Imagine That: Multifandom Part Two

the Clarks【two】| alicia clark

"I don't think of you as Nick's little sister," I clarified. "You're much more than that. But I would do anything for you."

Definitely not expecting that, she was unable to stop herself from smiling shyly, cheeks dusting pink, and I knew I'd said the right thing.

"Have a good day, Alicia," I said with a smile.

"Are you, er, coming over for dinner later?" she asked, clearing her throat.

I suppressed the urge to smile even wider at how she was trying to play it cool. "I wouldn't miss it."

She nodded, eyes flickering over to mine briefly, before she turned to leave.

Definitely not just Nick's little sister, that was for sure.

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17 years old...

School never got any easier as I grew up, especially with how small my town was and how everybody seemed to know each other's business. It made me a target, being the girl with the loser dad and the drunken mother. But I'd gotten pretty good at ignoring the cruel words of bored teens.

Until I didn't.

I was minding my own business one day, sat in the cafeteria and eating my lunch whilst getting some studying in. And then some annoying guys from homeroom who always loved to give me grief decided to walk by and make a comment.

"Hey, Y/L/N," one of them, Andy, snickered. "Where's your little addict friend?"

I rolled my eyes but tried my best to ignore his attempt at a taunt. He was referring to Nick, who had unfortunately been admitted into rehab recently. His issues with drugs had only worsened over the years, despite my many attempts to help him stop it, and it had gotten to a point where he was a threat to his own life. Rehab had been the only answer, and it stung to not have him around, especially since he was my best (and only) friend, but I only wanted him to get better.

Unfortunately, that meant the gossip at school had been around Nick's absence, and the teasing towards me had only increased tenfold. I couldn't care less what bullies had to say about me or my life – to my face or behind my back – but I didn't want anyone to speak poorly of the Clarks.

"You gonna pretend you don't hear me?" Andy continued to taunt me, before chuckling dryly. "I heard he was finally put out of harm's way because he just didn't know when to quit. Kinda sounds like your mum, doesn't it? With all that drinking she does, she should be in there with him."

"Fuck off," I said to him dismissively, trying not to let his words get to me

"She has a voice!" he exclaimed sarcastically, making his idiot friends laugh.

"Yeah, and a fist too, so fuck off," I repeated, this time fixing a glare in his direction.

He narrowed his eyes at me challengingly. "Or what?"

I'd gone many years without entertaining his bullshit and I wasn't about to stoop to his level now. Rolling my eyes, I looked back down to my textbook and tried to continue my work. I didn't get very far, however, as he took my pencil from my hand and snapped it childishly.