CHAPTER 22 — DON'T LET GO AGAIN

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 22 — DON'T LET GO AGAIN

The first day of school after a seven-day sleep... Percy Grant... Was running late.

"CLARA!"

Clara, walking ahead, looked back.

"What?!"

"SLOW DOWN!"

"You're just slow!"

"I SLEPT FOR SEVEN DAYS!"

"IS THAT MY FAULT?!"

"YOU WROTE ON MY FOREHEAD!"

Clara laughed.

"It suited you."

Percy picked up his pace.

"If I catch you again—"

Clara started running.

"YOU CAN'T CATCH ME!"

Percy ran too.

"I'M CORE 5!"

"WELL, I'M CORE 4!"

"THAT ARGUMENT IS AGAINST YOU!"

Clara was escaping with bursts of laughter. Percy started closing in.

"I'M CATCHING YOU!"

"YOU ARE NOT!"

"I AM!"

Then... Clara stopped.

Abruptly.

Percy almost ran into her. He stopped at the very last second.

"What happened?"

Clara didn't answer. The smile on Percy's face slowly faded.

"Clara?"

Clara looked at the ground.

"Percy."

"Hm?"

She took a breath.

"I'm sorry."

Percy fell silent. Clara continued.

"I didn't know."

"I didn't know what Arthur told you."

"I didn't know about Charlotte."

"I didn't know why four people cornered you."

Clara clenched her hands.

"But..."

"...none of those are excuses."

Percy's face didn't change.

Clara:

"Because..."

"I knew you wouldn't do something like that without a reason."

Percy's eyes widened slightly.

"I knew it."

"I really did."

Clara raised her head.

"But in that moment..."

"...my head didn't work like that."

Her voice trembled.

"I didn't ask."

"I didn't listen to you."

"I didn't trust you."

Percy was quiet.

Clara:

"Then..."

"I hung out with Arthur."

She paused for a moment.

"Way too much."

Percy turned his eyes away. Clara saw it.

"And..."

"...I rubbed it in your face every time."

Percy still didn't speak.

"On purpose."

That word... Came out even harder.

"You were just friends with Charlotte."

Clara's eyes welled with tears.

"But I..."

"I wanted to hurt you."

Percy's gaze returned to Clara.

"Because I was hurting."

Clara's voice grew smaller.

"And I wanted you to hurt, too."

Silence.

"I hurt you..."

"...willingly and knowingly."

Clara could no longer look Percy in the eye.

"When I learned the truth..."

"...it was too late."

Percy:

"Clara—"

"No."

Clara shook her head.

"I need to say this."

Percy went quiet. Clara wiped her eyes.

"You forgave me."

"I know."

The moment Percy had kissed her... Came to her mind.

"I can't stay mad at you."

Clara closed her eyes.

"But..."

"...I couldn't forgive myself."

Percy looked at her.

Clara:

"I don't know how to make it up to you."

A single tear.

"I can't do anything."

Silence.

Percy... Tilted his head slightly.

"Actually, you can."

Clara raised her head.

"What?"

Percy's expression... Had changed. He was no longer smiling.

"You will pay the price."

Clara froze. A second. Then she nodded.

"Okay."

Percy was taken aback.

Clara:

"Whatever you want."

Percy looked at her for a few seconds.

Then...

"I was jealous."

Clara's eyes widened.

Percy:

"I was so jealous."

Clara forgot to breathe.

"Every time I saw you with Arthur."

Percy's voice... Had never been this open.

"I acted like nothing was wrong."

Clara's lips parted slightly.

"I laughed with Charlotte."

"I trained with William."

"I hung out with Brother Galahad."

Percy dropped his gaze to the ground.

"Then I went home."

He went silent for a moment.

"I entered my room."

In Clara's chest... The first blow landed right there.

"I closed the door."

The second.

"I cast a Silence spell."

Tears began streaming from Clara's eyes.

Percy:

"And..."

"...I cried until morning."

Clara's face broke.

"Percy..."

"So no one would hear."

Clara nodded her head.

"Percy..."

Percy looked at her.

"It hurt so much, Clara."

Fire.

For Clara... Those words were like fire.

It would have been easier if Percy had been angry with her. If he had yelled. If he had insulted her. If he had rejected her.

But... Percy had cried. Because of her. And Clara... Had never known.

"I'm so sorry."

Percy didn't answer. Clara took a step closer.

"I'm so, so sorry."

Percy:

"I know."

Clara:

"What can I do?"

Percy looked at her. Then... He held out his hand. Clara's eyes... Fell onto that hand.

Percy:

"Just one thing."

Clara held her breath. Percy's hand... Stood between them.

"Don't let go again."

Clara's eyes widened.

Silence.

Percy said nothing else. Clara... Looked at that hand.

Years ago... Percy had held her hand. When walking out of the grocery store.

Then... Somewhere along the line... They had let go.

Now... Percy was holding it out again. Another tear rolled down Clara's cheek. But... This time she smiled.

