**Chapter 3: "The Lie"**

Clarke's mind was a blur as she stumbled through the makeshift camp on the ground. She hadn't been sober in what felt like an eternity, and the memories of Wells' betrayal still lingered, a constant ache in her chest. Her father, Jaha, was gone, floated for his supposed crime, and Clarke was left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. As she walked, the world around her seemed to spin, and she gripped Bellamy's arm to stay upright. Her best friend, of legal age, had been her supplier, her enabler, and her partner in crime. Together, they'd sneak around, drinking moonshine in secret, trying to escape the harsh reality of their situation. But Clarke knew it was only a matter of time before someone found out. Her mother, Abby Griffin, a real doctor, had finally come down to the ground, and Clarke's heart sank at the thought of her discovering her secret. For once, on the ground, they had a real medical facility, and Clarke knew that her mother would be able to tell just by looking at her. "Hey, Clarke, you okay?" Bellamy asked, concern etched on his face. Clarke nodded, trying to play it off. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little...tired." Bellamy raised an eyebrow. "You've been drinking a lot lately, Clarke. Maybe you should slow down." Clarke shrugged. "I'll be fine. I just need to...cope." Bellamy looked at her, his eyes searching. "With moonshine? That's not coping, Clarke. That's just making it worse." Clarke felt a pang of defensiveness. "You don't understand. You don't know what it's like." Bellamy sighed. "I understand that you're hurting, Clarke. But I'm worried about you. You're not the same person anymore." Clarke looked away, feeling a mix of emotions. She knew Bellamy was right, but she didn't know how to stop. She was trapped in a cycle of addiction, and she didn't know how to escape. The next day, Clarke was with her mom, and she was more drunk than usual. She walked straight into a table, almost falling to the ground. Her mother rushed to her side, concern etched on her face. "Clarke, what's wrong?" her mother asked, helping her sit down. Clarke tried to brush it off, but her mother wasn't having it. "You're drunk, aren't you?" Abby asked, her voice firm but worried. Clarke looked down, feeling a mix of shame and guilt. She knew she had been caught. Abby immediately made Clarke sit down on one of the medical tables. "We're going to do a liver screening, now," she said, her voice firm. The test was quick, and Abby printed out the pictures. She looked at them, her expression unreadable. Clarke's heart sank as she waited for her mother's reaction. "Okay, let's take a look," Abby said, her voice calm. "The good news is that there's minimal damage. But there are a few inflamed spots, which is concerning." Clarke felt a pang of guilt. She knew she had been drinking too much, and now she was facing the consequences. "What does it mean?" Clarke asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "It means that you need to stop drinking, or at least cut back significantly," Abby replied. "Your liver is resilient, but it's not invincible. We need to monitor the damage and make sure it doesn't get worse." Clarke nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. She knew her mother was right, but she wasn't sure if she could stop drinking completely. Abby looked at her, her eyes searching. "I want to do weekly liver scans to monitor the damage. Can you do that for me, Clarke?" Clarke nodded, feeling a sense of obligation. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was willing to try. As they left the medical facility, Clarke couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew she had a long way to go, but with her mother's help, she was determined to get her life back on track. The lie she had been living was over, and it was time to face the truth. "I'm sorry, Mom," Clarke said, tears welling up in her eyes. Abby put a hand on her shoulder. "I know you are, sweetie. And I'm here to help you. We'll get through this together." For the first time in a long time, Clarke felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could overcome her addiction and start a new chapter in her life. But for now, she had to face the reality of her situation and take the first step towards recovery.