Clara's Undoing

Clara's Undoing - Chapter Seven: The Perfectly Divine Couple At The Next Table

I waited for the entire class to empty out Mr. Parrish’s classroom before I went up to him. All I could think about the rest of the day was how my ex-sitter and my Physics teacher were gonna be watching me on my date with James. The possibilities of things that could go wrong was endless, atop the fact that it would be hellishly embarrassing.

“Were you serious about going to dinner tonight?” I asked him. He was on his desk writing something on what I think was a test paper from yesterday.

“Hello to you too, Ms. Wheeler.” He said without looking up.

I huffed as I dragged a chair towards his desk and sat on it backwards, facing him. “Please tell me you weren’t serious, Mr. Parrish.”

“Of course I was.” He replied. “I’m a man of my word.”

I closed my eyes shut for a moment. I can’t believe this was happening. Why was he being mean?

“Why?” I asked. “What’s in it for you?”

“Dinner.” He answered blatantly. “With a beautiful girl named Jodie.”

I scoffed as my anger slowly morphed into amusement. “You’re into Jodie?”

“I may or may not be.” He replied. “Whichever one is the answer, I don’t believe it’s any of your business.”

“But it’s my date!” I protested.

He finally peeled his eyes away from the papers before him and looked at me, slightly pouting and narrowing his eyes. “Yes, and where will it take place exactly?”

I crossed my arms together. “I’m not telling you.”

He smirked. “Then I guess I’ll just have to ask Evans.”

“As if he’ll tell you.” I said with a small scoff.

“He will.” He said confidently, getting back to grading papers. “He’s a point short on his test yesterday and I might be gracious enough to pass him should he be more accommodating than you.”

I took a deep breath in. “Fine. Tell me this, are you going because you want to go on a date with Jodie?”

He raised his vision again to me, thinking for a moment before answering. “Let’s go with that.”

I smiled. “She’s really pretty, right?”

“In the stereotypical sense, yes.”

I thought for a moment. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if they came. I get to watch how Mr. Parrish goes on a date. Plus, Jodie was one of the most important people in my life. I’d want her to end up with someone decent and Mr. Parrish was definitely a top-runner, without even adding the magnificent good looks and undeniable charisma.

Just as long as they sat on a different table.

“It’s at Il Mare’s at eight.” I finally told him. “Get your own table.”

He flashed me a toothless grin as I stood up.

“And I’m not helping you with the festival materials today.” I said confidently. “That’s your punishment. Plus, I have a date to get ready for. I’ll see you tonight, Mr. Parrish.”

Marching out of his room, I felt confident and powerful—which was rare for me. It was something I’ve never felt before and damn, did it feel good.

But as soon as I stepped out to the parking lot, the burning sense of power in my chest dissipated, slowly being replaced by inevitable fear.

Oh God, what am I going to wear?

When I got home, I called Sidney for some help but even before I told her it was a wardrobe dilemma, she already knew and told me to bring out her last year’s birthday gift to me.

It was a black cowl neck silk dress that stopped just in the middle of my lower legs which I paired with diamond ankle strap heels. There was never a time in my head that I thought I would get to wear this because; for one, I didn’t think it’d fit me; And two, I never thought I’d ever go on a date with James Evans.

But it did fit me, beautifully… graciously. I didn’t realize how much I’d grown in the past year. Last year, this dress barely clung to my body but now, it was as if it was made with my measurements in consideration.

“Wow.” Mom said as soon as I got downstairs. They were already back. Which meant they had another important matter to attend to here. Which also meant they hadn’t had a proper rest aside from the flight to and from Macau.

Mom was in her sophisticated white pantsuit that I loved so much and Dad was wearing a white tux—which only meant they were going out too.

“You look like such a grown up lady, honey.” Mom continued her sentence.

“Which she is, Martha.” Dad interjected before planting a kiss on my forehead. “You look stunning, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, Daddy.” I replied with a soft smile. “Where are you guys going?”

“The Churchill Foundation annual soiree.” Mom said, filling her purse with necessary stuff while Dad went to the study to take a call. “We’re gonna be out late so you don’t have to wait for us. Unless, of course, you’re gonna be out late too?”

“I’m just going out with a friend.”

Her eyes sparkled. “On a date? Is this the boy who was here this morning?”

I smiled cheekily. “Maybe.”

“And what’s this lucky boy’s name?” She queried.

I pressed my lips together as if plumping my lipstick. “Actually, you know him. James Evans has asked me on a date.”

My mother’s mouth formed a perfect ‘o’ shape, it could pass as a Graphoplex. “Really? Genevieve Evans’ son? He’s such a nice kid. I hear he helps out in orphanages during summer. She never shuts up about him, I feel like I already know the boy.”

“Really? I never knew that.” I replied. “He’s taking me to Il Mare’s.”

“Oh honey you love that place!” She gushed. “I wonder if he knew about that.”

“I bet he found out from a little birdie whose name starts with S and ends with Y.”

She laughed as the doorbell rang. I took a deep breath in and crossed my fingers in front of Mom before I went and fetched the door.

