diff --git a/include/gamepad/gamepad.hpp b/include/gamepad/gamepad.hpp
index a42216f..5f55367 100644
--- a/include/gamepad/gamepad.hpp
+++ b/include/gamepad/gamepad.hpp
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class Gamepad {
     private:
         Gamepad(pros::controller_id_e_t id)
             : controller(id) {
-            screens.push_back(defaultScreen);
+            this->add_screen(defaultScreen);
         }
 
         Button m_L1 {}, m_L2 {}, m_R1 {}, m_R2 {}, m_Up {}, m_Down {}, m_Left {}, m_Right {}, m_X {}, m_B {}, m_Y {},
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class Gamepad {
         uint8_t last_printed_line = 0;
         uint last_print_time = 0;
         uint last_update_time = 0;
-        bool screenCleared = true;
+        bool screenCleared = false;
         pros::Mutex mut {};
 };
 
diff --git a/include/gamepad/screens/abstractScreen.hpp b/include/gamepad/screens/abstractScreen.hpp
index 502e546..10638f0 100644
--- a/include/gamepad/screens/abstractScreen.hpp
+++ b/include/gamepad/screens/abstractScreen.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <optional>
 #include <set>
 #include <string>
+#include <sys/types.h>
 #include "pros/misc.h"
 
 namespace gamepad {
@@ -16,8 +17,7 @@ typedef std::array<std::optional<std::string>, 4> ScreenBuffer;
 
 class AbstractScreen {
     public:
-        AbstractScreen(uint priority)
-            : priority(priority) {}
+        AbstractScreen(uint priority) : priority(priority) {}
 
         virtual void update(uint delta_time) {}
 
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ class AbstractScreen {
 
         virtual void handle_events(std::set<pros::controller_digital_e_t> button_events) {}
 
-        const uint get_priority() { return this->priority; }
-    private:
+        uint get_priority() { return this->priority; }
+    protected:
         const uint priority;
 };
 
diff --git a/include/gamepad/screens/alertScreen.hpp b/include/gamepad/screens/alertScreen.hpp
index 2d6926b..7656eaf 100644
--- a/include/gamepad/screens/alertScreen.hpp
+++ b/include/gamepad/screens/alertScreen.hpp
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ class AlertScreen : public AbstractScreen {
         void update(uint delta_time);
         ScreenBuffer get_screen(std::set<uint8_t> visible_lines);
 
-        void handle_events(std::set<pros::controller_digital_e_t> button_events) {}
-
         void add_alerts(uint8_t line, std::string strs, uint32_t duration, std::string rumble = "");
     private:
         struct AlertBuffer {
diff --git a/include/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.hpp b/include/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.hpp
index 61ebbe4..ad62a1c 100644
--- a/include/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.hpp
+++ b/include/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.hpp
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ namespace gamepad {
 
 class DefaultScreen : public AbstractScreen {
     public:
-        DefaultScreen();
-        ScreenBuffer get_screen(std::set<uint8_t> visible_lines);
+        DefaultScreen()
+            : AbstractScreen(1) {}
 
-        void handle_events(std::set<pros::controller_digital_e_t> button_events) {}
+        ScreenBuffer get_screen(std::set<uint8_t> visible_lines);
 
         void print_line(uint8_t line, std::string str);
         void rumble(std::string rumble_pattern);
diff --git a/src/gamepad/gamepad.cpp b/src/gamepad/gamepad.cpp
index 3ab9020..1333b25 100644
--- a/src/gamepad/gamepad.cpp
+++ b/src/gamepad/gamepad.cpp
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ void Gamepad::updateScreens() {
         // theres nothing on this line so we can skip it
         if (!this->nextBuffer[line].has_value()) continue;
 
-        if (!this->screenCleared) {
+        if (!this->screenCleared && line != 3) {
             this->controller.clear();
+            screenCleared = true;
             this->last_print_time = pros::millis();
             return;
         }
diff --git a/src/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.cpp b/src/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.cpp
index 57110be..1afd516 100644
--- a/src/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.cpp
+++ b/src/gamepad/screens/defaultScreen.cpp
@@ -9,10 +9,6 @@
 
 namespace gamepad {
 
-DefaultScreen::DefaultScreen()
-    : AbstractScreen(1),
-      currentBuffer({}) {}
-
 ScreenBuffer DefaultScreen::get_screen(std::set<uint8_t> visible_lines) {
     ScreenBuffer output;
     const std::lock_guard<pros::Mutex> guard(this->mut);
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 4b57db6..2447f38 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include "gamepad/gamepad.hpp"
 #include "gamepad/screens/alertScreen.hpp"
 #include "pros/rtos.hpp"
+#include <cstdio>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
@@ -15,8 +16,9 @@ std::shared_ptr<gamepad::AlertScreen> alerts{};
  * to keep execution time for this mode under a few seconds.
  */
 void initialize() {
-    gamepad::master.add_screen(alerts);
-    gamepad::master.A.onPress("alert", []() { alerts->add_alerts(0, "a very\nimportant\nalert", 3000, "-.-"); });
+    printf("alert priority: %i\n", alerts->get_priority());
+    // gamepad::master.add_screen(alerts);
+    // gamepad::master.A.onPress("alert", []() { alerts->add_alerts(0, "a very\nimportant\nalert", 3000, "-.-"); });
     gamepad::master.B.onPress(
         "print02", []() { gamepad::master.print_line(0, "the time is\n\n" + std::to_string(pros::millis()) + " ms"); });
     gamepad::master.X.onPress("rumble", []() { gamepad::master.rumble("..."); });