The Gift

Eventually, the party wound down. He guests began to trickle away. He watched them go, bidding each farewell in turn. Eventually, the room was empty, and he was left to his own devices. He was tired, and his feet ached from walking, so he sat down on one of the abandoned chairs, closing his eyes for a moment.

It had been a good day. A very good day indeed. Seeing so many of his old friends again brought back memories, and he had enjoyed their company greatly. But now at last, he was done, and the last of them had filtered out.

Or so he thought.

Only a few moments into his rest, he heard a sound as the front door eased open again. His eyes snapped open, and he wondered if it was one of his guests returning or something more insiter in naure. He didn’t have to wonder long, for a moment later, a voice called out, the tone a little uncertain.

“H-hey, Alex? You there?”

“Clara?” He called. “I thought you left?”

“Well, I tried to.” The girl said, moving towards him into the main room. “But the lift I’d set up didn’t arrive, and it’s a bit too late to arrange anything else. Can I crash here for the night?”

“Of course.” Alex said instantly. “You know you’re always welcome here. Are you okay? You look a bit flushed.”

“Thanks, Alex.” She smiled up at him in a way which made his heart beat faster.” I’m okay, just um, just something on my mind is all.”

He shook his head, her eager face reminding him of all the time that they had shared together, as kids of teens, they’d spent so much time with each other than one could read the other better than most siblings. As soon as he looked at her coming in the door, Alex knew that something was up. The set of her body betrayed that there was more to this than she seemed to be saying.

Alex was suspicious. Clara was kind, good-hearted, and friendly, but also mischievous to a fault, and very cunning. She wasn’t above using her good girl reputation to manipulate those around her for her own gain if she felt like it, though she generally tended not to do that unless she considered it important, or it was really, really funny. Alex could buy that her lift really had been delayed, but something in the set of her body told him otherwise. Maybe she could have fooled anyone else, but not him.

He shook his head, realising that she was looking up at him, waiting for him to respond. He cleared his thoughts, and looked at her, for a moment, he almost couldn’t speak. They’d grown up together, and he knew very well what she looked like, but it still made him freeze up sometimes when she sneaked up on him, or he was caught unprepared.

Clara had a wide open face, her blue eyes often glinted with mischief and laughter. Her sleek, brown hair shone in the light. Her skin was a healthy shade, though not quite so much that it could be called tanned. Her eyes were wide, intelligent. A little bit like Lilly,, but unlike Lilly, they didn’t quite pierce you in the same way. Clara was a more gentle person, she didn’t skewer you with her gaze. But she did read you. She was just more subtle about it. Lilly was a commanding person, but she was also obvious about it. It was just her nature. Clara, however, she was different. She was gentle, and funny, and kind, and caring. She was all of these things, but they were not all that she was. There was something under them too, something intelligent, and cunning, and crafty. She was a joker, a mischief maker, not above using her reputation as the pure as snow good girl of the group to get away with what she wanted.

“Take a seat.” He said, gesturing to one of the seats that still lay scattered about the room. “I’m afraid the room is a little messy at the moment, but I don’t think you’ll mind too much. I’ll tidy tomorrow. I’m afraid there’s only one bed, but that’s fine. I’ll sleep on the settee. Are you needed anywhere early in the morning?”

“No.” She said. “I’m not due back for a few weeks. I’ve been staying with Lilly for a while. She’s doing well for herself, you know.”

“So I see.” Alex nodded. “And I am pretty sure several people also felt how well she was doing for herself.”

Clara snickered, her laughter stirring his chest.

“You saw that, eh? Well, she does get excited you know. It’s not her fault she conked that poor guy in the head once.”

“Twice.” Alex said dryly. “She did it twice.”

“What, really?” Lilly laughed. “I’m starting to think she has a grudge against that guy. She got him during the last party too!”

“Really? Not like Lilly, that.”

“You mean to hold a grudge?”

“No, to be subtle about it. Usually, if she doesn’t like someone, we all know.”

