Chapter 28: Slow down

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Tis' an update!! Thanks for being patient with me, and for reading, commenting and voting!!

Also you guys should totally listen to "Same Ol' Mistakes" by Rihanna.

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Raven P.O.V.

    This year's New Year's Eve was different from the past times. Instead of the adults chatting around the kitchen area sipping on champagne and the kids going upstairs to sleep, all of the kids deciding to huddle into a living room with Clay and I. The living room was mess, filled with toddlers and 5 year-olds in onesies using Clay and I as mobile heaters.

    Lily sat snugly on a loveseat watching over us quietly sipping on hot coco. The TV was on a news channel that was showing the countdown in New York. The living room table was pushed to the side of the room and we've set up piles of blankets and pillows that we were all laying on. Thierry and Haneul were nestled into Clay's ribs, and Nathaniel curled tightly in between us. Atabei and Jacques were sprawled near our feet and Marceline sat next to me occasionally dozing off on my lap. Elan was despondently sitting pretzel style staring at the TV.

    Clayton was struggling to stay awake as Thierry and Haneul's heads dipped lower with sleepiness. Clay's drooping eyes watched over the kids and his hand mindlessly rubbed against Thierry's back. I watched as his head dipped down lower as we waited for the tv program to slowly come to its climax. Elan was the one who woke us all up from our sleep-filled hazes. He jumped up excitedly pointing to the TV with a grin.    

    "ONE MORE MINUTE!" He yelled. Clayton sat up quickly, blinking back his sleepiness from his eyes. Thierry groggily sat up too and like a domino effect they all got up quickly. They're eyes were shining and they jumped up and down trying to countdown the numbers. Clayton was implicated into the happiness as he helped them correctly countdown from 43. His sleepiness was slowly replaced by an illuminating grin as he went through the numbers with them.
    By the time we reached 20 seconds, the adults has strolled in from the commotion. The energy was light and feathery and it made everyone seem to have a glow behind them. Like if you'd be able to see their souls at that moment all you would see was a golden aura surrounding them. Everything fell into place at midnight, as the kids rushed at their parents giving them sloppy but loving kisses and as I pressed my lips onto Clayton's whose lips were curled into this wonderful grin that made him look so at peace.

    I was blissfully mesmerized with his smile and I got this aching feeling that...that I got lucky to have known him. The real Clayton Sorensen, who seemed so irrational to me in the beginning.

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    When my family members started leaving one by one I found that the extra joyous warmth that blanketed around us all was dissipating. I wasn't the only one that saw it happening. Every time someone left the kids would crowd around sobbing, not wanting to leave or anyone else to. Thierry was the worst though, he fought off his father and clung onto Clayton's leg hardcore.

    Clayton was taken aback, but his face settled into a soft smile at the gesture. He squatted down and pried Thierry  off his leg. Thierry's pout was heart wrenching, and he had tears welling at the corners of his eyes. Clayton wiped away the boy's tears and soothingly ran his fingers over Thierry's hair.

    "Hey, you know what Thierry. If you call Princess, she get me for you ok? So whenever you wanna talk to me, just call Princess." Clayton explains. Thierry nodded his head sniffling. Clayton sat down fully and gave Thierry a hug. Thierry clung to Clayton his sniffles continuing. After a few minutes, Thierry pouted and let go of Clayton. He waved goodbye furiously as he walked beside his father. 

    The other kids left a little more quietly than Thierry but all of them were a mess. I couldn't blame them though, the holiday's made all the bad go away just enough that you could be mindlessly happy. The kids however, weren't the only one's whose moods started to drop despondently.

    Clayton seemed to droop sadly as each child left and I felt the same too. It was like a little bit of happiness was scooped away. Nathaniel and Flora were the last kids to go. Clayton and I had both believed that Nathaniel would be adamant that he stay but instead he kept insisting that we "call Mitéra then I can see you." Clayton and I exchanged glances and nodded our heads understandingly. Nathaniel, thus satisfied,  happily went along with his parents. And then there was just my immediate family and Clayton, Alric, and Bella.

    The house, though still filled with more than the usual 4 people, was eerily quiet. It was a stark contrast to the bustling noise that used to pour out every corner of the house. Nevertheless, as Clayton laid his head on my lap while we watched the night sky that evening there was still an unruptured feeling of calmness encasing us. I ran my fingers through his hair, but I felt like I could feel his inner turmoil buzzing at the surface. His head turned away from the sky we were gazing at and to the forest. It was only for a few seconds, but I heard his sharp intake of breath and how he squeezed his eyes shut.

    "What's wrong" I whispered.

    "Nothin'.....I think...I just saw something...that's all" he mumbled. He turned his head so that he was staring at me, his green eyes boring holes into my own. I lightly traced his bone structure trying to remember every bit of his face.

    "Ok" I responded quietly. He shut his eyes and I felt that same feeling as before. It made me feel the pinpricks of warm tears come to my eyes. The well-known pressure on my nose that signaled the beginnings of a stuffy nose. My warm tears started to fall and one especially fat one landed on Clayton's cheek. He opened his eyes startled and looked at me worriedly.

    "Doll" he said his voice soft.

    "Sorry, I...I..." I mumbled, "This is really delayed reaction." He gave me reassuring smile and sat up. He pulled me closer to him, so that he was cradling me.

    "It's okay Doll" he whispered and placed a kiss on my forehead.

    "Sorry" I whispered once again.

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Lol and you should totally listen to "Drop" by
Chloe X Halle

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