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Modern Period of The Walking Dead Game
High School AU
Chapter Twenty Seven: Notes and Pretzels
"I... I don't want to talk to you right now." Clem hung her head low. AJ held her hand as he stood his ground. Protecting his cousin in any way, if the taller boy tries anything.
Gabe nodded his head.
"I understand. Bye." He dipped. Clem lifted head, watching him speed off. Her face creased with tears stinging her eyes.
Not understanding why, her heart broke apart when he left. It took one effort and there he goes. Would she have felt better if he gave it another push to talk things out with her? Would things be less ugly? Should she had let him speak than avoiding him?
Clementine felt like shit. What kind of person she became? She supposed to be his friend. Being someone's shoulder when they needed it. The small girl sniffled as she stared at his body till he vanished in the sea of students.
"Clem, let's go. I'll walk you to class." AJ told her. Tugging her hand to move, she nodded as she wiped her eyes.
.
.
In class, Clementine sulked in the back corner of the room, close to the windows. The wind breeze blew her strands of curls off her face.
For six days, she had her hair in a side bun with a purple hair tie. Wore nothing but hoodies and jeans. Sometimes her favorite hat with the letter D on it. Boots and sneakers. Nothing too colorful and flashy. Just basic dark colors.
Her emotions had the best of her at this point. She wanted Gabe to fight his inner rage he developed from his father. Be stronger. Have a clearer mind. Be a better version of himself. Not his father.
Change for his good.
She called herself selfish by the thought of wanting him to change. How stupid can she be? Was she messed up for thinking that?
Did they take it far that she grew attach to the boy faster than before?
Gabe Garcia, the hot head teen she grew up with since middle school. What should she do?
Damn these hormones.
Clementine feared that he'll lose himself in the darkness. And forget about her. Let the bull inside him go in a rampage.
Damn the insecurity.
"That girl is depressed." Minerva whispered.
Louis sat in front of her. He turned around to check Clementine. Her stared at the window with interest. Ignoring everything that is going on in class.
"Is she talking to Gabe?" Louis asked.
"I heard from Duck that Clem still don't want to talk to him. It has been a week." Aasim jumped in the conversation. Louis frowned.
Clementine heard a chair scratching the floor beside her. She glanced to see the dread head teen sitting next her. Throwing his bag behind his chair.
He handed her a green sticky note. She hesitantly took it, reading it.
Hey! :)
-Louis
On that very Wednesday, it was the first-time seeing Clem smiling. Well, it wasn't huge or bright like the sun. Her sky still had gray clouds around her with sun rays sprouting through. So yeah, that small smile changed the heavy air she had created.
Meanwhile in class, the teach handed out paper work. She took out her orange sticky notes. Scribbling on it before passing it to him.
Hey
-Clementine
It's a start.
.
.
"I know what you're doing." She closed her closer.
"Mariana... What can I do to make everything go back...to..like before?" Mitch asked. Mariana smiled wickedly.
"Let's start when you never saw me at that college party." She hissed. She took off. Pulling out her cross out her blouse. Gripping the gold jewelry tightly.
The boy stood there alone until a girl with dark hair and red glasses popped up beside him with a smile on her face.
"Hey!"
"Oh...hey. How's everything?" She noticed by the tone of his voice and face expression that something was off.
Sarah lead the boy to their chemistry class together. She linked her arm around his.
"Swell. I'm off for this weekend." She smiled. Mitch forced a smile.
"Uno night?"
"Of course! This time I won't go easy on you." She grinned. Mitch chuckled at her enthusiasm.
"I'll be available on Saturday then." He said. She squealed excitedly. The two went in class, planning their hangout.
On the side, Mariana saw the whole thing. She wiped the rebellious tear of her face.
"Umm...hey. You can... use this." She twirled around to see the mysterious guy in her year. He held out a handkerchief. She nervously took it. Delighted by his selflessness and kindness.
"Thank you so much...um..." She smiled awkwardly. She wiped her tears off her face with his lavender handkerchief.
"I'm James." He stretched out his hand robotically. She giggled as she took his hand to shake it.
