A/N: CLADAM FRIENDSHIP...How can you resist? :)

This is my take on Smash Into You pt 2.

I posted this last Friday but I accidentily deleted it lol So, yeah... Read:')

Oh, just read! :P

"C'mon, just let me fix your hair!"

"Clare, stop! You're making me nervous"

"But there's this little part that keeps sticking up! Please let me fix it!"

I sighed in defeat, as I looked at myself in the mirror, also seeing the reflection of Clare reaching up to fix my hair. Today was the day; my blind double date at the Dot. And I'd invited Clare over to help me get ready. However, I was beginning to regret that decision.

Every time she'd reach to tweak something or point out a minor flaw, it just made me nervous. I wasn't thinking of this date as a big thing but apparently Clare considered it a major milestone for me or something- which is kind of offensive if you think about it. So, now I was all worked up over it being a big thing. Damn you, Clare and your perfectionist ways.

I'm kidding, of course. I honestly don't know what I'd do without the girl.

Third Person...

As Clare finished adjusting Adam's hair, she looked at him and smiled before turning to face the mirror just as he was.

She spoke looking at his reflection. "You look great, Adam"

He sighed. "Then, I guess I look way better than I feel" And with that, he turned away from the mirror and walked toward his bed, taking a seat on the edge of it.

Clare frowned as she followed and did the same, sitting beside him. "What's wrong? I thought you were excited for this date"

"I was. I mean I am, but..." He trailed off. "You know, maybe I should just call Tori and cancel"

Clare's eyes widened as she saw him retrieving his phone from his pocket. She immediately snatched the device away from him, almost looking shocked at herself for being so aggressive. "I'm sorry, I just-... Why would you want to cancel your date?"

Adam hesitated before answering. "Okay, if I give you a good enough reason for cancelling, will you give me my phone back?"

Clare took it into consideration. "Fine"

"Okay... I'm not ready for a girlfriend! I mean, my last relationship turned out to be a disaster. And, plus, I don't know why I even agreed to this whole thing. I mean, come on, Clare. A blind double date? Does that sound like me?"

Clare frowned, handing him his phone back. As he unlocked his home screen, about to search for 'Tori' in his contacts, she laid a hand on his forearm to get his attention. "But, this date could be amazing, Adam. What if this girl turns out to be the woman of your dreams? And you'd just be passing up the chance to meet her"

Adam sighed. A part of him knew she was right. However, another part was just plain scared.

Clare continued. "Plus, do you really want to break this girls heart and have her hurt just like you've been hurt?"

Adam thought back to the night he, Clare and Eli threw that huge outdoor party. Adam had come up with the idea just so that he could invite Fiona. He remembered calling her continuously when she didn't show up. He remembered standing outside her home, calling and calling her phone; over and over.

Fiona never showed that night. She didn't even bother to call... And it hurt. A lot. His heart broke that night. And Clare was right; That's exactly what he'd be doing to someone if he cancelled this date.

Adam sighed for a final time, shoving his phone back in his pocket. He shook his head. "No, I don't want to do that to them"

Clare smiled at his final decision. "Well then you better get going"

Adam rolled his eyes playfully, a smirk on his face as he rose from the edge of the mattress.

"You're meeting them at the Dot, right?" Clare asked, rising from her seat and trailing behind him.

"Yeah, why?" Adam asked while taking a final look at himself in the mirror.

"I'm going to the book store near there. I'll walk you" Clare offered with a sincere smile.

Adam returned the smile, accepting the offer as he motioned her toward the door to exit his room.

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On the way to the Dot, Adam began chickening out once again. However, no matter what he said, Clare continued dragging him along the sidewalk toward their destination.

"But, what if she likes what she sees on the outside. And, when she gets to know me, she regrets even setting this whole thing up! What then, Clare?"

Clare groaned at his constant resistance and continued walking with her arm hooked with his so that he couldn't turn back. "Adam, that's not going to happen"

"How do you know? I mean-"

Clare cut him off. "Adam. The worst that could happen is that you won't like her"

Adam stopped in his tracks, causing Clare to be pulled back. "What?"

