Welcome to my new short story!
Legal: I own nothing but the idea. This story is dramatic and contains possible trigger warnings so read with caution.
Important to know before reading:
*Eli and Clare get back together at prom and did have sex
*She became sick with cancer and Eli came home to take care of her
*Clare went into remission a couple weeks before school resumed and Eli went home while she was put on maintenance therapy chemo meds
*Drew was elected student council president and asks Clare to be VP
*Alli graduated early and is gone at MIT
*Owen is going to U of T and working at DeGrassi part time as assistant football coach
*Adam didn't die and is the social chair on student council
*Eli is rooming with Lenore at NYU which Clare is unaware of
*Jake is away at school
*Drew is still engaged to Bianca
Ch.1 Every Smile that You Give
(CLARE)
"We also need to talk about the budget this afternoon and whether we're holding something for Halloween or Thanksgiving. I think we should do a Halloween dance, put that in there to vote on a dance," Drew instructs as he paces the student council office.
It's Thursday morning before school has even started and we're working on the agenda for this afternoon's meeting. By which I mean Drew is dictating as he paces around the table and I'm typing. Well I'm typing when I can pay attention but my head is pounding, I rub my temples and take another sip of the protein shake my mom made me for breakfast. She makes one for me every morning, calls it a super smoothie or something and says I need to build my immune system after the cancer and the chemo. I've been officially in remission for just over a month now and my mom has done everything to keep it that way. She has me on a strict diet and gives me these smoothies for breakfast every day that she packs with things like kale, beets and blueberries.
"Clare you're not typing," Drew admonishes as he stops his pacing suddenly. "Are you okay?"
"Sorry it's just my head is pounding, I'll put in to vote on a Thanksgiving feast," I tell him and start typing.
"No I said a Halloween dance and you just typed gibberish," Drew informs me and kneels down next to me turning my face to look at him. "You look a little pale, we're ending the meeting I'll finish the agenda at lunch," Drew says turning my laptop to him so he can save it and send it to himself to work on later.
"I'm okay I just need something for my head," I argue.
"We'll swing by the nurse to get you something for your head but we're still ending the meeting early I need my veep fresh," Drew states.
He closes my laptop putting it in my backpack and I stand up, we go to the nurse's office and tell her I have a terrible headache. She gives me some acetaminophen, which she watches me take, and then we walk to our lockers while I continue sipping at my breakfast shake. We find Adam and Dallas at their lockers and since I've finished my shake I rinse out the reusable cup in the drinking fountain.
"That was a quick meeting," Adam remarks as I walk across the hall to my locker.
"Clare has a headache so I ended early, it must be rally bad because she could barely concentrate," Drew tells them while I put my cup in my locker and get out some books.
"I got something from the nurse hopefully it will take effect soon," I comment about to take out my physics book and suddenly my arm cramps up while my fingers feel numb. I rub my hand and start shaking it, Dallas gives me a look.
"You okay?" He asks.
"My arm cramped up and my fingers feel numb," I tell them and they all have their brows furrowed. I can't explain it myself, it's not like I fell asleep on the arm and woke up with it like this I was just moving it and using it. Dallas comes over and starts rubbing my arm and hand, after a minute it relaxes and I let out a relieved breath. "Thanks," I say to Dallas, clenching and unclenching my fist just to feel my fingers again and get the blood flowing once more.
"No problem but why'd your arm cramp?" Dallas asks and I just shake my head.
"Hey high school losers," Owen teases coming down the hall. Owen is attending U of T and working part time at DeGrassi as an assistant football coach, he gets school credit for his job since he is going for his coaching certificate.
"Hey you took a job here you're not exactly out either," Dallas retorts.
"Owen you know any reason that Clare's arm would randomly cramp up while she was taking books from her locker?" Adam inquires and Owen looks at me.
"That's weird, but you could have accidently overextended a muscle in your arm, those text books are pretty heavy," Owen replies.
"Yeah that's probably it," I nod taking my chemo meds from my locker and my water bottle.
"You know," Adam comments while I swallow my medication, "it could be the chemo meds causing it."
"It's possible," I nod putting it all back in my locker, "they have about three dozen warnings and side effects."
"When's your next appointment?" Adam questions.
