Shiver - pt.One (standard:romance, 3694 words) [1/5] show all parts
Author: Freya Griffin	Updated: Feb 27 2003	Views/Reads: 3409/2433	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
If you have a Coldplay "Parachute" CD, play it while you read my story :)

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

because Mrs. Warren had been so protective toward her babies since her 
husband died. Living with three women and the extra responsibility 
awareness as a first born son, now that their father had gone, had 
shaped Chris' character very early. 

Claire Perchant was born in an upper-class, career-pursuing family. Both
of her parents are working and she was very much lonely most of the 
time she was home. She has one younger sister, Shari, who seemed to be 
the favorite of the big Perchant family. Claire is not foreign to the 
concept of sisterly love, but it was the sibling rivalry that had 
driven her away from Shari. Claire has no friend at home. That's why 
she had grown attachment and was depending on Chris. 

When they graduated from High School, Chris got a scholarship in an art
academy in California. He's talented with music and they had spotted 
him in the previous year's music festival. So he and Claire separated. 
They still saw each other and hang out every once in a while, talked to 
each other on the phone, but they were in different crowd now. Chris 
had more friends in the academy then in High School. More people 
understand him now. Claire was still alone. 

By this time she started dating a guy. Daniel Ferris was six years older
and was working in radio station. Dan Ferris liked the Perchant girl 
because she's very smart and although outspoken and open, had a little 
mystery about her. Claire was an excellent designer. She was paid to 
create outlines and promotional designs on printed materials for the 
radio station Dan Ferris was working in. Dan was surprised to know how 
old Claire really was. Nevertheless he asked her out. None of the 
details skipped when told to Chris. 

‘So you got promoted?' Chris asked when they were talking on the phone
one weekend. 

‘I got permanently hired and paid, that's the right word' Claire
corrected him. 

‘That's very good. You going to keep on working there?' 

‘No. I'm going to Washington. I want to learn more about designing'
Claire sighed. 

‘What? Washington? That's far away. Why all the way to Washington? They
have some good programs right here in L.A.' 

‘Because, Washington is ... Washington' 

‘Is this about getting away from home and becoming the real you thing?'
Claire had been talking about it since they first got into high school. 


‘Nooo. Because they have good programs there and it sounded like a good
place to go to. Anyway, I already enrolled and they've written back' 

‘You know, I might not be able to call you if you go there' 

‘I'll call you' she rolled her eyes and then laughed. 

‘Just kidding. You don't have to call me. I'll live. What I was going to
say is, way to go Claire! It's a good decision' 

‘Yeah? Dan said that too' 

‘You still going out with him?' 

‘Sort of. He's nice and all, but I don't see it coming' 

‘What do you mean? I thought last week you said he's very cool,
educated, and well-bred' 

‘I didn't say that' 

‘You'll find men with more prospective in Washington D.C., I'm sure' 

‘You are being silly. How about you? Met anyone interesting lately?' 

‘Beside the professor in composition class? No. People started to think
I'm gay though' Chris sighed. Claire laughed out loud. 

‘Oh my god. Are you?' 

‘Of course not. I would've known. And if I were, you'd be the first to
know' 

‘Then how come I never heard you talking about girls? The last one you
talked about was Betty Stanley, and that's two years ago' Claire 
sounded so concerned. 

‘Oh I hang out with girls. They're fun to be with. But there's none that
suits me' 

‘Yet' Claire added. 

‘Look, I got to go. I haven't called my mother yet. I'll call you again
next weekend, Ok?' Chris said before he hung up. 

But the weekend next and more weekends after that, Claire was not home
to talk to Chris. She was out with Dan Ferris. Sometimes, when that 
happened, Chris ended up talking with Shari. 

‘Went out with Dan again?' was the first thing Shari said when Claire
came to the dining room the morning. 

‘Yeah. I just got back at two. Where's mom and dad?' Claire sat next to
her sister. 

‘They went very early, golfing' 

Shari knew Chris Warren for a long time but never really get to talk to
him until recently. She never got to talk to any of her sister's 
friend. Claire kept distance with her and never really shared anything 
like common sisters. Sometimes she was jealous with her friends who 
could talk with their sisters. She could still borrow things from 
Claire, clothes or bracelets, books, but Claire never allowed her to be 
too near for her to be able to talk about small things sisters usually 
talked about. 

‘Chris called yesterday when you're out' Shari brought it up casually. 

‘Hmm. I'll call him today. He said anything?' 

‘Not much. He just asked about you' she lied. They were talking for
about half an hour. It wasn't the first time and Chris didn't just 
asked about Claire for each half hour they talked on the phone. Shari 
didn't know why she lied, why she didn't tell Claire about it. Beside, 
Chris would tell her if he wanted to. 

Shari knew how close her sister is to Chris Warren. She didn't know if
Claire had some feelings for him, but even a blind man could see that 
Chris had some things for Claire. Shari thought they both were really 
stupid. 

The following year, Claire went to Washington. Leaving home, leaving
town, leaving the radio station and Dan Ferris. She kept contact with 
Chris, but in gradually lesser frequency. 

