There was nothing more beautiful than her, Eli thought as he watched his girlfriend Clare reading a textbook in the library. As she tapped a pen in her hand on the desk Eli leaned against the door and sighed content. As a student passed him leaving the library Eli decided it was time to stop starring and actually make his way to her at the table. As he came up behind Clare he kissed her cheek and she jumped and smiled when she realized it was her boyfriend.

"Well if isn't my famous director boyfriend," she said with a smile as he took a seat across from her.

Eli adjusted his collar jokingly proud, "well you know, behind every great man there is an even better woman," he said with a grin.

"Wow, that was beyond cheesy. However, true." Clare admitted at first rolling her eyes.

"So, I was thinking…tonight my mom and Glen are at the cottage and are staying there for the weekend. I guess they are renovating it or something, anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner and maybe watch one of those black and white movies we love so much," she said with a cute smile; One that Eli could never deny.

"What about Jake?" Eli asked realizing that they could be interrupted at any moment by her step-brother/ex-boyfriend. As much as him and Jake had become friends over the last bit, it was still a weird subject for both men.

"He is out with Katie tonight and might not be home until….later," she replied

"Well, I will bring dessert," he said leaning in to give her a quick kiss

Just as they were about to deepen the kiss, someone interrupted them by clearing their throat loudly.

Eli and Clare pulled a part and looked at Katie who was beside the table watching them, "sorry, to interrupt this moment but, I m going to need to borrow your girlfriend for a moment," Katie said pulling Clare from her chair.

"Ok, just bring her back in one piece," he said as Clare was being dragged out of the library by a determined Katie. Eli watched and smiled, thankful it wasn't him Katie was looking to speak with.

Katie dragged Clare into the hallway and stopped suddenly and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Ok, I am only going to ask you this once is Jake cheating on me?" Katie asked quickly

"What? Wait a second I thought you two were going out tonight," Clare replied confused

"We are, he said he wanted to talk to me about something and in my dating history that usually means 'I am in love with someone else,'" Katie stated her voice calming down

"Katie, Jake is a lot of things but he is NOT a cheater and he is crazy about you. It's probably something else and your just overreacting," Clare explained trying to comfort her friend

"Oh great I m turning into you," Katie said kidding and nudging Clare.

The two girls smiled at each other and walked down the hallway.

Eli still sat at the library table reading a graphic novel when Jake walked into the library and spotted him. Jake walked towards the table and took Clare's now empty seat, "hey, Eli you have a moment…" Jake began.

Eli was still reading and raised his finger indicating he was in the middle of something. After finishing the sentence he was reading Eli looked up and smiled, "how may I help you?"

"How do I ask Katie to prom?" Jake asked nervously

"Well, you look at her and say 'Katie will you go to prom with me?' that usually gets the message across," Eli replied sarcastically

"Oh you are so funny, I mean…like the setting, the mood, the date…what did you do for Clare?" Jake asked

Eli demeanor changed and he stood up from the table and took his book back to the rack behind Jake. Jake stood up and followed Eli, "I haven't asked Clare to prom yet" he confessed.

"What? Really? I thought you would have asked her like when you guys got back together or something," Jake stated surprised by this information.

Eli looked at the books on the rack for a moment, and then turned around to face Jake, "that sounds like me but at first I didn't because I didn't want to push anything Now I just…prom means the end of the year which, means leaving to go to NYU is a big possibility…leaving her seems just too real when I think about prom." He admitted

"Wow…that's…that has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard," Jake said at first mockingly sympathetic

Eli rolled his eyes, " Eli, you and Clare have this eternal love, sickening thing going on and I am pretty sure it can survive something like graduation and university. Besides prom is about more than just the end of the year it's the celebration of the year and you two have been through a lot together and apart you guys deserve prom," Jake advised

Eli nodded, silently admitting what Jake was saying was right.

"Wow…I just gave romance advice to you. To think I came here looking for some advice, this is creeping me out," Jake stated confused and walking away

Eli half smiled watching Jake leave the library and thinking about what he had said.

Clare and Katie sat in front of Katie's locker studying in silence, Katie looked up and at Clare for a moment. When Clare felt her eyes on her she looked up and over at Katie who turned her head back to her textbook quickly. Clare looked at Katie confused for a moment but shrugged it off and went back to studying. Katie looked over at Clare again and cleared her throat, Clare shot her head back up and looked at Katie, "something I can help you with?" Clare asked a bit irritated at Katie's game.

"Well…I was just thinking about the fact that if Jake and I are going to be out tonight and your mom is going to be out…does this mean you and Eli are going to be in the house, together...all alllooooonnnneee," Katie said slowly connecting the pieces

"How long did it take you to put that together?" Clare asked closing her textbook and setting it aside.

"Not too long, I actually been thinking about it awhile and was waiting for you to bring it up but that wasn't happening so…I had to pull it out of you some way," Katie replied a bit proud of her self

"Nothing may happen, Eli's just coming over for dinner and we are going to watch a movie…perhaps there will be cuddling," Clare stated

Katie rolled her eyes, "please…save me the PG rated version," she said with a knowing nudge to Clare

Clare smiled and got red in the cheeks, "I don't know…I mean I think I am ready and I just don't know how to make the first move. Or should I make the first move and then what if I make the first move and he's not interested or not ready and I completely have read way too much into our relationship and it ruins everything," Clare rambled nervously

"Clare dial it back a bit," Katie said calming her friend down

"First of all, Eli is crazy about you…it's actually kind of sickening and second he's a guy so sex is on his brain at least 110 percent of the time so he's ready. Lastly, you don't have to do anything to make the first move, it's all about what you wear…or lack there of. No words needed," Katie advised

"It's scary to me how much you know about this stuff…I feel like I m talking to Ali," Clare stated deadpan

Katie laughed, "come with me, we have fourth period shopping to do," she said standing up and taking Clare's arm.

