Chapter Text
Waking up to the sound of an alarm is something every teenager dreads.
But you make exceptions when you're a teen mother and suddenly have to move six hours away from almost everything you've ever known.
Like waking up at 5 AM. On a Saturday. In February.
The cold morning air nipped at Clementine’s skin as she peeled back the thin blanket draped over her.
The small apartment room was dim, the only light coming from the rising sun outside. She let out a quiet sigh, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
Today was going to be a special day—a big one.
She quietly moved through her morning routine, brushing her tangled hair and splashing cold water on her face to chase away exhaustion.
AJ was still curled up in his mini toddler bed, his very dangerous fists clutching the edges of a worn blanket. His soft breathing was the only peaceful thing that had happened this morning.
Clementine turned back toward the small kitchenette, stuffing snacks into an old backpack—some crackers, a few apples, whatever they had left that hadn't been put in boxes already.
They’d have to make a stop for real food later.
"Are you ready yet?"
She jumped slightly at the voice.
Lee stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his voice groggy from sleep.
His presence was a reassuring one—steady, familiar. He was there even in moments like this when everything felt uncertain.
Clementine chuckled, shaking her head. "Almost." She zipped up the bag and turned to face him.
"Okay, that’s good. How’d AJ sleep?"
"A bit better now. He didn't crawl into my bed again last night," she said, tossing the bag onto the nearby chair.
Lee nodded, glancing over at the sleeping toddler. "That’s a good sign. Just means he's adjusting well."
She wasn’t sure about that, but she didn’t say anything. Adjusting wasn’t easy—not for a two-year-old, and not for her.
"How’s Lilly doing? Is she gonna wake up yet?"
Lee sighed. "Eh, let her sleep a bit more. It’s been ages since she’s had a decent night’s rest."
Clementine smirked, "Well… she’s not gonna like you so much after."
Lee chuckled, shaking his head. "Wouldn’t be the first time."
A moment of quiet passed between them, filled only by the low hum of the apartment heater. Outside, the world was dark, lighting up from the slowly rising sun.
The roads were also sadly slick with leftover snow.
Clementine glanced toward the window, her chest tightening. A new town. A new life. Everything was about to change.
"Let’s get moving," Lee said, grabbing his jacket. "Long road ahead."
Clementine exhaled slowly, stealing one last look at the place they were leaving behind. Then she nodded.
"Yeah… let’s go."
Then they were finally on the road.
They were driving from Georgia to their destination, North Carolina.
So yes, it was going to be a difficult drive with a 16-year-old, her adoptive parents, and her 3-year-old son all squished into a blue Mazda SUV for 6 hours.
As the music from the radio played for entertainment, AJ's small stomach growled as an advertisement for a food company appeared.
"Mama, me hungry!" he called out.
His small fists opened and closed in a 'want' motion.
AJ's hazel eyes glared at Clementine as his eyebrows furrowed.
"Yeah I know goofball, but we don't have much left right now. " said the teenager.
Clementine's hazel eyes looked away from the toddler as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.
She then reached for it and saw the notification, 'Have you guys made it to North Carolina yet?' read the text message from Duck.
The girl sent a quick 'Not yet' and returned the phone to her pocket.
But in the front of the car sat, Lee Everett and Lilly Jones soon-to-be Everett-Jones.
As AJ's stomach practically roared Lilly glanced into the front view mirror in the car.
The Caucasian woman frowned slightly at the conversation.
She'd fidget her fingers with the soft fabric of her shirt while sneaking a glance towards Lee.
But only to find him giving her a quick side-eye.
The slushy road would swerve the car slightly here and there on the empty highway.
The bright sun reflected off the leftover snow and into Lee's eyes occasionally.
"Hey, Lee, can we stop by a place to eat soon? AJ's a little hungry." Clementine spoke softly while rustling AJ's hair.
The toddler giggled as his short afro-hair was made messy again. "Momma! Stop!"
As the two rough-housed, Lily was smiling softly.
Eventually, they finally made it.
