Small Towns Don't Forgive - Violentine Slasher high school AU

Chapter Five: Fell In Love With A Girl

It had been two weeks since Vi and Clem had started hanging out regularly. Every other day, one of them would find some excuse to spend time together.
They met on the way to school, despite the fact that Clem lived on the opposite side of town to Vi.
They got food after school, and Clem had even started to join Vi, Brody and Louis at their lunch table in the cafeteria.
Vi had come to both baseball games in those two weeks. Clem had been teaching her the rules and she found once she understood what was happening, she enjoyed it a lot more.

The two girls sat on the curb in the school parking lot, watching the crowd leave the building and head to their respective rides home.
Vi checked over her shoulder, scouting for any nearby teachers. The coast was clear, so she took out a bent cigarette from her pocket and stuck it in her mouth.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed Clem watching the process with intrigue as she took out a lighter and lit the cigarette.

"When did you start smoking?" The brunette asked.

Vi pocketed her lighter and turned so she was facing Clem.

"When I was like, thirteen."

"Damn." Clem lamented.

"Yeah, my mom is a big smoker, that's where I learned it all." She chuckled somewhat melancholically.

"Do you enjoy it?"

Vi didn't say anything for a moment. She leaned forward, pulling her knees into her chest.
She took another deep, nicotine infused breath, then exhaled.

"I guess?" She shrugged, "I didn't like it at first, but I convinced myself it was an acquired taste and I'd get used to it. Which I did."

"Ever tried to quit?"

"A couple of times."

"Didn't take?" Clem asked, raising her eyebrows.

Vi held up the smouldering cigarette between her fingers to show clem and shook her head, breathing a laugh through her nose.

"What made you ask?"

"I don't know." Clem shrugged, "you smoke a lot, I guess I was just curious."

Violet took one last drag of her cigarette. It burned right down to the filter. The ashes fell onto her fingers, then they were swept up in the current of the wind.

"Well, now you know." She chuckled.

Vi tapped the butt out on the asphalt and tossed it into the gutter.

"Any plans after this?" Clem asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, actually." Vi replied, "I was gonna go to Louis' place and jam, if Louis and Brody ever show up, that is. What about you?"

"I got nothing, I was just gonna go home." Clem shrugged.

"You're welcome to join us, if you want?" Vi offered.

Clementine sat up and grinned warmly.

"Totally. No way I'd pass up a private concert."

***

Louis's place was up the hill on the rich side of town. The whole street was comprised entirely of suburban mansions and pristine hedges.
Even now, Violet felt totally out of place in this neighbourhood.