"In a little over a week, if I feel any worse side effects I'll call my doctor I can deal with an occasional cramp," I reply.
Owen hangs out with us until he has to leave for his first class of the day at U of T and the rest of the day is normal. By second period my headache is gone and by lunch I'm feeling a lot better, I get a little dizzy at lunch but I also didn't eat. Of course after I got dizzy Adam made sure I ate some yogurt with a banana. By student council I was feeling pretty good, I was having trouble concentrating though. Owen gave me a ride home since he was done with football practice at the same time as we finished the meeting, Mom was home when I got there.
"Hi honey how was school?" Mom asks as she hugs me.
"It was fine," I reply.
"Well sit down dinners all ready," Mom says.
"I'm not really hungry," I shake my head.
"You need to eat Clare, at least have a little vegetables and a small piece of fish for the protein omega-3 fatty acids," Mom insists.
"Okay just a little but then I need to go do my homework," I tell her sitting at the table.
Mom gives me a plate and kisses the top of my head, she never fussed or hovered like this before, then again she never had the fear that her child might die of cancer before either. Glen's working to finish a job by the deadline so he hasn't been home for dinner in over a week. He usually gets in about 7 or 8 and leaves by 6 the next morning. After I eat all that I can and Mom gives me my chemo meds I go up to my room and start doing homework. I get everything for my writers craft class done and answer some questions in my physics book. I start to work on my native studies homework but I forget what I'm doing and end up staring at the computer screen. When my video chat program rings I jump slightly, Eli's picture is there and I hit accept.
"Hey it's good to hear from you," I smile at my boyfriend.
"I thought we were going to video chat at seven tonight, you were supposed to call me after dinner I called you when I didn't hear from you," he tells me with his forehead wrinkled.
"Sorry I guess I forgot, I had a terrible headache this morning I think it just killed my brain power for the day," I apologize.
"Probably because you have to do all the thinking for Drew," Eli chortles in a sardonic tone.
"Eli he's not that dumb and when he saw I wasn't feeling well he ended the meeting. Can we maybe rain check I think I just need some sleep," I request.
"Yeah sure get some sleep Edwards, I love you," Eli says.
"I love you too," I smile and close my laptop.
When I go out to the washroom to start getting ready for bed I hear Glen is home. I really am tired and fall asleep almost as soon as I crawl into bed. Waking up at 5:30 Friday morning without an alarm but I did sleep for ten hours straight. I start getting ready for school and Glen is awake, he comes out of his room and smiles at me before I go into the washroom and he goes downstairs.
"You're up early," Glen comments when I come down ready for school.
"Yeah I went to bed really early and I woke up by myself at 5:30 but it's probably a good thing since I have homework to finish," I respond.
"I'm about to leave if you'd like a lift to school," Glen offers.
"Great thanks," I smile grabbing my bag and going out to his truck with him.
Glen drops me at school and I unlock the door then I have to run to Simpson's office to put in the alarm code. Once the alarm is off I return to the front to lock up, usually Simpson or a teacher arrives by 6:30 or 7 and Coach Armstrong is usually here early and often with Owen. I head to the student council office to do my homework and then I'll be there when Drew comes to do the agenda for the meeting this afternoon. Before I start working I text Eli to ask if he wants to chat tonight but when I don't hear back from him right away I put my phone in my backpack. I feel much better this morning and I'm nearly done with my homework when Drew, Adam and Dallas walk in.
"You got here early," Dallas yawns.
"I had to finish some homework," I reply.
"Are you ready to do the agenda? I figured since it is Friday we'd hold the meeting at lunch so people could have their Friday afternoon to themselves," Drew comments.
"Meaning you want to go to the football game," I comment.
"Only working together a month and already she already knows me so well," Drew grins hugging me from the side.
"No it's just 'cause I tell her all your secrets," Adam teases in a snarky tone.
Drew grimaces at his brother and we start working on agenda, we plan to keep it short since we only get an hour for lunch. We're nearly done when Adam nods to the door and I look over to see my mom coming in.
"You left so early Clare I wasn't able to make you protein shake for breakfast, you have to keep up your strength," Mom says giving me the cup and kissing my cheek.
