DEGRASSI: NOWHERE TO RUN
Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi.
Halloween night was approaching, and the students of Degrassi Community School couldn't have been more thrilled. Clare Edwards and Jake Martin had organized a secret getaway at their family's cabin for all of their friends and themselves. Clare's mother and Jake's father were off on their honeymoon, and the students decided to take a trip up to the cabin. What harm would there be in a simple, fun trip to the lake? The shore was beautiful with a complete view of the forest outlining the lake, and if you got lucky and there was a full moon, you could see the moon's reflection on the lake. That sounds like the perfect vacation, right? If only these young students knew what they were getting themselves into…
Friday: Halloween, 3:00 PM. Jake and Clare's house.
"Okay, is everyone here? I'm going to take attendance and make sure!" Clare Edwards shouted, watching as her friends lined up along the cars parked by her driveway. It was right after school on Halloween, and her friends came to her house directly after school so they could head off to the cabin right away. The cabin was about two hours away, so they really needed to get going.
"Eli," Clare read off the list, smiling when Eli smirked and yelled that he was there.
She crossed his name off. "Alli," She called, earning a high five from her best friend, who was armed with two full suitcases by her side. Not that Alli was going to need them; she always tended to over-pack for trips, and they were only going to be gone for the weekend.
"Drew," She read, crossing his name off when he fist-pumped Eli, who he had bonded with after the shooting at prom. The two had actually become great friends, since Eli knew how it felt to believe an accident was your fault when it wasn't.
"Katie," She giggled and crossed Katie's name off when Katie hip bumped Marisol. After that, she crossed Marisol's name off.
"Jake," She already knew Jake was there, since he was busy packing everyone's things into the back of his truck.
"Last but not least, Bianca," Clare called, grinning and crossing off Bianca's name after Bianca chirped an, "I'm here!".
"Okay, Eli, Drew, and Katie will be riding in Jake's truck with Jake and me." Clare explained, herding the boys and Katie into the backseat of the truck. "Marisol and Alli, you're going to be riding with Bianca, who will follow us up to the cabin!" Folding up the sheet of names, Clare tucked it into her shorts pocket and climbed into the passenger seat of the truck after Bianca and Marisol piled into Bianca's black Mercedes.
Jake pulled out of the driveway, and Bianca followed him. Turning on the truck's radio, Clare turned around in her seat and grinned at everyone. "So, who's ready for a weekend on the lake?"
Katie looked rather tired, leaning on Drew's shoulder while Drew and Eli high fived and yelled, "Hell yeah!" Drew noticed her sleepy head on his shoulder and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Sorry, Katie," He murmured to her, twisting her red-brown ponytail around his finger gently.
She smiled weakly. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. My sister Maya kept complaining about how lost she is around Degrassi."
Clare laughed. "I felt that way when I was a Niner, too."
Jake's eyes were focused on the road, and she touched his shoulder lightly. "Hey, are you okay?" Clare asked.
He glanced over at her briefly; they were almost on the main exit now. "I'm fine," He answered sternly, turning down the music a little.
Eli and Drew talked most of the way there, but eventually everyone grew tired after the first hour of driving and fell asleep. Katie was sound asleep against the window, and Eli was propped up against the other window. Drew's head was nestled in Katie's shoulder, snoring lightly.
"Finally, they're asleep. I thought they'd never shut up." Jake joked, turning onto the main road which would lead them to their cabin in about a half hour.
"I know. Anyway, how big is the cabin?" Clare wondered, looking back out the window.
"It's pretty big, actually. There's two floors, and there are 4 bedrooms, so it's not bad. Two people will have to sleep in each room, but I think it's only fair to let them decide who they're sharing with." Jake replied, driving down the winding path to their cabin. Bianca's car was following closely behind, her headlights flashing in the foggy evening.
The cabin came into view about 10 minutes later, and Clare couldn't believe her eyes. The cabin was a basic wooden cabin, but the lake was completely private, and there were no other residences anywhere nearby. The water sparkled, showing the reflections of the trees that surrounded it. The moon shone faintly in the sky, a half moon. The stars sprinkled across the sky, and fog swirled around the rocky edge of the water.
Jake parked the truck to the side of the house, where Bianca pulled up next to him. In the passenger seat, Marisol was fast asleep, as was Alli in the backseat.
