Coming out of the empty classroom, the first thing Clara had noticed was the hand cramp she had gotten from that essay. It was clearly overkill, writing a thousand words essay on her ‘transgression’ --- which was being out of her bed after hours. Rolling her eyes, Clara had the rest of her day planned; she was going to get some sleep.
But of course, her plan was too good to be true, because she saw Duncan. Trying to play it off cool, she gave him a nonchalant shrug. “Up until this point in my life, I didn’t think I knew a thousand words. But surprisingly, I do. And also, I didn’t it was possible to be punished for academia with hand cramps. What a night in detention can teach you, am I right?”
When: The summer of Clara’s second year, and @duncanwhitby‘s fourth year.
Where: Back home, specifically at Clara’s.
What: Duncan comes to the rescue when Clara finds out some disturbing things about her family.
Prompt: You’re Not Alone by Big Time Rush
‘Cos you’re not alone, girl
Look over your shoulder,
You don’t have to wander.
Her mobile phone buzzed with text messages, most of them in capital letters. Clara’s shaking hands could hardly hold the phone as the tears overcame her again. She just needed someone to talk to about what she heard, by pure coincidence.
[Text]: I need you, please.
Clara didn’t know what else to say. She had gone down to say good night before heading to bed, but the voices carried around the house and she stood at the top of the steps to listen. It sounded like her mum and dad, and they did not sound happy. It wasn’t unusual for them to fight though; it was clear from the start that they weren’t exactly meant to be. But the fact that Cormac McLaggen had stayed monogamous so long was quite...the surprise.
But what was that to her? Her parents were in love, and people who loved sometimes fought. But this time the words were different. Her mother was vehement; there was a tabloid in her hand, probably. Clara could hear the rustling. And she could hear the accusations. And to think, that woman taught her not to judge people almost immediately.
But her father said very little; his voice was so little. Like, he was actually agreeing to what her mother was saying. Cheated and liar came up a lot in the conversation. And at the end, so did Clara’s name.
[Text]: My mother just left the house. I don’t think she’s coming back, Duncan.
The doors slammed shut, and Clara hid under her duvet. She didn’t want to face her parents; she’d rather let them believe that she was asleep than awake. Duncan had called her by then, and she spoke to him all through night. She even fell asleep to the sound of his voice, telling her she was going to be okay.
[Text]: Do you think you could come with me to the station? I don’t want to go with my dad or my mom.
