A/N:
Q.Q)/ Here's another chapter! Hope you guys liking it so far.
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Modern Period of The Walking Dead Game
High School AU
Chapter Ten: I Forgive You
A day went by and the summer heat still beaming over West Virginia. The curly top teen didn't do much her last couple of days left till summer. She walked the dog, hung out or slept over at AJ's to binge watch Disco Broccoli, and face time either Gabe, Mariana, and Duck.
None of them kept up with Ava since she didn't bother contacting them. Except for Clementine. She let Ava enjoy days without her. The days felt longer within these short weeks with no sigh of her best friend. Catching up with others fulfilled some areas but it wasn't the same.
Clem drove the SUV. In need for an ice coffee, she decided to head to small café.
She parked the car then killed the engine. As she arrived inside she saw Marlon and the girl from the mall. Clem tried ignoring them until the girl nudged him to turn around. A smile appeared on their faces when they saw Clementine.
"What sup?" He bobbed his head. Clem causally waved.
"Hey. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself properly to you. I'm Brody." The girl stretched out her arm. Clem shook her hand.
"Clementine. What brings you guys here?"
"Louis having a show this afternoon. Dude too busy preparing the stage so we offered to get his coffee." Brody explained. Clem swung her hips to the side and leaned on one leg.
"That's cool. Is it some type of job?"
"Yeah. Man have been working in different bars and clubs since freshman year. Help pays the bills." Marlon said. Clem's brow lifted. Staring at the two confuse.
"Bills? Where's his parents?"
"Oh Marlon. You talk too much... It's a sensitive topic Clem. You should probably hear it from Louis. If you're interested." Brody's eyes drooped to the floor. Marlon rubbed the side of her arm. Feeling the same emotion.
"Oh. I didn't mean to- I'm sorry." Clem stuttered. Brody shook her head and tried to turn her frown upside down.
"Nah. No worries. Just know Louis can handle his self." Marlon flexed his arm up. Clem smiled. She acknowledged the strong friendship they have for each other. It reminded like hers, but she can tell their bond for each other were stronger.
"Hey! You should join us!" Brody nudged Clem. The brunette's eyes widened.
"Me?! That'll be weird. I don't thin-"
"Pshhahhhh. Come support him. He'll be playing in an hour or two." Brody insisted. Marlon nodded.
"Yeah. The more the merrier."
"C'mon guys. I-I-"
"Not busy. Get whatever you need from here and follow us." Brody crossed her arms. Clem scoffed. She shyly waddled to the cashier and ordered her drink. After that, the three drove off deep in the city.
"What the fuck I got myself into?" The girl shook her head.
Two cars pulled up in a crowded parking lot. Clem got out to meet up with the couple at the front. They guided her to the side of a building. They went down the steps where the lights grew dim. Took a while for her eyes to adjust to narrow staircase.
As they made it down, a bunch of teens and probably some freshly college students packed the large room. The only dominate light source was aiming at the stage up front.
Brody took Clem's hand before she gets lost. She dragged her to a table with-
"Ava?!" The girl turned with a surprise look on her face. She got up from her seat with opened arms. Clem's limbs frozen once she felt familiar arms wrap around her body.
It felt...good. And weird.
"Missed you, Tiny!" She smashed her cheeks against Clem's. Clem pushed the girl off her and stared deeply into her eyes.
"I called you...I texted you...And fucking stopped by your place a few times. The hell is up with you?" Her words jabbed Ava's chest. Ava's face wrinkled. She quickly glanced at the other on the table and back at Clem's stern face.
"Hey guys. Go to the bathroom with all that." Sophie said. Minerva bumped her arm on her sister.
"Chill out, Soph."
"What? Louis going to play soon..." She shrugged while her eyes were glued on her cell phone. Ava opened her mouth. Clem beat her to it.
"No need to talk to me. It was fine before." Clementine walked around her and sat near Violet and two unknown guys.
Sophie glared at Clem. She reached over Ava and pulled her back to her chair. Ava couldn't get her mind off from what Clementine said to her. She thought this whole time, Clem was ignoring her or busy with something. No one knew how badly Ava wanted to pull Clem outside and talk things over. But knowing Clem, what's done is done. Ava didn't mean to hurt her.
She didn't receive anything from Clem. What's with her phone?
She pulled out her cellphone and scroll through her contacts. She directly went on Clem's profile. Her eyes bugged out.
"It was blocked?" She unblocked it. So many text messages and missed calls buzzed her phone. A hand blocked her blinking phone. Ava saw that it was Sophie's.
"Louis is on." Ava silently nodded and slide her phone back in pocket.
The host came on stage greeting the audience. He called himself Reggie. While making the crowd giggle and hyped, finally stepped away from the stage. In a second, Louis dressed in a forest green blazer, fitted button up pastel grey shirt, shiny black dressed shoes and black jeans. His dreads were pinned up from one side, leaving the other side and front hang.
"Give it up to... KNIGHT!"
Whistles and heart dying confesses could be heard from the crowd.
Clementine noticed his solemn stature. He didn't flinch one of his goofy smiles. He said he spoke through the mic and sat on the bench. His arms spread out before placing each finger on the keys.
Clem's phone vibrated. She glanced at the name on top. She ignored it. Drowning her thoughts into his music.
Sad music.
Clem sipped her ice coffee. Resting her cheek on her fist as her hazel eyes stared at the handsome pianist.
.
.
Louis bowed to the applauding mob. He stepped down the stage to be greeted by his lovely fans. He smiled in pictures, chat with other artists, and made his way to the table with all his friends.
