' hehe, he looks more handsome when he's mad.' She closed the door and chuckled then regained her nonchalant expression while walking toward her room.
********
" Clara, wake up." Maya shook her friend excitedly after removing the headphone from her ears.
" Urgh, what is it?" Clara groaned and shoved her hands away. " Leave me alone!" She snapped after some seconds and opened her eyes as her friend kept shaking her.
" We've arrived Clara, see..." Maya pointed outside the window and Clara's eyes brightened instantly. " Really?!" She squealed and quickly stood up then joined her friend who had started retrieving the luggages.
They squeezed out of the crowd and excitedly got out of the folding door, and both sighed happily as the orange sun dazzled on their faces and the late afternoon breeze blew past them.
" Where do you want to go first?" Clara asked after a while as they hailed a cab.
" Hehe, your house of course," Maya replied nonchalantly and helped the cabman load the three luggage inside the trunk. It would be a miracle if she went home now and found her father.
" Mmm okay... let's go," Clara said with a nod and they both entered the cab and showed the man the route to her house.
Several minutes later, they arrived at Clara's home and were welcomed by joyful chatter of the little crowd that had gathered up in front of her house.
Mira groaned and turned to her friend " Clara! Did your mother tell them we're coming back. quick let's follow the backyard, " Mira whispered and quickly grabbed her hand.
Clara also glanced at the crowd warily and followed her friend's advice. Her mother must have spilled it to their neighbors that she was coming back. They were fortunate it was nighttime already and the flickering street lamps were a stroke of additional luck.
" There they are!"
They instantly halted from the voice as they were tiptoeing then a very bright torchlight was flashed toward them. ' Oh no.'
Their eyes widened as the crowd speeded toward them.
" Clara, Maya It's so good to see you back." A fat lady suddenly lady engulfed them in a tight hug and both girls gasped for breath.
" Wow, my babies are looking so gorgeous."
" Maya, I love your hairdo... can you teach me how to do it please?."
" What did you bring back from the city, I heard you got promoted, Clara."
" Yes yes, and Maya, did you also got transferred to city X."
They both struggled out of the crowd while panting heavily and Clara glanced around for her mother and little sister.
" The heck, where's my hairpin Argh!" Maya groaned as she ran inside the house with Clara while making sure to lock the tiny fence.
" Mum, Dad... We're home!" Clara shouted excitedly and ran toward the kitchen where a delightful aroma was coming from.
" Careful dear. " her mother chuckled as she suddenly hugged her from the back. then she put down the knife and hugged her back.
" I missed you so much, mum., Clara whispered as her eyes tinged with tears.
" Now don't cry, I missed you too." Her mother patted her back with a soft smile.
They released each other from the hug after a while and Clara sniffed." Where is Daddy__" she had not finished her sentence when the door to the backyard suddenly opened and a man who looked in his forties entered.
She ran forward and hugged the man who was smiling widely. " Daddy," she screamed happily as the muscular man picked her from the ground.
" How was the trip? " he put her down with a chuckle. Then he walked toward his wife who was now serving the dishes.
" hehe, it was tiring Dad... Where's Lily?" she asked and excitedly glanced around.
" Oh, here she is." Maya came inside with a petite-looking girl who looked a lot like their mother and had large glasses on. " she couldn't take her head out of the book, I had to help her, " she added nonchalantly then hugged the older couple.
" Big Sis, " Lily said softly and hugged Clara.
" Hehe, can't stop studying huh?" Clara chuckled and hugged her back. " are you sick again." she frowned and looked down at her body which was looking frail than before.
" Just a little bit, Big Sis, don't worry." she smiled softly and Clara sighed.
" You need to rest Lily, let's go back inside. and don't you dare open those books, isn't exams over already?" Maya scolded and pulled her back to the bedroom again.
" Mum, Dad... since when did she fall sick." Clara turned to the couple worriedly and started helping them arrange the plates on the table.
" Don't worry dear, it's the usual sickness. We have taken her to the clinic. she would be fine in a few days, " her Dad replied calmly while her mother nodded and also sighed.
" Now go back inside and change your clothes dear, then come out for dinner when the food's done." Her mother smiled and shoed her out of the kitchen.
" Okay, Mum." Clara nodded and left the kitchen after hugging them again and the couple sighed happily as they stared at her back.
_____
" Don't touch that Maya!" Clara came inside the room and ran toward her friend who was shuffled through her luggage then snatched the jewelry box from her hands.
" Come on Clara, isn't it the one you got from Carl... gimme let me take a look," Maya whined and struggled to snatch the box from her.
" Big Sis, who is Carl?" Lily asked softly from the other bed as she silently watched them squabble.
' Huh?' They both halted and stared at each other for a second then Maya sighed while Clara continued unpacking the luggages.
" He's Clara's friend from work, now rest Lily... we'll wake you up when dinner's ready." she chuckled and joined Clara who was putting her clothes inside the wardrobe.
Lily nodded and her gaze lingered on her sister who was busily unpacking the luggage. She stared at her for a long time then sighed and removed her glasses before standing up and walked inside the bathroom.