Author's note: The idea for this one came to me when I was writing the end of A West Side Story Ending. Again, I was inspired by the epic musical. Reviews are like my food, if I don't get any, I starve!
My mom had the same views about Eli as my dad, finally, something that they agree on. It had been weeks since I visited Eli in the hospital, and my mom was still furious. "CLARE EDWARDS! That boy could've gotten you killed, and you go to visit him!" My mom was angrier than I had seen her in a long time. "You left the house, and spent hours at the hospital without calling once! You are turning into a delinquent!" I was still feeling down after seeing Eli so beaten up, that her angry words stung even more. "Why don't you go back to yelling at Dad? Or would that make things too routine for you?" There was venom in my words. "Oh how nice Clare, you just go and think about that trouble of a boyfriend, and we'll deal with this after we pick up Darcy from the airport." Darcy? Why would she be at the airport? Unless… "Darcy is coming home and you didn't even tell me?" I was yelling louder than my mother now. "How could you keep something like that from me?" She just glared at me and walked out the door.
I stayed in my room and thought about the past few weeks. My parents were getting divorced and selling the house. Finding out that Eli and Julia had well… been intimate. And now the news that Darcy was coming home. I really needed to look at my life, think about what I needed. Right now, all I could think about was Eli. I made a decision right there, to make amends with my boyfriend, but not now. Not until Darcy got here, so we could talk about it. She was my big sister after all, and she was supposed to be there for me when I needed her.
It took hours for my parents to get back from the airport with Darcy. When they finally got to the house, I was beginning to think that they weren't coming home, that they abandoned me. I was in my room, moping around when Darcy stormed in. "What the heck happened to my baby sister!" Darcy looked the same as she did when she left, only tanner.(1) "Nothing happened to me Darce, I just…. Grew up" She looked at me, seemingly reading my mind. "Mom told me that you have a boyfriend. Tell me the truth; has he… pressured you into anything?" What had they been telling her? "Darcy, Eli is a good guy! And honestly, I wanted to… you know. But he said no. He said that he wasn't going to take that away from me." Darcy looked into my eyes. "Clare –Bear, It's because he loves you."
- END OF CHAPTER 1-
(1) I don't actually remember what Darcy looks like.