Sophie stood up to say something, yet he curved her and pulled up a seat in front of Clem.
"Choke-tine." He winked. He yanked tissue from another table and handed it to her. Clem scoffed as she wiped her cheeks with the tissues. Soon as the tunes died, she noticed her moist cheeks. She didn't realize she was crying throughout the whole session.
"Shit! Is Clem crying?" Violet chuckled. Clem waved everyone off.
"Damn Louis. Making girls cry now." Some guy with tan skin snickered.
"Fuck off, Aasim. At least someone heard my voice." Louis smiled at Clem. She rolled her eyes while wiping underneath them. Louis gave her more tissues with a gentle smile on his face. She smiled back. Thanking the dread headed teen.
"My bad. Two of his songs were my parents' favorite." She giggled to herself.
"Oh. Um...I'm glad it did.. I mean...I hoped it were good memories... I tend to reach people's hearts." Louis flicked his collar. The group groaned. Cheesy Louis is back. Clementine shook her head at how goofy he is. Not sure if he's trying hard to impress her or put a smile on her face.
"You never made me cry." Violet jabbed Louis's side. The boy grunted as he held his side. Losing his cool in front of Clem.
"That's Minnie's job." Marlon said with a smug on his face. Violet smiled at him when his face twisted. Thankful that her girlfriend sat on the same table with the blonde boy.
"Bitch." Violet gave him one of her famous and favorite finger.
"Oh c'mon now. You guys play too much. Anyway, Louis that was beautiful. Like always." A carrot top girl came around and hugged the pianist. Louis responded back with a hug and pat her shoulder.
"Thanks, Ruby. Thanks for making it."
"Oh shucks. I wouln' miss your shows." She smiled at him.
"Of course. You're lined up to Mr. Panties. Like the rest of the girls." A dude said as he hung his arm over Ruby's shoulder. She groaned at him. She knew he was joking around.
"Aasim, jealous." Minerva smirked.
"Me? For what?"
"Just because you want Ruby's panties doesn't make you a weird pervert." Louis said. The gang gasped.
"I DON'T WANT HER PANTIES!" He shouted. Everyone laughed around him.
"Says the pervert checking my pants size." Clem shot Louis a cocky smile. Louis leaned to her face. Pulling her chair closer to him.
"So, it's like that?" His brow raised. Nervously, she fought back.
"Yup!"
"Just fuck already!" Violet shouted. Ava rolled her eyes and pulled Clem away from the cackling group. While watching them disappear, Sophie got up from her seat. Minerva eyed her and didn't bother to say anything.
The gang waited till Clem and Ava left up-stairs to turn back to Louis.
"So... Louis..." Marlon choked between his laughter. Violet and the rest knew what he was trying to say. So Aasim stepped in. Like always.
"You gonna tap that?" Aasim's brows jumped. Louis felt cornered.
"What are you guys talking about?"
"Miss Oranges over there. Who else?" Aasim scooted his seat closer to Louis. Louis kicked his seat, knocking his down to the floor. Violet chuckled.
"Everyone calmed down. Louis don't date. He's a player" Minerva bit her lower lip as Violet said the word 'player' in a sexual tone.
"No! I'm not a player!" The dread lock teen exclaimed.
"What about those panties on your bed-" Louis interrupted Marlon.
"You told them!?"
The group laughed hysterically. They knew that Louis was messing around. But no one knows with who.
Louis sulked in his seat. He glanced at his larger friend with a define coil afro. Louis groaned. Knowing his friend had something ridiculous to say.
"...So... Who panties were they?" Teased Omar.
Louis silently took off with his warm coffee that Brody and Marlon brought for him.
.
.
Outside, Clem and Ava leaned against the brick wall. Ava told her side of the story. She wasn't aware she blocked Clem this whole time. She was sorry. She mentioned about how her and Sophie working things out. She missed Clem. She was Clementine sick. She said everything in the book to beg Clem to forgive her.
"I forgive you." Clem said. She threw out her cup and waved Ava off. Ava followed behind her.
"That's it?"
"I didn't come here for you." A stab wound reopened in Ava's heart.
"Clem..."
"I said, 'I forgive you.' What more do you want?"
"You could had said what happened at Duck's cookout...Why you missed the amusement park event, and-and what you and AJ did-" The small girl stomped in front of Ava.
"Why bother? I'm pretty sure Duck gave you heads up about everything." Clementine felt heated. Her golden eyes hardened. Ava's eyes didn't flinch or tear away from Clem's. A large ball clogging her throat betrayed her to voice out her thoughts. How can she fix this?
"Cle-"
"No! Let's not escalate this. My feelings all over the place and I'm not sure which one I'm leaning on to. I'm happy to see you. Pissed off to know that you never consider visiting me from time to time. And sad...Sad that my own best friend didn't comfort me for a second...I don't even care its for zero point two seconds...I missed you, Ava." At the end of her last words, Ava held the girl in her arms. Fearing that Clem was going to reject her. Her small friend stood there feeling troubled.
"Are you thinking about ...your parents?" Ava muttered in Clem's hair. Clem silently cried her might. Thankful that Ava's tall figure shielding her face from curious strangers walking around them.
Ava forgot this was Clementine's parents' death week. Ava stuffed her face into the girl's curls. Feeling a deep pain in her chest.
"I'm sorry, Clem...I-I'm terribly sorry." Ava whimpered.
"I forgive you..." Her voice quivered.