"Mariana." She smiled at him.
"May I..walk you to class?"
"If it doesn't bother you then sure!" She chirped. He chuckled at her cheerfulness. Both strolling through the halls to her class. Unaware he has most of her classes.
.
.
The next day.
Clementine walked in class as soon as the bell rung. She looked around the room to see the front filled with students. She tucked her cap bill closer to shadow half of her face.
"Where do you think you're going?" Someone said while catching her wrist on time. Clem looked at the brown skinned teen. He had a warm smile on his face.
"To the back." She said.
"Sit next to me."
"I like the window spot better."
"I have pretzels."
In a second, Clementine sat next to him, munching on pretzels in the second to last row of seats. She didn't complain or fight it because the girl was starving.
"You like them?"
"Yeah. They're okay." Clem shrugged.
"You're eating half the bag, though." She paused at what she was doing. She had a handful of pretzels and planned to stuff it in her mouth.
Her cheeks blushed, noticing how she hogged the bag from Louis. She shyly handed it back to him.
Louis took it. Eating them one by one.
"Next time, I'll bring a bigger bag." He teased.
"That would be nice." She taunted. A smile plastered her face. Louis chuckled. If food can lure her to sit next to him and smile more, he'll buy pretzels for her every day. She's like a stray cat. Feed them, they'll come back.
"Probably three bags for your greedy ass." He grumbled. Clem shot him a glare.
On that day, Louis had to walk around the school with a faded hand print on his neck. He flashed it proudly around too. Some teachers suggested him to go to the nurse to cover it. But the boy refused.
Minerva and Violet teased the tall idiot earlier. Omar couldn't help but to die on the floor.
Marlon came by to see what's so funny and the gossip about.
The blonde nearly fainted. He ran to his best friend, turning the tall teen's dazed expression. Blue eyes examined the reddish dark mark on Louis's neck.
"What happened!?" He yelled. Louis rolled his eyes. Marlon trying to understand why his friend mad chill about it.
"A girl chocked him in math class." Brody came by with a smile on her face.
"Again!?" He exclaimed.
"Louis like to be chocked on the low." Aasim said as he walked pass them.
Marlon smirked at his friend. Louis calmly went in his locker to switch out books for the next class.
"So... what's going on between ya?" He asked his friend.
"Nothing at all." Louis told his as he shut his locker. Brody crossed her arms.
"Louis, she's not over him, y'know." Brody said. She didn't stop on time that she bumped into Louis. Louis turned back.
"Chill. Nothing going to happen. And I have better things to worry about. See ya!" He walked away.
Brody and Marlon looked at each other.
"That guy is feeling her." Marlon shook his head. Brody had a worried look on her face.
"This won't look good for him. Gabe and Clem are still together." She said. Marlon hooked his arm around her shoulders. Giving her a small squeeze.
"Louis knows better. I'm just messing with him... Louis won't break guy code, remember."
"...Yeah. You're right. I just don't want Louis get caught up into shit..." Brody frowned. Hoping things won't turn upside down for her dread head friend.
"I feel you. Fuck it., though."
"What?"
"Screw what everyone saying. Everyone has a part to play in life... Clem not so mopey lately, thanks to Lou."
"I guess... Ava just didn't like him being around her though." She told him. Marlon kissed her forehead.
"She's protecting Clem, that's all. I would do the same for you, Ruby, Sophie, Vi-... Vi and Minnie can handle themselves-" Marlon grunted. He hugged his aching stomach. A blonde passing with her middle finger at his face.
"Bitch! You better fight for me when I'm in trouble!" Violet shouted, she overheard him somehow. She walked off with Minerva up ahead. Linking hands as they head to class.
Marlon crashed down to the marble floor. Brody rubbed his stomach.
"Get up. We have science." She said.
"How about we take up chemistry somewhere?" He smirked. Still in pain but hid it so well. Brody rolled her eyes.
"If I have to drag you, Marlon, I will."
"No you won't."
As usual, the teachers ignored Body dragging her humiliated boyfriend through the halls. Of course, students whispered about it and laughed at Marlon.
