Clementine found herself both looking forward to and dreading the get together at Anastasia's house. On the one hand, she would be there with Johnny, which would be really fun, and she was going to give Anastasia her jacket as well. On the other hand, Hy would probably be there, which would complicate things considerably. Should they tell her before, and possibly wreck the whole games night that was shaping up? Or should they tell her after and just stretch the lie out even longer? She was in a complete dither by the time the day actually rolled around. She hadn't seen John or Hy at all, though of course she spoke to them often.

She rolled out of bed and into the shower, wondering if a person could actually die of nerves and excitement.

Clementine pondered as she made her way to class. Should she ask Kimmy's advice? She knew, though, that Kim would just tell her to tell her sister ASAP, as would Alan. Alan was getting stomach aches on her behalf, even.

No, better not to ask their advice.

The jacket for Anastasia was finished and sitting in a bag, all ready for her to take on Friday. It had turned out even cuter and more whimsical than the one Clem had made for herself, probably because it was in pinks and magentas.

Clementine hurried into class and sat, trying to put her personal issues out of her head and just concentrate on what the professor said. However, this was next to impossible, as memories of Johnny kept popping into her head and taking her completely away from the dull words of her teacher.

She could see John imprinted on the insides of her eyelids, it seemed like, hovering over her, eyes closed with the intensity of what he was feeling. Clementine wrenched her thoughts away from him just in time to hear Professor Marks say, "This was the beginning of the end of this era."

What era?

Clementine had no clue.

Johnny had broad shoulders for such a thin guy, she mused. She remembered grabbing on to them and feeling them move and flex beneath her hands.

God, so hot.

She shifted in her seat, uncrossing and recrossing her legs the other way, and she was shocked to feel a pleasant little shiver go down her spine.

Oh my god.

She was hot, she was getting turned on just remembering her night with Johnny! The room around her faded away as she gave in to her memories, of the feelings of being swept away by him, Johnny of the golden eyes and skin, of the large hands that felt so good on her body.

She came back to herself when she heard Professor Marks say, "That's it for today, and don't forget I'll have my regular office hours starting next week."

Clem tried to put a neutral look on her face as she packed up her things. Now she had to go home and "get ready," though that was rather a grandiose phrase for what she had in mind. All she had to do was shower again and get dressed. She didn't really wear a lot of make up, didn't see the point. She'd never look like Hy.

But Johnny liked the way she looked, didn't he? Clementine looked at herself as she got out of the shower, clad in only a towel. She saw a rather large, plain girl, with brown hair and eyes, nothing special to look at. She tried to see herself the way Johnny saw her. What had he said? Eyes like chocolate creams and hair like sable? And he liked her body. A lot, if that other night were any indication.

She perused the contents of her closet, trying to figure out what to wear. Definitely pants and a top, not a dress. She didn't want to look like she was trying too hard or anything. Besides, Hy would probably be in a dress, and she didn't want the comparisons that would inevitably follow if the dress she chose were similar in style to Hy's, or, god forbid, the same color or something.

No, better stick to something safe.

In the end, she chose jeans and a dark blue blouse, as much for comfort as anything else. She added a necklace for a pop of color, and she was ready.

Clementine was going over to Hyacinth's, and Johnny was going to pick up both of them there.

They had decided to just play it cool at Anastasia's, and to have Clem tell Hy that night, after John had dropped them off.

"You'll feel so much better after you've told her," John said encouragingly when they FaceTimed before she left for Hy's. "And so will I, no more of this hole and corner stuff."

"Yeah," Clementine responded uneasily.

John saw the look on her face. "Trust me, darling, you will, your shoulders will feel so much lighter. I can tell how close you two are, and how much it's bothering you to keep a secret from her."

Reluctantly, Clementine nodded. "You're right, I know you're right," she agreed.

"Always," Johnny joked with a laugh, showing his gorgeous smile. "See you in a bit. Love you."

Clementine couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong, all the way to her sister's house.

"Clemmy!" Hyacinth crowed when Clem let herself in. "God it's been ages since we've seen each other, hasn't it?" Hy was wearing a bright yellow minidress with a red belt and red, high-heeled strappy sandals that really set off her tanned legs.

"At least a week," Clementine agreed, hugging her sister. "Not my fault, though, you've been so busy working, haven't you?"

Hyacinth nodded, smiling. "Though I feel guilty to call something so fun 'work,' you know?"

