here," She whispered, "Taryn and I have been taking..."

Over in the living room, Afton continued on and on.
"I mean, come on! What's it going to do to her reputation to not have a date tonight?"

"That's why we'll have to get her on a date." Lanie said softly.
Afton looked at her in surprise, "But how? We need a guy, a dress, a reservation, and a really good make-up artist."

"I think I may know a guy," Taryn whispered conspiratorially, "and I'm sure you can get the reservation, but the rest is up to Lanie."

A few minuets later, back, in Claire's room, Lanie climbed up onto Claire's bed.
This wasn't unusual. The two of them liked to just sit there and talk, sometimes.

"Golly, what's up with Afton? Like, is it really that big a deal, that I don't have a date?" Claire's words were coming really fast.

Lanie began before Claire could continue, "How about, we go to the Mall to help you forget about it?"

Claire groaned, "Are we just going to be looking at pink stuff and dresses?"
"Maybe, but I'll buy you a coffee." Lanie replied.
"I'm in!" Claire said enthusiastically.
"All right! You get dressed, then we can go." Lanie said.

"But, I am dressed." Claire looked puzzled.
Lanie sighed, inwardly, "Oh, OK then, let's go." She said out loud.

"Well that throws a wrench in our plan." Afton hissed in frustration.
"Don't worry," Taryn reassured her, "Lanie's got this."

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At the Mall
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As the two girls walked through the Mall, Claire was complaining, but she still noticed that Lanie seemed to be looking for something in particular.
All of a sudden, Lanie grabbed Claire's hand, and pulled her into a shop.

"What the- what are we doing? Can't we just get a coffee and go home?" Claire pleaded.

Lanie pushed Claire into a corner of the crowded store, and said, "Wait right there, I just wanted to look at something."

Claire sighed, "I just want to get my coffee and go home."
Claire began looking around the shop, quietly observing the shoppers.
She jumped.

Was that Taryn and Afton?!
"What are-" Claire began.

She broke off as Lanie pushed her into an open change room.
"Put this on!" she said pressing the dress into Claire's arms.

Lanie then braced herself against the door, so no matter how Claire pushed, she couldn't get out.
"Put on the dress, then you can come out." Lanie called.

Claire finally relented, putting on the stiff, scratchy dress.
Lanie opened the door and stole Claire's glasses so she couldn't see what was going on.

She then pushed Claire into a seat, slathered make-up on her face, and handed her a pair of contact lenses.

Lanie stepped back, fanning out her arms, "My masterpiece!" she cried, to no one in particular.

"Ugh, I hate contact lenses!" Claire complained.

"Come on!" Lanie said, as she grabbed Claire's hand, "We're going to be late!"
"Late for what?" Claire asked exasperatedly.

Taryn and Afton watched them go.
"Looks like it's going well." Taryn commented.
"Yes," Afton agreed, "I'm glad I gave Lanie those make-up lessons."

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Claire and Lanie raced to the other end of the mall.

Lanie shoved Claire into a very nice looking restaurant.
"Are you sure they serve coffee here?" Claire asked skeptically.

"Um, I'm not sure, but you're about to find out." Lanie giggled.

"Hi there." the waitress greeted, "Name please? Then I'll get your table."

"Claire, Claire Brady.  And I don't want a table! All I want is a cup of coffee!"

"Oh, the 12:30 reservation for Claire and Evan?" The waitress guessed.

"Yep! That's her!" Lanie answered for Claire.

"What?! Who's Evan?!" Claire demanded.
Lanie didn't answer, all she said was, "See you later!"

"Oh no." Claire sighed.

"Your friend set this up, didn't she?" the waitress asked sympathetically.
"I'm beginning to suspect that, yes." Claire replied.
"Well, how about, you come meet him. He seems like a really nice guy, give him a chance. But if you need an excuse to leave, I'll cover for you." She suggested kindly.

He was sitting at a table, looking nervously over the expensive menu. He had brown hair and soft, grey eyes, he was quite handsome.

"Hi there," Claire said trying not sound nervous, "You must be Evan."

"That's me!" he replied, sitting up straighter.

It was awkwardly silent as Claire reached for her menu.
"Um, I think we're ready to order." Evan said hurriedly, "Could we please have a large Valentines special, to share?"

"Oh, right away." the waitress replied.
She quickly cleared away the menus and Claire and Evan were left alone.

"So," Evan wracked his brain for something to say.
'How do you talk to girls?' he thought.

"So," Claire prompted.
'I've never talked to a guy.' she thought.

'Oh no. I need to say something.'
"Um d-do you like avocados or crocodiles better?" Evan sputtered.

"Um," Claire tried to decide if he was being serious or not, "Crocodiles are cool, but I'm, uh, partial to rubber ducks."

'That was so dumb! What am I thinking?!'
"Um do you like... snow?" Claire asked trying to start a conversation.

"Yeah." he answered.
"Yeah." she echoed.

'Ugh, I feel bad leading him on like this..." Claire thought.

"I need to tell her the truth...' Evan decided.

"Hey, um," they both began at the same time.

"Oh, sorry, uh, you first." Claire stuttered.
"No, no, go ahead." Evan insisted.

"I didn't arrange this." they both said together.

"You didn't?" Evan asked in relief. 
"No, my sisters did." Claire laughed, "Who set up your end?"
"My brothers." he answered.

Claire laughed again, "Maybe we have more in common than we thought."

"Yeah, sorry about the thing with only ordering a meal to share." Evan said sheepishly, "I don't have much money right now, I could only afford one meal."
They both began to laugh now.

"Shh." Evan hissed as he suddenly turned his seat.

"What's wrong?" Claire asked.

"My brothers were watching." Evan sighed, "I don't want them to think they were right. About girls and stuff, I mean."

"Oh, shoot. I'll bet my sisters have been taping this whole thing." Claire looked around, "What should we do? I mean, I'm enjoying this, but I don't want them to know that."

"Here's what we'll do. I'll storm out of here like I'm angry, and I'll see you on Friday."

"What?" Claire was surprised.

Evan slammed his chair into the table.
"Friday night at 7:00, in front of the movie theater. I'm buying. That is, if you want?"

"That sound awesome! I heard they're playing 'The Lego Movie 2'!" Claire exclaimed.
"See you then!" Evan smiled.

Then  he stomped away from the table, as Claire jumped up and cried, "No, please wait!" in the best 'desperate' voice she could muster.

"Oh dear. That's too bad." The waitress said, while Claire tried to hide the fact she wasn't really crying.

"Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry. This has been such a terrible Valentines Day for you." she said slipping her arm around Claire shoulders.

"Actually," Claire sniffled, "This has been the best Valentines Day I've ever had."

The face the waitress made, almost made Claire laugh.

The End
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I was surprised to find that Molly actually makes a pretty convincing boy.
I hope you guys enjoyed that, but just remember, there's nothing wrong with being alone on Valentines Day. Don't feel pressured to grow up today. :)
Happy Valentines Day! <3

~ The Human