Part 4

Mam, excuse me" 

"Mam.." 

Claire lazily opened her eyes and looked towards the owner of the voice. She saw an unfamiliar face. 

She looked at her from head to toe, she was wearing a light blue coloured uniform and looking at her intently. 

So, she is one of the air hostages. 

Claire realized she has been sleeping and that girl has ruined her lovely sleep. 

Why is everyone behind my sleep??

"Hello Mam, what would you like to have??" She asked Claire, giving her a small smile. 

Claire just wanted her to leave soon, so she can again get back to her sleep. It must have some more hours for the flight to reach Italy. She was going to deny it but her stomach grumbled saying something else. 

She smiled shyly at the girl standing in front of her and looked down embarrassingly. She sat straightened. 

"Mam your order.." she asked again politely. 

"Umm.. just a sandwich and Apple juice" she replied. 

"Are you sure?" She eyed her. 

So she heard that...wow 

"yeah...Thank you " Claire said sweetly and the air hostage left nodding to her. 

Claire leaned more into her seat comfortably and looked outside the window. Luckily she got the window seat, all because of her brother's effort. 

She smiled thinking about his stunt, he pulled on her by trying to scare her that night. Well, he got successful in his prank obviously. She remembers how she was going to hit him with an iron rod assuming him to be some thief but he yelled and caught her hand on time. 

After that it took a great time for him to manofy her during her crying session. 

But she got something beneficial in that also. As compensation Ken helped her to take the permission from their parents to allow her to attend Grace's wedding. 

Of course, initially, her mother denied but then she agreed seeing her excitement. 

She was very happy and excited to attend her wedding. 

Soon her flight landed on the land of Italy, stepping over a bustling airport, she came out with her luggage, and breathed in the air of Italy. She had been here once before, to spend her vacations with Grace.

She was looking for Grace, who was supposed to come to receive her. 

After 10 minutes, she was still standing there waiting for her but no one was there. She must be busy in her preparation. She thought to ask her where she is??? 

She took out her cell from her pocket, and was calling her number when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to find a very handsome man standing in front of her. 

"Claire.." He asked her, as he was getting dialling

Claire stopped dialing the number, simply nodded to him wondering how he knew her name. He seems to be familiar to her.

He smiled after her nodding, as he knows her too.

Before she could ask him further, he spoke out. 

"I'm Jason, remember" He said, widening her eyes. He is Jason, Grace's brother and her childhood crush also. 

Yes, Claire had had a crush on him when she last saw him with Grace that time they were just 15. They came to spend their vacations then she met her friend's brother and got an instant little girly crush toward him. his handsome face. 

"Claire..Are you fine??" He asked in concern as she was being zones out. 

Claire looked around and mentally scolded herself to behave normally. 

"Grace..She was going to come, why are you here??" she asked slowly. 

"She was coming but she had to go to choose her rings at the last moment. So she asked me to come here, but I think you didn't seem to be happy finding me here" He said with a disappointing expression. 

"No it's not like that, you must have been very busy that's why you didn't need to waste your time" She replied immediately feeling bad about her last comment. 

"I wanted to come Claire," He said, looking directly into her eyes. She felt butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't hold his intense gaze, she looked down hiding her blush. 

"Shall we go??" He said, she looked up and nodded. 

He took her luggage before she could grab it. 

"Let me do this," He said like a gentleman. 

She didn't reply, they walked towards his car parked at some distance. She was looking at him from the corner of her eye. 

She noticed his broad shoulders with a muscled body. He has changed a lot from their last meeting. He has become more smart and dashing. In his blue jacket coat with tee and black trousers, his personality has enough power to attract anyone. 

Claire suddenly felt conscious about her looks. She was wearing an orange coloured top with blue jeans, black leather boots. This is not how she has planned to meet him, if ever she got this chance. Grace should have told her about him. 

He placed her luggage into his car and opened the door for her. She slipped inside murmuring a soft ThankYou.

He too got settled beside her in the driver seat, and they pulled out of the airport. 

He asked her some normal questions, and she replied to them. Basically he was trying to make some conversation with her during the drive, which she also liked somewhere.

....

"Claire.." 

She heard someone screaming her name, it didn't take her time to recognise the person. She smiled brightly seeing her friend running to her. And soon she was engulfed by her in a tight hug.

"ThankYou so much Claire for coming," Grace yelled in excitement of meeting her.

They laughed loudly and felt heavenly meeting each other. Her parents also welcomed her whole heartedly. They were busy talking when Jason's cell rang. He excused himself from them. 

