Firsts Part 10
Memories
Clementine was lying awake in her bed, part of her was still in disbelief at what she and Gabe did, as well as what she said. Dorian had mentioned that some people distracted themselves from what was going on around them by having sex. Her mind started to go to Carver and his friends, making her shake her head. Sitting up, she thought back to the November of the previous year.
It'd been a week since she told Gabe everything, a week she kept waiting for Gabe to breakup with her. Her thoughts kept screaming at her for telling him, letting him see past the armoured front she put up.
"Hey." Gabe's voice made Clementine jump, "Wow, you must be really distracted if I was able to sneak up on you."
"Sorry, I've…" Clementine looked down, "I've got a lot on my mind."
"Well…" Gabe rubbed the back of his neck and pulled a box from his pocket, "I saw this and I thought you'd like it."
Clementine hesitantly took the box and opened it, before freezing, "It's…"
"A charm bracelet." Finished Gabe, "It's got the same Baseball insignia as your hat."
"I…" Clementine swallowed.
"I was gonna get for you for your birthday," Gabe started rubbing the back of his neck, "but the store didn't have it."
Clemetine closed the box and, after a few attempts at speaking, blurted out, "Thanksgiving."
Gabe blinked, confused, "I'm… sorry?"
"M-Mom and Dad wanted to know if you wanted to have Thanksgiving with us." Amended Clementine, "T-the bracelet reminded me."
Gabe blinked, "Oh, I can't. Dad and Ava are taking Mariana and Me to see our Abuela in Baltimore."
Clementine blinked, "Oh, I didn't… realise your grandparents were… I mean, you always use past tense with them."
"Oh," Gabe realised, "No, my Abuelo died a few years ago, my Abuela's still alive."
"R-right." Clementine looked down, bit her lip, before quickly kissing Gabe's cheek, "Thank you, for the gift."
Gabe let out a nervous laugh, "It's, it's alright."
The couple stood in silence for a moment, before Gabe cleared his throat, "Head to class?"
Clementine, in the midst of putting the bracelet on, nodded, allowing Gabe to take her hand, after helping with the bracelet, and walk toward their first class of the day.
Clementine looked at the charm bracelet on her wrist, the stylised D that came with the bracelet was joined by a little duck, courtesy of Duck, a small book, Sarah, a baseball bat, Becca, and a car, Gill. She'd also attached a J for Jesse, she was still looking for something to present her foster parents, all the ones important to her anyway.
Lowering her arm, Clementine thought back to Thanksgiving.
Clementine hid a laugh behind a cup, as AJ ate mashed potatoes with his hands. The toddler had thrown his cutlery across the room, Rebecca had threatened the boy with time-out after he'd thrown a tantrum over not getting a 'grown-up plate.'
"Alvin Junior." Scolded Rebecca, getting a snort from Conrad.
"Let him be, Bec," Laughed the old man, "he's only gonna be young once."
"But he's easier to manage." Quipped Clementine, "I know Katjaa said Duck was a handful to Kenny a few times."
"Katjaa's Duck's mother, right?" Asked Francine, "What happened to her?"
Clementine froze, blinked and swallowed.
"She… er, she…" Clementine glanced AJ, making sure he was distracted, before miming shooting herself in the head, "did that."
Francine blinked, "Oh, must've been upsetting for Duck when Kenny told him."
Alvin uncomfortably shifted, as AJ tried to swallow a load of carrots at once. The toddler started making a choking noise, prompting Rebecca to grab him and pat him hard of the back. After a few tense moments, AJ coughed out the carrots… and the rest of his food all over the table.
"Well," Sighed Conrad, Rebecca comforting a crying AJ as they got up, "at least the serving dishes weren't on the table."
Clementine nodded, running her hand through her hair, Alvin and Rebecca managed to convince her to take it off while in the house, making Francine notice her bracelet.
"What's that?" Asked Francine, gesturing to the bracelet.
"Huh?" Clementine looked at her wrist, "Oh, Gabe gave me this a couple of weeks ago."
"That was nice of him." Commented Francine, "He must be a good friend."
"He's, kinda, more than a friend, actually." Clementine didn't know why she was suddenly so shy about telling Francine and Conrad about her and Gabe's relationship, but decided to push on, "We're, kinda… dating."
Francine stared at Clementine, before glancing at Alvin, "Does… does he know about the… stuff?"
Clementine gave a small nod, "I, er, I told him at the start of the month."
"How'd he react?"
"W-well, he hugged me." Clementine subconsciously rubbed her dog bite scar, "And he gave me the bracelet a week later."
Francine hummed, "I think I'd like to meet this boy."
