*3rd Person Perspective:
The night of the grand ball of the Last Splash. Everyone was busy to be ready for the night that all have been waiting for. Everyone is excited about it except Clara. Even if she had everything set; she still have that strange and very disturbing feeling in her. She's not excited neither she is nervous. You know the feeling of strange chills that something bad will come over and will make everything bad or worse? That's it.
"Clara? Are you okay? You're pale and cold," Carina said while noticing Clara's cold hands.
"Carina, I'm fine. I can handle it," she lied with a little smile. The truth is she just wanted to not go. Every time she's not feeling well: bad things will probably happen and her gut never failed to give her warning signs.
Carina helped Clara to stand up and face the full size mirror. Clara stared herself for a while; staring at her long royal blue serpentine gown. Her hair is braided in a very complex and elegant way but still having her signature flower pins in place. Though her face has make-up on her worry is still traced on her expression.
Carina noticed her uneasiness and remarked her,"You look very stunning. Don't worry everything is going to be fine. No, not fine. Perfect. I promise."
Clara smiled wearily and said a thank you before complimenting her red off-shouldered gown.
"Are you two done yet?" Natalya asked while standing on the door frame with her fitted black gown with a lace Victorian collar. The two girls nodded and moved out of the room followed by Natalya behind them.
They are met by Mei and Bella on the lobby of the hotel then they proceeded to the limousine from Carina's grandfather. Their group sat inside the luxurious car and went to the reception hall where the grand ball is being held. The girls exited the vehicle and walked down the red carpet and into the venue.
The venue screamed grandiosity and elegance with its design that looked like a grand ballroom of a palace. Mirrors on the ceiling embellished with gold ornaments which matched the ivory white marble floors. The scene looked like it came out from a fairy tale book. The crowd of people were chattering and enjoying their time socializing.
"Hey! Clara! Carina!" Chelsea called out while sweeping through the crowd of people.
Their group turned and greeted her with smiles.
"Oh my gosh, I love you're dress Chelsea," Bella complimented.
Chelsea shyly smiled and straightened out her sky-blue ballgown.
"Credits!Credits Ahem!" Monique joked with a smirk.
"Monique Bonnefoye, designer, extraodinaire." Carina curtsied with a giggle.
Monique placed her hands on her hips and placed a smile and a little twirl with her elegant cream colored serpentine gown.
Everything is dazzling and very elegant. Clara lost her words to describe the scene. Everything is too much for our island girl. She found everything very overwhelming. She is enchanted by the night and her worries seemed to tone down as the presence of the moon shone down the glass roof of the ballroom.
Clara spaced out of her mind and she started to wander around unconsciously. Her feet walked without her permission and brought her to the courtyard just behind the ballroom. She felt the cold air of the night brushing against her skin. Then someone called her name softly,"Clara..."
Clara snapped out of her thoughts and spun around to see who it is.
As cliche as the movies she had seen before: the prince finally arrived.
"Lovino?" she said.
Lovino looked away and put his mask that covered his forehead down to the middle part of his face which hid the pink shade that is starting to spread on his cheeks.
"You left your mask, dammit," he mumbled while handing over Clara's royal blue mask.
"Really?" Clara said with a raised eyebrow. It's not what she expected to hear from him. She sighed and got the mask out of lovino's grasp. Then, she took off Lovino's and held it behind her back,"No masks right now. We're talking y'know? Manners." Clara smirked towards him.
"F.Y.I this is a masquerade ball and you don't have to look at me like that, Sei Ridicullo."
(T/N: This is ridiculous.)
"Ay siya, pabebe pa oh," Clara mumbled to the side.
(T/N: Oh boy, still childishly in denial.)
"Don't get the wrong idea,dammit!"
"Yeah, yeah, fine... Thank you for giving me my mask," she said with a smile.
Lovino looked down with embarrassment and said,"Geez, don't mention it. Dammit."
"Yeah, right what ever you say..."
"By the way, why did your mango ass bought you outside?" he said after heaving a sigh.
"I don't know. My feet brought me here." she replied simply with a small giggle.
"The Fuck? You're one weird girl aren't yah?" Lovino remarked with knitted eyebrows.
