Reality Hits Hard

Picture Day (Ch. 15)

■ So... I decided to take out the pictures. Think of this as using your imagination to create the characters in this book with the characteristics and appearances I gave each character. I will be keeping the changes I made in chapter 1, so no worries about that. Okay, onto the story.■

~Clementine's POV~
-Wednesday

I wake up seeing Nicole is still sleeping. I decide to take a quick shower and get dressed. I wear a black tank top and put a jean shirt/jacket on top. I put on black leggings and slip on some tan boot socks and put on my combat boots that fold over. It's been about 15 minutes so I wake up Nicole.

"Wakie, wakie..." I whisper in a baby voice.

"Hmmm" she sighs

She wakes up with a grunt and takes a quick shower. I put on little mascara, and strawberry lip balm. After I'm done Nicole is ready 5 minutes later. We walk down stairs and she hands me a breakfast bar. We walk out the door.

When we get to school we hear it's picture day. We get to choose our location of where the picture will be taken.

"I think I'll take mine in front of the school." I say to Nicole.

"I might take my in the back where the flower fields are." She says

"That's actually a really good spot." I giggle.

At 3rd period they call people with all J - O last names to get there picture taken. I walk to the cafeteria. When it's my turn I walk up to the photographer to say where I want my picture taken. We walk to the front of the school.

"1...2...3... and..." she says

*click* goes the camera

I didn't really smile but she said it looked great.

"I can't wait to see Nicole's, ooh and Morgan and Katelyn's. Oh and Ashlie's!? I bet their's went great." I think to myself as I walk back to class.

*Lunch Time*

The girls and I decided to exclude ourselves from the rest of our group today to talk about our pictures.

"Hey guys!" I say excitedly

"Hey!" They all reply back.

"So how did your pictures go?!" I ask putting my head in my hands, waiting anxiously for an answer.

"I think mine went great." Morgan says.

"Mine was great" Nicole butts in.

"I love my photo!" Ashlie adds in

"Mine was just good." Katelyn says calmly.

"I really love mine!" I squeal with a smile on my face.

We all talk about how things are going.

"Umm... things are just great." I lied. I looked down feeling tears fill my eyes.

"What's wrong?!" Ashlie yelps

"Hmm? Oh! Nothing, don't worry about it!" I say wave my hand and smiling.

*End of school*

I visit my mom in the hospital today. Nicole comes along side with me.

We get to my mother's room.

"I'll let you have your space with her." Nicole says smiling while gesturing go in.

I walk in to find my mom awake.

"Hey mom!" I whisper yell.

"Hey darling." She says calmly.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her.

"Better" she answers sleepy

"We had pictures done today." I say handing her mine.

"Aww. You look great sweetie." She says smiling. She starts to sleep again.

"Ok... see you later mom. Sweet dreams." I whisper and kiss her forehead before walking out.

"So how was it?" Nicole questions

"It was good. She's tired though so I thought I'd leave her to rest." I say with a somewhat smile on my face.

"Just one more day Clem, and you'll have your mom back." She says hugging me.

"That's funny that's the same thing my mom said to me when my dad was in the hospital. I'll- I'll never forget that day." I think as we walk out.

*******
We get back to Nicole's house. We get ready for bed.

"I miss my mom" I say while playing with my blanket.

"It's ok one more day and yo-" I cut her off.

"Please stop!" I yell. But not so loud.

"I'm sorry?" She says looking confused

"Please just stop..." I say with tears rolling down my face.

"Clem... what wrong!?" she jumps out of bed and runs over to me.

"It's... it's nothing." I say wiping away my tears.

"Clementine. It's obviously something. What is wrong?" She says more sternly.

"Those words, that sentence." I sigh

"Clementine..." she says once again.

"...It was with my dad..." I finally let out.

"If you don't mind me asking. Can.. can you tell me?" she says softly.

"I.. I was six when the problems started. He... started to have problems with his heart. We noticed of course. And there were always close calls, until..." I start to cry.

"He had a serious heart attack. I was scared but not scared? This had happened many times before so I guess I was used to it by now...." I take a deep breath and continue.

"My grandma had been taking care of me when my mom went with him to the hospital. My mom said that it was alright. That he was going to be okay. That's when my grandma took me to the hospital. When we got there my mom rushed over to me and hugged me. She whispered into my ear.

'Just one more day Clem and you'll have your dad back.'

The next day we went to the hospital to see how he was holding up and...". I stop and cry harder.

"They let my mom in to see my dad. That's when she runs out crying yelling for a doctor. It had turned out his heartbeat fell flat. The doctors did all they could to revive him but.." I start to choke and sob.

"That's why I was so worried about my mom. I.. don't need her to leave. Not yet. I wasn't ready for my dad and I'm not ready for my mom! Just... just not yet!" I yell through the tears.

I fell into Nicole's arms and she hugged me, I wipe away my tears and soon I fall asleep. When I feel Nicole wiggle from out under me. I giggle and hear her jump into her bed.

"It felt good to speak about my dad. I never got or more like never decided to grieve about his death." I thought to myself and fell asleep.

********
Heyy. Sorry if xXxX_kawaii_XxXx and my pictures of Morgan look different. She had something else in mind. Anyway hope you liked!

♢Alabama♢