
Chapters 15.
A month and a half later...
Claire ran along the beach. His long hair was waving in the sighing wind. The legs are smooth and barefoot, swept by waves that come and touch the shore. Sometimes the waves suddenly grow and hit the rocks around it. His laughter seemed to express how much he was having fun right now.
Raven watched Claire from afar. Half-lying on a mat spread out over white sand, he basked himself in the morning sun with his bare chest and blue shorts all the way to his thighs. Her tears also showed the same joy as Claire.
Today is Sunday. Raven takes Claire on vacation to one of the most beautiful beaches. On this day and in this place, Raven plans to say something to Claire. He will express his heart and also the feelings he has harbored for a long time.
Lately Raven continues to think and reflect, actually how she feels about Claire. After getting her answer and feeling confident, Raven planned to state it directly to Claire today as well. He can't wait any longer. I have to say before it's too late.
His smile expands to welcome the arrival of Claire who is satisfied to play with water. Sometimes when you go to the beach, someone can suddenly change like a child again. So does Claire, Raven thought.
“Already satisfied messing around, Son?” Raven makes fun of Claire.
“Ah, you..!” Claire takes a place lying next to Raven and she pinches Raven's stomach.
Feeling amused, Raven held her own stomach and exclaimed spontaneously, “Auww..!”
“Review yes, if you dare again make fun of me,” threatened Claire joking.
They both laughed, and both lay down. Their bodies face the morning sunlight which warms the skin.
Claire enjoys such moments, as she feels it has been a long time since she and Raven are not on vacation like they used to. Let alone vacation together, even when they meet like they are in a cold war. Not as familiar and friendly as before.
But today, Raven wants to change everything. He wanted to have back their beautiful days, which had been lost lately. He wants them to be like before. Always together, everywhere always together, on vacation wherever they like, sharing stories, laughter and jokes.
And of course most importantly, Raven wanted Claire to know her heart all along. Also the feeling he had been holding for so long. Today too he has been determined to tell Claire, no matter what.
First of all, he will ask for clarity from Claire, about his relationship with Kyle, who lately has always been familiar and as if setting aside Raven's position beside him.
In the second, he will express his feelings for Claire, no matter what Claire explains his relationship with Kyle.
Then the third one, he would make a most special request to Claire, which the girl would never have expected before.
And lastly, Raven will be waiting for Claire to give her answer, right then and there, that very day. Yes or no?
“Claire...,” Raven started her mission. They were still lying facing the sun.
“Ya?” Claire waited for Raven who felt like she wanted to say something.
“How's your relationship with Kyle lately?” ask Raven carefully.
“Good,” Claire replied briefly.
“What's the reason?” Claire turned her head, she still could not guess what Raven meant to ask so. Lest Raven was about to match her up to Kyle, she thought simply.
“Mmm..., how good is it? I mean, as good as what?”
“Yes, well done so, we are suitable coworkers,” Claire said quickly. “Kyle was also very patient, meticulous, and protected me wherever I went. Whatever I command, he will do his best. That's why I don't feel like I'm going to replace him with another assistant.”
“Assistant?” Raven seemed to have the wind. “You mean, Kyle is just an assistant to you? No more?”
“In addition to the assistant, I have also considered him a good friend,” I'm Claire honest.
“Only a good friend?” reanimate Raven in disbelief.
“Yes, indeed just a good friend,” Claire replied for sure. “Okay, why are you? How did you keep asking me about Kyle? What do you suspect of him?”
“No, no why. I just want to know,” Raven breathed a sigh of relief. It turns out that the prejudice has not been true all along. The relationship between Claire and Kyle is only a co-worker, or if more, a good friend. No more than that.
“Aduh, I feel thirsty,” Claire said suddenly. “I went there first and bought a drink,” Claire rose from her sleep on the mat, and was about to walk to one of the places a little far from there, where people were selling drinks.
“Let me buy it for you?” bargain Raven saw Claire who was getting ready to leave.
“No need,” reject Claire, “I can go by myself. I want to enjoy a moment of soft white sand on my bare feet,” he said as if in poetry.
“Ya, go,” smile Raven. “Quickly back yes! There's something important I want to tell you,” the message in a serious way.
“What is it?” claire asked to know.
“Stop it, later if you've bought a drink and quench thirst, I'll tell you. Remember, this is very important,” said Raven as if joking.
Raven stared at Claire's departure with a smile of relief.
It seems that he has a great chance to have a whole Claire. His smile stopped as the mobile phone lying next to him on the mat rang.
With a single reach, the mobile phone had already moved into his hands. He saw the name of the caller on the screen. “Vanessa!” his heart was shocked at once in wonder. Why did Vanessa suddenly contact him? Though they never contact each other again after Vanessa check-out from hotel “Harrington”, and continue her journey to another city by plane.
