Legal: I own nothing but the idea
Important things to know before reading:
*Drianca is still together
*Bakers moved back to Florida and there is no Zoe
*Adam crashed but lived and deciding life was too short took part in an exchange program and he's spending his senior year abroad
*Drew and Clare have become good friends while working student council together
*Owen attends college in New York
*Dallas graduated and went to college
Best Worst Mistakes
"We'll get here at ten on Monday to start setting up I've assigned everyone jobs. We'll let everyone in at noon and close up at three so we can all go have dinner with our families," Clare says and then her phone beeps. She looks at it and makes a face.
"What's wrong?"
"It's Eli he cancelled on me again. That's the sixth time in the last two months. He makes plans with me and always breaks them because he's too busy with school. We don't even video chat anymore I'm just not important to him anymore," she sighs. I hate seeing her looking so sad. Before Adam left he asked me to watch out for her and be her friend because he wouldn't be here. "If Eli can't come to me for the holiday then I'll go to him. I'd rather spend the holiday in his dorm with my boyfriend than not see him at all."
"Clare you can't do that," I argue.
"If I go home and pack I can be on the road in half an hour."
"It's an eight hour drive Clare you just had an entire day at school it's nearly six you'd be getting there at two in the morning with nowhere to stay and that's if you even make it."
"I'll go to the airport then get a standby ticket."
"You'd blow all your cash and be waiting for hours."
"I'm spending the weekend with Eli I'll find a way to get there."
"If you're that determined to go then I'll go with you. Bianca's coming for the weekend I'm sure she'll come with us."
"You guys can't spend your entire holiday weekend taking me to New York because my boyfriend took onto much," she contends.
"I'm not letting you go alone. We'll leave in the morning you'll get some time with Eli and we can be back Sunday night."
"At least talk with Bianca and your mom and make sure it's okay with them."
"Come to dinner tonight we can both talk to them but you're not running off to New York alone," I insist. Clare nods and we pack up to go to my house. Bianca is in the basement when we get in. "Hey how do you feel about a road trip to New York this weekend?" I ask her.
"Sweet New York sounds like fun and I haven't seen Owen in forever," Bianca replies.
"You two don't have to come, Eli cancelled on me again and I wanted to go see him. I told Drew I could go alone but he insists we all road trip together."
"Drew's right you shouldn't go alone, anyway I've never been to New York and like I said I haven't seen Owen in forever."
"Good now we just need to clear it with Mom," I comment.
Mom isn't really thrilled that we'll be spending most of the weekend away but she also doesn't want Clare going alone and she's happy that I'm looking out for Clare. Clare goes home after dinner and we go to bed fairly early because we plan to leave at six in the morning. I wake up a little after five to pack, B is already packed and after a quick breakfast we get in the car and drive to Clare's. She comes out of her house the moment I park out front; she's carrying a small bag and gets in the car. She thanks us for driving her and I start driving to New York. After stopping for lunch and gas we make the drive in nine hours and I pull up to the dorm a little after three in the afternoon. We follow Clare into the dorm since we're assuming she knows where to go. She knocks on a door but there's no answer so Clare tries the handle and finds it open.
"Eli I came to sp…what the fuck?!" Clare shrieks cutting herself off. "This is why you wouldn't come for Thanksgiving? You cheating bastard stay the hell away from me we're done!"
Clare runs out in tears and Bianca runs after her while I step into the room. Eli's trying to put on his boxers and walk at the same time.
"Clare wait," Eli calls straightening up but he runs into me instead. "Where'd she go?" Eli questions while I look at the naked girl trying to hide herself in Eli's bed.
"Clare's gone you idiot, you lost her because you're a moron that couldn't keep your dick in your pants. You had one of the greatest girls and you lost her again because you wanted to screw some film school slut?"
"Hey!" She squeaks from the bed.
"Stay out of this blondie no one is talking to you. Clare was so upset when you weren't coming and she nearly drove all the way here on her own and you're fucking cheating on her! After all the crap you've put her through in the last few years and yet she still loves you, or at least she did. From now on just stay the hell away from her she deserves a lot better than you. I should punch your face through the fucking wall for what you've done."
I push Eli away from me and walk out, I don't see the girls in the hallway but I find them at the car. Clare sniffles in her tears and looks up at me.
"I'm sorry for dragging you all the way here for this," she apologizes.
"I'm not I'm glad we were here to see it. I had a few words for Eli. There's a coffee shop why don't you two go get some coffee and I'll call Owen," I say getting out my wallet and giving some money to Bianca. The girls walk to the coffee shop and I get out my phone calling Owen.
"Hey Drew," he answers.
