SkyexJill: To Catch a Maiden 19

"I told them that I needed to figure it out on my own, but it's really because I thought you'd be more helpful," I admitted, "What do you think I should do?"

Claire rubbed the muzzle of a cow. The new calf was the newest addition to the new farmer's ranch. Claire seemed to have taken quite a liking to this new responsibility. She had been lovingly stroking the creature the whole time I explained my situation to her. "Sounds like your mystery girl's in love with you," Claire laughed as the calf nibbled on a strand of her hair.

Why did I come to Claire for help, again? I raised a skeptical eyebrow, "You were listening to me, right?"

"Every word," Claire declared, rubbing her calf's back.

"It doesn't sound like it," I remarked, "She said she never wants to see me again."

"That's because she's in denial," Claire said, giving her calf one last pat and walking towards the barn's exit. "For whatever reason, your mystery girl's convinced herself that she's not in love with you," Claire explained and paused, "Or..." She turned back to me, pondering something, placing a hand on her cheek thoughtfully, "Or she's convinced herself that you're the one that couldn't possibly love her back..."

That would explain why she'd say that, but... That just puts me back to the question: How could she possibly think that's actually how I feel?

"So..." I watched Claire curiously, "What would I do to convince her that I really love her? I mean..." I felt my face getting warmer. There was something about casually mentioning that I loved Jill that just made me feel awkward. "Or convince her to accept her feelings..." I made a face, looking at Claire doubtfully, "Do you think she could really love me back already?"

Claire laughed and placed her hands on her hips in mock frustration, "Well, I can't be sure of anything like that when I don't even know who she is, now can I?"

I looked away.

Claire laughed again, "I'm mostly kidding." She whirled back around, picking up her rucksack and placing the brush inside the rucksack. "I can't say for sure," Claire said, "But I'm fairly certain that I'm right. If what you're telling me is true, she loves you."

Jill loves me..?

Claire seemed to know what she was talking about, despite being as aloof as she was. For some reason, I found myself believing her. If she was right, Jill was in love with me. My face got warm and I looked down at Claire. I searched her deep blue eyes for the answers, "So, how do I get her to accept that she loves me and I love her?"

Claire shrugged. She was facing the other way, heading out of the barn. "That answer has to come from you."

I watched her walk away with a look of confusion. I stood like a statue, surprised by her words. As though I were actually trying to decipher some cryptic meaning to her last response. I shook myself awake from my thoughts. "Wait, Claire," I jogged after her, "Does that mean you're not going to help?"

Claire laughed, dumping the contents from her basket into the shipping bin. "I'll help you do whatever you plan on doing, once you come up with it," she replied, "But you should be the one that comes up with what to do to convince her."

I sighed, "Claire, I don't know what to do; I really don't..."

Claire shrugged. She sat on her shipping bin, looking at me curiously, "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know," I replied.

"Yes, you do," Claire grinned.

I let out another huff and folded my arms. I was probably pouting like a little kid, or something, because Claire laughed. She folded her arms across her chest and stared back at me expectantly. I rolled my eyes in response. I took in a breath and reluctantly stated, "I want to tell her how I feel... Something about that confession after she told me to leave didn't feel quite right, like it was missing something..."

Claire tilted her head to the side. Her eyes inspected my face curiously, looking for something. She urged me to continue speaking, "What was it missing?"

"Curry."

"Curry?"

Curry... Curry?! Again with the curry?? Really?! Is that really all I can think? CURRY?!

Claire looked at me, genuinely confused.

I slowly nodded my head, "Yeah, curry..." I let out a heavy breath and explained, "I'd been planning to tell her that I loved her by cooking my feelings and serving them up on a silver platter." Wow, that sounds even more dumb than it did in my mind.

"So... You were going to make her eat your feelings...?" Claire asked, looking rather stupefied.

My eyes widened with surprise. Yes, that's exactly it. How would you know that? I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling stupid. "Yeah, I know it sounds dumb."

Claire shrugged, "I think it's a good idea."

That just confirms the absurdity of the idea.

"Sure," I nodded, "Even if it is, I can't get the curry to come out quite right. I'm not sure I'll ever actually get it quite right. And it's not like I have the money to cook all the time."

"Well, I could help you make the perfect curry," Claire offered, "Jack and I just got a kitchen. Anything you don't think is perfect, I'll serve to Jack."

"Does Jack always get the rejects of your fruits of labor...?" I asked.

Claire laughed, "Pretty much."

"You're such a kind sister," I remarked.

Claire laughed again. "Well, come on! Let's go!" Claire grabbed me by the hand and started pulling me along.

"Go where?" I gave her a confused look.

"Let's work on that curry," Claire declared, pulling me into her house.

"Right now?" I asked. This girl obviously had too much time on her hands.

"Do you have anything better to do?" Claire countered. She led me to the kitchen.

Definitely too much time on her hands...

"I guess not," I said slowly, "This just seems kind of sudden..."

Claire released my hand and spread her arms out. "Tadaa!" Claire stood in the kitchen proudly. She planted her hands on her hips and declared proudly, "This is our new kitchen! This is where we're going to make your perfect curry. Now..." Claire wandered past me and over to the refrigerator. She fumbled through the ingredients for about thirty seconds before she poked her head out from behind the door, "What ingredients will we need to make curry?"

"You don't know?!" I cried. How clueless are you?!

Claire shook her head, "There are very few things that I know how to make. Why?"

"Oh, good Goddess..." I shook me head. And here I thought Claire would be the one helping me perfect my curry... This is going to be a long day... I sighed and smiled faintly at the silly farmer. "Okay... You're going to need rice and curry," I started, walking over to her, "Do you have a pot?"

"Yes!" Claire exclaimed, "We just got one last week!" She scurried back over to the kitchen with her arms full of rice and curry.

I followed her slowly. "Claire, I don't think we'll need that much..."

"Don't be ridiculous," Claire replied, "We'll need all of these if we're going to spend the day making curry!"

My eyes widened slightly. A very long day, indeed...