Our Burning Love-A Clato Love/Survival Story <3

Chapter 55: I have lost myself

Behind that tree is a lake, clear, reflective water which brought out the sparkle in everyone's eye. There was occasionally a few lily pads there.

It is connected to that stream that is by the begging of the forest. I used to climb trees there when I was younger.

"I miss this place." Chase said breathing in the flowers. The three of us were 'bohemian girls'. We loved this place, we'd play pretend here and we'd climb the tree and jump into the lake.

We'd swing from the tyre swing and dive in also, having a competition to see who was the best.

"Do you remember when we made Maysilee a dress of daisy chains?"

Chase nods and gives a nostalgic smile.

We used to run barefoot around here from the second we finished our homework to curfew. And on week-ends, we'd often stay here from eight am to eight pm.

Then, when Chase left and Maysilee and I started training for the games, we'd train here in our spare time. Sprinting from the top of the hill to the lake and back, having swimming races.

We'd throw knives through the tyre for target practice, and the same with archery. And for spear throwing, we'd pick a flower and see who could land it the closest to it.

"I'd love to live here-" I say softly. "To me, this is home, not no fancy Victor's Village palace, don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful, but this, this is Maysilee, this is warm, this is memories, this is my heart.

And that's where my home is. Where you have memories, good and bad, where you have a warm feeling, where Maysilee's final resting place is, where your heart is."

"You know, you deserve the best Clove. Everyone thinks your cruel and heartless, but your just like the rest of us. Struggling to make a living with what we got."

I told her about the adoption, and Taylor, leaving out the cancer part.

She was genuinely shocked that Taylor would do that, but the adoption hit her hard.

"Oh Baby!" she coos. She pulls me into a hug and rubs my back. "I'm so sorry Clove!"

"They will always be your real family." she assures me.

"I know, it's just hard to get my head around the fact that almost everything and everyone in my life has lied to me, or is a lie."

"Clove-Adara Sienna Rambin-Beckitt, it's a beautiful name. Embrace it hunny. Oh and Clove-Adara, thank you for saving my parents."

"Hmm?" I ask confused.

"They were in the cafe at the time of the hostage. You and Cato saved them, granted, I hate them and they hate me, but they're still my parents and I do still love them. Thanks Clove-Adara."

I smiled and pushed myself up from my laid down position in the flowers.

"Chase, do you think that you could bring me to see Maysilee? I never went to her grave, in the four, almost five years. I couldn't face it, well I might have, but I can't remember...."

"You didn't." she confirms. "Let's go!" she smiles as she gets up and reaches out a hand to help me up.

* * * * * * * * * *

"Here we are hon. I'll give you some time on your own."

"Thanks!" I say as I watch Chase walk away about fifty meters. I focus on the grave. There's a small headstone that her father made, her father is actually my cancer doctor, and Taylor and Beth are his nephew and niece.