**Chapter 2: "Drowning in Moonshine"**

Ever since they’d all been sent to the ground, all 100 teenagers, Clarke couldn’t remember the last time she was sober. She drank a lot of the moonshine to get rid of the betrayal of Wells, who told his dad, the Chancellor, that Jake, Clarke’s father, was going to broadcast that the Ark was dying. Her father got floated, and now Clarke drank to get rid of the memories. She was only 17, but she didn’t know if she could go a day without alcohol. As a daughter of a doctor, Clarke knew she was destroying her liver really fast. But she just couldn’t seem to stop. She was really good at pretending to be sober, though. She had mastered the art of hiding her intoxication, even when she was clearly drunk. Bellamy, her best friend, was of legal age, and he got her the moonshine she so desperately craved. They would sneak around, drinking 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. The adults from the Ark had finally come down to the ground, including her mother, Abby Griffin, a real doctor. Clarke’s heart sank at the thought of her mother 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. One 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. Clarke knew she was in trouble. She had been trying to hide her addiction for so long, but it seemed like her mother had finally discovered her secret. As Abby prepared the medical equipment, Clarke couldn’t help but wonder what her mother would find out about her liver. 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 mix of emotions. She knew her mother was right, but she wasn’t sure if she could stop drinking completely. All she knew was that she had to try. 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 trepidation. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, but she was willing to try. For her mother, for herself, and for her future. "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." Clarke took a deep breath, feeling 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. With Abby's help, Clarke started to cut back on her drinking. She still drank every day, but not as much as she used to. And with weekly liver scans, Clarke was forced to confront the reality of her addiction. It was a long and difficult road ahead, but Clarke was determined to get her life back on track.