"Well, I guess so. I guess you're right. A weird island girl inside a fairytale ball," Clara smiled while looking towards the extent on the rose-filled courtyard.
"Why are you like that? What's up with you?" Lovino thought while unconsciously staring at Clara.
"What? Is there anything wrong?" Clara noticed the way he's staring.
He doesn't managed to reply. He just blinked owlishly before averting his gaze.
"Well, look at that, you're weird as well," she smiled.
Lovino chuckled and rested his hands inside his pocket. Awkward and deafening silence surrounded the atmosphere.
"Um... Lovi, how's life without me? I mean how you've been in those five years that I'm not around?"
"Well... Nothing much. If I should say so myself. Had some liquor and got drunk several times when I was thirteen. Got into some small relationships that didn't turned out too well. Then there's the family pressure. Like,"Lovino, why wouldn't you be like a good kid? Why wouldn't you be a better person?" and this and that and blah, blah, blah... Yeah I'm quite fucked up," Lovino said with a painful laugh.
"Aand it's okay with you?"
"Definately no!"
"Then what?"
"I don't know... Maybe those internet shit ads about teens with rebellious attitude was right,"
"About what?"
"About the fact that I just wanted to be something to my old man, you know? Something like that," Lovino said with a shrug.
"By the way, how you've been?" Lovino asked back.
"Me? Well, when I returned to my home I started living with my aunt together with my sister. Y'know, after mom died on that accident my aunt wanted our custody, that's why I left Italy. Then after that I studied through scholarships. Taught little children in the neighborhood how to read and write. In the Philippines, many are poor, and our neighborhood is what we can say filled with poor people. Parents had are having a hard time to give their children what they needed. So me, I decided to help. Even if it's not that much. Humanitarianism. I never had any relationships and my life is kind of boring and simple. Don't laugh but this is my first highschool party. Y'know, I'm not the party person." Clara said with a shy smile.
"You have a way better life than I am," He replied with a smile which is rare for him.
"Lovi? Are you sick again?"
"No, why?"
"You are smiling. What have you done to the real Lovi?" Clara joked.
"What? I always smile! I always smile,dammit," Lovino protested.
"Uh-huh... Whatever you say. "
Sudden silence once again surrounded the atmosphere and the two is unsure what to say next. Neither of them are prepared to say anything. But as they both watch the night sky, all of their memories flashed back and that's when Clara spoke at last,"That's crazy."
"What's crazy?" Lovino asked with confusion.
"You know, that pinky swear thingy way back when we were kids," Clara replied.
"Oh. Yeah, right," Lovino said plainly.
Clara looked towards Lovino with a sigh and then she turned around her head towards the distance. "I'm sorry," said Lovino.
"For what?" Clara asked with confusion.
"For this," and without another word spoken Lovino placed a kiss on her lips. Clara is very shocked at Lovino's actions. She felt her heart raced and her world turned around slower. Mixture of emotions are crushing down at her. The nostalgia, the longing, the ecstatic feeling of his lips.
They broke the kiss after a while which left Clara speechless and zoned out, "See? I know how to keep a promise," Lovino grinned while keeping his gaze towards Clara.
"T-that's m-my first kiss you asshole," she said in an almost whispering tone while the traces of shock is etched in her face.
Clara raised her fist and punched Lovino on the stomach. It fell hard on his gut which made him do an unmanly squeak and held his aching stomach.
"What was that for woman?!" Lovino asked in pain with a high pitched voice.
"For stealing my first kiss! You friggin dumbass! I must've expected it! You Italian pervert!" Clara crossed her arms above her chest.
"C'mon, I'm sorry! It's not like I took your virginity! It's just a kiss!"
"Aba sumasagot ka pa! Kahit na oi!"
(T/N: Oh you're defending yourself! Even so!)
She accidentally blurted out loud.
"Ewan ko sa'yo, ang hirap mong intindihin"
(T/N: Whatever)
Lovino said in Clara's native language. That left Clara startled and her words suddenly blanked and she can't come up with a good insult. Lovino had Clara for too long, it's possible for him to pick out some words.
