Living With No Direction

8. Years

Clara stood there watching from a distance as Eric sat on a park bench. He was looking off into the distance at something, curious Clara followed his gaze to see a little girl playing in the sand box. Her brunette hair blowing in the air as she smiled, filling a bucket with sand.

"Daddy look I made a castle?" she giggled and smiled at her father.

"Daddy?" Clara mumbled to herself, until it started to process in her mind, Eric had a daughter.

Once she realized that she didn't know what to do or feel so she did what she always did she froze up. "That's wonderful sweetie" Eric called out smiling towards his young one. He then turned his head and saw Clara standing on the sidewalk watching them.

"Hey Stranger" Eric greeted, getting up to walk over to her. Clara didn't return the favor she just stood there with a blank expression placed on her face.

"You have a daughter?" Clara said, barely audible keeping her gaze on the ground.

"Yeah-" he turned around to look at her smiling as she waved at him.

"Noah comes here, " he called out waving her over. Noah ran over to her father, hiding behind his leg once he saw a woman standing with her.

"Come on Noah don't be shy, " he said, picking her up in his arms.

"Noah, this is Clara and old friend of mine, Clara this is Noah my daughter " Eric smiled introducing them.

Clara forced a tight smile on her face, "Nice to meet you Noah" she said. Noah on hid her head in her dad's shoulder.

"She just a little shy, come one Noah say hi".

"Hi, " she said quickly looking at Clara then turning away. Clara laughed a little, she had to admit that his daughter was adorable, looking exactly like her father, her green eyes sparkling.

"Okay Noah you can go play, " he said, placing her on the floor. She admittedly ran back towards the playground.

"How old is she?" Clara asked, sitting on the park bench next to Eric.

"Six, " he said.

Clara's eyebrows furrowed, "Wait, how is she, -" Clara paused when she saw Eric expression, he frowned knowing she would figure it out. "So that's why you broke up with me, you got a another girl pregnant?" she asked trying to keep her cool.

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't want to hurt you more than I already had-" Eric said turning towards her.

"But I want to fix this, I want you Clara, it's always been you, " he started reaching to grab her hands.

She pulled back instantly and stood up, "No, you can't seriously expect me to even consider that, I told you I was married and I was perfectly happy before you came back-" she paused and looked over at the little girl, "This-" she pointed between her and Eric "-Died the day you created her" she glanced at Noah then turned back to him, "Goodbye Eric, hope you have a nice life" she muttered before storming away.

Leaving Eric a broken and confused mess, "Clara wait " he called after her, but she was already gone.

"Daddy, are you okay?" Noah asked, running over to her father sitting on his lap.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, " he lied, he knew that he would never get over Clara, he had to try to move on, but Noah was just a terrible reminder of what he lost.

*

Clara slid down the wall, her mind on overload. She had refused to cry, but she felt betrayed. Eric didn't have the decency to tell her the real reason why he broke her heart. He lied and said he had found someone else when really he had made someone else. He lied to her for all these years, and now he expects her to run to him with open arms and leave behind the life she had built. She was happy with Louis and nothing was going to change that.

"Clara?" Harry's voice called out from the kitchen, Clara stood up and wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Yeah, " she responded and headed towards the kitchen.

Harry stood over the stove glanced back at her over the shoulder. He smiled, but it soon fell as he saw her.

"What happened?" he asked, turning to stave off and walking towards her. Clara didn't respond, she just broke down in tears, Harry wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair. "It's okay, " Harry mumbled, not even aware of what she was crying over. Clara just cried harder gripping Harry's shirt tight in her hands.

"Give me his address" Harry said once Clara was finished doing the explaining.

"Why?" she asked, wiping away her tears.

"I'm going to beat his ass" Harry said seriously.

Clara smiled almost laughing, "Harry you couldn't hurt a fly" she joked. She was starting to feel better, getting it off of her chest really helped.

"Hey, " he smiled hitting her shoulder lightly. Clara laughed, then smiled at Harry. She sat there realizing that Harry was a really good guy, he was so easy to fall for, why hadn't she felt for him in the first place. Without thinking, she leaned over and kissed him. Harry froze, his eyes wide open. Clara pulled back instantly regretting it, "I'm sorry, " she mumbled looking away.

"I'm not" Harry said, before grabbing his face and placing his lips on hers. Clara's mind went blank as his soft lips moved against her's. She moved over to his side of the couch and straddled his lap. At the moment Clara didn't think about anybody else, but Harry. She realized that she had feelings for him, she just never wanted to admit it.

A loud clattering noise caused the two of them to jump apart, only to see Louis standing in the doorway, his keys on the floor, takeout in his hand and his heart in pieces.