She held out her hand. She took Percy's hand.

Tightly.

"Okay."

Percy:

"Okay?"

Clara nodded.

"I won't let go again."

Percy smiled. Clara did too. And... They began walking. Hand in hand.

Ten steps later...

Percy:

"By the way."

Clara:

"What?"

Percy:

"Pain in my ass."

Clara's face changed.

"YOU DESERVED IT."

Percy:

"YOU WROTE IT ON MY FOREHEAD."

Clara:

"YOU WROTE IT ON MY STAFF."

"THE STAFF WAS BOUGHT WITH MY MONEY!"

"IT WAS BOUGHT WITH AUNT ELEANOR'S MONEY!"

"I PAID HER BACK!"

"SIX MONTHS LATER!"

"BUT I STILL PAID HER!"

Clara stuck her tongue out.

Percy:

"You know what—"

Clara ran. Percy started running too. Then... He stopped suddenly.

"HEY!"

Clara looked back. Percy pointed at their hands. They were still... Hand in hand.

"YOU'RE HOLDING MY HAND!"

Clara:

"Yeah?"

"IT'S UNFAIR WHILE RUNNING!"

Clara burst out laughing.

"Why?!"

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CATCH YOU?!"

Clara pulled Percy's hand. Percy stumbled forward.

"That's your problem."

Percy:

"LET GO OF MY HAND!"

Clara instantly:

"No."

Percy stopped. Clara did too. The two looked at each other. A second.

Then... A faint smile formed on Percy's face.

"Fine."

Clara held his hand a little tighter. They walked again. The main gate of the academy... Came into view.

Crowded.

Students were entering. Percy and Clara approached. The first to see them... Was a second-year student. He stopped.

The boy next to him bumped into him.

"Why did you stop?"

The boy didn't answer. He simply... Pointed ahead. The other looked. He froze.

Percy Grant. Clara Leyvar.

HAND IN HAND.

"...No way."

Someone else overheard.

"What?"

He looked.

"NO WAY."

Five seconds later... Half the people near the gate were staring at Percy and Clara. Clara slowed down.

Percy:

"What's wrong?"

Clara:

"Everyone is looking at us."

Percy looked around. Indeed... Everyone was staring.

Percy:

"Why?"

Clara looked at him. Then at their hands. Percy looked too.

"...Oh."

A student whispered to his friend.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"Weren't they just friends now?"

The other:

"Didn't you watch the duel with Arthur?!"

"I did."

"Didn't you hear Clara shouting?!"

"I HEARD IT."

"SO?!"

"I DON'T KNOW!"

Percy kept walking. Clara too. Their hands... Were still locked.

In the hallway... A teacher stopped.

Percy. Clara. Hands.

Percy again. Clara again.

"..."

Another teacher came over.

"What happened?"

The first pointed. The second looked.

"...Oh."

A third teacher:

"What's going on?"

The two said in unison:

"LOOK."

The third looked.

"...No way."

Percy:

"WHY ARE EVEN THE TEACHERS STARING?!"

Clara:

"YOU EMBARRASSED ME IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL LAST WEEK!"

Percy:

"YOU SHOUTED 'I MISSED YOU SO MUCH'!"

Everyone in the hallway... Looked at Clara.

Clara:

"PERCY!"

Percy:

"WHAT? IT'S TRUE!"

Clara pulled Percy's hand. Percy stumbled.

"Unfair again!"

But... He was laughing. A classroom door opened. Adrian Wycliffe stepped out.

"What is all this noise—"

He stopped. Percy. Clara. Hand in hand. Wycliffe blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then... He rubbed his eyes. He looked again. Still hand in hand.

"..."

Percy:

"Good morning, Professor."

Clara:

"Good morning."

Wycliffe:

"Good morning."

The two passed by him. Wycliffe watched them leave.

Then to himself:

"I need to take a week off."

Another teacher:

"Why?"

Wycliffe:

"Percy Grant and Clara Leyvar made up."

Teacher:

"My condolences."

Wycliffe:

"Thank you."

On the upper bridge... Holar and Eleanor were walking. Eleanor looked down. She stopped.

Holar took two more steps. Then realized Eleanor wasn't following.

"What is it?"

Eleanor didn't answer. She simply pointed down. Holar looked. Percy. Clara.

Hand in hand. Holar's eyebrows raised.

Eleanor:

"...No way."

Holar:

"No way."

The two watched for a few seconds.

Clara said something to Percy. Percy replied. Clara bumped him with her shoulder. Percy bumped back.

But... Their hands... Didn't separate.

A huge smile spread across Eleanor's face.

"Holar."

"Hm?"

"They're hand in hand."

"I see that."

"They're not letting go."

"I see that too."

Eleanor looked at him.

"Say something."

Holar thought.

Then:

"That's my grandson."

Eleanor:

"DON'T SAY THAT FOR EVERYTHING!"

Down below... Percy suddenly stopped.

