Yours, Raven

Four

Darcha - Aunt

Four
• • •

With one careful step at a time, Claudia tiptoed in with a plan to startle Nicholas. Facing away from the door, he was flipping through his files, making sure that all his papers were in it. He would be leaving for his training the next day. Pressing her lips tight together so she wouldn't laugh, she padded forward, quiet as a mouse.

"Who's there?" Nicholas asked calmly with a smirk on his lips, his eyes trained on the thick file in his hand.

"Ah!" she groaned and dropped her shoulders in defeat. "You're impossible!"

Whenever she tried to sneak in, he was always right on the ball. He threw a quick look back at her, smiled and continued flipping through the file. Claudia walked up to him and ran her arms around his waist, cozying up to him.

"Do you really have to leave this early?" she asked, setting her cheek on his back and hugging him tight.

"I'm not too early. I'm at the right time," Nicholas replied as he set his file on the table and he turned back to face her.

He ran his arms around her waist and held her, softly gazing into her eyes.

"Still," Claudia frowned and childishly pouted her well-shaped lips to form a puppy-face.

Nicholas chuckled back at her. Claudia sometimes loved to act childish and pampered just to have him baby her because Nicholas really wasn't the kind of guy who would baby his girlfriend. He was too cool for that and Claudia loved challenging his demeanor.

"I don't think you'll even miss me anyway," Nicholas teased.

She frowned up at him accusingly and said, "Yeah, right. I'm just concerned you'll miss me too much."

Nicholas laughed in response. She was always good with answers.

Claudia Khaling was a nice girl. She was the talk of the town and a big deal in school. She was too pretty that she got at least one proposal a week from boys at school; classmates, junior, senior, and even boys from other schools. But Claudia had chosen to be with Nicholas. And Claudia was his girlfriend. In their village and school, they were the couple-goal.

But then, there was always more than what meets the eyes. Nicholas' heart always ached a bit every time he looked at Claudia now. They grew up together. They loved each other, but Nicholas wasn't sure what would happen between them after he leaves the village. He couldn't see their relationship last.

Claudia was too pretty and too sociable with too many friends to spend her time with that it gave Nicholas an unsettling feeling in his gut. And for all he knew, Claudia wasn't the type who'd enjoy distant relationship. She loved fun, and the present. She lived for the moment and she loved having people around her. She'd need people around her. She wasn't the type of girl who would hold on to something far and distant. Somehow, Nicholas felt like he'd lost her already but, he didn't say anything to her. Only time would tell. So, for now, Claudia was his. So he took her hand and kissed her on the side of her head.

"I've got news too," Claudia said. "I got the job in that cruise liner. Maybe it won't be long before I too leave village."

"I knew you'd get it," he smiled at her. "You'll do great."

And pulling each other closer, they kissed. Claudia threw her arms around him and pulled him down on her lips while Nicholas sought in for more. Soon enough, they heard his mother, Grace, calling out for him in the backyard.

He pulled back and answered. "Yeah! What is it?!"

"Get your catapult and come out here quick!"

"Wait in here for a moment," he told Claudia, and grabbing his catapult from the first drawer of his old wooden dresser, he left the room.