CLEM WAS SETTLING IN. Anastasia stumbled upon her old desk while rummaging through storage and decided to pass it on to Clementine. The Katz girl sat at her computer, scrolling through upcoming events, feeling like she had been cooped up in her room all day. She realized she had only texted Robby once in the past week. As she browsed, she came across an ad for the local country club. Anxious thoughts raced through her mind as she bit her lip. The cost wasn't too high, but she hesitated because she wasn't sure about wearing a swimsuit. It reminded her of her old self-harm scars from a year ago.
She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Her gaze fell upon her scars, and she embraced them as her battle wounds. With a shaky sigh, she mustered the courage to face the world. Swiveling in her wheely chair, she made her way downstairs, where she found Anastasia engrossed in a heated argument with the TV. Catching sight of Clementine, Anastasia turned her head. "Hey, Clem, what's up?" she asked her. Clementine nervously fidgeting with her nails, "Um... I was wondering if I could go to this country club... it doesn't cost much..."
Anastasia playfully waved her hand, sending popcorn flying through the air, attempting to catch it in her mouth. With a triumphant catch, she happily munched on her popcorn. "Oh, yeah... I'm a member. Just say you're my guest. They adore me," she assured Clementine, who nodded in agreement.
She paused, noticing the unusual quietness in the room, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Where's Tyler?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Anastasia turned her attention towards her, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "Oh, yeah. He's at a bro sleepover," she replied, her voice dropping to a fake, exaggeratedly deep and manly tone. The absurdity of the moment struck them both, and they burst into laughter, their joyful sounds filling the room. "Okay," she replied, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, satisfied with the humorous explanation.
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ONCE CLEM ARRIVED, she was allowed in immediately. She clutched her bag tightly, holding it close as she looked around with a lost puppy expression, her eyes searching for familiarity. As she walked, her gaze fixated on the pool, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips when she spotted Robby. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to watch where she was going and accidentally bumped into a girl.
Startled, she quickly looked up, her eyes meeting those of a blonde girl accompanied by another girl. "Oh, shit. I'm so sorry," Clementine blurted out, her voice filled with genuine remorse. Her face flushed with embarrassment, she wore a flustered look, hoping the apology would be enough to make amends.
