Chapter 48

After eating our dinner we entertained ourselves and slept to our respective rooms

Cosmo returned back to the Manor unharmed from the de Leon's Manor

And with a grumpy look on his face it was very understandable we did leave him behind

Cosmo's sleeping right now in the room

Cythe and Claude slept here too since mother suggested and it was dark already

I lied down in bed facing the ceiling both my on my stomach

*Sigh*

I sighed

A lot has happened in these past days that it's making me really tired

And to add oldy lady Sherby's disappearance

I just knew Cosmo and the Old lady Sherby knew each other

I know he's worried right now but he just doesn't show it

We searched her house through and through but there was nothing except...

The bracelet...

I thought deeply

I then sat up immediately and quickly went to the box of jewelry and opened it

"This is where I hid that bracelet"

I mumbled

I searched and searched and to finally see it again

I looked at it closely

Did he really....?

I thought to myself

I shook my head then took my shawl and the bracelet with me

I went to go for a walk outside to where the flowers were

I went for a night walk...

Under the moon I looked at it with my face as tired

I gripped my shawl as it was getting colder still looking at the moon

Wind then blew softly, trees swaying gently, leaves falling soundlessly

I continued my walk to arrive at the arched tree where me and Claude used to play

With the previous Athy I mean....

I smiled softly memories of me and Claude playing together softened me

I then went near it and sat under the arched tree with bushes and flowers around it

I closed my eyes as it was quiet and cold

*Rustle Rustle*

I heard rustling noises of footsteps nearing

I then opened my eyes to see two shoes in front of me

The person infront of me then knelt down and to reveal Claude smiling straight at me

"May I sit beside you?"

Claude asked

I then gave a smile gripping tight the shawl that was around me

"Of course"

I answered with a smile

I then made a room and Claude sat beside me

I then turned my head to Claude

"Why are you out here Claude?"

I asked

Claude chuckled and looked back at me

"I should be the one asking that to you Athy, why are you here?"

Claude asked

I smiled then looked down and crouched hugging both my legs

"I just have a lot in my mind"

I answered

He then looked at me worried and rests his head on my shoulder

"Whatever it is that you're thinking, I hope it'll be okay"

Claude said with the most comforting tone

I leaned closer and rested my head on Claude's as well

Sitting there under the arched tree with just the two of us in silence calmed me

"..."

"..."

We both kept quiet and I closed my eyes

When I was fidgeting my fingers I felt the bracelet that I grabbed earlier

I opened my eyes and stared at it

Claude looked at me in confusion tilting his head

"What's the ma-"

As Claude was saying something he stopped in the middle of his sentence

I was confused I looked at him tilting my head confused

Wondering why he'd stopped

I then turned to look at Claude's wrist and notice that something was missing

Now I remember....

I thought to myself

I remember buying charm bracelets in town and gave it to the three of them including me

I saw Cythe wearing it earlier and I saw Josefina wear it the last time

I looked at my wrist to see my bracelet still there with me, I never removed it

And to think Claude would replace something I gave him

It's just not Claude

"Is this yours?"

I asked Claude handing the red bracelet to him

He stared at the bracelet I gave him and turned to look at me

He immediately put on a smile on his face

"That's mine Athy I was looking all over for it, Where did you find it?"

Claude happily said as he took the bracelet from my hands fondling it

"I went to visit the Old lady to ask about something and saw she wasn't there...."

I said worried

Claude looked at me with a surprised face and a look of worry

"What happened?"

Claude asked

I looked down shaking in worry and fear

"We inspected the house and when I went to the old lady's bathroom, I saw blood and.... that bracelet"

I said as I looked and pointed at the bracelet he held on his hand while shaking and thought that....

What if it was him, is it really him?

I thought to myself nervously

"When did you lose it Claude?"

I asked nervously looking down at the bracelet

"We visited the old lady I kept on fidgeting and holding it since it's the first time I have ever received a gift"

Claude said with a soft voice looking at the bracelet

"Since I held it too much, it must have fallen off without me noticing it"

Claude added

"It fell off your wrist... Then how was the bracelet in the bathroom?"

I asked Claude again

My heart beating fast shaking wishing it wasn't

"I don't know how it got there..."

Claude said calmly with a hint of shakiness on his voice

I thought and wished that I was just misunderstanding things as I slowly look up at Claude and stopped to look at his mouth

The smile I saw earlier has now faded

I then proceeded to look at his face I closed my eyes even just a second to see his eyes full of worry and fear for me

Claude touched my face and with a look of worry that was engraved on him

"Everything will be okay Athy, I'll be with you always..."

