The garage door opens, telling the kids Lee is back from his date. Clem bends to Aj's level to make things clear between them.
"Okay Aj, nobody was here just me and you all night. We watched Black Panther and fell asleep." The two make their way downstairs and pretend to be sleep on the couch with Aj falling Clem's lead.
Lee comes in and notices his children asleep, he gives each of them a kiss and turns off the tv. After Lee heads upstairs and the two get up and heads to their rooms. Clem closes her door and locks it then calls Louis.
"Hey" he answers.
"Hey, I'm sorry about my brother."
"No don't be I shouldn't of came over in the first place, now your enslaved to your little brother."
"Oh it can't be that bad, I'm sure he'll forget in a couple days."
"Well it was fun watching movies with you, and uh- the other stuff."
"You too Lou."
"I guess I'll see you at school."
"Yeah will do."
"Goodnight Clem."
"Goodnight."
The next day Aj acted like an angel, as if nothing happened which made Clem think he may of forgotten, but let's just say she thought to soon. Throughout the week Aj drove Clem crazy with her having to do anything he asked.
"Aj! This room is a mess you need to come clean it now, or no dessert tonight!" Lee threatened, and Clem already knew what that meant.
"Yes sir." Aj said innocently. Aj made his way to Clem's room and had a mischievous look on his face.
"Clem, my room needs cleaning." Aj leaned on the door as Lee often does.
"In a minute Aj I have to finish this paper." Clem continued typing.
"Okay. Dad!" Aj began yelling making Clementine drop what she was doing and head to his room.
"Yes!" Lee called upstairs.
"Never mind I found it." Aj followed Clem into his room as he got on his bed and read comic books.
It got much worse from there not only was Clementine doing all Aj's chores on top of her own but she had to sneak snacks for him and take him anywhere he wanted to go after school, it began driving her crazy. A week and a half past before Clem became fed up. Clem's seemed to be very irritated at school and Louis picked up on it, during lunch the two took some time together and Louis decided he'd try to help, even if it was it was to get her to smile.
"So uh- you look nice today." Louis tried to start.
"Thanks." Clem said dryly.
"Clem please talk to me." She takes a deep breath before starting.
" I should of never take a deal with Aj! I have to do whatever he says and I hate it! He strings what happened over my head like a $100 dollar bill. If I even look like I'm not going to do what he says or wait till I have time he starts to yell dads name, I just feel like I'm trapped." Clementine felt good about talking about it for the first time.
"I'm sorry you're in this mess, but maybe this is a sign to tell you it's time to tell your dad yourself. Take the power away from Aj." Louis was nervous about the advice he recommended. Clementine leans her head on his shoulder.
"Maybe you're right."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah. I can't let this go on any longer and the best way to get out of it is to tell me dad the truth."
"Can I just say I'm the best advice giver, I'm going to have to go ahead and charge you for my services."
"Not again. What do you want Louis?"
"A kiss." Louis smirked.
"That I can do." Clementine gave Louis a peck on his lips.
"Aww you can do better than that, put some thought into it!" Louis teased. Clem tried again actually sincerely kissing him and took her time. She hadn't been affectionate with Louis at all since the incident and it felt good to touch him again. She broke away from her kiss and they rested their foreheads on each other.
"Tonight I tell my father about you, as long as I don't chicken out."
"You won't."
"Also prepare to never see me again, because I maybe dead."
"You'll be fine." He takes her in his arms and they rest there for a second. "No matter what we'll make it through this." Louis held her.
"And if we don't?"
"Hey I thought I was the one that's suppose to be the pessimist in this relationship!" He teased." Relax it will be fine."
"God I hope so."
That night dinner was normal, except for Clem being less talkative than normal. Once they finished the small talk and eating Lee asked his normal request:
"Aj, you're on dish duty tonight." Lee told him ask they finished dinner.
"Okay." Aj continued eating.
"What's gotten into you Aj, you always complain about your chores, and your room has been cleaner than normal, what's going on?" Lee asked.
"I just want to make your life easier dad."
"Mhm. Well go ahead and knock those dishes out." Lee finished up his plate. Once he finished Lee headed to the living room to go over some papers and there was left Clem and Aj.
"Here you go Clem." Aj passes her the plates.
"No Aj I'm done doing your chores, this isn't fair I've already made up for what happened this is getting ridiculous!" Clem tried to keep her voice down.
"Fine. Dad!" Aj called Lee in with his arms crossed.
"Yes please call dad in, I'll tell him myself." Clem got up from the table.
"Not if I tell him first." Aj cut out running but Clementine caught him and the two started fighting. Clementine tried to pin Aj but he bit her!
"Ow Aj! Don't bite me!" They continued fighting.
"Hey Stop! Now!" Lee ran in and broke the two up. "If you two don't stop fighting I'll ground both of you! Now what is going on!"
The two both start telling on each other completely. Until Lee somewhat understood what was going on.
"Enough! Aj go to your room now." Lee said sternly and very upset. Aj headed upstairs without another word. "Clementine I'm going to ask you once, what happened." She sighs and gets ready to tell the truth.
"I'm sorry dad! The night you went out on a date my boyfriend Louis stopped over to make sure I was okay, I let him in and we watched a movie! But we weren't doing anything, well I mean we kissed but we weren't going to have sex! Aj caught us and I've been doing all his chores and pretty much everything he says since it happened and I'm sick of it!" Clementine said all in one breath. Lee took a seat as he tried to grasp everything she said.
"You have a boyfriend?"
"Yes."
"That you let in the House? After I specifically told you no one comes in or goes out."
"Yes."
"And you has Aj lie for you?
"I'm sorry dad." Clementine was defeated.
"Sweet pea, why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?"
"I didn't know how you would take it? And I didn't know how to tell you. But you'd really like him he's a great guy and he's so funny, and has been dying to meet you."
"I just always thought we had a better relationship than that, no secrets and all."
"We do. I'm sorry dad."
"Then you snuck him in and had your brother lie to you."
"Yeah I know this is a mess."
"Well when you're not grounded anymore, I'd love to meet him." Lee smiled at Clementine, and she couldn't help but hug him.
"So you're not mad?" She asked.
"Oh no I'm furious that you lied and brought your brother into it, but I know we all make mistakes and it seems like you learned from yours."
"Thanks dad."
"Now I'll need your cell phone, laptop, tv, and iPad all placed in my room while I talk to your brother."
"Wait dad you can't be serious!"
"Now." Lee put his hand out for her phone. She handed him her phone and immediately got a text from Louis:
Louis: Goodnight my clemster ♥️
Lee read the message and decided to let Clementine respond before she was put on punishment. Her face beamed as she replied to him trust returned her phone to her dad.
"Hey dad go easy on Aj." Clementine started. "Or not." She teased.
"Since your brother is a mass manipulator, I think it's time he experiences his first grounding." Lee headed upstairs to talk to Aj. Clementine quickly ran to the fridge to have a couple quick bites of the sorbet in the fridge before her punishment officially commenced, at least her dad wanted to meet Louis, right?
