Too Late, Love. Or is it? (one-shot)

part 3

It's been a couple of weeks since Jon and Steve's graduation party. And it's been weeks that Clare was constantly hanging out with Jon.

The Sunday mass just wrapped up. It was mid-April and the wind was gently blowing, taking along Clare's brunette curls with its course. Jon stopped walking and faced her.

"Hey," he started, tucking a few loose strands behind Clare's ear, "You've been distracted lately. Something you wanna talk about?" His brow furrowed.

"No. Nothing. Just--tired, I guess," she smiled reassuringly.

"Okay," all of a sudden, he seemed nervous, "uhm, I was wondering if I could, y' know, show you something." Jon unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck.

Clare was amused. She had seen how Jon was around girls. He was the epitome of confidence, comfortable in his own skin so it feels comical seeing this version of Jon in front of her.

She struggled to keep a straight face, "Sure. It's still 4 this afternoon. Where are we going?"

***

"Hey, wake up my sleepy head," a gentle voice aroused Clare from her nap. She didn't know that she fell asleep on their way to only-Jon-knows-where. She barely registered in her foggy head 'MY sleepy head'? But she ignored it.

"Where is this?" she asked, rubbing her post-sleep eyes.

"I'll show you. Come on."

They came out of the car and all Clare saw was green. At first, she thought they're in a plain old forest. She was about to raise a brow when she smelled it. Flowers.

"Let's say this is my secret haven," Jon stared at her, his face carefully blank. "Well not so secret now that I've shared it. With you," he shrugged nonchalantly though his body was tensed.

She looked around. It seemed that they're on a small hill. Jon was constantly at her side as they approach the top, holding her hand or placing a quiet support on the small of her back.

When they reached the short summit, Clare can't help but admire the view. The orange haze of the setting sun had a serene effect on the seemingly thousands of the lilies.

"It's beautiful," she gasped and looked at him. She was overwhelmed. She knew that she's the only person Jon shared this with. “Thank you.”

Jon released his breath he didn’t know he was holding. “My mother used to bring me here when I was a kid. My father used to bring her here and she thought she should pass this secret to me. She said ‘when you find the girl who completes you and want to spend the rest of your life with, bring her here.’”

“Jon—“

“I know it’s too early for this kind of thing. I know we’re still young but—“

“Jon listen—“

“—could you imagine yourself being with me when you wake up every morning and lying next to me wishing me goodnight each evening?”

Clare looked up at Jon’s eyes and right then and there, she knew the answer.

“Yes. I can.”

Jon’s face lit up like a thousand candles in the night and hugged her tightly to him. “I love you.”

“Me too, love.” Clare laughed as Jon twirled her around joyfully but it didn’t last long.

A sharp pain shot through her head and she screamed.

Then everything went black.