Clare climbed out of the truck in awe of the beauty surrounding her. "Eli, Drew, Katie, wake up! We're here!" She exclaimed, knocking on the backseat window. Eli's eyes flew open, and he lightly tapped Drew and Katie's shoulders, waking them up.
Katie lightly stepped out of the truck, wearing a light pink jacket with dark jeans. "Wow, it's really pretty here,"
Bianca hopped out of her car after yanking Alli and Marisol out. "Nice place you got here, guys,"
Jake lead the way up the wooden steps to the cabin's front door and the others followed. He unlocked the door, and it creaked open, revealing a cozy little kitchen and living room. Everyone stepped inside, lugging suitcases behind them.
Clare stood in front of the group after Jake switched the lights on. "Okay, everyone, go pick your rooms. There are 4 rooms in this cabin, and 8 of us. That means everyone will have to share a room with someone else."
Eli looked around awkwardly. The only person he really knew here was Drew, and he was pretty sure Drew would want to stay with his girlfriend, not that he was too keen on sharing a room with a guy anyway. Everyone raced off to find their rooms.
Marisol and Bianca darted up the stairs to claim their bedroom while Clare and Alli followed closely behind. Drew and Katie dashed to the cabin's downstairs, eager to find a room to share. Eli and Jake stood there awkwardly for a second, realizing they were the only ones left. Finally, they shrugged and headed downstairs after Drew and Katie.
Eli tentatively followed Jake into the room they would be sharing for the weekend. The room had a small window with a view of the lake and the starry sky. Eli saw the jacuzzi from the window and smiled. It was really nice of Jake and Clare to invite him along; he certainly hadn't expected it from the way he had acted towards them that year.
Jake started unpacking his clothes and shoving them into one of the bedside dressers. "You can unpack if you want, Eli." He laughed at Eli's cautious stance.
Eli nervously chuckled. "Okay," He went to work at placing his clothes into the other dresser, sneaking nervous glances at Jake.
Jake turned around. "Okay, man, listen. I know we've had our differences, but I judged you without even knowing you. You apologized, and you're an alright guy, Eli. I don't have a problem with you, so chill out, man."
"Well, I feel bad for how I acted during the year. I feel like there's nothing I can do to make up for it." Eli said sadly, placing the remainder of his clothing into the dresser.
Jake sighed and scooted closer to Eli after slamming his dresser drawer shut. "Look, dude, it's over now. You can make up for it by forgetting about it and having a fun time this weekend, okay? No moping around."
Eli nodded in agreement. "Deal," He laughed, and Jake patted his shoulder before getting up and heading towards the door.
"You coming, man? I'm going to need some assistance in grilling up some burgers and uncovering the jacuzzi." Jake asked, staring at Eli with an expectant expression.
"How could I say no?" Eli stood up and followed Jake out the door to the back patio, where he began grilling burgers while Jake set up the Jacuzzi.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Clare and Alli gossiped with excitement while unpacking their things.
"Clare, do you think Jake likes me? I mean, he seemed pretty into me that time we met at your house!" Alli squealed, jamming her armful of bras and panties into the dresser she and Clare were sharing in their spacious bedroom.
Clare turned towards Alli after setting her lotion and hairbrush on the white oak dresser. "First of all, if you keep putting clothes in this thing, there won't be any room for my stuff." Alli stuck out her bottom lip in a playful pout, and Clare giggled. "Second of all, you met Jake for, like, 2 seconds at my house. But yeah, he seemed kind of into you." Clare finished, packing her outfits in the opposite drawer of Alli's.
Alli rolled her eyes. "Well, he's totally hot. I totally want him." Clare shot Alli a look; she wasn't entirely over her break up with Jake, it had only been a few weeks. "But I would never go out with him without your permission, Clare Bear. I know how hard the breakup was on you." She finished, pushing her drawer, which was filled to the brim with clothing, shut with great difficulty.
Clare smiled. "Thank you, Alli. It means a lot to me how considerate you're being about it. I just need a little more time,"
Alli hugged her best friend tightly. "Take all the time you need," Clare hugged her back and then retreated out of her hug when she heard Eli's voice yell, "Dinner's ready!" up the stairs. Alli frowned. "What's wrong, Clare?"
Clare shrugged, and Alli gasped. "Wait a second," Alli whispered suspiciously. "You still have feelings for Eli, don't you?"
