This fic is dedicated ForeverAndAlways37 who requested it and envisioned pieces of it but trusted me to bring it to life. I hope it is everything you dreamed of My Dear and I hope the rest of you enjoy it.
Legal: I am not associated with and do not own DeGrassi
Important to know before reading:
*This 100% A/U no one went to DeGrassi.
*Clare is 22 a Columbia graduate beginning her career as a novelist.
*Clare's best friend is Owen and they met at Columbia.
*Eli is 23 and an up and coming artist in the medium of photography.
*Eli's best friend is Adam.
That should do it enjoy everyone.
I Wish I Knew Her Name
(ELI)
"Have you noticed how so many of my pictures look the same?" I ask my best friend as I scrutinize every piece I'm planning to put in the show tonight.
"No," Adam shakes his head.
"I need something new; I need a great centerpiece for the show."
"Your opening is tonight," Adam reminds me.
"I know I'm going to walk the streets, being out among the people will inspire me," I tell him grabbing my camera and leaving my loft.
Taking the subway I go to Central Park, walking around and snapping a few shots. I start with scenery shots, get a few of people passing, a skyline shot. Then I see a girl, a young woman around my age near the Bethesda Fountain. She's stunning, incredibly stunning and even from this distance I can see that she has radiant blue eyes. I snap several pictures of her, using my zoom lens to get close ups of her face. For a few minutes I take pictures of her and it's like we're the only two people in the park, and then someone walks in front of me ruining the last shot. I take the camera down but the girl with amazing blue eyes is gone. I look in every direction but it's like she just disappeared. I spend another hour walking around trying to find her, for personal reasons and practical ones. I must meet this girl, know her name and find out everything about her. Additionally I need her permission to use her image in my show. After searching a park for an hour and not seeing her I give up, this park is vast and she could be anywhere, I can't spend any more time searching I have to develop these pictures and prepare for the show.
"Any luck?" Adam asks when I return to my loft. Adam is both my best friend and my manager/agent so he's almost always over here and in fact has a room here. He has his own place as well but he's here about 75% of them time anyway so I just made the spare bedroom his room.
"I saw the most gorgeous woman with the most incredible blue eyes, I'm going to make her my centerpiece of my show," I tell him.
"Great what's her name?"
"I have no idea she disappeared before I could ask her," I admit.
"Then how are you going to make her the centerpiece of your show?"
"I'm not sure but I'll figure it out. I need to develop these pictures will you help me I want to see the pictures of that girl," I tell Adam.
"You know I'll help I'd like to see the pictures of this girl too."
We go into my darkroom and begin developing the pictures. I only use film digital just doesn't capture things the way film days. I prefer black and white film and rarely use color; I do often color in certain aspects of a black and white picture to draw the viewer's eye. Besides with the advances in technology these days anyone can take a picture with a digital camera and make it look good. True photography is an art form, having a good eye, capturing the subject, having your photo say something just by the images you capture.
"Look at her Adam isn't she gorgeous?"
"Very beautiful but you can't see her blue eyes," Adam remarks looking at the first picture of my mystery blue eyed girl.
"I can color them in but I'm not sure anything could be as luminously blue as her eyes," I comment.
"Boy you really fell hard," Adam laughs.
"Just help me develop the rest of these," I shoot back because I can't deny that I did fall hard.
While Adam develops the remaining pictures I work on the ones of my mystery girl to get them ready for the show. I enlarge most of the pictures I took of her so that all you see are her eyes and then I color them in to match as closely as I can with her true eye color. I keep one picture of her face, she was in the process of turning and she's at a three quarter turn. A few strands of her hair are wisped across her lower face leaving her eyes visible. Of all the pictures I took of her this one shows her beauty so vividly. I color her eyes in and while the pictures finish their developing and drying I get to work on a frame for my new centerpiece. I barely have enough time to gather everything and leave for the gallery, Adam and I construct the centerpiece once we arrive.
I enlarged the picture of blue eyed mystery girl's face to an 8X10. There are eight pictures that are close ups of just her eyes all enlarged to various sizes and put into various size frames. I put them on spokes coming of the large frame holding the picture of her face. I hang it at the back of the gallery and in the very center. It will be what everyone sees when they walk in.
"It's perfect," I smirk when we're done.
"It looks great but we'd better change the doors open in a few minutes," Adam says.
"It's a masterpiece Eli," Fiona the gallery owner smiles, "but Adam is right you need to change. Everyone will want to meet the genius behind the pictures."
(CLARE)
"I don't know why I'm so blocked but I just can't seem to get Theo's character right," I complain to Owen as we eat lunch. Owen is my very best friend. We met our freshman year at Columbia; from our sophomore year on we shared an apartment together. Of course we tried the romantic thing for a while, we were a couple for a few months but it just wasn't right we are much better as friends. We are great friends; more like family really Owen is definitely the closest thing I have to a brother. Owen is a physical therapist but he minored in creative writing so we had several classes together.
"Which character is Theo?" Owen questions. I always talk to him about my books, bounce my ideas off of him, I trust his opinion more than I do my agent. Holly J is great for an agent but lousy for bouncing ideas off of.