" Ah, ganoon?! Edi wow,"
(T/N: Oh really?! Okay, wow.)
Clara retrorted pathetically towards Lovino. She's quite impressed and the same time annoyed to the fact that Lovino took some effort just to retort something towards her.
A moment of poetic silence once surrounded the two until the two other competitors for her stepped into the scene, Alfred and Ludwig.
"You're no fair, Vargas," Alfred said in un unusual seriousness. Anger and frustration is sensed from Alfred, the animosity between him and Lovino just got to the other level.
Lovino tried to explain but Ludwig cut him off and said,"Lovino, we're here the whole time. We saw what you did. That's unfair. Let's go Alfred. It's useless to argue."
Alfred shove Ludwig's hand off of his shoulder and insisted to go away. He stepped closer to Lovino and punched his face. Lovino fell off balanced and was shaken from the impact. Then, followed by a kick and several more hits from Alfred. He is befuddled by Alfred's actions and to think that his arraviste and usually obstreperous nature shifted to a very serious one.
Alfred got closer to Lovino and grabbed him by his collar,"Unfair cheat,I hope you told Clara about -oh I don't know, about how many girls you played before. Let's start with that girl from the other school that you just turned her down after months of calling her your love, that Spanish girl which you made fun of by pretending that you love her ," he spat with poison on his intent.
Lovino closed his eyes and sighed in defeat,"Do it," he said plainly.
"C'mon. Just beat me up," the first time Lovino admitted that he's backing down, "I'm useless. I'm not worthy. I became an asshole. You know why I turn them down? Cause, I thought that they are the one that will help me to forget Clara. I thought that Clara will never comeback and if she does, she'll probably never like me again, she'll never look at me in the eyes and smile like she used to. I thought if I taught myself to be with someone else who is not her, the pain and longing will go away. But it seems that I'm wrong. She's still that girl. The girl with the smile that can light up everything. Seems that nothing can replace her no other girl can erase her in my mind actually, in my whole being. So beat me and go on. I deserve that."
Alfred loosened his grip but still holding onto Lovino's collar.
Clara went in between them and removed Alfred's hand on Lovino's collar. "Enough," Clara started,"Stop. Please. I'm leaving three months from now. I don't want to leave this kind of an impact. I've heard enough."
Alfred looked at her with sad eyes-sad and frustrated blue orbs staring towards her. Clara stared back and said,"I'm sorry. I'll talk to you later." Ludwig approached Alfred and grabbed his shoulder heavily.
"I know you're mad. I know you are frustrated about that. It's immature to beat someone. Do you think, Clara will like you because you sprung out of nowhere and punch Lovino? Sure, I'm disappointed at him about breaking our agreement. But, accept the fact your just made it harder for Clara to decide. So stop that and let's go back inside."
Meanwhile, inside the ball room, Clara escorted Lovino towards an empty seat and said,"Look... I'm sorry. I-I'm-!"
"Shush..." she started with a plain tone. "Too much drama. Too much... As what Alfred has said, I'm just confused and sorta mad at you. Imagine that girls you went on and in the end they've found out that they're being used as a rebound. That they're just a patch for you... I mean,ugh...I'm sorry. "
"For wha-?!"
Clara landed a right hook towards his face which sent him to slightly flip sideways by the impact. "Yawa," Clara mumbled while shaking her wrist.
(T/N: Asshole*Visayan, may vary in some dialects*.)
"UGH!! FUCKING ASS!!! That shit hurt lady! Are those hands, concrete? Dio mio... geez. But I deserve that just please."
(T/N: My god.)
Clara rolled her eyes and left Lovino. She walked away and went towards the mini bar and ordered a drink.
A tall guy approached her suddenly and asked,"You're Clara, right?"
"Umm. Pardon?" Clara turned around towards the guy.
"Apologies, I'm Nat's brother. Ivan Braginski..." Ivan said with a smile.
"Uh, nice to meet you. But how'd you know me?"
"Jones is always bragging about you when it's baseball practice."
"Really? Well, as expected to him." Clara smiled and put her drink down the counter.
