Chapter 11: Titanic (Claire's POV)

It was the middle of the night and like always, I wanted ice cream. I never had a sweet tooth but I think living here I've got one. I tiptoed out, the fuzzy socks muffling my footsteps. 

Yes, fuzzy socks! 

I got downstairs and flicked on the light switch, almost letting out a scream, barely managing to smack my hand over my mouth in time. "What the hell are you doing?!" I whisper-yelled at Leo who sat there, a bowl of ice cream sitting in front of him. He seemed zoned out. I walked over and stood in front of him. "Hello?" I waved my sleeve in front of his face and he snapped out of it. 

He slid the bowl over to me and I stared at it, then at him. I grabbed it and went and sat beside him while he stared off into space. "Can I ask you something?" I asked, rocking my legs back and forth immediately stopping when I accidentally kicked his leg. 

"I'm sure you'll ask anyway," he sighed. 

"Where's your mom?" I questioned hesitantly. 

He let out a breath before turning to me, his fingers drumming against the countertop. "Dead." 

"What happened?" I asked. 

"She got shot." My mouth fell open. "My dad owed some people money, I was at school, they came home, shot her, left a note." The casualty in his voice was eerie. 

"H-how old were you?" 

"Fifteen," he answered, looking down at me. 

"Who did it?" I hesitated but asked the question regardless. 

"The people your dad owes." 

I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Not for me, but my dad. "Who pulled the trigger?" 

"The first guy I ever killed." 

"How old were you then?" 

"Seventeen." 

I hesitated once again but asked anyway. Nothing left to lose now. Except for the little progress we've made this past week. "Did you kill him for revenge?" 

"No," he sighed. My brows furrowed in confusion. "I killed him to save someone else. He just happened to be the guy who killed my mom." 

Karma finds its way then. 

I think that's enough for me to ask about such a sensitive topic in the middle of the night. If I ask anything else, our progress might go down and sink. Like the Titanic. Just plummet down. 

No Jack. No Rose. No door. That stupid door and stupid Rose. She could have saved Jack. 

"Are you talking about the Titanic?" he asked. 

"I said that all out loud?" 

"No," he shook his head, "You just said 'Stupid door and stupid Rose. She could have saved Jack.'" 

I chuckled, "Sorry, I was thinking about um- nothing, nothing," I shook my head. 

He looked at me weirdly. I put my head down on the table, pushing the bowl away in embarrassment. "What the hell were you thinking about?" 

"Nothing," I laughed, sitting up straight, pulling my sleeves lower and covering my face. "Jesus, okay. Um- goodnight," I stood up, leaving the empty bowl in the sink. 

"Claire." I stopped and turned back around to face him. "I trust you," he nodded. 

"Will it kill you to smile when you say that?" I huffed. He rolled his eyes and looked the other way. 

I just hope he was smiling. 

"I don't smile," he cleared his throat. 

"I've heard you laugh," I scoffed. 

"That didn't happen," he shook his head. 

"Yes, it did. I will make you smile. Wait and watch," I nodded. 

"You can try," he shrugged. 

"I can do it. You know I can because you trust me, don't you?" 

"Yes, I trust you," he said while standing up and walking over to me. He flicked the light off and left, me slowly following behind blindly in the dark. "Watch your step," he said once we reached the top so I wouldn't be stepping on a staircase that wasn't there. 

"Thanks," I replied. He went into his room, I went into mine and we called it a night. 

I woke up the next morning, feeling brighter than usual for no apparent reason. At eleven I got into the shower and then came back out with my towel wrapped around me. I was looking for an outfit when I realized. 

Flynn was supposed to bring me Cheetos and M&M's. Where the hell did those go? 

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a yellow crop top before going back into the bathroom. I didn't wash my hair so once I got dressed, I brushed it through and put it up in a high ponytail. I had earphones plugged in while I bobbed my head and went downstairs, skipping on the stairs. 

I got to the kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing some fruits and cutting them up and putting them in a bowl. I washed my hands and turned around to go sit on the couch but saw Leo standing there staring at me. I raised my eyebrows at him questioningly. 

He walked over to me and pulled out an earphone. "What is with you?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"You're too cheery. It hurts to look at," he said. 

I rolled my eyes at him and put the earphone back in before going and sitting on the couch. I turned and he was still staring at me. He shook his head before going back upstairs. I went into the kitchen after I finished and saw him coming downstairs in swim trunks with a towel on his shoulder. 

He's going swimming. He's not looking grumpy. The sun rose from the wrong side today. 

I smiled to myself while washing the bowl and then drying my hands. He went out to the backyard and I took my earphones out, following him. Time to be annoying. I'll try dialing it down a bit I guess, he's been nice. 

