Our Troubled Youths

Iris - 4

"Yes, your help." Clem looked down to my hands and grabbed them. She ran circles through my palms. "So, it's not an easy task. If you don't want to do this, you can opt out, you have that decision-" I interjected without thinking. "No!" I screamed. She let go of my hands and looked at me strangely. "I mean, just-" I sighed and lounged into the chair. "You didn't have that chance to opt out, your entire life mom. Everyday you're fighting, and you never get a break--" I was cut off by her getting up. "Willow. I got a break, matter in fact I'm still in this break so please its fine." I got up with her, I didn't want to argue with her, yea I was only around an inch shorter then her- 'Man she really is short huh?' ,  but she was still reasonably intimidating. "With all due respect, mom, but you really call this a break? You're looking for a murderer, that's killing off the friendly group we trade with. And no one is helping you, where's dad? What is he doing? Why do you always do things by yourself-" Clementine sat down in her chair smacked her hand on the table. Not to hard, just enough to shut me up. That was my sign to sit down and just listen. 

"Willow listen to me." The mood shifted to a mellow atmosphere. I knew something was coming from the way her eyes slanted at me, and then fell droopy. "Willow. My life before Ericson's boarding school was nothing other then hell. Of course there were glimmers of hope, but only glimmers. I had dealt with so much, at an even younger age then yours. Remember this scar I showed you once?" She lifted her black sleeve to show a long pink scar. Her caramel eyes met back to mine. "After the only person who looked after 11 year old me was taken or maybe even killed, I was almost ripped apart from a dog. Then this, honestly good people but just dumb group saw me and locked me in a shed. I had to sneak in their house and stitch myself up." My eyes were wide. "I didn't know you went through all that." I said sadly. She chuckled at my response, then rubbed her arm, with an even more sorrow look. "You'd think that was the worst of my past, but that was only the mellow parts." She made deep eye contact with me, and reached for my hands across the desk. I grabbed them and squeezed them. Obviously, she had worst parts in her life...she did have a missing finger. 

"Before I crashed my car here, AJ and I were endlessly moving. We never stopped moving, starving all the time, and just trying our best to survive...not live. It wasn't until uh, Marlon he let us in." I tilt my head a little. I have heard Louis mention him before, but after he did he shut himself up. My brain started to put the pieces together, Marlon was dead yea, and Louis was close to him, probably, since I think that picture frame he had of him next to that guy was Marlon. I nod to my mom for her to continue as I got a clearer picture. "Ever since I fought for this place, sure I lost a leg but, what's a leg compared to what I have now. I got my first love here, my first home in the apocalypse, my first friends, my first actual meal in a long time, and now my first biological kid. A first life to live and not to survive in." She let go of my hands and leaned back in her office chair. "Your dad is doing everything he can, he's even 'interrogating' the suspect right now at Richmond." My eyes open wide at how fast this thing was going. "We have a suspect? Already?" Clementine ushered me to sit back down and relax. "Yes we do, and that's the reason we need your help. Our suspect is Iris." 

What? Iris? No. No way.

"No it has to be someone else. It can't be her, she doesn't kill good people." I started to get frantic, Clem got up and grabbed my hands and tried to calm me down. "Look Willow I know you like her, but there's some damning evidence that it could be her. And you're her age, you could be-friend her, and maybe find out what she's been doing so we can bring some justice here." I take a deep breath. "I will be-friend her. Only will to show you she's good. I will show you mom. I promise." Clem let go of my hands and responded with an ok, and then told me I was allowed to leave. I left the office and felt my heart sink. What if she's right, what evidence does she even have? I make my way downstairs, still filled to the brim with thoughts. "Ouch sorry" I yell as I ran into someone. I look up to see Ivy. "Hey girl, what's up with you?" I shake my head and collect myself. "Nothing...what about you? What's that you got there?" I look at her hands holding a bouquet of flowers and her special lettuce... "Don't tell Vi, but I'm planning a little date later for our 3 month anniversary."-"You do your anniversary in months? Clem and Louis do that in years? Have they been doing it wrong?" Ivy laughed and singled me to follow her out the building. "Nah, we're just new with each other that's all, so we do a lot more honey moon stuff, like Ruby and Aasim, except their weird cause they are still in it." Ivy then tossed some of her weed over to Willy. "Hey you owe me tonight's dinner for that weed boy!" Willy grabbed it excitedly and said "Yes mam" with his strange accent. Omar giving him a disappointed look.

We got to Ivy's and Violets room, and placed the flowers in a vase. Ivy grabbed some lights and a small blanket. "Wanna help me set up while you talk about what's going on?" She asked. She handed me the blanket and she started to go around the room putting up the lights. "I..said nothing Ivy." I mutter under my breath. She looked back to me with a raised eyebrow. I sigh in defeat. "Ok just, don't tell anyone this, not even Violet." Ivy then turned back to her work and agreed. I started to lay out the blanket. "You know Iris right? Well something happened and she might be in some pretty deep..." Ivy snorted, "Your parents aren't around girl, go crazy." -- "shit" I finished with excitement. "How deep are we talking? Balls or finge-" I looked at her with confusion. She placed a hand over her mouth in shock. "Now uh, Willow, don't go telling your parents I almost made that joke near you. Sorry dude, you got an old soul its like I'm talkin to someone my age." She laughed, ultimately making it more awkward. Ivy was the type to make those jokes, I don't get most of them but I'm guessing they're dirty cause Willy loves them. "-Anyways Willow, how deep in the shit is Iris?" I looked down to the vase now in my hands, the water showing my nervous reflection. "Murder deep." I placed down the vase and the room went quiet. I look over to Ivy who had just put up the last part of the lights. She got down off the chair and made her way over to me. "That's, wow. She's like what 12 or 13? Violet and I...we haven't even killed anyone yet. I take it that it's pretty hard on you huh? Having to know a person you look up to is a murderer." I widen my eyes and throw my hands up in some sort of defense. "No, no! She might not be though, I'm gonna prove her innocent I promise." Ivy placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. "Well good luck." I smiled back in response. The mood was quickly lifted as Ivy turned me around and was pushing me out the door, "Now you get out now cause I got some smooching to do!" She said in a joking tone. I laughed with her and said my goodbyes. 

"Have fun Vi." I say as I walk past her with a giddy tone. "Uh what?" she asked. I didn't respond. Ivy was really one of the best listeners here, it made me a lot happier that she was here. Ever since we found her, Vi's been a lot happier as well. They just clicked. 

I grab my dinner and sit next to Carson and his family, since mom and dad weren't here and AJ was on the watch tower. "Hey guys." Ruby gave me a warm smile and welcomed me to the table. Aasim had given her his bowl since she was pregnant so he was just writing in his book as per usual. Carson and his little brother, Aadi were play fighting. Ruby gave them a glare to straighten up at the dinner table. I enjoy my company with them, but the more I do the more I feel sorry for him.