Separated

16. Hope

Jack

Clara was looking down as we walked out of the house.

"Clara, you haven't said a word that is really concerning" I said as I stopped walking.

"Jack, would you run with me for a while" she said looking at me.

I stared at her.

She knew that the thing that I hated the most was to run.

"I..." I started to say but stopped.

"Okay" I said rubbing the back of my head.

We walked to the parked and ran for almost an hour.

"Okay, Clara I needed a break" I said breathless.

"Mat asked me out" she said quickly.

"What?" I said clenching my hand.

"Mat asked me out and I freak out. I'm sorry for bothering you" she said blushing.

"Do you love him?" I asked trying to be calm.

"No, he is my best friend. He helped me when I needed help the most. Do you think that I'm being selfish?" she asked walking towards a bench and sitting down.

"No, you were never selfish. You have always known what you wanted. When we were together you fought for it. Even if one day it could kill you" I said as one of my man walked towards me and handed me a bottle water.

"You know, if you had never forced me to marry you. I would have loved you" Clara said staring at me.

"But you never did in the beginning" I said.

"You know the day I met you, I felt that you casted a love spell on me. When you disappear I wondered where you were. How I wished that my partner in dancing would be by my side forever. But that day you forced me to be with you destroyed the feelings I had for you" Clara said blinking away tears.

"I'm sorry Clara I didn't know that" I said feeling guilty. I thought she was only playing with me.

"We never sit down to talk that was our problem. You to had your plans and how to achieve them" she said forcing a smile.

"I wanted things to work out but you left in the end" I said resentment in my voice.

"Because you wanted to force me to have kids with you and plotted it with my mother. Was it fun to play with me? Even my mom faked her sickness" she yelled getting up quickly.

I was surprised with what Clara said. Her mother was sick and was left by herself after she left.

"We never lied" I said in a low voice.

"Will that wasn't what I heard" she said glaring at me.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing" I said grabbing her arm and pulling her towards my car.

Clara

"Let go" I said struggling.

"How could you believe that I would lie about your mother sickness. Am I that cold hearted monster?" Jack said tightening his grip.

"Yes" I said struggling to get free.

He stopped and looked at me looking hurt by my words.

"Than why the hell did you come back to help me! If I'm a bad guy" he said.

"Because..." I stopped talking not knowing what to say.

"That is what I thought. I will let you go it will be your decision to follow me or not. If you want to know the truth" he said letting go of my hand.

He turned in started walking away from me.

I started at him.

Did I judge him wrong? I wanted so badly to know the truth. But what would change if I went with him. Would things change.

"Wait up!" I yelled running towards Jack.

When I was next to him, he grabbed my hand and smiled.

"Thank you" he whispered.

I felt that something did change.

****

Jack

Clara didn't took her eyes off her mother.

"Mom.." Clara said in a low voice.

"Clara" her mom said with a bright smile.

"Mom...I'm sorry" Clara said hurrying to her mother side and holding her tightly.

"Clara you came back. Jack I told you she would come back she always does. How could a daughter abound her own mother" her mother said happy.

"Mom, we need to talk" Clara said looking at her mom.

"I'll wait outside" I said going outside.

*****

Clara

"Mom, I am sorry for leaving you. I thought you had lied to me about your sickness" I said feeling guilty.

"Why did you think that?" She asked hurt.

I remember Mat telling me but he lied.

He lied again.

What does he want from me? Is he still thinking about hurting Jack?

A thought came to mind.

Mat lied to me about Jack.

"Mom, I need to go find Jack" I said getting up quickly and walking fast to find Jack.

Mat was more dangerous than I thought.

Jack

I was looking outside as I felt someone pushing me to the side.

"Jack, are you okay? Thank goodness I found you in time!" Clara said holding me tight.

"What is going on?" I asked surprised.

"I know who is trying to hurt you and also tried to kill you now" she said getting up and helping me, too.

I looked down to see a knife.

"Who did this?" I said clenching my hand.

"It was Mat! He told me he would make you pay for the things you did to him" Clara said worried.

I started walking to my car and Clara was following me.

"Leave" I said glaring at her.

"No, I am not going anywhere. I have to make sure you don't do something that you will regret" Clara said stubborn.

"He push you away from me and killed my wife. My wife that had nothing to do with him" I said thinking about me dead wife. The only women that loved me the way I was.

"Jack, please don't hurt Mat!" Clara said grabbing my arm.

"Are you defending him?" I asked furiously.

"He is my friend and you did hurt him in the past. Please leave the past in the past. I'll talk to him, okay" Clara said staring at me.

"Leave the past in the past! What nonsenses! It's like me asking you to leave things in the past. Would you do that?" I asked pushing her away.

"Yes, I could leave things in the past if it means that I can protect the people I love" Clara said determined.