Made it to the very town where they spent 2 hours getting ready and triple-checking to see if they had everything and finally being able to get on the road just to be forced to sit in a car for 6 hours.
But as they entered the town, it didn't look too big.
Maybe a tiny mall and one of those movie theatres with one screen and maybe a stage but surely that was it.
As they attempted to navigate through the city without a map or GPS to help, Lily gave up and started using one of the two. "I am not going to have us get lost in this town Lee. God, what is with men and navigation? " She said sighing and shaking her head side-to-side.
While Lee and Clementine both chuckled softly.
"Well, I would say I am pretty awesome navigating myself to places, aren't I Clementine?" He said smirking into the rearview mirror.
"Sure Dad," she said looking out the window.
Perhaps he thought of mentioning it because of the time he tracked Clementine down after she got kidnapped by a schizophrenic ex-dad while she was still in foster care.
Anyway, the town wasn't as big as she hoped, but it was something.
But occasionally they would pass by a lot of places that had been graffitied and other kids her age doing some skateboard tricks or scooter, hell even some bike tricks in a surprisingly big skatepark.
But the one thing that caught her eye was a girl with seemingly strawberry blonde hair in a high ponytail doing some sketchy tricks on a scooter.
The girl wore faint make-up with light eyeshadow that perfectly suited her light blue eyes, and her clothing style looked so Y2K.
And with her 'bold' look, she stuck out like a sore thumb.
Clementine very much couldn't help not to stare at her.
But sadly, the car had to drive away.
"Look, Clementine, that's the school right there." Lily's voice called out.
There it stood—Ericson's Boarding School For Troubled Youth.
The big, bright bricks of the massive building shun from the sun.
Overall it looked clean. Not new but somewhat clean.
The majority of the windows looked new.
But the higher the levels, the more railing on the windows.
If Clementine hadn't known what the building was, she probably say it was a children's prison. (Like most schools)
Her old school was smaller, it had maybe two stories with only two stairwells.
Yet the four of them weren't going to the school, they were headed towards both a daycare and the apartment building they were going to live in.
Clementine shook her head to erase her thoughts of the school she was going to attend.
'Will they ask why I'm there?'
The sudden thought sent shivers down her spine.
Well, she IS there because her dad一who the new history teacher一who started working at the school sometime before them.
Even if there are a few more 'normal' schools to choose from Clementine surely has another reason to be there. Maybe...I don't know....being a teen mother? At 13? Would they ever find out?
But that shouldn't matter right now.
'But if they ever ask me why I'm there I'll just say I'm the new teacher's daughter.'
It was an easy solution!
Because the other kids will surely take that as her answer.
Lee parked outside the short building.
It didn't look too fancy, it looked like an average daycare. The exterior owned pale, washed out一or faded一yellow bricks. The windows seem like they have some window-friendly paint on them as well.
The brunette sighed and thought, ' At least it's not that old daycare.'
The previous daycare AJ attended was a decent one. It was big, it looked fancy, and it looked way too new. But the downside was that it was a little racist.
3/4 people in the Everett family are people of colour. When the caregivers were being impolite and outwards rude toward him, Clem flat out stopped taking AJ there possibly because he's triracial一Spanish, African-American, and a little Korean.
The majority he gets is from his mom. The other little bit he got from his dad, Gabriel Garcia.
But we'll talk about that another time.
The gentle sound of a car door opening and closing echoed slightly in Clementine's ears.
She got up and looked around一force habit一probably from living in the city for a long time.
The brunette opened AJ's car door and smiled at him, "What's up goofball?" she said unbuckling him from his Disco Broccoli-themed car seat.
"Nothin' much momma!" he giggled. "Awesome, you ready to restart daycare?" Clementine picked up the toddler and put him on her hip.
"D'you think you'll need help with anything sweet pea?"
Clementine shook her head sideways, "Nah, me and goofball are good. Aren't we mister?" She said kissing his chubby cheek affectionately.
"Alright, Lilly and I will wait here." The older man spoke, then simply nodded his head and went back to chatting with Lily.
As Clementine entered the building, she was met with brown hand-painted walls with children's drawings littered all over the walls.
