Readers and Reviewers…

I am so so so so so so so so so so VERY SORRY!!! I know it's taken me forever to get up this chapter. I just wasn't very motivated to do so… plus with my busy schedule of softball and everything I haven't had much time… (Err… stupid brother hogged comp. so Ciara couldn't use it. Such a heinous crime.) Well… I have spent quite a bit of time on this chapter, and I know everyone will hate me for Clovers next entry… hehe… *evil grin* : ) …But you'll love me cuz the letter is in this chapter.. hehe… And what if our Princey friend was named Ed Chanted, kinda like saying enchanted with a stuffy nose? HAHA! I'm only kidding. That would be horrible and scary and traumatizing! Read on! (P.S. The new characters journal entries will be in bold from now on… if I can figure out how to do it…)

After walking for about 20 minutes Clover came to a small clearing surrounded by trees. The widest part only reached to seven feet across and the length of it was about 6 feet. She took several steps into the clearing and glanced quickly around.

"Hello."

Clover jumped in the air as she heard the voice speak. She turned around quickly and saw a pair of eyes peering at her in the darkness.

"Sorry if I frightened you."

The slightly British-sounding voice belonged to a gorgeous young man who seemed to be around 17 or 18. His hair was a golden color and he was quite tall. Clover just gaped at him not sure of what to say. After a few minutes of racking her brain of possible replies she came up with a halfway decent one.

"Umm… quite all right, I just didn't expect anyone to be in these woods so late at night. Speaking of which, what are you doing here?"

He looked at her in that godly sort of way and answer,

"Fair question, but I should be granted the allowance of asking you the same."

Clover rolled her eyes, stared at him, and said,

"By all means go right ahead."


He suppressed a small laugh at her annoyance and continued the conversation in a way he figured would annoy her more.

"OK then. I am enjoying fresh air. And you?"

Clover tossed the idea of staring away and glared. Then she saw it. A corner of white paper was poking out of the pocket on his shorts. He saw her staring at his shorts and smiled with an amused look on his face.

"Oh my, now what can you be staring at? Certainly not my-"

Clover blushed, then regained her composure.

"Shut it. I was looking at that thing sticking out of your pocket. What is it?"

"Nothing that concerns you probably. Found it about 10 minutes ago. A raccoon was wondering about with it. I got it before the thing scampered up a tree with it."

"Give it to me."

"Well, you're certainly very demanding. Why do you want it? I haven't even gotten round to opening it yet."

"It's mine and that ridiculous raccoon thieved it from me. Now give it back."

She held out a hand and the boy smiled some more.

"We haven't introduced are selves yet, and all ready you're asking me for things."

He pulled the envelope from his pocket and examined it. On the front of it were her dad's sloppily written Clover and a sticky red mark from the lollipop the raccoon had taken. There were also dirt smudges and such from the trek through the woods with the raccoon. The boy looked up at her and asked,

"You're Clover then?"

Clover nodded and promised silently that as soon as she got her letter back she would get her 'campsite' and read it. The boy extended the hand that didn't contain the envelope and encased hers in it.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Christopher Chant."

"Enchanted, I'm sure. Now give me my envelope."

was her reply.

Christopher decided that he would have a bit of fun with this girl. He hadn't interacted very much with girls his age for a while, unless you consider his mother's friend's daughter who was hideous as well as boring.

"Why, is it from your boyfriend?"

A look of grief passed over Clover's face for a moment and then vanished, leaving only a distant remembrance in her eyes.

"No," she whispered, "It's from my dad and he just died yesterday."

Noticing the look in her eyes he quickly scolded himself for toying with her. He held out the letter and she took it.

"Clover?"

She glanced up at him.

"I'm really very sorry about that. See you around?"

Her eyes glazed over with an icy look.

"Of course not."

Clover then turned on her heels and stalked back to her camp. He watched as she left and regretted those last remarks.

Thursday September 21, 2002 2:45 AM

I'm opening it as soon as I write down this mornings advents. I mean the nerve of that guy! He feels like one of those people that you just have to hate. And I do, hate him that is. At least I'm pretty sure that's what this feeling is. He makes me so angry even though he is really hot. Err… that's not fair. People that you hate aren't allowed to be hot because then you might forget to hate them because of their looks. No matter what, I'm still going to hate him. But how can I hate him when his apology was so sincere? I just can! My stupid little subconscious keeps telling me that I can't hate him, but I can! And I will! So there! I'm going to put you down for a few moments so I can read my letter and let out some of my steam at that Christopher Chant guy.

Clover picked up the envelope from the ground where it was sitting. She ever so slowly opened the flap and at an agonizing pace she pulled out and unfolded the letter.

My Dearest Clover,

You are the most beautiful creation in my life. I love you with all of my being, as I did your mother. You're like the spitting image of her. Lila… Lila Belle Rosehall. She died a few months after you were born in a car accident. I swore never to marry again. But then Victoria came along. I don't know how it happened but soon we were married. You were about 5 at the time, and she already had two daughters, Kristy and Katie. I guess I felt that you needed a mother and kids near your own age to do things with. But it seemed that you were only ignored by Katie (Kristy was too young) and shunned by Victoria. Then you started to get older and in those years you were so kind to everything. Once when you were 7 you found a really beat up cat. Its ear was almost torn of completely and it was missing so much fur that you couldn't tell what color it was. Most children would have cried and fled from it, but you didn't. You went in the house and got the fluffiest towel we had and wrapped it in it. Then you brought it inside, fed it, and cleaned it up. That cat became attached to you. A week after you had it, it left. I thought that maybe it just ran out one day and forgot where to come home. After a while though I figured it was Victoria. She always had a dislike for you. I can't understand why. Every Mothers' Day you would bring in a bouquet of flowers that you found in the woods and give them to her. She'd look at you in disdain and set them on the table, only to soon afterwards throw them away. That never affected your spirits. Then you grew older and you became more secluded and got into mischief by doing things to Katie and Kristy. Like dying their hair pink, that was pretty amusing. I regret ever marrying Victoria and even more I regret what she has done to you. I hope that you grow up to be just like your mother was, so caring and loving and happy. I could sit in this hospital bed and write, and write, and write, but I'm not going to. I'll love you forever and always. Your Father,

Kevin Ashes

P.S. No, Victoria didn't push me down the stairs as you probably wondered. I tripped over something. I believe it was a brush. I love you. Good-bye.

Tears flowed out of Clovers eyes and Cinders climbed into her lap. She hugged her cat and whispered,

"It's not fair."

She tucked the letter back in the envelope and put it in her backpack, then she snuggled up with Cinders in her shack and resolved to go back home soon.

Thursday September 21, 2002 3:27 AM

Since my trip down here from London I have learned several things. One is that my parents conveniently transferred my school papers to America (Vermont) because we are moving in. And two is that I am a complete moron. I got this really cute girl to hate me because I annoyed her. But that's not all, I could have been nice and simply handed over the envelope but no, I had to suggest that it was from a boyfriend when here it was from her father that had died the day before. That's a major 'Way to go Chris!'. Can't write anymore, I think I woke someone when I came back in the house. Later.

-Chris

Disclaimer: I had no other name to use so I 'borrowed' the name Christopher Chant from Diana Wynne Jones. Sorry, I just have a liking for that name… soo… shhhhh… don't tell! But it does belong to her and not me.

P.S. I will not post the next chapter until I get at least 30 reviews!!!! MUAHAHAHA!!! I HAVE GONE REVIEW HUNGRY!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! -Passes out from insanely laughing to hard-

-Ciara (key-are-uh…. lol)