Somebody That I Used To Know

Chapter 2

Somebody That I Used To Know- Chapter Two

       There was one day, yet another year later, when Clara felt the need to get out and experience the outside world for once since that event. She called

Alex, who said he would gladly pick her up for a date. They would go to her childhood park a couple blocks over and spend the day there.

       Clara wasn't sure what to wear, considering she didn't exactly wear any clothes besides pajamas in the past two years. She decided on the outfit she wore to see John the first time he got back. She had to get out of this slump, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. She would not let depression rule her life anymore. She looked in the mirror at the tiny figure standing before.

Beautiful, but with a hidden sadness in her eyes that was visible to her and her alone. She stood tall and said to herself, "John is dead. You've grieved enough. You can move on now. Have fun with Alex and show him how much you care about him. But remember, he is not John, and he never will be. It doesn't matter. You're turning over a new leaf and starting over."

       It was at that moment that the doorbell rang, and Clara ran downstairs to let Alex in. She opened the door, and upon seeing him with a rose, she greeted him with a kiss. It was like Grade 10 all over again. "Woah, Clara." He said. "What's going on with you? Not that I'm objecting, but are you feeling okay today?"

       "Yeah, I just realized that I should love what and who I still have in my life. You being the most important, I thought you should be the first one to get to know the new me." She explained.

       "Well, I love her, and so should you because so far, she seems pretty incredible." Alex said as he leaned down to kiss her again. This kiss was different from the all the others that they had shared. Somehow it was more...connected. Maybe it was the fact that Clara had finally accepted her life as it really was and moved on.

       Alex moved his hands so that they were intertwined with hers, but something was different. This wasn't his Clara. His Clara didn't have thin faded ridges lining her wrists. Not that he had known of anyway. He pulled away and looked Clara in the eyes whispering, "You know that I'm here for you, but you need to tell me if there's something bothering you so that I can help you."

       Scared of what he might do, Clara backed up and folded her arms across her chest, hiding her past. It had been the weeks immediately following John's death, and it was the only thing that she could do to get her mind off of the previous events. Clara promised herself that she would never do it again, and she didn't. Instead, she waited a few weeks and got back together with Alex.

       It was in that moment that she realized that the boy she had known only a year before had turned into a mature gentleman. He was no longer concerned with only his needs, but the needs of others, most especially her. Alex looked at her with the gleam in those piercing blue eyes that John did. A look of love, understanding, patience, and true concern for her. Clara wasn't sure what to do, so she simply let out everything that she had been holding in for two years now.

       Tears flowed out of her eyes as she leaned her head on Alex's shoulder. He held her close, afraid that if he let her go, she would think that he didn't care. In fact, it was completely the opposite, he cared for her more than anything. He had learned so much in the past year. He hated his old self and made an effort to change his ways and never go back so that he could be the best person for Clara. Apparently it had worked.

       "I'm sorry, Alex." Clara said between sobs. "It's just a lot of emotion pent up over the course of two years. I probably look like a mess. Sorry to ruin our day."

       "As long as I'm with you, I'm happy, no matter where we are." He replied, kissing her forehead.