✩ PROJECT : 'DATING' ✩ [CLOUIS MODERN AU]

12 - Prove Them Wrong?

"Uhm.." She stammers, out of words to even get a initial response out.

"Friends with benefits?" She practically choked out again in response to her suspecting friend, "Gabe- do you even know what that means?" She asks, playing it off as a joke at first, anticipating for the punchline to roll in, which wasn't so uncommon to happen.

Her old time friend's questioning expression never changed, it was kept in place with a serious tone "Uh.. you think I'm not serious?" He questions, sounding a little hurt more than he even intended to in his voice, offense was the last thing she ever wanted to seem to him

"Sorry, Gabe." she apologizes, "I hope it didn't sound like I questioned you too much." Gabe only shook his hands, they were propped up defensively "No, no. It's okay."

The girl with the baseball cap only sighs, "But to answer your question seriously, No. We're really not about that relationship, right Louis?" She nudges his shoulder, which jolts his body momentarily, pushing him out from the temporary daydream haze

"It's not really like that. We're really not using each other in that sense." He emphasises, perfectly acted out and almost practiced, if you squinted— you could tell it was clearly well acted. To someone like Gabe however, it seemed normal. But what they said wasn't entirely a lie, their relationship was just kisses, spending time with each other— laughing in their presence.

That's how Louis sees it, he wouldn't dare to make moves on someone that didn't ask for moves, Which that part.. he wasn't 100% sure if she wanted to do anything. These days, Clementine seemed out of it.

"Well, I'm glad I got it sorted out, But whatever your relationship with each other is, If there's anything I can do to help— I'm more than willing."

For Clementine you fucking simp, he thinks, almost too outloud? He didn't realize he said that out loud. He didn't keep that phrase confined in the safety of his thoughts, his fake girlfriend's head turned towards him, a stern solid stare etched her face— similar to a scowl that was on her oh so pretty face.

"Oh gosh, he doesn't know what he's even saying" She chuckles, so perfect and practice to seem so nonchalant, masking the burning annoyance and irritation from within, "Don't mind him" She spoke in such a soft whisper, but loud enough for Gabe to understand through the soft white noise of the buzzing from the outdoors.

Gabe can only laugh, seeing that the mood wasn't entirely diminished into such awkward light "I get it, sometimes things like that can happen." Luckily, if it was the same prepubescent angry hormonal boy, he surely would've exploded into an irked fit, he stayed in check, this time. Louis was spared from the issues that came from Gabe, but from Clementine? Hm, not yet.

A brief fast forward into at least 50 more painful minutes, until they finally decided it was fine to go back to the dorms, Clementine waved goodbye, spouting a very specific inside joke only her and Gabe understood, Mariana was slowly being able to get it.

From the closing door behind Clementine, she pushes it firmly back. They were finally isolated, alone from the eyes of someone else out there, her expression never faltered into anything more than.. disappointment? what was it in there was he supposed to know well

"So, what was For Clementine, you fucking simp about, hm?" Her voice was loud enough to be heard, not angry, but firm. "I took you there to maybe get to know him, but what is with you?"  Louis raised an eyebrow, as if like he didn't quite get it

"I-"

"Actually, do you even know what we are at this point?" Clementine sighs, her chest pounding with the sense of anger, but she had to keep her feelings in check, no matter what, how angry or sad she probably felt. "Up until, a certain point of time— I was convinced I didn't like you." She spoke briefly, "And then we get chained together unwillingly, and we have to run around and pretend. But it must be easy, huh?"

"You clearly don't get it, Clementine." Louis finally spoke, "He's flirting with you, and as your—"

"Fake boyfriend, right." She looked around briefly "Do you even understand what our relationship looks like? Friends with benefits. We're two people that are a little too close, and we stay in each other's presence."

"If that's what it looks like to some people, I want to prove them wrong. A friend's with benefits relationship isn't what I thrive for." She replied, not stuttering at all. "I want genuine feelings."

"You can't get that from someone like Gabe."

"That's not what I'm asking for!" Raising her voice so slightly, she huffed "You don't get it, when I felt miserable because I has to keep moving and moving, Gabe and his sister is what kept me at bay." Her brows furrowed, her expression was slightly tensed with dislike, "If you're asking me to stay away from Gabe, I'm not going to do it. As far as I remember, when I first met him— he didn't shame me hard."

The room was silent, Clementine's ranting has ended, stepping backwards, she looked into his eyes "Are you still pent up on Sophie?"

"Not at all." He answers, clearly "Me and her ended our time together in good terms, it was a mutual aspect. If there were any feelings, it was left to die back in the 9th grade."

"What do you actually feel about me then?" The shorter girl asks, looking up to him, meeting his gaze "If I'm just somebody that's just there. not someone you'd see giving time to, then we have no reason to continue this anymore."

"This?"

"Faking everything."

"We don't have a reason to continue this anymore, It felt like forever since the handcuff situation, and as far as I remember, Marlon isn't pushing us to be together every hour of the day."

"So you're implying.."

"Space, not like, never talking to each other, But we need to spend time with friends that aren't us, you know? Prove them wrong that we aren't using each other for our bodies."

Louis never said anything in response, only an absent nod was able to suffice for him. In reality, it stung.

—

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