Alone, Together - A Julian Casablancas fanfic

Chapter 14 - Under Control

Time jump: 1 month (March 1995)

A/N: This chapter was published on October 14, 2014, and in story time today is Julian and Clem's 20th anniversary!

A whole month passed without Clem and Aleks interacting. Morgan was caught between her feuding friends, but she remained impartial. In the meantime, her relationship with Trevor came to an end. She realized it was for the best, and she was handling the break-up well.

Julian and Clem began planning their summer-long tour of America. The hardest part, asking for permission from her parents, had yet to come.

Julian stayed over at the Decker household for Sunday dinner. He knew he had to bring it up soon, so this was the best time to try. After dinner, as the rest of the family went to the living room to watch a movie, he stopped Simon and Marlene in the kitchen.

"Mr. and Mrs. Decker?" he asked nervously.

"Yes, Julian?" Marlene answered.

"C-can we sit down? I have something important to ask you." If he couldn't get through this without having a panic attack, how could he possibly ask them for Clem's hand in marriage someday?

"Okay. What is it, Julian?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Decker... uh..." He tried to find the words to ask them.

"It's okay, you can ask us anything." Simon was getting restless.

"I'm here to ask you for permission to take Clem on a trip around the nation this summer."

Simon and Marlene were quite confused at what he was trying to say. "Wait, what? You want to take a trip somewhere?"

"Yes. Clem and I want to travel the nation this summer. She's been... under a lot of stress recently and she wants to travel somewhere to clear her head."

"How do you possibly plan on doing this, Julian? How long would it take?" Simon asked.

"I have a van with plenty of space for us to... sleep. We can stock up on food and supplies, and it would probably take all summer. If we can go, with your blessing, I want to make sure we come back before the school year starts."

Simon and Marlene whispered something to each other. Then they looked back at Julian and Simon gave their answer. "Julian, can we think it over? It's not a definite 'yes' or 'no' right now. This would be Clem's first time away from us for a long period of time, and it requires a lot of consideration."

"How about this. If you and Clem can end the year with a C+ average or above, we'll let you go."

"Besides, you seem like a good kid and we know you would never hurt Clem. Keep doing what you're doing, and you and Clem can take your trip."

Julian smiled from ear to ear and hugged Simon and Marlene. He couldn't wait to tell her that it was a go. "So, can I tell her yet, or should I wait?"

"Tell her."

Julian, Simon, and Marlene went into the living room where the children were waiting to put in the movie. He sat down next to Clem and smiled.

"What?" she said, slightly concerned as to why her boyfriend was smiling at her for no reason.

"I've got something amazing to tell you," he whispered.

"Well, tell me."

"Your parents said we can go."

She gasped. "Really?"

"Yes, on one condition. We maintain a C+ average or higher."

"Oh, I can do that!" She hugged his neck and they turned to the TV to watch the movie. How could this day get better?

"Happy birthday, Morgan!" Clem shouted from the driver's side of her car. It was March 13, 1995, Morgan's 17th birthday. She was the last of the main trio to turn 17, and the first to celebrate her birthday without all three together.

She blew out the candles on her cake and they rode to school together. The car rides had gotten less awkward since Aleks stopped riding with him. "Thanks, Clem. Remember, my party's going to be at my house this Saturday at three. Bring Julian too!"

"Sounds fun! But, what about Aleks?"

"Yeah, I'm inviting him too. I know it's been a month with you two not talking, but I don't want to pick one friend over the other. I love both you guys and I want both of you to be there."

"I understand, Morgan. It's just, I haven't talked to him since last month, and I have no idea how we could interact. He probably hates me."

She knew for a fact Aleks didn't hate Clem. He just needed some space.

They arrived at the school and separated, with Morgan finding Aleks and Julian finding Clem.

"Hey, Morgan!" Aleks said cheerfully as he hugged her. "Happy birthday!"

"Thanks, Al. Remember, my birthday party is this Saturday at my house this Saturday at three."

"Okay, I'll remember it."

"Also" - she hated to tell him this - "I invited Clem and Julian too. I hope you're okay with that."

Aleks looked at her out of the corner of his eye as he opened his locker. "I'm okay with them coming. I mean, you shouldn't keep them from coming because of me. Besides, I want to see Clem again. Do they know I'm coming too?"

"I told Clem I wanted to invite you."

"Okay, I just hope she doesn't yell at me when I see her."

Morgan scrunched her nose and shook her head no. "Nah, I don't think so. I want both of you guys there."

"Well, you can count me in!"

The week passed and the day of Morgan's birthday party came. Julian and Clem went over to Morgan's house at noon to hang out and help out with putting things together. It was going to be a small get-together of Morgan's friends, cheer leading squad, and family.

"Amelia, can you hand me those streamers?" Morgan said to her 13-year-old sister, Amelia. She was a year away from joining her sister at Harrison High.

Like always, they came in without knocking. The TV was showing Full House, Morgan's favorite show.

"Hey, guys!" she said as she hugged their necks.

"Where do you want us to put these?" Julian asked in reference to the presents they bought her.

"Just put them in the kitchen. Thanks for coming, guys!"

"No problem at all," Clem answered. "Is Aleks still coming?"

"Yeah, he said he had to run an errand for his mom first. Why do you ask?"

Clem shook her head. "No reason. I'm actually ready to talk to him again. I miss talking to him."

"I know you do, Clem, and he thinks the same way about you."

Clem looked at Morgan with surprise, as if she was shocked to hear it. "He does?"

"Yeah, he does. A lot. Don't tell him I said this, but he blames himself for starting the fight, and the confrontation with Julian. He wants to see you again."

In the meantime, Aleks was on his way to the grocery store to do some shopping for his mom. After this, he was going to head straight over from his house to Morgan's party. He was excited and nervous about seeing Clem again.

He came through a green light at an intersection in town, but what happened next was something he, and his friends, didn't see coming.