chapter forty-six:
❛ the prize ❜

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The party was in full swing, with loud music pulsing through the air and people packed into every corner of the house. Alison, Clementine, Miguel, and Demetri stood by the edge of the crowd, watching Eli, or rather *Spikes* as he had started to embrace, with a wide grin plastered across his face. The cups on each of his spikes wobbled as he tilted his head back, chugging the last of his beer to the chants of partygoers shouting, "Spikes! Spikes! Spikes!"

"I think I like Spikes better than Hawk," Clementine said, tapping her cup with amusement. "Spikes is more Eli, y'know? Hawk was like his evil side or something. I'm sticking with Spikes from now on."

Alison chuckled, her eyes drifting from Eli to Clementine. "Yeah, you're right. Hawk was the jerk. Spikes... that's just Eli being himself."

They both laughed as Eli finished his drink, lifting his hands triumphantly as the crowd cheered louder. "Go, Spikes!" Clementine shouted, clapping her hands in support.

Eli grinned mischievously, balancing a cup on the top of his head and sticking his tongue out playfully. He looked so carefree, so Eli, and it made Clementine's heart swell a little at the sight of her friends all having fun together.

"I'm seriously considering a new haircut," Demetri muttered, crossing his arms as he watched Eli's spikes wobble with each step.

Clementine and Alison broke out into laughter, with Clementine shaking her head. "Don't you dare, Dem. You don't want to be the guy who tries to outdo Spikes at his own game."

Just then, a guy walked over to Skeeter, who was lingering by the kitchen. "Yo, what's up, bro?" Skeeter greeted him with a bro-like shoulder bump.

"Where's Shitbreath with the jungle juice?" the guy asked, irritation evident in his voice.

Clementine and Alison exchanged quick looks. The guy was obviously talking about Kyler, and the thought of it made Clementine's lips curl in mild disgust. Kyler hadn't changed in her eyes, even if Cobra Kai was long gone.

"I dunno," Skeeter shrugged, oblivious to the tension in the air. "I swear if he wasn't doing all the bitchwork, I'd say we just ditch his ass."

"Seriously?" Miguel muttered, overhearing the conversation. Clementine caught his eye, and they both shared an understanding look.

The guy laughed at Skeeter's words, clearly agreeing. "Yeah! I like it. We're definitely ditching him once pledging's over. He gets into this frat over my dead body."

"Whoopie doo. Too bad for Kyler," Clementine commented nonchalantly, sipping her soda like it was just another ordinary day. Her expression showed no sympathy for the guy who had tormented so many of them.

Alison gave Clementine a sideways glance. "You don't even care, Clem? Maybe we should... I don't know, tell Kyler? Give him a heads-up or something?"

Clementine raised an eyebrow, shooting Alison a look that made it clear she thought the idea was completely absurd. "Tell him? You seriously wanna tell the guy who bullied the crap out of Spikes?" She gestured in Eli's direction as he continued to entertain the crowd. "That guy made Eli's life a living hell. He doesn't deserve a heads-up about anything."

Alison bit her lip, looking uncertain. "Yeah, I know... but, like, Cobra Kai's gone. He's not being a dookie head anymore. Maybe we should give him a chance?"

Clementine rolled her eyes and waved it off. "Kyler hasn't changed. Just because Cobra Kai's dead doesn't mean the bully in him is. Plus," she smirked, "I didn't think you were serious about me calling Eli Spikes now."

Alison laughed softly, though her uncertainty lingered. "I guess you're right. But still... I don't know. I hate drama."

"Well, you're at the wrong party then." Clementine grinned and took another sip of her soda, as if the matter was already resolved in her mind.

In the background, Eli let out another triumphant yell, his carefree attitude lighting up the atmosphere. They could hear the cheering crowd egging him on, and Demetri just shook his head, chuckling as he mumbled something about regretting his decision to ever get involved in all of this. Meanwhile, Skeeter and the guy disappeared into the crowd, their conversation about Kyler already forgotten.

The group stood together in silence for a moment, each lost in their thoughts. Clementine glanced at Alison again, seeing the lingering concern in her friend's eyes. Alison was always the kind-hearted one, always wanting to give people the benefit of the doubt, but Clementine wasn't buying it when it came to Kyler.

