"The Twisted Sisters are back, baby!!"
Robby had been confined to juvie for precisely two days now, a span that felt like an eternity to Clementine. The regulations were strict during the initial week – no visits, just phone calls. As the clock ticked toward 9 am, Clementine's alarm blared to life at 8:58, signaling her scheduled call with Robby. Startled, she bolted upright, her heart racing.
Without hesitation, she reached for her phone, silencing the alarm, and swiftly accessed the call app. With trembling fingers, she dialed the number for the juvenile center, her anxiety mounting with each passing ring.
Finally, someone at the front desk answered, their voice laced with a hint of irritation. "Hello—"
Interrupting swiftly, Clementine pleaded, "Can I talk to Robby Keene, please? We have a scheduled call."
A frustrated sigh emanated from the other end before she was placed on hold, a mundane tune replacing the silence. Clementine couldn't help but roll her eyes in exasperation as she waited anxiously. After what felt like an eternity, she was greeted by Robby's voice, though it lacked the warmth she craved.
"What do you want?" Robby's tone was curt, sending a pang of hurt through Clementine.
Desperation colored her voice as she rushed to explain, "Robby, I swear that I had no idea that Daniel was gonna do that. I swear, I love you."
"I don't know what to believe, Clem," Uncertainty clouded Robby's response, leaving Clementine grasping for words. She sank onto the edge of her bed, her heart heavy with emotion. "I miss you and I love you. Do you not love me back, Robby?" Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she fought to maintain her composure.
Before she could receive an answer, a voice interrupted from the other line, signaling the end of their conversation. "Keene, time's up!"
"I— I gotta go," Robby's abrupt farewell left Clementine reeling, her heartache palpable as she struggled to come to terms with the abrupt end to their exchange.
Clementine's frustration boiled over, and she flung her phone against the wall in anger. Tears filled her eyes as she ran her hands through her hair, grappling with the weight of her emotions. The sound of a car pulling into the driveway drew her attention, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. Pushing herself off the bed, she made her way to the window, heart pounding with anticipation.
As she peered outside, a gasp escaped Clementine's lips at the sight of Alison leaning against the car. "Alison?!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with disbelief and longing. Without hesitation, Clementine sprinted down the stairs and threw open the front door, tears streaming down her face as she ran towards Alison.
Throwing her arms around Alison, Clementine felt a surge of relief as her best friend lifted her up in a tight embrace, twirling her around. As Alison set her down, Clementine's tears flowed freely. "Wh— What are you doing here!?" she managed to choke out, her voice trembling with emotion.
Alison's explanation came in a rush, leaving Clementine stunned. "Long story short, we moved in next door, my mom divorced my dad and here we are. Sierra will be here soon, she's driving down here," she explained, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as Clementine's mouth fell open in astonishment.
"Why didn't you text me!?" Clementine playfully punched Alison's shoulder, the familiar gesture bringing a sense of warmth amidst the overwhelming emotions. Alison blushed and held her arm, muttering an "Ow" in response. Despite Clementine's absence in the past few months, Alison's love for her remained unwavering. They were more than friends – they were sisters.
"Holy shit, is that Alison Cahn?" Tyler's voice pierced the air, drawing both Clementine and Alison's attention. As Alison glanced over Clementine's shoulder, her face flushed crimson. She had harbored a crush on Tyler since childhood, and his presence never failed to fluster her.
Tyler approached, patting Alison's shoulder warmly. "I heard you were moving here. Thank god, I missed seeing the twisted sisters together," he commented, a playful grin on his face.
Clementine couldn't help but chuckle as she observed Alison's stunned expression, her lips slightly parted as drool threatened to escape. With a playful smack to Alison's head, Clementine brought her back to reality, earning a bewildered blink from her friend.
"Yeah?" Alison stammered out, her cheeks still tinged with embarrassment as Clementine shook her head in disbelief.
"I can't believe you still have a crush on my brother," Clementine teased, placing her hands on her hips, amusement dancing in her eyes.
Alison's blush deepened as she looked down at her feet, feeling a mix of embarrassment and affection. Clementine, ever the supportive friend, wrapped her arm around Alison's shoulders, a determined glint in her eyes.
