Clementine's POV

'All right first day, god I regret it already.' Dread filled my stomach making me queasy.

"You alright over there sweet pea?" Lee's voice brought me back into reality. I was sitting on the passenger side of Lee's old Dodge avenger on my way to Ericson's boarding school for my sophomore year.

My little adoptive brother AJ huffed in the back seat making his presence known. "I don't want Clem to leave, then I won't be able to see her everyday."

Lee smiled his gentle smile at AJ through the rear view mirror. "But this is Clem's dream school buddy, it would be selfish to keep her from her dream right?" I heard AJ sigh.

"Sorry Clem, I didn't mean to be s-selfish." He had trouble pronouncing the word Lee and I had explained to him a handful of times. "It's alright goofball, I know your just sad, but I won't be gone forever and I'll call every morning, Ok?"

A smile spread across AJ's small face. "Really?" "You bet kiddo, you can't get rid of me that easily." AJ now satisfied with my moving leaned back into his seat before talking again. "I'm hungry."

"We might have some chips in the glove box Clem." Lee said keeping his eyes on the road. I nodded and opened the compartment and found a small bag of chips. Twisting in my seat I handed him the bag of chips that he immediately started eating.

"Slow down there goofball, you'll choke." He did as instructed and I turned back to face out the window, watching the forest pass us. What seemed like too soon the school came into view.

Lee parked by my assigned dorm building. I sigh and look over at Lee, he immediately noticed my unease like he does everytime. Lee reached over placing a hand on my shoulder.

"It's time to go Clementine." He said gently, I nodded and took a deep breathe. Steeling myself before I could work myself up too much, I got out of the car and helped Lee get my things from the trunk.

AJ wanted to help so I let him roll one of my smaller suitcases. It didn't take long to get my stuff into the room. It was all setup on the other side meaning my roommate had already been there before me. Lee nearly cried and honestly so did I.

"Be good sweet pea, and remember you have appointments with Mrs.King on Tuesdays at 6:30." "Lee I'll be fine and you know Carley hates being called by her last name." "Ok just, look at you all grown up." Lee pulled me into a hug that AJ quickly joined in on.

I walked back with them to the car and wished them a safe drive as they pulled out of the parking lot. Suddenly feeling that earlier dread I made my way back to my room to set up my side of the room.

It took a little over 30 minuets to set up my stuff like bed sheets, baseball equipment, and put my clothes away. As well as the couple of framed drawings that AJ had made for me, to 'make it feel like home' as he said.

I had just finished and layed back onto my freshly made bed and pulled out my phone to scroll a bit. I had a few good luck texts from Sarah, Luke, and Duck but that was it.

I had already taken a tour of the school a week ago and try outs for baseball had taken place a few days ago. I was still a bit surprised that I made it onto the team but I was happy.

I decided to go exercise for a bit at the track the school had. I had just changed into a tank top and some shorts when the door opened. I grabbed my hat and placed it back on my head before turning to greet the person whi walked in.

She was...very very pretty. "Hi um I'm Violet Anderson your roommate." She said extending her hand for a handshake. 'Oh cool she doesn't seem so bad.' I shook her hand and introduced myself.

"Hi Violet I'm Clementine Marsh nice to meet you." She nodded and went to go lay on her bed. 'Well I guess that's as far as thats going.' So I continued my plans to run the track.

Once I got there I noticed two other girls running the track. Deciding to let them be, I put my earphones in and ran as I listened to music. At some point I passed up the two girls who were keeping pace with each other.

One was tall and had a shaved side much like the one I had in middle school. The girl closer to my height had her hair slicked back and they both had ginger colored hair. 'Wow are all the girls at this school so unfairly pretty?'

Sticking to my desicion to leave them be and keep running I passed them without issue. Just as I was about to finish my third lap I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket.

Coming to a stop I took out my headphones and looked at the caller ID. 'Jane, hmm what could she need.' Confused I answered the phone. "Hello?" "Hey Clem I just called to ask if you were settling in ok over there." "Awww you care." I could practically see her blush in my mind as I giggled at her attempts to deny it.

