I finally calmed down after staying in my tent for a while, but my mind kept circling back to everything she'd said. Thinking about it made my head ache. I was overthinking way too much.
Suddenly, Lee stepped inside my tent.
"Hey, Max," he said gently. "I just talked with Clementine. I think it'd be better if you two spoke before you both start misunderstanding things."
He looked at me seriously.
I was scared to face Clementine again, but when I saw the firmness in his eyes, I nodded. He was right. I needed to talk to her instead of running away like a coward.
When I returned to the medical tent, I found Clementine crying. Seeing her like that hurt, but I knew I needed to say what was on my mind.
I quietly sat beside her. She tried avoiding my gaze, but after a moment, I spoke.
"Look… I don't love you. I know that for a fact. And whatever you're feeling isn't love either—it doesn't happen that fast. We barely know each other. I think you're misunderstanding your feelings."
I tried to say it gently, not wanting to hurt her.
Suddenly, she punched me in the chest. It didn't hurt much, but it shocked me.
"You dummy!" she snapped, eyes still teary. "I never said I loved you! I said I liked you. And I said I wouldn't mind if you liked me back!"
I blinked, dumbfounded.
Seeing my confusion, she wiped her tears. "I'm not stupid. I know the difference between loving someone and being attracted to someone. I'm romantically attracted to you—that doesn't mean I love you. We barely know each other. How could I love you already?"
Now I was even more confused.
"Then what were you trying to say?" I asked, desperate for clarity.
She stared at me in disbelief. "Are you seriously that much of a dummy? I was trying to say I wanted to go on a date with you. I want to spend more time with you and get to know you better. That's why I asked if you liked me back. If you did, we could go on a date—and maybe, just maybe, think about being in a relationship someday."
Hearing her explanation, everything finally clicked.
"Why didn't you just say you wanted to go on a date with me?" I asked.
She glared. "I tried! But before I could say it, you ran off. I called after you, but you didn't listen. When you ran off, do you know how scared and hurt I was? I thought I made a mistake." Her eyes watered again.
Fucking hell. My dumbass thought she was confessing her undying love, and I ended up having a panic attack.
Thank God that wasn't the case. The way she worded things earlier made it sound like she was trying to force me to love her back.
Now I felt embarrassed. My imagination had gone wild, making me misunderstand everything.
"Sorry… I misunderstood. I thought you wanted to be in a relationship right now, and I'm not ready for that," I admitted quietly.
Clementine punched me again, harder.
"Even I don't want to be in a relationship right now!" she snapped. "But I do know I'm romantically interested in you, and I wanted to know how you felt about me."
She looked down at her feet, her cheeks burning red.
Hearing her made me feel unbelievably stupid. I've been looking at everything wrong from the start. I'd been in relationships before, even bad ones; I should've known better. Instead, I panicked and spiraled into my own thoughts.
As I sat there, heart pounding, I wondered why I panicked in the first place. After thinking for a while, the real reason surfaced: trauma.
Everyone I'd ever loved had either died or betrayed me. It wasn't just fear—I was becoming afraid to feel anything at all. I'd shut myself down so slowly I didn't notice. I told myself it was survival: don't get attached, don't let people in, guard every inch of yourself so nothing else can be taken. I was terrified of feeling the crushing weight of losing someone I loved again.
But it wasn't a strategy anymore. It was numbness.
I'd convinced myself that every feeling led to pain, so I stopped letting myself feel. I didn't realize how hollow that fear had made me—until now.
I looked at Clementine at her small, tired face—and for the first time, I saw the truth:
She wasn't the problem.
She wasn't misunderstanding anything.
I was.
I was the one running, hiding behind excuses to avoid feeling anything at all.
The realization hit me like a punch to the chest.
I didn't want to be that person anymore.
"Listen, Clementine… I'm sorry for hurting your feelings," I said quietly. "I misunderstood you. And… I do like you. I also want to get to know you better."
Her face lit up, her eyes bright with hope. She opened her mouth to speak, but I raised a hand.
"But I'm still not ready for a relationship. Or dating. How about we stay friends for now and figure things out as we go?"
Her smile softened. She leaned forward and hugged me with her good arm.
"That works for me," she whispered. "Let's take it slow."
I nodded. "Alright then, new friend. Sleep well...and get better soon."
She giggled. "Goodnight, Max. Sleep well, too."
As I stepped out of the medical tent, I nearly bumped into Lee, who was waiting with a small, proud smile.
"Well, kid," he said, arms crossed, "looks like you finally cleared up that misunderstanding."
I blinked. "Wait—how did you even know there was a misunderstanding?"
"When you gave her that water," he said, chuckling, "she told me she was interested in you. So, I suggested she try asking you out when she felt better."
I stared at him, letting it sink in. Of course, it was Lee's idea. Clementine was a very timid girl; she would've waited forever to ask someone out.
"Thanks," I said quietly. "That actually helped a lot."
"It's nothing," he said, patting my shoulder before heading back inside.
I returned to my tent, lay down, and for the first time in a long while… I fell asleep peacefully.