"The Twisted Sisters are back, baby!!" Clementine exclaimed with enthusiasm, turning around with Alison by her side. The two approached Caleb, who smiled warmly at his daughter.
He had wanted to make amends with Clementine, so he had been in contact with Alison's mom and suggested they move next door since the house had been empty for a month. Alison released herself from Clementine's embrace, excusing herself to grab a box and help her mom.
Caleb leaned down and kissed Clementine's forehead. "Surprise," he grinned, his eyes twinkling with affection. Clementine smiled back at him, a mixture of surprise and gratitude evident on her face.
"This was your idea for them to move here?" she laughed, incredulous yet touched by her father's gesture.
"Yeah, saw on Facebook that she was looking for a place, so I suggested for her to move in next door," Caleb explained, his tone laced with sincerity.
"Thanks, dad... and I'm sorry for what I said to you the other day... It was rude, and I was just upset. So much has been happening lately," Clementine confessed, her voice tinged with remorse.
Caleb tilted his head, his expression softening with understanding. "It's okay... and you're right. I haven't been there for you or Tyler. I'm going to be better, I promise. I'm not going back, and I'm staying, okay?" he reassured her, pulling her into a tight hug.
Clementine's heart swelled with gratitude as she returned the embrace, feeling a sense of warmth and reassurance wash over her.
Clementine's phone chimed, breaking the tender moment between her and Caleb. As she glanced down at her phone, Caleb's gaze fell upon the fresh cuts on her arm, a pang of concern gripping his heart. Before he could voice his worries, Clementine flashed him a bright smile.
"Moon invited me to this fundraiser. I'm gonna go see if Alison wants to come," she explained, her tone casual yet determined. With a nod, she turned and made her way over to where Alison lay on the grass, gazing up at the sky.
Clementine couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her friend lost in thought. "Wanna change into our swimsuits and go to a fundraiser to raise money for my friend Miguel's surgery?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement.
Alison grinned in response. "Sure," she agreed eagerly, reaching out her hand as Clementine helped her back onto her feet. The prospect of spending time together and supporting a good cause filled them both with anticipation and camaraderie.
Clementine stepped out of her car, greeted by the enthusiastic embrace of Moon. "Ahh, thank you so much for coming, Clem!! I was hoping you would come, and who is this!?" Moon exclaimed with her usual cheery voice, her curiosity piqued as she noticed Alison standing behind Clementine, a bit shy.
Clementine gently nudged Alison forward, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "This is my best friend from Florida, who just moved here, Alison Cahn! She's a bit shy," she introduced, giving Alison a supportive smile.
Alison waved shyly, her hair dancing in the breeze as she covered her arms over her stomach, a sign of her insecurity. Clementine, wearing a blue striped bathing suit, and Alison, clad in a matching pink one, both wore shorts as well.
"Nice to meet you, Alison! Come with me, I wanna introduce you to my friend, Demetri, he will get you out of your shell!" Moon exclaimed, taking Alison's hand and leading her over to where Demetri and Nate were handling the money.
Clementine watched with a sense of pride as Alison took hesitant steps forward, her nervousness slowly melting away in the warmth of Moon's welcoming presence.
Clementine sighed softly as she clicked the button on her car keys to lock her car, slipping her phone and keys into her jean shorts pockets. With determined steps, she made her way towards Sam, who was engrossed in teaching someone the art of "wax on, wax off."
"Sam!" Clementine's voice cut through the air, causing Sam to turn around, her eyes widening in surprise. It had been a while since they last spoke, especially after the school fight. Clementine greeted her with a grin, hands resting confidently on her hips.
"How are you? It's been a while," Clementine inquired, attempting to break through the thick layer of tension that hung between them. Sam swallowed nervously before responding with a stutter, "Fi— Fine... how about you?"
Clementine forced a smile, shrugging nonchalantly. "Good..." she trailed off, the conversation quickly fizzling out into an uncomfortable silence. Sam couldn't help but notice the scars on Clementine's arms, her concern rising, but before she could say anything, Clementine interjected.
"So, my friend Alison, I told you about? She moved here. She's gonna start going to school with us, and she's here actually," Clementine explained, gesturing behind Sam. Curious, Sam turned to see a shy Alison engaged in conversation with someone about car cleaning.
