chapter forty-five:
❛ the prize ❜

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Clementine sat on the couch, idly flipping through her magazine, trying to keep herself distracted from the quiet that filled the house. She'd gotten used to the empty silence since Tyler was out of town, but tonight, it felt even heavier. Her thoughts were drifting when a sudden knock at the door made her sit up.

She frowned, setting the magazine down and heading to the door, wondering who would be stopping by this late. When she peeked through the peephole, her heart did a little flip. Robby was standing there, looking a bit frazzled and out of sorts. She quickly opened the door.

"Robby?" she said, stepping aside to let him in. "What's going on? You look like something big just happened."

Robby stepped into the house, running a hand through his hair, which only made him look more disheveled. He let out a long sigh before answering. "Yeah, kind of. Miguel's mom's apartment... it's falling apart. Like, literally. Roof's leaking, walls are cracking—it's a mess."

Clementine's eyes widened. "Oh my God, are they okay? What are they going to do?"

"They're okay, but they can't stay there. My dad's letting them crash at his place for now—Miguel, his mom, and his yaya." Robby's voice trailed off, as if he was uncertain about what to say next.

Clementine crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "All of them? In your dad's tiny apartment? That sounds... cramped."

Robby chuckled lightly, but there was an edge of tension to it. "Yeah, pretty cramped."

Clementine could practically feel the gears turning in her head. The solution was obvious. "Robby," she said, her voice bright with excitement, "you should stay here with me. There's plenty of space, and it'll be way more comfortable than squeezing in with everyone at your dad's."

Robby blinked, clearly caught off guard by her suggestion. "Wait, here? You want me to stay here with you?"

"Yes!" Clementine's eyes lit up. "Why not? Tyler's gone, and I could use the company. It's not like it would be any trouble, and we'd get to spend more time together." She gave him a small smile, already picturing how much fun they could have.

Robby, however, still looked skeptical. "I don't know, Clem. What about your dad? He's pretty strict. Are you sure he'd be okay with that?"

Clementine waved her hand dismissively. "He's in prison. It's not like he's going to show up and kick you out. Tyler's fine with it too, and like I said, there's plenty of room."

Robby still didn't look entirely convinced, but Clementine was already reaching for her phone. "Look, I'll call my dad, just to keep things smooth. But trust me, it's going to be fine."

Before he could protest, she was dialing, pacing the room with her phone pressed to her ear. After a few rings, her father's voice crackled through the speaker.

"Clementine?" His voice was gruff and impatient, like always.

"Hey, Dad. I wanted to let you know that Robby's going to be staying with me for a while. You know, just until things settle with his family situation. Tyler's fine with it, and there's really no problem. So yeah, that's the plan."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then her father's voice erupted in anger. "Robby's staying at the house? Absolutely not, Clem! Are you out of your damn mind? You didn't even ask me!"

Clementine winced, holding the phone slightly away from her ear. "Dad, I'm not asking, I'm telling. I'm old enough to make decisions about who stays at the house."

"You're a kid, Clem! I don't want that boy in the house—"

"Okay, gotta go!" Clementine quickly ended the call, cutting off her father's angry rant. She let out a deep breath and tossed the phone onto the coffee table, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

Robby, who had been watching the whole interaction, raised an eyebrow. "That didn't exactly sound like he was 'fine with it.'"

Clementine turned to face him, her expression defensive. "He's fine with it. Really."

Robby crossed his arms, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Clem, you do that thing when you're lying. You know, you get all fidgety, and you don't make eye contact."

"I do not!" Clementine protested, her eyes darting to the side as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"Uh-huh," Robby said, clearly not buying it. He walked over to her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders. "Look, I'll stay here for the night, alright? But I'm still gonna stay with my dad after that. I don't want to make things more complicated with your family."

Clementine felt her shoulders sag a little, the excitement draining from her as the reality of the situation set in. "You're not making things complicated," she muttered, though her voice was softer now. "I just... I want you here with me."

Robby's expression softened, and he pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head. "I know. And I want to be here too. But we'll figure it out, okay?"

Clementine wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his warmth. "I just hate that things are always so difficult."

