Clementine had become a wild child. Born in America but raised abroad, she now had little regard for the expectations of high society. But her reckless ways eventually catch up with her when she is kicked out of college in New York City and forced t...
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It didn't really hit her, the life that she chose, until she woke up that next morning beside Zico and reflected on the last 24 hours. Yes, maybe she chose this way before. Maybe she made this choice, subconsciously when she first saw him. When she was first hit by the cosmic vision of what they were and what they could become.
A part of her was scared, another was excited to take this step. Make a choice. Finally, making a choice.
"Mmm, good morning," he said to her, already sitting up in bed, seeing that she was stirring away.'
"Good morning," Clementine said through her sleepy haziness, smiling like a cat in the sun.
He gave her a sweet, short kiss before she could even register it, and then he was up on his feet.
"I wish I could stay, but there's one last thing I have to do before we can be together, today," Zico was gathering his things around the small room.
Clementine leaned up one her elbows. "A job?" She asked plainly.
"You could call it that," Zico replied hesitantly.
Clementine exhaled a long gust of air, blowing the hair from her face.
After watching him for a few moments, she finally said "ok," in a resigned manner, also understanding that she would have to get used to this now. She chose this.
"I'll be back soon, I promise," gathering his bag, he came over to Clementine still in bed and gave her another quick kiss. He then paused, looking at her, "unless you don't want me to go," he said, but Clementine felt it was some sort of test.
"No, go," Clementine was going to be cool about this. "Actually, I better go home, my parent's house," she corrected herself, "and get some things."
"Okay, great. Then I'll meet you back here, sooner than you think. Promise," now he was in a hurry and putting his shoes on.
"Bye," she had a chance to say but he was already out the door. And as the door slammed, a sort of terror grasped Clementine out of nowhere and she had no idea where it was coming from.
She couldn't't explain this feeling, but she hated it.
Quickly getting out of bed, determined to be busy and not wallow in self doubt, she looked around a little lost. It was strange to be left alone in his apartment. Their apartment, she reminded herself but she couldn't quite get used to it.
As she made herself a quick cup of coffee, she wished Zico would have stayed longer. She checks the clock, it wasn't even noon yet and she had no idea what could be so urgent that early on a Sunday.
Well, she had some idea but she didn't want to admit to it.
What she also didn't want to admit was how slightly strange he behaved. It gave her a feeling akin to somebody being in a rush, to go and fix a mistake. Like a flat tire, or turning off the hot iron.
When she herself finally left the apartment, walking with her head down to the nearest bus station, she wondered what her life would be like without him...In the sense that she had no idea what kind of decisions she would make. If she completely discounted him...she wouldn't't have worried about going to that party or being in that place at that time because he would probably be there. She wondered, if by trying to corner him, she cornered herself.
She wrestled with herself. Even though she without a doubt loved Zico, and wanted him, there was still a tiny part of her that was engrained in her by her family, her upbringing; a part she couldn't't get rid of. Just like he probably had the same own the other end of the spectrum. And she wondered if she may have made mistake. If the risks outweighed the benefits of this love.
But she also knew that being pragmatic in maters of the heart, in love, was a fool's errand. So she brushed it aside, waiting at the bus stop, she waited for a long time, much longer than she usually would have because she wasn't looking forward to having to face the expectations of her at home. And when 2nd bus finally did come, she even took her time entering it. She didn't even begin to think how she would break the news to her parents.
She pondered several scenarios, but she didn't need to prepare for any of them. Because, finally, as she was walking up to the house some 2 hours later, her mother was already running out onto the front porch.
"Clementien! Graças a Deus, something has happened," and before Clementine had a chance to react, she was ushered into the house by her mother. The house filled by Ernesto, Laticia and the family lawyer.