The interior was like jumping into a children's book made in watercolours, some sofas were white while others looked more colourful and child-friendly.
The teenager crept toward the receptionist's desk and lightly knocked on the table surface.
"Hello, I believe we spoke on the phone, my name is Clementine and this here is AJ. I called about AJ staying here the majority of the days from Monday to Friday?" She spoke with sincerity in her tone as she waved discreetly with her other hand.
The receptionist in front of the computer screen looked away, she made eye quick eye contact with the teenage mother and then gave Clementine a sign-in form without saying much at all.
Clementine grabbed the form she was handed and then put AJ down.
As Clementine fills in the blanks of the form, AJ decides to go explore.
"Momma, can I play?" his soft voice questioned, "Sure but don't go far." Her voice answers. With the clarification from his mom, AJ goes running toward the play area.
While the mother writes down what she needs to do, another person enters the building, the doorbell signifying their presence.
Clementine doesn't look up from paper when she feels the other person staring at her.
It's not the first time she got stared at by people, back when she was pregnant with her son AJ, she always got weird looks out in public.
But even if it wasn't the first time she still isn't used to it.
Because of the stares, Clementine was terrified to leave the house for some time.
The light sound of feet一shoes一 shuffling against the hardwood floor echoed slightly, and gradually the stranger asked, "Is he yours? ". "Yeah, he is," she replied, her eyes not averting from the form.
The stranger didn't ask any more questions, probably from the lack of interest in Clementine's voice.
Or so Clementine thought.
"Are you new to town? I don't recognize you. "
She sighed lightly and looked toward the voice, the owner was identical to the girl she was staring at when the Everett family just got to town.
They both had strawberry blonde hair and light blue-ish grey eyes.
The only thing noticeably different about the two was their hair.
It seemed that the person she was looking at right now had sort of a side-cut as the other twin had longer hair that was up in a ponytail.
The twin seemed to scowl at Clementine but before the two could say anything more to each other, AJ called out for Clementine.
As she heard him she rushed over, "What happened?"
"I wanna use that toy!" he announced.
His toddler cheeks were a little red with anger and his miniature fists were balled as he stomped his foot.
The other child, who had short curly hair and dark skin, whom AJ was arguing with seemed to defend himself right away.
"I was using it first."
From the looks of it and the evidence, it seems AJ is in the wrong.
The stranger who was interrogating Clementine had also followed her to the commotion.
"Minnie! Help me out here!" the other child called out.
The girl一Minnie一shook her head and chuckled lightly, "Nah, you're on your own." she folded her arms.
'Minnie, huh? She sure doesn't look like a "Minnie". Must be short for something. '
The brunette thought.
Clementine also shook her head disapprovingly and she knelt in front of AJ and said, "Is it true AJ? Was the other kid using it first?''
AJ lowered his head as he fiddled with his small fingers.
The little boy stood quietly as time passed shortly, "AJ if you weren't using it first, you have to ask to use it. Do you understand?" The teenager spoke softly.
"Right AJ?" she said once more. Then finally, the boy caved in. "Yes, momma..." he muttered.
Clementine smiled as she reached for the young boy, "Good" she said as she tickled him.
His giggles were highly infectious as he had nearly everybody else smiling.
As the laughter died down, the other boy shared a glance with Minnie and then looked back at Clementine and AJ.
"Are you two from around here? I don't recognize either of you.
Both Aj and Clementine looked at the questioner.
"We are new to town,'' Clementine answered.
The other boy's eyes slightly widened.
The two strangers looked at each other once more, "I'm Tennessee but just call me Tenn, and this is Minerva or just Minnie." he said as the strawberry blonde just waved her hand.
"What school are you going to go to?" Minerva said pointing with her chin towards Clementine.
The brunette picked AJ up and put him on her hip, "I'm going to Ericson's school on Monday." She said while starting to walk back to the lobby.
Clementine sighed quietly as she felt the stares from Minerva and Tenn.
As she got back, she gave the form back to the receptionist at the front desk and muttered a good day then continued to exit the building.
