Picture Perfect 2 - ONGOING - Clouis (SEQUEL)

Chapter 3

⚠️Warning: talk of abuse/physical abuse⚠️ and suicide/suicidal thoughts

Falls cold air bites at their bare skin as they sit on the concrete sidewalk outside of a gas station - especially at night, it was much colder.

Clementine sits with her knees up to her chest, Louis' dress-coat draped over her shoulders for warmth, while Louis sits to the left of her with a wet rag in his hand, putting pressure on his bloody and bruised knuckles.

"Who is he?" He asks bluntly. His eyes were half open and his face in an exhausted expression.

Her family ordered him out. Obviously, Clementine went with him. But now there were absolutely no chance of him ever, ever going to one of her family events again.

She looks at him, letting out a deep breath, "Devon is Duck's best friend. Duck and I have always been more 'siblings' than friends. Devon hates being told 'no.' He'll do absolutely anything to get what he wants. So when it was an unsaid rule that he couldn't have me - because Duck is my 'brother' - he did everything that he could to get me."

Louis sighs, running his fingers through his hair, "So what happened with you two? Were you dating?"

"I wouldn't say dating.. more like 'fuck buddies'? But then again we didn't have sex.. it was more of just third base type of stuff... we didn't want any.. surprises." She emphasizes the last word, rolling her eyes as she reflects back on the memories. "We were addicted to each other. At first he just wanted me so he could say that he had me but.. then it got serious."

Louis looks at her with his brows furrowed in confusion, "Serious? How?"

"Well, we started doing things in public that could get us caught and in 'probably' a serious amount of trouble. We started sneaking off at family events just because we couldn't take it anymore."

"So how did it end?"

Clem stares blankly at the ground for a while until she says, "One day, we got caught..."

Louis inhales deeply, preparing for the worst. For the way that she was talking about it, he could tell that she was still haunted by it.

"...It was Thanksgiving.. we were 16 at the time."

Louis clenches his jaw, not making direct eye contact with her, "I thought you said that you and Matthew had been together for a while at that time..?"

She guiltily looks at him, cringing, "Yeah.."

"Oh," Is all he says, also cringing.

"Matthew and I didn't do anything that extreme in the beginning so it was like I needed someone to take that place for him. Also I knew Devon way before and I had been debating whether to break up with Matthew, cut things off with Devon, or start something real with Devon- and obviously break up with Matthew. But.. the choice was made for me."

Louis shakes his head, now making direct eye contact with her.

"One of my adoptive second cousins found us in the closet that day.. and everything just- ended. Duck thankfully never found out- and if he had.." Clem takes a moment to think about all the possible things that could've happened before continuing, "I barely ever saw Devon again after that. And after he was gone, I realized my feelings for him. But at the same time- that was when Matthew's brother died- and when he became abusive."

She sighs, looking down to the concrete in front of her, "In the beginning of the abuse it was definitely a shock. At first it started as an 'accidental' hit that he swore would 'never happen again' but.. it did. When I realized it was abuse- I never told anybody. I actually liked it. I stayed for so long because I felt like it was the karma- for cheating on Matthew in the beginning, lying to Duck, hurting somewhat innocent people.. But then he hit too hard- and that's when I left."