The Russian Fugitive

Cleo and Claire pt. 2

Third Person's POV:

And as they swore from the night before the two young women once again met in the forest behind the manor where they first found each other.

Everyday Claire will wake up earlier than she usually does, she would sneak into the kitchen to fill a picnic basket full of food and will then prance her way to meet Cleo, they would walk for minutes or even an hour if they were too playful to keep walking in peace, nonetheless, it was always a delight to both of them.

This went on for weeks until Claire's father started to notice his daughter's strange disappearance in broad daylight and would come home with her dress stained with mud, but Claire the clever girl that she is would make excuses that surely her father believed, men are gullible creatures after all

But as the saying would have it, the truth will always come out, and so it did. Claire went home a little late than planned so Cleo insisted to accompany her all the way back to the manor she tried to argue convincing her that it would be such a hassle going back and forth at this hour, but Cleo couldn't care less.

They walked and talked and stole glances with accidental touches or so they believed but deep down they both wanted to know how the other would feel against their own body, they both felt it and they know they want it but why does none of them initiate anything, is it wrong to hold hands with a woman, is it wrong to embrace someone dear to you, a friend for that matter, or are they just afraid that one of them would be too comfortable with one another that it will seem inappropriate.

Once they reached the mansion Claire's father was waiting in the foyer gun in his hand standing on guard and ready to shoot

"So this is what you have been doing" he spoke coldly

"Father I-" she started but was cut off

"Sir it wasn't her fault, I insisted on her stay in our home and we didn't notice how much time have passed" Cleo tried to redeem Claire

"And who are you?"

"Cleo Peddleton sir" she bowed with respect

Claire's father steps down to where the girls are and instinctively Claire stepped back and hid behind Cleo, the click-clack of her father's shoes is enough to shake her to the bones and make her whimper like a little dog in the streets in the middle of winter but Cleo was the opposite she stood straight and looked ahead she's been through a lot more than a man holding a gun there's nothing she needs to be afraid of.

Once he is face to face with them she tore Claire away from Cleo forcefully that she stumbled on her feet and fell to the ground he then swung his hand and landed right across Cleo's jaw and she too dropped to the ground, Claire's whimpers and her father's shouts filled her ears but nothing sounds coherent to her right now, she got up took Claire and into the woods they ran

Halfway through when Cleo felt they are far enough, she stopped and hugged Claire tightly, and the young woman sobbed as they slid down the forest floor moments passed and they let go of each other.

Cleo held Claire's tear-stained cheeks in her hands and admired the woman who is yet to stop from weeping, she leaned into her touch and grabbed her wrists with her own hands letting herself be accommodated with the warmth Cleo provides

"If you wish to go back there, this is your chance to run away and if you do may you never forget the memories we made together" Claire touched their foreheads together to ready herself and think whether to go back or stay with Cleo