7 CHAPTER 7 : CLEO’S SIDE

The day of the storm:

"Seems like a storm is coming." Cleo said as she stuck her head out through the window of the empty study classroom and stared intently at the skies.

The skies were crystal clear at the time.

"Yeah I see it too, it's gonna be a hell of a storm, kinda like that movie Stormy with a Chance of Meatballs!" Jason mocked and laughed hard at her suggestion.

"Oh shut up Ramen." Cleo said as she came closer to Jason and placed her pointer finger on his mouth causing him to nervously back away knocking desks over.

She followed him, tracing her fingers along his lips all the way till his back hit the wall.

"What do you know?" She purred in a sexy tone that made Jason's body react without permission.

'Not now lil J...' he thought to himself while nervously looking down at the bulge in his pants.

She made him insane in every way.

"Hey! Hey!!! What's going on here?" Mali (Jason's childhood friend and classmate) screeched as he barged into the classroom to find the couple in a compromising position. He covered his eyes and continued, "I thought this was still a school environment, not a hotel! Come on guys!"

"Ughhh Mali!!!" Cleo groaned as she picked up her bag to leave. "I'm leaving now Ramen. You might wanna leave too if you don't want the storm to catch you in here. Byeeee!" She blew a kiss from her sexy lips towards Jason before turning around and leaving.

Mali rushed in front of Jason, caught the air kiss in his hand and slid it into his pocket. "Ahhhh...." Mali sighed. "So when are you gonna hit that?" He asked Jason with a smirk on his face.

"Jesus Mali!!! This is why girl's don't like you!" Jason exclaimed getting his bag and attempting to leave.

Mali blocked him at the doorway of the class to stop him from going.

"Hey! Hey!! I'm sorry, I didn't know you like her that much. You really like her, don't you?"

Jason's face turned red at his friend's question and an uncontrollable smile spread across his face.

"Oh my God!!! Jase the playa is in love!!!" Mali's voice grew loud and resounded across the hallway.

Jason quickly grabbed his friend and held his hand over his mouth. "Shhh...shut up. Why are you always so xxxxing loud?"

He slowly released Mali as Mali agreed to calm down.

"Yes, I do like her...a lot actually." Jason said scratching a nervous itch at the back of his head.

"Then what are you waiting for? Ask her out. She obviously likes you back dummy." Mali responded bright eyed and excited for his friend.

"I'm getting to that..." Jason's nervous scratch seemed to get itchier as his scratching increased and got even faster.

Mali threw his arms around Jason's shoulders in an attempt to relax his friend. "Relax dude..." Mali said in a chill tone. "She definitely likes you, just do it. It's gonna be alright."

"She does right? She seems like she does." Jason mulled over what just happened in that classroom with Cleo and his face turned red once again.

"I'm gonna ask her out." He asserted strongly.

Mali did a double jump in excitement. "Really? When?" He asked curiously.

"Tomorrow!" Jason said strongly and assuredly.

"YESSSSSS!!!!" Mali screamed again alerting the hallway of his presence. "That's my boy! Go get her tiger."

.................

Cleo got home quite early. Her home was a luxurious masterpiece with state of the art modern facilities. However, it was empty as her parents who are both doctors were out on their shift, as usual.

She dropped her bag on the kitchen counter, opened a snack cabinet and brought out a bag of chips. She sighed as she got comfortable with her bag of chips in front of the giant 4K quality tv in her living room.The curtains around her were open so she took a glimpse out the window while crushing a chip in her mouth.

"Wow! The storm is gathering. It's gonna be a heavy one from the looks of these clouds." She stopped for a moment and then smiled coyly. "At least Ramen's gonna believe me now...dummy." She giggled softly. "Hope he got home okay."

After watching a show or two, she cleaned up the living room where she had eaten and headed to the kitchen to prepare a special dinner for her hardworking parents.

As night drew near, the table was set for Cleo's special thank you dinner. She had called both her parents a number of times but it kept going straight to voicemail.

Cleo's countenance began to dim. Her hopes of seeing her parents that night got more and more bleak as the storm raged harder and harder outside.

'They're not coming, are they?' She said to herself resigning in utter defeat.

A call finally came through to her phone and she picked up immediately.

"Mom?!" She said excitedly, her countenance beginning to brighten again. "Mom, where are you guys?"She asked.

"Oh sweetheart-chrrrrrr- we -chrrrrrr- coming-chrrrr-okay?" Her mom's voice was interrupted by the sound of static because of the storm.

"Huh? Mom! I can't hear you. Did you say you're coming home? Well that's great because I actually prepared-"

"Chrrrr, no honey, I actually said your father and I can't make it tonight." Her mom uttered in a sad tone as the signal seemed to clear up for that.

Cleo's heart dropped as she heard this.

Her mom continued," The storm has knocked a lot of trees over on the roads and sent a lot of victims to the ER. Your father and I are trying to manage the situation over here. So stay strong sweetie. Lock all the doors, we'll be back as soon as we can be, okay?"

"O-okay mom. Just...take care of everyone there. I'll be fine on my own." Cleo managed convincing herself in her mind to stay strong.

"That's my girl. See you later sweetie. Muahhh. Love you. Bye." Her mom said as she dropped the call.

"Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry!!!" Cleo sniffled as she held her face in both hands.

"It's gonna be fine, it's totally gonna be -yawn- fiiiiine."

A deep sleep suddenly descended on Cleo. Her head drooped down and fell right into the salad she had prepared. "Zzzzzz.....zzzzz...."