"Anyway, I'm doing fine how about you, any luck with Luke?" A smirk came over my face. "Yes now wipe that smug look off your face I can hear it through the phone." Laughing I wished her goodluck with my cousin Luke and hung up.

As I went to turn and continue running I felt someone tap my shoulder. Turning I saw the two girls I saw earlier, the taller one having tapped me on the shoulder. Taking my headphones back out of my ears I smiled at them.

"Can I help you?" I said in a polite tone just like Lee taught me. The taller girl smiled, "Hi I'm Minerva and that's Brody she wanted to introduce herself to you but is a bit anxious."

I turned my eyes to Brody and smiled, "It's nice to meet you both I'm Clementine." Brody was blushing and couldn't look me in the face. Just as I was about to ask if she was ok she spoke.

"Minerva thinks your hot... Oh shit sorry Minnie I did it again." I turned mack to Minerva who held her red face in her hand. "Brody of all the things you could have said...I'm sorry I think we're just gonna..." She grabbed Brody's hand and they ran until they were out of sight.

I stood there taking in what just happened until I started laughing and continued running. The sun started setting and I made my way back to my dorm.

When I opened the door to my room I noticed the room was empty and I decided to shower and eat before going to bed, tomorrow was Monday and the first day of school anyway.

After a quick shower I put on some sweats and a t-shirt that was definitely not mine, probably Sarah's. She always left her clothes in my dressers and never came to pick them up. I made my way to the dorms rec room to use the microwave for some ramen.

I got on my phone while I waited, then heard the door open and turned to see the girl from earlier, Minerva. She saw me and blushed before making her way to the fridge to get something.

I heard the microwave yelling at me so I moved to get my ramen from it. "H-hey um sorry about what happened at the track." I looked behind me to see Minerva holding two cans of off brand orange soda, she held one out to me.

A smile spread across my lips as I spoke. "Don't be it was the best thing that has happened all day if I'm being honest." I giggled remembering the moment. She relaxed a bit and laughed with me.

I moved to sit at one of the small tables in the room and she sat in the chair opposite me. "It was one hell of a first impression, I'll give you that." I told her as she sipped her soda and I ate my dinner.

"So...as I do recall you thought I was hot as Brody so gently put it?" Minerva started blushing and looking everywhere but me. She stopped when she heard me giggle. "I'm just messing with you, you know your very easy to fluster." I said making her chuckle.

I ended up enjoying dinner talking to Minerva and getting to know her. She has a twin sister Sophie and is roommates with her sister's girlfriend Brody. She also mentioned a little brother Tenn, this lead to me talking about AJ.

I eventually finished eating and we both finished our drinks but we kept talking. She was very easy for me to talk to. I turned to the clock on the wall to notice that it was 11:05.

"Oh shit it's late." "Oh man sorry I didn't mean to keep you." She tried apologize. "Oh no I really enjoyed talking to you, but future me is gonna hate waking up early if I'm asleep so late." A smile went over Minerva's features and she stood up and threw away her can as I threw my stuff away too.

"Well would it be ok to walk you to your room?" She asked looking at the floor. 'Cute Cute Cute.' "Of course." She looked up smiling at me.  The short walk to my room was fun and we talked more about ourselves.

We said our goodnights and parted ways. The room was still empty, 'hmm hope Violets ok.' Just as I layed down and put my hat on my dresser Violet comes storming in.

She looked pissed. We made eye contact and she glared at me. 'Damn what did I do?" She shrugged out of her jacket and boots before laying down on her bed, back to me.

Not knowing how to deal with an angry Violet I decided to just let her sleep and get some shut eye as well.

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Damn this was fun to write I really liked writing all of Clem's interactions with her friends. I especially loved writing Brody's smooth intro for Minerva, because it just seems like something she would do. Anyway hope you like it if you do vote comment let me know🌈🌈👌👌