His expression changed after hearing something on the call but covered it up soon.

Three days drowned in horizon, in wedding's preparations. Claire helped her in everything. They spend a lot of good time with each other after a long time. 

Between these days, she didn't get a lot to see Jason, just a bit of exchange of smiles and a few eye locks. 

....

This is the time of Grace's wedding reception. She and Noah got married in the morning and now it's time for their reception. She was looking so pretty walking to him.

Claire can feel her happiness in her smile, and when she blushed under the gaze of Noah during their kiss. They looked so happy.

Everything was so perfect.

In her heart, Claire imagined herself with her future Prince.

She smiled at her silly thoughts.

A media person asked Grace for a family picture. Miller's daughter's wedding is going to be tomorrow's highlight. 

They looked around but Jason and his father were missing from there. Claire went to call them, as their other members were waiting for them.

She found them at the corner, and she walked towards them.

"Jason we need to be more careful from now on, you know what he can do if..." 

Claire heard them and stopped.

Jason's father Andrew stopped saying when he found her coming to them. 

Worry was clearly visible on their faces. Jason tried to smile looking at her nervously, what if she would have heard them.

But Claire gave them a smile and informed them that everyone was waiting for them.

They both got relaxed and nodded.

She wanted to ask but then shrugged her thoughts, saying it's their personal matter.

......

Later at the party, Grace and Noah left for their honeymoon happily. Everything completed on a happy note. 

Now she was going back to her home, Jason insisted her to drop her till the airport. First she denied but she had to get agreed as his parents were also saying. She couldn't say no to them. They were very sweet to her. 

They were on the way to the airport. It was a late night flight. There was too much silence as they drove through the outskirts of the city. 

After a good 20 minutes, the car suddenly jerked a few times, made some weird noises, slowed down and stopped dead at the side of the road. 

Claire furrowed her eyebrows in confusion when Jason punched the steering wheel and cursed dangerously, which Claire doesn't like. 

Jason opened the car door, and hopped out going around and he saw the flat tire. 

Claire followed him and stood in a state of little shock. 

“what happened?” She watched him glaring at the car and getting much more tense. 

“Now what will we do?” she asked, watching the flat tire. 

Without replying to her, Jason called someone to arrange another car. He knew that place was not safe. 

He turned to her and informed it'll take half an hour for another car to come. 

Claire looked around, it was all silent. Jason saw her tensed expression, he strikes the conversation to erase the tension.

" I hope you enjoyed everything” 

Her chain of thoughts got broken by Jason’s voice. She turned to him and nodded. 

“yes..I enjoyed it a lot. I'm very happy for Grace. She got her love in Noah.” Claire said, looking straight at the car. 

She had been watching them passing those dreamy looks and meaningful smiles.

“What qualities do you want in your life partner??” she turned to him, on his sudden question. She was not expecting this. 

“Not so much, just he should be a good human being, a gentleman who loves me and respects me also,” She replied. 

She never wished for some Prince charming, she wanted a simple man who will love her the way her dad loves her mom. They are an idol couple for her. 

“I respect you Claire” his words made her snapped to him alarmed. 

He took some steps towards her and stood in front of her. They were looking at each other. 

“Umm Jason.. what..” before she could complete her sentence Jason held her hand on her. She looked down to their hands and then in his eyes. His eyes were looking like he was trying to say something. 

“Claire, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever met” he said, making her blush. 

“I wanted to say this for a very long time but I couldn't as we live so far,  But now I don't want to delay it more,...” his eyes were showing a different and a strong emotion. 

He wanted her to know what he feels for her. 

Her heart was beating fast. Maybe she knows what is coming next. 

But Is she ready for this?? 

He came near her and cupped her right cheek with his palm. She felt strange in the proximity they were standing. 

He took a long breath before saying. She closed her eyes, not knowing how to react. 

“Claire, I love.....” 

She was waiting for him to complete his sentence but it didn't happen. 

She felt his hold getting loose on her hand, she opened her eyes in confusion. She found him taking Some steps and the next moment he was lying on the land with a pool of blood coming out of his head. 

Her eyes widened seeing that amount of blood. 

“Jason..” she screamed, her heart pounding. She steps towards him but her body froze on seeing some men coming towards them, their faces were covered and they had guns in their hands. 

She wanted to run, she wanted to yell for help but nothing came out from her throat. And the next moment she felt a sharp pain in her head, with everything black out. 

..