Lemongrass and Sleep (A Clodagh Story)

We Fell In Love In October

October 10th 2008. My new favorite date.

We didn't tell her parents however after a week I think they figured it out. We weren't beng secretive about it. Holding hands all throughout the house, cuddling in her room, and the occasional kiss on the cheek.

I think this is why they invited me on vacation with them. They were going to the states, specifically, New York. I knew I would have to ask my parent's first. I hoped they would allow me to. I subconsciously knew that they wouldn't let me go but it doesn't hurt to hope.

I wanted Sorscha to come with me but her parents wanted her to help with dishes, so I had to go alone. I couldn't stop messing with the bracelet around my wrist. When I opened the door they were on the couch,my mother with a glss of wine in her hands but a bottle right next to her on the side table. My father however had a can of beer. Pulse about 2 others on the ground, crushed, by his feet.

"Clodagh." My father was obviously drunk but you couldn't hear it in his voce but his body language was strong. He was very relaxed unlike his usual stoic self.

"Hi.. I just came to ask if I could go on vacation with Sorscha's family.. They are going to New York and invited me but the school would need your guy's signatures for me to miss a week of school.." My "parents" looked at eachother but my mother was the one to respond.

"No." She was barely hesitant.

"No?"

"No, you can't go on this vacation. You can stay here for a week. Not like you need to be at that girl's house without her there. Unless they really want you specifically to house sit. Your grades are at an all time low. You have 2 A's. You don't want to let them fall more."

I told her I'd just housesit for them. They both nodded their heads and took swigs of their drinks. My mother a few moments before my father. When I back to my house, I told Sorscha and her parents that my parents aren't letting me go. They solemnly understood but said I'm more than welcome to stay in the house while they are gone.

They spent the next couple of days packing. The trip wasn't sudden but it was a slight surprise. They left on the following Monday. Not before Sorscha gave me a little reminder of her.

"I wish my parents le me go. I'm sorry." I hug Sorscha before she leaves her house.

"Don't apologize Clo, It's okay," Her smile was sympathetic towards me, "Here wait this might make the week a little easier for you."

I was confused for a second until she took off her hoodie. It's a Green hoodie, which is her favorite color. It's a brighter green but not neon. The letters are peeling off, you can't quite read what it says but she told me it used to say the name of our school. She got it a few years ago when her older sister bought it for her when she went to the school a few years before Sorscha.

She handed it to me. I gladly took it and put it on. It was quite a bit longer and larger on me than it is her. The hoodie is a large so that it'd be big on her but that translates it to being bigger on me as I usually wear a small. I don't mind. It smells nice.

We refused to break the hug for as long as possible until her parents had to nearly physically drag us apart.

"Come on you two. We got to get going! Clodagh, hun, I left 100 Euros on the table for food but you're more than welcome to make food as well. We even have a few cookbooks in the cupboard."

I make sure to thank her and Sorscha and her parents left for New York. I closed the door behind them and went over to the couch. I turned on a movie, grabbed a bottle of water, not really paying attention to the movie playing. I messed with the bracelet on my wrist. I don't like not having Sorscha here. It's weird. They've only been gone a few minutes but I miss her. We haven't been apart for a while.

A few days in, I would only take the hoodie off for school but as soon as I'd get home I'd throw it back on. Only good thing about being home alone is I've learned how to make so many new recipes. I make sure to be extra careful to not get anything on her hoodie.

When they came back home. I don't think Sorscha and I have ever been more excited to see eachother. They came back on Sunday and we hugged each other for what felt like hours. It wasn't until we stopped hugging (And a kiss on the cheek from Sorscha) I realized he had gotten a new hoodie in New York.

"Sorscha, why'd you get a New York Jet's hoodie? Isn't that an American football team?"

She shrugged and nodded her head nonchalantly, "Yeah but it's green and I like it." I smile and say cute! I still like the one I'm wearing. A few hours later, Sorscha was starting the laundry.

"Clo! Can I have the hoodie? I need to wash it."

"Nuh uh." I hugged myself trying to replicate hugging the hoodie to keep it on.

"Clodagh! You have to! It hasn't been washed in a week!" she put in other colored clothes into the washing machine.

"No! I don't want to! It smells like you!"

She seemed to contemplate something, " If I give you my current one, will you let me wash that one?"

"Give me." she jokingly rolled her eyes and we swapped the hoodies.

"Thank you." I smiled happily and hugged the hoodie, tossing it over my head. It fit like the last one. Very large and long. Very safe.