Hello guys!
As the story is not that far from the end, I'd love to ask you all to vote in the POLL in my profile for my next story. I didn't give many options, because I was thinking to do something different maybe.
Thank youuu for reading.
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Goodbyes
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The days passed without major events. The children had completed their exam period so they won a visit to an ice skating club. Everyone was very excited, and Claire was finishing preparing the basket with sandwiches for them to take, while Mariane was organizing the children in the van.
Lately, Claire and Leon returned to treat each other like old friends. He stopped with all the teasing, causing Claire to approach him more often.
The guy was already much better, he could walk without crutches and so he had decided to return home that day. That news let her a little down, even knowing that would happen anytime.
She was happy to know she would have no long goodbyes since Leon was still asleep and when they returned from that tour, he would have gone. That ride had saved her from seeing him go.
Mariane went into the kitchen and picked up the basket that Claire had just finished preparing.
"You got the bottles of juice?" Claire asked.
"Yes, I just needed to get the sandwiches."
"So is everything ready?"
"Yes and no."
"How's that?"
"Anne is not in the van."
Claire scratched her head before leaving the kitchen toward the rooms. She looked for Anne in all bedrooms, bathrooms until she found Anne where she had passed by before, sitting on the floor, behind the armchair.
"What Happened?"
Claire noticed the girl was crestfallen. Anne did not look at Claire.
"Anne. Want to talk?"
"No!"
"You don't wanna go ice skating?"
"I don't"
"Why not?"
"I don't want to! I want to stay with Mr.. Collins."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes" Anne seemed very firm in her decision.
Claire walked out the door again and ten minutes later she was back in the room. Anne looked at her surprised and then bowed her head.
Claire walked over to her and sat down beside her.
"You were so excited to go. You should have gone, Claire"
"So is life. We can't control everything." Claire said.
"Just because you did something for me, Claire. It doesn't mean you'll make me like you..."
"I know, Anne. I did it for myself. It could not be there worried about you here" Claire smiled
"You cannot teach me everything..."
"Actually I'm a student here. And that's you who have taught me many things, the main one is that when we really like someone, we simply care for that person, even without having anything in return. It doesn't matter if you don't like, I like you"
Anne looked at Claire with teary eyes and pulled out a sheet of paper from her bag handing it to Claire.
"That is my real test. I didn't get a good grade in math this time. I'll never be a successful person."
"Well. You are the most talented painter I know. Just because you are not good at something it doesn't mean you don't have another special gift. Study math too, but focus on what you love."
With bright little eyes for the first time, Anne smiled and hugged Claire tight.
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Claire smiled as she watched Anne happy running to her room, because he wanted to paint. Claire didn't expect for that reaction from her, so she was happy too. That would certainly be a special day.
"That was beautiful."
Claire turned and smiled trying to hide the discomfort she felt when she realized that Leon was watching her.
'I came to say goodbye." He said smiling.
"Already? I thought you were sleeping."
"With so many kids screaming?" Leon laughed "I called the agency earlier and at any time they must arrive to get me."
"I understand." Claire stopped breathing when Leon approached her.
Leon walked to her and took her hand.
"Claire, I need to apologize and thank ..."
"You don't need to!"
"Let me finish." Leon smiled "I want to say I'm sorry for my behavior at first, I don't know what happened to me, and... I want to thank you for all your care, for being my angel these days. But mostly I want to thank you for all reflections you brought to me and the opportunity to do something for the children. You taught me to think not only as agent Kennedy, but as Leon."
"I did not teach anything, the children did it all."
"But you also did. You make the difference in people's lives, like you just did to Anne."
"Ah! Stop it!" Claire stared at the floor.
"All right. My goal is not to let you embarrassed." Leon took his finger to her chin lifting her face until their gazes met.
Both stared at each for seconds without saying anything and they remained so until the noise of a car horn sounded interrupting that little moment.
"They arrived." Claire said turning away from Leon.
Before she could have any reaction, Leon pulled her by the hand, hugging her. Although they had the habit of hugging each other before, that hug felt different. Claire wanted to have avoided that goodbye and now embracing him, she realized that she feared that moment to know that the old emotions could appear again.
That hug lasted a few seconds, until Leon grabbed the backpack left on the couch and walked towards the door.
With tears in her eyes, Claire watched as he turned back at her.
"Claire, I left something on the pillow for you all."
Claire could not say anything, she just nodded and tried to smile.
After he walked out the door, she walked slowly to the room. When opening the door she realized that it would take a few days for Leon's scent to leave that place.
On top of the pillowcase she found a check and she sat on the bed scared to see the amount of money he had left as a donation. A value more than 10x higher than normal donations.
Claire then smiled, because she knew now that that donation to the children came from his heart.
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Hi people.
Awww poor Claire! Do you guys think they'll meet soon?
How did you like this chapter?
Dont forget to vote in the POLL in my profile.
Thank youuu guyssss, kisssss!
Mister Valentine: Heyyy!
Yeah, feelings are a challenge for Leon, specially because he is very lonely. I mean, he is an agent and he has many professional contacts, so he deal with this in a very confident way. But when it comes to private life, he doesnt have any really close friend to share his thoughts or any relationship, what gives him a big challenge to know how to act. Specially when he doesnt know what he is really feeling. But I think that being sick, feeling rejection from Claire and then jealousy made him a little imature. But it changed, because he is control of his life now, ready to guide everything as he always did.
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