Boy, Brody had no shame. Struggling to carry his legs beside her and pulling him across the halls to their shared class.
They made it to the room. Brody slightly turned the corner and his stomach crashed on the door frame.
"Ack! My stomach!"
"Whoops.." She dropped his leg and went to her seat.
"Babe!"
.
.
The next few days, Clem smile came back. Louis saw it in her amber eyes.
He wasn't sure if it was the note passing or them bonding over pretzels. Things are flowing like before.
Screw the gossips and rumors.
And Gabe.
He's comfortable spending time with her at school. She actually found whatever that comes out his mouth worthy and hilarious. Also, she's an easy target to tease. She always fell for his little schemes. Which ended up getting them in trouble if the teachers catch them. Like playing paper football in the back row, stealing Clem's shoes, leaving pretzel crumbs on the desk, and talking when the teacher is giving out a lesson.
Clementine is a precious friend to goof around with in class. And seeing her five or six days a week made him happy.
"Hey, Choker." He winked at her. Clem climbed the stairs to meet up to him. As clumsy she is, she tripped on a step, missing her balance. Luckily, Louis caught her.
"Shit. Thanks Louis." She smiled.
"I'm always saving you. I think you're doing it on purpose." He smirked. Clem bumped her arm on his. She tucked the note books closer to her chest.
"Yeah right. You're probably bad luck." She joked. He rolled his eyes, chuckling.
"Anyway, where are you off to?" Clem followed him to the second floor. Louis sighed.
"It was supposed to be a secret but... I'm teaching AJ how to play and write a love song." He whispered. Clem's lashes fluttered as her eyes widened.
Her cousin has a crush already?!
She glanced at Louis. Louis shrugged his shoulders. He opened the door for her and she walked in the room to see AJ playing the piano.
The closing door didn't disturb him at all. Louis took the girl's hand and lead her to sit in the front row of chairs. As they sat down, Louis sat forward on the adjustable desk. Observing AJ composure and tempo.
Clem sat there quietly as she listened to the sad song. A note appeared in front of her. She read it
This just a warm up.
-Louis
Clementine wrote back on the same sticky note.
It's very beautiful and sad :(
-Clem
I wrote it
-Louis
He sat up straight on the chair. Shooting Clem one of his cocky smirks. Clem giggled while shaking her head.
The tune came to a stop. AJ turned and noticed Clem.
"Why are you here!?" He smiled. Clem leaned her cheeks on her palms.
"To finally hear how far you come! It's very lovely." Clem eyed Louis for a second then her cousin.
AJ turned to hide his cheesy smile. Bashful that his cousin likes it. Meaning he's learning fast.
"Thanks." He said. He pulled out another sheet of paper. Practicing the love song.
As he played, Louis took out a bag of pretzels.
"Want some?" He nudged the bag on her. Clem noticed that he be eating pretzels in classes. Recently, sharing them with her during a history lecture and short film.
"Sure." She whispered as he passed her the bag. She took a couple of pretzels and ate them. More like nibbling them down.
"You eat like a squirrel." He whispered.
"You look like one." She jabbed her pretzel on his cheek. He smiled at her.
"Am I a pretty squirrel." He said as he fluttered his short lashes. Clem gagged on the pretzel.
The thunderous sound from the piano made the two teens jumped out their seat.
"Oh God! Can ya flirt somewhere else?!" AJ yelled at them. Clem covered her mouth as Louis gestured to zip his mouth shut.
While sitting there, Louis chuckled quietly. Clem tried not to laugh.
Why do Louis bring out her goofy side?
As she reached for a pretzel in the bag, his hand bumped on to hers. They eyed each other.
Something about him... caused her heart to drum unsteadily.
His fingers flickered hers. Her jaw dropped. She pinched his hand making his groan. With that, he snatched the bag.
"Misbehaving ain't cute." He whispered in her ear. Clem arched her brows. Leaning to his ear. She brushed his dreadlocks, so he can hear her clearly.
"It's your fault. Dork." He glanced at her mischievous grin. He hummed with a side smirk on his face.
