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    ~CLARA~


    "What do you mean ric isn''t home?" I asked Scarlett for the second time since she broke the news to me.


    He kissed me earlier today, then Nicole met with him, and I never saw him again after that. He disappeared without any warning. All I kept thinking about was that kiss; I couldn''t get it out of my head. I wanted to see him and ask him about it. I was hoping that it was more than just a kiss for him.


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    However, he was nowhere to be found. I was sure that I would see him when I came to visit Scarlett. I never thought that he wouldn''t be home.


    "I don''t know what else you want me to say," Scarlett whispers. "He never showed up after work today. Then he called Apollo and told him that he would be out for the rest of the week."


    "The rest of the week?" I gasp. "How is that even possible? Doesn''t he have like students that he needs to teach? Why would he disappear like that without an exnation?"


    She quirks a brow at me, "I was hoping that you would have an answer to this question. Is it possible that something happened between the two of you that has him reacting this way?"


    I bit my lip; there was no use hiding the truth from my sister.


    "He called me to his office and kissed me today," I confess.


    Her eyes look like they would pop out any second now.


    "He did what?" she asks in disbelief.


    "But then Nicole showed up, and he asked me to leave. I never got to ask him about the kiss. There''s something weird going on. I can feel it. I know that Nicole is definitely the main culprit in his strange behavior. I don''t know what she''s up to, but it cannot be any good. I''ve never seen ric this uneasy or reckless."


    Scarlett sighs, "his rtionship with Carter hasn''t improved either. They''re both still very angry with each other. I don''t know when any of this will get better”.


    "Can someone tell me why Nicole is here?" Violet asks us as she walks into the family room.


    "Nicole?" Scarlett asks in surprise.


    She was here? Why would shee here?


    "She also came to see ric at the academy today," I informed his sister. "He didn''t look happy to see her. I don''t know why she''s here."


    "She''s following him around," Violet says in an annoyed tone. "When he wanted her, she never cared about him. Now that he''s moving on with his life, she''s trying to confuse him again. I''m so tired of her."


    "Let''s see what she wants," Scarlett says. "At least ric isn''t here. There''s no reason for her to stay."


    The second that we walk into the hallway, she''s already there waiting for us. Was she expecting us?


    "Where is ric?" she demands.


    "Why are you here, Nicole?" Violet demands. "You are no longer married to my brother."


    She narrows her eyes at her, "I always knew there was a reason that I never liked you."


    "Don''t speak to her like that." I snap.


    Nicole rolls her eyes at me, "I''m not here to speak to any of you. I''m here to speak to ric. I have some important news to tell him. It''s something that he needs to hear from me."


    I narrow my eyes, "what is it? We can give the message to him."


    "Who do you think you are?" she snaps at me. "You''re a nobody. ric doesn''t care about you. Why are you always in his business?"


    "Oh, believe me, my brother cares deeply about her," Violet informs her. "And unlike you, I know she cares about him also."


    My lips part slightly at Violet''s words. I''m happy to know that she thinks ric cares about me. I knew that it was evident that I cared about him, too.


    "I''m telling you that I have something significant to tell ric."


    "He isn''t here," Violet informs her. "In fact, he will not be here for a few days. None of us know where he is. I don''t know what you said to my brother today, but he has disappeared."Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She looks genuinely surprised by her words and even a bit disappointed. It seems as though she really wanted to see him.


    "Now, can you please leave? There is no reason for you to be here." Violet tells her.


    Nicole folds her arm over her chest angrily, "you may think that your brother haspletely gotten over me. I''m here to tell you that soon enough, he will want me again. When I tell him what I have to say to him, believe me, ric will be mine again, and there is nothing that any of you can do to stop it from happening."


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    Her words have the three of us totally confused.


    What could Nicole possibly have to say to him that will get them back together?


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