"He's the photographer. Well anyway Holly J thought it would be good for me to talk to a real photographer. A friend of hers owns a gallery and there's an opening tonight showcasing an up and coming photographer. Holly J got me tickets so you want to be date? I'll be nervous enough as it is but even more so if I attend a fancy gallery opening on my own."
"You know I'll be your date, what time is the opening?"
"Eight."
"I'll come to your place for dinner then," Owen replies.
I smile and we finish lunch, he has to return to work when we're done eating but I decide to walk to Central Park and clear my head. We had lunch in Central Park so I just start walking. I spend a couple of hours walking around before taking the subway back to my apartment. I still have writers block however so I get no work done at all and end up cleaning and doing laundry. Owen arrives at six and we make dinner together eating on my tiny little balcony. Owen spends quite a bit of time at my place and keeps clothes here, I have clothes at his place too it's just easier. We change for the opening and he hails us a cab.
"I thought you didn't know the photographer," Owen remarks as we walk into the gallery.
"I don't, I don't know any photographer," I reply. The gallery is very busy and I can't see much of anything through all the people here. Owen is a foot taller than me and he seems to be fixated on something.
"Funny because you seem to be the focal point of the show," Owen tells me.
"What are you talking about?"
"Excuse us, coming through," Owen says pushing people aside.
People begin to part and Owen escorts me toward the back of the room. Then I see it, like a sun made from pictures of me, only one of my face surrounded by pictures of my eyes. All of the pictures of my eyes, including the center one that shows my whole face, has my eyes colored blue while the pictures themselves are black and white. While all the pictures are close up in the center one I can see a portion of Bethesda Fountain.
"These were taken today; I went walking through Central Park after lunch."
"He has a good eye," Owen grins.
"I didn't even know I was being photographed," I comment.
"I tried to find you when I was done, to find out your name and get your permission to display the photos. Someone walked in front of my shot and I took the camera from my eye for a moment and you had vanished. I'm Eli Goldsworthy the artist," he says extending his hand and we both shake it. He's a few inches taller than me, deep black hair that's just a little bit long, light green eyes and he's dressed mostly in black with an ash grey vest. "I hope you're not thinking of suing for displaying your image without permission. I walked the park for an hour looking for you but I couldn't find you and I just had to make this my centerpiece."
"I'm flattered and I don't mind but could you do something for me?" I request.
"Anything," Eli replies, "but first may I know your name."
"Clare," I smile, "and this is Owen my best friend."
"It's good to meet you both, most especially you now what is it you need from me?" Eli asks.
"I'd like to pick your brain a little. I'm a writer working on a novel with a photographer character and I've got writers block, I just can't seem to get the character right."
"I would be more than happy to. Can we meet tomorrow night? I'm a little busy tonight," Eli grins.
"Yes of course, I'd like to see the rest of the show anyway."
"Great, here's my card call me tomorrow," he says taking a business card from his pocket and handing it to me.
"Eli some people want to meet you," a lady calls to him I think she's the gallery owner. He gives me a smile and walks off.
"Someone has the hots for you," Owen grins and I shoot him a look. We stay at the gallery for a short time but when other people begin to realize I'm the girl in the photos I become a little uncomfortable. Not so much that I've been recognized but that they all point and whisper and come up to stare at my eyes.
"I think it's time we go," I tell Owen growing tired of it.
"Agreed if they keep staring at your eyes I'll have to start hitting people," Owen nods.
(ELI)
"I still can't believe she came to the opening last night," Adam remarks as I get ready to meet Clare.
"I know a wonderful stroke of luck and I'm off to meet my dream girl."
I leave my loft and take the subway to Central Park where I agreed to meet Clare. She's already at the restaurant when I arrive. I compliment her and we sit down and order, she asks me a few questions about my work and me, things I think about and how I find the perfect shot. We stay at the restaurant for over two hours and then go walking as we continue to talk. The longer we're together the more of a connection I feel with us and I'm sure she feels it too.
"So you and Owen was it? You're just friends?"
"Yes Owen and I met while attending Columbia, we've been best friends ever since. We lived together for over three years, mostly as friends but we did date for a time, it was one of my few relationships that didn't end badly. We're still the greatest of friends though; he's like a brother to me. We've seen each other through a lot in the last few years."
"You've had a bad history with relationships?"
"Yeah most of them have ended badly, terrible fights and tears and us hating each other."
"I can't imagine a girl like you would have trouble with guys."
"Oh I had no trouble finding guys but relationships were hard. I didn't like going out much, I didn't like going to clubs or drinking. I do what I want, always. I'm stubborn and stoic and independent and a lot of guys hate that. And you? What's your relationship history?"
"Not much of one, I fell deeply in love with a girl in high school. We dated for over two years, she practically moved into my house. Our first night of summer vacation after our junior year of high school we got in a fight, a terrible fight and I don't even remember what we were fighting about. She ran out, she ran into the street and got hit by a car, she was killed instantly. Her death broke me," I admit as we sit on a bench near the water. "I spent the first couple of weeks in my room deep in depression. I eventually emerged, it's when I began taking pictures, living other people's lives for brief moments through the camera and forgetting my pain. Since Julia's death I've had a few relationships but most of them ended after a few months. I finally decided I had to heal more before I could be in a relationship."
