Different

chapter three

"Oh, Luke! I've told you about him. I've known him forever. How have you never met Luke?" Michael was almost reprimanding her for it. "I'll introduce you!" Michael reached for Clems hand, but she yanked it away seconds before contact.
"No!" She blurted out. She looked around to see a few eyes on her. She looked down at the floor, pushed some hair behind her ear, then looked at Michael again. "I'm sorry, it's just no. You know how I feel about meeting new people.
Clementine had been hurt before, no one was going to deny that. In one year alone she lost her grandfather to cancer, her sister to the military, and all of her friends in a big move. She'd realized a while ago that people are the things that leave the most impact on a person, but only if you let them. When she got out of the hospital she made a decision.
"If I make friends with him, or anyone else in this room, I'm going to lose them. I'm done losing people, okay? I swear to God, Michael, if we weren't already friends you'd be out, too. I'm stuck with you, so just make sure I don't make any new relationships this year."

Michael rolled his eyes at her. When she had first told him about the whole "I've too much loss" thing, when they first met, he thought it was absurd. People lose things all the time, it's a part of life.

Some music started playing, and most people took this as a sign to sit down. Clementine started to walk towards a seat in the back when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You can try to run from this, but you two are going to be friends. Mark my words, Clementine Spark. Mark my words."

Clementine rolled her eyes and sat down next to an empty seat. Michael sat next to her. Luke set next to Michael. Clementines body froze. Why was he sitting there. Who said he could sit there. Luke peered over to Michael, whispering so nobody could hear.

"Oh! That's Clem!" Michael said loudly. Luke's face turned red as the words
left Michaels mouth. Clementine, who was now an expert on showing no emotion, just stared at Corey on the stage, acting like Michael hadn't just shouted her name for all to hear.

"Dude!" Luke hit Michaels arm. Luke looked over at Clementine expecting to see her laughing, but she was staring ahead waiting for the service to start. Luke couldn't help but notice how her hair fell perfectly on one side of her body. His eyes trailed down to her legs, which her both in her chair. He continued to look at her shocking beauty through the dim light and suddenly he knew.

He was going to get the girl.