Clara:

"What?"

Percy looked at their hands.

"Clara."

"Hm?"

"You're still holding it."

Clara looked at him.

"What?"

"My hand."

Clara... Squeezed Percy's hand a little tighter.

"I'm not letting go."

Percy went silent. For a moment... He just looked at her. Then... He smiled.

"Okay."

Just at that moment... At the far end of the hallway... Arthur appeared.

The smile on Percy's face faded slightly. Clara's hand... Involuntarily tensed a bit. Arthur approached.

Percy... Waited. Arthur stopped a few meters in front of them. First, he looked at Percy. Then at Clara.

Then... At their hands. A long silence. Arthur's eyebrow raised.

Then... The corner of his mouth turned up.

"Finally."

Percy and Clara...

IN UNISON:

"SHUT UP!"

Silence.

Arthur... Froze. Then... He started laughing.

Truly.

A laugh. Percy's eyes widened slightly. Clara was surprised too.

Arthur:

"Okay."

He kept laughing.

"Okay."

Percy looked at him. For a long moment. And... He realized. That laugh.

There was no anger. No jealousy. No poison.

There was just... Arthur. The boy who shielded his enemy in front of Nevr. A faint smile formed on Percy's face.

"He's back."

Arthur:

"What?"

Percy:

"Nothing."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. Then he looked at Clara. His expression turned serious.

"Clara."

Clara grew serious too.

Arthur:

"I'm sorry."

The hallway fell silent.

Arthur:

"For hitting you."

Clara's hand... Squeezed Percy's hand a bit tighter.

Arthur continued:

"I have no excuse."

"I was angry."

"I was jealous."

"I lost control."

He bowed his head.

"But none of that..."

"...changes what I did."

Clara didn't answer. Arthur raised his head.

"You don't have to forgive me."

Clara looked at him for a long moment.

Then:

"I don't forgive you right now."

Arthur nodded.

"Okay."

Clara:

"But..."

Arthur paused.

"Don't ever be someone like that again."

Arthur looked at Percy. Then back at Clara.

"I won't."

Percy:

"If you do..."

Arthur looked at him. Percy raised his fist.

Arthur:

"I remember."

Clara couldn't help but laugh. Arthur did too.

Percy:

"By the way."

Arthur:

"What?"

Percy:

"The Charlotte thing."

Arthur's face changed.

"What Charlotte thing?"

Percy smirked.

"OOOHHHH."

Arthur:

"Percy."

Clara:

"What Charlotte thing?"

Arthur:

"NOTHING."

Percy:

"Arthur likes Charlotte—"

Arthur lunged at Percy.

Percy:

"HAHAHAHA!"

Arthur:

"SHUT UP!"

Percy tried to escape. But... There was a problem. Clara was still holding his hand.

Percy:

"CLARA, LET GO!"

Clara:

"NO!"

"ARTHUR IS COMING!"

"WHAT DO I CARE?!"

Arthur grabbed Percy. The three of them wrestled around.

"HE LIKES CHARLOTTE!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"CLARA, HELP!"

"I'M NOT LETTING GO OF YOUR HAND, THE REST IS YOUR PROBLEM!"

At the end of the hallway... Charlotte had appeared. Beside her, William.

Charlotte:

"...Did I hear my name?"

All three of them...

FROZE.

Arthur slowly let go of Percy. Percy looked at Arthur. Arthur at Percy. Clara at both of them.

William:

"Run."

Arthur:

"Good idea."

Percy:

"VERY GOOD IDEA."

Both of them started running at the same time. Percy's arm... Was suddenly yanked back. Because... Clara still hadn't let go of his hand.

Percy was thrown backward.

"CLARA!"

Clara burst into laughter.

"WHAT DID I SAY?!"

Percy:

"THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH!"

Clara:

"I SAID I'M NOT LETTING GO AGAIN."

Percy looked at her. A second. Then... He started laughing.

Arthur from a few meters ahead:

"ARE YOU COMING OR NOT?!"

Percy squeezed Clara's hand.

"Come on."

And... The two of them began running together.

Arthur in front. Percy and Clara behind him. Charlotte chasing after all of them.

"ARTHUR GREEN!"

"I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!"

"PERCY GRANT!"

"I DIDN'T SAY IT EITHER!"

"YOU DID!"

William... Stood alone in the middle of the hallway. He took a bite of his sandwich.

"The academy is back to normal."

On the upper floor... Holar and Eleanor had watched the whole scene. Eleanor smiled.

"Arthur is back, too."

Holar nodded.

"Yeah."

Down below... The laughter of the three kids... Echoed through the hallways of the academy.

Holar:

"It's starting now."

Eleanor:

"What?"

Holar looked down. Percy. Clara. Arthur. Charlotte. William.

And Galahad trying to catch up to them from somewhere. Holar smiled.

"Their youth."

And... Percy and Clara... Even while running... Never let go of each other's hands.

END OF EPISODE