Clementine and Male Reader: Betrayal

Chapter 16

Clementine wakes up and turns over to see AJ still asleep. She gets up from the bed and walks over to him. She sees him dead asleep with slobber coming out of his mouth and dripping on to the bed. His chest slowly rising up and down while in his slumber. She decides to let him sleep in and grabs her hat and silently walks out of the room.

She steps into the hallway and runs into Violet.

Violet: " 'Morning."

Clem: " 'Morning. Shelby awake?"

They walk out into the courtyard and see all the kids working on reinforcing the school. Violet points to the watchtower where they see Shelby and Omar talking to each other while taking watch.

Clem:" Where's Willy?"

Violet: "He said he saw a deer and went out with Aasim to hunt it."

Clem nods.

Violet: "You thought about what Shelby said?" She said while leaning on the wall.

Clem: "You want to leave?"

Violet: "I don't know. I just want us to be safe. Delta is coming after us again and we're here like sitting ducks. This could be our chance to be safe."

Clem: "What do you think the others will say about leaving?"

Violet: "That's why I'm still on the fence about this. I have a feeling not everyone will want to leave. What about you?"

Clem: "Same as you, I just want everyone to be safe. If it means we have to leave, then we leave." She says looking all around the courtyard.

Violet: "I overheard your talk with Shelby last night."

Clem turns her head to face Violet.

Violet: "You're still looking for him?"

Clem: "How could I not? I still care about him, Vi. I know it was my fault he left, but it hurts me that I can't even apologize and make it up to him. He was good friends with everyone here, he cared about everyone here. And I drove him away by something so stupid. I can't just give up on him that easily."

Violet: "I know, Clem. He was a good friend and I don't want to give up on him either, but do you really think he'd want us to reach him? He could probably be out of the state right now and we wouldn't know."

Clem: "Or he could still be close around here somewhere."

Violet: "Yeah, but it would take forever to find him, even a small clue could take a long time."

Clem: "I know. I just don't want him to be out there by himself. He's not the same person when he's isolated and mistreated."

Violet: "What do you mean?"

Clem: "He was abused when he was younger. From then on, he would be silent but have some serious anger issues. You remember, Lee?

Violet nods.

Clem: Well when we first met Y/N, he managed to take down Lee all by himself. He only stopped what he was doing when he saw me scared. He apologized and Lee accepted. He was alone and was weird to me as a 9 year old, he was really quiet and was always looking around like he was paranoid. I tried to talk to him but he never answered. Then, he started talking and opening up to me, that's when I realized he wasn't weird, he was just angry and scared. I tried everything to help him and to stay by his side, but I realize that I did a terrible job."

Violet: " He doesn't forgive so easily, does he?"

Clem: "No. A few years ago, AJ was taken away from us. We spent a long time trying to get him back and during that time, Y/N wasn't the same. Some people would call him selfish and an asshole, but it wasn't true. Sure he was brutal with other people, but that was when he needed to be. He was only like that to protect me. We were all we had left to each other and he made sure nobody tried to hurt me. I can only imagine the things he would do now. He never showed mercy to anyone when in that state."