Violet's Pov:

Later that night I find myself smiling like an idiot as I lie on my bed scribbling away in my black and white notebook. This one was considered my personal journal. The one I mostly kept at home because it contained some, shall we say "darker" things between its pages. Mostly stuff from when I need to vent or when I get super depressed. Like yesterday when my dad went off at me again and I wrote for about three hours straight to suppress the hurt and anger that had built up. It was...fine, the bruise would disappear after a few days. I just had to wear long-sleeved shirts until the mark went away. No big deal...right?

It wasn't all distressing. As hopeless as it seems some of my entries were actually really uplifting. Like today for example. I kept giggling to myself unable to wipe the smile off my face. Honestly, if someone walked in on me right now they'd probably suspect me of either being high or drunk. Good thing my parents never cheek on me, I'd prefer not to explain how I'm completely lovesick for the new girl at school.

I guess you could say it was kind of like my diary, though I didn't like to think of it that way. I had a handful of notebooks, the black and white one for my personal feelings, one with a dark blue cover that was coated with stars across the front where I'd draw the different constellations that I came up with then make a story about it, then there was the last one. And it was, dare I say it...Violet colored. This one holds all of my little short stories that I write about my friends and stuff like that. Like the one from earlier today about the psycho lady drugging someone's coffee with her manipulative ways. I still don't have a name for her. It should probably be something unusual and unique, something that'll be remembered. Hmmm, yeah, I'll think of it later.

Right now I've only got one thing on my mind and her name is C-L-E-M-E-N-T-I-N-E. Clementine! I can't stop the butterflies that flutter around my chest when I think of her name as I write about all of the things I like about her. From the way she keeps her hair short, to those resplendent golden eyes, the confidence she possesses, and even the ragged baseball cap she wears everywhere she goes. But I think what put me over the top was when she didn't even care that I was silent. I know people find it weird that I don't really talk anymore, they tend to judge the book by its cover before they even know what's written on the first page.

But Clementine wasn't like that, she even wants to read some of the things I've written. Which to be honest I'm kind of nervous about, I have to find the right one to show her. Or maybe I'll write something new for her. I learned she likes baseball, which I've never had an interest in. The sport could drop dead and that'd be fine by me. But I have watched my friends play baseball at this one park before. Maybe to make it engaging I can have the famous Javier Garcia show up and have him play a game with us.

As I keep brainstorming I know I've got it bad when I start drawing little hearts on the side of my page and shading them in. That sounds like a good title name, Shaded In. Not for this story, but maybe something else I could write. I think it's also the name of a song I once heard.

I spare a glance at my alarm clock seated on the edge of my nightstand and see that it's twelve-twelve am. I don't feel tired when I'm so giddy with excitement. It almost makes me want to jump out my bedroom window and just run for a mile straight just to burn this energy building inside, but there's one thing holding me back and it's not the raindrops that I can see sprinkling the window. I realize the faster I fall asleep, the faster I can see Clem tomorrow.

So I shut my notebook and throw it down on the floor next to my backpack along with my pencil. Then I take my glasses off and place them on my nightstand and turn my lamp off. I try to fall asleep as I watch the rain splash against the window, but how can I do that when I keep silently giggling to myself.

I anxiously wait for a certain girl in a baseball cap to appear as we sit at our normal table. Even if I won't be talking to her I'm still excited to see her again. I'm usually good at hiding my inner emotions, but I can't help the grin that seems to be permanently glued to my face as I continue to write little things in my journal trying to find a synonym suitable word to replace "great".

I have my feet up on the edge of the chair with my notebook in my lap, my pen continuously taping the rim of my book's cover as I read over everything I've written. I almost don't notice when the person I've been waiting on enters the room...almost.

As she approaches the table she waves at me and I wave back and send her an actual smile this time instead of one of the little shy ones from yesterday. I fell the butterflies from last night make a reappearance at the sound of her voice as she greets the rest of our party. I don't comment on anything, just listening to the conversation that starts up. Just having her presence here is enough for me. Yikes, I really need to ask myself how I've fallen this deep after just one English class with the brunette.