Clare blushed furiously, taking another step back from her friend. "Kind of," Alli's jaw dropped, and Clare quickly defended herself. "Look, he's so sweet, okay? That night at the hospital when we were with Adam… I saw another side of him; the side I like. I'm just not ready for a relationship yet."
Alli jumped up and down. "I know he still loves you; it's so obvious, Clare!"
Clare laughed. "How? I broke his heart. I don't see how he can ever fully trust me again."
Alli pulled Clare into a hug. "Listen, Clare, you were just trying to do the right thing. I can just tell by the way he looks at you that he still loves you."
Clare pulled out of the hug and smiled weakly. "Well, I guess we'll just have to see how this weekend goes, right?"
Alli nodded in agreement. "Absolutely, sister," She flashed Clare a grin, grabbed her hand, and dragged her downstairs shouting, "We're coming!"
Marisol and Bianca finished packing their things in the room they shared which was right next door to Clare and Alli's.
Marisol shivered. "It's so freaking cold up here,"
Bianca shoved her arms through her oversize blue sweatshirt her aunt had given her. "Tell me about it," She murmured, running her hands through her volumous black hair.
Marisol's stomach grumbled. "I'm starving! I think I heard Eli call us down for dinner. We should go." She turned for the door, but Bianca lightly grasped her wrist before she could leave. "What is it?"
Bianca sighed heavily. "Marisol, I know you don't know me very well, and I'm sure you've heard the rumors about me. I just want to ask you to just please give me a chance before you judge me."
Marisol frowned. "Why would I judge you? You risked yourself to save my best friend's boyfriend's life."
Bianca smiled sadly, recalling the awful memories Vince had brought upon her. "Thank you. I haven't had a real friend in a while, you know. Maybe we could be friends."
Marisol laughed. "Of course we can, silly! Now, let's go get something to eat!" She softly grasped Bianca's arm, which was still slightly bruised under the bandages from Vince's harsh abuse.
Katie and Drew were already seated at the table on the back patio, along with Alli. Clare, Jake, and Eli were busy placing plates of food and drinks at everyone's place. Bianca and Marisol slid into two seats next to each other, offering to help, but only earning the refusal from Eli.
Finally, everyone sat down. "Is it alright with everyone if we say grace just for tonight?" Clare asked shyly, biting her lip.
Everyone nodded. It only made sense to thank the lord for protecting them on the night of prom. They certainly were lucky no one died that night, and that Adam was safe at home, healing from his gunshot wound. More importantly, as the teenagers joined hands, they realized they were all just lucky to simply have each other.
Clare quickly chimed in once everyone was holding hands. "Lord, thank you for everything you've given us. Thank you for protecting us in our times of need, and for giving us the gift of friendship and forgiveness."
"Amen," Everyone said in unison, and then they immediately began filling their plates with Clare's homemade pasta salad, Jake and Eli's hamburgers, and the salad Alli had made.
When they were done eating, Clare and Eli both jumped up and grabbed everyone's plates, bringing them to the sink. Everyone but Bianca helped; Bianca offered, but everyone agreed she was still slightly injured from Vince, so they told her it was fine. Bianca sighed and headed out to sit by the lake.
After the dishes were done, it was about 8:00. Jake and Alli went into the woods, explaining they were going to get the fire started. Marisol went outside to go talk to Bianca, who was obviously upset that no one would let her help.
"Crap! Drew, I'll be right back. I need to grab a sweatshirt before we all go out to the campfire." Katie exclaimed, quickly kissing his cheek and dashing down the wooden steps.
Drew blushed and smiled in joy, his smile only faltering when he saw Eli and Clare standing there, stifling laughter. "What? Is it so wrong that I'm completely in love with my girlfriend?" He defended.
Eli smirked at his friend. "Absolutely not, my friend. On the contrary, it's quite a good thing to love someone as much as you love her, though it can hurt you sometimes." He said the last part quietly, earning an awkward glance from a blushing Clare.
Drew patted Eli on the back. "I'm going to go change my clothes; these shorts are kind of uncomfortable. I'll see you guys out there," With that, he walked back downstairs, leaving Eli and Clare alone.
Eli cleared his throat. "Should we, um, go help Jake and Alli with the fire?"
Clare rolled her eyes. "I think they can handle it,"
"Well, what do you want to do until it's time for the campfire? We could dry the dishes, or-"
"I'm done playing games, Eli." Clare cut him off, crossing her arms over her chest sternly. She realized what she just said in embarrassment, turning to pick an imaginary piece of lint off her bright pink sweater.