"Same here." Conrad crossed his arms, as Rebecca walked in with a sniffling AJ.
"I'm gonna put him to bed," Said Rebecca, heading to the stairs, "I think he'd had enough for today."
AJ gave a hiccup, before starting to whine and bury his face in Rebecca's shoulder, small sobs coming from him.
"Is AJ okay?" Asked Clementine, frowning.
"I'll explain later." Promised Rebecca, as she went to go up the stairs.
"Clem," Alvin stuck his head out of the dining room, "Could you give me a hand with this?"
Clementine nodded and started helping Alvin clean the table up. Alvin glanced at her, "You holding up okay?"
"Yeah." Clementine nodded, before swallowing, "Dad, how… how did you know Mom was the one?"
Alvin looked up from the table, blinking, "What?"
"H-how'd you know you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her?" Asked Clementine, getting a frown from Alvin.
"Well," Alvin rubbed his temple, thinking, "I just knew."
"Right away?" Clementine's follow up question got a chuckle from Alvin.
"Lord, no." Alvin shook his head, "Just, you'll find yourself doing something with them and it'll just feel… right."
"Really?" Asked Clementine, sounding unsure.
"Really." Nodded Alvin, "Sometimes, the best thing to do is wait, if things feel right and they consistently feel right, then that's the one."
"Okay…" Clementine swallowed, before spotting something that was red in AJ's vomit, "What's that?"
Frowning, Alvin poked the red spot, groaning when he'd identified it, "Well, we now know why AJ threw up."
"We do?" Rebecca's voice from the doorway got their attention, "What's going on?"
"Just cleaning up, Becs," Said Alvin, before stepping to the side, "Appears AJ's been sneaking candy before we ate."
Rebecca looked down at the skittle, before sighing, "Well, at least it isn't blood."
Clementine found herself nodding, "Is AJ okay?"
"He's still got that stomach bug, so he had an accident," Answered Rebecca, as she started help them clear up, "He's more embarrassed than anything else."
Clementine carried the plates into the kitchen, pausing when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Depositing the plate on the counter, she fished her phone out of her pocket, spotting a text from Gabe.
He'd sent her a message saying 'Happy Thanksgiving, I love you.'
Clementine felt a smile form on her face, sending 'Happy Thanksgiving, I love you too.'
Clementine let out a quiet laugh, remembering Francine coming into the kitchen to find her smiling and giggling at her phone. She's thought Clementine had some of alcohol. Then got another text from Gabe's phone, then a phone call, courtesy of Mariana, who'd stolen Gabe's phone after she'd sent her reply.
Francine and Conrad hadn't gotten to speak to Gabe, partially because Clementine couldn't get a word in with Mariana and because AJ had wandered into the kitchen to say he'd had an accident and promptly threw up onto the floor.
They ended up taking AJ to the doctor's, with Carlos telling them that he'd be fine. Clementine then started to think back to the run up to her first Christmas with Gabe.
"Ugh." Clementine's head hit her desk in her room, making Sarah look up from her book.
"What?"
"Why is it so hard getting gifts for people?" Clementine's voice was slightly muffled by her desk.
"I thought you said you'd gotten everyone's gifts?" Asked Becca, looking up from a magazine on Clementine's floor.
"Is this a 'I don't know what to get my friends' or 'I don't know what to get my boyfriend'?" Asked Sarah, getting to her feet.
Clementine's silence told them everything they needed to know, "What are Gabe's hobbies?"
"He fixes things?" Responded Clementine, sitting up and sounding unsure.
"That's it?" Asked Becca, sitting up.
"No," Clementine rushed, "he likes cars, and music."
"Does he like sports?" Asked Sarah, getting a head shake from Clementine.
"He says he doesn't get the appeal." Answered Clementine, spinning her chair around.
"Well, at least that makes all of us." Muttered Sarah, as Becca gave her a glare.
"Does he class baseball as a sport?" Asked Becca, still glaring at Sarah.
"Not really," Confessed Clementine, "he said it's usually a source of debate."
The group was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and closing, admitting Rebecca and a screaming AJ. Frowning, Clementine got up and left her room.
"Is everything okay?" Clementine walked into the living room, finding AJ rolling around and pounding his fists on the floor.
"Everything's fine, Clem." Said Rebecca, rubbing her wrist which had a bite mark on it, "Alvin Jr wanted candy and, evidently, didn't like being told no."
Clementine put her foot on the coffee table when AJ tried to push it over, AJ, still lashing out, grabbed a cup and launched it at Clementine, hitting her in the centre of the forehead.
"AGH!" Clementine stepped back, her hand going to the impact point, and tripped over a chair "FUCKING SHIT!"
