Shiver - Pt. Four (standard:romance, 2027 words) [4/5] show all parts
Author: Freya Griffin	Added: Feb 27 2003	Views/Reads: 2486/1887	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
It might get tiring after repeating the whole CD thre times, but keep it going!

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


Claire probably knew he was coming that day. Chris was sure she would
turn off her mobile phone and stay out of the house until very late 
when she's sure that Chris would be gone. 

‘No. It's been a long time since I last saw her, that's all' Chris
smiled to Shari. A long time indeed. Three year since she cried in 
front of him, telling him not to love her. 

“Rehearsal dinner tonight. You will get to see her' Shari reminded him. 

Claire returned home in the afternoon. She couldn't escape from the
rehearsal dinner. She figured she had to face Chris soon or later. All 
she had to do was kept her smile throughout the time. Thinking about 
colorful images instead of the sad tragic one, such as hers. 

Mrs. Perchant made sure her daughter's wedding would be a big one. The
guests list made over 500 names. It was to be held in a ranch belong to 
a friend of the family. Everyone who was somebody would be there. 
Tomorrow morning, family and most of the guests would leave to spend 
the night in the ranch. The wedding was the day after next. 

Chris chose a friend from his old academy to be his best man. The
Warrens arrived at seven P.M. Shari opened the door welcoming them. 

‘This is Sean Fewing, he's going to be my best man' Chris introduced his
friend. He didn't see Claire yet. 

‘I'm Shari Perchant. These are my parents, and my sister should be down
in a minute' Shari introduced herself to Sean Fewing. She checked for 
any signs of expression changes in Chris' face when she said the last 
words, and found none. 

Claire showed up as everyone was seated in the dining room, which had
been elegantly decorated by Mrs. Perchant. 

‘I'm terribly sorry for being late' she avoided eye contact with Chris
in particular. She sat between her mother and Sean Fewing. 

‘Claire, I believe you've met Mrs. Warren before' her mother did the
habitual politeness. Claire nodded politely towards the woman. 

‘And her daughters, Wendy and Julia. And Chris' 

Claire knew the sisters quite well. She used to come to the Warrens
house and spend all afternoon after school there. Wendy and Julia 
smiled warmly at her. 

‘How are you? I haven't seen you for quite a while' Chris asked to her,
representing his sisters. 

Incredibly calm, she lifted her eyes and met his deep gaze. Chris
naturally sat to his bride-to-be, right across the table where Claire 
was seated. Mrs. Perchant was the one who organized the seats, to 
Shari's satisfaction. 

‘I have been terribly busy' she answered clearly with a smile. Once
again she surprised herself by the amount of calmness she could produce 
at this time. 

‘And this is Mr. Sean Fewing. Chris' best man' Mrs. Perchant continued. 

‘Hi. Nice to meet you' Claire shook Fewing's hand. She busied the night
away, engaging a long conversation with Fewing, so she didn't have to 
look across the table and chew her tongue in envy. 

In envy? 

She realized it just this evening when she saw her sister sat next to
Chris. Obviously showing off some significant intimacy they had between 
them. 

‘You haven't told us who your bride's maids are going to be' Julia
Warren suddenly asked Shari. 

‘My sister would be the bride's maid' Shari answered that. Satisfied by
the brief effect it had on Chris. 

‘That is so sweet' Wendy Warren commented. 

Mrs. Warren watched the poor girl as she shifted uneasily in her chair
when everyone was looking at her. She had noticed how Claire Perchant 
avoided looking directly at her son. It was clear as crystal that the 
girl had some feelings for Chris. She began to worry if her son would 
do something embarrassing if he knew this. And she doubted not that 
Chris had known. 

Claire excused herself out before dessert. She went up to her room and
stayed there. She had begun taking down most of the stuffs she put in 
the wall since yesterday. She had made another decision to never return 
to this house. She didn't know how long it will take to get over the 
fact that the only guy she ever loved marrying her sister. She bet it 
would be a very long time. And that's why she won't need this room. It 
was not her home no more; it was not her room anymore. She was not 
going to return there again. 

Claire peeled off the pictures she glued to the mirror as fifteen years
old, and put it in a small box. She used to spend a lot of time drawing 
and cutting the pictures. Days to make sure she got the colors and the 
shapes in the right combination. 

‘Re-decorating your room?'  A voice asked. 

Chris. He stood at the door. 

‘What are you doing up here?' she asked nervously. 

‘I thought I might get to know my future sister in-law better' it was a
bad joke. He should've never said anything stupid like that. 

‘You knew me well enough' she tried to smile. And then pretended to be
extra busy and turned her back around so she won't see him by the door. 


Chris had been in this room too. When they were younger and were still
friends. Twice when he was in the house and Shari didn't notice. He 
would sneaked and take a look into Claire's room. 

He saw that Claire had put in boxes most of the stuffs she had on her
shelves. 

‘May I come in?' he asked. 

‘If I may you not, you'd be coming in anyway' she said without turning
her back. 

He came in and sat on the bed. 

‘It looks a lot smaller then when I used to come here' he commented. 

‘You were skinny and short. Everything looked big compared to you' she
answered. 

‘Yes, you're right. We've grown' Chris said deeply. 

Claire moved to her desk. She pulled her drawers out and emptied the
contents into a box. 

‘Where are you going to put those?' 

‘Away. These are me 17 years old. This room should move on with time'
she answered, rather to herself then to Chris. 

‘But those things have memories in them' 

‘I can't keep them forever' she stopped. 

‘Do you really love my sister?' she turned her head and their eyes met. 

Chris did not expect to be asked this question. 

‘Are you asking as my best friend or as the sister of the girl I'm going
to marry?' he asked back. 

Claire put the box and went out the room. It was a lot safer to be in
the crowd then being confronted alone in her room. She met Shari on the 
stairs. Claire didn't know what Shari might think if she knew her 
fiancé is alone with her sister in the bedroom. 

Chris went after Claire but stopped when he saw Shari on the stairs 

‘What did you say to her? She looked upset' Shari asked. Chris didn't
answer her. 

Staying in the ranch was actually relieving for Claire. Her mother being
obsessed with tradition made sure the bride should never be seen by the 
bride groom before the D-day. She arranged to have different quarters 
for men and women. Claire found she managed quite well when around a 
lot of people. She helped arranging the flowers for the chapel. 

‘Rehearsal, ladies! Rehearsal!' Mrs. Perchant clapped her hands. 

They all stood orderly in their position. Claire's was behind her
sister, holding the ring box. She was to follow her sister and their 
father to the altar and then stood next to her sister. 

It went smoothly, although Claire was not sure what was going to happen
once everyone was at place. Meaning, she had to see Chris in the altar. 


Chris had found a place where she could see the whole rehearsal in the
chapel and stayed hidden. Sean stood next to him. He had heard about 
Claire the best friend, in the old days. When Chris told him he was 
going to wed the sister and not Claire, Sean was curious. 

‘Let me get this right. You love her, but you're not sure she loves you,
while her sister who loves you, but you don't exactly love, you asked 
to marry? What if she loved you?' Sean fumbled with the idea. 

‘Who?' 

‘Claire' 

‘I have no idea' Chris sighed. 

‘Are you crazy? Her parents would flip! What is worse, your mother would
kill you! So do you really want to get married by this time tomorrow or 
what?' 

‘It's not that easy, Sean. I thought I was over her. Her sister is
really nice, I mean, I don't mind her at all. But then she showed up 
again... And now I'm not even sure about myself' 

‘That's not good, man' 

‘Yeah I know' Chris watched Claire's back as she walked slowly behind
her father and sister. Shari would hate him. 


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