𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋| Robby Keene

𝟎𝟏𝟐. the old karate kid's

"She's family," Carmen interjected, appearing at Clementine's side and offering her support in this critical moment.

Clementine's eyes widened in surprise at Carmen's unexpected gesture of familiarity. She had only met Carmen once before, briefly, when she had picked Miguel up for karate that one time.

Feeling Carmen's arm wrap around her, Clementine allowed herself to be led, a mix of curiosity and gratitude swirling within her. As they walked together, Carmen's smile was warm and reassuring.

"I'm glad you came... Miguel was asking for you. He said he remembers your scream and he was worried about you," Carmen explained, her words bringing a flood of memories rushing back to Clementine's mind.

Frowning slightly, Clementine couldn't help but recall that terrifying moment when Miguel was kicked off the balcony at the school, and she let out a scream of horror. The fact that Miguel still remembered and cared about her well-being despite his own injuries touched her deeply, strengthening her resolve to be there for him in his time of need.

As Clementine entered Miguel's room, she was met with the sight of tears glistening in his eyes. Carmen nodded to them before leaving to find her mother, leaving Clementine alone with Miguel.

Approaching him slowly, Clementine's heart ached at the sight of Miguel's tears. "I'm so sorry. I wish I wasn't fighting Hawk and I was there to stop him... this is all my fault. If I was there, maybe I could've got through to Robby," she sobbed, her own tears cascading down her cheeks.

Miguel reached out and took Clementine's hand, his own eyes moist but his voice steady. "I... It's not your fault. Robby showed No Mercy. I tried to stop him, but he kicked me off. This is not our fault," he asserted firmly, his words carrying a sense of conviction.

Clementine frowned, her heart heavy with guilt and sorrow. "Robby... he didn't mean to... I really hope not, but they haven't found him yet..." she trailed off, her voice tinged with uncertainty as she glanced at Miguel.

His expression hardened as he stared at the wall. "I hope they find him and he gets put behind bars," Miguel declared, his tone resolute.

Clementine's jaw clenched at his words. "That's my boyfriend, Miguel!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in defense of Robby, despite the weight of the situation.

Miguel's gaze remained fixed on his lap as he spoke, his voice heavy with frustration and sorrow. "Right... I'm sorry. I'm just mad... the doctors said I might not be able to walk again," he explained, his words carrying the weight of his uncertain future.

Clementine's eyes widened in shock at his revelation. "Oh my god... I'm sorry too," she replied, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Taking a deep breath, Clementine spoke again, her tone softening. "Let's not fight, okay? Robby's going to juvie no matter what. And... and the last time I saw him was a few days after I got out of the hospital," she explained, her words trailing off as she recalled the tumultuous events of the past few months.

Miguel looked up at her with a mixture of confusion and concern. "Wait, what? What did he say? And what happened to you? Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine worry for Clementine's well-being.

Clementine had been concealing her injured hand behind her back the entire time, but now she slowly revealed it, displaying the evidence of her recent altercation with Blaire. Miguel's eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of her bruised nose and broken hand.

"Oh my god... I didn't even notice until now," he exclaimed, his concern evident in his voice as he reached out to gently inspect her injuries.

Clementine gave a small smile at his reaction. "Yeah, I got into a fight with Blaire and ended up with a fractured nose and a broken hand," she explained, her tone matter-of-fact.