Valentine's Diner

Chapter 9 - October 31st, 1999

'I got you a cup of coffee,' Sookie says and hands the coffee to Paul. 'Oh, thanks. I need it,' Paul says and closes his book. 'It's still weird seeing you all concentrated to study,' Sookie laughs and sits next to her friend. In a month they've grown closer. It's even possible they might be best friends now. 'Why?' Paul asks surprised. 'In my head you'll always be the annoying brother with band t-shirts and a secondhand skateboard you got from my father,' Sookie says. Paul smiles.

'Have you eaten yet? I heard there's a special Halloween diner at the cafeteria,' Paul asks and takes another sip from his coffee. 'Not yet. And I heard about it too. There's a discount for couples,' Sookie says. 'It's a bummer we're single,' she sighs. 'We can go as a couple?' Paul suggests. 'Won't people notice we aren't?' Sookie asks. 'I'm capable of holding your hand for as long as needed. We're broke, we are going to get that discount. Even if it means I have to kiss you,' Paul says convincing. 'Okay,' Sookie laughs. 'Then let's eat, my temporary girlfriend of the evening,' Paul laughs and extends to her a hand when he stands up. 'And yet I thought I was the weird one,' Sookie says and takes Paul's hand. 'Heh, we both did.'

They enter the cafeteria and are overwhelmed with the smell of baked pastries, soup and pumpkin. 'Oh wow, it smells amazing,' Sookie says surprised and gets in line. Eventually the people believed they are a couple and give them the discount. 'They should do this on Valentine's not on Halloween,' Paul says after insisting he should pay. 'Yes, indeed,' Sookie says taking a seat at the table. 'Oh look there a spiders in the soup!' She says happily surprised by the spiders made of little meatballs and vermicelli. 'Happy Halloween, mini Hanlin,' Paul says with a smile. 'Happy Halloween, annoying Ainsley,' Sookie says and eats a spider.

'You've got to be kidding me!' Clara shouts at her friend. 'What did I do now?' Maia asks irritated. 'You can't just move my books and stuff so you can decorate our room!' Clara shouts and tosses the decoration on the floor so she can organise her desk again. 'Hey! I paid money for that!' Maia shouts and picks up the pumpkin decorations. 'You can't move my stuff, now everything is disorganised,' Clara says and puts her books and papers back in place. 'It was messy!' Maia says angrily. 'It was an organised mess! Now I can't find my notes!' Clara shouts back. 'It gives you no right to toss my things onto the ground!' Maia yells. 'Ugh!' Clara lets out and leaves the room.

Clara takes out her cellphone and calls Sookie. 'Hey!' Sookie answers happily. 'I. Am. Going. To. Kill. Her.' 'Oh... Like really or is it a Halloween prank?' 'Real,' Clara sighs heavily. 'What did she do now?' Paul asks in the background. 'She decided it would be fun to move my books and notes so she could decorate my desk with scary faced pumpkins.' 'Oh no, not the organised mess,' Sookie gasps. 'She really lives in her own head,' Paul sighs.

'So what are you two doing?' Clara asks and sits on the cold and wet stairs outside her building, looking at the red and orange leafs. 'Eating a Halloween dinner with couple discount,' Sookie says. 'Couple discount?' Clara asks confused. 'Paul and I pretended we were a couple so we didn't have to may as much as a single person,' Sookie says. 'Shouldn't they to it on Valentine's Day?' Clara asks with a frown. 'That's what we thought too,' Paul says. Clara looks at her feet.

'Soo, can I talk to you alone for a moment?' Clara asks. 'Sure,' Sookie says. Clara can hear the chair move and Sookie's footsteps going outside. 'Are you okay?' Sookie asks concerned. 'I want to see you,' Clara says hugging her legs. 'I want to see you too,' Sookie shyly says on the other side. 'Can't you come over next weekend?' Clara asks. 'I have a class Monday morning,' Sookie silently says. 'I can come to you? I don't have a class on Monday.' 'How are you getting here? You don't like to drive, especially for 12 hours. And the plane is sometimes expensive.' 'I'll figure something out,' Clara says. Sookie hums.

'What will you tell Maia?' 'That my parents want to see me? That Ember is visiting Rose Hills?' Ember, the older adopted sister who's by genetics her cousin. Olivia and Levi Mason adopted their niece when she was eight. Levi's brother and sister-in-law died in a car crash. 'Oh, how is Ember? I haven't seen her in a while.' 'She called yesterday, she's alright,' Clara says. 'You called her yesterday?' Sookie asks. 'Yes?' 'That's perfect! Now you can tell Maia that she called yesterday to say she's going to visit!' 'That's true!' Clara smiles.

It's silent for a moment. 'I feel bad lying to Maia actually,' Sookie says sadly. 'I know, she's your best friend,' Clara says. 'She could be yours too, you know. If you don't kill her,' Sookie says. 'I'll have to think about that,' Clara says. 'No, you do not. If you kill my best friend I will kill you, no matter if you are my girlfriend and my other best friend,' Sookie says. If Clara could only see her face. Sookie almost can't hold her laugh. 'I can't tell if you're joking or not,' Clara says confused. 'Pffhahhaha... I'm joking,' Sookie laughs with tears in her eyes. 'Oh okay, you we're freaking me out,' Clara laughs nervously. 'I could never kill you. I love you too much to do that,' Sookie says still recovering from her laugh. 'I love you too,' Clara smiles.

Clara hangs up the phone after they said there goodbyes and goes back to her dorm. 'I'm going to Rose Hills next weekend. Ember is visiting,' Clara says entering the room. 'Oh, I'm going back too,' Maia says surprised. Shit. Clara takes out her phone and texts Sookie.

MAIA IS GOING TO ROSE HILLS NEXT WEEKEND TOO

OH NO. WHY?

Clara looks at Maia reading. 'Why are you going?' 'Paul asked.' 'Oh, okay,' Clara says and sits on her bed.

PAUL ASKED HER

YEAH, HE JUST TOLD ME.

WHAT NOW??

Then Paul calls Clara's phone. 'Hello?' Clara asks confused. She hears Paul and Sookie discussing something on the other side. 'Yeah, hi, Clara, again,' Paul chuckles. 'Can I talk to Maia?' Clara hands to phone to Maia.

'What do you mean next weekend is not working for you?' Maia asks confused. 'I just saw I have an important deadline that Monday and a rescheduled class,' Paul lies. He feel bad lying to his sister, but Sookie is the one who was there for him. He owes her. 'Oh, okay. What about Sookie? Maybe I can visit her?' 'No, she has an early class on Monday too,' Paul lies again. 'Okay, then I'll visit father,' Maia says. 'No!' Paul shouts. 'Paul, what's going on?' 'No, because father is busy that weekend with err... with helping Anna!' 'Helping Anna?' 'Yeah, with helping Anna paint her house,' Paul saves his lie. 'That woman paints her house every year, she's crazy sometimes.' Aren't we all?

'You are a really bad liar,' Sookie says with her arms crossed. 'It's my sister I was lying to!' Paul lets out. 'Oh please. You kept a relationship hidden from your family for seven months, I think you can handle that one.' 'Sometimes you are impossible,' Paul says and gets up. Sookie follows him out of the building. 'You think it was fun for me to lie to everyone when I found out about you and Thomas?' She aks when she is walking beside him so no one could hear. Paul sighs. 'Fine,' he says. 'Can I give you a thank you hug now?' Sookie asks carefully. Paul smiles and wraps his arms around the Hanlin who didn't hurt him.