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12*> ENCOUNTERS

                        CLAIRE'S POV

PRESENT DAY

We arrived to an empty apartment a few hours later. We had stopped by the supermarket to get some groceries on our way and it got dark before I could finish my shopping.

"Kat has gone to a party a few blocks away from here." I told him when I saw the quizzical look on his face.

"She'll probably get back very late and a drunken mess. Or maybe she won't even bother coming home." I informed him as I collected the shopping bags from his hands.

"Hmm," he hummed as he walked around the house.

"What would you like?" I asked before heading straight for the kitchen. I placed all the bags on the kitchen counter and started putting away all of the food items.

"What do you have?" he questioned.

I opened the fully stocked refrigerator, "Okay, we've got water, Coca-Cola, Protein shakes, Kool-Aid jammers? Juice box? Capri Sun? Are you kidding me?" I asked irritably as I shut the refrigerator a little harder than necessary.

"What does he think we are? Kids? How could he get a juice box? JUICE BOX!" I blew up. "He has crossed it this time," I paced to and fro the kitchen as I tried to control my anger.

"He might not have done it on purpose?" Jeremiah reasoned from across the room.

"My whole refrigerator is filled with children's beverages and you expect me to consider that a mistake? Even if it was, I would not consider it a mistake when it was made by my evil-minded father." I told him truthfully.

"Didn't he find Crush or Dr Pepper? Why these? I'm sure he did it solely to rile me up and I will not let him get his way." I concluded before reopening the refrigerator.

I took out two juice boxes and walked to the sitting room. I took a seat beside Jeremiah and offered him one of the juice boxes.

"I thought you were upset about the juice box?" he asked as he accepted the juice box from me.

"I changed my mind. I'm not going to be wasteful and unnecessarily angry when I have so much to be grateful for. He thinks he can discourage me with his little tricks but I will show him how much I am willing to sacrifice for my dreams. I will not let him win." I spoke with a triumphant smile.

I stabbed the straw into the juice box in my hand before sucking the life out of it. I finished the entire thing in one go.

"Easy. Take it easy." he chuckled as he watched me forcefully squeeze the last drops of juice into my mouth.

"See, it was not so bad. And just so you know, I will not give in to you Dad. Every one of your plans to deter me will fail. Do you understand?!" I screamed.

After the stunt that my father pulled a few hours ago, I was confident he must have bugged the house. I was very convinced he was listening in on all my conversations.

Jeremiah laughed hysterically at me, "You are insane."

"It runs in the blood," I commented as I deviously winked at him with a smirk on my face.

He shook his head at me and I laid back on the couch with a smile, "Are you okay-" he started.

"Did you know about Kat's breakup?" I interrupted him.

He cleared his throat as he shifted uncomfortably, "Yes, I did. Why? Did she say anything happened?"

"Yes,"

He quickly sat up, "Claire, I promise it's not what you think,"

"I know. I get it. I was shocked too." I divulged.