Tutor
CH. 5
A/N: Once again, not a whole lot to say yet about this chapter. I'm gonna try and make it longer. And thanks so much for reviewing.. Even like 2 or 3 reviews matter alot to me.. They motivate me to write more :D
SORRY for any grammar/spelling errors. I typed this in a rush.
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CRAIG'S POV
When the news came, it really hit me hard.
My mom had come home one day and found out. She was even more upset than usual. I remembered that Clyde hadn't been to school again, and didn't make it for tutoring.
"Mom?" I asked as she walked into the kitchen, approaching the coffee machine. She poured herself a cup then sighed and sat at the table. I followed and sat next to her when she didn't answer me.
"M-Mom?" I asked again, confused. She sipped her coffee, then cleared her throat.
"Craig, something's happened to Clyde.." She says and I feel a lump in my throat.
"Wha..?" I manage to say, almost in a whisper.
"Clyde's mother was in a car accident yesterday," She says, putting the coffee cup to her lips and taking another drink of it.
"And she passed away in the hospital the other night." She was crying a little bit. I feel the lump in my throat again.
"Oh.. O-oh my God.." I reply.
"She was a wonderful mother to Clyde.. But she didn't leave a will.. And since her husband left, Clyde has to go into foster care." Tears were falling down her cheeks, now, then into her coffee cup.
"Wh-what? Will I ever see him again? What happened? Oh god, where is he now!" I said frantically, choking out a sob.
"He's already up for adoption, Craig.. His mother and his brother's funerals will be on the same day.. But he won't be able to see them."
"I need to see him again, mom.. I need to.."
"I'm sorry, Craig.. I lost a dear friend and so have you.. We have to learn to cope--"
"N-no. You don't understand. He wasn't just a friend.. I know this isn't gonna sound right.. But I think I love him.. Really.. I think.. I.. I'm in love with him." I was now sobbing uncontrollably. She only kept crying.
"I'm corry Craig, but I don't think you're going to see him again, any time soon. He's going to be in North Park." She wipes her eyes, getting up and walking to the kitchen.
North Park was a good hundred or so miles away. Being that far from him.. Nothing seemed real anymore, like it was just a horrible nightmare. Then the door opened and my dad walked in. He looked upset as well.
"It's a shame, what happened with poor Anita.." He said, referring to Clyde's mom. He put his briefcase by the door, sighing.
"I'm really sorry about it, Sarah.. And you too, Craig.. I'm sure they both meant alot to you.." He kissed my mom on the cheek and walked over to the kitchen counter. "I'll make dinner tonight.. How's that?" He said, turning to my mom.
"No.. I'm not very hungry tonight, Thomas.."
I spoke up, "Neither.. am I." I got up from the kitchen table and walked up the stairs to my room. I opened the door, and fell onto my bed and curled up into the mountain of blankets.
I started crying and it felt like I just couldn't stop, no matter what I did.
Clyde was gone, and I'd never see him again.
Never. At least, that was what it seemed, at the time.
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TWO YEARS LATER
A week after my seventeenth birthday, I got a letter in the mail. I hardly ever got mail, and I didn't expect that day to be any different. It was a hot day, I remembered, and I was swimming in our pool at the time.
My mom walked out onto the patio, holding up an envelope. "Craig, this is for you." I tilted my head to get the water our of my ear, "Huh?"
"This came for you in the mail." She sets it on a table by the pool. I climbed up the concrete steps. I dried off and sat down in a chair, pulling it up to the table. I dried my hands off one more time and hastily tore open the letter, not even glancing at the envelope or caring where it was from. I unfolded the paper and read:
Hey, Craig.
It's Clyde. I just wanted to say that things turned out alright for me, I guess. I'm living in some old rich lady's house now. She's kind of mean, but whatever. I wanted to know if you could come and visit me one day. I know it's been a while, and I hope you remember me..
Then below there were some directions, like take a left here, go straight here, turn right here, etcetera. Then I continued reading:
Could you come by Saturday or something?
I'm really sorry I couldn't write this sooner. I've just been so busy. Ms. Fields makes me do so many chores here; it's endless. I love you and I hope I can see you again soon.
-Clyde.
I read the letter over and over again, to be sure that it was, in fact, written by him. He had really neat handwriting, especially when he wrote in the fancy cursive he'd used in the letter. It was unbelieveable.. He actually was okay. I thought I'd never hear from him or see him again. For all I'd known before the letter came, he could be in Egypt and I wouldn't know.
The next day, I didn't waste any time. I took a shower, changed, and left a note for mom and dad telling them where I'd be for the day. I hopped in the car and drove all the way to North Park, closely following the directions Clyde had left.
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A/N: I hope this was long enough.. I wrote it in a hurry.
-Hailey
