Paper Birds

Chapter Twelve ; Finally Connected

I answered the phone and braced for the worst; yelling, screaming, cursing, the usual pain. Instead I answered to.. was that crying? 

"Clarissa, please, please tell me that it's you and not some answering machine."

I almost didn't eve recognize his voice. It was shaky and weak, and it sounded like he had been crying for a long time. Jonah isn't one to cry like that, really the only one in our family who cries more than three or four times a year is Lucas. Yet that might've passed. I wouldn't know; he's been at college for so long.

I answered back quietly, "Yes, it's me. Jonah, calm down, okay? It's gonna be okay."

"I've been looking everywhere in the city for you. I thought you were gone for good. And then.. the shooting.. Clairedy.. I thought you were.."

"Dead."

I finished his sentence. He and Big D used to be friends, before he got into drugs. Jonah knows all about him and how we actually used to be friends, too. Now we're simply gambling 'partners', per say, though after last night I don't plan on ever seeing him again. I hope to God Jonah doesn't know that I gamble with him, though.

I heard a low whimper on the other end. "Jonah! Stop! I'm fine! Yeah, he was shooting at me. Yeah, he chased us. He-"

"Us?"

"L-Louis and I. He came in from, like, nowhere and saved my life."

I bit my lip. I hadn't realized until now that I owed my life to him. I didn't realize until now that I had broken his heart into a million pieces. But he wasn't showing it, so maybe I didn't.. Maybe 'us' was just a fling.

"Well, are you okay now? Broken bones, anything? Is he okay?"

I glanced at Louis, who was looking at me in concern. He seemed fine. I figured his ribcage was only bruised. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a couple of scrapes. He's okay, too. Nothing big."

Jonah sighed in relief. "So, are you two.."

"No."

I answered a little too quickly for that one. I took a deep breath, "No, we're just friends now." Though really wished we weren't. He really had something special, something that I loved about him. But good things always come to and end, I guess. I felt my gaze move to Harry, in spite of myself. I caught him staring at me and he quickly looked away, cheeks flushing. Zayn seemed to notice and chuckled quietly. I shot him a look and he stopped. I have that effect on people.

"Oh. Okay."

Jonah seemed to calm down a lot. "Robbie wanted me to call the police, but.. I didn't."

I furrowed my brow. "Why?" Usually Robbie would force Jonah to call the police or do it himself, and Jonah would obey.

"Because I know you have a, uh, problem."

I'm screwed.

"Oh."

"Why did you not tell me?"

I bit my lip. "I didn't know if you would understand or not.."

"Me? I'm Jonah. Your good brother." 

I laughed just a long black limo pulled up to the sidewalk. Almost immediately paparazzi started to follow, snapping a billion photos and nearly blinding me. "Gotta go, Jonah, bye."

"Wait! Claire, come home-"

I hung up, scrambling to climb into the limo and took a seat on the right side next to Niall. He flashed me a grin. "Long time no see."