So, guys. I ended up having so much inspiration that I finished this chapter today! I've been working nonstop and I have been making sure that I kept writing and working on it. Even though I have work pretty soon. I just really wanted to get it out to you guys. It's even really long too. I got it out to nine pages. Hope you guys enjoy it. As always, Read and Review.
Clare's POV
"Clare?" I was awakened to Eli shaking me. "Clare. Placements are going to happen any minute." When I opened my eyes, I noticed that I was still lying on Eli's lap and he was looking down at me.
"How long have I been asleep?" I asked, slowly sitting up and leaning against the wall. I slowly unraveled myself from the two hoodies, before handing them back to their rightful owners.
"Hours." Adam replied, as he took his hoodie back. "Longer than I expected you to, since you already slept last night and had a five hour nap this morning."
"How are you feeling?" Eli asked.
"Frankly? Tired." I sighed, leaning my head back against the wall.
"You're still really pale, and—" He put the back of his hand on my forehead before continuing. "You're still warm. Possibly warmer than earlier."
"Great." I sighed. I already was dealing with the cuts and bruises that Fitz had caused last night, and now I was officially sick.
The door slammed open then, and three guards stood there. Fitz was in the front, as per usual, but what wasn't usual was K.C. was one of the guards standing behind him. We all had jumped up, and as usual, Eli stood in front of us.
"Holly J and Drew." Fitz stated. I watched as Drew and a girl, I barely recognized, stood up and headed towards the door. Fitz looked like he was about to leave, when K.C. leaned forward and whispered something to him. Then he turned and glanced at me. "Clare and Alli." He muttered, before gesturing Holly J and Drew to follow the other guard, who I didn't know, out of the room. Alli immediately stood up, but I hesitated just long enough for Eli to speak.
"What the fuck do you want her for now? This is three fucking nights in a row." He growled at Fitz. I don't think I have seen him so angry.
"Why the fuck do you care?" K.C. growled back, storming into the room. He looked just like Fitz on the first night I arrived. However this time, the gun wasn't pointed at me. K.C. stormed straight up to Eli and pressed the gun to his forehead. "What? Scared now, you prick?"
"I am not scared of you." Eli shrugged. "Pull the trigger if you want. I won't flinch." I could tell Eli was testing him. I just stood there silently, wanting to do something, but couldn't think of anything that would help. "Now. If you have realized that you can't shoot me, then you are definitely smarter than I gave you credit for. K.C. is it?" He smirked as he watched K.C.. I saw the internal battle going on in K.C.. He never liked to lose a fight, and I knew this was killing him. But I also knew that Asher was definitely protective of Eli. And K.C. knew of that. "Now. Either remove the gun from my forehead, or I'll fucking do it for you; and answer my question."
K.C. held the gun to Eli's forehead a moment longer before he realized that it was pointless, and withdrew it.
"I don't answer to you." K.C. glared.
"However, I guarantee I can make your life a living hell." Eli smirked again.
"I'd like to see you try." K.C. retorted, before putting his hand on my back and directing me to move towards the door.
I barely was able to glance back at Eli and Adam before following Alli and K.C.. I followed quietly, noticing that Alli wasn't even sparing me a glance. I also noticed that Fitz had disappeared. K.C. directed us into a room, similar to the one I was put into the night before. In this room there were three chairs surrounding the table, instead of one.
"I'll be right back." K.C. stated, before shutting the door.
I went to sit down in one of the chairs at the table that were against the wall. I wanted to face the door, and also I figured this is where Alli and I sit. Of course, Alli was being her typical self and sat down in the lone chair on the other side of the table. Meaning that if K.C. sat down that he would sit next to me.
"Alli?" I began. "Are we seriously going to pretend to not know each other?" I looked at her, but she only barely met my gaze. She kept looking down and around like she didn't want to talk at all.
"Why not? I've found that I like hanging out with Bianca and Drew." She snapped.
"They aren't good people." I argued.
"Who says? You? I hardly doubt that you can decide that without even knowing them." She sounded completely disgusted with me.
"Drew and Bianca attacked me! Eli and Adam were witnesses! Adam and Bianca were sent to the Placements because of it, and Adam broke Drew's nose for what he did!" I yelled. I was hoping that if I was louder, that maybe she would actually hear me this time.
