Suffocated. Cramped. Confined. These are three of many words describing how Clare Edwards felt. A week ago she was feeling so in love. She had never felt more alive with Eli Goldsworthy. He was her lover, her inspiration, and most importantly her best friend. He taught her to do things that she never would have dared to do, like scream as if nobody was around or just follow your heart, no matter how crazy your desires are.

Lately though, Eli was acting crazy. His behavior was like a mixture of Hamlet and a psychopathic serial killer who had his eye on his prey. Not that Eli wanted to kill Clare or anything, but he just wanted her all to himself all the time. It was driving Clare to the edge. That's why she asked for a break. Clare felt that if she stayed attached to Eli's hip any longer, she would end up hating him, which she couldn't bare to do. Eli was the last person she wanted to hurt, and she figured breaking it off with him temporarily would hurt less than hating him and breaking up with him for good.

Couples take breaks all the time Clare thought. It's not like Eli would do anything…drastic. Clare clutched her purse even tighter at the thought of what Eli was capable of. She thought back to the Fitz incident, remembering how scared and helpless she felt when she thought Eli was stabbed. Eli had enticed Fitz, egging him on and getting Fitz more and more angry. It had become a game to Eli. A sick game that almost got him killed. She just couldn't go through that drama anymore. Eli tended to be a dramatic person, taking everything to the extreme. Nothing he did was ever average. That was apparent in his recently published graphic novel Stalker Angel where the protagonist ends up murdering his fiancé and drinking her blood so that they could be part of each other forever. Clare shuddered. Just thinking about what caused her to be the inspiration of such a story gave Clare the creeps. How stable could somebody really be if thoughts like murder and blood drinking were always on their mind? Eli wanted Clare forever, and she just couldn't handle the idea of forever. Or relationship is too new to be using words like forever. Clare loosened her grip on her purse, reassuring herself that she wasn't too irrational in breaking things off with Eli. I know that Eli loves me, but this is too much. I know I did the right thing. Or did she?

Clare walked into The Dot, the perfect spot for a hot drink and hours of thinking. The Dot had really transformed. It went from a retro black and red themed diner to a suave purple and silver establishment that looked as if it should be serving frozen yogurt, not burgers and fries. Clare examined the menu, relieved to be thinking about coffee and not Eli.

"What can I get for you?" asked the blonde waitress, dressed in white capris and a purple tee shirt dawning The Dot's logo on the front.

"Ummm, I'll have a cappuccino, please," Clare smiled. Clare always knew to be polite, even when on the inside, she just wanted to scream and break everything around her.

Five minutes later, the waitress placed a cappuccino in front of Clare. The sweet smell of coffee wafted up Clare's nose, relaxing her instantly. She took a sip and leaned back in her chair. It had been a day since she broke things off with Eli. That, with the combination of the coffee lifted her mood about three notches. See, it's only been a day and already this break is doing me good, Clare thought. There's nothing that coffee can't fix. Just as Clare's optimism began to rise from the grave, she heard the last voice she wanted to hear behind her.

"Clare, I need to talk to you," Eli Goldsworthy pleaded. He looked terrible. His hair, which was usually perfectly swept and smooth was everywhere. His uniform was un-tucked, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He was no longer cool and collected like he had used to be. In the last couple of days, she thought Eli was at his worst, but she was wrong. This wasn't the Eli Clare knew. This wasn't her Eli. His voice was somber but his eyes were pleading.

"Eli, I can't talk right now," Clare answered tersely. She needed more time. Her idea of a break was a few days of no contact. He was already breaking the rules.

"Please, Clare. It's important to me that you just listen to what I have to say. Please, just five minutes," he begged. He was reassuringly waving his hands as if saying, "It's safe. I'm calm. You will be alright." His dark-brown eyes bore into hers, tempting her to give in and talk.

"Fine. Five minutes," Clare replied, scooting her chair back and walking towards the door. Eli followed anxiously, the door shutting loudly behind him.

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