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six months later.
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Claire sighed tiredly as she entered the fancy kitchen to collect another tray of glasses filled with sparkling champagne. It was busy with servers noisily coming in and out in such a hurry it almost made you dizzy. She was at Levi's parents' house. They were one of the richest families in town, if not the richest. From what she'd heard from folks around town his mother apparently came from old, old money which his business savvy father had turned into an absolute fortune. The last time Claire had seen Levi was on that day she'd encountered Philip outside old Stern's diner. She had assumed he'd left a little while after that and gone back to college.
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She, on the other hand had gotten another job with a posh catering company and today they were working at Levi's house. Which honestly speaking was more of a mansion than just a mere house. It was that big and that impressive. Easily the most beautiful she'd never seen, let alone set foot in. The inside was elegant. Everything classy, tasteful and expensive. She was constantly afraid she'd accidentally touch something and break it. What ever she broke in here would probably cost a small fortune. Levi's mother was hosting one of her usual annual parties which Claire had heard where always an exquisite and wickedly luxurious affair. And she had finally seen it with her own eyes, even though she wasn't a guest but a server.
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She put the tray, filled with empty glasses on the table and leaned against the kitchen counter, stealing a moment to catch her breath. Her feet ached, so did her cheeks from constantly smiling. "Claire!" Mrs Bailey her employer called her. "There's no time to rest. Get back out there and serve the guests." Claire thought that Mrs Bailey didn't look so bad for someone in her late forties. She certainly wasn't a classic beauty but her blonde hair was stylishly cut and her hazel eyes were pretty. She was nice enough though a bit harsh sometimes, especially when things went south. Which usually happened in the catering business.
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Claire was grateful she'd gotten the job. It was only part time, when she wasn't at school or at Stern's but it paid pretty good which was another plus. After she'd given her mama her first check she'd unwillingly made herself her work slave. All mama wanted from her now was money and always more money. Claire was constantly exhausted, sometimes she felt as though she would collapse during her work hours.
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She was glad however, that no one else had tried to get into her room and hurt her again. That had been the third time in her life that one of mama's men had tried to rape her. It was a blessing that it had never happened before and she prayed that God would continue to protect her. She had even bought a baseball bat that she kept hidden within easy reach underneath her bed. Swearing to herself that if anybody dared to try she wouldn't hesitate even for a second to bash their skulls.
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Claire let out another sigh, this one heavier and more distracted, "I came in for a refill." She said and Mrs Bailey immediately thrust another tray into her hands and said, "Get out there. Go, go, go!" Then added to another girl, "My God, Stacey are you stupid! Don't you dare try and engage the guests in conversation again. If you do you're fired!"
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The girl looked down like a scolded toddler and Claire almost felt sorry for her. Before she left she checked if her tie was still on straight. Her uniform was a black skirt that ended just above the knee and white shirt and two inch sensible grandma shoes. She'd tied her dark hair into a secure low bun on the back of her nape.
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She took a deep breath and walked out. The gathering was located outside, in the backyard garden. It was beautifully decorated with all kinds of dazzling golden lights hanging on the trees and a wide stunning open tent. A jazz band played such beautiful music that Claire was tempted to stop what she was doing and listen. But that was obviously out of the question, she was here to work. She walked around smiling and laughing, stylishly dressed guests. Anyone who wanted anything to drink would simply stop her and grab a glass. She had a constant smile on her face as per instruction from Mrs Bailey.
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Claire didn't particularly like this job but sometimes it wasn't so bad. Take today for instance, she got to rub shoulders with the wealthy and see how the other half lived. She bet the clothes they wore cost more than all her two salaries combined even after working for a whole year. Man, she wouldn't mind being rich. She would probably never have any problems to worry about ever again. She'd have a million servants at her beck and call and whatever she desired would become instantly available to her. She nearly laughed out loud as she thought to herself how silly that daydream was.
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As she passed some guests one tapped her shoulder signaling that they wanted a glass. She turned and came face to face with Levi. Well, not really face to face, as tall as he was! She was so close to him, she could smell him. He smelled wonderful. Warm, fresh and woodsy, like he'd just come from the forest. Transfixed, she watched his dark gaze travel all over her face and settle heavily on her slightly parted lips. When his eyes finally came back to hers they were even darker than before and the look in them felt like molten heat moving through her. It lasted no more than a split second but it was more than enough for her to feel chills on the back of her neck. The man next to him who'd signalled her grabbed his glass and Claire immediately turned and walked away.
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'What was that?' Her mind screamed. It had been so strange, it had felt as if he'd reached out and physically touched her. Why did he always look at her like that? Like she had something he desperately wanted, something that belonged to him and was always just on the verge of taking. Or maybe she was simply over reacting. But whatever it was, it seriously freaked her out. She continued serving the guests until the party was over. She never came across Levi again but that was only because she'd been actively avoiding going anywhere near him. And every time her eyes had unconsciously sought him out she had found his constantly on her, trailing her every move.