"That was very wise," Clare smiles.
"Yeah but I think I'm ready now," I tell her and she grins.
"Let's start with a date," she says.
"A date sounds good, how about tonight?"
"You don't waste any time do you?" She laughs.
"Life is too short to waste time."
"Tonight then but let's meet as a group, I'll bring Owen and you can bring someone, not like a double date just a group."
"I get it, got to have the best friend check me out. I'll bring my best friend Adam; he wants to meet you anyway."
"I should get back and get all this stuff down. Thanks for the help I think I have what I need for my character," Clare says.
We walk back to the subway together and make plans for tonight. I return home and tell Adam about tonight. Clare only lives a few blocks from me and as it turns out her favorite Thai restaurant is also mine so that's where we're meeting.
"Clare, Owen this is my best friend Adam," I introduce them.
"It's nice to meet you Adam," Clare smiles and Owen nods.
"You too especially after Eli saw you in the park and I developed the pictures he took of you. You should have heard him go on and on about the mystery girl with the incredible blue eyes," Adam comments and Clare blushes.
The four of us get along very well, spending two hours at the restaurant talking and laughing, getting to know each other. After dinner we go for drinks and we don't part company until nearly two in the morning. Not just that night but we get together every night for the next two weeks, always in a group though. I learn from Owen that Clare's had her heart broken many times, so many that she's very cautious about new relationships. Owen has broken a few faces of men that have broken her heart. I like that Owen looks out for her the way he does, Adam's done the same for me. Not that he's ever hit a girl who broke my heart but he's always there when I need him.
After two weeks of seeing each other every night, even with Owen and Adam always with us, I know there's a connection. I know there's something between Clare and I, an undeniable spark and I'm ready to pursue a relationship. One night while we're all out at one of our favorite hang outs I decide to bring it up to Clare.
"I think we should go out, just the two of us, I think we're ready to take this to the next level."
"I…I don't know Eli, you're great and we're having such a good time as friends I don't want to ruin that."
"You were friends with Owen before and you're friends now. A foray into a relationship won't ruin our friendship."
"Owen and I were close friends for much longer than two weeks before we tried a relationship," she argues.
"Clare you can't deny that there's a spark between us. A connection, I feel it I know you must feel it."
"Yes but…" she pauses biting her lip. "Neither of us has a good track record with relationships and feeling a spark is not enough to begin a relationship. I like you but my heart has been broken a lot, I'm in a good place now and I don't want to break that. From what I know from your past you're in a good place too and if something were to happen between us to break that I wouldn't forgive myself. For now let's just stay friends."
(CLARE)
"It's been a month since you told Eli you wanted to stay friends for now. I think you owe the poor boy a chance. You know he cares about you deeply and he's been hurt too. I know why you're cautious but I think you owe it to the both of you to give this a try," Owen encourages me.
We're eating lunch as we do nearly every day. For the last six weeks the four of us have been getting together nearly every night. After telling Eli I wanted to stay just friends for now he accepted it, he wasn't exactly happy but he understood and he hasn't brought it up again. We get together as friends along with Owen and Adam but I must admit I do want more. I know Eli and I share something and if I don't take the risk I'll never know it could work.
"Okay you're right; we're supposed to meet him and Adam tonight."
"You know I think I just remembered that I have other plans tonight. I'll call Adam I'm pretty sure he has the same ones," Owen says and I smile.
We finish lunch and I return to my apartment to work. Since meeting with Eli that first day for insight into my photographer character the book has been flowing out of me. Before I set to work however I call Eli.
"Hi I was thinking just the two of us could go out tonight. A date, a real one," I tell Eli when he answers.
"That would be great, I'll pick you up at six," he says and we hang up.
I text Owen that Eli and I are going out tonight and then I try to work, problem is I'm now preoccupied with thoughts of the date. I spend the next few hours agonizing over what to wear, how to do my hair and makeup. I am ready by the time Eli picks me up though.
"You look stunning," Eli smiles.
"Thanks you look very handsome."
We take a cab to the restaurant and eat dinner while talking. It's a little odd not having Adam and Owen here but it's nice too. I really do have feelings for Eli and I feel so good in his company, I trust him and I can tell him anything. After dinner we take a carriage ride in Central Park and Eli has the carriage stop at Bethesda Fountain.
"This is where I first saw you, the girl with the most amazing blue eyes," Eli says as we sit at the fountain edge.
"And I wasn't even aware I was being photographed or admired," smile blushing a little and brushing some hair behind my ear.
"Still afraid to try a relationship?" Eli asks taking my hand and interlacing our fingers.
"Not at all," I grin turning to him and capturing our lips. Our lips touch and sparks fly I couldn't have written a better scene for burgeoning love in one of my books. My eyes close, my lips part and my heart skips a beat as Eli deepens the kiss.