Someone In The Crowd [Paul Wesley]

24. IRL

"She knows we're coming, right?" Candice asked Claire. The two were preparing to leave a surprise for Cece.

"No, it's a surprise," Claire said.

"So we're breaking into her apartment?"

Claire placed her hand in her pocket and pulled out a key. "Does it count as breaking in if I have the key?"

"What if she comes back?" Candice asked, her eyes darting nervously from side to side.

"Julie said she has a big day on set, we should be able to get in and out before she comes back," Claire said confidently, using her key to open the front door.

The first thing they noticed, was that they were definitely not alone in the apartment.

"Oh my gosh, do you think someone broke in?" Candice asked.

Claire listened closely to the unmistakable noises. "Unless burglars break into people's houses to have sex, I'd say that's extremely unlikely."

"So what do we do? Leave?"

"Not yet," Claire said, knowing that her best friend would have told her if there was a new man in her life.

"So what, you want to stand here and listen to them... do that?" Candice asked incredulously, her hand already on the doorknob, poised to leave.

"We can still leave the stuff," Claire whispered, nodding to the bag of treats that they were going to surprise Cece with. "We'll just pretend we never heard anything."

Candice wasn't sure whether she should laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation or leave Claire to her own devices.

"Look, just give it to me, I'll do it." Claire took the bag from Candice and walked into the living room. Suddenly, she spotted something in the middle of the room and gasped, before quieting herself.

"What is it?" Candice hissed.

Claire picked up a sneaker and held it up so that Candice could see it. "I recognise these trainers."

"Sneakers," Candice accidentally corrected. "Whose are they?"

"Paul's," Claire answered. Candice's eyes opened wide and she covered her mouth with her hands.

"You think he's in there with her?" she asked Claire.

"I have no idea," Claire said. "I mean, Phoebe said that she broke up with Paul but I didn't think he'd move on this quickly. It's only been like 2 months!"

"I didn't even know they liked each other!" Candice said. The girls stood frozen for a moment, not sure what they should do.

"Let's get out of here, quickly!" Claire said, ushering Candice out of the house. She had a lot to talk to her best friend about.