"Hey got room for three crashers tonight?" I question.
"Yeah it will be a little cramped but we can all fit. You and B in town?"
"Yeah with Clare, we drove her down to see Eli since he told her he was too busy to come up for Thanksgiving and when we got here she finds him in bed with some other girl."
"Ouch that must suck. Well you can all come here."
"Thanks we'll be there in a few," I tell him and hang up as the girls walk back with coffee.
B hands one to me and we get back in the car, it takes us over an hour to get to Owen's apartment in New York traffic. Then I have to find parking and we all go up Owen's apartment. I knock on the door and Owen answers.
"Hey good to see you guys," Owen smiles hugging me and Bianca, "hey Clare I heard about Eli that sucks."
"Hi Owen thanks for letting me sleep here and let's just not talk about Eli," she replies.
"Well I've got a queen so I figured Drew and B would take my bed, Clare can take the sofa and I'll sleep on the floor. So are guys headed back tomorrow?"
"Yeah we were going to wait until early afternoon but now we'll probably leave first thing in the morning unless Clare wants to stick around?"
"No I want to go home," she says.
"Mind if I come I was going to hop on a bus tomorrow anyway."
"Yeah sure more drivers is always good. We'll leave early, eight or whenever everyone is up."
We spend the afternoon catching up with Owen while Clare sits there quietly. Owen orders pizza for dinner and we watch TV. We stay up a little bit late since Bianca and I haven't seen Owen in four months. We leave at eight the next morning and begin the drive back, we stop for breakfast and then again for lunch and gas of course but with four of us it's a pretty easy drive. We drop Owen at his place and then take Clare home.
"Thanks for everything I'll see you guys tomorrow," she says in a sad voice when she gets out of the car.
"Call us if you need to talk," I tell her and she gives me a tiny smile.
Mom is surprised to see us home so early when we come in and we tell her what happened. I spend the rest of the evening alone with Bianca. When we get to the school the next morning to set up for the dinner Clare is already there. She's taken charge so I let her keep going. People begin arriving for the dinner and Eli walks in with them.
"B can you handle this a minute?" I ask her nodding to Eli.
"Yeah no problem," she nods.
"Owen come help me," I say walking toward Eli. Owen comes with me and I hope that Clare is too busy orchestrated everything to see that Eli has arrived. Owen and I grab Eli as he walks toward Clare.
"I just want to give her something," Eli pleads.
"You've given her enough pain she doesn't need anything else from you," I reply as we drag Eli out of the auditorium.
"I know I hurt her, I know I screwed up but you're not perfect either Drew from what I remember you cheated on Alli, Katie and Bianca," Eli spits back at me as Clare follows us out but Eli doesn't notice.
"I was stupid when I was with Alli and I never cared for her that much anyway. Bianca's the one I've always loved and when I cheated on her with Katie I was extremely drunk but we already know I'm stupid and I had to work really hard to make it up to Bianca. You might not have cheated on Clare before but you've done a lot of other stupid crap to her."
"I know I've done a lot of terrible things and Clare puts up with a lot but I can control myself now. My bipolar depression is under control I'm not going to crash my car. What happened with Lenore was stupid I can't even explain why. Clare is the best thing that ever happened to me and I ruined it, I don't even have a good reason. I am so very in love with Clare and I ruined it and I probably don't deserve her but I at least deserve the chance to make it up to her and grovel an apology?"
"I don't know what do you think Clare?" I question and Eli turns around to look at her.
"He can grovel. Can you two give us a moment?" Clare requests.
"We'll be right in there, just holler if you want us to throw him out," Owen tells her.
"Thanks both of you," Clare smiles and we leave her going back into the dinner.
Tristan and his friends have started their play and Bianca, my parents, Connor, Jenna and Alli are serving the dinner to the needy families that came to the dinner. I can see Clare and Eli through the window and when they come back in I walk over to Clare. Eli looks at us and then walks over to Connor to help with serving.
"Did you forgive him?"
"He's on probation, he promises to call or video chat every day no matter how busy he is and he won't spend time with Lenore anymore. He also promised to make it up or meet me halfway at least once a month. I haven't taken him back yet but he says he loves me very deeply and swears he'll never make that mistake again and he's going to work real hard on showing me how sorry he is and how much he loves me."
"Good don't take him back if you don't want to he's not the only guy out there you know."
"I know but I still love him too," she says and hugs me before walking to the dessert table to begin setting the desserts out. I go over to Eli and put my hand tightly on his shoulder.
"Just know that if you ever do hurt her again I will punch your face through the wall and then I'll send Owen to your dorm to do it again."
"I swear I will never cause her pain again."
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