Vanessa once told her that if she left the hotel, she would continue her singing tour to other cities for two months, along with other singers. So of course Vanessa will be very busy and may have forgotten it. Why did he suddenly contact her again?
“Yes, Vanessa?” Raven stood up from the mat. While putting the phone next to his ear, he walked to a place a little far from the sound of the waves pounding.
“Raven. I am Vanessa. I'm so happy that you haven't forgotten me yet. You still have my hp number?”
“Yes, you're looking for me. What was? What about your singing tour? Success or not?” ask Raven.
“Still another half month just ended the tour,” replied Vanessa.
“So far it seems to be a success. But this is not what I want to tell you, Raven. Today I called you because I wanted to talk to you about something. Talk about us.”
“Kita?” Raven repeated the word. “What is there to talk about between us? Didn't we agree not to mention what happened? Actually, I wanted to apologize for what happened that night. Often I thought about calling you and apologizing, but because I was busy, I forgot again,” the reason Raven.
“It's okay, Raven, if you're really busy. It's not because you want to forget me. Please, Raven, you don't dump me one day, because now I'm pregnant, and this is your son!”
The words spoken by Vanessa in that hoarse voice, felt Raven like thunderbolt in broad daylight.
There was no wind, no rain, and no storm, and suddenly Raven felt her body as if it were floating around.
Not only his body, but his thoughts and feelings were suddenly stomping hard. Vanessa's pregnant? Really it? Who is the father of the child in the womb? Is he really himself?
“Ah, what are you talking about, Vanessa? You're kidding me, huh?” raven's voice was incredulous.
“I can't possibly joke about this, Raven,” Vanessa said raucously. “Almost a month I'm late. At first I had wanted to see a doctor since a week ago, but because my tour schedule was very tight, I did not have time. But early this morning I happened to see a 24-hour clinic near the hotel where our group was staying. I sped myself there. And you know what the test results are? I am positively pregnant! You have to take responsibility, Raven. Because you're the only man who's ever touched me. I don't want this child to be born without a father! How will my fans react to this? A famous singer who has never been hit by gossip before, suddenly pregnant out of wedlock?!”
Raven felt her heart churn at Vanessa's words. Between shock, confusion, restlessness, and uneasiness, Raven said softly, “Vanessa, wait a minute. I can't think this fast, give me time, can I? Please...,” Raven's voice is stuck in the esophagus.
“Alright, Raven,” break up Vanessa. “Wait for you to call me back in half an hour! Remember yes, you have to call me, not to not,” then the cell phone connection was cut off, no matter the reaction of Raven who was still worried and trembling. He said a real man, should be responsible dong! Don't just run away!
“Hei..!” raven's shoulder was patted from behind. Raven was surprised that she just disconnected her phone and Claire was already behind her, not since when.
“Oh, Claire, you look, I guess who. This was a phone call from Vanessa,” tell Raven by itself, because he saw Claire had caught him just talking to someone on the phone.
“There's a problem?” search Claire. Actually, he was not interested in hearing Raven's words about Vanessa, especially at times like this, but he saw the look on Raven's face as if bearing the burden.
“Oh, no,” lied Raven. “He said that the tour will end in half a month, and so far it has been quite successful. Oh yeah, where's the drink you bought?” raven's question distracts from Claire.
“This is for you,” Claire offers a glass of juice to Raven. “I drank there. I was in a hurry, you said you were going to say something important to me. Now I'm ready to hear it.”
Raven was almost choked by the drink she was drinking. “What did you say?” tanyanya daze
“Didn't you say you were going to say something important to me? Now I've been drinking and I don't feel thirsty anymore, so I'm ready to hear that important thing. Come on, just say it!” persuade Claire while walking.
“Oh, it....,” Raven hid her face and feelings in a downed manner. He kept drinking juice in his glass. “Sori, Claire,” said listless. They walked side by side towards the mat where they were lying earlier. “Suddenly I felt unwell and lost my mood. I can't say it now.”
Claire breathed a disappointed breath. “What was the phone from Vanessa earlier?” guess perfunctorily.
He and Raven had gotten to the mat, and they were sitting there facing each other.
“Not that,” Raven put that glass on the mat “I just don't feel right saying it yet. Next time, Claire. Next time I'll tell you. I promise,” Raven raised her little finger to hook up with Claire.
Claire was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking for a moment. Then with a forced smile, he clasped Raven's little finger back. “Yes, that's okay,” said it was heavy. “Although I still feel curious. If you're not feeling well, we'd better not linger here. Let's just go home in a minute, okay?”
“Do not, Claire!” said Raven. “We haven't been here long. Cuisine you want our holiday interrupted just because of me? Never mind, I'm fine. Soon is good.”
“True, are you okay?” look Claire's a little worried.
“It's okay, Big Miss,” Raven tried to smile by ruffling Claire's hair sitting in front of her.
When the girl turned her eyes elsewhere, Raven quickly turned off her phone, so that no more phones could come in. Especially from Vanessa!
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