"Don't worry about it, Al," Clementine said, bumping Alison's shoulder lightly. "Kyler's not our problem anymore."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Alison said, though her voice held a note of hesitation.

With the sound of Eli's cheers ringing in the background, Clementine couldn't help but feel like, for once, things were falling into place. The old rivalries were behind them, and even if Alison wanted to give people the benefit of the doubt, Clementine was more than ready to move on without the baggage of the past dragging them down.

Miguel and Alison practically dragged Clementine across the crowded room towards Kyler, who was lounging confidently, as if he owned the place. He was in the middle of one of his infamous rants, completely unaware of the tension building around him. "I don't know nothing about Stanford or NYU, Rhea and Lip's girlfriend, and Keene's girlfriend, but this place is lit! So, Rhea, when you get here next year, I'm gonna have it on lockdown," he declared with a proud grin, completely detached from reality.

Miguel shot him a skeptical look, clearly unimpressed. "You sure you're getting into this frat?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kyler puffed out his chest with his usual cocky attitude. "Am I sure? Bro, does the Pope shit with a funny hat?" he quipped, throwing his hands up as if that settled everything.

Clementine let out a long, exaggerated sigh, already tired of his antics. "Dickwad, we gotta tell you something-" she started, trying to cut through Kyler's delusions.

But before she could finish, a hulking figure appeared. Skeeter, one of the frat leaders, stomped over with a furious look on his face, glaring directly at Kyler. "Where's my vacuum?" he demanded, his voice sharp and impatient.

Kyler's smug expression faltered for a split second. "Oh, shit," he muttered under his breath, clearly realizing he was in trouble.

Skeeter pointed at the floor, which was littered with popcorn, Takis, and crushed cans. "Yo, vacuum. Clean this up," he barked, the hostility in his voice palpable.

But Kyler, still trying to play it cool, crossed his arms and shrugged. "Nah, man, I'm good," he replied, acting as if the request was beneath him.

Skeeter wasn't having any of it. His voice rose, sharp and threatening. "Hey!" he shouted, causing everyone nearby to stop what they were doing and stare. The sudden outburst made Alison jump, and she instinctively hid behind Clementine, gripping her arm tightly as if seeking protection.

Skeeter took a step closer, his breath hot and foul. "Listen, Shitbreath," he spat, his voice low and menacing. "You want in? Get on the ground and be the vacuum." The frat leader's lips curled into a cruel smirk as he gestured to the mess around them, clearly enjoying Kyler's humiliation.

Miguel, trying to keep the situation from escalating, chimed in. "Is he actually getting in?" he asked Skeeter, his tone calm but direct.

Skeeter turned on him, sneering. "How about you stay out of this?" he snapped, the arrogance dripping from his words.

Clementine narrowed her eyes, her patience wearing thin. She nudged Miguel with her elbow, smirking slightly. "Oh, shit. Miguel, you gonna let this dickhead talk to you like that?"

From behind her, Alison squealed softly, giving Clementine a wide-eyed, worried look. "Clem!" she scolded, clearly not wanting things to get worse.

But the pressure was already mounting. Kyler, realizing he didn't have much of a choice, let out a defeated sigh and got down on all fours, his face burning with embarrassment. "Suction mode, on," Skeeter jeered, grabbing Kyler's ankles and making a show of it as Kyler reluctantly started eating the snacks off the ground.

Clementine watched in disbelief, grimacing at the pathetic display in front of her. She covered her face with her hand, trying to block out the scene. "Okay, this is just sad," she muttered, shaking her head in disgust.

Miguel had enough. "Enough!" he shouted, stepping forward and shoving Skeeter off Kyler. The sudden outburst caught everyone off guard, and Skeeter stumbled back, glaring at Miguel.

Kyler quickly scrambled to his feet, wiping his mouth and spitting out whatever he had been forced to consume. He looked between Miguel and Skeeter, confused.

Miguel wasn't backing down. "Why don't you tell him the truth?" he demanded, his voice cold and steady, his eyes locked onto Skeeter.

Skeeter scoffed, feigning ignorance. "The truth about what, man?" he sneered, clearly enjoying the power he held over Kyler.

Kyler, still recovering from the humiliation, glanced at Miguel, unsure of what was going on. "What's happening? What truth?"

