It was Spirit Week at Degrassi, again. Marisol had convinced Principal Simpson that after Cam's death, the school could use some cheering up. Fun just for fun, and with it being prom week, no one was concentrating on their classes anyway.
Today was "Super-Hero Day" at the school, and the halls were roaming with kids decked out in tights and the real deal super hero outfits, and other kids, with underwear over their pants. Jake and Eli fell into the latter category. Eli thought it would be a good idea, and they were both high anyway. So, it didn't really matter.
As for their ex-girlfriend, Clare, she was a very traditional version of a Koriand'r.
"Clare!" Alli whined, frowning at her friend's outfit, "You could have at least tried to look sexy!" As though to prove a point Allie motioned to her own purple attire, a sultry version of Cat Woman. "That's what today's about anyway!"
"That's what this weeks about," Jenna marveled in her tiny Super Girl outfit. "And you picked Starfire!" She joined Alli's whining.
"Luckily," Ali grinned over at Jenna who was holding a shopping bag in her hand, "We came prepared."
"What do you mean?" Clare questioned as Alli pulled her to the bathroom; Jenna following with the bag.
"You'll see," was Alli's simple promise, and see Clare did.
"I cannot put this on," Clare called from the bathroom.
"Why?" Jenna asked. "It's cute, and it's sort of conservative."
"Sort of?" Clare yelped from the stall. "No, not really."
"Clare, we're not letting you out 'til you put it on," Alli called to the door she was blocking. "Do you really want to be late for class?"
After several minutes of coaxing Clare left the bathroom in a purple tube top, a skirt that barely covered the purple thong she was given, and a see through silver material connecting the two together. Clare could feel every eye on her and she tried to expertly walk in the knee high boots she was wearing. It wasn't like she was the slutiest dressed girl. There were many girls dressed far more revealing than herself, but it was so unexpected of Clare. It was so unexpected that it got many people's attention; including Eli and Jake's.
School was almost over when she saw them. Eli approached her and Adam slowly, a faint smile on his face. "My movie that I've working on-"
"The Cheerleader Zombie thing?" Adam questioned, taking a semi defensive stance between the two. Adam had watched Clare cry too many times because Eli was always blaming her for worrying about him. Adam wasn't sure he could take much more of it; nonetheless Clare.
"No," Eli smirked, glancing over at Clare, "It's something. Conner sort of inspired it." Again he glanced at Clare. "And I thought you all would like to see it. The old movie theater is letting me show it after school."
"Sounds like fun," The voice came from behind Clare. She turned around, recognizing the voice immediately. Drew nodded his head at her before returning his scowl at Eli. He couldn't get the image of Clare being so broken the day of the elections out of his head, and he didn't want Eli making her feel that way again. "Is that an open invitation?"
Eli shrugged, "It can be if you want it to be."
That was all Drew needed. He grabbed Clare's hand and went to the office. Soon Drew's voice beamed through the hallways, "Degrassi now's your chance. Join next year's class pres. and veep at the old movie theater for a screening of a movie from a Degrassi student and soon to be graduate, Eli Goldsworthy. Again, join us after school at the old movie theater for a good time. Thank you."
The office was empty aside from the two. Clare gave Drew a questioning look and he shrugged, "I don't like the way you were crying the other day, and I figure it has to do with him. And I don't want him taking advantage-"
"But he wouldn't," Clare found herself defending her ex. "Eli's a lot of things, but he wouldn't hurt me."
"Right," Drew nodded his head, obviously not believing her. "Like how he didn't hurt you enough to make you feel like your life's falling apart?"
Clare stayed silent, and remained so until they were no longer alone.
"I didn't say you could do that," Eli hissed at Drew barging through the door.
"But it's cool, right?" Drew smirked, "I just thought-"
"He thought it'd be more fun." Clare intervened, "And I agree."
Eli calmed down slowly looking between Drew and Clare. He shook his head and left the room with a silent, "Whatever" in the air.
"Look," Clare turned around, trying to figure out the words to say, "Thanks for the help, but I don't always need someone saving me. I can do it on my own."
Drew smirked at Clare and left the office, running into his lovely fiancée.
"You forgot about our date night didn't you?"
Drew had completely forgotten. She was right. "B, I'm sor-"
"Sorry?" She questioned. "I get it, Drew, you're going to be Class President next year, but that doesn't mean-" Bianca stopped in the middle of her words, shaking her head. "Just forget it."
"No," Drew grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away from him, "What? Tell me."
Bianca smirked and shook her head, "Drew, I love you, and I know you love me."
"Of course I do, B," He smiled at her, "I'm marrying you."
