Scars | ✔

Chapter 28

After playing and talking with Rosie and Sam, Clem decided to walk around the house a bit.

She could see Marshall as she walked. He was talking to Lee over the loud music. When he noticed Clem, he gave her a warm smile and a wave, Clem doing the same, except her smile was beyond measure. Then, a certain song started to play.

'I, don't want a lot of Christmas.

There is just, one thing, I need.

I don't care about the presents, underneath the Christmas tree.

I just want you for my own.

More than you could ever know.

Make my wish come true,

All I want for Christmas, is,

You.'

Clem smiled at the song. Love songs are playing now? Oh yeah, of course she wanted to find Violet. A dance would be nice.

Clem ran through the people, looking for the familiar blonde hair.

When she got to the dining room, she saw Violet. An ugly Christmas sweater with jeans; most likely twinning with Louis after he forced her.

She was about to go ask Violet to dance, but then she saw Minerva. Her friend.

"Do you.. wanna dance?" Minnie asked, reaching her hand out to Violet. Violet declined, shaking her head.

"Sorry, Mins. Y'know i'm with Clem.." Violet said, taking a step back. Minnie looked both saddened and embarrassed at the lost offer, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"Uh huh. Yes ma'am." Minnie said with a faint smile, trying to seem happy even though she was failing.

Clem hated seeing her friend like that. She loved Violet to death, but if dating her made her friend sad, then..

Clem walked up to Violet, earning a big hug as Clem just stood there, thinking about how to word her sentences properly.

"Can we talk.... alone?" Clem asked nervously.

"What about the others? Marshall? Louis? Brody.. are you okay?" Violet asked, staring into Clem's face, trying to study and decipher her blank expression as if to find an emotion, any emotion at all.

"Can we...?"

"Of course."

Violet took Clem by the hand and led her upstairs, and into Clem's bedroom, locking the door behind them.

"What did you need to talk about?" Violet asked, gently rubbing Clem's wrists.

"I.. uh.." Clem started to choke on tears by now, feeling her pulse race at the thought.

"Clem?" Violet wiped Clem's tears with her thumb, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"You should be with Minnie." Clem said quietly, almost too quiet for Violet to hear.

"W-Clem?? What do you mean?? I wouldn't do that." Violet said, scooting closer to Clem as they sat on Clem's bed.

"She's so much better than me. She's prettier, nicer.."

"As if. You're perfect the way you-"

Violet stopped talking as she rubbed Clem's wrist, feeling recent scars as her thumb traced along.

"Clem..?" Violet asked. Clem looked up, before realizing what Violet was talking about, and pulled her hand away as fast as she could.

"Clementine.." Violet choked up, grabbing Clem's wrist and staring at the recent scars; recent scars that were cut to form hurtful words.

"Fat"

"Ugly"

"Worthless"

"Die"

The words were carved into Clem's skin, some scarred up and some new. Violet took in the fact that they could just be scars from her abuse, but the way Clem pulled her hand back, and how recent they were, Violet knew that it was what she thought...

Violet pulled Clem into a hug, letting Clem cry into the crook of her neck as Violet rubbed Clem's back.

Violet knew she had to say something.

To Clem.

To her family.

And to the Still Not Broken gang.

Clem might not like it, but it was for her own sake.

Violet would stay with Clem in that damned bedroom every single fucking day if she had to.

Clem cried forever into the crook of Violet's neck, until she finally stopped and took a deep, shaky breath. She closed her eyes as she took in Violet's Christmas tree scent; enjoying this small moment together.

. . .

"Guess what, you guys!" Clem yelled, jumping up and down. It had been three months since that night, and Clem was obviously feeling better.

The SNB gang was sitting in their base, playing a game as they waited for nightfall. That was when they were going to explode some gas tanks in the middle of a field.

"What?" Brody asked, a smile evident on her face.

"Lee and Carley are officially adopting me!" Clem said with excitement.

"What does that mean?" AJ asked.

"It means she's going to be your actual sister." Tenn said, a smile on his face as well.

"I'm so happy for ye, Clem!!" Marshall yelled in excitement, practically jumping up and down with her.

Everyone started to cheer as Clem sat down, obviously wore out from the hype.

Everyone started to continue their game as Clem joined in, playing and having fun.

Clem laid her head on Marshall's shoulder as she thought.

They remembered back to when they first met.

Up until now.

She remembered Christmas, and New Years.

For Christmas, everyone had got presents from each other. Make up, journals, knives, a dildo, Disco Broccoli And Friends' toys, art supplies, music instruments, a new piano, Firefighter toys', cooking utensils, a skateboard, a first aid kit, a star pin, and matching boots are just a few of the things exchanged.

For new years, everyone made a toast.

"Here's to family, friends, and a lifetime of love! A toast to the future, a toast to the past, and a toast to our friends, far and near. The past a bright dream." Lee yelled, holding his drink and toast up, with the toast being Louis's idea.

"And here's a toast to that!" Louis yelled back, holding his drink and toast up. Everyone raised their drinks and toast, smiling as they all said in union; "Cheers!"

Clem smiled as she listened to the soft radio playing, a person starting to speak up.

"You've made it this far, haven't you?"

"That makes you special."

"When you bring peace to your past, you can move forward to your future."

"You just have to believe you can do it."

"You know.. somebody once told me.. that you're either living or you aren't. You aren't little, you aren't a girl or a boy, you aren't strong or smart, you're alive..."

"...Sometimes, you gotta play a role. Even if it means the people you love hate you for it."

Clem stayed silent as she listened to this motivational podcast, taking in every word.

"I know it's hard, but.. you don't just end it cause it's hard. You stick around, and help the folks you care about. The most important thing in this world is family. By blood or heart, you keep it. It's precious, it's the one thing a guy would walk hundreds miles to get back."

"I know I don't know you, and you don't know me; but i'm real glad to have met you."