Eli's cheeks reddened slightly. "Sorry?"
Clare sighed heavily, placing her hands on her hips. "I know things between us got…complicated, to say the least. But I want to be with you," She blurted, blushing again.
Eli's heart skipped a beat; where was this coming from? Was this girl honestly telling him she'd give him another chance, despite all they'd been through? "Well, it'd be a lie if I said I didn't feel the same way."
Clare smiled a little. "I'm just not quite ready for another relationship. I want to be with you, but I don't want to take it too fast. I just want to get to know you again." She added sadly, gazing at him with love in her blue eyes.
Eli smiled a genuine smile this time. "I want to get to know you again too, Clare. We can take it slow."
"Thank you," Her eyes brightened up, creating the sparkle Eli always loved.
With that, Clare stepped forward and hugged him tightly around the waist. Eli gently wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on top of her head. Clare stepped back after a few minutes. "I should probably go see if Alli and Jake are alright. They've been out there for a while now…" She suddenly became alarmed; What if something had happened to them?
Eli nodded. "Yeah, you should go check on them." He slipped downstairs, and Clare was about to step outside until she found Bianca crying softly by the lake. She cocked her head in confusion before sliding out the sliding glass doors.
"Bianca?" She whispered, sitting down on the edge of the dock next to Bianca, her legs dangling off the edge.
Bianca lifted her eyes to meet Clare's. "Oh, hi Clare," She sniffled, wiping her nose on the back of her sweatshirt sleeve.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Bianca replied, staring out into the dark night.
Clare sighed. "You're crying; are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"
Bianca burst into tears again. "Look, Clare, it's hard to talk about how someone abused you for months on end and you could never tell anyone! I couldn't tell anyone! If I did, he would've killed me or someone else. And the second I get away from him, he shows up at our prom and shoots Adam! I'm such a mistake, and these goddamn bruises just won't fade!"
Clare pulled a now sobbing Bianca to her, hugging her silently. "God loves you," She whispered.
"How can you say that?" Bianca sobbed, "I'm such a whore! I slept with him, Clare! I slept with Vince. I stole Imogen's money to make it look like I sold her drugs when I didn't!"
Clare shook her head of curls, pressing her cheek to the top of Bianca's curls. "Bianca, you didn't want to do any of those things. You were afraid, and Vince is a horrible man to make you do such things. It's not you who's at fault here; it's him. It's him," She murmured, hugging Bianca tighter.
A while later, Bianca calmed down and sat up again. "Thank you, Clare. I honestly don't know why you're being so nice to me."
"It's because you're brave, Bianca. You were very brave to try and protect Drew by yourself. And by the way, those bruises will fade eventually. Until then, pretend they aren't even there." Clare smiled, standing up and offering Bianca a hand. "Come with me, okay? I was just on my way to check on Jake and Alli."
Bianca nodded, letting Clare pull her along the winding path along the lake into the woods with the flashlight guiding them.
"Oh, they've got the fire started!" Clare grinned, walking up to the fire, which was surrounded with logs for everyone to sit on. That is, until she saw who was sitting on it? She and Bianca stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the scene before them; Jake and Alli were kissing passionately on the log, wrapped up in each other.
Clare's throat began to close up. "Jake? Alli?" She choked out, eyes watering up in hurt.
Alli slowly pulled away from Jake, eyeing Clare with a guilty look. "Oh, hey Clare. Why don't you come join us? We were just about to get everyone to come and make s'mores."
Bianca's eyes widened. She had had her problems with Alli in the past, but she never knew how mean Alli could be. Alli had sent naked photos of Bianca to the entire school, but that was because Bianca had stolen Drew, Alli's boyfriend at the time. Why would she do something like this to Clare? She and Clare were best friends!
"Wow, Alli. What ever happened to 'I'd never go after him without your permission, Clare Bear!' ? You are so pathetic; I can't believe we were ever friends." With that, Clare grabbed Bianca's hand and stormed out of the woods.
Once they were in sight of the lake again, Clare started crying. Bianca did the comforting this time. "Clare, it's okay. You still have me, and you have Eli and all your other friends too. You don't need Alli."
"How can I not need her, Bianca? She's been my best friend for two years! We've been through so much together," Clare cried, storming into the cabin.
Bianca stood there dumbfounded. Wow. Drama, much? She hated this little Halloween detour already.