Across From Me

Seven

Elizabeth was noticing something strange happening with Clementine.

Either Beth had judged her personality wrong, or she had changed between the time of middle school and now. Maybe both were true. It wasn't as if Beth was unhappy with how Clem was, she quite liked it when it was just the two of them, sitting in the silence and just enjoying it.

Clem, who had started out being confident, and saying what she wanted, was more mellow than Beth could have ever expected. She enjoyed talking about everyday things, and at times, she would talk to Beth about their future dreams or their life. Their favorite topic though was their favorite memories. Clem was good at just continuing conversation, just being who she was, and saying what she wanted without being apologetic about it. Beth was slightly jealous of her, being who she was.

Beth thought this as she walked by Clem's side on a Tuesday morning. There was dew on the grass, and a chill in the air, Beth bundled up in her coat a little more. 

Clem looked pretty today, then again, she always was pretty. And Beth would admit that. She wore a beanie on her head with her hair pulled back, a skirt that hit her knees, and a big striped sweater. Clem was one of those people who could pull off any outfit she wore. Some people, Beth would say, were just like that.

She had mentioned this to Clem once, and she had laughed, and told her "Well, I think that everyone is that person,"

Beth remembered laughing herself, and then asking, "Even me?"

"Especially you"

But Beth wouldn't admit that her cheeks got warm and red, her heart beat faster and her stomach fluttered. But Beth was never good with compliments either. Sure, she got them from her family, but she never got them casually from other girls. Maybe it was because Clem was so pretty herself that Beth couldn't believe it.

Beth just thought the reason Clem made her nervous when she got close, or when she laughed or smiled was because of her beauty. Beth was never really good at being intelligent or funny around pretty people.

"Thinking bout something, Lizzie?" Clem teased, breaking Beth from her train of thought.

Beth scowled, "Don't call me that," She elbowed Clem in the side lightly.

Clem elbowed her back, harder than Beth had, "Looks like it's pretty serious, whatever you're thinking about. You've got this dumb look on your face."

"I am thinking, unlike you," Beth shot back, and she was proud to hear the exaggerated gasp from Clem in response.

She walked forward in front of Beth, hands-on-hips, and mouth in an angry pout, "I'm always thinking!" 

"Yeah, I'll believe that when you show it," Beth laughed, then moved around Clem, who was blocking her path. She could hear the patter of feet until it came back next to her.

She could feel the energy that Clem was exuding, and she could most definitely feel Clem's stare. She ignored it, like usual. She enjoyed the simple silence. Until that was broken by Clem trying to kick her in the shin.

"Ey stupid, stop trying to kick me," Beth complained, kicking the small rocks on the sidewalk in front of her.

"Make me stop," Clem replied, now pushing into her side.

Beth got annoyed, not seriously annoyed, but enough to want to push back. So she did, she started pushing back when Clem started to push. And so the battle between the two girls began. Clem tried kicking the rocks on the ground in Beth's direction. Beth tried to grab onto the sleeve of Clementine's sweater and tried to knock her off balance.

Beth tried to wrap her arm around Clem's waist, get Clem to stop pushing her, or maybe even knock her off balance. But Clem had grabbed Beth in a headlock before Beth could even think about moving and grabbing her waist. Beth struggled against the other girl, who only laughed at her attempts.

Beth blindly grabbed for something, but she found nothing. Maybe it was the subtle rage boiling inside, but when she felt soft fabric, she thought, perfect, and pulled it down. She felt Clem fall against her, and Clem sputtered in surprise. Beth was able to break free from the headlock and saw that Clem was struggling against the collar of her sweater, which Beth had grabbed blindly. She let go, allowing Clem to start moving again.

She met eyes with Clem, brown eyes challenging, a sarcastic smile on her face. Beth didn't feel herself getting more annoyed, no. But she felt her mouth start to form into a challenging smile. Maybe that's why Clem wrapped her leg around Beth's.

This knocked Beth off balance, but no way in hell would she be going down without Clem coming down with her. And so as the two of them fell, Clem flailed her arms around trying to grab onto something and Beth was laughing hysterically, because she had won, in a metaphorical sense and in her own personal opinion she had won. And the face Clem had pulled as they fell only made that joy heighten.

The two of them collapsed on the ground, Clem was sputtering, maybe she got dirt into her mouth. That would clean the sarcasm out of it. Clem pushed herself off of Beth, using Beth's stomach as leverage, which then made Beth sputter.

They refused to acknowledge that they still had to go to school soon. It was better to ignore that than mention it, which would ruin the mood. Beth got up from the dirty ground, rubbed the back of her head, and got up from the ground. She heard snickers in the distance and noticed a few kids walking in a group, their attention on Beth and Clementine. The two had been in their own world that she hadn't noticed the other kids.

Beth scoffed at the laughter, people should mind their own business. 

She turned to Clem, who was sulking on the ground, she smiled, "Alright, we're gonna be late if you don't get up and stop pouting," Beth held her hand out.

Clem begrudgingly took it, and got up from the ground, wiping her back free of dirt and leaves. Beth didn't know if Clem had noticed the other kids across the road, but she looked semi embarrassed. Unless she knew of the other kids, she did think of any other reason for her to look so sheepish.

When the two of them brushed the leaves off of each other, and finally started walking again. Beth was semi worried about them being late. But Beth didn't care much. Clem, still, looked like something was bothering her, and Beth didn't know if it was because of her, or if it was something else.

But she knew it wasn't any of her business to get involved in, and unless Clem feels comfortable telling her if something was bothering her, Beth might try to be more supportive than usual. Then again, she wasn't very good at this. She was good at just being in the presence of someone.

She was just the person who didn't know whether to hug someone when they were crying or do nothing, most of the time she did nothing. This is why she was envious of her sister, who always knew what to do with other people when upset.

Perhaps she would ask her about it, maybe later.