Somebody That I Used To Know

Chapter 8

Somebody That I Used To Know- Chapter Eight

       Clara just about fainted in that very spot. Had it not been for John and his fast reflexes, she would have landed on the ground instead of in his arms. Looking at her in this state only reminded him of that day. The day he lost her for what he thought was forever. Nothing had been the same since.

       Picking her up, he set her on the chair and waited for her to wake up. Sure, he had other patients, but nothing in the world was more important to him than Clara. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who felt that way though.

       Alex.

       He never thought he would lose her to...him. He figured that she would find someone else, but not Alex. Never in a thousand years did he think that she would ever go back to dating that jerk. She deserved so much better. Not that he was the one, but definitely someone who would truly love and care for her.

       The last two years had been hell for him. No doubt they were the same for Clara as well. It took everything in him not to go back home to let her know he was okay, but he had to protect her at all costs. There had still been people out there who could hurt her, and he had to keep her safe.

       Was it difficult? Yes. Was Clara worth it? In every way.

       He risked being in her life to save her. Never in his life did he expect to see her again. Although, the fact that he ended up being a doctor at the hospital closest to her gave him a sliver of hope.

       Clara would wake up in a few minutes, so he had to go before she saw him.

Hopefully, she would remember where he would be in about twenty minutes. Before leaving the room, he grabbed a blanket from the cabinet and placed it on Clara, not wanting her to get cold on this January day.

       John then walked out to his office to update Alex's transcript. According to the papers Clara signed, she saw an unidentifiable man during the stabbing.

He didn't think that she actually saw him. As long as no one knew it was him, everything would be okay.

       He looked up at the clock and saw that if he wanted to get down to the café on time, he would have to leave now. He walked out of the room and down the hall. Passing by Alex's room, he noticed that Clara wasn't there. John hoped that it was a good sign.

       He walked into the café and saw many of the people that he worked with sitting and eating lunch together. The sounds of "Hey, Doctor" filled the room, but John didn't pay attention to any of them. All he saw was Clara, sitting in an armchair by the fireplace in the other room, with a cup of coffee in her hand, staring out the window at the flurries of snow that fell from the cloudy, London sky. She was so beautiful, and she hadn't seemed to change a bit in two years.

       It wasn't until his name was spoken that Clara turned to face him. It was the first time that he saw those chocolate brown eyes filled with pain and sadness, yet they were masked by a layer of happiness. Whatever happened while he was gone clearly had an effect on her, but hopefully, when he explained himself, everything would work itself out. John thought that maybe, just maybe, she would forgive him when she heard what he had to say. The fact that she even showed up proved that she was open to listening to him.

       He walked over to open the door to the room with the fireplace, eyes fixed on Clara, and sat down in the chair across from hers. "Hello, Clara." John started.

       Closing her eyes, she sighed and said, "Hello, John."

       "Please, just hear me out. The reason I've been gone for..." but he didn't get to finish.

       "I don't need an explanation, John. I'm just glad you're here...with me. I missed you."

       "But, I would feel better if you knew what happened." He explained.

       "I already know. I had a dream about it. It was your brother." Clara told him.

       Stunned by her response, John almost fell out of his chair. "How...how did you know that?"

       "I told you, I had a dream." She repeated.

       "Well...umm...that's a very accurate dream. Did this dream also happen to tell you where I've been for the past two years?"

       "No, John." She laughed.

       "I got my medical degree, which I guess you can see already. I got home and went to college in America. Stanford University. I guess my apparent 'genius' paid off because it only took me a year and a half to get it. Been working here for the past few months. I was hoping that you still lived around here so that maybe I'd have a slight chance to see you, and I guess today was my lucky day." He said, but it was only the half-truth. He left out the few months he had spent tracking down every threat to Clara and himself.

       "Wow. Not quite sure how to respond to that. I'm happy for you, John!" She said, looking out the window again.

       "Clara, there's something bothering you. I can see it in your eyes."

       She looked at him for a second before punching him in the shoulder rather forcefully.

       "OWW! Okay..." John said through clenched teeth, "I guess I deserved that."

       "Why didn't you come back for me?! I waited for months hoping you weren't really dead! Like you did before! Then I just gave up hope and accepted the fact that you were dead! But apparently you weren't because you're sitting there right now!" Clara screamed, grateful that there were at least glass walls separating them from the rest of the café. No one seemed to notice, so she carried on. "You left me for two years! I had to find someone else to fill the void in my heart! I tried so hard to do that, but no one could ever replace you!" She finished.

       "Clara...I couldn't...I'm sorry...but I never stopped thinking about you.

There wasn't a day that went by when you didn't cross my mind. I've been living with that guilt for two years. Do you know how crazy that drove me? Plus, I never, ever dated anyone else after you. I just couldn't bring myself to it. You are the only one I've ever truly loved." John replied.

       "Oh, shut up...Doctor." Clara said as they both leaned forward at the same time. Their lips only met for a moment because they were interrupted by the sound of the door roughly being pushed open.

       "What the hell are you doing, Clara?!" Alex exclaimed.