Robby pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you, Clem. We'll get through this. But I think for now, staying with my dad is the best move. Just for a bit."

Clementine sighed, pulling back slightly to look up at him. "I love you too. But I'm still gonna be annoyed about it."

Robby chuckled, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "That's fine. You can be annoyed, as long as you're still my girl."

Clementine rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "I'm always your girl, Robby."

Clementine awkwardly shifted on her feet as she stood behind Alison at the college fair, watching her friend light up at every booth. The fair had taken over the school cafeteria, tables lined with colorful banners, brochures, and university representatives eager to reel in students. It was all so overwhelming for Clementine, and she felt more out of place with each passing minute.

She didn't want to be here, not really. College was the furthest thing from her mind—her plan had always been the military. She liked the structure, the discipline. It felt right. College fairs, on the other hand, felt like a different world entirely.

"Thank you so much!" Alison beamed as she walked away from the NYU stand, clutching a stack of brochures to her chest.

"New York City, huh?" Clementine asked, raising an eyebrow. She already knew the answer but needed something to say.

Alison gave her a look that said it all. "Clem, that's been my dream college since forever. You know this."

Clementine forced a smile, trying her best to seem enthusiastic for her friend, but internally she was cringing. She didn't want to be the killjoy, but the truth was, all this college talk made her uncomfortable. She was happy for Alison, but it also highlighted how different their paths were.

Before Clementine could say anything more, Demetri, Hawk, and Miguel waved them over from across the room. "What's up?" Clementine and Alison said in unison as they approached the trio.

"Wanna tour the community college with us?" Miguel asked, his smile wide and friendly.

Clementine bit her lip. The idea of even pretending to be interested in college made her stomach twist. "But I don't really wan—"

"Of course!" Alison interrupted with a cheery tone, cutting Clementine off before she could finish her thought. "Maybe Clementine will change her mind and go." Alison's voice was bright, almost too hopeful, and it grated on Clementine in a way she didn't expect.

Clementine stared at her, disbelief flickering across her face. Why was Alison so insistent? She didn't even want to be here, and Alison knew that. It felt like she was being pushed toward something she wasn't interested in.

"Alright, let's go," Eli—Hawk—said, throwing his arm around Alison, already leading the group toward the community college table.

Clementine trailed behind, feeling more and more out of place with each step. She didn't want to hurt Alison's feelings, but the thought of pretending she cared about college for the rest of the afternoon made her feel trapped.

As they approached the table, brochures and sign-up sheets were thrust toward them, but Clementine's eyes glazed over. Alison was chatting animatedly with the rep, and Miguel and Eli seemed genuinely interested, but Clementine couldn't shake the feeling that she didn't belong here.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket, pretending to check it just to avoid the conversation.

Clementine followed the group outside, her curls blowing wildly in the wind as they continued their tour of College of the Valley. The sun was shining, but Clem couldn't shake the heavy feeling weighing down on her. She watched Alison bouncing beside Eli, her excitement practically contagious—well, to everyone but Clementine. Alison was shaking Eli's arm like an excited kid who just saw a new puppy, beaming with joy. Clem rolled her eyes, frustrated.

Why is she so obsessed with me going to college? Clementine thought bitterly. It wasn't like she hadn't made her plan clear—she was enlisting, and that was final. But Alison seemed determined to push college on her, like it was the only valid path forward.

"Here, you'll see our multi-level library," the tour guide announced, his voice filled with pride. "It's the fourth largest in the San Fernando Valley."

Demetri, arms crossed, snorted at the guide's enthusiasm. "What are we doing here? If the University of Phoenix wasn't online, it'd probably look like this."

Clementine smirked, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, I'm not going to college," she said bluntly, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "I'm going to enlist—"

But before she could finish, Alison, ever the optimist, cut her off. "Oh, Clem! You should at least think about college."

Clementine turned, staring at her friend in disbelief. This had been happening all day. Why couldn't Alison just let her be? "Why are you so—"

Her words were interrupted by a loud crash as the tour guide was suddenly slammed to the ground. Clem's eyes widened in shock before she burst out laughing, unable to help herself. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed, her hand covering her mouth as she chuckled.

