Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Secret Circle characters, including Clover. They belong to the wonderful L.J. Smith! :) Her story is a billion times better anyway.
Short little introductory thingy: As you may or may not remember, in the beginning of the Secret Circle: The Initiation (the first book in the series), Cassie mentions her three best friends, Beth, Clover, and Miriam. This is the POV of Clover.
Chapter 1
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.
Ugghhhh... Clover groaned in her head. GO AWAY!
BEEP, BEEP, BEEP.
BEEP, BEEP, BE-
The piercing sound of the alarm clock cut off as Clover smacked it with a little more force than necessary. She slowly opened one eye, then shut it immediately as sunlight nearly blinded her. Running a hand through her honey-blonde hair, she sighed inwardly. Well...today's the day, she thought tiredly. She rolled over lazily in her plush bed, brushing hair out of her eyes. Yawning, she squinted and tried to read the numbers on the face of her clock. She had bought the cute pale blue thing thinking it would be a good addition to her sweet and girly room, but today the piercing awakening it produced seemed almost sinister. Her clock read 7:30 AM.
Clover shut her eyes and collapsed back on the bed as a cold feeling of dread settled over her like a blanket. She tried to suppress it and nearly succeeded, but a small kernel of uneasiness remained in her gut. It was the same feeling that she'd felt every time she mentioned the trip set for that day. Today, Clover told herself.
Clover squeezed her eyes shut one final time and sat up in bed with a grim determination. She was going, and there was nothing to be done about it. Besides, she reminded herself weakly, it's going to be great seeing your friend again. She was excited to see Cassie again, she really was. So then why am I so nervous? She shook her head, clearing the cobwebs from her brain and hopefully, and thoughts of uneasiness.
She swung her legs over the side of her bed and padded to the restroom in her new fluffy unicorn slippers, a present from her Gram. Miriam always poked fun at Clover for her interest in the mythical creatures. She called them "sickly sweet and innocent." Maybe they were, but Clover remained fascinated with them. It always rubbed Clover the wrong way when Miriam teased her, but she would never ever say anything about it to Miriam. Miriam was the one who always got the guys' attention. She was the witty and fun one in their four-person, now three-person group. Even if she was one of Clover's closest friends, talking back to her wasn't an option for Clover. That just wasn't what Clover did. She wasn't brave enough to do that anyway.
Just as Miriam was the witty one, Beth was the kind one. She was understanding and sweet, but she wasn't shy. Her caring nature was why Clover felt as if she could trust her with most anything. Whenever Clover was getting made fun of, Beth was always the one who defended her. In return, Clover was always very supportive and loyal, never leaving her side. They had a silent understanding - an agreement almost- between them. It had been that way since junior high.
Up until junior year, the dreamy one in the group had been Cassie. Always raving about a romantic novel and reading her poems to them with twinkling eyes, she had been full of a spirit that Clover admired and looked up to. Cassie had never been unkind to Clover, and the two were very close friends. Maybe the closest in the group, Clover thought with a sad smile. The two had shared a bond that Clover hadn't felt with the other girls. They also both had a strong love for mythology and fantasy, something the others weren't very interested in. Clover remembered how she'd once told Cassie that she was like a unicorn: magical and unique. She shook her head and chuckled at the thought.
Brief flashes of warm memories between her and Cassie stood out in her brain. Cassie picking up Clover's dropped school books with a smile. Cassie laughing hysterically at something Clover had said without thinking. Cassie and Clover embracing at each first day of school. A warm feeling settled in the middle of Clover's chest as she remembered fond memories, temporarily making her forget about the dread. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. Clover had missed Cassie so much, it was like an ache in her chest. She remembered how she had felt when the brief email came explaining how Cassie was to stay in New England, without even saying goodbye. I didn't even get to say goodbye, Clover thought to herself as the tears ran down her face. It isn't fair, it just isn't!
Miriam and Beth had been bewildered by the announcement of Cassie not returning, but neither of them seemed to be as devastated as Clover. They had calmly comforted Clover while she cried and Beth had shed a few tears, but Clover was surprised at how unaffected they were at their friend's departure. She was more than surprised; she was a little confused, actually. But she had just brushed it aside, deciding that they were simply tougher and stronger than Clover. Which is true, she reminded herself ruefully.