"I never even thought of that! What if I end up not liking her? What if she's one of those stuck up, snobby rich girls who-"

"Adam!" Clare exclaimed, releasing his arm.

"What?"

"Stop it! You're the one going on this date and you're stressing me out"

Adam sighed frustratedly. "I'm sorry, Clare. It's just... What if-"

"No! I've heard enough 'what if's out of you for today. Now, let's go" Clare re-hooked their arms as she led them to cross the street.

Adam gulped down nervous bile once he realized the Dot was directly across the street they were crossing. The two finally made their way onto the sidewalk outside the small restaurant they'd visited so many times before.

"Clare, do I really have to do this?" Adam asked for a final time.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. She immediately regretted her answer as she saw his nervous expression. "Well, I mean... No, you don't. It's your decision, Adam"

Clare placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Look, I'm sorry I practically dragged you here against your own will. I know you're nervous and everything... But, Adam, I just want to see you happy. I want to see you find that one special girl that you fall head over heels for"

Adam, focused solely on her last statement. "I don't think you can use that phrase on guys being that, you know, we don't wear heels"

Clare gave a short laugh. "Seriously? That's all you got out of what I just said?"

He chuckled. "Nah, I guess you're right. I just needed a little push to get me here... But, if this date ends in disaster-"

"Then I'll make it up to you" she smiled. "Now, get in there"

Adam took a deep breath as he looked from her to the restaurant. "Okay. Here it goes"

Clare smiled sweetly at her friend. "Text me later. And I'll be down at the book store if you need me"

Adam nodded as she patted him on the shoulder before walking off in the direction of the book store. He walked toward the entrance and pulled the door open, revealing the fairly busy restaurant. As he panned the room, his eyes finally fell on a familiar girl with long curls, holding hands across the table with a thin guy with dark, skater-looking hair.

Adam approached the table, seeing that his date had not yet arrived. He felt a bit of relief wash over him.

"Hey, Tori"

The brunette looked up from her conversation with who Adam assumed was Zig. "Hi, Adam!"

Tori removed her purse from the seat next to her. "Here! Sit, sit"

Adam gave a faint smile as he took a seat beside her.

"Adam, this is my boyfriend, Zig. Zig, Adam"

"Hey, man" Adam greeted the younger teen. He then looked to Tori. "So, where's...-"

"My friend? They'll be here any minute" she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Okay" Adam nodded his head, not wanting to seem too anxious.

Tori and Zig began making conversation; however, Adam didn't really participate. They were mainly discussing things about other freshman that Adam didn't know and classes that he'd already taken two years ago. Plus, he was still nervous about his date- whoever they might be. He continuously looked to the entrance, waiting for his admirer to walk through the door.

Just as he finally decided to avert his attention from the door to Tori and Zig's conversation, the chiming of bells on the door sounded, grasping Adam's attention immediately. Hoping it would be a young teenage girl walking through the door, his hopes were let down. It was just some kid with bright red hair, wearing some kind of scarf.

Uninterested, Adam looked back to Tori and Zig. "So, Adam" Tori said with a smile. "I'm really glad you showed up. My friend is going to be so happy"

Adam just gave a small smile, wondering if his date had gotten hit by a bus or something. Or maybe they were some stuck up rich girl and who liked being 'fashionably late' or something.

Tori suddenly looked up toward the entrance. "Oh, there he is now!"

Adam's POV

Wait, did she just say...? No, it couldn't be... 'He'?

"He?" I questioned aloud with wide eyes. But Tori didn't hear me. She was too busy flagging down the red headed boy I'd spotted just a minute ago.

"Hey, Tris!" she called to him. The brunette got up from her seat and approached the boy. She led him over to our table.

No... He couldn't be my-

"Say hello to your secret admirer" Tori said cheerfully. "Adam, this is Tristan. Tris- well, you obviously know Adam. Here, take a seat; we were just about to order"

The redhead- Tristan- took a seat across from me. He gave me a shy smile before saying hello, and apologizing for being late. I honestly couldn't respond to anything he was saying. I was still trying to get over the fact that my date was a...was a... Well, a dude!

