Scars | ✔

Chapter 15

Clem slowly opened her eyes, the light from AJ's window shining in and temperately blinding her.

"Morning Clem!" AJ said from the floor, playing with his Disco Broccoli toys.

"Good morning." Clem mumbled roughly, rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

"Lee and Carley wants to talk to you." AJ said.

Clem's heart sunk. It seemed like her breath caught in her throat. Any hope she had, had left, was shattered in that moment.

"Clem?"

"Okay.." Clem replied to the confused boy dryly, not sparing him another glance as she left the room, already almost in tears. She couldn't bare to leave AJ, he was like a mini Marshall, so to say.

Once down the steps, Clem saw Carley and Lee sitting on the dinner table, whispering to each other.

Clem wanted to say something; anything, but her dry voice prevented her from speaking. She wanted to say how she felt, apologize for everything, but she couldn't master up words.

"Oh, Clem." Carley said, clearing her throat.

"Sorry." Was all Clem could say, letting the tears flow down her face. Lee and Carley noticed this, bringing Clem into a hug.

Clem's initial reaction was to punch someone in the gut, but she soon eased into the hug, crying into Lee and Carley's shirts.

"Clem, we aren't mad.." Lee started to explain, tears now threatening to fall from his eyes as well.

"You just can't do those things. They can majorly downgrade your health." Carley added.

"We're so sorry, it was out of our control, but CPS wants us to.." Lee cleared his throat as Clem mentally prepared herself for what he was going to say.

Lee tried to work up the courage to tell Clem the unfortunate news, but couldn't bring himself to it.

"You're going to a troubled youth school." Carley said in a sigh. Clem backed up, frown on her face.

She knew it.

She knew she was getting sent away.

"Wait, wait." Lee said before Clem could run off.

"You'll be staying there everyday except for Saturdays. You get to spend the day with us, then." Carley said, giving the faintest smile.

"I'm a history teacher there." Lee said with a small smile as well. Clem couldn't smile, though. Her heart had broke.

"You'll be leaving in two days. This coming Monday." Carley said in a sigh. Clem couldn't handle it anymore. She ran into her room, ignoring the cries telling her to come back.

. . .

"I'll kill them!" The younger boy yelled to his parents.

"AJ, calm down!" Carley said. The whole family, well, all except for Clem, knew that AJ had major anger issues and liked to make death threats, but this was probably the worse he's gotten.

"They can't take Clem away!" AJ yelled in protest.

"And you can't be overreacting! They'll take you too, AJ. You know what they said. 'If Alvin Junior acts up again, then he'll be sent to Ericson's.'" Lee told AJ, refreshing his memory.

"I DON'T CARE!" AJ yelled. Lee and Carley didn't know what to do. AJ stormed off, looking for Clem.

. . .

"Clem?" AJ asked as he entered Clem's room. Clem was crying on her bed, hugging her knee's.

"AJ?" Clem asked, looking up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her cheeks were flushed red. Her voice was quiet and horse, and all except for her cheeks, her body was pale as a ghost.

AJ went to hug Clem as she cried into his shoulder.

"It's okay, Clem. If you get sent, then I will too."

"But.. I can't let you go too."

"I will."

"AJ, Pleaseee..."

"I'm going Clem."

Clem smiled slightly, knowing she wouldn't stop the boys protests, and hugged him again.

"Thanks, goofball.."

AJ smiled widely as he pulled away from the hug, bouncing up and down of excitement.

"I like when you call me that." AJ said, a huge smile still tracing his features.

"What about.. kiddo?" Clem asked, a faint smile now on her face.

"Yeah!" AJ said, throwing his arms around Clem's neck. Clem and AJ both laughed as they enjoyed that small moment together. They had to make the most of it.

. . .

"Come on, AJ." Clem whispered, trying not to wake up her older 'brother' or 'parents'. AJ quietly followed, silently questioning what Clem was doing.

Clem grabbed the car keys off of the coffee table, and smiled to AJ.

"Ready for a ride?" Clem asked. AJ furrowed his eyebrows, but then smiled, nodding quickly.

They both went outside and got in the car, Clem taking a deep breath as soon as she sat down.

"I didn't know you knew how to drive!" AJ said as he watched Clem hesitate.

"I don't."

AJ's smile faded as he lost himself in thought, finally jumping back to reality when Clem took another deep breath, letting it out with a sigh.

"If we crash, I bet that'll be fun!" AJ said as he stared up at Clem.

"Wanna drive for a bit, and then crash?" Clem asked, staring down at AJ with a growing smile on her face as well. AJ nodded so quick, Clem thought his head was going to fling off.

Clem put the key in the ignition, turning it and letting out a small smile when it started.

Clem glanced to AJ, who was turning the cool air on and the radio up a bit.

"You know how to do that?"

"Lee lets me do it sometimes." AJ shrugged at his own response, but smiled when he looked up at Clem.

Clem looked at the ground, pushing her foot down on a petal slowly. The car jerked forward.

"I think you have to put this on 'Reverse.'" AJ explained, pointing to the gear lever. Clem obeyed, pushing it to the 'R'

She pressed the petal again, making the car jerk when she released her foot.

"You've gotta hold it in." AJ said again. Clementine held it in, not too much, but enough for the car to reverse. Clem kept reversing until she hit a trashcan and a telephone pole, making both her and AJ laugh.

"Now, put that to 'Drive.'" AJ said again, once again pointing to the gear lever. Clem did as told, and pushed the petal in again.

She started to drive down the road, steering a bit crazily and making the car jerk a few times. Though, they both found fun in it. For whatever reason.

Clem pushed down harder, making the car start to speed. AJ turned the radio up as 'Old Town Road' started to play.

Clem and AJ sang along, despite both of them not really knowing the lyrics, as they sped down the road - and sometimes sidewalks.

Clem pushed the petal down harder, AJ finally noticing something.

"Clem! You've gotta wear a seat belt!" AJ said, making Clem realize she didn't have it on. She swore at herself, trying to put it on she she drove.

She buckled it just in time, hearing AJ say something, only to look up and suddenly crash into a big oak tree.

Clem slowly opened her eyes, tasting a weird metallic taste in her mouth. She felt a liquid oozing out of what seemed like every body part, and slightly glanced up to AJ.

The small boy was being lifted from the car, yelling was everywhere.

Clem reached out for him, only to fall unconscious soon after.