"Drew said that he got his nose broken during the Placements." Alli replied, confused.
"No. Adam broke Drew's nose when Drew was calling me names." I explained.
"I didn't know." She shook her head, and looked down.
"I told you. They aren't good people." I stated.
"I'm sorry. I've just been dealing with a lot since I got here. First knowing that Sav is dead, and that you are alive. Knowing that we aren't going to be getting out of here any time soon, and everything else. It's just piled up. With Bianca and Drew, I was able to pretend everything was okay. I didn't have to see you and know that it wasn't. I mean you seem to be doing okay." She spoke, tears welling up in her eyes. "I just could tell that you got away from just about everything bad here. I didn't. And I didn't know how to handle it."
"I haven't gotten out of everything bad. They have threatened to kill me on multiple occasions. I was raped and beaten last night by Fitz. Yes, Asher went easy on me, but K.C. wont. Asher won't let me go that easy again. I'm getting sick. So, I don't exactly have it easy." I explained.
"I'm sorry, Clare. I didn't know. I'm so sorry." Alli cried. "Can we talk again? You know, after we deal with K.C.?"
"I'd like that. But only if you plan to come sit over with me, and not with Bianca and Drew." I stated.
"I think I can do that." Alli smiled through the tears that were slowing.
We sat in silence the rest of the time, waiting for K.C.. He ended up coming about ten minutes later. I was extremely nervous. I didn't really know what he was going to do. I didn't know where his mindset was. I mean he did just try to kill Eli, and now he has Alli and I here waiting in a room. It was a little nerve-wracking to say the least.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting. I know that you guys have lives too." K.C. waltzed in and sat down beside me, but angled himself so he could look at us both. "So how have your lives been?" He asked, casually.
"Good." I replied cautiously.
"Lonely, I assume. Right, Clarebear?" He smiled at me. With the way he was looking at me, I realized that I wanted to keep it vague.
"I've survived." I stated.
"As I can obviously tell, you have grown up well." He continued, looking me up and down. "The bruises and cuts will fade, and then you will look like the Clarebear, I grew up with."
"Good to know." I stated flatly.
"K.C. why are we here?" Alli asked.
"To talk of course." He shrugged. "To hang out like we used to."
"We never hang out, K.C.. We aren't friends." Alli stated. "We never were."
"You are Clare's best friend. I wouldn't want Clare to hide our relationship from her best friend." K.C. shrugged again.
"Relationship?" Alli laughed at him. "What fucking relationship is that? The one where you raped her? Or the one where you were drunk all the time?"
"I never raped her! We slept together! There's a difference!" K.C. boomed. He was pissed now. "Tell her, Clare! Tell her, she's wrong!"
"I—" I cut off as Alli spoke again.
"She can't. She's too afraid of you now! Why do you think she dumped you and stopped talking to you after you 'slept together'?" She retorted.
"Because I was drinking a lot. I know that. Which is why I have been sober for over a year. I realized that. I realized I screwed up. Which is why I want to start over." He paused and turned to me. "I want you back, Clare. I love you. I've always loved you." He looked so sad. Frankly I think that scared me even more than when he's angry.
"Well, get over yourself! She doesn't love you! She never will love you again! Not after what you did!" She growled at him.
"Tell her she's wrong, Clare. Tell her!" K.C. growled even angrier than Alli.
"I—I can't." I stuttered, as his wrath was directed at me. That was when he slapped me. Hard. It was enough to taste blood in my mouth, and it was a complete shock. My hand shot to my cheek and I looked at him stunned.
"I can't believe you said that Clare! Not after everything! Not after all I have done for you! You are the first person I have ever opened up to! The first person I slept with! The first person I loved! I even kidnapped your best friend and brought her here, when I found out you were here. I know how much she means to you and that's why I brought her to you!" K.C. rambled.
"I—I need some time." Was the only thing I could think to say to him that would keep him from getting angrier.
"Okay. I can accept that." K.C. stated, sitting back in his seat.
"Clare! You can't be serious!" Alli shrieked. "Come on. We are going. Now!" Alli stood up and grabbed my wrist that was on the table. She jerked me up, and pulled me with her.
"Don't you walk out on me! Don't you dare!" K.C. growled.
