Chapter 107: 107-My Best-friend Kisses Me.
Clementine:
"She’s Clementine’s friend." Haiden was the first to announce it, and then Troy rushed back into the room, grabbed a blanket, and handed it to me. I was hesitant, even though I didn’t approve of her actions back in the North. Still, I wasn’t sure if I could leave her out there like this, so I wrapped the blanket around her and helped her up. She instantly hugged me.
"They’re going to kill me," she repeated, making me raise an eyebrow. She had turned around so her back was to my squadmates, who now stared at me in silence.
"Who? Who’s going to kill you?" Troy asked from behind.
She broke the hug and turned to him, still clutching the blanket around herself.
"Get inside, it’s too windy," I told her, feeling the cold dry my skin. We all went back in, and I locked the door. She sat on my bed, still crying and sniffling.
"I’ve been trying to remember exactly what happened there, and I swear I don’t remember locking the door. It locked by itself, Clementine, I didn’t do anything." She started rambling, while Haiden and Troy stood together, exchanging glances because they had no idea what was going on.
"I just know I saw you hit the button to lock the door," I said.
"Really? You saw me lock it? Like, physically? Are you sure it wasn’t after the door closed that I was hitting the button to open it? I don’t know how that’s possible. You were behind the seats taking care of Sadie, and I was watching you. You must be mistaken," she cried, still managing to explain herself. And the way she spoke, so sure of herself, even I started to doubt my own memory. Maybe I didn’t see her lock it. Maybe she was just standing there, trying to stop it, and it only looked like she was locking it.
"Wait—you said they’re trying to kill you. Who exactly?" Troy asked, circling back.
"My squadmates. They’re not happy with me. Valerie’s sister yelled at me and even threatened to kill me." Oriana’s words shocked me.
"Wait, Jessie threatened you?" I asked, remembering all the times my own squadmates had done the same.
"They did this to me." She looked down at her wet clothes. I couldn’t help but sympathize. I’d been treated the same way.
"Jessie did this?" I asked again, surprised. I thought Oriana might be stronger than her, or maybe they were equal.
"And Matthias, when they found out Valerie was left behind, they asked why I didn’t save her. I told them she went to the bathroom, I took the baby, and then you saw me lock the door. I told them it wasn’t true, that your memory must be wrong. But they took it as fact, and now they don’t believe me."
She didn’t seem to realize how foolish it was to tell them I’d accused her. If she hadn’t locked the door, she didn’t have to bring it up at all. She started crying again, so I hugged her.
"Maybe I saw it wrong," I admitted. She hugged me back and sobbed harder.
"Shit was rough yesterday," Troy told Haiden. They started talking about the night after Sadie died.
"You’ve only got three members left, right?" Haiden asked. She nodded.
"You can sit with us for meals," Troy suggested. "Might make them think twice before doing anything to you."
Her face lit up. "You’d really do that for me?" she asked, eyes full of hope.
"I mean, you’re Clementine’s friend. Her friend’s our friend," Haiden uttered.
The change in their attitude was huge. They used to hate me. Even now, with Troy still thinking I’d betrayed him, he acted differently, almost like revenge wasn’t on his mind anymore.
"Wow, you guys are so nice. I’m so happy you’ve stopped bullying her," then it slipped out, and of course, I knew she was being careless. She didn’t know how to keep secrets, and I realized it that night.
Both Haiden and Troy looked at me. "Things have been rough between our groups," I told her, trying to avoid a confrontation. "Anyway, you should head back to your room. I’m sure they won’t do anything stupid. Or you can talk to Miss Lenora."
"But can one of you please walk me back? I don’t know how I ended up here. I was so hysterical and crying, and now I’m scared to go back. It’s too windy, and the whooshing sound always scares me." Oriana nodded, then asked my squadmates. She was looking straight at Troy and Haiden, barely acknowledging me at this point. I guessed she didn’t believe a she-wolf could protect her. I couldn’t really blame her, many people thought the same.
Both Haiden and Troy turned to me almost confused about what they should do.
"Either of you want to take her?" I asked, but they just kept staring at me. I hated playing the mom here. Oriana glanced between us, probably wondering what was going on.
"You know what? Forget it. I’ll take her myself," I said, motioning for her to get up. Troy and Haiden immediately hit their beds while I left the room with her.
"Are you sure you’re not scared?" she asked as we walked. I shrugged, hands tucked into my pajama pockets.
"Oriana, I don’t think you should have told them I accused you of locking the door. Some things are better discussed first. If you didn’t do it, there was no reason to bring it up." I was still annoyed at how careless she’d been.
"I didn’t know. I thought I should be honest. I’ve never learned to lie. I always speak my mind and say what I know, and it always gets me in trouble," she said softly.
"It’s okay. I’m sorry too. How about I talk to your squadmates? I’ll tell them it was my fault, Troy saw that you didn’t lock the door," I said as we reached her passage.
"That would help so much," she replied with a wide smile. "Thank you, Clementine. You really are special. And my special friend." She smiled without a trace of bitterness about my accusation. Honestly, I would’ve been furious if someone had done that to me, so she was better than me for not holding a grudge.
I walked her to the door, and she asked me to wait. She peeked inside, and once she confirmed her squadmates were asleep, she gave me the all-clear and went in.
I headed back toward my own passage. Just before I reached my door, I noticed someone standing outside. It took me a moment to recognize him through the fog.
"Troy? What are you doing here?" I asked.
I barely got the words out before he stepped forward, cupped my face, and pressed his lips hard against mine.