Chapter 208 - Because I like you?

Caesar ran towards them but his steps faltered when he saw there was someone he did not know standing beside his master. He stopped for a moment, staring at Diana intently.

''he's wondering who you are and what you are doing in his room… '' Michael said and they laughed as they watched Caesar peer at Diana, after a few seconds, Caesar turned back to Michael and trotted towards him, panting and wagging his tail.

''Big boy! '' Michael squatted, ruffling his hair with his hands, Caesar played with him, licking his face with his tongue.

''Oh, so cute, will he let me touch him? '' Diana asked, squatting beside Michael, she raised her hand to touch his hair but Caesar avoided her touch, running back into his room and hopping on his bed. They both burst into laughter;

''At least he didn't bark at me, that's a good sign. '' Diana chuckled, he was bigger and cuter than what she had seen in the picture, and she already liked him, too bad he won't let her touch him . Caesar was staring at her quietly now as though wondering who she was, after some time; he jumped out of his bed and ran towards his balcony.

''Next time, I'll bribe him with gifts. ''  Diana said and they laughed as they closed the door and went back to Michael's room;

Michael picked his phone from the bed and they went towards his mini parlor; Diana lay on a comfy couch, curling up; Michael sat opposite her, 

'' Oh my, I totally forgot, did you see the headlines? '' Diana sat up on the couch when she remembered why she had even called him in the first place.

''oh that, yeah, I even got some messages from paparazzi, but I didn't reply to them. ''

''I'm so sorry, don't worry everything will die down soon. '' Diana apologized,

''I know, don't worry too much about it. ''

They talked about other random things then a knock was heard in the room again and it was the house help telling them that their meal was ready.

….

Tiana and the rest arrived in France ten hours later; as soon as they got to the hotel and checked in; Tiana quickly videocalled Nicklaus on Whatsapp; it was past one am by her time, and California was 9 hours behind, so it was still evening there; it didn't ring for up to three times before Nicklaus picked the call;

''Baby!! '' Tiana screamed, pulling her luggage into her room and closing the door;

''Are you swimming?'' She asked when she saw his outfit and the water on his body;

''yeah, came out for a swim, I miss you already. ''

''god! I miss you too; wish I can pry you out of this phone! ''

''ha ha, me too, you checked in already? ''

Tiana nodded, leaving her luggage in the middle of the room, she fell on the king sized bed, a relieved sigh leaving her lips;

''Just came in now, I'm so exhausted, ''

''Sorry dear, just take a shower and sleep okay? ''

''Mm, after this call; '' Tiana replied and Nicklaus smiled;

''Alright, Iet me leave you to rest. ''

''Wait! Let me look at you one more time. '' Tiana pleaded cutely and Niklaus laughed and they just watched each other smiling and not saying a word; after a long moment of silence, he said; ''Alright, go and have some rest now, love you. ''

''Love you too. ''

…

Claire and Leo walked to their room; their rooms were opposite each other, so they walked down the corridor together. Claire's heart slammed in her chest as she approached her door, she prayed earnestly that Leo would not stop her. Hurriedly, she pushed open the door and slammed it close quickly. Leo turned to look at her shut door, his eyes darkened, after a moment; he opened his door and walked in, closing it after him.

Claire lay on her bed after taking a shower; she could not stop thinking about him. She didn't like that they weren't talking, in fact, it was killing her but she didn't know what to do. His behavior towards her recently had been so suffocating, well not really suffocating but like, she could not take it. He was becoming too caring and loving and then the stares he gave her, made her feel weird. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she knew he was beginning to have feelings for her; and she was not sure she felt the same way about him.

She knew he would tell her very soon, but she didn't want to hear it. She didn't want him to tell her, because she was going to disappoint him and she didn't want to see him hurt. When did he start feeling this way about her?

Claire ransacked her mind but she could not place when he started liking her. He had always been so loving, so caring, he was just the best but love could not be forced, she just liked him as a friend and nothing more.

She just wished he would understand that she needed them to be just friends, but she knew that once he told her how he felt about her, their relationship would not remain the same.

…

The next day, they agreed to go sightseeing; so they went to the Louvre museum and Manoir de Paris. Tiana was the most excited because it was a house of horror. Claire was scared to her wits and when they finally made it out of there; she vowed never to go into any scary place in her entire life.

Later they ate lunch at Le Chateaubriand, one of the best restaurants in the world; Tiana didn't forget to take pictures she would show to Nicklaus. At night, they drank and sang in the director's suite before everyone retired to bed to get ready for work the next day.

Claire pushed open her room door but before she could walk in, she felt someone grab her hand, she turned around and her gaze fell into a familiar pair of blue eyes; she gulped;

''Let's talk… '' the words she had dreaded to hear just left his lips and at that moment Claire wanted to disappear. She was about to lose her closest friend and her best friend and she could not do anything about it.

''O...okay… '' she stammered; walking with him to his room; 

Claire stood on a spot, unmoving as though she was in a room with a stranger, Leo could not help but feel hurt at her stance. Without even telling him, he knew she didn't feel the same way about him, but he didn't want them to continue that way, he was still going to tell her how he felt and end it once and for all.

''Do you want to drink anything? '' Leo asked, walking to the fridge,

''No, haha, had a lot to drink already. '' Claire replied nervously, her gaze wandering in the room.

''okay. Let's sit,'' he said and Claire followed him to the couch, sitting down after him;

Her eyes didn't stay at a place as she did her best to avoid his piercing gaze. Leo watched her for the longest time;

''Claire, why are you avoiding me? ''

His question made her freeze at a spot and she turned to him with a guilty expression;

''I'm not… I'm not avoiding you. '' she stammered as she looked at him for the first time since they walked into the room.

''Something is bothering you, Claire and you know it. We are best friends you know and best friends tell each other stuff unless you don't want to be my friend anymore. ''

''no, no, I want to be your friend, it's not what you think. '' she sat upright on the couch, trying to explain herself;

''Then what is it? '' Leo continued as he watched her heave a light sigh and look away from him;

''Is it because I like you? ''

Claire wasn't expecting him to say it that easily, her eyes widened as she turned to look at him;

Leo saw that she was not surprised so his fears were confirmed. She was indeed avoiding him because she found out that he liked her. He felt a deep squeeze at his heart and his eyes stung. Leo turned away from her;

Claire was quiet as her hands fisted on her thighs. She had prayed for this day not to come but sadly it was here and she had to face it. She couldn't choose to be with him out of pity, because she would be hurting him and hurting herself too. The best choice was to tell him the truth; even though they'll not be best friends anymore, he'll be happy that she didn't lie to him.

''Leo… ''

She called, her voice sad; Leo turned to look at her, the gloomy look in his eyes showed that he already knew what she was about to say.

''I really love you. You're the best thing that had happened to me, but I've never seen you that way. I've never seen you as a love interest. I genuinely love you as my best friend and I've been avoiding you because I didn't want you to say it. It hurt me because I may lose my best friend in this entire world, but I have to tell you the truth. I'm very sorry.''

Claire was crying now, her face all red. She wished it didn't have to come to this, she wished he didn't love her the way he did. The pain cut through her heart, it was unbearable.