No Time

Chapter 13

"Clara, Clara wake up," I heard someone say as they violently shook me.

"Sod off will you," I mumbled as I brought myself up to a sitting position.

When I finally brought myself to open my eyes I was surprised to find myself safely tucked in bed.

"Sorry, but the Boss needs you up, we have stuff to do today," Alex apologized sheepishly.

"When do we not have stuff to do," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "How long was I asleep?"

"I'm not sure what time you went to bed, but its seven o'clock now," Alex quickly replied before taking his leave.

Instead of automatically getting up and getting ready I sat in my bed trying to comprehend the fact that I slept for eighteen hours, it took me roughly ten minuets to come to terms with it before I got out of bed and decided to make my way to the kitchen.

Once I reached the kitchen I automatically gained the attention of Alex and Jasper.

"Waffles?" Alex asked, motioning towards the stack in front of him.

"Sure," I shrugged moving to stand next to Jasper as he finished his cup of coffee.

"Thank you for bringing me to my bedroom," I mumbled just loud enough for only him to hear.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he promptly replied before putting his empty cup in the sink and leaving the room.

"What's got his knickers in a twist?" I asked, turning to Alex.

"Oh, he's always like that, I suspect a lack of sleep and an unhealthy amount of stress," Alex shrugged before turning back to his waffles.

After I finished my breakfast I went back to my room and changed into a pair of dark ripped jeans with a red polkadot off the shoulder crop top with strings that laced up to keep it together up the middle

I quickly grabbed a pair of brown sandals  before I left my room to head for the living room.

"So what are our plans for today?" I asked.

"We have a meeting," Jasper simply stated, not looking up from his papers.

"Of course," I huffed trying to hold back an eye roll.

After about a fortnight filled with pointless meetings and sleeping a grand total of three times it was finally time to return to New York where we were staying for a week before leaving for London, I was greatly excited to discover we would be spending at least three months there.

"That means I get to see my parents!" I grinned. "I haven't been able to see them in five years."

"Why would you want to see them?" Alex asked. "What kind of parent sends their fifteen year old daughter to another country to start college early?"

"I'll have you know my parents love me very much," I argued. "I was the one who wanted to graduate school early and get a move on with my life."

"I'm just confused as to why you haven't seen them in so long, I mean this past year you've been traveling for different movies right?"

"Right, but unfortunately every time I've been to Britain I've been to busy to see them, but this time I'm determined to find the time to see them," I explained.

After my brief conversation with Alex we were being ushered into Jasper's private jet and we were soon on our way back to the city.

About five minutes into the plane ride Alex declared that he was going into the next room to sleep and I decided to once again pull out my book, but was unable to focus when I felt a strange sense of Deja vu sweep over me.

I looked up from my book only to find Jasper staring at me, unlike the last plane ride he didn't bother to  look away the first time I caught him but instead opened his mouth to talk to me.

"Do you still have that book I was reading last time?" he asked.

"Yes," I simply replied.

"Do you think I could maybe borrow it again?" Jasper questioned, thoroughly sending me into a state of shock.

"Y-yes, of course," I stuttered moving to take it out of my bag.

"Thank you," he mumbled as he took it from my hands and immediately began to read, allowing me to once again focus on my book.

I got through about five chapters before my attention was once again pulled away from my book by Jasper.

"Uh, Clara?" Jasper asked drawing my attention to him.

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't happen to have the next book in the series would you?" He asked timidly.

"Yea I have the rest of the books at my house, I can lend them to you if you like," I said as he handed the book back to me.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

Soon later our plane landed in New York and we went our separate ways.

"Is that Alicia and Evan?!" I exclaimed when I saw my two favorite kids standing in front of my car next to Drake.

"Clara!" They both yelled before running towards me with open arms.

"Oh my goodness I have missed you two so much!" I grinned kissing them each on the head.

"Are we doing anything fun today?" Alicia asked, a hopeful look in her eyes.

"I don't know..." I said looking up at Drake. "Am I allowed to steal these two for the day... maybe for a sleepover!"

"Oh dad please say yes!" Ethan begged.

"Alright, I guess I can leave you two at Miss Husher's house when I drop her off, and I suppose I could leave the overnight bags I have in the car there as well," he chuckled.

"Yay!" They exclaimed before dragging me over to the car.

The entire ride home the kids chatted my ear off, but I didn't mind, I always enjoy their company.

By the time we reached my house the kids were so excited that they left the car without saying goodbye to their dad.

"Have a good time with your wife," I told Derek sending him a wink before exiting the car with the kids bags in my hands.

"Clara, can we build a fort?" Ethan asked.

"Of course," I chuckled.

"Can we eat pizza, oh and ice cream?" Alicia asked.

"Only if you don't tell your dad," I grinned.

"Yay!" They both cried in unison.

"Okay, now lets go inside and bring all my pillows and blankets into the living room.

One hour later the kids and I were sitting in a fort that took up my entire living room eating pizza with our eyes glued to the tv which was playing Beauty and the Beast.

"Clara, have you ever been in love?" Alicia mumbled after Belle confessed her love for the Beast.

"Once," I replied. "But it was a very long time ago."

"So are you still in love?" she questioned.

"No I don't believe I am, I fell out of love a very long time ago," I explained. "Where is all this coming from anyway?"

"A boy at school told me he loved me," she whispered so her brother couldn't hear.

"Really?!" I gasped for dramatic effect.

"Yea, but it's weird because he told me he hated my pigtails," she pouted.

"Don't listen to him, there's no way anyone could hate those adorable pigtails of yours," I chuckled grabbing one and tickling her face with the end of it.

"Thanks Clara," Alicia sighed as she leaned into me.

"Whatever for?" I asked.

"For talking to me," she stated before promptly falling asleep.