"Thanks Mom," I smile, "so what did you put in this one?"
"It's mostly banana, peanut butter, honey, some yogurt and some supplements to help build your immune system again. With cold and flu season coming up I don't want to risk you being sick," Mom tells me.
"Thanks mom but you really shouldn't have gone through all the trouble, I could have gotten something from the caf," I point out.
"It was no trouble and anyway you still need to eat healthy don't forget what the doctor's said. Well I have to run to work, have a good day Honey, bye Adam," Mom waves and leaves.
"Your mom seems nice," Dallas comments when she's gone and Adam scoffs.
"She's usually not but ever since my cancer she's been a lot more involved," I explain.
"Yeah well seeing your kid sick and facing the possibility that they might die would probably make anyone a more involved parent," Dallas remarks while I take a sip of the shake.
"It's actually pretty good today, usually all I taste is the really strong vegetables she puts in," I muse aloud before I go back to typing.
We finish the agenda while sip at my shake, I e-mail the agenda to everyone on student council and close my laptop. While the guys gather their stuff I finish my shake and go rinse the cup in the washroom just across from the student council office. I start to walk back to the student council office shaking the excess water from the cup and suddenly get dizzy; I become off balance, put my hand to my head and feel myself falling toward the floor as my leg muscles become weak. I get caught by a strong pair of arms just inches before I hit the floor with my butt.
"Whoa you okay?" Owen questions as he helps me to stand, I hear the pounding of running feet and I know it's Adam, Drew and Dallas.
"Yeah I think so I just got dizzy," I tell Owen but I'm still feeling woozy and I realize I'm gripping onto Owen's shirt.
"Maybe you should lie down on the sofa in student council office," Adam suggests and I nod. I start to take a step but Owen seems to decide it's better just to pick me up and carry me in. He lays me on the sofa and the boys all crowd around and peer down at me.
"I'll grab an ice pack from the phys. Ed. office, Dallas get her some water," Owen commands.
Dallas nods and they both rush out of student council office. Adam sits on the sofa near my feet and takes my hand while Drew just looks at me, his face twisted with worry.
"I'm okay I just got a little dizzy," I tell them.
"No you got a lot dizzy, we thought you were going to pass out and you would have hit the floor if Owen hadn't been there," Drew argues.
"I really think you need to talk to your doctor about the meds you're on, because if it's not your medication then…" Adam stops before he says it and I nod.
"Then what?" Drew asks not knowing what Adam meant.
"Then it might be that the cancer is back," I explain to Drew.
"Oh," Drew says slowly just as the door opens and Dallas comes in. He opens a water bottle and I sit up a little to take a couple sips.
"Clare what happened?!" Jenna exclaims bursting in with Owen, Connor, Becky and Luke following her.
"Here," Owen says putting an ice pack wrapped in a paper towel on my forehead.
"She got dizzy and nearly passed out, she wasn't feeling well yesterday either, she's been tired a lot. I think it's her chemo medications because they have a lot of side effects, at least I hope it's her medications," Adam tells them and I hear the concern in his voice.
"I have an appointment a week from Monday I'll ask my doctor about it then, honestly I'm okay I just got a little dizzy," I persist and try to sit up but Owen puts a hand on my shoulder and pushes me back to the sofa.
"No you stay here, stay until after first period I'm a teacher and I tell you to stay," Owen asserts.
"You're not a teacher, you're a student assistant coach but he is right, I'll stay with you and we can tell Miss Dawes after class," Adam says just as the bell rings.
"Alright I gotta get to school, take it easy for a while Clare," Owen says again and then waves before he leaves.
"We'll tell Miss Dawes where you two are, it's on the way to our fashion class," Jenna offers.
Adam stays with me for all of first period, after about fifteen minutes I sit up, I still feel kind of weak but I feel better. I keep sipping at the water and ask Adam to get my chemo meds from my locker. He runs out to get them and runs back, I take them and then we just sit quietly, Adam plays a game on his phone and I watch him. After sitting a few minutes my toes feel like they've fallen asleep so I wiggle them in my shoes until the feel better. When the bell rings for second period Adam helps me up and we walk to physics class.