"Right!" Rebecca, stepping between AJ and Clementine, picked the toddler up and took him up to his room.
"You okay, Clem?" Asked Sarah, from the doorway.
"AJ's got to stop watching Caillou." Muttered Clementine, rubbing her forehead, "I'm just glad the cup was plastic."
"I thought it was glass." Said Becca, as Clementine picked up the cup.
"They're from a picnic set, we usually give them to AJ during special occasions." Said Clementine, walking the cup through to the kitchen.
"Clementine," Rebecca's voice from the top of the stairs got their attention, "your grandparents are going to be coming over in an hour, could you make the front room a bit more presentable, please?"
"Sure." Clementine called back, before looking at the other two girls, "Conrad's going to be in hospital over Christmas, so they're going to be coming over for the whole meal and shit."
"You're getting presents early?" Asked Becca, getting a frown from Sarah.
"No, we just having the meal." Corrected Clementine, walking back to the front room, "And putting the decorations up."
"What's Conrad having done?" Asked Sarah, as she and Becca shifted the coffee table back into it's original position, "And why do you guys have a marble coffee table?"
"It's harder to knock over." Answered Clementine, "And it's a heart problem, I think."
"Dad's got a heart surgery on the 22nd, I think." Said Sarah, "Do you think that might be Conrad?"
"I dunno, maybe." Clementine looked around the living room, "I think we're done."
"Maybe Conrad and Francine can help with your gift to Gabe." Said Becca, before looking at her watch, "I've gotta go, Shel's expecting me back three hours ago."
Sarah pulled out her phone, "Yeah, I've got to get home as well."
Clementine nodded, before waving the pair off, leaving her with her thoughts and how she was going to explain it to her parents and grandparents.
Francine and Conrad had actually given her a good few suggestions, which she'd subtly ran past Gabe, in the sense she directly asked him and asked his opinion on them, under the guise of saying that a show she'd watched with Sarah had a character get those things for a friend.
It was with a massive amount of hindsight that allowed her to realise that Gabe hadn't fallen for that particular lie, but he'd given her an answer.
"How're your grandparents?" Asked Gabe, as they arrived at the rented ski lodge.
"They're okay," Shrugged Clementine, "Conrad managed to convince AJ to give the dentist a shot, and Francine's making sure he actually eats something while in hospital."
"Abuelo was the same." Said Gabe, before his face fell, "He didn't want to die in a hospital, so he didn't tell anyone that he had cancer."
"Gabe." David called over to them, holding a box, "Come help us with this."
"'Kay." Gabe waved an acknowledgement, "Sorry, probably gonna get the third degree for sharing 'delicate stories'."
Clementine gave him a nod, as Duck appeared at the door, dragging a tree behind him.
"They're here?" Asked Duck, removing his hat, "Cause we got a big tree."
Clementine leaned around him and looked at the tree, "Where do you keep finding those things?"
Duck just gave her a grin and carried on dragging the tree into ski lodge. Looking around, Clementine observed the interior of the ski lodge, it was already decorated for Christmas, they'd started coming up with celebrating individually at home and then celebrating with each other at the ski lodge, namely because AJ's birthday was on the 22nd and they didn't want to confuse him.
"We're here for a week, right?" Mariana appeared next to Clementine, looking around the ski lodge.
"Until the third." Said Clementine, "It's kind of a tradition with us."
"Nice." Hummed Mariana, before looking outside and spotted Gill and Sarah building a snowman with AJ, "I like this place."
A few hours later, after everyone ate, they were all in the sitting area, exchanging the gifts they'd gotten each other. AJ was currently distracted by a Power Ranger and a small dinosaur, allowing them to give gifts without him wandering off, like he had the year before.
"This is… nice, Duck," Becca looked at the wooden statue, "What is it?"
"It's a nut cracker." Grinned Duck, "You know, like the ballet."
Clementine bit her tongue in an attempt to stop the laugh coming up in her throat.
"Hey," Gabe got Clementine's attention, holding a box out to her, "Merry Christmas, Clem."
Clementine gave him a smile, before holding a box out to Gabe, "Merry Christmas."
The pair exchanged the gifts, and Clementine paused to watch Gabe unwrap her gift to him, revealing a ring box. He opened the ring box and stared at the gold signet ring, with 'GG' embossed on the head and his name engraved on the shoulders.
"It's wonderful." Breathed Gabe, before putting the ring on, as Clementine started opening the gift her gave her.
Tilting her head slightly at the sight of the necklace box, then opening it, revealing a locket to her. Frowning, Clementine removed the locket from the box and opened it. She let out a quiet gasp, which somehow silenced the room.