That evening

"Clare, I m heading to pick Katie up," Jake called coming down the stairs

"Shit!" Clare yelled from the kitchen

"Well, you don't have to make all that fuss about it, I am returning," he joked walking into the kitchen and seeing Clare flustered over a burnt lasagna,"

"I suck!" she cried throwing the oven mitt on the counter defeated

"It's not that bad-looking," Jake commented trying to make her feel better

"Really, would you eat it?" she asked crossing her arms

Jake picked up a fork and poked at it and cringed, "ya, no sorry…I wouldn't," he stated shaking his head

"I have seen you eat off the floor and you wouldn't even eat my cooking," she stated picking up the lasagna and walking towards the garbage

"Hey, that was one time and the ten second rule was in total effect," Jake yelled after Clare.

"I m going to need that pizza money my mom left on the table," Clare said walking towards Jake

Jake rolled his eyes and took out his wallet, "I thought that went unnoticed," Jake replied handing her the 20-dollar bill.

Clare smiled and turned on her heel walking out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Jake stood in the kitchen for a moment and leaned against the counter. His eyes landed on a small bag on the dinning table.

He walked over to the table and peaked in the bag and pulled out a black lace negligée and looked at it shocked at the meaning of Clare having the item. As she heard come back down the stairs he shoved the negligée back in the shopping bag and moved away. Clare walked towards the bag and looked over at Jake who was watching her a bit shocked and concerned, "is something wrong?" she asked noticing his weird behavior.

Jake crossed his arms across his chest and shook his head no. Clare nodded and took the bag upstairs with her.

Jake watched her go back up the stairs; it wasn't that he didn't see this coming. Jake knew that Clare and Eli would eventually take that step; he was just surprised that it was going to be that night. He wanted to march upstairs and tell Clare she was making a horrible mistake and that she's not ready for sex. Perhaps if he was a better big stepbrother he would have but he knew Clare and knew she wouldn't be doing this if she weren't ready. Also, despite his initial impression of Eli, Jake had grown to respect his judgment and love for Clare. However, that didn't mean that if Eli hurt Clare in anyway Jake wouldn't whip his ass. But, for now Jake decided to let what was going to happen, happen…no matter how icky it made him feel.

Clare looked in her hallway mirror one last time and adjusted her red dress; her hair was lightly curled and hung below her shoulders. Eli walked into Clare's house, "Clare the door was open," he called.

He placed his jacket on the back of one the kitchen table chairs as Clare walked down the stairs. Eli turned around as she got to the last step and his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her.

"You look really…umm…beautiful," he stumbled out

Clare smiled shyly as she put her hands around his neck, "thank-you," she hushed out as the two kissed sweetly.

Jake adjusted his jacket nervously and cleared his throat. Katie stared at him from across the table at Little Mrs. Steaks, "why are you dressed like that?" she asked confused by his formal wear.

"I wanted to look good for our date and I must say it would have been nice of you to notice," Jake said a little hurt

Katie giggled, "who are you?" she asked

"You know I thought you were going to break up with me," Katie admitted

"What, why?" Jake asked taking her hand

"You said you wanted to talk…so I may have had a Clare moment and overreacted," she replied

"Hangout with her enough that will happen to you," Jake smiled

"I m not breaking up with you, Katie…I actually wanted to ask you…" Jake started nerves taking over he fidgeted in his seat.

"If you would go to prom with me," he whispered under his breath

Katie couldn't hear him leaned her head in, "what?" she asked

"Would you go to prom with me," he whispered again playing with the placemat in front of him.

"Jake, I can't make out what you said," Katie urged

"WILL YOU GO TO PROM WITH ME?" Jake yelled a little too loud

Everyone in the restaurant turned and stared at them and Katie giggled.

Clare and Eli sat at the kitchen table eating pizza.

Eli threw the crust in the box and leaned back full.

Clare watched him and sighed, "sorry, it's not gourmet…I don't think I am the cooking type," she admitted sadly

"Maybe, but you sure know how to order a great pizza," Eli smiled rubbing her cheek.

"This is nice, just us…together, alone," Clare said with a smile

"I know, it's almost like a date," Eli said sarcastically

Clare rolled her eyes, "you know what I mean," she stated

"ya, I know," Eli smiled

Eli stood up and walked over to Clare he put his hand out to her and she took it and stood up. Eli walked further in to her living room and brought her closer to him, Clare placed her hands around his neck and smiled, "you know there's no music," she stated as the two started to slow dance.

"Ya, I know…but, we don't need any," Eli said kissing her forehead

She smiled as they continued to dance in place, "this is nice," she said breaking the silence.

"maybe we could stay this way forever," she added

Eli stopped when she said that and Clare looked at him confused, "did I say something wrong?" she asked noticing the change in his mood

Eli was silent for a moment and looked back at her and smiled, "no, everything's perfect," he replied taking her in his arms and kissing her passionately

As things began to heat up between the two, Clare pushed away slowly. Clare looked at him deep in his eyes for a moment and in that moment she knew, "Let's go upstairs," she stated simply. Eli looked at her for a moment and leaned in to kiss her again, realizing what she was trying to say.

As they pulled apart she took his hand and led him upstairs.