I went outside and caught him swimming lengths. He continued, only stopping when I got there and sat on the edge, dipping my legs in. He stopped right in front of me and glared at me. "What?" 

"What?" I chuckled, "I'm just sitting here. Quietly." 

He narrowed his eyes at me but let it slide. He continued swimming for a long time before he stopped and stood by the wall on the left end of the pool. "Leo." He looked at me. "Come here," I chuckled. 

"No," he scoffed. 

"Just listen to me," I laughed. 

"Mm-mm," he shook his head. 

"Trust me." 

He stared at me before sighing in defeat and swimming over to me. He stood far away. 

"Come closer." He rolled his eyes but listened anyway. "Closer," I laughed. 

"I know what you're doing," he said while coming closer. 

"I'm not gonna drown you," I rolled my eyes. 

"I bet you wish you could." 

"I'm not that cruel," I rolled my eyes. 

"What?" he huffed. 

"I'm bored." He rolled his eyes and began going back to swimming lengths. Doesn't he get tired? "Leo!" I yelled before splashing water on him with my arms and legs. He glared at me before coming back over. 

He will seriously pull you in, Claire. 

No, he won't. I know he won't. 

"Do that one more time, I fucking dare you," he said through gritted teeth. 

I smiled before doing it again, laughing at him. He grabbed my legs. "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Look, I dressed all nice today, don't pull me inside, please, please, please. My phone is in my pocket, then you'll have to get me a new one, please," I laughed. 

"Then take your phone out of your pocket," he said nonchalantly. 

"No, come on. I dressed all nice, I did my hair up and everything, please," I laughed, trying to pull my legs out but he only tightened his grip on my ankles and tugged lightly. 

"Take your phone out of your pocket," he said slowly. 

"No, Leo! Please!" I squealed. 

"I'm not gonna wait if you don't take it out." I fake cried while slowly taking it out of my pocket and tossing it onto the grass. "Please," I cried, trying to pry his hands off of me. He shook his head with a smirk. "Okay, okay, listen. Fairtrade, come on." He arched an amused eyebrow at me. "If you smile at me, just once, I will let you pull me in there," I chuckled. 

"Absolutely not, I can pull in for free," he said his grip tightening. 

"Please!" I screamed, trying to get out of there but he wasn't gonna let go. "Please, pretty please. Leo, please. Come on, please. I will do anything." 

"Aside from letting me pull you in here?" he smirked. 

I whined, "Yes." 

He thought about it, his hold still on my ankles. "Hmm," he hummed, prolonging the misery he was about to put me through. Every time I would try pulling my legs away, his grip would only tighten. "You," he began, "Will do the cooking and the dishes for the next two weeks-" 

"Okay!" 

"And! And," he smirked, "Hmm." 

"You'll share a room with him." We looked back and saw Flynn over there. 

"What?" we asked in sync. 

"Done deal, off you go," he shrugged while laughing. 

"No! Why?!" I yelled, trying to push Leo's hands off of me while looking at Flynn. He crouched down beside me and leaned down to whisper in my ear.

"Because you can make him smile. And I haven't seen that asshole smile in years." 

I looked at him wide-eyed. 

He's got to be exaggerating.

"Please?" he whispered. 

I sighed in defeat, "I'm gonna kill you."

"Right! Done deal, off you go then. She will do the dishes, do the cooking, and share a room with you. Any problems?" Flynn asked Leo.

He shrugged. Flynn turned around and left before I could drown him. 

"Leo, please don't, I-"

Nope. He wasn't going to listen. He yanked at my legs and pulled me inside. I almost choked but pulled myself up. "You better fucking grin at me like you've never smiled before or I swear to god, Leo," I coughed while wiping my eyes. I opened my eyes and looked at him. His back was facing me. I swam over to the other side and sure enough, he was not smiling. At all. Whatsoever. 

"I will seriously drown you," I deadpanned. 

"Why?" he snorted. I splashed water on him for a solid five minutes  while begging him to smile until he cracked. "Stop!" he laughed, grabbing my wrists when I began pushing him. 

He laughed. 

And I think I just fell in love. Oh, my god. Not only did I make him smile, but I also made him laugh. Properly, loudly, wholeheartedly laugh. I stared at him, biting my bottom my lip from grinning too big. 

"What?" he asked, wiping his eyes, back to the no smiling straight face.

I felt like pointing it out would kill it. He would stop and instead of going three steps forward, we'd go three hundred steps back. So I kept my mouth shut. "Nothing," I shook my head. 

I don't think he realized it...

.

.

.

.

.

Chapter eleven

That was a longer one than usual, phew.

He laughed ya'll... she made him laugh.

that's love if I ever wrote it

next chapter: psychic