"Wait!" Minerva must've called out as she walked out the door. As she waited she saw both Lee and Lilly look up from their conversation in the car to see the commotion.
The other girl jogged slightly to catch up and then questioned, "What's your name? And his?" she said pointing at the toddler on Clementine's waist.
The mother's eyes widened slightly then she spoke, "I'm Clementine and this is AJ." the brunette claimed neutrally.
With her question answered Minerva simply nodded as she returned to the building.
Clementine then opened the car door, placed AJ in his car seat then got in her seat.
As she buckled herself in, she heard Lee question her, " What did that girl want with you?" he said looking into the rearview mirror.
Clementine put her hand to her chin as she looked out the window, "She just asked for me and AJ's name."
Seeing that was all she was going to say, Lee started the car and started driving to the apartment building.
They reached the apartment complex, got their keys, and unpacked.
Clementine was a little confused as to why they were in an apartment and not in a singular house. They had enough money to afford it but still wouldn't bother telling her why.
The high schooler then got AJ out of his car booster and brought him to their quarters.
The entryway into the living space wasn't that bad. It was a medium-sized room. The walls were beige with light brown chipping on the corners and had creaky wooden floors that would make a sound wherever you stepped. The living room also had a miniature Belcany which was accessed by a glass-sliding door.
The kitchen wasn't all that bad though. Especially being that the living room and kitchen were only divided by an island.
It was small, and the countertops were fake marble but it was quiet whenever somebody shut one of the cabinets. Sadly the fridge had a nasty smell, and the gas stove wasn't so good to have around toddlers.
After taking a few steps into the Apartment room, you were met with a short hallway of four doors. The first door on the right was the bathroom, the second was a mediocre bedroom and finally, the first door on the left was only a simple closet but the second was the master bedroom.
The bathroom didn't give Clementine much hope as she was already somewhat disappointed by the previous rooms.
The bathroom had cyan-blue paint on its walls, the sink was a little small, and the floor tiles were chipping slightly一which wasn't good. Not for AJ's little feet, they could get cut and hurt badly. But the only upside was the bathtub-shower combo. Sure it took up most space but it was worth it.
But then came the mediocre room.
The walls were a dark denim-blue colour with a small white window. The floors were a light-beige coloured carpet but to contrast, the ceiling was built low. The room also owned a small closet, definitely meant for a single person.
Next up, was the master bedroom. It was wide and lengthy but it had a good vibe to it.
The floor was also carpeted compared to the other bedroom. Yet the walls favoured more of a dark green to contrast the dark-denim blue walls of the opposing bedroom. But in the corner of the room, sat a small walk-in closet perfectly suitable for anybody with a great taste.
Clementine placed AJ on the floor and he was awed at the new place. "We're gonna live here now?" his voice called.
The little boy continued to adventure through the apartment rooms as Clementine supervised.
His inquisitive mind roamed with excitement as he got used to his new surroundings.
The sun started to sink into the horizon delicately and slowly with the turn of the earth.
Clementine yawned and stretched her arms as she lay on the mattress.
Her brown bangs stuck to her face lightly with the sweat from her nap. As she looked to her right, she saw AJ curled up in a fetal position on his miniature mattress.
She smiled softly at the sight then got up to go to the kitchen.
As she got there, she saw Lilly and Lee both deep in conversation.
When Clementine was in earshot, the two both turned to look at her, "How was your nap sweetpea?" Lee spoke while leaning on his elbows on the countertop.
"It was alright, wish we had some furniture though." She grumbled. Lilly looked back and forth between the two then got up from her spot, "I'm going to see if Kenny is in town yet." Which probably was her excuse to leave considering she walked away awkwardly.
Clementine crossed her arms and then said, "When is our furniture getting here?".
Lee shook his head and then turned to the fridge to grab a Pepsi.
The girl frowned at the ignorance and then questioned, "We have furniture other than mattresses...right?"
The two of them stared at each other when Lilly came back with news.
She walked into the room and glanced at both Lee and Clementine.
From her face, it didn't look like good news.
"The furniture's gone. "