"U-um, hi..." I managed to get out. I turned to Tori. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

Tori wore a confused expression, but nodded and followed my lead toward the back of the small restaurant.

"What's up?" she asked innocently.

I tried to gather my thoughts. What was I supposed to say? Yelling "I'm straight!" Would have drawn too much attention.

"Um... When we talked the other day, you kind of left out a bit of information"

"Which is?" she asked again with an innocent expression. This chick wasn't very bright.

"That your friend who likes me is...a guy!"

Tori's face fell. "Wait, you weren't expecting a guy? What, where you expecting a girl?"

I nodded my head as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But, I thought you were..." She trailed off.

"That I was what?"

"Gay..." she clarified.

My eyes widened. "What gave you that idea?"

"When we talked, you asked 'Does your friend know...?' And I thought you were asking if my friend knew you were gay" Tori explained.

I sighed. "I was talking about-" I hesitated. "I was talking about something else"

"What were you talking about?" Tori wanted to know.

"Nothing, it doesn't matter... Look, can you just tell your friend that this was a big misunderstanding?" I begged.

"No! Tris will be crushed. Can't you just stay for the rest of the date? And then I'll tell him something to convince him never to speak to you again or anything! Just- please!"

"No!" I exclaimed. "Look, I'm sorry. I have nothing against your friend; But, I can't go on a date with a him!"

Tori frowned while crossing her arms. "Fine... I guess I'll have to break it to him easy then"

3rd Person

Adam nodded before turning and exiting through the side/emergency door. He stood there outside the Dot for a moment, staring at the ground. He couldn't believe this. In a way, he was slightly amused by this whole thing. But as he soaked in everything that had happened... He was utterly embarrassed, humiliated and ashamed...

He understood it was a big misunderstanding, but... What did this say about how people saw him? And what if that Tristan kid started going around telling people that he and Adam went on a date just in spite of him leaving?

Adam sighed a frustrated sigh. He needed to talk to someone about this before he went insane. He began walking away from the Dot and toward the book store. He'd never been to this book store Clare had mentioned, but he remembered the direction she went in after walking him to the Dot.

Adam looked at the signs on each store and building he passed. Suddenly, the skies opened up and a light rain began to fall. The wind of the fairly chilly day picked up, blowing his short hair this way and that. As he passed more and more stores, he finally noticed one that stuck out at him.

The sign read, "Liam's Books".

He hurried toward the store in hopes of gaining shelter from the nasty weather, but more importantly: Clare. He just didn't know what to make of what had happened and maybe she'd be able to clarify things for him.

Adam approached the book store wondering if she'd even still be there. Wait- who was he kidding? Clare in a store filled books...? She'd live there if she could. He peered through the glass windows that revealed the whole view of inside the store. He spotted Clare, but not how he imagined seeing her. He imagined seeing her sitting in a corner with her nose in a book. However in reality, there she stood with a book in her hands that she paid no attention to while she seemed to be in deep conversation with some guy. Clare was laughing at something he said and then just stared intently at his face while he spoke.

And that was when it dawned on him; his true feelings on this whole blind date disaster. Sure, he felt embarrassed and everything. But, what hurt the most was that he had been looking forward to meeting a girl who truly admired him. But it didn't happen. There was no girl... And he was beginning to feel that there never would be.

Almost ironically, the skies thundered and the rain started pouring down even harder. Adam couldn't- he wouldn't- walk into that book store now. Clare was getting to know that guy. Who was he to intrude? Just because he'd never be happy, it didn't mean everyone else couldn't be.

Adam sat on a bench outside Liam's Books in the freezing rain; propping his elbows up on his lap as he hunched over, holding his head in his hands. He stared down at the ground feeling nothing but pure loneliness. When tears began stinging his eyes, he let them stream freely down his face. If anyone passed by, they wouldn't even notice; That was the beauty of rain, he decided.

