SHE (bk 1)

SEVEN

CLEMENTINE

The diner was doing surprisingly well the past week despite Max being a complete jerk the whole time, and even scaring off some customers with his temper. Clementine had tried to fire him on the spot but he had the upper hand on her, she feared him and everyone knew it. She felt weak and insignificant in his presence, not even being able to hide it with her cowering posture. 

So as she stepped up to go toe to toe with him for the fifth time this week a body blocked her view, his tall frame easily giving her comfort. "Now I know how this may end and I won't let it happen, not again," his voice was eerily steady and yet Max didn't seem phased. 

"You're little hero can't be around all the time," Clementine hides her face in her hands as Max vacates the kitchen, a strong embrace wrapping around her in comfort. 

Jonathan Amstead was a friend she had neglected when her mother had gotten diagnosed again, dodging his calls and barely speaking. But with him she could always find comfort, they could not talk for months and pick their friendship back up easily. He was like the brother she never had and her support system for the past week, even if it was just a supportive text she didn't respond to, he was happy to oblige. 

She pulls away and smiles half-heartedly at him, "Jonathan hi," she breathes and he lets a small chuckle fill the silence between them. He could tell she was being torn apart from the inside out, nothing in the past weeks had been easy for her and Max was only making it worse. 

"I came to say hi and I brought Maya with me," Clementine cringes as he tells her he had brought his girlfriend with him, she did not like Clementine at all. It was very obvious and clear to them both but no one ever said anything, yet it was another thing that ate Clementine alive. She didn't know why she hated her. 

Jonathan noticed her uncomfortable stature and frowns, "Um let me get you guys some drinks and i'll come grab your order okay?," he gives her a curt nod before calling out Maya would want a Sprite.

Pouring Jonathan a glass of water and a Sprite for Maya she makes her way over to them, a frown taking over Maya's face as she comes into view. "Hi Maya nice to see you," Clementine tries her hardest to smile but it doesn't come across as genuine and neither does Maya's.

The beautiful girl squints her almond shaped eyes and pushes the drink Clem sat down away from her, "I don't like Sprite," she spits and Jonathan immediately furrows his eyebrows at the girl.

He knew Maya would be rude for no reason and she would never give him a reason why, "Sorry Maya I told her that's what you would want, that's my bad," he immediately apologizes and her expression changes easily.

"Oh that's okay sweetie I'll drink it," Clementine fights the urge to roll her eyes before she takes their orders, walking away easily from the awkward situation. Keeping her head down she hears the bell ring once again and looks up to greet the customer, eyes wide in surprise. 

Her whole body stops and she loses grip of her notepad, some of the loose pages falling around her as she drops it. "Oh shit...whoops," her cheeks heat up and she immediately glances forward when his ring clad hand comes into view to pick up a page. 

"You shouldn't swear in front of customers ya know," his voice is like music to her ears and so is the large grin on his plump lips, eyes boring into hers as they just enjoyed each other's presence. They didn't know but they each found a comfort in the other, both still unsure as to why. 

Clementine rolls her eyes, "Sorry I have just had the worst day and I did not expect to see you," she speaks and immediately corrects herself, "Not that seeing you is a bad thing I just didn't-," she takes a deep breathe and stops talking not wanting to embarrass herself anymore. 

"It's okay I know I just turned your whole day around," he cockily remarks and she almost tells him he was right, almost. "Can I sit?," he asks before she can process saying anything back. 

She nods her head smoothly and points at the stool in the front of the diner, his eyes looking around to see if anyone recognized him. He connects his gaze with a man across the Diner, a look of curiosity in his eyes for some unknown reason, panning over to the woman across from him. Her pretty face heats up and she whispers harshly to the man, she recognizes him.

Hiding his face as he pulls his coat off he is met by Clementine across the counter, a man over her shoulder like a shadow. "I'll take him so he doesn't bother you...I know his kind," Max speaks lowly to Clementine who furrows her eyebrows together. 

"No I will take him...he's a friend, so please go tend to the other tables Max," she asserts herself and Harry immediately spots a weird tension between the two of them. Harry already felt a strong dislike toward him, especially when his hand grazed her bottom as he walked past. 

Her body flinches but she tries to recover as he disappears, "So what brings you in today?," she asks casually as she pours him a cup of hot water, a tea bag being set beside him. 

He rips the package open with his teeth and she feels the pit in her stomach jump at the sight, his eyes regarding her carefully as he did so. "I was walking by and saw you in the window...so naturally I had to come and bother you," he smirks and she rolls her eyes again. 

He didn't know how little he bothered her, probably the least amount out of everyone in her life. Even if he was still just a stranger. "A lot of people are staring at you," she blurts out as she looks around the diner, eyes assaulting the man sitting before her. He deflates.

"Um it must be my devilish good looks," he easily recovers and she smiles while laughing at his cocky behavior, knowing he was just joking with her. In reality he was terrified she would find out who he was and treat him the way everybody else did. She was different and he wanted to keep her that way.

Clementine pulls her ripped jeans up her legs and looked to the side where Jonathan was calling her over, "I'll be right back Harry," she smiles as she walks over to the man who stared at him earlier. 

She looked as if she knew him personally, her hand setting itself on his shoulder while he told her something. Harry felt a jolt of nervousness pulse through him as Clementine looked over at him with confusion, shaking her head at the man slowly. The girl he was with told her something with a bob of her head and Clementine headed back over to Harry with a look he couldn't put his finger on.

His heart raced and palms began to sweat, he had already lost her.