Isa Longwell as Adeline Torres

Chapter 1

"Shut up, Eli. Don't you see what you're doing to me?", Adeline Torres cried to her best friend who she was in love with. The tears welled up in her green eyes.

Today was another one of those days where Eli Goldsworthy would complain to his best friend about his relationship with Clare Edwards. When Eli was dating Julia, Adeline kissed him and revealed her feelings for him. He told her that he couldn't leave Julia. Then Julia died and Adeline gave him time before pursuing him again but he told her that he wasn't over Julia yet. Then the day that Adam, Adeline, and Drew moved to Degrassi, Eli revealed that he had feelings for her too.

Once Eli and Adeline were close to becoming a thing, Clare came into the picture. So, Adeline did what she did best and watched from the sidelines and helped Eli with his problems. "Addie, listen."

"No Eli. Shut up. Go to Clare or come up to my room and cuddle with me.", she said in a harsh voice.

To others it sounded like Adeline wanted Eli to cheat on Clare but to anyone close to Adeline knew that it was because of the type of person she was. Especially, since Eli and Adeline were so close, he was the only cuddle buddy that she had in a long time.

Eli sighed and held his hand out for her. He knew that she would be very upset if he said no. He walked up the stairs and jumped onto her bed and opened his arms up for her. Adeline smiled and crawled into his arms. "You've spent so much time with Clare, I forgot what you're cuddles felt like."

"Addie, cuddling doesn't require talking." Eli could probably manipulate any of his girlfriends into staying in their relationship but Adeline was the only one that could manipulate him.

She stayed quiet and buried her face in Eli's neck. Soon enough, Eli could feel tears falling on his neck and quiet whimpers coming from Adeline. "Fine, I'm sorry. Addie look at me."

Adeline looked at him and he stroked her face. She smiled and snuggled into him more. She put her face back into Eli's neck. Once the room was quiet, she mumbled something into his neck. "Huh?"

"I wanna kiss you."

Eli sighed and unwrapped his arms from around her. "I knew it. It wasn't just for 'cuddles'. Adeline, I'm with Clare. You know th-"

"That I have to wait until you guys are over. I don't want to keep waiting, Eli."

Adeline stood from her bed in tears and took a sweater from the closet. "I want to kiss you. I want to wear your sweaters to school. I want to cuddle everyday and not have to worry about you leaving to be with someone."

"Just wait, Addie."

Eli moved towards her and she pushed him. "Get out. I don't want you here."

Once Eli left, Adeline walked downstairs to where her brothers were sitting on the couch. Drew looked up but didn't see her tears. She took a seat next to Adam and accidentally let out a loud sob. The boys turned off the tv and looked at her. "What's wrong now, Dell?"

"Stop being an insensitive asshole, Drew.", Adam said to his older brother. Adeline looked at both her brothers and tried to stop her tears. "No, he's right. I shouldn't be crying."

Drew rolled his eyes and knew what he said was wrong. Growing up Drew and Adam learned to always be careful of what they said to Adeline. Drew pulled his little sister towards him and he looked at Adam. Adam walked over to them and joined the hug.

Drew and Adam gave each other a look before they started tickling her. Her small giggles drew their parents from the kitchen and into the basement. They saw all three of the kids laughing and joined in. Soon they were sitting on the couch laughing and sharing random memories.

The next day Adeline took a shower and got dressed in her yellow uniform shirt and her khaki skirt. She walked downstairs and found Drew dressed in his red shirt and Adam in his purple shirt. "Momma, I don't like this skirt. It feels short. Adam, Drew is this skirt too short?"

"Does it matter, Dell?", Adam asked her while taking a piece of toast from Drew's plate. She smirked and looked towards her dad and her brothers.

"Fine. I guess I'll just ask the guys at school since you guys don't want to help me." Their eyes widened and Audra and Adeline started laughing.

Drew stood from his seat and started taking her upstairs. "Now that you think of it, it's very short. You can wear Adam's pants. Lets go."