It didn't take long for the chaos to escalate. Kyler, one of the last people she wanted to see, ran over, shoving the guy who had knocked down the guide. "Oh, sick grab, boy!" Kyler shouted, laughing with his usual cocky grin. Standing next to him, of course, was Brucks.

Clementine rolled her eyes again. Of course, Kyler and Brucks. These idiots never change.

"You just got brucksed!" Kyler said proudly, while the poor guide struggled to regain his footing. Alison, visibly annoyed, groaned beside Clem.

"Ugh, now the fun is gone," Alison pouted dramatically, clearly fed up with the interruption.

Clem shot her an irritated look, but before she could say anything, Kyler turned toward their group, noticing them for the first time. "Oh, what's up, guys?" he asked, his smirk never faltering.

Miguel was the first to respond, his voice dripping with disbelief. "Do you go here?"

Kyler chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, it's more like this school goes to me, you know what I mean?"

Clementine rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time. This guy just oozes arrogance.

Eli, standing close to Alison, hesitated before speaking. "What's up, Brucks? You...you look good, man," he said cautiously, clearly unsure of how to approach the situation.

Brucks grinned, showing off his new teeth. "Thanks, man. All new teeth."

Clementine exchanged a glance with Alison. She remembered all the stories about Eli's "Hawk phase," and how he'd beaten up Brucks. Seeing them standing there, trying to have a normal conversation, felt strange. The tension was thick, even if they were all pretending otherwise.

Eli rubbed the back of his neck, his voice soft as he tried to apologize. "Yeah, I'm really sorry about that, dude. I was in a bad place back then, and—"

Brucks waved him off, chuckling like it was no big deal. "It's all good, buddy. Play karate games, win karate prizes, you know?"

Kyler laughed beside him, but Clementine felt completely out of place. She hadn't been involved in any of the karate wars, and now here she was, watching this awkward reunion unfold.

Brucks, trying to lighten the mood, gave Eli a nod. "Hey, it helped me get my life on track. Ad meliora," he said with a grin. "Toward better things."

Eli nodded, clearly relieved that Brucks wasn't holding a grudge. "Sick," he said, but the awkwardness lingered in his voice.

"See you at the house, Ky?" Brucks said, glancing at Kyler before walking off.

"Bet," Kyler replied, giving him a fist bump.

Miguel, still trying to process everything, raised an eyebrow. "So, you and Brucks both go here?"

Kyler shook his head, smirking again. "Nah, he's just visiting. He goes to MIT."

Clementine's jaw practically dropped. She exchanged wide-eyed looks with Eli and Demetri, none of them believing what they were hearing. Brucks? At MIT? It didn't seem possible.

Alison chuckled softly, reaching over to gently close Clementine's gaping mouth. "That's so cool!" she exclaimed, her excitement bubbling up again.

Demetri blinked, still in disbelief. "I'm sorry, did you say MIT?"

Kyler nodded, clearly proud of his friend. "Yeah, and he's killing it too."

Demetri shook his head, processing the information. "That's...that's insane."

Kyler, ever the social butterfly, threw an arm around Demetri's shoulders, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "So what's up, guys? We hanging out or what?"

Clementine froze, sandwiched between Eli and Alison, unsure of how to respond. The whole situation was just too surreal. Finally, after a long pause, she let out a hesitant, "I—I guess?"

Clementine stood, feeling completely out of her element as she found herself inside a sorority house. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume, and the blaring music made her head pound. The place was packed with college students, most of whom she didn't know, and all seemed completely lost in their own world of reckless partying. She looked over at her friends, all equally out of place in their own way.

Eli was still in shock, his eyes wide as he stared across the room at Brucks, who was somehow at the center of attention, chatting and laughing like he belonged there. "I can't believe Brucks got into MIT. And was he speaking Latin earlier?" Eli muttered, still processing the absurdity of the situation.

Demetri, who had been leaning casually against a wall, grinned. "I don't know. Maybe your fists unlocked his dormant brain," he joked, referencing Eli's infamous takedown of Brucks back when things were a lot different between them.

Clementine had just taken a sip of beer, and the comment hit her at the worst possible moment. Without warning, she spat out the beer through her nose, unable to control the laughter that bubbled up inside her. The beer sprayed out in a messy stream, and she doubled over, laughing so hard she could barely breathe.