Smiling, Bianca shook her head, "I don't think so. I hope so, but probably not."
"What do you mean?" Drew asked, cocking his head to the side. "Nothing's stopping us. Not Katie. Not my mom. Nothing is in our way."
"Really?" Bianca laughed humorlessly, "Look, Drew you've been ditching me the past few weeks, every night almost… And for who?"
Clare? What?! No. "To get some things started for next year."
"With Clare," Bianca added. "I get it, Drew. I do. For some reason, there's something there, and you need to figure out what it is… But I'm not going to be here this time. I'm not going to be someone you can just run back to." Fumbling with her hand for a second, Bianca gave Drew his ring back, "I love you, you love me, but I don't think we're in love."
Drew watched as Bianca walked away from him, not sure what to say. He couldn't deny that there was something about Clare, something in him that wanted her happy, but this was Bianca walking away from him. This was his love, his life, his future. Drew couldn't let her walk away so easily could he?
And yet, a relief like no other flooded Drew's heart. It was like he had been hiding his true emotions, even though he could swear he knew what he felt. So many questions swarmed about in Drew's mind as he tried to decipher where this relief was coming from. Why he was so at peace with letting Bianca, the girl he thought was the love of his life, just walk away… Just like that; so simple.
Maybe, it was because they always found their way back to each other. Maybe, it was because they were each other's destiny, like many people thought Clare and Eli were. Maybe, it was because they weren't.
Whatever the reason for Drew's calm collective spirit, he knew he couldn't let Bianca go. Bianca believed in him, and she had to be it. She had to be the one. There was no other choice for Drew Torres.
Holding the ring tightly in his grip, Drew went off in search of Bianca. He had to resolve this. Drew had to make things right.
Stopping dead in his tracks, Drew cursed himself for trying to protect Clare earlier. All it had done was caused trouble, and now, instead of chasing after Bianca, as Drew should have done, he was obligated to go. Drew couldn't do both, could he? How could he do both?
He walked over to his locker, where his brother and his friends were waiting. Among those friends was none other than Clare. Sliding the ring into his pocket, he softly smiled at the group, the relief taking over again.
"Ready to go?" He asked them all, smiling toward his veep.
Alli nudged Clare, winking about something, and Adam shook his head, "Becky. I have to wait on her, but you all can go on if you want."
"I'll be on when Jenna shows up," Alli smiled over at Adam, "Probably with Becky."
"I guess it's just me and you, for now veep," Drew smiled, putting his hands in his pockets.
Clare laughed, "You look ridiculous in that mask."
Drew looked down at his "Robin" attire. "I don't look that bad, Miss Starfire," he laughed, taking in Clare's costume for the first time. "Are you ready to go, Clare?"
"Let's go pres.," Clare smiled, linking arms with the boy.
The two laughed and joked around the whole way to the old movie theater. They had stopped at the Dot to get a couple of drinks, and they just seemed so at ease with each other, which they were. They really did seem to enjoy one another's company.
Things –this friendship- didn't make sense with two. Clare was so uptight; Drew was loose. Clare was a Miss Responsible. Drew was anything but. Clare was used to good grades and wasn't really challenged with school, and Drew wasn't exactly the brightest crayon in the box. Clare was a virgin, and Drew was far from that. Yet, here they were. So different, but they still managed to be friends and enjoy just being with each other.
Soon, they found themselves at the old movie theater entrance. They waited on their other friends before they went in to watch the movie. The room was filled with kids in superhero outfits. It was crazy, humorous, and just plan out silly. Clare couldn't believe this was actually happening.
"So," Drew whispered, taking a seat next to Clare. They were the only two in the row at the moment, "You think it's going to be any good?"
"Well," Clare was about to answer Drew's question when her two –obviously high- exes sat down next to them. "Not sure."
Clare rolled her eyes slightly and Drew nodded his head in understanding. Eli was high, and Clare wasn't sure what was going to pop up on that screen. She was just praying it wasn't some kind of masturbation video or something. That would be embarrassing for both herself and Eli.
"I get it," Drew whispered, looking past Clare for a second, at the boys. "I guess, it'll be… Something, huh?"
"Something," Clare sighed, looking into Drew's eyes, feeling so captivated. The lights dimmed and Clare had to tear her eyes away from Drew's to look at the screen.
Why did he do that to her? How did he do that to her? Bring her in like that? No one, not Eli, not KC, not Declan, no one had ever made her feel so… Intrigued, happy, and worried all in one. She thought her heart was beating with Eli, and if that was true, then in this moment, she would have to say her heart was going into a frenzy; probably close to shutting down.
