with you [clouis]

[chapter six]

Violet's door is shut.

Clementine makes no move to knock.

Mitch stands beside her, waiting with more patience than she expected.

Her arms grow heavy, weighed down with dread. During the slow walk here, she thought of several things to say and has yet to settle on a starter. Different scenarios ran through her head, all a jumbled mess.

She hears a sigh. Mitch leans over and knocks on the door.

They wait.

He knocks again, this time harder.

Nothing.

"Shit," Mitch mutters. "Either she's not here, or she's ignoring us."

Neither option would surprise her.

"Violet?" Clementine tries, only to be met with more silence. Leaning forward, she presses the side of her head against the door, listening. Everything's still, and Clementine's sure the room's empty. Relief begins eating at her brain, giving excuses of "Well, there's always tomorrow!"

"Maybe this isn't a good idea," she whispers to herself, agreeing with the thoughts, knowing full well that putting this off wouldn't help the situation tomorrow.

"I coulda told you that," Mitch mumbles, knocking again.

Before she can tell him to stop, to suggesting coming back tomorrow morning, footsteps turn her attention down the hall.

Violet stands alert, her glare fixated on the two of them, arms crossed. It's enough to send any normal person to hightail it out of there, but Clementine's not frightened so easily despite the erratic nervous thumping of her heart in her throat.

"Violet-"

"What the fuck do you two want?"

Violet's voice- It's like someone injected ice into Clementine's veins.

"I-" Clementine clears her throat. Her voice feels so small, insignificant. She pushes down those anxious feelings, a skill acquired when she was far too young and dealing with tense situations such as this- if not worse- and asks, "Can we talk?"

Violet scoffs.

"It's important, Vi-"

"Fuck. Off."

Violet moves towards her. A prickle of intimidation dampens her faux confidence once they're close, face to face. Violet's glare bores straight into her, but before Clementine can address the situation, Mitch pushes her back and stands in between them.

"Watch it," he warns.

Clementine moves from behind Mitch, saying, "Please, Violet. I just want to talk-"

"I don't really give a shit what you want."

"Can you just fucking chill?" snaps Mitch. "She just wants to talk."

"Can you just go fuck yourself?"

"Excuse me?" Mitch steps closer.

"Don't," Clementine warns, grabbing his sleeve. "You're not helping."

He backs off, but not much, keeping his focus on Violet, watching the girl's every move.

Clementine tries again, "It won't take long. It's about Louis."

That catches her attention.

"Can we talk?" Clementine asks again, this time much softer. "Privately?"

"Before that, though," Mitch holds out his hand. "Give it."

Violet doesn't move.

"I know you have it."