Following the many events of the second book, Emma finds herself split up from Clementine. It was a hard and torturous journey, but she finds a family among the ruins.
Will her reuninion with Clementine be filled with jealousy, love or betrayal?
Thi...
Mariana: Or someone to comfort you when you believe that everything’s your fault.
Emma: Thank you… Both of you. You really were like family when I had nothing else.
Kate: And you were family to us. Now, I think Javi’s done with Clem over there.
I nodded, waving as they smiled back. I walked over, Clementine standing up from the fountain as she turned to look at me.
Clementine: Well, how does it look?
I was surprised for a minute and all I could think about was how pretty she was.
Emma: I– uh… Pretty. Really, really pretty.
She turned red in the sunlight, chuckling at my stutter.
Clementine: Well, if I knew I was going to get that reaction out of you, I would have cut it a while ago.
I smiled nervously and she caught sight of Gabe again behind me.
Clementine: You can talk to Javi about that “top secret thing that I can’t know” now. I’m gonna go say goodbye to Gabe.
I nodded and Javi looked at me, putting down the scissors and I gestured for us to walk.
We went around the square, passing families and people enjoying being peaceful and free. The sun kept shining, like hope through the darkness.
Emma: What does love feel like?
The man looked at me in shock for a moment, then raised his eyebrows.
Javier: Huh. That was an unexpected question. I don’t– No, I do know. You feel as if you couldn’t live without that person, that all the breath in your lungs would disappear if they even looked at you, like you looked at them. It’s a feeling so powerful that it can make you feel alive and dead at the same time. It’s how I feel whenever Kate walks into a room…
I watched him as he looked across the courtyard, seeing Kate with Mariana, Gabe and Clementine, all of them laughing, a broad smile on his face. The way he looked at her, with pure, undeniable love was something I could relate to.
Javier: Heh. Never thought I’d say that out loud. Why did you ask?
Emma: I think I love her.
His face soon turned to shock again, looking from me to Kate with confusion.
Javier: Kate? Um… That’s, uh– That’s awkward–
Emma: No. I mean… Clementine. I feel like how you feel with Kate, like I would die if she wasn’t with me. It’s how I felt that whole time we weren’t together, when New Frontier split us up. I spent so many nights wanting to give up, wanting to just end it. I mean, what did it matter? But I kept putting it off, thinking maybe… just maybe, she was still out there, somewhere. And that we would find each other again. Then we did. That couldn’t be just a coincidence, right? That has to mean something?
The man stared at me for a second, before smiling gently.
Javier: You have to make it mean something. You have to show that your love for her is bigger and more powerful than just fate.
His words hit me in the chest, fitting there perfectly, they just made sense. I nodded quickly, looking back across the courtyard, seeing Clementine’s smile in the sun, her hair shimmering and eyes filled with happy tears.
Javier: You really do love her, huh?
Emma: With all my broken heart.
I looked back at him and he hugged me tightly.
Emma: I’m gonna miss you, Javi.
Javier: Same with you, Emma. I won’t forget you. That day you tackled me with my own gun was the day our lives turned for the better.
The tears began running down my face at that and I buried my head further into his chest.
Emma: Thank you, Javi. For everything.
Javier: Just get AJ back safe, okay? Do whatever you can. And look after your girl. Find the right moment and tell her how you feel… She deserves that and so do you.
I nodded, leaning back and he wiped away my tears, patting my back.
Javier: Come on, you’ve got a leaving party to attend.
We walked back over to the other’s and I felt happy and sad at the same time. I was leaving this home, but I was getting my old one back. And then it was time.
Clementine and I grabbed our backpacks, the gates of Richmond opening and we stepped out. Behind us, Javi, Kate, Gabe and Mariana waved us off with tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces. We both turned around, waving back at them with wider smiles and then we were on our way. We headed out into the unknown. I looked at Clem with a teasing smile.
Emma: Race you!
Clementine: You always cheat!
I ran forwards, both of us with smiles on our faces as we passed the train tunnel, the gas station, back to AJ.
Clementine: We’re going to find you, AJ.
Emma: Whatever it takes.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A/n And that's the end of the third book! I hope you all liked it and thank you for reading this one! The last one will be out either today or tomorrow, but that will the be the final one and some love confessions will be happening :)