She could feel her words being caught in her throat and her lips were so dry. How did he do this to her? How?
Clare shook her head, bringing herself to reality and looking at the screen. It was filled with stars, billions of stars.
"The galaxy," Eli's voice boomed in the room, "Needs to be saved."
Clare tuned the movie out when she felt an arm brush against her own. Needless to say, it wasn't Eli's. What was Drew doing? Was he-?
Clare glanced down for a moment, and sure enough Drew's hand was open beside of her. It was like he was giving her an option… Like they were on a date, and he wanted her to hold his hand.
Quickly, she glanced over at her ex-boyfriend. Eli was laughing at Mo with Jake, and honestly, Clare didn't want to know what they thought was so funny. She diverted her attention back to the screen, letting her hand down, leaving it palm up.
She didn't know what she was thinking. Hell, was she even thinking? This was Drew. Obviously, he meant nothing by what happened.
But why, then, Clare reasoned with herself when she felt her fingers dangerously flirting with the hand that initiated the caressing match, Is that happening?
Blocking out her conscious, Clare paid special attention to the movie that no one was watching. Jenna was on the screen now. She was dressed as an extremely slutty student, encouraging Conner, who was fighting… A Zebra? What the hell?
Claire's heart speed up when Drew's hand claimed hers. Their hands' dangerous flirtation had led to whole other level, and she knew it. She glanced down at their intertwined fingers before looking back to the screen.
Why was it that she couldn't stop thinking about his lips on hers? Why did she want his lips on hers? Whatever the reason, Clare felt his mesmerizing eyes on her, and she that there was no going back from this moment. Slowly, she turned to look into the hypnotic eyes that were studying her face.
Drew didn't know why he wanted Clare to hold his hand, or why his fingers were dancing with hers. What he did know was that he had to hold her hand. There was no option for Drew. He had to hold this girl's hand. It was eating at him like crazy.
So, with all the courage he could muster, Drew grabbed Clare's hand. He couldn't explain why he was so nervous about just holding her hand. He couldn't explain why he couldn't take his eyes off her face. He couldn't explain why he knew that just holding her hand wasn't enough. It was a connection, but he needed more. He craved more.
There was something in the pit of his stomach that knew this was a feeling he'd never had before; a connection that wouldn't go away if he made some excuse to leave like he had thought about doing. Drew didn't want to leave. No, he didn't want to leave at all.
What Drew Torres wanted to do was to kiss his vice president, and when those wide doe eyes met his, he knew. Just like holding her hand, he knew there was no other choice. Drew had to kiss Clare. He didn't know why, but he had too.
Slowly, Drew leaned in toward Clare, determination clear on his features. There was this pull between them, and they both knew what was getting ready to happen. Clare felt her breathing pick up as she too leaned in for the moment of impact, the kiss.
Their lips collided, and everything was on fire. Nothing made since as the two teens enveloped one another with their hands, their lips. It wasn't soft and comforting like a normal first kiss. This kiss was feverishly passionate.
The kiss soon turned frantic, and the two teens were nowhere near close enough. It seemed as though there would never be enough friction between the two. Somehow, before the kiss was over, Clare ended up in Drew's lap.
This wasn't like Clare, hooking up in a movie theater, and Drew knew that… Yet, there was something inside them both that needed that kiss. He pulled away slowly, smiling down at her. She couldn't look anywhere else but in his eyes, and he was looking into hers. They could only see each other in that moment.
They didn't see the girls glaring at Clare, wishing to be in her place. They didn't see Eli and Jake laughing at whatever was happening on screen. They didn't see the approval some of their friends, like Adam, wore on their faces. All they could see was each other. Nothing else mattered; no one else mattered.
"I would ask for another," Drew huskily murmured into Clare's ear as she quickly eased herself into her seat. "But something tells me I couldn't stop at just one kiss."
"Then don't," Clare answered rashly. This wasn't like her, but she needed this. "Let's get out of here."
"You sure?" Drew questioned, smiling down at his veep.
"Of course," Clare murmured, nibbling a bit on his ear. Drew released a moan he was trying to suppress as she whispered to him, "What makes you think I want you to stop after that? After just one kiss?"
Who knew that that would make the difference in their relationship? That something the two would have never done before this silly outrageous friendship started, would make a difference? Who knew Drew Torres and Clare Edwards would have their worlds turned upside down with just one kiss?
They left the theater that day and didn't look back, and they didn't stop at just one kiss. No, there were many more kisses between the couple, enough to last a life time. It's funny in a way. With just one kiss, their journey together began, but with just one kiss, our story has come to an end.