The Adventures of Clark

Almost Perfect Reunion part 2

part 2

When the credits start rolling I notice that Katie had fallen asleep. I gently stand up, careful not to wake Katie and pull the couch out to make it a bed as carefully as I can. After that i decide to go into the kitchen and grab a bag of chips. It dawns on me that I haven't seen Cleo or Kane for over an hour. So I decide to go find them.

Knowing they aren't downstairs helps because it means they are on the second floor. I climb the stairs with my chips in hand, snacking the whole way up. When at the top of the stairs I hear faint voices coming from the guest bedroom at the end of the hall.

They don't sound too happy and the only two people it could be is Cleo and Kane. I cautiously make my way towards the bed and stop near the bathroom. "You can't do this Cleo!" I hear him yell " It's not right, think about everyone here who loves you! Are you just going to leave them?". I instantly don't want to hear this argument but when i try to turn and go back downstairs I find that I can't move. It's like i'm glued to the spot, paralyzed where I stand like a statue. "Don't try to guilt me with that bullshit! You know it's always been my dream to live there, besides it's not like we... I wouldn't be coming to visit." Japan. There's no other place they could be arguing about. Cleo's biggest dream has always been to live in Japan and animate or draw or even design video games. " Visiting or not the USA is your home. You should stay here, with me, and your friends, where you belong."

I hear the pain in his voice but I don't know who I agree with, but that doesn't matter because I shouldn't even be hearing this conversation. " I can't believe you right now!" she yells, obviously crying now, " You've known since 8th grade this is what I want. And in 9th you never argued or protested against it, you always said you couldn't wait for us to live there together! Why is it such a problem now Kane, why now do you insist I don't go? huh? answer the question!". A moments silence shows he either doesn't want to answer or doesn't know how. "And now you can't even answer a simple question, this is so typical. i'm going to Japan Kane. You can't stop me, i'm going whether you come with me or not." I'm sure both of them are crying now, this is no light matter after all.

I feel awful for overhearing this argument, this bit of information that's so personal, but I couldn't move. I tried and tried but it didn't happen. And then I heard footsteps. I went to go into the bathroom and thank my body for allowing this movement but also cursing it for not moving before. I close the door and turn on the light and listen to his footsteps pass. When I think he's halfway downstairs I open the door and turn out the light, making my way down the stairs.

I look around the room and see him walking out of the kitchen. "Hey" I say walking towards him " where you going man, did something happen?" I try to act like I didn't hear anything for mine and his sake. "Ya man everything's fine I just need to go stay at a hotel or something." I see the tear lines on his face despite the fact that he probably tried to rub them away a hundred times. " Are you sure, you could sleep in my room if you like. I'm sleeping in the living room with Katie " "No dude I just need to be somewhere else right now. It's nothing against you,your house is wonderful I just need to take some time. I'll stop by in the morning, i'll see you then." We shake hands and i pat him softly on the arm, " I'll see you in the morning then, be safe" and he left.

I look at the couches and notice Odessa has disappeared. She must be in the kitchen, that's why Kane went in there. I walk in the kitchen and sure enough there's Odessa with a huge bowl of cereal, two bags of chips (party size), and a bunch of debbie snacks in front of her. She's looking at her phone with a grin on her face and I hear the voice of Jacksepticeye and Markiplier. It sounds like it's a hide and seek with Bob and Wade, but at the moment I only hear Jack and Mark yelling at each other about hiding spots and making weird noises.

"Hey" she pauses her video and looks at me. "What's up?" I hesitate. "... Um, Cleo and Kane just had a really big argument and I didn't mean to hear it but I think she might need you to go comfort her." She doesn't look surprised but then again Cleo has been staying with her for about two weeks now. "Ok well i'll just grab all this and bring it with me, she'll probably want some too." I watch as she starts picking up her load of food and her phone. I went to help her but she just looked at me funny so I stopped. surprisingly she was able to hold all of it and get it up the stairs, I followed her there to make sure she didn't need help but she insisted she was fine.

I walked over to the couch-bed Katie was still sleeping on and lie down next to her, trying my hardest not to wake her. Within seconds of closing my eyes sleep overtook me and my dream was full of memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~time skip~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I wake up the first thing I notice is how clean my living room is. There are no cups or plates on my coffee table or side tables. I also notice i'm the only one on the couch-bed. I hear a pot fall in the kitchen and decide to get up and investigate. I walk towards the kitchen door and when I open it I see one of the biggest messes i've ever seen in my kitchen. I don't even know where they got half of these ingredients.

There's a pan on the ground with pancake batter next to it and standing near it is a very upset Odessa and a uncomfortable looking Katie. Katie seems to be trying to comfort Odessa as tears pour down her face. There's flour and eggs covering both of them and my counters are covered in batter. I think they made chocolate chip pancakes because there's also chocolate everywhere as if they had been throwing them at each other. I noticed a large amount of flour in one area of the room and could only assume there was an explosion.

"I'm so sorry Katie, I was trying to do what you asked me and just lost my balance for a second, i'm sorry." "It's ok really, it's just a pancake, it wasn't cooked at all anyway. It's ok please stop crying." Katie looked on the brink of tears herself so I stepped in. " Come on Odessa come sit down for a minute, it's ok it was an accident, you didn't mean to do it." I guided her to a seat at the table and told her to just calm down here for a second while I helped Katie prepare the rest of breakfast.

We began eating when everything was done. We all talked about random stuff and Odessa sniffled every now and then, looking at Katie apologetically often. Cleo never joined us for breakfast but Kane stopped by. I guess he only wanted to see if Cleo was leaving with him or not but she never came downstairs and he said her door was locked.

" I'm gonna go get Cleo I have to leave after i get all my stuff together. I want to go back home and see Melissa.". "Ok". Odessa disappeared through the door leaving Katie and I in the kitchen. " When do you have to go?" I asked. "Not long after them I have work tonight and I don't want to hear it from my boss about being late.". Damnit. "Oh Ok." I didn't know what else to say. I don't think I needed to say much, Katie doesn't live that far from me so I can really see her whenever we are both free.

Odessa and Cleo come downstairs about an hour later both holding small bags and ready to go. "Thank you for having us Clark. Your house is wonderful and homey. It was really good to see you again." Odessa said hugging me. Cleo didn't really say anything except it was nice to see me again and bye, until next time. Katie and I wave them goodbye. " I need to get my few belongings together" She said, "Ok i'm gonna go clean up the kitchen, or try to at least." "I'll come help you when i get my stuff." I looked at her in a 'you don't have to' way and she gave me her 'ya but i'm going to anyway' look.

About six minutes into cleaning and she came in to help me. We were done in about twenty minutes and she told me she had to go. I walk her to her car and we say our goodbyes and see you next times. We hugged and I waved bye as she backed out and drove away.

I missed my friends and their shenanigans. this reunion with them was just what I needed despite a slight complication. I can't wait to see them all again.