"I-it's got—" Clementine choked.
"I, er, I found their picture online," Stuttered Gabe, "They're social media accounts were still active—"
Clementine cut Gabe off by hugging him.
"What's in it?" Asked Kenny, getting up, as Alvin walked over to them.
Clementine presented the open locket to them, showing them the picture of her second adoptive family on the right, and Lee and Carley on the left.
"Wow." Breathed Kenny, looking at Lee and Carley, "I'd almost forgotten what Lee looked like."
"T-there's an inscription on the outside." Said Gabe, making Clementine flip the locket over.
"'Family isn't defined by our genes,'" Read Clementine looking at both sides, "'it is built and maintained by love.'"
"I thought you'd—" Gabe was cut off by Clementine hugging him, again.
"I love it." Whispered Clementine, her voice thick, "Thank you."
Clementine grabbed the locket, she hadn't worn it to school, she didn't want it to get damaged if she got into a fight and, frankly, she wasn't sure if she trusted the Ericson's students. Sure, Jesse was okay, and those twins and Violet seemed alright, but so had so many other people Clementine had made the mistake of trusting.
The last time she'd worn the locket consistently was at the New Years Party they had.
Clementine let out an involuntary laugh as Duck and Whistle, the dog he brought to AJ's birthday, wrestled over a shoe. The dog's tail was going a mile a minute and Duck was clearly losing, AJ was trying to wriggle out of Alvin's grip, wanting to go up to the dog, while Alvin talked with Carlos about AJ's temper tantrums. Fortunately, they didn't have any big ones like they had before Christmas, but they still happened, to Alvin and Rebecca's concern.
"Y'know," Gabe's voice appeared next to her, as his arm wrapped around her shoulders, "I'd've thought Duck would've gotten the shoe off Whistle by now."
"Yeah." Clementine sighed, and glanced around, "Wanna go outside?"
Gabe looked around, spotting Sarah and Becca with some cameras, "Sure."
Across the room, Sarah got Becca's attention, "They're sneaking out."
Becca paused, before hurrying over to Duck and grabbed his shoulder, "Clem and Gabe have snuck out."
Duck paused, thinking and looked down at the dog, "I'm not going to pass up a potential blackmail opportunity." And let go of the shoe.
The group returned a couple of hours later, Sarah carrying a polaroid of Gabe and Clementine kissing and Duck and Becca blushing and looking away from each other.
"Where've you guys been?" Asked Gill, when he spotted them.
"Out for a walk." Said Clementine, grasping Gabe's hand.
"Following them." Sarah held up the polaroid, "Look, their first kiss!"
Clementine immediately let go of Gabe's hand and tried to snatch the photo away from Sarah, who maneuvered herself so she could shove the photo down the front of her dress. Clementine glared up at her, "You've got to sleep some time."
"And we'll be in different houses." Grinned Sarah, making Clementine smirk.
"Sure, we will." Clementine spun around and walked off.
Sarah stood watching after her, "She's going to suggest we spend the night, isn't she?"
"Probably." Said Gill, prompting Sarah to rush after Clementine.
They saw Clementine and Sarah at different times during the party, before the pair had rejoined them, as they entered the last fifteen minutes of the year.
"Mom's okayed you staying in our cabin tonight." Grinned Clementine, while Sarah grimaced, "C'mon, they're about to do the fireworks."
Without waiting for a response, Clementine grabbed Gabe's hand and pulled him outside, leaving the rest of them behind.
"Is she really going to make us freeze our tits off just so she gets a front row seat to the fireworks?!" Demanded Becca, making Gill give them a dismissive look, getting Becca's attention, "Bitch, I will shave your eyebrows off!"
Gill gave a playful snort, before following after the couple with Sarah. Duck glanced at Becca, and the pair followed their friends.
They joined the other as Clementine and Gill were singing a bastardised, and slightly funny, version of Auld Land Syne.
"Alright!" Kenny yelled over at them, "Prepare to be fucking amazed!"
"Swear." Said AJ, from his place in Rebecca's arms, getting a laugh from the group.
Kenny just shrugged and muttered something, before lighting the fireworks. Clementine felt Gabe's arms around her, she felt a familiar feeling in her chest. Contentment, happiness. She didn't know how, but things kinda felt right. Turning around to face Gabe, as everyone started counting down, she gave him a kiss as the new year rolled in. For now, just this moment, she wanted it to go on forever.
"Happy New Year." Mumbled Clementine, as Gabe smiled at her.
"Happy New Year, Clem." Responded Gabe, before giving Clementine another kiss.
Sighing, Clementine rolled onto her side and let herself drift off to sleep, she would think some more in the morning.