Across From Me

Four

Clementine wasn't having a very good day. Or past few weeks. Or past few months.

Clementine sat on the cushion by her window. It let her sit and peer out of it, and often on nights like this, she would walk over and sit, just looking out into the night, or what she could see of it.

Clem wasn't used to loneliness. Truly she didn't expect to start the school year the way she did. She didn't expect her friends to turn their backs on her because of one rumor.

Truth is, she didn't know if she liked girls or not. But she knew she didn't like Adrianne. Definitely not. Sure, Adrianne was nice when you knew her, and she always treated Clementine with respect and included her. And yet she spread rumors, because of what? Did Clem stare too long? Did Clem act weird to her? Or maybe she just didn't like her, so she decided to spread a false rumor.

The loneliness had been getting to her. Especially after going so long without anyone around and avoiding her family, it was a breath of fresh air to be able to have Beth as a new friend. She hoped that with Beth around, it wouldn't be so hard

She felt so excited to see her today, and at the beginning, she thought Beth was too. But through the day she couldn't help but feel that Beth was tired of her. Clem would understand if she was, her mom had always told her she went overboard sometimes.

She didn't know why she sat at her window pondering such things. Maybe she should just give up. Making friends was a mistake and she shouldn't bother to even try and make friends anymore-

She was interrupted by the soft movement of a curtain, and then the sliding open of a window.

Out came the tired-looking face of one Elizabeth Lee. Clem perked up, only to deflate once more, remembering what she was thinking about only moments before. She noticed Beth, strikingly blue eyes illuminated by the moonlight that managed to peek through. Perpetually messy blonde hair tied back from her face.

"It's a full moon tonight," Beth all but whispered, it took Clem a moment to be able to process it. She nodded, she didn't want to respond.

They sat in silence. There was a certain heaviness to the air that only late-night talks and banter could have. Finally, Clem decided to bite the bullet and ask Beth if she found her annoying. Maybe she would get an honest answer and it would hurt, maybe she would tell her a comforting lie, she didn't care, she just wanted to ask.

"Do you find me annoying?" Clem asked.

Beth was surprised, and hesitated, she sighed and then explained, "No, I don't find you annoying. I just find you a bit much at times. You seem much more sociable than me, and it's hard to keep up with conversation sometimes. It's not your fault, I just get tired when I talk to people for too long," Beth shrugged, "But I don't find you annoying, in fact, I find you quite a cool person."

Clem smiled because she felt relieved. Beth had been honest, but it didn't hurt. She felt a little embarrassed because that seemed more obvious now. And now her little bout of worry seemed meaningless now.

There was a silence, then Beth piped up, "I just wanted to ask, am I the first friend you have had in a while?"

Clem stayed silent. There was a certain amount of shame to that question. There was also the worry she would start asking more questions like everyone else seemed to do. Why don't you have friends anymore? What did you do? You used to be so popular, what happened?

Clem had been holding her breath, which she had not realized, and finally, she let a pent-up breath out into the cold night air. She leaned her head back feeling a soft tap of the wall on the back of her head.