CAUGHT

THIRTY ONE

Halfway across the stoned pathway, the door opened, and out came running with her hair held in a high puff, arms stretched out wide for a hug was Stella.

Clarina quickly registered her soft familiar features and spread out her arms, bending to her height and embracing her in a warm hug. Lifted her off the ground then put her down. Clar noted the child's added weight.

"Clar you came back! Daddy told me you left to sort things out but now you're back. You won't leave again, will you? I missed you. You never visited me and I thought you had forgotten me, but you didn't, or did you.."

Stella glared accusingly, putting a pause to her fast-escaping words. Clarina would have smiled at how adorable her young cousin looked but she didn't. The anticipation for her answer and the trace of hurt in Stella's brown eyes tagged at Clarina's heart. She didn't think her distancing would affect anyone, let alone her dear sweet Stella.

"I never forgot about you Stella. How could I ?"

Stella narrowed her eyes at Clarina and in just a second, she was forgiven and received a tight hug from Stella who released her neck after her father told her to let go.

Clarina stood up and received a hug from her uncle.

"We missed you Clarina." Her uncle Eli released her with a smile and her mother's face flashed  through her mind as she returned his smile. She missed them all as well.

Clarina turned and found Ben sharing a greeting with Antonio. Stella joyfully joined in and was lifted up by Antonio while her uncle greeted him.

Gradually, they all entered her childhood home.

"It's just you guys and nana?"

Clarina asked Ben after greeting her nana and leaving Antonio to talk to her, they both appeared to have a lot to say to each other her nana was excited to see him again. Ben explained a few of their other cousins who were currently staying with nana had gone out and would be back in the evening.

Later , her nana  made them all eat her delicious cooking then sent the both of them up to Clarina's room with a giant grin on her face.

"Isn't she happy for us baby?"

Clarina sported the smirk on Antonio's face as they climbed the stairs and said nothing. She turned to her right once on top and stopped in front of her bedroom door, she avoided glancing across the hall where her parent's bedroom used to be.

She placed her hand on the handle and exhaled before opening it. Taking in the sight of her bedroom, everything was just as she had left it. The white pillows and covers on her king-sized bed that her mother had insisted she leaves on. Clarina usually placed dark colors so her mother pointed out how sad it was her present was never used, they were a white bedsheet set with a few pillowcases in flower print.

So Clarina put them on, for her mother, before she had left to complete the few weeks left in her last semester.

She closed the door after Antonio entered then glanced around her room as she walked to her bed. Everything was as she had left it. She slowly sat on her bed, her palms feeling the soft cover's material, and smiled as she placed her head down. She traced a tiny scent of her mother's floral perfume.

" you danced."

She turned and lay on her back, observing.. Antonio turned to face her sideways. He had cut his stubble off completely showcasing his smooth and sharp jawline, his hair always neat and trimmed sexy. Antonio was hard not to check out.

Clarina sat up and removed her open sandals before folding her legs on the bed.

"I used to."

She answered as she glanced at the wall where a few of her achievements were placed, above the DIY shelf her father had made for her books and novels, both non and academic.