Miguel's expression hardened. He pointed at Skeeter, not letting up. "The truth is that you are never, and I mean never, getting into this frat."

Skeeter's smirk widened. He crossed his arms, giving Kyler a smug look. "Yeah, we had a good run, but you? You're never getting in here, man. Not a chance."

Kyler's face fell, the weight of the truth hitting him hard. For a moment, he looked completely lost, his bravado shattered. Alison, who had been quietly watching from behind Clementine, frowned in sympathy, her soft heart getting the better of her. "Aw..." she whispered, feeling bad for him.

Clementine groaned, shooting her a look. "Ali, stop making me feel bad for the guy," she muttered under her breath.

For a brief moment, the room fell silent. Kyler stood there, staring down at the ground, clearly processing what had just happened. But then, to everyone's surprise, he straightened up, his jaw clenched. "Your loss," he muttered, shaking his head as he walked past Skeeter.

Just as a girl carrying a drink walked by, Kyler grabbed her cup and without warning, poured it over Skeeter's head.

Clementine's eyes widened in surprise, a huge grin spreading across her face. "Hell yeah!" she cheered.

Skeeter, now drenched and furious, swung his fist at Kyler. But Kyler, quicker than expected, blocked the punch and twisted Skeeter's arm behind his back. "Bitch, don't you know I know karate?" Kyler growled, his voice full of newfound confidence. Without hesitation, he landed a solid punch to Skeeter's jaw, sending him stumbling into the nearest wall.

The room erupted into chaos.

"Oh, it's on!" Clementine shouted, adrenaline pumping through her veins. Alison, however, let out a terrified squeal and bolted for the staircase, clearly not wanting any part of the fight.

Two frat brothers lunged at Clementine, but she was ready. With a swift roundhouse kick, she knocked one off balance, while the other dodged. "Who else wants some of this shit?" she challenged, grabbing one of the guys by the shoulders and spinning him into the wall. The loud thud echoed across the room.

"Didn't your mama teach you not to hurt a girl?" she taunted, before delivering a powerful kick to his face, knocking him out cold.

Across the room, Eli waved at her, his mohawk catching the dim lighting. "Ready, Spikes?" Clementine called over the noise, flashing a playful grin.

Eli gave her a thumbs-up before grabbing her hands. With a powerful spin, he launched her into the air. Clementine's feet flew out, catching three guys in the face in rapid succession. She completed the flip midair and landed perfectly on her feet, the crowd around them gasping in awe.

Clementine took a bow, but her moment of glory was cut short when another frat brother tackled her to the ground. She gasped as she hit the floor, quickly retaliating with a sharp elbow to the guy's face, knocking him off of her.

"Clementine!" Alison squeaked from the staircase, her voice filled with panic. A guy had pinned her down, and she was desperately kicking her feet to keep him at bay.

Clementine's eyes darted around the room, spotting a nearby bottle. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and hurled it at the guy on top of Alison. The bottle smacked him in the back, and he stumbled off her, giving Clementine just enough time to rush over and help her friend to her feet.

Just then, a loud crash echoed across the room. Both girls turned just in time to see Brucks slam a frat brother into a table, shattering it on impact.

"Hell yeah!" Clementine cheered, her voice full of excitement.

"Get Brucksed!" Brucks roared triumphantly, puffing out his chest.

"Yeah!" Miguel, Demetri, Hawk, and even Kyler joined in, their voices rising in unison as the chaos escalated.

Amidst the mayhem, a worried voice from the crowd called out, "Someone should call campus security!"

Clementine's eyes widened in alarm, and she quickly grabbed Alison's hand. "Boys! Time to go!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the noise.

The group scrambled, pushing their way through the crowd and racing out of the house as the sound of sirens began to grow louder in the distance. They bolted into the night, their laughter and adrenaline-fueled energy echoing as they made their escape.

Clementine slouched in her chair, her gaze distant as she absentmindedly stirred her salad, eyes flicking over to Miguel and Kyler again. Across from her, Alison sipped her iced coffee, eyebrows furrowed as she noticed the tension hanging over her friend like a cloud.

The arcade noise buzzed softly from where Eli, Demetri, and Brucks were joking around. Despite the casual setting, it was clear to Alison that something heavy was weighing on Clementine's mind.

After a few moments of silence, Clementine sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Ali."

