Boxing Partners

And I Can't Help Falling In Love With You

People always ask, what is the point? Why do people do bad things? Why DO people do what they do? On more than one occasion Clementine found herself asking these questions.

After making up with her girlfriend and questioning why she helped someone who was doomed to begin with, she couldn't help but think that her life was slipping away from her grasp just like it was four months previously.

Her worries came in waves, some just washing over her feet as if she was at the beach, but others were overwhelming and swallowed her whole, she felt like she was drowning and whoever she tried to get help from would get pushed under the surface, never able to return to the surface. Just like Luke tried to do.

But, there was one person who would never hesitate to dive in to save her. Someone who had been there before and knew how to help, someone who could stay afloat and bring her to shore, to safety. Someone who made her feel safe.

And that someone was Violet.

Violet. She was there when others weren't, someone who reached in and pulled her back to the surface, but as Clementine laid in her arms the brunette could felt safe enough to share what was really on her mind.

She looked out the window, staring at the leaves dancing in the wind, swirling, twirling and gliding through the crisp winter's air, the leaves like a feat of colours for the eye, looking like multicoloured rain, greens, reds, yellows, and browns interacting and exchanging places, it made the sky look like a mosaic, with each fragment like a piece of large confetti, floating and sinking through the air at the same time.

The clouds made the sky look like a smoky haze, the leaves like burnt embers, it was a dry cold air which furiously bit and nipped at the little exposed skin at this time of year. The artic like cold flooding through the cracks in the window frame making the girls' shiver.

Clementine sat up from the bed, loosening the grip the blonde from her body, "Vi?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I've been thinking a lot these days, I feel like I'm trapped underwater and I can't break the surface, I feel overwhelmed in my thought. The other day, a few before the Delta breakout, I went into town." The brunette paused,

"When you went to get breakfast from Cesious right?" the blonde inquired with a look a worry on her face.

"yeah, when I was on my way back to the truck, I was crossing the road and this driver who was well over the speed limit was bombing it down the street and didn't see me, and I froze, seeing my life flash before my eyes again, all I remember are the headlights and the guys wing mirror clipping my arm, that's where that massive bruise came through on my arm."

"Clem.. why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't know how to process it, since that day I'm having a hard time remembering what happens during a day, I can't remember much from after that happened, only bigger events. I feel like my life is slipping through my fingers, I struggling to tell what's real and what's not and I think I need help-" Clementine paused again,

"-Help me remember" the brunette spoke, placing her hand on the blondes cheek,

"of course, you never have to ask,"

"Is this real?" The brunette spoke softly, but before the blonde could reply her phone started to ring, Violet pulled her phone out to answer,

"It's Louis, I need to take this" the girl spoke, standing up and entering the bathroom, leaving the brunette alone.

"Hey Lou, what's up?"

"Haveyouseenthenews?" Louis yelled slurring his words together,

"slow down, what are you talking about?"

"The news, the guy who killed Sophie!"

"Carver?" she spat

"Yeah, he's just escaped prison, Minerva's scared shitless and is screaming at us for you,"

"I'm not going over there if that's what you're implying" the girl hissed, "I don't trust her"

"I'm not asking you to come over here I just need you to talk to her"

"Sorry, Lou, I can't. it's Clem, she needs help, more than Minerva does right now."

"What do you mean she needs help? Vi? Violet! Answer m-" but before the boy could get a response the line went dead.

"Dammit, she's not coming James" Louis sighed

"HE'S GOING TO FIND ME, HE WILL FIND ME THEN KILL ME JUST LIKE HE DID SOPHIE" Minerva screeched

"Minnie! Calm down!" James said in a hushed voice in an attempt to calm the redhead down

"He thinks you're dead! Relax! You're safe!" Louis yelled

"HOW CAN I FUCKING RELAX, HE KILLED MY SISTER LOUIS, HE KILLED MY SISTER AND TOOK MY BROTHER... because of me, AND NOW HE'S COMING AFTER ME!"

"Wait, what did you say?" Louis butted in, "because of you? What do you mean?"

"I- I- I was using," Minerva spoke, "he was my dealer and I missed a payment, he wanted to 'teach' me a lesson."

"That's why you left, isn't it?" Louis spoke in a lowered tone, the redhead nodded in response.

"I can't listen to this" James' said allowed, leaving the room, Louis shortly behind him. Quietly locking the door to stop her from leaving, "I need to go to work anyways"

"Can I come with?" Louis spoke again, "someone has to stay here with Minerva"

"Fine. You're loss" Louis chuckled.

James grabbed his coat and left the house smiling, the gravel crunching as the tires of his car left the drive. But there was one thing that Louis couldn't get off his mind, it was what Violet had said about Clem.

'What did she mean by Clem needs help? I know they're okay now but what could she have meant?'

~~~~~

The blonde re-entered the dorm, replacing her phone into her pyjama pocket, she saw the brunette hunched over the bed her hands turning white gripping the edge of the mattress and staring intently down at the floor, not even noticing the girl coming back into the room.

"Clem?" Violet spoke, breaking the silence in the room, Clementine shook her head quickly to get herself out of the trance, "Sorry, did you say something?"

"No, you were just a million miles away, you good?" she spoke in a soft tone. "I think so, it happens sometimes."

"Did it start before or after the truck incident?" The blonde said in a stern voice, the brunette nodded in return.

"Oh"

"You never answered my question," the brunette croaked

"Yeah, but I need to tell you something," the blonde sighed, "about Minerva"

"Okay, what?" Clementine snarled,

"The guy who killed Sophie, Minerva's sister, his names Carver, Louis called saying that he has broken out and that SHE has been yelling at them for me, I said that I wasn't going to speak to her"

"Why are you telling me this? I don't care about her anymore"

"I just thought you should know, oh and Clem if you didn't know, there were a couple of posters put up today about winter formal. I know this isn't the best time to say this but, do you want to go with me?"

"you never had to ask me that, just because of HER, it doesn't mean I don't love you still" Clementine spoke softly, Violet smiled in response. "I can wear a suit too, I have this one in mind" the blonde spoke showing the girl a picture, the lines of the suit masterfully tailored, the fabric as crisp as a freshly printed banknote, died a uniform black, the white shirt piercing through the dark fabric, a purple bowtie to complete the look.

"That looks amazing, you're gonna look stunning Vi!"

"You're gonna look even better."

"Can you answer my question?" the brunette spoke again pausing before opening her mouth again.

"Is this real?"