As minutes passed, his clothes became uncomfortably damp and his hair, drenched. But he barely noticed. All he could do was stare blankly ahead of him, thinking of all the lonely years to come. He didn't care if he was being overdramatic about things. It was truly how he felt his life was destined to be: lonely.

"Adam?" he heard a soft, distant voice say.

Adam's POV

I heard footsteps of a person coming toward me. I then felt the presence of a person now sitting down next to me. "Adam?" the voice said again. I turned to see Clare sitting beside me on the cold, wet bench. I looked at her for a short moment before staring ahead once again.

She placed her hand on my shoulder, despite the moisture of my shirt. "What's wrong?"

I could hear the worry in her voice. If only she knew what had happened at the Dot. I decided to break my gaze with the nothingness ahead of me and I averted my eyes to meet her's.

"Nothing" I answered in a shaky voice that I'd tried to hide. "I just realized how lonely my life is going to be"

Clare furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, concern still etched on her face. "What do you mean?"

I didn't answer, I just shook my head while more tears streamed down my face. She could probably tell that I was crying at this point.

"Adam, what happened? What'd this chick do to you?" She wanted to know.

I cringed when she said 'chick'. If only I was sitting here crying over a girl. It would be the least bit less pathetic.

I scrunched up my face a bit, willing for my tears to stop. But, they didn't obey.

I met her gaze once again and said in a shamefully pathetic voice, "You see, that's the thing. My admirer wasn't a chick"

Her eyes widened. "W-what do you mean?"

I went on to explain to her how I'd gone to the Dot and sat with Tori and Zig awaiting her friend's arrival; and how Tori referred to them as a 'he'. And how I looked up to see a male redhead whom Tori then introduced to me as my secret admirer.

Clare was wide-eyed and jaw-dropped by the time I finished my story. She stared at the ground in disbelief and then back up at me.

"Adam, I am so sorry" she said taking my hand.

I raised a confused eyebrow. "For what? Did you know my date was going to be a guy?" I joked dryly.

"No, for making you go on that date in the first place" she explained.

"You didn't make me. I didn't have to go in, but I did" I said.

"But, when you started getting a bad feeling about it, I should have just let you cancel. I shouldn't have pressured you, Adam"

I shrugged it off. I honestly didn't blame for this in any way. She just wanted me to find a nice girl so I could be happy. It's not her fault I was a failure at life.

"But, Adam... How did this all lead to you sitting here in the rain, depressed?" she asked gently.

"Don't you have any idea how humiliating that was? And, what if other people think that too; that I like guys?"

Clare frowned. She seemed to understand but was obviously taken aback by my tone of voice.

"I'm sorry. I just- I don't know anymore..." I apologized.

Clare was silent. But I didn't mind. She didn't have to say a word. Just knowing I had at least one person in the world who wasn't totally against me was good enough.

The rain started to lighten up. The sun shone faintly through the clouds. My emotions kind of matched the weather. I no longer had that feeling of complete hopelessness, which is the worst thing a person can feel- hopeless.

My voice broke the silence. "It just seems like everyone gets to be happy but me, ya know?..."

Clare gave me a small smile and nodded her head. "I think everyone feels that way from time to time, Adam"

I nodded my head acceptingly.

She continued. "But if either of us ever feel that way... At least we have each other, right?"

At those words, I finally regained the ability to smile again. Clare noticed this and scooched closer to me before wrapping her arms around my torso and resting her head on my shoulder. I rested my chin lightly against her head and suddenly heard her humming a familiar tune. She then sang a line from the song:

"I know I can make it through..."

I lifted my head to look down at her. "Where have I heard that before?"

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A/N: Haha, do you like what I did there with the ending? ;D

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this! I wrote it when I was sick- too sick to even sit up and use laptop, actually... So I typed it on my phone. Yep, I love writing that much lol

Plus, c'mon. Cladam friendship is too amazing to resist!

Reviews?...Please don't make me beg haha :)