"She's really pretty," Sam remarked with an awkward smile as Clementine let out a sigh, sensing the unease in the air. "Let's catch up more later, okay?" Clementine forced another smile, placing her hand briefly on Sam's arm before walking away, leaving behind a lingering sense of unresolved tension.
Alison's hands moved swiftly over the car, executing the wax on and wax off technique with precision. The sound of a whistle caught her attention, and she turned to see a group of guys on motorcycles nearby. A blush crept up her cheeks as she quickly averted her gaze and focused on the task at hand.
Dipping the sponge into the bucket, Alison continued to clean the car, trying her best to ignore the whistles and catcalls from the group of boys. But when one of them yelled for her to come over, she couldn't ignore it any longer.
Alison clenched her jaw, her heart racing with anxiety as she dropped the bucket of soap and removed her gloves. With hesitant steps, she approached the group, stealing a quick glance back at Clementine, who was laughing with Demetri, and Moon, who was flirting with someone. Everyone seemed preoccupied.
"Please god, don't let anything happen to me," Alison muttered under her breath, forcing a smile as she reached the group of boys. "What do you guys need? Want me to clean... your motorcycles?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
One of the boys with curly hair snapped at her for speaking too quietly, causing Alison to look down at her feet in embarrassment. But to her surprise, another boy, with a mohawk, intervened, smacking his friend's arm and speaking up.
"We can't hear you. Can you say that again?" he asked kindly, his gesture of understanding catching Alison off guard, momentarily dispelling her fear and insecurity.
Alison cleared her throat, mustering up the courage to speak louder. "What do you guys need?" she asked, her voice more assertive this time. The boy with the mohawk smiled softly at her, his demeanor putting her at ease.
"Uh... nothing... we were just wondering what's going on here," he replied, his tone gentle and reassuring. Alison felt a wave of relief wash over her as she relaxed her shoulders.
"Oh... my best friend Clementine invited me... Apparently, her friend Miguel needs money for surgery, so we're raising money..." Alison explained softly, feeling more comfortable with each passing moment.
"Oh, cool... what's your name?" Eli asked, genuine curiosity shining in his eyes.
Alison couldn't help but smirk, feeling a newfound sense of confidence. "What's yours?" she countered playfully.
"Haw— Eli," he replied, catching himself before using his nickname.
"Nice to meet you, Eli. I'm Alison," she said, returning his smile with a hint of blush coloring her cheeks.
"Did you just move here? Never seen you around," Hawk asked, leaning casually on his bike as Alison nodded in response. "Yeah, from Florida," she chuckled nervously, feeling her stomach tying itself into knots under Hawk's gaze.
"Welcome to California, Red," Hawk said with a wink, causing Alison to blush furiously. "Thanks, Eli," she replied, rocking on her heels with a bright red face. "Hopefully, I'll see you around," she added, trying to hide her excitement.
"Me too..." Hawk trailed off as Alison walked away, her heart fluttering with anticipation.
As she returned to the car, Clementine tapped her on the shoulder, causing Alison to jump in surprise. "What were you doing talking to Hawk?" Clementine asked, her arms folded across her chest.
"His name is Eli. And he's cute! I flirted with someone, Clementine! I think he had interest too! Do you know if he goes to our school?" Alison beamed with excitement, oblivious to Hawk's reputation.
Clementine's frown deepened as she unfolded her arms. "Ali... He's a bully. He bullies my friend Demetri, tried to beat him up over a yelp review for his karate dojo," she explained, her tone tinged with concern.
Alison's smile faltered as she processed this information. "Oh..." she trailed off, looking down at her feet with disappointment evident in her expression. "So, he doesn't like me?" she asked sadly, her hopes deflating.
Clementine's expression softened as she reached out to comfort her friend. "I mean, maybe? Don't beat yourself up over this, okay? Demetri still sees the good in him for some reason. Maybe you'll bring out the good in him somehow... Just be careful, Ali. I don't want you to get hurt," she advised gently.
"Okay," Alison breathed out with a nod, grateful for Clementine's guidance and support.
ASH SPEAKS!
sad that there wont be alot of robby this season:((
I CANT WAIT TO WRITE HAWK AND ALISONS STORYLINE I HAVE IDEASSSSS HEHEHEHEHEHE
you guys are gonna love next chapter MWHAHAH