This Connection We Share ~ Violentine

3 ~ You're the Star that Lights Up My Night

"Clementine," a voice called out, "you sleep in your bed, not at school."

Clementine suddenly awoke with her head in her hand. She was unaware that she had been dosing off for the past few minutes in class.

"Sorry, Ken-I mean, Mr. Hammon. Guess I didn't get enough sleep last night," she said apologetically. She straightened up in her seat, forbidding the drowse to crawl its way back to her.

"It's alright, just don't let it happen again. Now, where was I.." he began to drive off.

He gestured back to the chalkboard and started his lesson again. Though Clementine was determined to focus her undivided attention on the material being taught, physics did not reel in her interest. Instead, she began to repeatedly tap her pencil against her desk and let her thoughts take control.

AJ, her younger brother, ventured through her mind first. Then, it shifted from him to lunch, then down a lane leading to Louis' party, and finally parking at a stop dedicated to Violet.

The small encounter of Violet's soft hand gently brushing against Clementine's still induced a smile from the girl. Violet said she was looking forward to seeing her that night at the bar. Did she soberly mean it, or did alcohol knock out all of her conscious words?

"Alright. You are all to find a partner and do the readings from the textbook. If you have a question, I'll be at my desk grading your reports."

Clementine immediately flitted her eyes onto Duck when she heard the word 'partner'. Outside of Louis and Violet's group, Duck among a few others were her good friends at Ericson. As fun as having a friend in class can be, it does entail a ton of procrastination.

Duck happily stood up and motioned his way toward Clem, moving a vacant seat next to her and settling down. He flipped opened the book and began analyzing the pages, though he only pretended to be doing the assignment. He isn't your typical 'do the work, study, get an A' kid. More so 'slack off, sleep over study, get a C' kid.

"You have a good reputation at the school, can't ruin it by falling asleep in class," Duck remarked while moving his attention to Clem.

"Yeah, well, I'm tired. When you're tired, that's your body's way of telling you to go to sleep."

"If society followed that rule, I bet you we'd have way more casualties and faults."

"Maybe so," Clementine chuckled. She refocused her attention to the textbook, skimming over the blackened words. "Hey, how do you think your report went?" she inquired.

"I better have aced it. This is the only class I care to put effort into. Well, except textbook assignments; those I can live without. But everything else is a C. Plus, having your dad as a teacher has to have some kind of benefit."

Clementine playfully shook her head and began to put away her materials as the bell was soon to ring. "Remind me to never come to you for help."

"Hey," Duck threw back while shuffling through his backpack, "passing is passing. But what about you. How do you think it went?"

Clementine nervously swallowed at the thought. Physics was her only class that she wasn't getting an A in. "Like you said, passing's passing."

"Hey, if you ever need help, just let me know. I'm a great study buddy," Duck spoke proudly.

Clementine displayed a hesitant expression. Duck was a great friend, but the student side of him could see better days. He nudged her shoulder and raised his eyebrows. "What do ya say. Am I your guy?"

Clementine sighed and smiled. "You're my guy."

"Awesome sauce!" He stood up and slung his backpack over his shoulder. "I won't let you down."