Miriam and Beth hadn't been concerned about the suddeness of the email, but Clover had. She was curious. Why so soon? she wondered. In the email, Cassie had written that her grandmother was getting ill, and her mother wanted to stay and support her. That had sounded true enough. But what Clover hadn't understood was why Cassie hadn't returned any of the emails she'd sent to her afterward. She couldn't help but wonder why Cassie had completely cut her off.
After wondering and thinking out loud about the situation for the whole summer, Clover's parents had finally sat down and had a talk with her about it. "We understand that you miss Cassie, honey," Clover's mother had said sympathetically. Her mother and father had shared a look. "We decided," began her father, "that for the entire Spring Break, you may fly to New England to visit her." At the moment, Clover had been so overcome with joy that she had cried happily.
Her parents had told her that she was to fly to New England back in the beginning of September. Since then, the barely contained eagerness had descended to an excitedness, then to a wistfulness, then to something that she neither felt happy nor sad about. Now, she felt like she wanted to run back to her bed and bury herself under the covers.
She didn't understand why she was so unwilling to see her friend. Her best friend! She should have been overjoyed! But for some reason, she felt like she was going to meet a girl that she'd never met before in her life.
She was going as a surprise. Cassie had no idea that Clover was coming to stay with her. But then again, how would Cassie know? She hadn't returned her calls or her emails. The last thing that she had said to Cassie Blake was almost a year ago: "Have a great time in Cape Cod, Cassie!" Maybe I shouldn't go, Clover worried anxiously for what seemed like the thousandth time. Maybe she won't even recognize me. I bet Mom and Dad would understand. I could just stay with Gram for Spring Break. But Cassie knew that all of her worrying was ridiculous. Of course Cassie would be happy to see her! She had to be...
Clover picked up her toothbrush and scrubbed her teeth forcefully. You are going to MAKE yourself have a good time, Clover Rhodes! She ordered herself triumphantly. Even if it takes every ounce of will in you!
Putting down the toothbrush, Clover looked at herself in the small mirror on the wall. She scrubbed away the crusties in her eyes and smoothed her ruffled hair. Usually during the school year, Clover kept her honey blonde hair trimmed in choppy layers that framed her face. Lately, she hadn't bothered to keep up with it. Her hair was now at her shoulders and cut in neat long layers. When the hairdresser suggested the cut, Clover had shrugged politely while her mother eagerly nodded her head. Things like makeup and hair styling weren't really Clover's interests. She just let her mother advise her on what to do in that department.
Clover looked at her reflection wistfully. She had a delicate facial structure, with pixie-like cheekbones and a slightly-pointed nose. Beth and other female adults often complimented her on her appearance, saying that she was "as perfect as a china doll," but Clover truly thought that she was quite ordinary. She wished that she had Beth's curly chestnut hair, or Miriam's cute dimples. There was one girl in her class, Jade, who had very straight black hair with the most striking green eyes Clover had ever seen. But if there was one feature Clover wanted to change, it was her eyes. She had always been uncharastically jealous of girls with big, blue eyes- like Cassie, Clover admitted shamefully. She supposed that she shouldn't be ungrateful. After all, she most certainly wasn't ugly or anything. But her almond shaped eyes were a plain light green color, nothing special like she wanted.
"Clover! CLOVER!" Clover quickly snapped out of the trance she'd been in and she rushed to her room. She realized that she'd been in the bathroom for almost half an hour; she had to leave by 8:15. She hastily dressed in a lavender sweater and jeans, applied some light makeup and grabbed her luggage. As she went out the door she stopped abruptly and looked at her bed, sitting in the center of her room and looking like a safe haven of comfort. You could stay here. Forget about New England, a tempting voice in her head whispered. But Clover turned around and walked out the door, without a second glance.
She only hoped that the feeling of uneasiness in her stomach would stop getting stronger.
I would love any thoughts, criticism, and ideas that you would like to share. It is very important to me that I stay true to the original story, and if you notice and anything that doesn't add up with the books by L.J. please let me know! :)
Also- please, please, please review! I really don't want to sound desperate, but I'm not sure if I want to continue this story unless I get some feedback. Thanks!