Living With No Direction

5. I will always love you

Run

That's all Clara could do. Passing pedestrians and stores as she ran as fast as she could. Her heart was in overdrive, adrenaline flowing through her veins.

"Clara wait!" A distant voice called out to her from behind. She froze, her breath hitching as she heard his footsteps catching up to her, but she refused to turn around and look at him.

"Clara, " he said exasperatedly.

Reluctantly Clara turned around, coming face to face with her past lover. She took a moment to look him over, noticing the changes in his appearance. He had gotten taller and gained more muscles, he had grown out his hair and it came just above his shoulders. Once his eyes connected with her's, his face lit up.

Clara knew he was attractive, but he had seemed to be more attractive since the last time she saw him. She was speechless, she didn't exactly know what to say to him, considering the last time she saw him was an unfortunate encounter.

*

Clara was laying in her bed staring up at the ceiling. This had become common occurrence over the past few months.

Today was Thanksgiving, and she officially had not talked to Eric in three months. It was like he was not apart of her life anymore.

He had completely shut her out. Clara felt abandoned, and alone, but over time she stopped thinking about him. She realized he was not worth sulking over and that she had to move on. At one point she had completely forgotten about him, until Emily accidentally brought him up in a conversation one time. After she said his name Clara's face faltered, and she immediately apologized. She told her it was fine, and honestly, it actually was. When she said his name Clara felt nothing. No regret, or heartbreak, or anything. She actually thought she had gotten over him, but she was completely wrong, she had realized that today.

Clara walked down the stairs after her dad called her name. After giving her dad a quick hug, she walked into the kitchen. Frank was finishing up Thanksgiving dinner as she entered.

"Need any help?" Clara asked sitting at the breakfast bar. He was currently placing the turkey in the oven.

"No, but thanks for offering," he genuinely smiled. She returned it, when suddenly their door bell rang. Her eyebrows furrowed because they weren't expecting any guests . Clara walked out of the kitchen and saw her dad heading for the door. He turned the knob and pulled it open, as he opened the door his face fell and he looked as if he had seen a ghost.

"Dad, who is it?" Clara said walking over and standing next to him. Once her eyes landed on the individual in front of him, her expression mirrored his.

There he was, the boy that had completely ignored her for the past three months, standing on her front porch with daises in his hand. A bright smile appeared on his face once he saw Clara.

"Hey," he breathed holding out the flowers to her. Clara's eyes traveled to them and then back up at him. Her entire body was paralyzed, and her mind went blank. After he saw that she didn't take the flowers, his smile dropped and so did the flowers to his side.

"What are you doing here, Eric?" Her dad thankfully spoke up.

"Clara and I had planned for me to spend Thanksgiving with you guys," he lied straight through his pearly white teeth. He must have thought her dad had no clue, but he was well informed of their unconfirmed breakup.

"Oh well then come on in," her dad forced a smile stepping aside to let him in. Clara was still frozen in her spot, only able to blink. Eric glanced at her before entering her house. He made his way into the house, leaving her and her dad at the doorway.

"Dad, why did you do that?" Clara whispered yelled at him after the switch in her brain turned on.

"You need answers Clara and so do I. After this is all over I'm gonna kick his ass," her dad said confidently. She smiled weakly before letting out a large breath.

"Now go get your brother, while I have a little chat with Eric." she nodded and made her way up to Alex's room.

Clara knocked on his door twice before entering. "Al" she called out and see him sleeping on his bed. She smiled and closed the door before, walking over to his bed and sitting down. "Alex, it's time to wake up," Clara said shaking his shoulder . He slowly opened his eyes and sat up. "Hey," she said.

"Hi," he mumbled getting out of his Batman bed.

"Dinner's ready sleepy head," she smiles, ruffling his hair.

He groaned and tried to fix it back, "Why do you always do that?" he whined.

"Because I know it annoys you," she smirks at him before walking out his room.

Walking down the stairs, she catches snippets of her dad's and Eric's conversation. "You can't seriously expect her to forgive you after all this time. You abandoned her," her dad said anger clear in his voice.

"I know sir, but I have a very good reason for that," Eric said calmly.

"There's no excuse for what you did, you don't even know what you put her through. Do you know how many nights she cried herself to sleep? And I had to watch as she fell apart," Her dad screamed pain evident in his voice.

"I found someone else," Eric said barely audible. Once those words left his mouth she felt the emotions coming back, only they were worse. All the despair and betrayal she had felt multiplying. Hot tears formed in her eyes and her heart raced.

Without waiting another moment she stormed into the living room. All attention turned towards her. Eric's face softened when he looked at her. Tears streamed down her face and her fists clenched. Before he could say anything Clara spoke up. "I can't believe you," she said closing her eyes.

"I tried to let you go. To be unchained when you left, but you told me that I shouldn't give up on us, and I didn't no matter how hard I tried I was in denial. But you come back here to rub in my face that you don't love me anymore. After I spent all this time loving and trying to have hope that you would one day come back to me," Her mind was fuzzy with thoughts, so many wanted to say, but she couldn't ignore the pain she felt in her chest.

"I'm sorry," is all that came out of his mouth.

"That's all you have to say!?" she screamed.

Her dad just stood there watching this go down. She was kind of grateful he was there because she didn't know what she would do if he wasn't.

"What do you want me to say Clara?" he yelled throwing his hands in the air. She jumped at the loudness of his voice. He looked at her then ran his hand over his face.

"You never loved me, did you?" she said keeping her gaze on the ground. Her voice as low and weak.

"I did," he said lowly.

"No, you didn't, because if you did you wouldn't have given up on us so easily," she said. Clara broke down in tears falling to the floor, her heart ached and she felt sick. Her dad walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Go," he said to Eric, but he didn't move. "Go!" her dad said more forcefully and Eric walked towards the door and looked back at her one more time.

"I will always love you, Clara," he said before walking out and closing the door behind him.
—
That was the last time Clara ever saw him, until now.