SHE (bk 1)

FOURTEEN

 CLEMENTINE

The apartment was cold and empty when Clementine woke up, the lack of decorations making it even more uninviting when she was alone. Her eyes devoured the white walls and white furniture, not a single color popping out to her as she wandered. 

Her bare feet tip toed into the kitchen with ease, even when she was well aware no one was around to hear her, a habit she had developed when her mother was alive. Chemo and radiation took a large toll on her body and spirit, often times she slept all day and Clementine tried not to make a single peep. She needed rest. 

She smiled when she saw a note sitting on the counter top with four Advil accompanying it, her eyes rolling as she took them. Harry must have known she would have a headache when she woke up, and she wouldn't rummage through his cabinets to find any without him present. Clementine picked up the note and skimmed it.

Clementine, 

Sorry to leave you alone this morning but I had to do a radio interview at 9am. I will be back before noon and I hope that you will stay so I can make you a proper lunch. Help yourself to anything in the house and use whatever you need. See you soon. xx

-Harry 

Clementine smiled gently at the note before placing it back onto the counter, eyes looking toward the ginormous refrigerator on the other side of the island. She opened it and her mouth dropped, there was barely anything inside the thing, a carton of eggs, milk, a couple bottles of water and, a pack of grapes. 

How could he survive with such little grocery items?

She acknowledged he probably ate out a lot, the thought making her stomach turn. "Rich people," she muttered to herself before pulling out the eggs and milk. 

Clementine was going to make scrambled eggs with grapes on the side due to her little resources, her hands shuffling through drawers to find a spatula. 

"What do we have here?," her body immediately halted and her big gray eyes turned to saucers,  a tall blonde woman a few feet away staring at her. They both seemed to be frozen in place, one looking slightly hurt while the other deadly confused. 

Clementine was the first to straighten herself out and look up at the tall woman, eyes taking in her model like appearance. She was wearing a sheer white blouse with only a black bra underneath, a pair of boyfriend cut jeans adorning her legs with platform sneakers to match. Her eyes were a light blue and the apples of her cheeks were defined, a deep pink color finding its way onto her face. 

"Um hi...I don't mean to be rude but who are you?," Clementine asks politely and the woman crosses her arms in fury. There was something very...mean and intimidating about the way she was sizing Clementine up and she didn't like it. 

She lets out a scoff that sends a shock of unpleasant feelings through Clementine, "Who am I? I should be asking who are you," she exclaims in what sounded like a french accent and Clementine feels almost embarrassed by the whole situation. What the hell was going on here?

Clem clears her throat before turning the eggs off in front of her, "Okay...I'm Clementine," the woman breaks into laughter at the name given to her, a frown showing up on the small blondes face at this. She knew her name was kind of silly but this was just rude. 

"I've never heard that name for a prostitute," Clementine's jaw must have dropped open a substantial amount because the woman's eyes were drawn to her mouth in an instant. She looked away from the woman and furrowed her eyebrows not knowing what to even say about this exchange. 

Without thinking Clementine opens her mouth, "I don't know who you are or why you're being rude to me for no reason but i'm not going to stand and let you insult me," she places her hands on her hips and gives her a glare. Clementine was aware sex work was not a shameful career choice or that the women didn't respect themselves, but being assumed as one for no reason? It struck a cord. 

The apartment was deadly silent until the elevator doors popped open, "Good Clem you're still here I picked up some-," his bright smile drops when he sees the tall blonde woman standing in front of his friend. 

She dwarfed Clementine and made her look like a child, "Camille?," his words are a whisper and Clementine barely catches the name before she looks between them. They must be dating?

Her stomach drops and her eyes look toward her feet, "I know what this looks like but Harry and I are just friends so i'm sorry that I slept at your boyfriend's house," Harry immediately cuts her off before she can even finish her sentence. 

"No Clem we are not dating...we used to but we aren't anymore do not apologize for anything. You come with me," he asserts himself and practically throws the grocery bags in his hand onto the counter top. The two disappeared into the living room, Camille throwing her a wicked smile before Clementine was all alone in her thoughts.

Did Harry have prostitutes over to his house occasionally and that's why she assumed that's what she was? It wasn't really any of her business but in that moment she felt like she was intruding on a part of his life she wasn't familiar with. 

A part he didn't want her to know.