Dark Past (Gabentine fanfiction) #Wattys2018

•Chapter 33: He's not him•

A/N: the next few chapters (except chapter 40) will be short bc this book will be ending soon.

Third Person's POV:

For the past 3 weeks, Clementine has been with Carl and Rick and they have been looking for a sanctuary to shelter in. The day Clementine and Carl met again, Clementine told him that she was going to McCaroll Ranch to gonlook for Aj but omce she got there, the place was completely destroyed and Aj was nowhere to be found. Her heart broke knowing that Aj could've been dead. But still, she never gave up and now, she's up on her feet and has been looking for him eversince.

"Hey, you okay?" Carl asked as he put pieces of branches nearby the campfire they started awhile ago. Clementine snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her friend. She nodded and gave him a reassuring smile before loking back at the burning light infront of her.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm okay." She muttered while keeping her hands clasped together.

Carl sighed and walked over to Clementine's spot and taking seat. Clementine didn't even bothered to look at him, but Carl, he had his eyes fixed up on Clementine.

"Hey, you know that you could tell me anything right?" Carl said but Clementine replied with a nod.

"If I can promise you anything, it's that we will find Aj as soon as possible." Carl added, trying to lighten his friend's mood up but unfortunately, she never even bothered to make eye contact with him.

"Yeah, thanks Carl." Clementine muttered.

Carl let out a frustrated sigh and out of nowhere, she wrapped his arms around Clementine. Clementine didn't move, she was frozen in place. She couldn't hug back, she couldn't say anything. She just stayed silent.

"Can you please talk to me properly? I'm really worried about you." Carl said, still having his arms wrapped around his friend.

Clementine let out a forced giggle and pushed Carl away before finally looking into his eyes which shone the shade of the beautiful blue sky eventhough it was nighttime. Carl kept his right hand on Clementine's arm and gently squeezed it.

Carl felt his heart start to beat faster and if Clementine could here it, he would definitely be embarrassed. But Clementine on the other hand, no matter how many times Carl would hug her, make her feel alive again, make her smile, she couldn't. Maybe she would, but she would pull off a fake one just so he could stop bothering her.

Before she knew it, Carl started leaning his face towards her in which she found a bit confusing. But the moment she knew what was gonna happen, she turned her face sideways and again, her eyes met the burning campfire that showed the color of yellow, orange and red.

Carl sighed, thinking that this would've been the only and last chance he might tell her. He knew that things would be different after it is done, but if telling her would set his little heart free from all the distress it's feeling, then so be it.

"Clementine... ever since you came to the prison, you already caught my eye... eventhough we weren't that cool with each other yet, you've already made me feel something. And that something made me feel flustered everytime I look at you. You made me feel like I wanted to make someone else happy again. Your smile was something that shone into my life and when you left, it's like someone took away that one firefly I have left in a dark field. Clementine, call me corny or whatever but... I really like you."

He confessed... he finally confessed. Clementine sighed and stood up then walked infront of Carl still having that small smile on her face. She ruffled his hair and giggled.

"Thank you for always being there for me Carl. I really appreciate you. But... I'm sorry. I can't really give back the feeling you already gave for me... I just— I don't feel the same." Clementine muttered.

Carl gave her a small smile and nodded before telling her, "Yeah, I know you won't give back. But I wanted to tell you atleast."

Clementine smiled and gave him a hug one he wholeheartedly acdepted and kept his arms wrapped around her waist too.

"Thank you Carl."

Carl has always been here for me for the past three weeks. But I could never give back to him and the least I could do is to say 'thank you'. I couldn't like him back. And maybe it's because Carl isn't Gabe. He's not him.