I didn't look back at him though. I just focused on leaving with Alli. That was when I heard the gun shot rang out. Alli and I were both so stunned in our place, that I didn't know who was hit. That was, until Alli collapsed into me.
"Alli?" I asked, as I lowered her to the ground. She had fallen against me and I turned her so I could cradle her head. "
"Clare?" Alli mumbled. I knew it was hard for her to speak. "I'm sorry." I realized then that she was shot somewhere between the stomach and the heart. I knew no one would save her.
"Alli, oh God." I cried. Alli's eyes closed and when I checked for a pulse there wasn't one. "K.C.! What did you do?"
"We don't allow disobedience Clare. You should know that better than anyone." He shrugged. "I didn't want to shoot you too. Don't make me have to."
I started crying then. I needed to get out of this room, but I didn't want to leave Alli. That made me cry harder. I didn't know how to handle everything now. My best friend and her brother were killed, and my rapist ex-boyfriend was the one who killed them.
"Take me back." I cried, looking at K.C..
"Clare." K.C. walked over to me and tried to comfort me. Instead, I flinched, and moved out of his touch.
"K.C.. Please take me back." I cried harder.
K.C. looked stuck. I could see the indecision on his face.
"Okay. I'll take you back." K.C. nodded, and took my elbow to stand me up.
"What about Alli?" I asked, as he opened the door and directed me through it.
"I'll get someone to clean up the mess." He shrugged, as he led me down the hallway.
As I walked back to the room, I could feel the blood that was soaked into my shirt. It was caked in so much that it made my shirt stick to my stomach. When we made it to the room, he unlocked the door, and opened it for me before ushering me and shutting it again. He didn't even seem to care if I would be alright. He just left.
The tears, that were still going strong, had me stumbling my way from the door towards where I knew Adam and Eli would be. I focused on the ground, so I didn't fall, but I also didn't bother bringing my gaze up to find Eli and Adam. I felt drained and tired, and I didn't even want to continue walking. I wouldn't have minded if I laid down and died right where I was standing.
"Clare! Are you okay?" Eli asked, suddenly right in front of me.
"What happened?" Adam asked, coming up right next to him.
"Alli's dead." I cried, looking up at both of them.
"Let's get you cleaned up." Eli stated. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me to him, before walking me to the door. I saw Eli toss Adam the keys to the door, and Eli ushered me into the bathroom quickly. Adam followed close behind after he locked the door again. "Here. Stand against the sink." He gestured to me before turning to Adam. "Can you get the paper towels?" Adam nodded and went over to the dispenser and started pulling them out. "Clare? I'll be right back. I'm going to go get a few supplies." Eli stated looking into my eyes.
"But it's not my blood." I replied confused.
"I know, but a couple cuts are bleeding on your face again. I want to clean them up properly." He explained. "I want you to change while I'm gone." He slid off his hoodie, leaving it on the edge of the sink. "Use my hoodie change into."
"Okay." I nodded, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to return.
"I'll be right back." Eli repeated, kissing my forehead before leaving. I watched him leave before I focused my attention on Adam.
"Do you want to change now?" Adam asked. I nodded, before he continued. "Do you need help or are you okay?"
"I can do it." I stated, as I seemed to get a moment of clarity that was enough for me to think. "Can you wet the paper towels? So I can clean myself off?"
"Yeah." Adam nodded, and walked over to the stack of paper towels and began running some of them under the water.
I turned towards the sink then and took off my shirt. I didn't really care that Adam was able to see me in just a bra. Frankly, I don't think I would've cared if Asher was in the room at that moment. I just wanted that shirt off.
I tossed the shirt in the sink, and started the water, so it could start draining out some of the blood. Adam handed me then the wet paper towels, and I started cleaning off the blood on my stomach. There wasn't as much as I suspected, but there was enough for me to want to cry again. I forced myself not to, and then moved over to the next sink, as Adam focused on trying to clean my shirt. When I cleaned off all of the blood, I threw the bloody paper towels in the sink in front of me, and grabbed Eli's hoodie.
The moment I put it on, I immediately felt better. It smelled like Eli, and it was warm and soft. Eli came back just as I was throwing the bloody paper towels away. I looked at him, and leaned against the sink.
