17 The Calamity

"Claire, where are you going without having breakfast?" Dad called me, as he saw me walking out of the house.

"Dad, I didn't know you were still here. I'm really late. I'll eat at school." I looked back to inform him.

"Alright, but have a glass of juice at least." He walked to me and handed me, a glass of apple juice. I took it from him. "Are you going to have breakfast with that guy who came to the house the day before yesterday?" He gave his brows a raise.

"So you heard about him. No, I'll have it with Emily."

"Why, did you fight? You even went out to have dinner with him that day. I thought you were close."

"He's just a friend, I went out to dinner with him because he insisted to have dinner with me here. To avoid him meeting you, I had to." I shrugged.

"I heard from the staff that he's pretty good looking and a gentleman. Don't you have any intention of dating him?"

"Dad, no, not at all. He's not the one. Stop asking me to date every other guy you hear about." I whined.

"If he's not the one then is there someone else?" He teasingly asked.

"Uhh... I'll tell you later about um, him." I quaffed the juice.

"So my indifferent daughter finally took an interest in someone. I am curious about him, I'm eager to meet him."

"Can we tell him about our relation, he's someone from the school."

"If you trust him enough we can do that."

"He's someone I trust the most after you. Dad, he's just so good, I'm sure you'll like him too. Should I bring him over tonight?" I got excited.

"Calm down, sweetheart. Seeing you this way is already so surprising, give me some time to accept it first. Also, I'll be out of town for the coming two days so it won't be possible. I'll meet him this weekend. I'm contented seeing you have someone who makes you happy, I already like him." He patted me on my cheek.

"Where are you going all of sudden?"

"It's an urgent business matter, I'm going today and I'll be back before the weekend."

"Okay, Dad."

"You are safely keeping the locket with you, right?"

"I have it around my neck all the time." I took the locket from under my collar and showed it to him.

"Good girl, don't ever leave it behind. When I'm away, I believe you'll take care of yourself and everything else too."

"Of course!" I said confidently not because I was self-assured but because I had someone by my side who'll protect me just as Dad would.

"Aren't you running late to school?"

"Gosh, I forgot because of you. I'll need to take the tiring route again today." I groaned and ran to the door.

"What route? You aren't skipping school, right? Claire?" He shouted as I left the house.

I came running back and hugged him. "I have a lot to tell you Dad. I'll tell you everything once you come back." He smiled at me and I hurried back grinning cheerfully.

I sat on the chair in the corner of the library with my arm laid on the table and head resting on it, looking intently at Shaun who sat in front of me busy reading something.

"Why aren't you looking at me?"

"I'm reading, Claire." He said without looking at me.

"You can't fool me. I know you aren't reading that. You are just looking at the book to avoid me."

"N-no, it's not like that."

"What are you so afraid of now?" I rolled my eyes.

"Claire, what if someone sees us like this."

"So what? Is it a crime to date?"

"But.." I pulled my chair near him.

"How can you even resist me like that?" I put my hand on his arm.

"I'm trying hard." He looked at me and he both broke out in a laugh.

We were walking down the hallway to the class when Ed suddenly showed up.

"Claire, we need to talk."

"Ed, I have a class right now. Can we talk later."

"No, we need to talk right now!"

"But..." Before I could say anything, he grabbed my hand and pulled me.

"What are you doing? She said she doesn't want to go now!" Shaun fumed and grabbed my other hand to stop me.

"Who do you think you are to say that?" Ed turned to him and yelled.

Seeing the flare-up between them, and everyone gathering around, I stopped Shaun who looked like he was about to hit Ed.

"Shaun, I'll go. Wait for me in the class." I put his hand, that was holding me, down and followed Ed.

He took me to one the umbrella shades in the schoolyard.

"Claire, why are you doing this? You have been following Shaun around the whole day and have been ignoring my messages."

"I'm sorry, I didn't see your messages and about Shaun. I was going to tell you yesterday but couldn't. Actually, I like Shaun for a long time but he kept rejecting me so on Emily's advice I dated you, thinking I'll eventually like you. And I tired but couldn't. Meanwhile Shaun came back and we somehow got together. I know what I did wasn't right but my intention was never to hurt you. I'm sorry." I looked down apologetically.

"Claire, what are you talking about?"

"Ed, I don't like you, I never did. I'm sorry." I turned around.

"No, that's not right. You just aren't sure of our feelings or have I done something wrong?"

"You have done nothing wrong, I'm the one who was wrong. It took me a while but I know now that Shaun is the only one for me and I'm sure of it." I looked back at him.

"Claire, give me one more chance. I can prove it to you that I'm better than him. You know how much I like you. Please!" He clung to my arm.

"Ed, I have told you everything, why are you being like this. I said I'm sorry. Stop it now." I pulled my arm away from his grip and walked back to the class.

"You, alright?" Shaun asked as I sat down.

"Yeah, I explained it to him and apologized."

"And he understood? He didn't make a scene?"

"I'll tell you the details later. Why isn't Evan coming? It's his session, isn't it?"

"He didn't come to school today." Shaun informed me. "Now tell me what happened."

I briefly told him about my conversation with Ed and he got angry hearing it.

"His reaction is reasonable, I did hurt his feelings. I feel bad, I shouldn't have done that. I hope he can cope up with it and forgive me." I felt regretful.

"It's not your fault but mine. I'll talk to him, don't worry." Shaun comforted me.

After the night study session, Shaun told me that he'll drop me off so we came out of the school together.

"Shaun, I told Dad about you. He said he'd like to meet you this weekend. You'll be surprised to meet him. Can you come over?" I asked him eagerly.

"Sure, I would like to meet him too but we can't reveal about my identity to him. You remember, right?"

"Of course. Don't you worry, it will always remain as a secret between us." I smiled.

As we were walking down to his car, I got a call. I stopped and picked it up.

"Hello, I am Officer Steven calling from the local police station. Can I speak to Miss Claire daughter of Mr. James Wilson?"

"Claire speaking."

"I'm sorry to inform you this but since you're Mr. Wilson's only family, we have to let you know."

What he said next knocked every wisp of air from my lungs.

In that instant, my eyes and mouth were frozen wide opened. The warmth from my body abandoned me and I felt the world around me spinning. The phone dropped out of my trembly hands.

"DAD."

It was all I could say. Totally stunned as the name bounced around inside my skull.

I fell on my knees, devastated, struggling to inhale, to exhale, to do anything.

Shaun hurried over picked up the phone from his one hand and got a hold of my collapsed self with the other.

Shaun talked to the person over the phone while I sat on the ground, dazed. He picked me up and carried me to his car. I sat in the car silent, stunned and insensate as Shaun drove to the police station. All the way not a single tear fell out of my eyes or a cry got out of my throat.

By the time we arrived at the station, my nerves were steadied. I walked out on my own and followed Shaun to the station. He talked to some people there then took me to a room.

"Claire, can you do this? It's fine if you can't. It would be better to not see." By his words I understood he was referring to Dad's body.

I walked in without a word.

In the centre of the room, laid a body on the stretcher covered with a white cloth. I dawdled towards it. With my heart beating so strong that it would burst any moment, I held the cloth with my hand that was trembling and pulled it away.

The sight cut through my benumbed senses and I shrieked with terror. I couldn't bear looking at it for more than a second. I turned around and banged my head on Shaun who took me in his embrace immediately. As much as I held it in, the pain came out like an uproar from my throat in the form of a silent scream. The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down my face.

I sobbed into his chest unceasingly, hands clutching at his jacket. He held me in silence, patting on my back as my tears soaked his chest. Soon everything darkened into nothingness as I passed into oblivion.