Part 3 A Birds Song.
Sam is torn. His mom wants him New York, and his dad wants him in Vancouver. Sam wants to stay at Degrassi with Clare. Clare hates long distance relationships but doesn't want things between her and Sam to end. She wallows with some surprising company. Will this mean the end of Sam and Clare, or will they make it work? A blast from the past breezes into town and makes KC have to choose, will he give up on him and Clare or will he be able to fight for her on last time?? When the dust settles nothing will be the same.
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First thing Sam knew he had to do was call Clare. No this wasn't something he wanted to tell her over the phone he just texted her. Clare phone rang with a message from Sam
Meet me at the Dot.
Clare knew something was up, and she told her parents she needed to meet Sam. She headed to the Dot expecting the worst. Upon seeing her Sam stood up and embraced her
"Sam what's wrong?"
"You better sit for this." she sat on the bench outside the Dot. He sat beside her. "Well my parents divorce is finale."
"I don't get isn't this a good thing?" She was truly confused
"My mom has a job in New York City, and my dad has a job in Vancouver."
"Ok.."
"So I have to choose which one I want to live with." he said. He couldn't even look at her.
"What?" she felt her heart dropped
"I don't have a choice Clare. I have to decide before the end of the term." He said
"That's only 2 weeks away."
"I know. I don't know what to do. I don't want things between us to end, but."
"But what? A long distance relationship? You know those never last. It always ends in a heartbreak." she said
"But Clare what if we could make it work?" he said
"I don't know Sam. I just got to go." she said and she stood up running home. Sam wanted to kill his parents. He hurt her, when he promised he wouldn't.
Clare felt her chest welling up. Things were finally on track for her and Sam and know it would be all for nothing. She promised she would never let any guy have the power to break her heart. Not after KC, now she realized Sam was breaking her heart. She cried her self to sleep not wanting to face the next day.
Clare avoided Sam like the plague for the next two weeks. She didn't want them to break up, but she didn't want to say goodbye. Sam wanted to talk to her but he couldn't get her to hold a conversation with him. It was the day before Sam was to leave and KC and him were hanging out in the gym.
"She wont even talk to me, it's like she is mad at me for my parents screw up." Sam passed the ball to KC
"Look Sam, Clare doesn't get what its like to have a truly dysfunctional family. So she doesn't get that but, you have to find a way to talk to her. She is very understanding. Trust me." KC said still not believing he was giving Clare's boyfriend advice on how to make this right with her.
"How? She wont even look at me." Sam then got another idea "Hey could you talk to her?"
"Me why?" "Because you two are close, she'll listen to you. And you can find out why she wont talk to me." Sam was desperate. KC looked at his new friend.
"Ok I'll try. But no guarantees." KC said. He showered up and went to find Clare. He found her sitting in the Zen garden. He couldn't see that she was starting to tear up. She would get hurt again. She didn't know what to do.
"Hey smiles, what's up?" he said trying to cheer her up
"What's up, Sam is moving away that what's up." she said
"I know he told me. I'm sorry."
"It's ok. It's not like its your fault."
"Yeah and you know it isn't his either."
"I know its just every time I fall for someone there is some sort of catch. He's cute but he is a jerk, or he is cute but hey he likes to flirt with other girls." she didn't mean to make a jab at KC and the whole Jenna situation. He looked hurt. She felt bad "I'm sorry."
"Look Clare, don't blame Sam for what I did. I had a choice, he doesn't. He wants to be with you, but he cant hurt his family. It isn't an easy choice for him." KC said "I had a choice and I choose the easy way out. I could've made things right between us but I dumped you because it was easier. But don't hate him for things he cant control." KC looked at her. Clare smiled
"Thanks KC. I guess it wasn't meant to be."
"Now whether or not that's true think about this Clare. You need someone you gets you. Someone who has seen you down in the depths and still loves you. Someone who knows how much you hate Jelly fish." he said loosing control of his thoughts "Someone who doesn't care what you wear, whether it be a private school uniform or a fancy dress, because your beautiful to them. You need someone who knows you. The real Clare Edwards. And never wants you to change." he looked at her eyes. Her beautiful blue eyes. Her eyes were every bit as beautiful that day as it was today.
"Thanks KC. If such a guy exist." Clare said
"Yeah he does. But he wont be perfect. He will screw up more than you could count. You would probably spend more time fighting than kissing." KC said hoping she didn't pick up that he was talking about himself.
"Well if this guy does exist I don't care if he is perfect, I just want him to be with me." she said starring into his eyes. They calm and collected as they always were.
