Chapter 9, Trouble ends
“M-mum… is that you!?” I cried in sorrow and aggression. The woman looked back at me,, tears welling in her eyes. She collapsed infront of me, embracing me in a bear hug. My leg slowly started to heal as I stood up, shaken but alive. Well… of course I’m alive, I’m immortal. “Mum?” I asked again, tears running to my eyes. “Sshh, I’m here for you sweetie”, she said, rocking me back and forth in a tight hug. I hugged her back, crying into her shoulder. I felt someone join in from behind me. “We’ve really found her Kate… we’ve found our Clarity”, said dad, wraping us all in a hug. We stayed like that for a while, and when we eventually let go of each other, I fell from dream land back to reality.
“Are we stuck in here or are we able to get out?” I panicked, trying to keep my composure. Just as I said that, a hole opened above us and we were all dragged out of the underground cavern. We were thrown out as the hole started to close up. “Ouch! You fucking kicked me!” I heard a voice shriek out from nex to me. “Wow Ben, no need to be a bitch about it, it’s just a small mark”, retorted Symphony, pulling him up by his collar. “Kate, is there some sort of, oh I don’t know… Dungeon under the fucking ground!” Yelled Ben, grabbing my wrist, pulling me towards him. He wrapped his arms around me in a protective way. “I see you’ve met my daughter… Ben”.
“Wait… you know her?” I looked up at Ben, expecting a response. He held me tighter, looking down at me. “Yeah… Kate used to be one of us, but then she ran away and started a family… that’s what I was told anyway”, whispered Ben as if to keep it a secret. I turned to look at mum and dad, my eyes almost as wide as dinner plates. “So… can I have my daughter back or what?” She said, holding out her hand, “Nothing personal, it’s just been, oh I don’t know, eight years since I’ve seen her”. I held on to Ben tightly, now that I think about it… I don’t want to go back to the people who abandoned me in the first place.
“N-no… I-I’m not going back”, I stumbled over my words. I gripped onto Ben tighter, almost as if they were going to drag me away from him. “Clarity… we’re going to stay here, you do know that right?” I looked back at mum, my eyes were once again filled with tears. “Don’t worry, you won’t leave your… boyfriend I guess”, I stumbled backwards when she mentioned that. She couldn’t be serious… me and… Ben? I mean… I guess it would be nice but still… four year age gap, that’s a big gap. “Hehe… we’re not-” I was cut off by a huge squeel erupting from Symphony. “You two are dating! Why’d you never tell me!” I pinched the bridge of my nose, sighing. “As I was saying, we’re not-”
I was cut off, but not by words, but by pure shock. Ben had bent his head down, and kissed me. My tail was shaking like crazy, I thought it would fall off. I kissed back, whenever I’m around him, it’s like I don’t have a care in the world. We parted but I was still blushing from it. “Yeah… you’re mine now” declared Ben, resting his head on mine. I smiled, rolling my eyes since… I’m not really his… am I?
We all walked back to the Slender mansion. I walked further back… I just needed some space from the others. I’m not being introverted, I’m just emotionally unstable right now… don’t judge.
“Hey, you alright kiddo?” I looked up to see Ben fall behind to walk with me. I look away with shame and embarressment since… I still haven’t recovered from what had happened… hehe. “I’m… I’m fine… just fine… I guess, I can’t figure it out myself, god I sound like an idiot”, my words tripped over my tounge and came falling out in a muddled up mess. I winced, my face going red. I buried myself in my hoody, trying to disappear from the world. “Kid… you’re shaking all over and you’re acting really strange, don’t give me that bullshit”, he soothed… but I’m not sure if he was trying to be nice or mean. I paced ahead, trying to stay in the middle of the groups. I didn’t want to talk… but at the same time I… I wanted Ben.
“Clarity… are you sure your alright?” I turned my head to see Ben hovering next to me, his face filled with worry. I ended up spilling everything, but what happened next shocked me…