His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Claire’s POV

I stared at Naomi, my ice cream melting…forgotten in my lap.

Did she just say that she wanted to give her virginity to Elijah?…

What did she see in him anyway?…

Her cheeks turned pink, but she held her chin up.

“Yeah. I mean….why not? I like him. A lot. I think about him all the time…I don’t know Claire…he has enveloped my senses! I can’t function without him…”

“Naomi,” I said carefully, “don’t you think… Maybe you’re lowering your standards? Waiting for someone who might never notice you?…”

Her face crumpled like I’d slapped her. “Ouch. That hurt.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…

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“No.” She held up her hand, blinking back tears. “Maybe I needed to hear that. Maybe….I needed someone to tell me how pathetic I sound.”

My heart ached seeing her pain. “You’re not pathetic. I’m…I’m just worried about you.”

“I’ve tried to stop these feelings, Claire. God knows I’ve tried… I’ve dated other guys, told myself to move on, but it never works. And when I see him with other girls…” She laughed bitterly.

“I get so jealous it makes me sick … Everyone knows Elijah doesn’t do relationships…he just hooks up with different girls. But I keep thinking, what if I could be the one? What if I could be the one he actually keeps around?”

The desperation in her voice broke my heart.

“Naomi, you’re incredible…you’re very beautiful, smart and…kind. If Elijah isn’t noticing you, that’s his loss, not yours”

I reached for her hand. “Have you ever actually talked to him…like…told him how you feel?”

She shook her head. “I’m terrified of rejection. What if he laughs at me? What if he thinks I’m just another desperate girl throwing myself at him?”

An idea formed in my mind…it was crazy… but…maybe, but it might actually work.

“What if you didn’t have to risk rejection? What if you could get to know him without him knowing it was you?…”

“What do you mean?”

“Find out what he likes. His interests… his favorite things. Start giving him gifts anonymously. Nothing expensive, just thoughtful stuff. He’ll get curious about who his secret admirer is….”

“Yeah…wow…I’m actually liking this”

“Yeah…Then you can ask for his number and become his mysterious text buddy. Build a connection before you reveal who

you are…”

Naomi’s eyes widened. “That’s… actually brilliant.”

“Once he knows the real you…your personality, your sense of humor…how could he not fall for you?”

“Oh my God, Claire!” She threw her arms around me, squeezing tight.

“You’re the best friend I didn’t know I needed. Thank you for this. I love you so much!”

I hugged her back…chuckling at how hopelessly romantic she was. But then…I felt it. I felt eyes on me…watching.

I looked up over Naomi’s shoulder and froze.

Elijah stood about twenty feet away, near the drinks table…

But he wasn’t getting a drink or talking to his friends….

He was staring directly at me with this weird, intense expression I couldn’t read.

His eyes were dark…focused, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle.

Why was he looking at me like that?

My heart started racing….and not in a good way.

Before I could look away, Jessica appeared beside him like a heat-seeking missile…

She wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing herself against his side, and whispered something in his car that made him finally break eye contact with me…

She pulled him away toward a group of hockey players, but I could swear I felt his gaze burning into my back…

“Claire?” Naomi released me from the hug, following my stare.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Nothing. I just… nothing.”

“Come on!” She jumped up, grabbing my hands. “Let’s go dance! I’m so excited about the secret admirer plan, I could dance all night!”

“Oh, I don’t really dance. Doctor’s orders and all that…”

“Don’t be silly! One song won’t hurt. Besides, you need to have some fun!”

Before I could protest, she was dragging me toward the makeshift dance floor where people were dancing…

Despite everything…I found myself having fun.

Naomi was fun to be with…I don’t think I’ve had this much fun with Lily and June…

She just kept spinning me around and making silly dance moves that had me giggling….

“This feels so good! I’ve not had this kind of fun in a long time!” I said, whispering in Naomi’s ears, so she could hear me… the music was damn too loud.

“See?” Naomi laughed, twirling me again. “I told you it wasn’t so bad!”

I was laughing too, harder than I had in weeks, when it hit me….

The first sign was the tightness in my chest…followed by the change in rhythm.

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