"Ok well you should go talk to Sam." he didn't want to let her leave, but she wasn't his
"Yeah you're right bye KC, and thanks." she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and she returned the smile.
Now what happened nest neither of them are sure. Clare swore KC kissed her, and KC swore Clare had kissed him, but in any event they were kissing. This kiss was unlike either had ever experienced before. The kiss was long and passionate, with a under tone of longing. KC couldn't believe he was finally kissing Clare again, Clare felt numb throughout her body. And for those few moments everything that happened between them seemed unimportant. Jenna, and all the hurt that happened last year seemed to melt away. Clare couldn't explain it, but she felt whole and complete and all the changes that had happened in her since she met KC was finally finished.
KC and Clare were so lost in there own world they didn't notice Sam walking by. But he saw them. At first he was hoping he was seeing things, but then he realized what it was he was mad. He just stood there starring at them. Clare looked out of the corner of her eye. Sam sad face made her snapped back to reality.
"Sam." she stood up
"What?" KC said
"Oh god Sam. Sam wait up." KC stood up to try to stop her
"Wait Clare," he said but she shook her head
"No KC. Thank you." she said so scars tic
"What do you mean?"
"For existing and making my life harder"
"You kissed me back." KC defended
"Whatever. I never want to see you ever again. Cause KC Guthrie only brings heartbreak and tears and I don't want that." she ran out screaming "Sam waiting up."
KC nodded and left. He had ruined his last chance with Clare. Whether or not she loved him or not she never wanted to be with him again. The only thing he ever had that was worth anything, didn't want him. He walked home. He hated himself. Maybe Clare was right. All he had caused her was heartbreak. Maybe Clare life would better if she never met him. He went into his room and laid on his bed. Trying to figure what to do next.
"Sam wait please." Clare was running after him
"What do you want from me Clare?"
"To talk."
"Yeah well its clear this whole relationship has been one sided."
"What are you talking about?" "It's clear its him you really want to be with." Sam said
"No that's not true." she pleaded
"Oh so you just make out with guys when your boyfriend tells you he is leaving?"
"It's not that bad." Clare said
"Oh yeah? You don't kiss someone like that who you have no feelings for."
"Sorry."
"You know I always wondered what would have happened if KC hadn't broken up with you. I wondered if I would just be here crushing on you but never ever being with you or would you two have broken up eventually."
"I don't know what would have happened" she said
KC threw his plush basket ball up in the air and catching it. He didn't know what he would do if Clare was truly out of his life. Then his group home leader opened the door
"KC you a visitor. A cute sad girl. It seems urgent." KC sat up quickly. He jumped out of bed and fixed his hair. He ran down the stairs only to find a cute girl, but not the one he had hoped. He looked at the familiar person. Clare would have made his stomach flipped with excitement. This girl made his stomach flipped with regret. Clare had a bright sincere smile, this girl had a fake smile. Clare had long brown hair, and this girl had long blonde. And finally he had hurt sweet Clare for this girl, and he never wanted to see her again
"Hi KC." she said her voice made KC have a pain in his stomach. He said "Hi Jenna."
"Look Clare, admit it. You may have forgiven him for what he did, and you may have stopped hating him, but you never stopped loving him."
"I can't help it Sam. KC is in here." Clare said pointing to her heart. "But I also really like you." she tried not to cry. He hugged her
"I like you to. Look Clare. I turn 16 next month. I will be able to become an emancipated. And if I do, I will move back. If I do I would like to give us another try. But I also want you and KC to giver yourselves another try. I know you care about him, and he really cares about you. If you two gives yourselves another try and it doesn't work and you still want me, I would love to give us another shot." he looked at her "But don't not try you and KC because of what happened and you think you will be sparing my feelings."
"I am so sorry." she said
"I know Clare. Well you can't blame me for trying. I'll call you from Vancouver." he kissed her forehead. "Bye Clare." he turned and headed home.
Clare thought about what Sam had said. She wanted and needed to talk to KC. She hoped he didn't hate her. She walked to his group home.
"So how have you been?" Jenna asked. KC whole body was stiff.
"Fine you?"
"Horrible. I hate Alberta. But I might be moving back." She said
"Great." he wanted to get away.
"Yeah I was just thinking about us and was just wanted to know how you felt about me." Jenna said. KC felt himself choke
"Us?" "Yeah I mean we got along really well last year didn't we?" she moved closer and he felt very uncomfortable
"Yeah alright."