"Really?" Clementine sat at the table and turned her eyes to her sister, putting her chin in her palms.

Hyacinth nodded. "Working with Johnny is a dream, honestly," she confided. "He's professional, polite, and so easy on the eyes—"

Clementine nodded, hoping she looked more relaxed than she felt.

"Clem, I think he's going to make a move tonight," Hyacinth told her. "Like for real."

"Really?" Clementine said again. "Why do you think so?" Her heart sank at the lambent joy she saw in her sister's eyes.

Hyacinth shrugged. "I'm not sure, just a feeling that after tonight things are going to be different."

She sat at the table next to Clementine. "You should've brought your new guy," Hyacinth chided, nudging Clem's shoulder with her own. "I'm dying to meet him, and I know Johnny'd like to too."

Clementine rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No, he's really shy, like I said, he'd hate this sort of thing."

"Okay, sis, whatever you say." Hy's eyes were bright. "I just feel so good about tonight, I'm really looking forward to it."

They both looked up at the sound of a car in the driveway.

"There he is," Hyacinth said, rising. "Wish me luck, Clem."

It was all Clementine could do to smile at her sister. She took a deep breath to respond, but the doorbell rang, saving her.

"Johnny, hello!" Hyacinth sang out, stepping into his arms for a kiss. "What's it been since we've seen each other, six whole hours?"

"About that," he answered, hugging her back.

He turned to Clem, reaching for her, and she unthinkingly lifted her face for a kiss.

John pulled back, and she turned her head just in time to make it look like a friendly hug.

"And how are you, Miss Clementine?" he joked as he released her. "School's not getting you down too much, I hope?"

Clementine shook her head. "No, all's going well," she responded with a measured smile.

They walked down to his car, and again, without thinking, Clementine reached for the front door handle.

Luckily, Hyacinth was saying something to John, looking at him, and didn't notice.

Clementine quickly stepped to the back door of John's SUV.

"So how'd the jacket turn out?" Hyacinth asked, turning around to look at her sister.

"I think it's really cute," Clem responded, lifting the jacket in question out of the bag so Hy could see.

"Oh, yeah, it's really nice," Hyacinth agreed with a smile. "I think she's going to love it." She turned back to John, who was busy navigating LA's notorious Friday evening traffic. "What do you think her place is like?" she asked.

John shrugged. "I don't know, probably artsy and eclectic, like she is?"

"Clemmy? You've met with her a few times," Hyacinth said, turning back to her sister. "What's she really like? Like, is she nice and unpretentious, or is she a total poser and fraud?"

"Oh, super nice for sure," Clem responded, nodding for emphasis. "Like her work, very refreshing and honest."

"That's what I was thinking, too, darling," John said from the front seat.

"Darling?" Hy repeated, brows drawn together as she stared at John.

"Yeah, you know, like the song," Clementine jumped desperately into the breach. "My darling Clementine?"

And she could tell from how John's eyes looked in the rearview mirror that he had no idea what she was talking about, that he'd never heard the song before.

However, he nodded and grinned. "Exactly, my darling Clementine, like the song."

"Oh." Hyacinth was mollified. "It's just that that's a really old and obscure song, you know?"

"But the old ones are the best, though, aren't they?" John spoke up again.

"He's just being funny," Clementine interjected. "Hey, look, is that Hayden Christensen in that car?" She knew it wasn't, but was desperate to change the subject.

"What? Where?" Hyacinth craned her neck, trying to see into the car in question. "Speed up, Johnny, so we can see, please."

And the subject of John calling her darling was closed, at least for the time being.

Clementine met John's eyes once more in the rearview mirror as Hy continued to try to see Hayden in the other car.

She widened her eyes and raised her eyebrows. That was close.

He looked back at her, eyes serious, and swallowed. Clem could see his Adam's apple bobbing from the side. I know.

They pulled into a North Hollywood cul de sac and John found a place to park his car. It was a nice, tree filled neighborhood, with the sounds of children and dogs filling the evening air.

The threesome got out, and this time Clementine remembered to let Johnny and Hy walk together in front of her. They definitely made a nice couple. They made sense as a couple, not like Clem and John, who seemed mismatched in the extreme.

Anastasia's front door was painted bright red, making it stand out.

Johnny reached out and rang the bell, smiling at the girls as he did.

"You ready?" he asked.

"I think this is going to be so much fun," Hyacinth stated, slipping her arm through Johnny's.