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

Chapter 37

Clara kissed John on the cheek as he handed her a cup of tea.

"Thanks, I feel like hell." Clara mumbled sleepily, moving towards the table to sit down with her beverage.

"So did I, so I thought you'd appreciate the sentiment." John murmured back, moving to sit down next to Clara. He had been living in Clara's house now for just over two weeks. But that also meant his expulsion was over and he had to go back to school.

Clara was tapping her fingers on the side of her mug, eyes still half closed ad her hair in a knot from only just waking up. She was sat there quietly for a few minutes before she realised why John was already dressed and ready to go.

"Oh yeah." Clara looked up apologetically at John, sleeping still overriding half of her features and thoughts. "You go back today."

She tried not to let on how sad she was about that, but in truth she really didn't want to have to spent all of her bed rest alone. She'd rather enjoyed having John around.

"Yeah..." John mumbled. "To be honest, I think I enjoyed expulsion much more than you're meant to. And all the work they sent home was pipsqueak."

Clara hummed in agreement, as she had too been sent the same kind of work and it hadn't been altogether too hard. That being said, John did make it sound much easier than it actually was.

One thing John was especially grateful for was the fact Axel had been given a four week expulsion. He got two extra weeks for stirring the fight and also pushing Clara over. John had been overjoyed to hear this news, and that's putting it lightly.

"It'll be weird without you there." John said to Clara, looking up from his half drunk tea to meet Clara's eyes. She smiled back in response, but not sadly.

"I don't miss it as much as I thought I would." Clara mused. "All my friends revealed their true selves and I don't really have any friends anymore. Apart from my anxiety that I'm going to fail my A-S's, I really don't want to go back in for the rest of the year." She looked down to her fingers, watching as she continued to tap a rhythm with them.

John looked up, his eyebrows furrowed. "But you have me. And Amy and Rory."

Clara met his eyes and shrugged her shoulders. "Don't get me wrong, I count those guys as my friends, even Amy, and I do love having them around, but they're your friends. I miss having people who followed me around and always supported me in everything, despite how fake they may have been. If we were to break up, Amy and Rory would support you, not that I'd want it any other way, but I just...you know...miss it."

John took this in thoughtfully and accepted it. He looked up smiling, "I'm worried about you, you know."

Clara smiled back, seeing the glint he held in his eye. "Oh, how so?"

"I'm worried that you're going to be so lonely without me." He teased, causing her to giggle. "In fact, I think you're going to be so bored with so little to do, you may just die of boredom. Ah, well, I won't need to go into school after all. My girlfriend is much more important."

Clara laughed, getting up out of her seat at the same time as John. She kissed him quickly on the cheek and then pecked his lips once. "Go on, get going you." She teased, kissing him once more.

John took her hands in his as they manoeuvred themselves towards the front door. "I'll be back as soon as school if over. I may even get an earlier bus so I get home speedy quick."

Clara smiled back at him, rolling her eyes. "Well, my Gran is having a group of friends around later, so I'll probably just be pouring tea for them and serving scones, teacakes, black pudding and whatever else usually is eaten at afternoon tea."