"Oh my God, Clem!" Alison exclaimed, her own laughter mixing with Clementine's as she watched her best friend struggle to catch her breath, beer dripping from her nose.

"Gross!" Clementine managed to gasp out between fits of laughter, wiping her face with her sleeve as her cheeks flushed red from both the alcohol and the hilarity of the moment. "That burns!" she added, still laughing uncontrollably.

Alison was beside herself, tears of laughter streaming down her face as she clutched her stomach. "You've really got to work on your beer-drinking skills, Clem," she teased, giving her a playful nudge.

Meanwhile, Miguel stood nearby, noticeably less entertained. His gaze was fixed on Kyler, who was chatting up some girl across the room. Despite everything that had happened between them, Miguel still seemed to be irritated by how Kyler always managed to act like nothing ever fazed him. "Even after everything, Kyler still lands on his feet," Miguel muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.

Before anyone could respond, a loud voice interrupted the moment. "Hey, shitbreath!" The group turned to see Kyler being shoved hard by another guy, clearly bigger and stronger than Kyler. The shove sent Kyler stumbling back, his cocky smirk disappearing in an instant.

Clementine raised an eyebrow, watching the scene unfold with mild amusement. "Shit, Kyler's getting Kyler'd on by another guy," she deadpanned, the irony not lost on her.

Alison chuckled beside her, rolling her eyes. "Karma has a funny way of showing up, doesn't it?"

Kyler, clearly outmatched, tried to stand his ground, but it was clear the bigger guy wasn't having any of it. As Kyler was bossed around and humiliated, Miguel couldn't just stand by. With a sigh, he followed after Kyler, clearly feeling like he had to do something.

"Why is he helping him?" Clementine muttered under her breath, but before she could dwell on it, Alison grabbed her by the arm.

"Come on, Clem! We're going to play beer pong!" Alison announced with bright enthusiasm, her earlier frustration about college now completely forgotten as she steered Clementine away from the drama.

Clementine glanced back at Eli, who had been watching everything unfold with a mixture of confusion and amusement. He gave her a thumbs up from across the room, his expression making it clear he had no intention of joining them in the chaos. "Good luck," he mouthed with a grin, not bothering to hide his relief that he wasn't the one being dragged into Alison's beer pong mission.

Alison, undeterred, dragged Clementine toward the beer pong table with a determined look in her eye. "You need to loosen up, Clem. We're winning this game!"

Clementine shook her head, sighing in defeat. "Alison, I'm terrible at beer pong."

"Doesn't matter!" Alison chirped, bouncing on her heels. "We've got this. I believe in us."

As they reached the table, Alison quickly grabbed the ball, her confidence unshaken. Clementine, however, wasn't as optimistic. She looked at the red plastic cups filled with beer and the group of eager partygoers surrounding them, ready to cheer them on—or heckle them.

"We're really doing this, huh?" Clementine asked, biting her lip, still not entirely convinced that this was a good idea.

Alison grinned, placing the ball in Clementine's hand. "Yes, we are! And trust me, Clem, you need this. College or no college, sometimes you just have to let loose."

Clementine sighed, knowing there was no getting out of this. She lined up her shot, squinting at the cup in front of her. With Alison by her side, maybe she could survive a college party—even if it meant humiliating herself at beer pong.

Clementine stood at the beer pong table, her curls blowing slightly from the ceiling fan overhead. The party noise buzzed around them, but Clementine's focus was sharp as Alison's words hung in the air. The two friends had shared plenty of deep conversations, but this one felt different. It felt heavier, like a storm was brewing between them.

Alison set the beer pong ball down, her expression unusually serious. "Clem, listen. I know we're here to have fun, but... I really do think you should go to college."

Clementine blinked in confusion, not expecting Alison to bring this up again, especially at a party. She stiffened, her defenses immediately going up. "What?" She raised an eyebrow. "Alison, we've talked about this. I'm not going to college. You know that."

Alison's face softened, but there was a persistent concern behind her eyes. "I know we've talked about it, but I just think you're rushing into something. College is safer. You could do so much more with your life than enlisting in the military."

