" Let's eat." He opened the food box which was on the table and took out the flask and spoon.
Clara's eyes lighten up as a hand was splayed on her grumbling stomach and she quickly gobbled the food which he fed her.
Carl chuckled and fed her continuously as she devoured the food hurriedly while his small smile slowly turned to a frown.
" Clara!?" He sighed helplessly as he looked between her and the little food that remained in the big flask.
" Huh? what is it?" Clara stared at him innocently then she uncapped the plastic bottle and gulped down the water.
Carl looked at the empty bottle and sighed again. Didn't she eat in the morning?
He shook his head and Clara watched as he slowly ate the remaining food in the flask.
" Carl..., are you sick, " she asked softly after he had finished eating.
Carl smiled at her then shook his head. " No, I'm not, " he replied and she sighed inside.
But the medicines she saw inside the box. She frowned and was about to say something when he added.
" I'll go back tomorrow, " he said softly and watched as her expression turned gloomy.
" O..Okay, I guess I'll see you next week then..." Clara nodded slowly and looked down. She knew he had a lot of work to do and couldn't afford to see him slack off. She sighed inside then heard him chuckle.
Carl gazed at her then smirked and retrieved his phone from his pocket then tapped into it. " Forgotten this?" He showed her the screen and her eyes instantly widened at the sight of the email.
' Oh no,' It was her resignation letter. She bit her lips and slowly looked up at him. " Carl..., My love..., sweetheart..., darling..., can you please pretend you didn't see it, " she said softly and wrapped her hands around his neck while batting her eyelashes.
" please delete It, love, " she cooed and smiled sweetly at him. ' Hehe.' It feels good to put her friend's advice into practice.
Carl's eyes widened slightly then gulped while watching her dumbfoundedly and felt his heartbeat accelerate. Didn't she realize what she was doing?
" Ahh," Clara yelped as he suddenly flipped her, now towering over her with her back laying on the couch. " C..Carl, w..what are you d..doing," she stammered with dilated pupils as her heart thumped rapidly and watched as his eyes slowly turned dark.
Carl sighed heavily as he tried to catch his rapid breath. He stared down at the girl who was staring back at him with her large expressive eyes and he groaned inside.' This silly girl.'
Clara's heartbeat slows down and she sighed in relief as she watched him stood up and walked toward his suitcase.
She sat down then her eyes darted to the window and it instantly widened again. For how long had she slept?
She stared at the sky which was slowly turning red through the curtain and placed a hand on her chest. " Carl, why didn't you wake me earlier?" She jerked up and turned to the guy who was now sitting on the bed with something in his hand.
Carl chuckled and gestured her to come forward and she pouted her lips then walked toward him and sat down. Now, she's going to receive a real scolding from her parents. they would have already found out that Maya was sick in the clinic.
" Here." Carl handed her the box with a small smile and stroked her hair. " Don't open it now, " he added as her eyes brightened and were about to unwrap the box.
" Oh. okay." Clara nodded and paused for a second. ' wait, these words sound familiar.' She suddenly remembered Derek's gift and chuckled.
Carl frowned slightly then asked " What is it?" and she shook her head then looked up at him with gloomy eyes.
" I'll miss you, Carl," she muttered softly and hugged him.
Carl chuckled and patted her head which was placed against his chest. " I'll miss you too." He sighed contentedly then looked down at her and said after a while. " We can go back together you know."
Clara looked up and slowly shook her head with a sigh. She wished she could follow him back, but also wants to spend more time with her parents.
Carl smiled and stroked her hair. " It's okay, you can go back anytime you want, " he said softly and sighed inside as his thoughts drifted again to what her sister had told him.
" Alright." Clara nodded slowly and they hugged each other for some time, before patting away.
" I want to meet your parents before I go, " he said after a while and Clara looked up with a gasp.
' Oh no, this was bad timing.' Her grandmother might already be in the house. She sighed inside and hugged his arm. " I'm sorry..., maybe next time."
Carl nodded in understanding and chuckled. " It's alright, I'll see them next time then." He stroked her hair slowly and she slowly nodded with a smile
.
********
__ Two Days Later __
__ City H __
Jack was sitting in front of his mother who had been whining ever since he got back. He sighed for the umpteenth time and held her hands.
" Mum, it's alright... It was just a dream, " he said softly and glanced toward his father helplessly, who also sighed.
" Son, Jeffrey and his wife were so mad son. They said I killed their daughter. They were very angry that I failed to protect her. It was all my fault. It was my fault..." She sobbed and held tightly to her son's collar who was hugging her tightly.
" It's alright Lisa, stop crying." The man stood up from the couch and walked toward the hospital's bed where she was laying on.
His wife had been traumatized after that incident which was why they also left city M so she could forget those memories but it didn't help much as she would sometimes fall sick, after dreaming of her dead brother and his wife. And the doctor feared that she might develop mental illness.