I don't even notice, as Louis shows up next to me since I'm too busy listening to Mitch retelling the tale of when he blew up his dad's garage for Clem. But the moment I feel my journal's weight leave my lap I'm instantly on my feet. I see it in Louis's hands and I lunge for it, but he's mastered the game keep away after all these years. He laughs as he finds my failed attempts to grasp it funny. While on the other end I'm almost in tears because I'm pretty sure Louis doesn't understand what he's holding.

"Hey, guys lets see what Violet has in store for us today!" He shouts to the rest of our friends pulling their attention from Mitch. He ignores my silent protests to stop and just holds my book up over his head because he knows I'm too short to reach it. It's a bit difficult for him to read at this angle but he manages and reads a random paragraph.

He continues to smile as he reads, clearly enjoying my futile struggle against him. "We'd run away and follow a map only I could read to take us to the corners of the universe where no one could hold us back. Just me and her. She's probably the prettiest girl I've ever seen with her short curly hair and those honey gold eyes, like pools of liquid amber that I could...get lost...in."

Louis trails off, his voice going out like some just blew out a candle. The table is dead silent as everything sinks in. I've stopped trying to play tug of war for my notebook, but my heart is still pacing at a hundred miles per hour. Louis looks at the passage that he's just read, then at me, then to the other journal sitting on the table. The one with the purple cover.

Recognition dawns on him as he realizes he's holding the wrong journal, the black and white one. My personal notebook. My face burns a bright red out of embarrassment. Fucking Louis had to go and blow my secret, well... one of them.

The whole table is still motionless. Whether it's because they're still shocked or there waiting to see how I react to the situation, I don't know. That's when I meet those amber eyes that I wrote about. Clem stares back at me, but I can't read her reaction till I see her bit her lip nervously. "Vi-..."

I don't give her a chance to say anything as I violently shove my chair away from the table and run past everyone and out of the cafeteria. I can hear Louis call after me, regret clearly in his voice, broken like someone had turned the lights out and all hope was lost, but I don't acknowledge it. I don't acknowledge anything as I race to get away before the tears begin to hopelessly fall.

I don't even realize I've accidentally run into someone and I just keep moving forward.

I constantly have to keep removing my glasses because the tears are fogging up the lenses. It's a futile process every time I rub my sleeve across my eyes because I know it won't wash away the tears that continue to pool in my eyes. What the hell am I supposed to do now? I guess this is what I get for opening up my heart once more. I should have just caged my heart and thrown away the key, leaving my love life in the dark.

I never seem to learn considering all the trouble I've gotten into in the past. Until it came back to haunt me and know I'm stuck with these fucking silent spells that I can't control. There are times where I choose not to talk and other times it feels like I physically can't. And it's frustrating as hell. Sometimes I think about how dangerous it actually is to wander around in the dark at night. If someone tried to kidnap me or something and I couldn't call for help I'd be screwed. But the peacefulness I feel when walking in the moonlight outweighs the fears lurking beneath. Sometimes being back at home is more terrifying than the thought of whatever creepy guy is hiding in the bushes.

I stand with my back against the red lockers that line the hallway, the area being empty since lunch is still going on. Which is fine by me. I'd rather be alone anyway. In fact, I'd like to disappear altogether, not just verbally. But I'm not granted that wish as I hear someone yell at me from down the hall.

"Hey, speechless!"

I look and see another trouble in my life. Same fire red hair as her sister, but total one-eighty on the personality...Minerva.

I want to run away as she approaches, but I feel locked in place. Something tells me it might be better to just listen than have her chase me through the school anyway. Minnie wasn't one to let things go, and whatever she was raging about wasn't about to slip out the window, like how I wanted to do.

"You think you can just shove me like that and then walk away without saying anything!" She yells at me now that she's practically standing right over me.