James was wearing a white shirt tucked in a black pants and a blue jacket that was so fit the ripples of his biceps were etching through. His brown hair was neatly pushed back and there was not a sign of stubble on his face.

I could hear my heart beating from within my body.

“Don’t you look dapper tonight, Evans.” I greeted him.

He shook his head in disbelief. “You look… I’m speechless.”

I looked down in embarrassment. If anyone ever told me a week ago that James Evans was gonna be knocking at my door and telling me I rendered him speechless using this dress, I would’ve kicked them in the groin and skinned them. Never have I ever thought it would actually happen.

Suddenly, I could feel my parents’ presence from behind me.

“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler.” He said to them, “Would it be alright if I steal Clara for tonight?”

I turned to look at my parents and I saw Mom greeted him back with a smile. “Oh we don’t mind.”

“Thank you.” He responded with a polite smile. “I’ll bring her back before the end of time.”

I snickered, feeling my cheeks grow hot as I stepped out of the house.

“Honey, don’t forget your coat!” Dad called out as Mom was handing it over to me. “Have fun.”

He bid my parents to have a good time tonight and a farewell before escorting me out to his Ford Ranger on the driveway.

“No Amir tonight?” I asked.

He smiled as he opened the door for me, gently helping me get in before getting in on the driver’s side himself.

“I gave him the night off.” He answered. “Tonight’ll be just the two of us.”

I couldn’t help but smile, thinking how this night was already off to a good start.

“Ah, I found the word.” James announced before starting the car.

I frowned, unsure of what he meant.

“Stunning.” He said. “You look stunning. I was literally stunned by you.”

That was enough to practically plaster the smile on my face for the rest of the ride to the restaurant. James talked most of the time, telling me about how most of their football practices go and about his teammates. It felt like I already knew them halfway through the restaurant.

It was nice to hear him gush about it, making me realize how much he loved and respected his teammates and the sport itself. I myself never would’ve understood football if it wasn’t for my liking of him. I had gone to every game he had since freshman year until eventually I began to understand the terms and how it was played. It never really came to me as a whole during Gym class before but the hundreds of games I’d been to did the trick. I remember acing the written Gym final exams during sophomore year all because of that very reason.

By the time we got to the restaurant, I was already famished. James told the hostess his surname and she immediately escorted us to our table. It was thrilling to know that he had prepared for this date very well—even got a reservation here when it was hard to get a schedule for months ahead.

Jodie and Mr. Parrish were still both out of sight when we ordered, but the table beside was empty so I bet it was theirs. Unless they didn’t push through. I knew I gave the details to Jodie via text.

For some reason, I was a little disappointed. As mysterious as it was to me, I didn’t dwell much on it. But I kept looking by the door to see if they'd arrived to no avail.

It didn’t matter. I was having the time of my life with James.

“I’m sorry I kept babbling about football the entire car ride over.” James said as he took a sip of soda water.

I shook my head in disagreement. “No, it’s fine. It was interesting. I’d learned to appreciate it over time. It’s a good way to get into school spirit.”

“I agree.” He said. “For me, it’s much more than just a sport, you know? The way people get behind a team every game, no matter the team, o–or the stereotype, or which clique you belong to… the camaraderie built as soon as the clock starts, it’s just fascinating to me. That’s what gets me to play my best every game.”

“I stand corrected.” I stated. “It’s not just interesting. It’s captivating seeing you talk like this.”

James flashed me a satisfied grin. “I didn’t think you’d be into this kind of conversation.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“I thought you’d be more into academic stuff.” He admitted.

I chuckled, “Just because I keep to myself in school, James, doesn’t mean I’m smart.”

He looked at me flatly. “But you are smart. I think you’re the smartest person I know.”

“That’s because your circle of friends consists of jocks.”

He laughed. “I definitely didn’t peg you for the stereotypical type, Wheeler.”

Before I could even reply, a vision appeared from my peripheral view. It was Jodie and Mr. Parrish. I watched him as he pulled the chair for her, settling into their own table a few feet away from us. She was wearing a maroon strapless dress with her hair up while Mr. Parrish had a black shirt, jacket, and pants on, a navy blue scarf draped on his neck like he just put it on but damn, did it work so well.

“Is that Mr. Parrish?” I heard James ask.

I turned to look at him, a little distracted. “I–I think so.”

“With Jodie Ackers?”

I licked my lips. “Yeah. They met earlier in school.”

He snickered. “I’m telling you, half the guys on our team have a crush on her. Mr. Parrish sure knows how to pick ‘em.”

“Yeah, well so does everyone.” I replied.

James lowered his voice and leant in. “Hey, she’s beautiful. But you’re a different kind of beautiful.”

“Yeah, right. The not-pretty kind?”

He scoffed. “Have you not seen yourself in the mirror tonight? Or do I have to shout out loud in here how absolutely gorgeous you are in order for you to believe me?”

I giggled, putting a hand on his arm before he could get up. “No, please don’t do that.”

“Trust me, Clara.” He said seriously, looking directly into my eyes as he put a hand on the one I just put on his arm. “If there’s one thing I don’t do, it’s lie.”

I pursed my lips as I looked dreamily into his eyes. “I believe you.”