She was the hottest girl in school, though she belonged to the graduating class. One more year and it was off to college, where she continued to fair well, even against the senior women. Within the first few months, she enrolled in the swimming club, gymnastics, and became a cheerleader for the football team.
Never without a crowd to hang out with, she developed a strong intuition for dealing with people, and switched majors from business to psychology, which is where she met him.
He was an artist but went to the library frequently where she often studied. His first glimpse of her burned itself in his mind.
She glowed like the early spring's morning dew,
Capturing the sun.
She seemed to call to him, and he drifted to her table like a man in a trance.
They locked eyes, but not before he noticed her make-up.
"Hi." he said, studying her.
"...hi..." she almost asked. She was about to look back at her books when he sat down.
"I'm Josh."
"I'm Claire." she replied.
"What are you studying Claire?"
And from there, a conversation was formed. She told him of her dreams to become a child psychologist, her passion for the mind, the need for a better world, and how it could all change if only the youth of tomorrow were helped before it was too late.
He asked her out, and they met by the Freyung fountain later that night.
The air was warm, though the smell of fall was in the air.
They walked along the walkways until sitting down on the fountain's ledge.
"... so if I could help someone, maybe they'd be able to be free in some way." she explained.
He simply smiled, and pulled her hair back over her ear. Then he leaned in, and they kissed. As she pulled away, blushing, he splashed her.
"Hey!" she laughed, and splashed him back.
"You don't have to be afraid." he said.
"I'm not." she replied, looking deep into his eyes.
"I mean of the water." he said as he splashed her again.
"Ahhh!" she shrieked, laughing again. "You're so mean!"
He chased her around the fountain until they crashed into one-another's arms. After a few minutes of passion, he leapt from her arms and dunked his head in the water. She could scarcely breathe as he remained under the water for what seemed like an eternity.
A few seconds later, he pulled out and shook himself off like a dog.
She laughed hysterically.
"Now you try." he smiled.
Before she could voice her protests, he splashed her with a wave, and her head was soaked.
"What the fuck?!" She laughed, "Are you trying to drown me?"
"No," he smiled, "I'm trying to save you."
He embraced her again and as they kissed, he did his best to rub her make-up off.
"Woah, what are you doing?" she gasped.
"You look better without it." he became still.
The world seemed to stop.
"You mean it?" she didn't believe him, not even for a second, but she wanted to. She wanted to so much...
He came close, so very close, and gazed into her eyes.
"Yes."
From then on she didn't wear any make-up. It was the condition. If they were to be together, he insisted she celebrate her truthful beauty.
At first, she was delighted, but as time went on, her friends began to diminish. She wasn't as popular as she once was, and all her girlfriends wanted to be part of the "in" crowd, not to mention the crowd that attracted guys.
Guys didn't look at her as much any more, and they didn't treat her as royally as she was once accustomed too.
Even Josh seemed to be losing interest in her, and then, one day, he told her it was over.
"...but Josh, please! What did I do?" she was near tears.
"It's just time to move on." he said as he packed his bag.
"Why? Why can't I come with you?"
He just glanced at her and kept packing.
She was distraught, and slumped on the corner of the bed.
As he moved to the door, she leapt at him and clung to his shirt as if for dear life.
"Claire..." he started, but she began sobbing into his neck.
"What am I gonna do? Who's left for me? I don't know what to do Josh."
He rubbed her shoulders, thinking to himself. After a moment he let her go.
"Wear make-up." he said, and then he was gone.
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