Claude said with sadness as he smiled softly worrying

I then calmed down and erased all thoughts of him that he could be the one who abducted old lady Sherby

*Sigh*

I sighed in relief to think that I would suspect Claude that it was him

I then looked at Claude smiling gently with all worries gone

Claude looked back at me with a smile

I then went closer and hugged him tightly

Claude was stunned but hugged me anyways and tightly too

"I'm sorry I suspected you"

I said mumbling

"..."

Claude hugged me even more tightly and quietly

"Athy"

Claude called for me

"Mm?"

I asked looking at him

He then handed me the bracelet and showed his left wrist and said

"Will you tie the bracelet around my wrist again?"

Claude asked sweetly smiling looking at me

I took the bracelet and wrapped it around Claude's wrist and smiled as I did

I looked up at Claude to see him looking at the bracelet with a smile on his face

I was happy and patted his head gently

~The Next Day~

I woke up with Claude sleeping on my lap and my shawl on top of him

I remembered me and Claude chatting all night, We were tired and slept outside

I'm surprised I didn't catch a cold

I thought to myself

When I noticed a blanket was covering me

!?

"A blanket?"

I asked

"The both of you sleeping so soundly out in the open, I'm surprised as one of you didn't catch a cold"

To hear a familiar voice I then immediately looked up to see Cythe staring at me

?!

"C-Cythe?!"

I said loudly said and jumped back a little

Cythe then placed his finger on his lips to tell me to keep it down

I then nodded and covered my mouth

Cythe looked at me and smiled softly giggling a little

I felt my cheeks blush a little and so I tried covering it...

"Covering you face would make it more obvious that you're red..."

Cythe said looking away from me with his ears as red as mine

Both of us went silent for a short while and I asked

"When did you put this on me?"

I asked holding onto the blanket he placed on me

"I woke up in the middle of the night to a... I can't sleep"

?

What made him wake up?

But since he doesn't want to tell I won't ask, for now

I thought

"And I saw the two of you sleeping outside"

Cythe said looking at me with a smile

I then blushed a little looking back at him

"And I noticed that you weren't covering yourself to keep you from cold, and so I brought two blankets and place one on you"

Cythe added

"Two blankets?"

I asked

"One for you and me"

Cythe answered

One for you?!

I thought to myself

I then looked at Cythe who was covered with a blanket too and it was place on his thighs

"I slept here...with the two of you"

Cythe mumbled looking away from me with his red ears embarrassed

Was he worried for us?

I thought

*Giggle*

I then let out a soft giggle and looked at Claude smiling gently

I saw his hand that was placed on the ground that was full of grass

And had the urge to hold it

But I was too shy and so I just stared at it for a long time with Claude sleeping on my lap still

When I was so focused on staring at Cythe's hands that I was startled when he suddenly grabbed my hand that was near his

Without looking at me with his red ears

I was stunned and tried to hold back my smile but I couldn't

And so I stared at his hand that was on mine with my face flushed red

"..."

"..."

The both of us just held each other's hand silently

Only hearing the sound of the wind, swaying trees and the sound of birds tweeting from above

I looked down to look at our hands still holding and notice that Claude's hands were bear us too

And notices that it was clenched tighlty

I then took a closer look and to see it wasn't

"Maybe i'm just imagining it"

I mumbled softly

"..."

"..."

Silence once again filled the arched tree

"Young Masters, Young Miss!"

Miya then went and looked for us

We were startled and pulled our hands away still blushing

As Cythe stood up and took the blanket he used and just stood still waiting for us to stand up

"Claude...wake up"

I said shaking him

"I'm already up..."

Claude said in a soft voice

I couldn't hear and so I asked

"Yes?'

"Mm?"

Claude said

"Wake up Claude, They're calling for us"

I said whispering in Claude's ears since I thought he was still sleeping

"...."

But there was no response

I got worried and looked up at Cythe and said

"Cythe you can go first, It'll be a little longer waking up Claude.."

I said guiltily

"..."

Cythe stood quietly and answered

"It's fine I can just stand over there and wait"

Cythe said then walked further

I then turned to look at Claude who's eyes was still closed

I then came closer to his ear and was about to whisper something

When Claude then suddenly turned his head facing mine and kissed my cheek softly

I was startled and pulled my face away and stared at Claude touching my cheek to where he kissed it and with my face as red as a tomato

"It's a good morning kiss... Good morning Athy"

Claude said with a smile on his face

Calm down Athy it's just what friends do

I thought to myself

I calmed myself down I then looked at Claude and answered

"Good morning to you too Claude"

I said with a smile

He smiled back

aude then sat up and I took my shawl and blanket and helped Claude stand up

As the both of us stood up I then came running to Cythe who was standing waiting for us

As Claude was still at the back following us slowly...

To be Continued~