"I can see that you're torn between three. Beilschmit's brother, Jones, and school master's grandson. You're my sister's friend and as his older brother, just a piece of advice for the friend of my sister, you're still young and I mean, you should take time and be good enough to forgive and be wise enough to choose." Ivan said with a smile and then turned away: disappearing in the crowd of people. On that moment Clara made up her mind and as soon as the first music for the sweet dance has started she walked towards Ludwig and asked,"May I have this dance?"
Ludwig with a shocked expression, hesitated but eventually accepted her request and danced with her.
"Ludwig, thank you. Thank you for the time and effort and thank you for accepting and even liking me as a person... But, I'm sorry." Clara said towards Ludwig in the middle of the dance.
"I know... I'm sorry too. I know I might not be the one for you and I'll go on until you say yes. But if you say no. I'll let you go just to see you happy." Ludwig's said with a rare and small smile. It's said and hard for the both of them but they both know that they're unsure about what will happen next. So with a last hug, Clara parted from Ludwig and went towards Alfred.
She's about to say something but Alfred stood up and smiled towards her. "Can we dance?" Alfred asked with his hand extended towards hers. "I'm glad to," Clara replied quite surprised but still grateful that Alfred is very kind. The music started to play and our feet moved to the rhythm.
"So, Clara, I'm sorry for overreacting. You know that I really like you and I'm sorry for losing my temper," Alfred started with a calmer unusual tone.
"I should be the one apologising towards you. I'm just confused right now. I've never been so overwhelmed about my situation and I feel bad about you guys and about your efforts. " Clara explained not meeting Alfred's stare. Alfred smiled and sighed. He spun Clara and caught her in his arms. "Clara no need to explain. I just wanted you to know that whatever it is I'll never say never until you make your decision." Alfred said softly. They end up laughing after some dumb jokes that they threw at each other while dancing. When the music came to it's end, Alfred smiled again towards her and said,"Thank you for the dance." and then kissed Clara on her forehead.
Clara smiled and mouthed a thank you before parting away from Alfred.
Clara turned around and started to pull through the crowd to find a someone. Someone she punched earlier. An Italian someone.
She plowed through and searched for him and to her surprise, the Italian that is apologising to her earlier is now tangled up with some other girl. Clara 's eyes widened with anger. She clenched her fists and ran away from the scene. She's drenched in cold water and now slowly drowning from it. Her breathing became heavy and her heart felt heavy.
"Wow... Just... Wow... Promises,huh," the thought ran through her mind in record as she's trying to hold herself together.
"Clara, calm yourself," she thought while her heart is racing with the adrenaline of anger and frustration. She's very infuriated that tears pricked her eyes and threatened her to cry. But Clara took a deep breath and wiped away some stray tears that stained her face.
Clara walked away with heavy steps and straight face with fiery eyes. Meanwhile, Carina noticed her when she walked pass her and some of their friends and Clara didn't walk towards them and didn't even said hi, that made Carina and the rest of their friends worried. Carina caught Clara by the wrist which stopped her from walking.
"Clara, what's wrong?" she asked with concerned eyes while holding Clara's forearm.
"I'm sorry Carina... But, ask your brother. I'm sorry..." she spat out with a very bitter tone and a low head. Her voice almost cracking and mildly shivering.
Carina looked at her and released her hand. She watched her turn around and leave the place hastily. While having a very worried look, Carina decided to follow Clara and find out what's going on for herself and to find out what did her brother did this time.
"Oh, Fratello... What have you done? I hope you know what you're doing..." Carina thought to herself while following behind Clara.
Carina knew that Clara is a strong girl but, seeing her right infront of her in such a breakdown: she needs her. She needs a friend and she'll do whatever just to see her okay again.
Tantanan!! Ciao! Hello again It's me yours truly, Si Ate Author! I've been out for too long😅 and damn when I said too long *tulong :‚D* I mean the rain in Sahara desert type of long :‚> . Tbh, I kinda forgot that I have Wattpad and a Wattpad account :‚). I mean it's so damn long that when I opened my account again I was like, "Whoo! Whoa... The sacred texts!!!"
I was like a kid that's lost in a supermarket really.
But I did some catching up and (GOOD LORD) I finally gathered up my things and started writing again.