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"I want to know" I nodded

"Do you have any money?" She asked softly and then looked at Clementine "It’s just I ran out and I really need a bottle of…" She stopped and played with her fingers "It will help me tell the story" I felt Clementine tense up next to me I knew, just as she knew, that my mother wasn’t clean, not at all I didn’t even respond then I walked straight to ine I put the car into reverse and was ready to leave, with or without Cle on theas I stopped and I waited for her to get into the car and then pulled off again We drove in silence for about five minutes and then she spoke

"I’m sorry" She whispered "I didn’t know"

"You weren’t to know" I didn’t look at her I didn’t care I didn’t care I didn’t care The pounding of ainst a bedroomPitter, patter, pitter, patter, pitter, patter It was continuous and non-stopping and I didn’t ht it would help you" She sighed and I heard her voice catch "I wanted you to get answers I wanted you to understand why…" She stopped "Love isn’t always a bad thing"

"It’s isn’t always a good thing, either" I griet fro what you can for the other person just because, it’s always about doing so for the other person and hope you repay thean and I cut her off

"It’s about loving soifts or money, or even more love back When people say love is selfless, it’s a crock of shit People love because itfrom it People who don’t believe in love are ht up I want this or I want that No bullshitting No, I love you, so please give inity Or I love you, lend me 10,000 Or, better yet, I love you so take care of me now I’m sick Take care ofbitch" My voice rose as I shouted "I don’t say I love you because I don’t , it’s true and it’s valid and it’s not because I want anything other than what I want"

"Love doesn’t have to be like that" Her voice was small "It can be selfless People can love and keep it inside without ever wanting anything other than seeing the other person happy"

"Stupid" I laughed "Those people are stupid What’s the point? Maybe because they feel like ive two shits about you? Waste of time if you ask me"

"Your mom does love you, you know" Clementine touched my shoulder "She didn’t leave you because she didn’t love you"

"Yeah, she left because she loved me so much That’s why she never even called as well" My voice was sarcastic "So much love for her blue-eyed boy"

"I think she’d been drinking" She sighed

"Never" I rolled my eyes

"I’m sorry" Her voice broke "This wasn’t what I wanted"

"I know" I gave her a quick look "But et ant in life, sorainbows and butterflies Maybe it’s best to live the life we’re dealt and just deal with it"

"Do you reed the subject

"Vaguely?" I shrugged "Why?"

"You wanted to get those candies so badly" She smiled "Every day the teacher would do a little quiz and every day, you tried so hard because you wanted thehed "There was soet theot theot them in a roundabout way Poor you All those sot your candy taken"

"But that’s the thing" I could hear the smile in her voice "All I wanted was to be friends with you We sat next to each other in every class, but you never spoke to me You only played with the boys And I very ht blond hair and blue eyes, even though he was a mean little boy"

"You wanted to be friends with ain "Why?"

"I know seven year old boys don’t notice girls yet, but seven year old girls sure do notice cute little boys"

"Are you saying you had a crush on led "I used to go ho and math, just so I could do well in the quizzes every day"

"What?"

"Yup I saw the way you used to eye up et you to become my friend was to win the candy every day, and look it worked We became best friends"

"You tricky little…" My voice trailed off and I laughed, trying to remember a seven year old Cleht our friendship was a mistake, that I’d turn you into some sort of hellion tomboy"

"I don’t think anyone expected our friendship to last" She said "I guess it’s unusual for people to re happen"

"Well we had so happen" My heart jumped and I took a deep breath "I hope it doesn’t ruin our friendship"

"It won’t" She grabbed hway "I won’t either"

"In fact, I’m pretty sure I want you to take me to the hotel now" She whispered and I froze

"The hotel?"

"Yeah" She nodded "If you’re not too sad"

"Do you knohat you’re saying, Clementine" I spoke slowly