Quid Pro Quo

e l e v e n: boyfriend's a bitch

Hey!

This chapter took forever but I hope you enjoy! And to save my dignity/my sanity, I am no longer doing a word count so I pray you're all fine with that!

Love you!

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See ya next time!

~

It bothered her. The way her nail polish was chipped so jaggedly. Like neverending wobbly, steep stairs. It was soft pastel green, similar to pale grass. Louis had selected it when she asked for his opinion and was enthusiastic when she followed through with his choice.

Speaking of the freckled boy, she was in a hurry to get home. He would be arriving at her house at four for tutoring and she was procrastinating at the school library till well past three. In fact, just thinking of him made her grin.

Clem ran her hand along the brick as she exited the school through the back. It felt rough on her fingertips, meeting pleasantly with her nail color. She crossed the corner, still smiling slightly when she saw it.

Her boyfriend, strands of his ginger hair dipping down as he leaned in to kiss a girl. She had a blonde ponytail shoved against the wall and her pale arms were currently locking around the back of his neck, pushing him deeper into her embrace.

Clem staggered back, removing herself from the sight. She wanted to fall over, her head was spinning, mind somehow detaching from her body. She turned the other way, racing to her car. When she reached the parking lot, she tripped with the skin on her knee tearing first. Unable to catch herself, her chin also landed on the pavement, tearing lines of flesh onto her face. Without acknowledging the pain, she scrambled into her vehicle.

Driving, her brain was a thunderstorm as it rained confusion and denial onto her otherwise good day. Cracks of lightning-quick pain bolted through her skull, bouncing around like a cruel game of pinball while the sting of her injury shot up her nerves. So she finally focused on it, not wanting to shed light on anything that she might've seen back there.

And fuck, did it hurt.

The white paint of her house blinded her when she pulled up. On the porch, she saw Louis, who must've been waiting for her to let him in. He caught her eye, smiling and waving. Looking at him she knew she would have to pretend that everything was fine, she didn't want him picking a fight with Oliver. Bruised knuckles and black eyes wouldn't solve anything. So, she grit her teeth, ready to fall into her façade.

"Hey Clemmy!" He greeted, helping her up the steps. As he did so, he noticed the blood trickling from her chin and knee. "What happened?"

"I tripped, it's no big deal."

"Let's get you cleaned up." In response, she said nothing, only offering him a halfhearted smirk.

~

"Ow! Fuck!" Clem hissed as Louis applied more pressure onto her injury with his antiseptic soaked cotton ball.

"It's alright-"

"I know, it just fucking stings." She cut him off, shoving his arm off her and standing so her back faced him.

"What is with you?"

"Nothing. It just really hurt when I fell."

"We don't have to study, y'know, if you're in too much pain." He said, leaning back onto her pillows.

"That's just an excuse because you don't want to do it either." She chuckled and glanced over her shoulder.

"True." He opened his arms, motioning for her to come back and sit with him. "Let's just relax a bit before we start, you need to heal."