scars • clementine x louis

The Plunge: Pt. 1

An aggravated groan escaped his lips as he vigorously scratched his head, pacing back and forth. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He mumbled, collapsing on the bed for the 5th time today. He sighed, burying his face in his hands. 

Louis sat up, trying to get rid of the massive pit of guilt buried in his stomach. The words from Clementine, two days ago, was still bothering him, although he knew he was the only one who cared about this;

"I love you. I know that I do. I know I'll never stop loving you. But... you were right. I don't want to keep fighting. I know you don't want to either. We don't have to be together. We don't have to be friends. We don't have to know each other's names. But I can't stand seeing you upset."

"Fuck. Why do you make me feel this way..." He muttered. Louis knew it was too late for him. Especially after she had just said that to him the other day.

"Bad day?" A voice calmly asked. Louis whipped his head around to see Millie standing there with her arms crossed. Louis scoffed.

"Guess you could say that," Louis replied before quickly realizing what she had done. "What're you doing here anyway, shouldn't you be with your girlfriend?"

Millie furrowed her eyebrows. "..Girlfriend? What're you talking about..?"

Louis rolled his eyes. "The girl who kissed you even though she had a boyfriend."

Millie paused for a few seconds before widening her eyes and nervously laughing. "O-oh, right. Uhm... about that--"

"Whatever. It's not like I care anymore. She likes you."

"W-wait, what--"

"You know what's funny? She didn't even think about telling me about her feelings for you until she went ahead to kiss you."

"Louis--"

"And here you are, trying to make excuses for her."

"Louis!"

"What?!"

Louis glared at her, his face softening when he noticed her features. Her eyebrows slightly bunched up as her eyes averted to the floor. "I... she didn't kiss me."

"..Huh?"

"She didn't kiss me. She didn't want to. I forced myself on her."

Louis' heart stopped, he furrowed his eyebrows as he glared at Millie. "What do you mean, 'forced myself on her'? I-- I saw--"

"Well, you saw wrong!" Millie suddenly yelled, taking Louis by surprised. He had never heard her yell that angrily. "I started to like Clementine. You know why? Because she's a brave, independent, and beautiful girl. The exact opposite of me. She told me all about you and how you always were so busy. That's why I kissed her. Because her boyfriend wouldn't acknowledge that his girlfriend felt that way--" (those of you who are confused, clementine did say that, but in a way that would make Louis and clementine sound like friends, but not lovers.)

"Shut up!" Louis growled as he pushed her. Not hard, but hard enough to send her to the ground. Millie's eyes widened in fear as she looked up at Louis, who was now greatly regretting his action. 

"No wonder Clementine broke up with your ass," Millie muttered, quickly getting up and running to the door.

"Wait, Millie!" Louis called out, but by the time he did, she was already out the door. Louis thought about what Millie had said about Clementine. "She... she wasn't lying."

Louis remembered every word he had said to her, a pang hitting him in the chest as they played in his head.

"...I can't trust you, Clem. Maybe we should take a break since we obviously have no trust in each other."

"Why should I say hi to a cheater?"

"What about stepping in my shoes? What if you saw your girlfriend kissing her so-called best friend? Now you're calling me selfish and a dick just for having feelings! Clem, this is the second time you've kissed someone who wasn't me. I have a right to be upset. I'm sorry, but I can't trust you anymore. Maybe... maybe we shouldn't even be together anymore."

"Fucking... idiot!" Louis groaned, slapping his forehead. He hung his head low as he knew he had ruined the chances he had with Clementine, many times. Now he knew it was too late.

***

Clementine stepped out of the room, satisfied with the information she had gotten out of Arvo. She was about to step into Jesus' office when she spotted Millie speed walking up to her. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she stepped closer to Millie, only for her to whizz past Clem.

"Millie?" Clementine called after her, making her stop dead in her tracks. Millie turned around with her arms crossed and an impatient look painted across her face. 

"I really don't understand you anymore, Clementine." Millie scoffed. Clementine cautiously stepped closer. Despite them only being friends for a short period of time, she knew by Millie's face that she was about to explode any minute now.

"What are you talking about?"

"How could you date such an asshole? You pushed me away, but you still like that dickhead that you broke up with? But now I get it. From that day you said those hurtful words, I was shocked that... a nice person like you could say something like that. But now I get it."

Such words coming from Millie had sent several pangs to Clem's chest. She looked down shamefully. "What did he tell you?" She murmured, but Millie was able to hear. 

"He didn't tell me anything. But seeing the kind of person he is, I know what you are too." Millie finished off, giving Clementine one more look of disgust mixed with anger. She turned around, practically stomping the other direction.

"Is it true?" Clementine whipped her head around to see Gabe standing there, leaning against the wall. 

"Gabe..."

"Is that how you act towards others now?"

"Gabe, no. She just—"

"Is that what you said to her? Just tell me yes or no."

Clementine looked away. "...I... yes. But I didn't mean it! I was just—"

"Angry? Confused? Disappointed? I bet you were. But imagine how she felt. Upset. Guilty. Heartbroken. That's how you made her feel." Gabe scolded in a quiet voice. He gazed at her intimidately, a way he's never stared at her before. His eyes made Clementine uncomfortable, causing her to avoid his gaze. "Clementine."

She lifted her head, averting her eyes to his.

"Why did you lie to me?" He asked in a louder voice, finally standing up straight. "Am I really not that reliable enough for you to just tell me the truth?"

"It's not that, Gabe. I wasn't ready. Can you imagine having somebody accuse you of doing something you didn't do, and talk to others about it?" Clementine slightly glared at him, already a little irritated of his questions. "All I wanted was space. That was it. Is that too much to ask for? Do I have to tell others about my business, making a huge problem out of it? Why do I have to do that? Why do I have to always have problems like this? Why... why do I have to make everyone hate me?"

Gabe stared at her with pity in his eyes. Guilt struck him across his face as he bit his lower lip. 

Silence was all they could hear until Gabe finally broke it. "I'm sorry."

Was what he said before gunshots and screams suddenly filled their ears.