I never know why. I only know who. (AU)

Chapter 5

It didn't shock John one bit when Clara texted him at five in the morning, asking him to skip school with her tomorrow.

She sent him her address so he could come to hers, and instead of getting the bus to school, he hid around a corner until it had gone and then walked in the opposite direction to Clara's house. He was slightly thankful that she only lived half a mile away, as no buses would take him until he ditched the uniform and if his Mum saw him before then, he would be in huge trouble.

As awful as it sounded, he wasn't too shocked to find that Clara lived in a much larger house than he did and on a much nicer estate.

It was simply the way she reacted around people and the way she had spoken of her family. It sounded like his, but he guessed from a better background. He didn't see problems with living in a smaller house.

He walked up to the wooden door and tapped the knocker three times. He didn't feel quite comfortable outside, in case anyone on the street was eyeing the uniform he needed to change out of. He had brought spare clothes, but hadn't yet had a chance to change.

It took Clara less than ten seconds to answer the door and she seemed to look a lot happier once she saw him there. She stepped aside, allowing him entrance, as she allowed him into her house.

She had quite a big entrance hall and John looked around in wonder, but didn't dwell on it too much. He was here to comfort Clara. Simply from the way she looked, John guessed that she had told her Dad she was ill and he probably hadn't even questioned it in his state either.

She was still wearing her white onesie and her hair was flowing loose on her shoulders. "Sorry about this." Clara mumbled, smiling at him for his favour.

"It's my pleasure." John replied sweetly, holding out his arms for her to fall into a hug. His school bag, which was actually filled with spare clothes, hung off his shoulder painfully, but he didn't care. Clara rested her head in his chest for a short while before standing up straight once again and nodding towards her stairs.

She led the way as she took the stairs by two. They went to the second room along the corridor and Clara ran straight onto her bed, sitting down cross-legged, patting the space beside her.

John shut her bedroom door behind him, sitting next to her slowly. He smiled at her and she smiled back, the awkward tension in the air rising.

She looked happier than the day before, but that didn't mean she was actually happier. It was clear she had cried some more all night and if not that morning already. But having John there seemed to make her happy.

John shrugged in his itchy blazer and Clara stroked the shoulder of it gently. "Do you have any spare clothes?" She asked gently, looking around.

"Yeah." He mumbled, pointing his head towards his rucksack. Clara smiled at him shortly.

"Um, I'll just leave the room a minute if you want to change...?" She suggested, standing up to give him some privacy.

"You don't have to if you..." John protested, but she had already shut the door. He felt awkward changing in her room, but it gave him a moment to look around. She had a double bed in the centre of the room that kept everything looking neat. Around, she had a wardrobe and some drawers, also a desk with a chair next to it and some other stuff around.

At first sight the room looked very tidy, but John could tell from his small peep under the bed that she had thrown everything randomly into drawers before he arrived.

He quickly changed into his jeans, shirt and hoodie. He had do admit that he felt a bit gangster-like in them, but they were comfortable to wear.

Clara knocked once to check it was okay to enter, waiting patiently outside. John walked to open the door and she smiled upon seeing his appearance.