Meanwhile, Chris got a job in a big recording company in LA. He only
came home occasionally for holidays. Claire hardly ever came home. 
She's always alone back home anyway. So the only person Chris got to 
meet was Shari. 

Unlike Claire, the outgoing Shari was more extroverts although they both
are equally outspoken and stubborn. Chris got along very well with her. 
Yet recently he realized something. He missed Claire more then ever. 

That Christmas when he went back home again, Claire was not. She stayed
in. She had finished her education and was currently working for a 
magazine. Shari told Chris, Claire called every now and then, but she 
never came home. 

‘If she called, I'll tell her you were here looking for her' Shari
shrugged. 

‘Do you have her number in Washington?' 

‘Not really. Only her office number. She moved out of her old apartment
six months ago and didn't give us her new number we could contact' 

‘I'll take it' 

The phone rang. 

‘Ok. Wait a minute, I'll get that first' Shari got up and answered the
phone. 

‘Hello? Yeah. Merry Christmas to you too' it was Claire. 

‘If Chris came around, give him my office number. Oh, and asked for his
new apartment number in LA' she said from the other end of the line. 
Shari looked at Chris who was sitting in the couch, fidgeting his 
finger, in front of her. 

‘He's here' she said reluctantly. Somehow she hated the idea of Chris
being able to talk to Claire. She handed the phone to Chris who looked 
at her questioning. 

‘It's her' she answered shortly. 

‘Hey stranger' Chris greeted Claire. 

‘Heyy, I was just telling Shari to give you my office number if you came
around or called. How are you?' Claire somewhat sounded different. 
Chris was not quite sure what. 

‘Tired but Ok. My mother went out for a new fridge today and I had to
carry it all by my self to the truck' he could hear her laughing on the 
other side. 

‘Listen. I miss talking to you. I tried to call you but they said you've
moved out. I will need your new number' 

‘I'll need yours too, so I could call you' he searched for a piece of
paper in his pockets and looked around for some pen to write with. 

‘No, you see, it's been a mess here. I've been going on like a refugee.
Oh it's a long story, really. I can't give you any fixed numbers at the 
moment. You could call me in the office, but you know their policies 
about personal calls' she shrugged. 

‘Yeah. How come you're not home for Christmas? You stayed there too last
year' 

‘I got loads of things to do. It's just a handful and I can't leave it.
You know how it is' she sounded tired. 

‘Know what? Just tell me where and I'll go and visit you for the New
Year' Chris offered and idea. 

‘Yes, that'll be nice. We'll see about that, ok? Oh hang on...' Chris
heard someone talking in the background. ‘Oh no, ok I'll be right 
there. Chris, I got to go. Shari had my number. How long are you going 
to stay there?' 

‘I'll be here for a week or so' 

‘Great. I'll call you sometimes soon' 

‘You want to talk to Shari?' Chris lifted his eyes to find Shari staring
at him. 

‘No, I got to go.... Hey...' 

‘Yeah?' 

‘It's really nice to hear your voice again' Claire smiled at the other
end. 

‘It is for me also' Chris smiled back. She hung up. Chris put the
receiver back with a sigh. 

‘So?' Shari had been watching and listening all the time. 

‘She said to ask you for the number. She sounded so busy there' Chris
tapped his knees, felt a lot happier now. 

Shari kept Chris entertained the whole time he was back in town. She
went out with him, discussing about this and that with him, basically 
filling over to what Claire's position was, for years before they were 
apart. Chris didn't seem to mind at all while Shari was getting more 
and more aware about his feelings for her sister. 

Chris did come and visited Claire on New Year. Claire had changed
indeed. She dyed black her brown hair. She lost weight and she had that 
look in her eyes. The look of a person who had through quite a lot. She 
lived alone in a very petit bachelor pad. Since day one she left her 
home, she had been standing on her own feet and declined any offer of 
help from her parents. She had cut off herself from her family, like 
what she used to talk about when they were still in school. 

‘Look at you. Look at this place' Chris walked around, inspecting the
small two roomed apartment. 

There are rolls of any kind of papers everywhere. Colorful pens, and
pencils, and ink. A table with computer on it, coffee-cup marks on the 
visible surface while filled with stacks of CDs and floppy disks. 
Shelves stuffed with books and curious little objects. The walls had 
poor wallpapers but it didn't matter anyway because Claire stapled many 
kinds of pictures and posters on the wall. She had a mini-pantry she 
called kitchen. It was the only space that was shining clean in the 
apartment. Her fridge was crammed with surprising stuffs that could 
ever been found in a fridge, such as a pair of socks. In overall, the 
place was highly unorganized but still had a sense of order in it. She 
repeatedly told Chris not to move anything. 

‘What about me? What about this place?' she served him some tea. 

‘You're cool now. You have to admit it. You are far from being the geek
you so claimed yourself to be' Chris sipped his tea slowly. 

‘Yeah? What about you? I mean, look at you. Wearing label. You look like
some important star who would throw money out of the window of his car 
on the way to a nightclub, just for fun' Claire held his coat up. It 
was Armani. 