Alison tilted her head, giving her a quizzical look. "For what?"

"For everything," Clementine muttered, still not meeting her eyes. "It feels like wherever I go lately, there's always some fight or drama. Like I'm dragging you into my chaos. I hate it."

Alison let out a small laugh, waving her hand dismissively. "Clem, seriously, don't worry about it. I knew what I was getting into. Besides, someone has to keep life interesting." She smiled warmly, trying to lighten the mood.

But Clementine's smile was faint, her fingers tapping nervously against the table. "Still," she said quietly, "it feels like ever since we moved here, it's just been one chaotic mess after another. I just... I hope this karate stuff can end soon. I'm tired."

Alison's smile faltered a little, sensing the gravity in Clementine's words. "Are you... done with karate?" she asked, leaning in slightly, her voice softer.

Clementine hesitated, her eyes dropping to her food again. "Yeah," she said finally, exhaling deeply. "I think after the Sekai Taikai, I'm done. After school ends... I'm enlisting."

Alison's eyes widened in shock. She sat up straighter, her coffee cup nearly slipping from her hand. "Wait, what?" she blurted out. "You're enlisting? Are we not going to have one more summer together?"

Clementine shook her head, her expression somber. "No, Ali. I need to get out of here. I'm done. My dad's in jail, I barely see Tyler anymore, and my aunt's off living her life in London. There's nothing left for me here. I don't want to stay."

Alison's face fell as she processed Clementine's words. She reached across the table, placing her hand gently on Clementine's. "But Clem... one more summer," she repeated softly, her voice laced with sadness. "I get why you feel like you need to leave, but I'm going to miss you. It feels like we're all drifting apart."

Clementine bit her lip, her eyes clouding with a mix of frustration and guilt. "I know. But I can't stay, Ali. I feel stuck."

Alison's brows knit together, and after a beat of silence, she asked the one question that had been lingering in the back of her mind. "What does Robby think about all this?"

Clementine froze, her fork slipping from her hand. Her heart pounded, and for a long, uncomfortable moment, she couldn't bring herself to look at Alison.

Alison's eyes widened, her voice quieter but insistent. "Clem?"

Clementine finally glanced up, her expression riddled with guilt. "I haven't told him."

Alison blinked, confused. "You haven't told him? What do you mean? He doesn't know you're enlisting?"

Clementine shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "No... he doesn't know anything. He still thinks I'm going to NYU with you."

Alison's mouth dropped open in shock. "Clem, are you serious?" she gasped. "You lied to him?"

"I didn't mean to," Clementine said, her voice strained with emotion. "It's just... he was so excited about the idea of the two of us going to college together, and he would follow us and he was excited to get a job in New York and I didn't know how to break it to him. I kept putting it off, and now... I don't know how to tell him."

"Clem," Alison said, her tone a mix of concern and disbelief, "you can't keep this from him. Robby loves you. He deserves to know the truth."

Clementine nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know," she whispered. "But he's been through so much, Ali. I don't want to be the one to break his heart."

Alison's gaze softened, her own heart aching for her friend. "But you have to tell him. If he finds out later... it'll hurt even more."

Clementine bit her lip, her mind racing with all the ways she'd avoided the conversation with Robby. "I just don't know how to even bring it up," she said, her voice trembling. "I don't want to lose him."

Alison squeezed her hand. "You won't lose him," she said gently. "But you can't lie to him either. He loves you, Clem. He'll understand... eventually. But he needs to hear it from you, not from anyone else."

Clementine nodded, though her heart felt heavy. "I know," she whispered again, but the weight of the truth felt unbearable.

There was a long, quiet pause between them, the noise of the food court fading into the background as Clementine wrestled with her thoughts. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "I'll tell him. Soon. I just... I need to figure out how."

Alison nodded, her expression still full of concern. "I'll be here for you, Clem. Whatever you need."

Clementine gave her a small, grateful smile, but the guilt lingered in her chest, knowing that the hardest conversation of her life was still waiting.

ASH SPEAKS!

i almost skipped these parts of the episode cause i didnt feel like it. then i realized i should so thats why i kept republishing the last chapter cause i was indecisive. but here we areee

i thought that frat guys name was skeeter then i saw the subtitles say his name was zenker...oh well in this book his name is skeeter LMFAOOO

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