"Are you okay?" He asked me, as he put the supplies down next to me.
"For now." I sighed. I looked at him, and saw that he was hurting because I was hurting. This made me want to cry again.
"I did all I could do with your shirt for now. It needs to soak in hot water for awhile." Adam stated. I looked over at him, as he continued. "I'm going to go check up on the savages. Make sure they didn't start a riot with our absence."
"Thanks, Adam." I gave him a small smile, which he nodded at, before leaving. Eli began cleaning my face, and I remained silent while he worked.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Eli asked.
"K.C. left us in one of the placement rooms. Said he would be back. While he was gone, Alli and I talked. We made up." Tears started welling up in my eyes, as I spoke. "K.C. came in and said that he only wanted to hang out and talk with us. Said that he wanted it like it was back then. Alli was never afraid of K.C. and even now, she argued with him and angered him. To the point where he hit me because I didn't immediately agree with him. That was when Alli lost it. She freaked and yelled at him, making him mad more. She even argued with him over me, and whether we should get back together, and whether or not he truly raped me." The tears started falling harder now, and Eli had finished cleaning my face, and was listening to me now. "He truly thinks that we broke up because of his drinking problems. Not because he raped me. He truly doesn't believe he did." I cried.
"It's okay, Clare. You know the truth. You don't have to worry about what his delusions are." Eli reassured, cupping my good cheek with his hand.
"After he and Alli argued again, and I didn't know what to say that wouldn't get me slapped again, so I told him I needed some time. It was the only thing I could think of. I just wanted out of there, and I didn't want K.C. to get even more angry. So I left it at that. Alli thought I was serious, and flipped again. This time, dragging me to the door. K.C. didn't like that, and he shot her. He told me it was because she disobeyed. And if I agreed with what she did, that he would have to shot me too. I convinced him to bring me back to the room, and he left. He didn't even bother to show any sympathy. Nothing. He just said that she disobeyed. I don't know what changed in him, but I'm scared of him. I'm really scared, Eli." I broke off in sobs as I finished rambling.
Eli pulled me into him, and wrapped his arms around me. He let me cry into his shoulder while he murmured things in my ear. I eventually stopped, and he continued to hold me, until I pulled back.
"Are you okay?" He asked, looking into my eyes. His arm was still around me, but he cupped my cheek again with his other hand.
"I think so." I exhaled shakily. "Thanks for letting me snot all over your shoulder." I gave him a small smile. It was all I had left, to crack a joke or smile. I couldn't possibly cry anymore, and I couldn't exactly lay down right here and sleep for eternity.
"Hey. You can snot on my shirt anytime you need to." He retorted, kissing me lightly. His kiss made me feel a tiny bit more normal. Making me want him to kiss me again.
When it didn't look like he was going to, I took the initiative. I cupped his cheek this time, and pulled him toward me. Our lips met, and I wrapped my arm around his back, to hold him to me. He moved his hands to my hips, and we continued kissing. I even took the initiative to open my mouth first and push my tongue into his. Granted that didn't last long. He picked up on what I was doing pretty quickly, and fought back.
I think it was when reality caught up with us, that Eli stopped and pulled away.
I was at a loss for words. "Um. We should probably get back." I said looking up at him.
"Yeah. That's probably a good idea." He agreed, smirking. He turned and threw away the remaining supplies and trash, before we left.
"Don't we need the keys to get in?" I asked as we walked out of the bathroom.
"Yup. Good thing I kept them safe for you." Adam stated, leaning against the wall next to the door.
He opened the door for us, and we all walked in. We ended up deciding to sleep. I knew I was tired; and since they don't seem to get much sleep at one time, I figured they were too. Adam went and sprawled out in the corner he did last night, and got comfortable within seconds. I laid down where I was last night as well, and Eli did the same. Mine and Eli's shoulders were touching, and I was comfortable with that, I wasn't going to push for more. But Eli had other ideas.
"Hey. Come here." He stated, and I looked over at him before I moved. I nodded and turned to lay my head on his chest. His arm came around me, while I snuggled into him to get comfortable. He kissed my forehead, just as I was starting to fall asleep. The nightmares returned just like last night, but I wasn't as scared of them once I awoke. Because Eli was there to comfort me. Every time.