"Then why cant we go back?" "Because we just didn't have enough to make it work." "And by "not enough" do you mean you were still in love with Clare and she wanted nothing to do you?" she said
"Whatever Jenna. We just didn't click." "I don't know. We seemed to click for a while."
"Yeah Jenna. But in the end it wasn't enough. Look you are great girl, and you'll find someone. But its not me. In the end we made each other miserable." he said
Clare was walking up to KC's group and saw Jenna standing facing the window and KC 's back was turned to window so he didn't see her. Jenna got an idea.
"Ok KC if we are truly over than you wont feel anything when I do this." and she kissed KC. The kiss only lasted a few seconds but it was long enough. Clare saw and she felt worse than last year when Alli told her that had made out at the banquet. He ran away from the group home, she just kept running. She hated KC. She hated everything. His whole being. She wanted to forget him.
"Wow Jenna what are you doing?" KC said pushing her back. But it was too late. Clare was gone. Jenna smiled to herself.
"Well I know you and Clare aren't together. And are you really going to keep chasing after a girl who wants nothing to do with you? Or go with a girl who you know you like and wants you?" KC paused. He thought about Jenna and Clare. Maybe Jenna was right and things were truly over between Clare and him. Should he completely miserable forever? I mean, Jenna was fun and somewhat smart. He could be somewhat happy with her. But even thinking about this made him feel like he was betraying Clare. So he said the only safe answer.
"I don't know Jenna."
Clare ran home.
"Hey honey we have a surprise for you." Her mom said hardly containing her excitement
"Whatever it is mom can it wait?" she wasn't in the mood for a happy family moment
"Oh I don't think it can" and a familiar girl emerged. She was older , taller and Clare's opposite. But they were closer than ever
"Darcy?" she ran over and gave her sister a hug.
"Yes Clare its me." she gave her sister a hug. And they went to their room
"What are you doing here?"
"Break from collage. I decided to see my favorite little sister. You sound like you needed someone."
"Yeah I do. Thanks"
"What happened?" she told her everything, about Sam and KC and KC's kiss and Jenna and KC'S kiss.
"I just don't know what to do?" At this point Alli had arrived. "I mean I really care about him, but I know realize that there will always be other girls and I don't know if I can handle it."
"That jerk!" Alli said
"Come on Alli." Darcy said
"No Clare, I told you he would hurt you again and what happened? He hurt you again."
"I know Alli and I have no clue in what to do." Alli thought about it.
"Who knows you Sam broke up?" "You guys, no one else."
"I've got an idea."
"What?" Clare and Darcy said at the same time.
"As far as KC will know, you and Sam are still together."
"What?" Clare said
"You act like you don't care that he and Jenna are back together. You play it cool. It will drive KC mad."
"That is totally immature" Clare said
"Yeah and I love it!" Darcy said.
So that was the plan. The next day at school, the first official day that Sam was gone. Clare acted as if they were dating KC was at his locker with Dave
"I can't believe that Clare is doing a long distance relationship." KC said
"Yeah, but on the bright side, you always have Jenna."
"I don't want her. I mean she is a great girl but she isn't for me." KC said
"Ok well you better hope that Sam screws up soon."
"Yeah" Then KC's phone rang. It was Sam "Great." KC said "Hey Sam"
"Hey KC, listen I just wanted to wish you luck."
"What?"
"I wanted to wish you luck with Clare. I mean I hate that her and I are no longer together but at least she will be with someone who really cares about her." Sam said with no hint of sarcasm
"But I thought.."
"Look just take care of her.. Take care of yourself dude." Clare had lied. Why?
"What did Sam want?"
"He and Clare broke up." was all he could say
"What?"
"Did you say Alli said that they were taking Darcy to the 'Above the Dot' club tonight?"
"Yeah?"
"I think we should go." KC said
"Why do I feel like you have some ill thought out plan?" Dave said
"Cause I do. Look meet me at the club" KC had a plan and it was crazy, but it was his last shot, a shot he would have to take.
Clare didn't want to be at the club, but Darcy and Alli wouldn't let her out of their site. Then Jenna walked in
"Clare bear there you are." she tried to hug Clare but she didn't return the embrace
"Hi Jenna."
"So I just was so happy that I found you. I wanted to tell you that I was coming back this semester." she seemed happy , Clare was not
"Great Jenna."
"So Clare bear wanna hang?"
"No Jenna I don't. just cause you are back doesn't mean I care. We aren't friends. You never really were my friend."
"What do mean we were good friends."
"Yeah great friends, until you made out with my ex only 24 hours after our break up. Oh yeah great friend." Clare walked away.
