"Chloe Diana is a complete bombshell. The perfect girl if I had to choose one. That voice, the sandy hair, the body-sorry, I'm getting carried away. Simply put, I love her. Why do you ask?"

"Her new song was just on at work tonight and now I've got it stuck in my head, so I wondered." Clare replied.

Eli eagerly continued, obviously thrilled about the topic. "She's playing a show in my town in a few days and I would have loved to have gone. I never got tickets in time though. The show sold out within 6 minutes, or something."

Clare could feel her heart accelerating. Of course, when she brought it up she was fully aware that Chloe Diana had a show in Toronto this coming Friday. However, she didn't expect Eli to react so positively. Her heart swelled with pride and her cheeks took on a light blush when he called her a complete bombshell-even if it was unknowingly.

Clare had played Toronto the year before but felt that it had been too soon to invite Eli. Maybe this time though, she could put it all on the line. Since then they have recently come to know each other so much better-what with all the late night phone calls, the constant texting and the sporadic skype dates.

AND, in three weeks she would be heading to Europe for the next eighteen months. So, maybe this is the time to give Eli a chance. Alli, who had been relentlessly on her case ever since the Toronto date was posted, would be elated to know that Clare had finally taken a progressive step in her relationship with Eli.

Come on, Edwards. Woman up! He called you the perfect girl. Just do it!

"Actually, you know, my dad works with her management team. I'll bet he could find you some tickets."

There, that wasn't a lie. Clare hated having to lie so completely to Eli about certain aspects of her life so she tried to shoot as straight as possible when she could.

Eli's voice raised a decibel at least on the other end of the phone. "You're kidding! Why didn't you tell me that? How did I not know that? Yes! Please! I would love to!"

Clare giggled in relief. "I'll see what I can do." She responded.

"Are you going to be there?" Eli asked.

"So desperate to see me, Goldsworthy. I have to talk to my dad, but I think he could find me a way, too." Clare said.

Just then, Randall walked into the Penthouse suite of the hotel Clare was currently staying in.

"Actually, he's here now. I'll call you back, Eli!" She said as she hung up.

"Daddy, I just invited Eli to the Toronto show!" Clare shouted as she moved out from under the covers to jump up and down on the bed.

Randall, in head to toe black business suit, looked every bit the music industry Manager he was, but the smile on his face was all fatherly.

"Aw, Darling, that's wonderful. About time, too! I'm sure we can find him some space in the VIP booth." He said with a wink.

Randall's eyes then lit up again as he realized, "Maybe now I can see Bullfrog again, soon!"

Eli's father, Bullfrog, and Randall had been childhood best friends. They were almost reunited three years ago when the Goldsworthy's were getting ready to move back to Toronto but just as they were settling in, the Edwards' lives were uprooted by Clare's new stardom. However, it did give way to Eli and Clare's friendship.

Eli was meant to start at Clare's high school, so their fathers had them swap email addresses in the hopes they could set up a coffee date. Unfortunately, the Edwards' moved to New York before the plan could be carried out, but that didn't stop them from keeping in contact over the years.

About a year and a half ago, during a particularly grueling tour through every major city in North America, Clare was desperate for an escape and chatted Eli late one evening without a second thought. On second thought now, it was one of her very finest decisions because she had found a best friend in Eli.

Sure, she couldn't tell him everything about herself but she could tell him the littlest things and he would be happy to hear them. They could sit on the phone and describe their dreams to each other, or discuss books, or the weather for heavens' sake. It didn't matter to Clare one bit as long as she could hear his voice.

Unfortunately, the depth of her feelings for Eli made the prospect of meeting him all the more frightening. So many things could go wrong; he could get upset that she'd been so dishonest with him. He likes the way she looks, he said so himself, but what if that's all he likes about her? What if the fame is too much? What if he likes Chloe and not Clare? Maybe he won't want to deal with the distance? Will he want to talk to her ever again?

This was a conversation Clare had had with herself, her father, Alli and Calvin, her personal security, countless times. Each and every time she was told to take her chance and go for it, as Eli really couldn't be the one to do it. So finally, here she was; going for it. All in.

"I hope that's what it means, Daddy. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. He has to meet me, first." Clare said, sheepishly.

Randall walked over to the bed, placed his hands on her forearms and kissed her forehead before saying, "Try not to worry yourself too much, Darling. You're a bigger catch than you think."

Clare smiled up at him and the two got to discussing the details. Once all was settled, Clare took a deep breath and called Eli back.

He answered on the second ring with a smile in his voice.

"There's my favourite girl." He said. "Give me the good news!"

Clare smiled and laid back on the king sized bed, fiddling with the tie on her white terry-cloth hotel robe as she spoke.

"Well, if you like, you can have two VIP tickets and backstage passes to her show this Friday. You know, if you want."

There was silence on the other end of the phone, which was so unusual for Eli that Clare worried that maybe the call had dropped.

"Eli?"

"CLARE, OF COURSE I WANT THE TICKETS, ARE YOU MAD?" Eli joyfully shouted into the phone. He was laughing and hooting in the background which brought on a whole round of laughter for Clare.

Once the laughter had died down, Clare was positively beaming.

"Who will you bring with you?" She asked.

"You, of course!" Eli replied.

Clare smiled over her privilege of knowledge and said, "No, silly. I'll be there on my own. You get to bring someone else!"

Eli made a delighted, "Oh!" sound and said, "Fiona, then. She'll love it."

"Oh, wonderful." Clare said; her voice full of sincerity.

At first she worried that Eli may be interested in Fiona but he always clearly maintains they are nothing but friends, which is fine by Clare.

"So, I'll get to see you, then?" Eli asked. There was a hopefulness in his voice that Clare dare not let her mind overanalyze.

"I wouldn't miss it! I won't be in the VIP box with you, but you'll see me." Clare said.

Eli's voice was filled with wonder as he replied, "Wow. I can't believe I get to see Chloe Diana and meet you all in one day. This is insane. I'm going to go call Fi, but I'll talk to you later, okay? Thank your dad a million for me. Night!"

Clare was pleased that Eli sounded so excited but she couldn't help but note that Chloe came before she did on the list of things that made him happy. She hoped it wouldn't always be that way. She didn't think her heart would be able to take playing second to her own alter ego.

Rather than wallow, Clare called Alli, her hometown best friend and head stylist, to gush over these recent developments and to discuss Friday's outfit.

If Eli wanted a show from Chloe Diana, the least she could do was deliver one.

TBC.

Thoughts?