"Miss Dawes said you two would catch up real quick on Monday and she hopes you're feeling better, are you feeling better?" Jenna asks as soon as we get into class.
"Yeah I feel better Jenna," I nod.
I feel okay all through physics class even though I still feel a little weak and woozy, my hand cramps up about halfway through and my leg falls asleep for a few minutes. It's all so minor that I barely pay attention but Adam keeps looking at me. After physics it's not only lunch but student council is meeting so Adam and I walk to the student council office.
"Did you bring any lunch?" Adam asks me.
"Honestly I didn't think about this morning," I reply.
"Stay here I'll run to the caf, you need to eat something," Adam comments as Jenna and Connor come in.
Dallas and Drew come a couple minutes later and finally Adam comes in with lunch for him and an apple and sandwich for me. I'm okay for the meeting and as the day goes on I begin to feel better.
"You want to come over, stay the night? I'm sure Mom will let you," Adam offers as we meet up after school.
"You're definitely coming over, want to watch the football game first?" Drew asks coming over with Dallas.
I shrug and follow the Torres brothers to the football field. Owen is out there talking with Armstrong and looking at a clipboard, when he sees us he waves. I decide I better call Mom before the game starts and it gets too loud. I call her cell and leave a message that I'm watching the game and then sleeping at Jenna's, she'd never agree to me sleeping at Adam's. The game is pretty entertaining but we lose by seven points.
"We would have won if we were still on the team," Drew says to Owen when he joins us after the game.
"Damn right, gotta whip these guys into shape," Owen sort of barks and I shake my head at the outpouring of testosterone.
"Clare's coming over you want to hang out for a while?" Drew offers to Owen.
"Sure see you guys at your place after I help clean up and help coach yell at the team," Owen comments and runs off toward the locker room.
The rest of us go to Drew's car and I ride in the back with Adam. I check my phone while we're driving but I still haven't heard from Eli. We go in through the basement and I walk upstairs with Adam to let the Torres parents know that I'm here.
"Hey Mom can Clare sleep over?" Adam requests.
"I suppose so, you can take Drew's room and he can sleep on the sofa downstairs," Audra says.
"Aw man there will be a hot girl in my bed tonight and I don't even get to sleep in it with her," Drew whines coming upstairs.
"I don't think my boyfriend or your fiancé would like it if we did," I quip back.
"True Bianca would kill us and Eli would go even crazier, I'll take the sofa we should probably change my sheets though," Drew remarks.
"Oh gross," I gag making a face.
"Owen's coming over too but just to hang out for a while, can we order pizza for dinner we're starved," Drew requests.
"Why don't we just start charging admission," Omar comments as he comes downstairs.
"Alright order pizza but stay in the basement and keep quiet some of us can't sleep in tomorrow. And Drew change your sheets now before you get too tired so Clare doesn't have to sleep on your dirty sheets," Audra tells him.
Drew runs upstairs to change his sheets while Adam and I go downstairs and get a movie cued up. Owen arrives before Drew comes back downstairs; when he does come downstairs he has blankets and a pillow. Drew orders pizza telling them to come to the basement door and when he's off the phone we watch the movie until the pizza guy knocks on the door. Drew and Owen get up to get the pizza while we get plates and drinks. Owen hangs out until almost two in the morning and then he goes home. I go up to Drew's room to find clean sheets and Adam gives me something to sleep in. I have a terrible time getting to sleep, my extremities keep having that pins and needles feeling and feeling numb and then my thumb is twitching randomly. I finally fall asleep a little after five in the morning but my sleep is disturbed by odd dreams.
(OWEN)
It's late Saturday morning, very nearly Saturday afternoon in fact, and I've only been awake for about twenty minutes, but Mom is making me drive Maya and Tris to Miles' house. Maya slept over last night and Miles apparently called and invited them to a pool party today. I was barely awake and was chugging down the coffee I'd picked up as the mindless chatter in the back seat was driving me crazy. That is until they say something that catches my attention.
"Oh crap do you think Clare knows?" My brother exclaims.
"No I doubt it," Maya shakes her head.
"What? Do you think Clare knows what?" I question looking at them in my rear view mirror.
"There's a picture on Eli's facerange of him making out with some girl," Maya tells me.
"You're fucking kidding me!" I growl.