‘I bet you even play golf' Claire narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 

‘In other word, I look like a black pimp?' Chris laughed. Working in the
environment when looks does matter could do that to you. 

‘Well, do you?' 

‘Yes I do. I play golf with clients sometimes in the weekend' 

‘AHAH!' Claire chuckled victoriously. 

‘It's really nice to be here, talking with you again' Chris said it
seriously. Claire nodded intently. 

They talked until dawn breaks and Chris had to go because he had to
catch the first plane to LA. Claire waited and looked out of the window 
to see him walking to his rent car. He turned his back and waved at 
her. 

‘Call me, OK?' he shouted. Claire nodded and waved. 

He got into the car and drove away. Claire closed down the window and
covered her face with her hands. Suddenly she felt so empty. She feared 
this would happen years ago. For her Chris was no longer a friend. She 
had needed him more then that. And she won't let that to go on. 

In the car on the way back to the hotel, Chris was thinking the same. He
suddenly realized how Claire suddenly looked so beautiful and 
attractive. She always had been an attractive girl, but in the old days 
she was his best friend. Now she's a woman. 

Claire tried not to think too much about Chris. He called her in the
office several times afterwards, it was nothing unusual. They used to 
talk to each other all the time. Now Claire felt it might be too much. 
She still called him back, they still wrote to each other. She was 
stepping back slowly. Withdrawing from Chris. 

He realized this. But for Chris' part, he couldn't see why they
shouldn't be together. They were the best of friends, they knew what 
the others like and don't like. Most of all he didn't know why Claire 
had not said anything about it. She was running away from the obvious. 

So he sent her flowers to her office one day. Roses, red, two dozens of
them. With the flowers he enclosed a card. ‘I miss you so much. Love, 
Chris' 

All of the sudden Claire was having a panic attack. She couldn't breath.
She leaned on her desk with the card clutched in her hand, perspirating 
heavily, trying to catch some air. After she calmed down a bit, she 
grabbed the roses, half running out and threw the bouquet into a 
trashcan, along with the card. She went into the lavatory and washed 
her face with cool water. 

‘What was that all about?' a co-worker named Jenny Spiers ran after
Claire. She had never seen Claire Perchant looked so terrified, never 
the more by a bouquet of red roses. 

‘Was that some sort of a terror for you? Was the person who sent those
threatened you? You have to report it to the police' Spiers was looking 
originally worried. 

Claire took a deep breath. She had no idea why she had reacted overly on
a bouquet of flowers. The card. Even the card was not unusual. But she 
felt so threatened, so afraid. 

‘No it was not. I was... I was just...' she didn't know for sure how to
explain it to Jenny Spiers. That the roses was from her best friend 
since year 8? And she threw it away because the card said that her best 
friend missed her so much and that he loves her? 

‘Oh. Yeah, I know how terrible that is' Spiers catching it differently.
‘Just when you're healing and ready to move on, he sent you roses and 
ask for your forgiveness. What can I say, men are all like that. They 
think we could just forgive them by a bunch of red roses' Spiers kept 
on going. 

Claire stared at her in disbelief but she let Spiers went on with her
own ideas. 

‘You probably need sometimes alone, so ... I'll just leave you. Ok? Tell
me if you need anything. Some girl to girl talk, you know' Spiers 
retreated. 

‘Yes, sure' Claire nodded. 

‘Oh, and... since you don't want the flowers, can I keep them? It's a
pity those flowers' Spiers paused on the door. 

‘Sure' Claire shrugged. 

After Spiers left she stared at herself on the mirror. She wondered what
was wrong with her. She decided that it was just her over-reacting. It 
was just her being stupid and silly. 

Chris, expectedly, called her the next morning. 

‘Did you get my flowers?' he asked with a cheerful tone. There's nothing
different in the way he talked. He was still the Chris she knew in 
school when they were 13. 

‘Yes' she murmured. She quickly regained her composure and repeated what
she said in a clearer tone. ‘Yes I did. Thank you. What were they for?' 


‘I don't know. I just felt like I have to get your attention. You've
been very busy and I really do miss talking to you. I thought red roses 
would cheer you up a bit in the office' he had practiced these in case 
she asked. Which she did. He listened carefully to what she said, 
trying to catch a glimpse of clue for whatever was going on in her 
mind. 

‘Red roses are very lovely' she sounded choking. Chris frowned. 

‘I shared them with my friends. It was a nice treat. Thanks' 

‘No problems. How are you anyway?' Chris had to make sure he heard
correctly. 

‘I'm alright' and that instant he knew, she was not. She didn't like the
roses. 

The next day Claire got an e-mail with an attachment from Chris. All
what was written was ‘I'm very sorry”. The attachment was an mp3 file. 
A song from Coldplay. 

“Did I drive you away? / I know what you'll say / You say, 'Oh, sing one
you know,' / But I promise you this / I'll always look out for you / 
That's what I'll do / I say oh, I say oh 

My heart is yours / It's you that I hold on to / That's what I do / And
I know I was wrong / But I won't let you down / I say oh, I cry oh 

Yeah I saw sparks / Yeah I saw sparks / And I saw sparks / Yeah I saw
sparks” 

Claire cried all night. 


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