Survival Love: A Gabentine Story

Chapter 16 "Grounded":

Clem's POV: I woke up the following morning still as messed up as I was last night. I never thought I ever would see the day where AJ took another person's life. I prayed to god and hoped that my little boy that I raised his entire life and love like my own child would never kill someone else. If it was a bandit then that's one thing, but not someone like Marlon. And sure Marlon did some horrible things but he deserved to be held as our prisoner, not killed. And to be honest, I was scared as to what the others think about us now. I mean Marlon was Louis's best friend and he was this boarding school's leader after all. For the first time in a while I just felt... helpless. Like something was gonna happen and I didn't know what to do about it. I knew I couldn't stay in bed, hide all day, and not say something to the others about what occurred last night. I knew I had to tell them something but I didn't know what that would be.
I got off of the top bunk and began to put my jacket and hat on as it was about 11:00 in the morning. As I put my hat on, I heard AJ begin to wake up from behind me. He didn't exactly have a good night sleep either. "Good... good morning Clem." He said as I kept my eyes off him intentionally. "Are you... are you mad at me?" He asked me as I then turned myself around and stared right into his eyes with a intense stare. "Of course I'm mad, AJ. Do you even realize what you did last night?!" I asked him raising my voice. "Yeah I killed Marlon because he hurt you and tried to hurt Gabe too." AJ tried to defended himself. "Yeah well he didn't have a weapon! If they don't have a weapon then you incapacitate him, not fucking kill him!!" I screamed. "Swear." AJ said as I screamed back, "I don't give a shit right now!! I'm upset!!" "You shouldn't be! I saved Gabe's life! He told me that himself!" He argued standing up now. "Odds are he was trying to make you feel better!" I argued right back at him.
"Also do you have any idea how much you embarrassed me last night?! I had a plan for him until you shot him in the goddamn head!" I yelled as AJ yelled back, "I don't care! And as for your plan, he could have just escaped and either killed more people or rat us out to raiders!!" He yelled at me. "Don't you DARE raise your voice at me, young man!" I warned him as he just yelled back, " No!! I did the right thing and you just don't know it!" "AJ you are a six year old boy. You are a child! You don't know the concept of right and wrong!" I yelled back at him. "Yell maybe if I had someone teach me that I would know it by now!!" AJ yelled at me once again. "So what are you saying?! That I'm failing you as a parent?! That I'm not good enough for you?!!" I asked him. "YES!!!" He snapped at me as I was shocked by his words. I knew he was just yelling at me through anger but his words still cut me deep like a knife.
"Now if you excuse me, I'm gonna go hang out with my best friend, Ten." He said as he started heading towards the door. I stepped in his way and said, "The hell you are! In fact you know what? You're grounded!!" I snapped as his eyes went wide. "WHAT?!?! That is so unfair!!" He screamed as I replied, "Oh it's completely fair! You killed a man, you raised your voice at me and disrespected me. You will be staying in here for the next week alone by yourself until I come back a few times a day!" I explain still angry. "But wait how will I use the bathroom? How will I eat or drink?!" He asked me still angry. "I told you I'll be back a few times didn't I?! I will return to give you a brief bathroom break and give you your dinner but nothing else? Do you understand me?" I asked him as he just turned his head away from me. "I said do you understand me, AJ?!" I slightly raised my voice. "Ok." He said sadly. "Now go sit on your bed and don't think about getting up from it now!" I ordered him as he did exactly that. A part of me felt bad but the rest of me felt like this was the right thing to do. I then left the room and slammed the door as I went to talk to the others.
I left my dorm apartment and walked towards the middle of the schoolyard where I saw Louis, Violet, and Ten talking to each other. I let out a huge sigh of nervousness as I approached them. "Oh uh... hey Clem. What's up?" Louis asked nervously. "Listen about last night, on behalf of bo...." I started to say before Violet held up her hand to me and said, "Don't say anything, Clementine. We are all good." "Really?! But what about Marlon? Wasn't he your friend?" I asked her. "Yeah he was until I found out he took my girlfriend and her sister up to raiders and killed Brody. After that he isn't really my "friend" anymore." She answered. "What about you, Ten?" I asked him. "Look Marlon took my sisters, killed Brody, and lied. He lied about their deaths and about you killing Brody. So if it makes you feel any better, he got what he deserved." Ten answered as I just nodded. "And you Louis?" I asked looking at him. He let out a sigh before saying, "I've known Marlon even before the world went to hell. He was my best friend for so many years. I had no idea he was capable of what he did. But he should have been imprisoned, not killed. So I still don't think what AJ did was right. And it'll be a while before I forgive it. But as for you and me, you had the same plan I did so I guess we are good." I thanked them all and then asked, "Hey have you guys seen Gabe? I wanted to talk to him for a bit." "He locked himself in his dorm." Louis answered as Violet added, "He's probably gonna need a day of alone time before he'll interact again. Him and Marlon had gotten to be really damn good friends over the last year so this all... hits him a lot." I just nodded a bit sadly as I spent the day with most of my friends as I was just glad they found it in their hearts to forgive what had happened to Marlon. Although it felt empty without Gabe here with me.