"Nope and he looks pretty into it," Tris says showing me his phone and the picture.
"That bastard I'm going to kill him!"
I drive a little faster and drop them off at the Hollingsworth estate, then I drive to Drew's place. Drew and Dallas are on the sofa watching the game and eating cereal, they wave at me when I come in.
"Hey Owen," Drew greets me.
"Hey where's Clare?" I inquire.
"Still sleeping in my bed, you want to go wake Goldilocks, my parents aren't home but Clare might kill you," Drew snickers at his own joke but I'm not in the mood.
"No I don't want to wake her for this but I'm hanging out until she does get up," I reply sitting on the sofa.
"Don't want to wake Clare for what?" Adam questions appearing on the stairs, I didn't even hear him coming down.
"Eli cheated on her," I inform them.
"Seriously?!" Dallas comments in a dubious tone.
"Yeah and the evidence is on his facerange page," I reply.
Adam opens his laptop on the coffee table and turns it on; when it's booted up he goes directly to facerange and to Eli's page. Not only do I see the picture that Tris and Maya showed me in the car but several more, each progressively worse until a picture of them in a bed and obviously about to have sex.
"Shit Eli why would you be such an idiot!" Adam scolds the Eli on the computer screen.
"What a prick!" Dallas exclaims.
"Clare doesn't need this, she's already been feeling lousy and now Eli's cheating on her. He came and nursed her through cancer but he's gone at school for a month and now he's cheating on her," Drew shakes his head.
"I know but we have to tell her, lying to her will be worse and it's only a matter of time before Jenna or Alli see it and tell her themselves. Clare's in the shower, she'll be down when she's out and we have to tell her," Adam says but with a heavy sigh as he sinks back on the sofa.
The four of us sit there and stare mindlessly at the TV until we hear the basement door from the kitchen open and Clare comes downstairs. We all look over at her and she freezes at the bottom of the stairs.
"What?" She queries pinching her eyebrows together.
"How do you feel?" Adam asks.
"Best I've felt in days," she smiles.
"That won't last long," Dallas comments, Adam and I elbow him at the same time.
"There's something you need to see," Adam tells her pointing to his laptop.
Clare walks over standing in front of Drew to see the screen, when she sees the pictures her hands go up tenting over her moth in shock. Clare's eyes go wide, she takes a big gasp and her eyes fill with tears. She begins to fall back and sink down to the sofa, Drew moves over so she doesn't end up on his lap. For a few minutes Clare just sits there staring in hurt astonishment at the pictures on screen, a small timeline of her boyfriend cheating on her. Finally Adam closes the laptop and Clare leaps up running upstairs again. All four of us follow her, she runs back into Drew's room and slams the door, we hear buttons on a cell phone being pressed.
"ELI YOU CHEATED ON ME! I MISSED ONE VIDEO CHAT SO YOU WENT OUT AND CHEATED ON ME!" She screams with anguish and anger into the phone.
"I think we better give her some time, let's get back downstairs," Adam says and we nod going slowly back to the basement but we can still hear Clare yelling.
We wait downstairs for over an hour before Clare comes down again, she's still clutching her phone tightly. Her face this mottled mix of sorrow, wounded distress, and extreme ire.
"I broke up with him, he tried to tell me he was drunk and it will never happen again but he did it once and I can never trust him again. I told him I never wanted to see him again and that I don't want any contact from him anymore," she tells us sitting on the sofa and curling her legs up.
Adam hugs her and Drew pats her back, she wipes away a few tears but she looks resolute and I'm sure she's better off without Eli. She puts her head on Adam's shoulder and when her phone rings she declines the call. I notice her calf muscle is twitching and she stretches out her leg, it's still twitching and now she looks uncomfortable. Clare's cell rings again and again she declines the call, her calf muscle is still twitching and she starts rubbing it to make it stop. When her cell rings a third time in ten seconds I take it from her, confirming it's Eli before I answer.
"Listen you two timing psycho prick don't you ever call her again, if I find out you called her again I will come to New York and snap your tiny little neck," I inform Eli and then hang up.
"Thanks Owen," Clare smiles at me.
