Winter Legacy -15-

"My name is Snowie Winter and I'm excited to be starting a new school today." Snowie practiced the speech her mother taught her in the mirror, it wasn't long before she got bored and went out back to the old tree house.

She peered through the telescope and couldn't help but smile at what she saw on the beach.

Claus and Jaylee had started spending more time together, and Claus was surprised to find out that she understood him in a way that nobody ever had. Hell, he didn't even know himself very well but Jaylee did, she got him. "It's like you're in my head or something." He commented.

Jaylee shrugged, "Or maybe that's what happens when you take the time to open up to somebody." She pecked him on the cheek, "I have to go now, my parents are having dinner with their doctor friends."

Claus sat down and sighed heavily, he closed his eyes, blocking out the beautiful sunset, instead he focused on the sound of the waves breaking against the shore. It soothed him. Claus was never able to open up to anyone, and he wasn't sure why he was so guarded. His family, the people who loved him unconditionally...the constant teasing is what had drawn a rift between them, they should have known that just because he didn't say anything didn't mean he enjoyed the jabs and jeers. 

He hadn't told anyone, not even Jaylee, but he planned on leaving after his graduation. He would move out of his parents house and travel around the world until he found somewhere he wanted to settle. She didn't say it, but he was sure that Jaylee knew.

Home-breaker, they had called him. Teenagers could be merciless. He had no idea about the circumstances surrounding his conception, or even that his being born had anything to do with Agnes' and Erik's separation.  Some of the students had found out about it and they let him know in the worst way possible. Bastard, they'd called him, and it hurt, it really did.

Claus was so ashamed that he never told anyone, he just took the teasing, shutting himself off. He was angry at his parents, why didn't they tell him? He had thought to ask Erika about it a few times, but he was sure that his sister would brush it off, call him crazy for letting it get to him. But it bothered him, it bothered him a lot, and leaving was the only way he could think of to escape his past.

He called Jaylee as soon as he got home. "Hey, it's me again. I uh...can you keep a secret." He took a deep breath. "I'm leaving, as soon as I'm legal."

"What do you mean leaving?"

"I mean I'm moving out of my parents house, and hopefully Sunset Valley as well."

"But then that means that it'll be years before I see you again." 

"Yeah, but then you'll have somewhere to stay whenever you go on vacation."

"Where will you get the money?"

"I saw this thing online, it's a long story. You can't tell anyone though."

There was a long silence, then, "I'll keep your secret."

The next night found Claus and Jaylee sitting together in the backyard. "Erika is moving out soon, how does that make you feel?" She asked.

Claus took some time to consider this question, he'd never put much thought into his relationship with his sister. They were pretty close when they were younger, but the age difference between them caused a rift when high school came around. Erika found her own group of friends, a boyfriend and Claus was pushed to the back-burner. 

Although Erika spent most of his time annoying him but there was still love there. "I'll miss her." He murmured. "Despite everything she's still my sister, she's been there my entire life after all, it's going to be weird not having her in the house."

"You're so lucky." Jaylee said.

"Your parents have been there your entire life. Mine, although they make a ton of money and can buy me anything I want, there's nothing like being able to spend time with them. But they're always working, there's always a patient who needs my mom and my dad has a whole lot of doctors and staff who need him. I need them too but they can never make time for me. There were always nannies in and out until I was old enough to take care of myself." 

Jaylee felt his warm hand on hers and her heart hammered inside her chest, she took a deep breath and continued talking. "You were surrounded by love your entire life. You had both parents and Erika and eventually Snowie."

Claus frowned, "I never thought of it like that. I always focused on the negative, always thought I'd never be good enough for this family you know."

Jaylee shook her head, "No, I don't."

"My mother's a blond haired blue eyed beauty, my dad has been voted sexiest man alive, twice, and my sisters...they don't even look real. They're all successful, in some area of their life...well except Snowie, she doesn't count yet. My mother is related to the Goths and she's the wife of a celebrity, not to mention she has a damn good social life, my dad well he goes without saying, MVP gone head coach. Erika doesn't even like people yet she's managed to be popular and find a guy who's head-over-heels in love with her."

Jaylee stared up at the sky unable to comprehend Claus' insecurities, when she looked at him she saw a younger version of Jack. Claus had the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen and on top of that he was a smart kid, one could even venture to say borderline genius. He had proven to be a loving person when he finally opened up to her. There was nothing to not love about Claus Winter.

"Don't look at me like that." Claus moaned, Jaylee blinked confused and then she smiled. 

"It's hard not to Claus." She felt him becoming uncomfortable and decided that maybe it was time to change the subject. "Maybe I'll travel with you sometime in the future."

"Maybe you will."

Silence fell between the pair as both of them gazed up into the sky, each imagining the future and what lay ahead.

Soon Erika would be leaving home, and shortly after that Claus will move out as well to explore the world. Jaylee was still confused about her future, she was sure of only one thing though, she wanted Claus to be a part of it, even if he was just her friend.