𝗥𝗘𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛 | 𝖭𝗂𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗅𝖺𝗌 𝖠𝗅𝖾𝗑𝖺𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾𝗓

02; family.

CHAPTER TWO!🫧
IRL (FAMILY)

FAMILIAR FACES
A cozy Italian restaurant, NYC.
March 15, 2023, Evening.

the restaurant was one of those places that felt like a home away from home, tucked into the heart of new york city. the warm light from the vintage lamps gave the room a soft, golden glow, casting shadows that danced on the dark wooden floors. clementine sat between her brother liam and her mom, calista, across from her dad, adam, and her two closest friends, billie and jesley. the sound of their chatter filled the air, light and easy, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was watching it all unfold from somewhere just outside of herself.

"so, how's the new project coming along?" liam asked, nudging her with his elbow.

clementine blinked, pulling herself back to the present. "oh, it's good. still figuring some things out, but, you know... progress."

liam's brow furrowed slightly, and she could tell he wanted to ask more, to push her on what she meant by "figuring things out." but instead, he nodded, giving her an encouraging smile. "that's great. i'm sure whatever you come up with will be amazing."

across the table, jesley and billie exchanged knowing glances. they'd been there through her creative highs and lows, and lately, it had been mostly lows. writing music, which once flowed from her effortlessly, had become a struggle. the guitar that used to feel like an extension of her soul now felt foreign in her hands.

"you'll get there," billie added, her voice steady, full of the kind of confidence that came from someone who had been in the trenches and come out the other side. "just gotta give yourself some time."

"yeah," clementine said, her smile tight but appreciative. time. she knew they meant well, but that was part of the problem. time didn't seem to be helping anymore. the longer she sat with her feelings, the more tangled up they became.

adam, who had been quietly watching her, leaned forward, concern etched in the lines of his face. "you've been quieter than usual tonight. everything okay?"

there it was—the question she had been dreading. she knew her dad was only trying to help, but the weight of his concern pressed down on her, making it harder to keep up the facade that everything was fine.

"i'm good, dad. just a little tired," she replied, offering what she hoped was a convincing smile. it wasn't exactly a lie—she was tired. tired of pretending that everything was okay when it wasn't. tired of carrying around the weight of her breakup with callum and the way it had left her feeling unmoored, like she didn't quite know who she was anymore.

calista reached across the table, placing a gentle hand over clementine's. her touch was warm, grounding in a way that made clementine's chest tighten with emotion. "you don't have to talk about it if you're not ready," her mom said softly. "but just know that we're here for you. whenever you need us."

clementine met her mother's gaze and felt a rush of gratitude. she wasn't ready to talk about it—not here, not now—but it was comforting to know that her family understood, even if she couldn't fully open up yet. "thanks, mom," she whispered, squeezing her hand.

liam cleared his throat dramatically, trying to break the tension. "well, i, for one, think the food here is excellent. definitely coming back for more risotto."

the table erupted into laughter, and clementine found herself smiling, genuinely this time. even in the midst of her inner turmoil, these moments with her family and friends were a reminder that she wasn't alone. but as the conversation shifted back to lighter topics, the distance she felt from them lingered just beneath the surface, like a quiet hum she couldn't ignore.

⊹.✮₊⋆

as they all stood outside the restaurant after dinner, the crisp march air biting at her skin, clementine found herself lost in thought. her family and friends said their goodbyes, hugs exchanged, promises to meet up again soon. but even as she stood there, surrounded by love and warmth, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. that no matter how much support they gave her, it wouldn't be enough to fill the void inside.

"hey," jesley's voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. she stepped beside clementine, watching her with that knowing look she always had. "you alright?"

clementine hesitated, then shook her head. "i don't know. i just...i feel like i need to do something. but i don't know what."

jesley didn't push. instead, she looped her arm around clementine's shoulders and pulled her into a comforting side hug. "whatever it is, we'll be here for you. whenever you're ready."

clementine nodded, the lump in her throat too thick for her to say much else. as they parted ways, and she stood alone on the street corner, watching the lights of the city twinkle against the dark sky, she made a decision.

tomorrow, she would call a therapist.

a/n;

even though I rewrote this chapter, I'm not really happy with it, but that's alright.....

Please vote & comment!💕