Chapter 20: Blissful Encounter

Chapter 20: Blissful Encounter

Clara ran for a long time, then paused and bent slightly with both hands on her knees while panting heavily. She looked around and noticed that there were people around here although they were not many.

She heaved a sigh of relief and thought depressingly, how had she ended up getting in trouble.

She took in a deep breath and looked back then spotted two of the men maneuvering through the crowd towards her. A gasp left her lips and she quickly straightened up before dashing off again.

Clara ran mindlessly in a random direction with her bag clasped tightly in her hand with a fear-stricken expression.

Carl frowned and stared at the figure running at full speed. He wondered what was chasing her, then instinctively glances back and noticed four burly men walking hastily toward her direction.

His expression instantly darkened and he pressed at the small Bluetooth again and ordered gravely. “Capture them,” before striding behind her with hurried footsteps.

Clara ran and ran until she could barely breathe. She looked around and spotted a house-like building ahead then ran towards it.

After she entered, her eyes instantly widened and her face became very pale. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” she screamed violently.

Carl who was striding behind her frowned when he saw her enter the hunted house. He suddenly heard her scream and he cursed inside before dashing toward it anxiously.

Clara stood transfixed with eyes wide open and her body shaking violently. A ghost suddenly appeared in front of her and she screamed once more before covering her eyes and taking a step back. Her whole body was shaking and she slumped down on the floor.

Carl entered and his pupils dilated when he saw her shaking on the floor with tightly shut eyes. He looked up and scowled angrily at the staff who wore a ghost costume. The staff cowered back feeling intimidated by the man’s aura.

Carl squatted down and carefully picked the slender girl from the floor. Her eyes were tightly shut and a tear trickled down her small face. His heart ached looking at her pitiful face and he strolled out of the hunted house with her in his arms

Clara’s body flinched when she felt someone carry her. She was about to struggle but suddenly sniffed a very familiar scent. Her body instantly relaxed and she thought, while inhaling the heavenly scent, ‘Am I hallucinating again?’ She sighed and kept her eyes closed and smiled. Even if she was hallucinating, she would relish the moment.

Carl stepped out of the hunted house and looked down at the girl who was now calm in his arms. His expression became calm and he gazed at her lovingly. Her small face that was streaked with tears looked peaceful and there was a slight smile on her lush lips. He paused his gaze there and gulped slightly and took in her expression for a while before breaking into a smile. ‘Very beautiful’ he thought inside while feeling a blissful sensation in his heart.

Clara felt his footsteps stop and she frowned slightly then slowly opened her eyes only to be met with his tender gaze. Her eyes widened, still glistening with tears and her heart started thumping erratically. ‘It is him.’ She was at loss for words.

Carl saw her look of astonishment and he chuckled slightly. He spotted a bench nearby under a tree and sauntered towards it.

He sat her down slowly and he also sat beside her. She was still looking at him with astonishment which he found funny. His smile deepened and he coughed slightly.

Clara got out of her trance when she heard him cough and she quickly looked down with a flushed face. ‘I finally see him again’ she thought happily and she felt countless butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Her heart was finally at peace. She thanked her stars countless times feeling extremely happy then she looked up again and found him also staring at her intently with a soft smile.

‘Does he perhaps like me?’ she thought and remembered that this was exactly the same gaze he gave her in the hospital.

Her heartbeat was in chaos and thumping with anticipation.

When Carl saw her flushed face he felt his heart melt. ‘Is she shy?’ he thought happily and thought maybe she liked him too.

The kind of euphoria he was having felt so unreal and he promised himself to never let her go again, no matter what.

They both stared at each other while feeling an indescribable attraction. They were both silent while communicating with their hearts.

After some a minute, Carl rubbed his ear slightly and finally opened his mouth. “How are you feeling?”

Clara nodded her head slowly and looked down again while playing with the strap of her bag then replied in a soft voice, “I’m fine.”

“Mm.” Carl also nodded, knowing that her body had long stopped trembling.

The place sank into silence again and Clara looked up and said softly with a smile. “Thank you.” And she paused then added after some seconds. “I’m Clara.” She thought maybe if she told him her name, she might get to hear his name too.

Carl already knew her name but he felt happy that she was introducing herself to him. He gazed at her with a tender smile and nodded. “Mm. I’m Carl,” he said softly in his smooth voice.

‘Carl Carl Carl.’ His name floated in her brain and she subconsciously muttered with a dazed expression, “Carl….?”

Carl chuckled and replied, “Yeah.” He liked the way his name sounded smoothly on her lips and her melodious voice.

The place quieted down again and they both sat there peacefully, each person in their own thought.

After some minutes, Carl turned to her and said, “Erm… Your phone.” And he reached out his hand, hesitating.

“Huh?” Clara was bewildered for a second and instantly understood him. Was he the shy type? She giggled inside and happily brought out the phone and gave it to him.

When Carl held the phone, he noticed a pink heart-shaped sticker at the back and he chuckled lightly, founding it childish.

Clara saw him staring at the heart shape on the phone’s back. Her cheeks instantly reddened and she looked down shyly. She could remember that she had put the sticker on the back of the phone as a symbol of her heart.