At first, I have no idea what she's talking about until my memory resurfaces. The person I ran into, I remember catching a glimpse of red hair. Oh god, out of all the people in this school why'd it have to be her. Me and Minnie aren't really on speaking terms and I don't mean because I can't physically do it. She hates me, like really hates me. But she isn't the first and considering what just went down in the cafeteria she isn't the last.

Minerva towers over me, her height giving her the advantage of looking even more intimidating. I can also see she has a mark going across her cheek which is...strange. Did someone beat her up? Not many people can land a fight with Minnie and win which is why I sink back into myself hating how boxed in I feel.

Honestly, I'd apologize to her if I could, but my voice has completely left me now that I'm in a threatening situation. And Minnie knows this but she continues to rant. She slams her hands into the lockers with audible force causing me to flinch. Her arms blocking me from both sides so I'm trapped. "Answer me, Violet!"

She knows I can't and my heart pounds in my chest like a jackhammer wondering how far Minnie is going to take this. I close my eyes not wanting to see the bitter end. Just don't fight back. That's all that runs through my head. Just don't fight back. It only makes things worse.

That's when I hear another voice. "Hey! Leave her alone Minerva!"

I look and I'm not sure if I should feel excited or even more dread as I see Clem come from around the corner and walk our way. But what astonishes me is when Minnie backs off and removes her hands from around my face. "Well, look who we have here. You here to collect your little girlfriend?" She spits out.

Her words cause my face to flush, but Clem doesn't even seem to acknowledge me as she stares down Minnie. I see her fist clench but I'm more perplexed by the slight bruising that coats her knuckles. Holy shit, did these two get into a fight before?

"Just back off, Minerva," Clem orders not breaking her glare.

Minnie doesn't appear to be all that intimidated, but she surprises me when she scoffs and walks away. "Whatever you say, Clementine. She's all yours."

Clem continues to glare at her as she saunters off before turning to me and her expression softens. "You okay? She didn't hurt you did she?"

She holds her hand out to me and I realize that I've sunk down to the floor. I hesitantly take it and she pulls me up as I shake my head no. We stand there for a minute in silence and I hate the situation I'm being put in. I want to thank her for what she did, but since I left my notebooks in the cafeteria I have no way to write it down. I grasp the reality that I have to say it.

I tuck a strand of blonde and blue hair behind my ear and take a deep breath grabbing the girl's attention. "T-thank you." It could barely be described as a whisper as it leaves my lips, but to me it feels like I've been loud enough to raise the dead.

I might as well have just mouthed the words, but I can see the smile that breaks out as the brunette registers what I've just whispered. "Of course, Vi. I wasn't going to let her hurt you."

I slightly smile at the little nickname she uses but it quickly disappears as we fall into another awkward silence. That is until Clem speaks up again. "Violet? Did you really mean the things you wrote?"

I knew this was coming up and I can feel the tears pricking the edges of my eyes once more at her words. My fists clench and I squeeze my eyes shut as I slowly nod. Of course, I meant it. I'll always mean it even if Clem never wants to see me again.

I'm shocked when I feel Clem grasp my shoulder and then the feeling of her lips on mine. She smiles when she pulls away as I wear a completely stunned look on my face. She giggles as she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a crumpled piece of paper and unfolds it, holding it up so I can read what's written. "She's smart and cute and super creative. I don't care if she's silent. Her smile alone makes my heart sore. Even after such a short time, I'd do anything for her."

I look up at her still shocked and hoping that this isn't some kind of sick joke. My questioning look only gets her to smile more. "I like you too, ya dork. You're not the only one that can write down their feelings."

I can see it in her eyes and I know it's real. My world was just destroyed about ten minutes ago and now Clem's brought my heart back to life as a smile overtakes me that I'm stuck with for the rest of the day.

Yeah, I know Clem and Vi move fast. But what are you going to do with two lovesick puppies? ;)