Clementine's fists clenched at her sides, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "It's my decision, Alison. Mine. Not yours," she shot back. "I've made up my mind."

Alison sighed, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "I'm not trying to control you, Clem. I just— I care about you. And I'm worried. Enlisting? It's dangerous. You could get hurt or worse—"

"So what?" Clementine cut her off, her voice sharper than she intended. "I should just live in this little box of safety because you think it's better for me? I don't want to sit around in a classroom for four years. This is what I want to do with my life."

Alison crossed her arms, her expression hardening. "You're making it sound like college is some prison sentence. You'd be learning, growing, figuring out who you are."

Clementine scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I already know who I am. I'm not like you, Alison. College isn't going to magically change my life. The military is my path. I'm doing something bigger than myself—something that matters."

Alison's face tightened with frustration. "And you don't think college matters? Clem, you're acting like this is some reckless decision you made just to rebel."

"That's because you think it's reckless," Clementine snapped back, her voice rising. "But you don't understand because this isn't your dream. It's mine."

There was a long pause between them, tension filling the space as Clementine's words hung in the air. Alison's lips pressed into a thin line as she struggled to find the right response. After a moment, she took a deep breath, then asked, "What does Robby think about all this?"

Clementine's jaw clenched. She knew where this was going. "He supports me," she replied firmly, her chin lifting slightly. "Unlike you."

Alison flinched, visibly hurt by the sharpness in Clementine's words. "I do support you, Clem. But supporting you doesn't mean I'm going to agree with every choice you make, especially if I think it's dangerous."

"Robby believes in me," Clementine pressed on, ignoring Alison's hurt expression. "He knows I can do this. He doesn't question me or try to steer me into something I don't want."

Alison's frustration boiled over. "Of course he supports you, Clem! But he's not thinking about the risks the way I am. The military is dangerous. You could get deployed, and you might not come back. You might die!" Alison's voice cracked, raw fear spilling out.

Clementine froze, her breath catching in her throat. She hadn't expected Alison to say it out loud. But now that it was out there, she felt her own anger rising again. "I know that, okay?" she shouted, her voice trembling. "I'm not blind. I know what I'm signing up for. But I want to do this. I'm not afraid of the risks."

Alison's eyes welled with tears, and her voice was barely above a whisper. "But I am, Clem. I'm terrified. You could be gone forever."

Clementine's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at her best friend, the fear and desperation on Alison's face cutting deep. But she couldn't let that stop her. She couldn't back down. "I'm not going to spend my life hiding from danger, Alison. I want to serve my country. I want to protect people."

Alison shook her head, her voice rising again. "How are you even going to get in, Clem? You've been arrested before! Remember when you keyed Eli's car? You have a record. And... your mental health history? They're going to use that against you."

Clementine's stomach dropped at Alison's words, the harsh reality hitting her like a punch to the gut. She'd almost forgotten about her past mistakes—the times she'd acted out in anger, the reckless decisions she'd made. And Alison had just thrown them back in her face.

"I've changed," Clementine said quietly, her voice strained. "That was a long time ago."

Alison softened, but the worry in her eyes didn't fade. "I know you've changed. But that doesn't mean the military will see it that way. They could reject you, Clem. And then what? You'll have thrown away college for nothing."

Clementine swallowed hard, feeling the weight of her friend's words pressing down on her. But even with all the doubt, the fear, she couldn't turn back now. "Then I'll figure it out," she said, her voice firmer this time. "This is what I want. I can't live my life in fear of what might happen."

Alison stared at her, the silence stretching between them, heavy and tense. Finally, she sighed, wiping away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. "I just... I don't want to lose you, Clem."

Clementine's face softened, and despite the tension, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Alison. "You're not going to lose me," she whispered, her voice shaky but resolute. "I'm still your best friend. No matter what."

Alison held her tightly, but her voice remained filled with fear. "I hope you're right."

ASH SPEAKS!

alison telling clementine her worries🫶🏻

splitting this ep into 2 chapters

PLEASE DONT BE A GHOST READER! COMMENT AND VOTE:) IT HELPS US WRITERS STAY MOTIVATED!