just a mistake

It wasn't quiet truth or dare. Craig wasn't even sure why he'd kept the picture, either. But Chloe found Clare's photo among his things.

Craig took a deep breath. He supposed it was better than one of those silly polorids Kadan had taken of them together in bed before he left. As it was, Kadan had taken those with him. He didn't have have a picture of them together.

"Who is she?" Chloe handed the picture over to him.

"Um, someone, I'd rather not remember." It hurt his throat to even think of Clare. It was a memory he vaguely sensed so long ago.

"But you look so happy in the picture."

"Well, that's what a good lager will do you." He smiled with a shrug.

"Come on, she must have meant something to you." Chloe took back the picture.

"Not really." He shook his head, no.

"What is it? What's wrong, Craig?" She looked puzzled. He hope she hadn't sensed there was anything going on between him and Kadan.

"Nothing." He shivered and closed his eyes. "I didn't know then what I knew now about her." He was quiet for a bit then said, "....she's evil."

"She looks so quaint, here. You must have had a good time?"

"We did." He nodded. "I just didn't know what plans she had on certain people." He remembered how Clare smiled at him and pulled him in immediately there at the loft in to her world. It was breath taking now. What ever had come over him? She was like a force of nature.

"Were you one of those certain people?" She started making his bed up then in the room she said could be his. It was rather naked at the moment with empty walls and sheer curtains.

"No." He watched, yet remembered how it had been with Clare. So quickly, he been taken with her. She said the right things to him. Her smile seduced him, as well as her body and her intentions.

Suddenly, it occured to him that Kadan had done the same thing. Perhaps not like a dancer at a go-go but suttle and so sweet.

He swallowed back his pride.

He didn't want to believe it was mistake like with Clare.

"Look," he said. "No one knows about Clare and me back home. I'd rather we keep it that way."

"Because she's older than you?" Chloe stared back at him with concern.

"Something like that." His voice cracked. No more time for mistakes, he told himself. No more mistakes. He was certain now as he looked back at Chloe.