The Girl Next Door

Part 5

London, England. August 1961.

            Clara stormed out of her house and ran down the road to the lot. She struggled to hold in her tears as she climbed into the tree house. Once inside, she sat in the hammock and let herself cry. No. It couldn't be true. She wouldn't believe it. This was all a dream; soon she'd wake up and everything would be fine. She'd be back on the rooftop with John the night of her birthday. They'd be sitting across from each other gazing at the stars, scratching away in their sketchbooks.

            Clara stood up and took one that she stored in the tree house from a shelf. She opened it to a blank page and began drawing a picture for John, just like he'd done for her. 

            A little while later she finished, closed the sketchbook, then walked home.

v

            Clara sat on her rooftop for the rest of the day. John didn't come out until well after it was dark. He was surprised to see she was already there.

            "Clara, hi! I didn't think you'd be here this early." He settled down on the edge of the roof.

            Clara didn't reply, just looked at him sadly. "John, I have to tell you something."

            John noticed how upset she looked. "What's wrong?"

            Clara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "John, I'm leaving."

            "What?"

            "My family is moving again, at the end of August."

            John was silent. He looked down at the ground below them. "Where are you going?"

            "I'm not sure." Clara's voice shook as she spoke. "My mother said we might be able to go home, back to Canterbury."

            "That's great!" John said, forcing a smile. "I mean, you've been wanting to go home."

            Clara shook her head. "I don't think I know what home is anymore, John. I missed Canterbury a lot when I first came here, but now, after spending these last few months with you, this feels like home."

            John felt a tear roll down his face. "Why does your family travel like this, anyway?"

            Clara sighed. "It all started a year ago when my father lost his job in Canterbury. We did all right, until the winter came and we couldn't grow anything on our farm. By spring, we'd spent most of the money we had on food. We had to sell most of the cows and chickens and other animals in order to get enough money to live by. But by June, even that wasn't enough and my father had to sell our farm. After that, we traveled from city to city, trying to find somewhere we could live and one of my parents could get a sustainable job. Nothing lasted long, though. We came here to London because my uncle, my dad's brother, is the manager of a huge business and he offered my parents rent in this house for the summer, and my dad a small job at the company. At the end of August, my uncle is helping my parents buy back our farm, and we're using the money my dad made and money loaned from my uncle to move back to Canterbury. Now that it's nearly harvest season, my dad can make enough to get by for the winter, especially with the help of my uncle. So, there's no need for us to stay here anymore. Not in my parents' eyes, anyway."

            "They don't realize how much you like it here?" John asked.

            Clara shook her head, swallowing a sob. "I told them it was a bad idea to make friends. It only makes it harder to leave. It's why I never get attached to anyone or anything. It's better for me to be alone!"

            John climbed over to Clara's roof and held her in his arms. He gently stroked her hair and she cried into his shoulder. "Clara, we had the time of our lives this summer. You wouldn't have wanted to miss that, would you?"

            "No, of course not, John," she sobbed. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. But it's going to be harder than ever to say goodbye."

            "I know," John whispered. "But hey, maybe someday you'll make your way back here."

            Clara shook her head. "I don't think so. And besides, you'll probably be gone. Or have found other friends and forgotten me."

            "Never," John said. "I will never forget you, Clara Oswald. I'll always remember the girl next door. And I'll wait for you. I'll wait right here, every night, for you to come out that window again, so we can talk and look at the stars and sketch."

            Clara was crying harder. She didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay here forever, with John. It was then that she realized she was in love with him. She didn't quite understand the feeling, but she was pretty sure it was love. She felt warm inside whenever she was with him, and now leaving him felt like part of her was being torn out. And Clara was pretty certain that was love.