"No problem," I grin moving over to sit at the end of the sofa. I lift her leg and put on my lap rubbing her muscle and feeling the twitch. It's odd, not like a muscle cramp exactly, but her muscles feel weak and yet stiff. "Does your leg do this a lot?" I inquire.
"No not really but my muscles have been twitching a lot lately or cramping up," she replies which I find odd.
After a few minutes her muscle stops twitching and she sits up, Adam says she should eat Clare says she's not hungry after arguing with Eli. She watches the game with us but she's not really paying attention to it. Adam does get her to eat a little lunch however but she's pretty silent all day. A little after four her phone rings again, I get ready to drive to New York and break Eli but Clare says it's her mom.
"Mom wants me home for dinner," she says after hanging up.
"I'll take you I have to get home anyway," I offer and she smiles.
"You have to be home on a Saturday night?" Drew questions.
"Who said anything about going home I got a date," I grin.
"With who?" Dallas questions.
"Like I'm going to tell you and have you ruin it," I shoot back.
We say goodbye, Adam tells Clare he'll call her later, she goes upstairs to get her backpack and then we leave. We drive to her house in silence and when I park out front I see a car and Glen's truck.
"Hey if Eli calls back or e-mails or anything then let me know," I assert and she smiles before getting out of my car. I watch her go inside and then drive home to get ready for my date.
(CLARE)
"Oh good you're home, come sit down for dinner," Mom says pulling out my chair. I set down my backpack and sit down saying hi to Glen while Mom fixes my plate. "I made vegetable lasagna and kale salad," Mom tells me setting the plate in front of me.
"Smells great," I smile and take a bite. "I broke up with Eli after finding out he cheated on me last night," I enlighten them before Eli decides to call the house.
"I'm sorry Clare," Glen says sympathetically.
"That's terrible, he cheated on you really? After coming home to nurse you through cancer, that is just terrible," Mom comments shaking her head. "Kelly Hightower from church came by today, she brought flowers and asked how you were doing with the treatment. She hoped to see you in church tomorrow. Don't forget to take your chemo meds after dinner honey," Mom reminds me and I nod.
Mom fills up the rest of the dinner conversation talking about church and the church social in a few weeks. Then Glen says that Jake called and gives us a recap of their conversation. As soon as I'm done eating Mom fetches my meds for me and I swallow them before going upstairs with my backpack. Sitting down at my desk I open my laptop to e-mail Alli and Jenna about me and Eli, the laptop is booting up and I start to feel sick. I send out a quick e-mail to both of them and lay down on my bed. I feel dizzy again, my hands and feet feel numb and I get a terrible headache.
"Honey I was just thinking," Mom says opening my door but stops when she sees me curled up in bed. "Clare sweetie what's wrong?" She asks coming over.
"I'm not feeling well," I tell her.
"Is it your stomach, is dinner not sitting well?" Mom inquires.
"No my head hurts," I reply.
"I'll get you a cold compress for your head, the doctor said you shouldn't have too many pain relievers with your chemo meds," Mom tells me and leaves the room. Mom comes back putting the cold compress on my head and takes off my shoes.
"I don't think I want any dinner, I just want to lie down," I tell Mom.
"Sweetie we already had dinner," Mom replies.
"We did? Can I have some water?" I request.
"Sure Honey I'll be right back, maybe it's best if you stay from church tomorrow, I'll stay with you," Mom says and I hear her leave the room. She returns with a glass of water and I try to sit up to drink it but it's like my muscles aren't working. Mom helps me up and I take some sips of water, I feel dizzy and weak so I lie back down again. I feel awful and I wish I knew why, when I hear my phone ringing I reach for it. "No you just rest honey try and get some sleep," Mom insists and I hear her getting my phone. "Hello Adam I'm sorry Clare isn't feeling well, you can see her tomorrow if she's feeling better," Mom tells Adam before hanging up.
"Mom," I say almost in a whisper.
"Yes honey?"
"I felm…flis…slen…" I'm trying to speak but none of the words are coming out right. I know what I want to say but when I try to make the words they come out wrong. I feel like an infant learning to talk. I can't communicate with my mom and so I start crying in frustration.
Update Thursday October 23rd from around here and including more with Owen, Adam, Drew and Clare's mystery illness gets worse.