Her eyes widened as she pulled her arm away. Once he wouldn't let go, she began to fake cry. He immediately let go and started apologizing. "Gotcha." She ran down the stairs and headed for the door.

"I call shotgun."

Adeline walked into school and went searching for Eli. She found him walking to his locker and jumped onto his back. Eli instantly knew who it was and grabbed her leg to keep her from falling. He let her down and smiled at her. "I'm sorry that I told you to get out last night. It's just you made me cry."

"It's fine, Addie. But Clare's going to be here soon."

She huffed and grabbed him by his shirt collar. Adeline pulled him down and Eli looked at her. "Eli, you're my best friend. If Clare can hang out with her best friend, why can't you? Maybe it's because she doesn't do this with her best friends."

Adeline pulled him forward and kissed him. Fortunately for Eli no one else was in the hallway. He pulled back and she frowned."Adeline, you can't just kiss me. I have girlfriend."

"But the first time I kissed you, you were dating Julia and you kissed me back.", she stated quietly. He pulled her into a spot underneath the staircase where no one else could see them. Adeline was holding onto his hand and playing with his fingers. "That was different and you know it."

Eli was now holding her waist against the wall while looking into the tears that were going to fall from her green eyes. "Because you used to love me and now you don't."

Adeline tried to move out of his grip but he gripped onto her tighter, probably leaving a bruise on her waist. "Addie, I still love you but I'm with Clare."

"But you always tell me that.", she whispered.

Just before Eli could respond, Drew walked by and saw the two. "Hands off my sister, Goldsworthy. Leave her alone."

Eli's hands left Adeline's waist but she reached for his hands again. She loved having his hands on her body. It felt like he did love her. When he touched her, she was happy. Drew gave Eli another look and that made Eli walk away. "Wasn't he the reason you were crying last night?"

"But I love him, Drew. He probably doesn't love me because I'm crazy.", she finally let the tears fall and hugged her brother. "And he's going to replace me with Adam."

Drew hugged her back but she winced. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head as Drew dragged her to the nurse. "No, Drew. I'll tell you when we get home please."

He looked at her and sighed. "Fine. But I want the truth."

Adeline nodded and walked away towards her first class. Adeline, just like Clare, was very smart in English and had already taken 9th and 10th grade English so she was placed in 11th grade English. She was about to take a seat next to Eli but then Clare came in. Adeline walked to the back row and sat down next to Owen Milligan.

She looked at him and smiled. Owen began to check her out until he saw her yellow shirt. "Are you in the right class?"

"Yeah, grade 11 English, right?", she smiled. He nodded and sent her a smirk. "Adeline?"

Just as Adeline was going to answer, the teacher started talking. Owen sighed before turning away from her.

In the middle of class, the teacher started pairing people up. Adeline became visually upset when the teacher paired up Clare and Eli but once the teacher paired up Owen and Adeline up, Eli was pissed. She smiled at him and moved her desk closer to his.

"So it is you, Adeline. How could I forget the name of Drew's beautiful baby sister?", she blushed and accidentally dropped her book. She bent down to pick it up but her hand ended up on Owen's lap. "Sorry."

Once class ended Owen and Adeline walked out the class together. "So, my place tonight?", Owen asked the small girl.

Adeline looked up at him and blushed. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and giggled. "How about my place?"

"Alright but I don't know where that is."

"Oh, I thought you knew where it was.", Owen gave her look and realized what it sounded like. "Because of Drew. You guys were on the same team."

He nodded and kissed her cheek before walking off. Adeline froze and once Owen made it to the stairs he realized what he did.

Adeline walked through the hallways blushing until someone pulled her under the staircase. "Are you serious?"

She looked up at Eli and grabbed his hands. Eli pulled her closer and she flinched once his hands gripped her waist. "What's wrong?"

Adeline shook her head and looked down. He lifted her chin a little too harshly and she started crying. "Adeline, lift your shirt."

She didn't disobey and lifted her shirt up slightly to reveal the bruises Eli left on her waist. She heard voices and tucked her shirt back into her skirt. "Um, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, Addie."