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As the rest of Mrs Bailey stuff was packing up. She decided to venture out and see the rest of the yard. She'd heard that there a breathtaking lake somewhere close to the house. The sun was just beginning to set and she figured she'd never get another chance to see such a blatant display of wealth again. While Mrs Bailey was distracted, she snuck out of the kitchen and went outside through the back door. She was careful and made sure Mrs Bailey didn't see her otherwise she'd throw a hissy fit.
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As she turned around a corner, at the back of the house she encountered Levi leaning against the wall, facing the lake and smoking a cigarette. He looked good, in black slacks and a white shirt, she thought as her heart gave that little thud it did whenever she saw him. "Oh I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was out here." She said quickly and turned to leave.
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"Stay." He said and she was instantly plagued by indecision. She darted a look at him and caught him intently watching her. Nervously she smoothed down her hair and walked over to stand a reasonable distance from him, also facing the lake.
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Claire quietly looked at the waters, mesmerized by their serene beauty, while Levi continued to smoke his cigarette. After a long silence she said, "Its such a breathtaking view." and gestured towards the lake, a little ways off the wide back porch they were standing on. It really was quite a spectacular view. She even spotted some ducks swimming gracefully on its surface as if to complete the picture. It was calm and peaceful and in complete opposition with her inner emotions that were suddenly on high alert.
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Levi merely nodded, "Sure is." He had a deep, slightly raspy voice that was like a soft caress to her heightened senses. He finished smoking and threw the stub away then crossed his arms on his chest. His eyes never leaving hers.
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Another moment passed as she tried not to fidget or run her hands along her skirt or do anything that would expose her inexplicable nervousness. She said, "I can't imagine what it was like to grow up in a place like this. You must have really wonderful childhood memories here." He was quiet for so long that she glanced back at him. He shock his head, "None that I can immediately think of." It seemed to her that he wasn't inclined to speak further so she nodded and turned back to watch the splendid sunset. How sad, she thought. Not to have any beautiful memories while growing up in such a wonderful home with two parents who loved you. What she would have given for such luck ...!
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As the disquieting thoughts ran through her mind she could still feel him watching her. It was a very nerve wrecking experience, to be the sole object of such unrelenting laser focus. Just as she was about to excuse herself and flee back into the house, he surprised her by asking, "What about you?"
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Confused she replied, "What about me?"
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"Any wonderful memories from your childhood?"
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Claire looked away and said, "I remember this one time, I was four or five I think. My mother took me to the park for a picnic." She turned and gave him a small smile, "I love picnics. I remember playing and laughing, having lots of fun. I was very happy. She even made me PB&J sandwiches which were my favourite." She paused all of a sudden, "It was great." She ended on a rather quieter note and looked away from him.
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Claire also instantly remembered her mother promising her that she'd get clean and start a new and better life for them. She had believed her but the promise only lasted a week and after that her mother had become meaner and nastier than she had been before and everything had taken a turn for the absolute worst. That's when she had started beating her. When she was drunk, when she was sober, when she was mad, whatever her mood was she had taken it out on her.
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She shifted uncomfortably and looked back at Levi. His dark gaze was unsettlingly perceptive and she had a strong feeling that he'd probably sensed that there was more to the story than she'd let on. More than that she somehow knew that he also sensed her melancholic mood. She looked away again unable to meet his knowing eyes. And wondered why in the world she had even told him that.
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"I also liked picnics when I was a kid." He finally said rousing her from her thoughts. His statement was so unexpected that she grinned widely at him. "Really? You did?" She asked and unconsciously moved closer to him like a moth drawn to a flame.
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His lips curved into a faint little smile that made her almost fall half away in love with him. "Yes, I did. I made sure to give everybody bloody hell too. I'd run around destroying shit, spilling food on my nannies, playing practical jokes on them. My mother swears I was a little devil." He said, humour evident in his voice. She laughed so freely that it was as if her earlier sadness hadn't even existed. "It sounds like you were." She said and saw him in her mind running around as a happy and energetic child.
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However at the sound of her laugh, his eyes hardened again. And the amusement instantly died on her lips as she struggled to breathe, captivated by the intensity in his eyes. He took a step closer to her. Then another ...
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"Claire!" Mrs Bailey called her, irritation thick in her voice. "Dammit, where are you? Get back here, we're leaving." Claire smiled apologetically at Levi then reluctantly turned and left. She went back into the kitchen and quickly grabbed her bags just like the other employees were doing. They all left the house and were driven into town in the small company car. No one spoke to her, she didn't have any friends and was still treated like an outcast. They all chatted amongst themselves and left her out of their conversations.
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But as Claire looked out the window, amazed by the glorious twilight sky she realised that for the first time she didn't mind being left out and ignored because in that moment she felt a lot better than she had felt in a very long, long time.
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