Chapter Ten: Him

"I have something important to tell you, well, we have something important to tell you," Vanessa started, holding Gilbert's hand tightly as they stood in front of me and my parents. I knew automatically what was going on. "We're getting married!"

My father almost shed a tear, leaning up against our caravan in shock. My mom ran over to hug Gilbert. He looked straight at my father anxiously.

"Sir, I ask that I may join the family by traveling with you. I'll earn my pay by playing music where we go," he asked.

"Please!" Vanessa begged, excitedly. She knew Father could say no.

"Of course!" he exclaimed, walking over and grasping him into a big hug.

"Welcome to the family," I whispered, happy for Vanessa but at the same time extremely, border line unbearably, jealous of her. She was old enough to get married; Gilbert was around her age. Gilbert could leave.

I wasn't old enough; Clopin was not around my age, and he certainly couldn't leave. Why did everything work out for her and not me?

I sighed, half-way listening as Gilbert talked to my parents nervously. It was all going to be ok. I'd come back and I'd be with him, and I just had to trust that God would protect him.

I could feel tears coming again from the tingly arousing in my nose. I looked around the town, my eyesight getting blurrier rapidly. I didn't want to leave.

But that day I would.

I felt a hand on my shoulder; I knew it was my mom.

"Are you alright, sweetie?"

"Yeah, mom, I'm ok..."

"Are you sure? I'm sorry if I haven't paid much attention to you: so much has been going on and..."

"Its ok, mom."

"Well, I just feel like I'm missing out on you."

I turned around and looked at her, smiling through some tears. "Well that's not all your fault." I saw bright colors from the corner of my eye, and I pivoted around to see Mary standing a few yards away, waving.

I walked over to her, unsteadiness in my stomach growing.

"Hey."

"Hey..." I answered, looking into her beautiful eyes.

"So Gilbert's running off, eh?" she smirked a little.

"Look, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt him-" I started.

She interrupted, "Its ok. It's the past. I've learned to live for each day- each hour."

I started to tear up again, but I stopped it, being careful not to blink.

"Are you leaving, too?"

I looked up at her and shook my head no. There was a long pause of awkward silence, and I struggled through my thoughts for something to say. "I'm going to miss it here..."

"You're going to miss Clopin."

I was little surprised, a little annoyed, by the comment, but I just blushed and shrugged it off. "Have you seen him?"

"Last time I talked to him he said he would come see you off. When are you leaving?"

"I guess when Gilbert packs up his things..."

"That won't take long..."

I sighed. "My life seems so jumbled right now...I can't imagine how it is for you."

"I'll pull through, don't worry," she assured me, tossing her long hair over her shoulder. "And I'll keep a watchful eye on Clopin. He's a flirt."

I blushed even redder now, my whole neck and chest becoming hot. "Well I guess I can't complain..."

Mary smiled. "Forget what I said, Meg." It was forceful, but soft. She was obviously apologizing in her own, unique round-about way. "But I should probably get going..."

"Take care of yourself."

"I'll have to!"

She walked off, a spring in her step and her hair and clothes swinging thorough the air with streams of color. I turned to look at my family, but all I could see was Clopin. It was weird that I never heard or sensed him coming, but the minute I saw him I knew it was him from the funny colored outfits he wore. He marched right up to me, taking off his purple hat and bowing. "Good day!"

"Good day."

He straightened himself and looked down at me. "Don't act so sad, chin up! Whoever said a sad girl was attractive didn't have his mind right!"

I looked at him, trying to keep the moment uplifting and sarcastic. "I'm going to miss you saying things that just FILL my heart with happiness."

"Don't fool yourself; you're going to miss everything about me!"

I smirked at him. "Everything but your wardrobe. I'm surprised I'm not blind already!"

He smirked right back, his eyes twinkling- no, his whole self twinkling- with excitement, "I'm going to miss you saying things that FILL my heart with happiness."

I rolled my eyes, remarking, "Don't fool yourself, sir! You'll miss everything about me!"

He laughed at me, waving his hands in defeat. "Really, I wish you'd stay."

"You'll be alright," I told him. He smiled again.

"Oh I know I'll be alright, I'm not sure how you'll take being away from me though..."

"Well as long as you don't find yourself another lady, I should be ok."

"Where'd you get that idea?"

I giggled. "Let's just say, as rumor has it, you're a flirt."

"Hey, what you don't know won't kill you..."

I shot him a look. "Careful, I have spies."

"I do, too."

I raised an eyebrow, but quickly realized he was talking about Gilbert.

We spent a little longer talking, about how I would send letters and in each I'd tell him where to write me back to. Time passed quickly, and before I could even be in the least bit satisfied about leaving Notre Dame, and Clopin, my father had everything packed, and I was standing there for goodbye.

And for some reason I felt like it should be more dramatic, like go in slow motion, or that I should be blubbering the whole time. But there was this level of content ness Clopin was giving me, and as much as it hurt I told him goodbye.

He returned it with a parting gift: an I love you that I could hold on to until I saw him again. I stared at him through the caravan as we wiggled off, watching him get smaller and smaller, his beautiful eyes merging in with his face and eventually his legs and arms just a dot against the stone walls of Notre Dame.

It wasn't until I couldn't see him anymore that the trauma hit. My family just patted me on the shoulder, thinking all the stress of Paris and my brother had me down. But I knew that I was leaving the man I loved, cherished everything about. His large nose, his smirking mouth, his heartwarming laughter, his slender hands, his glittering eyes, his chicken legs, his breathtaking touch, his warm tears, and most of all, his age.

The End

(wow, I can't believe its over already! Please forgive me for long waits between posts, and thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! I might do a sequel…I'm not entirely positive…)