“Oh, she can be subtle.” Clara said with a secretive grin of her own. “She can be veeerrry subtle.”

“I suddenly feel quite afraid.” Alex joked. “I need to get a drink. Water, I think. You want anything from the kitchen?

“Nah, I’m good. I’m just gonna sit here for a bit and rest my feet. You think that your feet are sore? Try walking around in the high heels that come with this party dress.”

Alex said nothing as he moved off, trying not to picture the dress. Clara was currently clad in a slim red dress, it was not exactly low cut, but it did cling to her figure, and what it saw certainly stirred the mind and drew his attention. Her black stocking showed off her long legs, and though her body was not as lithe as that of Lilly, Clara was in good shape. He desperately tried not to think of what she would look like up close in that dress, and especially not what she would look like up close out of it!

“She’s your friend, Alex.” He muttered to himself. “Your best friend. You don’t think about that sort of thing with your best friend.”

He moved to the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water. His throat felt suddenly quite dry, so he poured himself another. By the time he returned to the living room, he felt a lot better. Clara had gotten up from her seat while he was away, and was standing with her back to him, looking out of the window which overlooked the street.

“H-hey, Alex.” She said, her voice low and hesitant.

“You um… you know how I didn’t get you a present yet?”

“Y-yeah?” Alex said, his heart beating quickly. He didn’t know whether to be relieved that she had brought that up or worried about what she would say next.

“well, I couldn’t really find anything good.” She admitted. “You’re kind of hard to buy for, you know? Your family is practically rich!”

“We’re not rich, Clara.” Alex said with a sigh, having had this conversation with her numerous times before. “We’re just sort of well off… my father and my brother both make a lot of money. Not enough to be rich, though. I don’t know why you keep saying that it is.”

“Because it annoys you?” She said with a grin. “That’s enough reason for me. Oh, poor Alex with his rich family, able to have everything he wants...” She shook her head. “But joking aside, do you know how hard it is for me to buy for you when you have so much money?”

“I tell you aga-”

“Even if you’re nor rich, you’re not exactly wanting money either.” She said. “Don’t argue it, you’ll lose.”

Alex considered for a moment, then dropped the topic. She was right.

“Anyway...” She said. “So like I said, I didn’t get you a gift...”

“I know.” Alex said. “I thought I might have made you mad or something.”

“No, nothing like that...” She said slowly. Alex realised that she was a bit pale, her cheeks were flushed, and she seemed to be having a hard time focusing on her words. He frowned, concerned.

“Are you sure you’re not sick? You look a bit sick right now.”

“I’m not sick, Alex!” She said, her voice rising a little. “You are making this so hard right now! Do you even know how much I had to prepare myself, and you start asking if I am sick? Oooohh! That is the most annoying that I never expected to-” She paused, realising what she had said. Alex looked at her quizzically.

Clara took a deep breath.

“Okay, Let’s try that again. Um, you know how I didn’t get you a gift?”

“Yeah? Where are you going with this? If you’re going to apologise, I forgive you, it’s no big deal.”

“It is to me.” Clara said. “I was thinking about what to get you, you know? When I couldn’t find anything, and, um, well, I had an idea. And it was sort of crazy. In fact, it’s not the sort of gift I would ever give to anyone else. It’s just for you.”

“Just for me?”

“Y-yes.” Her cheeks were burning now, and Alex wondered what she was aiming for. She looked pretty embarrassed, and he hoped she hadn’t done anything too ****.

“Um...” She started to play with her hair again, working it into a bundle around her finger. “Well, the thing is… if I couldn’t get you anything, I decided to give you something else instead… heh, um, it’s uh...it’s sort of me...”

“Ah, okay, that makes sense.” Alex paused for a moment as his brain went over what she had said. “Wait, Clara, what did you just say!?”

Clara blushed even more brightly, but still managed to say mostly without stuttering.

“T-the gift is me, Alex.”