"Wait Clare bear.."
"No you are never to call me that. Because we aren't friends. Bye Jenna." she walked away leaving Jenna stunned.
KC and Dave walked in trying to find Clare. He saw her in corner with Alli and Darcy. He walked up to them. Upon seeing him, Clare walked away heading outside
"Wait up Clare." she stopped
"What?" "I talk to Sam earlier, and wished us good luck."
"What?"
"Yeah he said you two broke up." "Whatever he is lying, playing with you." Clare said
"No Clare you're lying, I can tell your left eye twitches slightly when you lie,"
"Ok you caught me Shaggy happy?" she walked out of the club
"Wait why would you lie?"
"Cause I.." she realized she had to be honest, lying was never her strongest point. "Sam broke up with me because of our kiss." "I knew it." KC said
"Yeah and I went to your group home to talk to you, and that's when I saw you and Jenna, kissing" KC soon realized why Jenna had kissed him
"Clare it isn't what you think, she came to my group home, she kissed me."
"Oh yes poor, poor you, right? Poor KC a pretty girl comes to your group and you have to kiss her?" "Wait I thought you hated me, right and all I do is cause you pain and tears right? Why would you want to talk to me?" "Whatever KC, I don't want to talk to you. I cant stand you." "You know what I think? I think you are really mad at the fact is that you tried to hate me, and tried to get over me but you couldn't, you still care about me Clare admit it."
"What makes you so smug huh?"
"Because I feel the same. I care about you and I know you care about me." he repeated. She was so mad. It was as if he could read her thoughts.
"You know what KC? You act like every girl loves you, well I don't. You're an insensitive jerk."
"Yes I am an insensitive jerk, and you're a know-it-all little princess." he said
"I'm not!"
"Yes Clare you are, and we fight and we argue, but I wont walk away this time. I wont take the easy way out anymore. I'm not leaving." "No because I am."
"Clare come on, I call you out on your shit and you call me out on mine. Its how we work, why fight that?"
"Because we are always fighting always." "Yes, we do, but it may be screwed up and dysfunctional but its who we are." "What do want me to do KC? Run into your arms and say I have always loved and that I have never loved anyone like you? And you'll hold me and you'll say we will figure it all out?" Clare was tearing up
"We don't have to, we just have to try."
"It's not that easy KC." Clare turned and went back inside only to turn slightly back to say "It can't be that easy." KC wasn't done he got an idea.
"Can we just go? Please?" Clare said
"Sure sis, we will go" Darcy said
"Clare wait." KC said he was on stage. "When we met I made you make a fool of yourself for me, now I will make a fool of myself for you." then a familiar song began to play. KC looked into Clare's eyes and he sang "A Day like any other, I can taste her warm kiss of summer, in a flash it comes, so fast in self some, is this the last ride with you?" KC looked at her
"What's that?" Darcy said as he sang
"It's Brace yourself. it's the song where we first slow dance to. I cant believe he remembered that" Clare said
"Brace yourself, here comes the angels, brace yourself here comes the angels, all the movies of my life flashing right before my eyes save the ending brace yourself here come the angles." he continue to sing. Very badly and extremely off key.. Clare silently smiled. When he got to the bridge part Clare tried not to cry. " A second chance today, don't let it get away, there wont be another one, I finally found the meaning. A second chance today, and now I see a day, different from the other ones." he finished the song, everyone clapped. KC looked for Clare but she had disappeared. He looked outside. She was standing there. Her eyes filled with tears. He walked up to her.
"I cant believe you remembered the song we first danced to." she said. He smiled and Clare felt that scary familiar stomach flip.
"You know Clare, when I was talking about that guy who loves you for who you are, and never wants you to be anyone else than Clare Edwards?"
"Yeah?"
"I meant me. I'm not saying I will never screw up. I will screw more than you will be able to keep up. But I don't want any else. I have tried to be with Jenna, and all I found myself missing and wanting you. I never want to go through what I went through. I will never leave you for any other girl. I will never let my insecurities get in the way of us ever again." he looked at her. She was surprised by something honest in his eyes "I love you Clare. I have since the day I met you. You are the only girl who gets me. And I get you." he said she started to cry for real
"I love you too, I always have. I now know that I always will." she said. He came up to her and embraced her. He held her so tight and it felt like all the pain was leaving her body. Who knows what would happened next semester. Or even tomorrow, but with KC holding her like that, nothing could ever be that bad. He looked at he and kissed her softly. It began to snow. It was a new season and new semester. Full of hope and promise. KC couldn't wait.