"Class, today we will be doing what I call a 'soul searching project', I know with the new uniforms and rules everyone has been flustered or wanting to rebel and what I'm hoping is that this project will make the difference" Mrs Dawes spoke as the class turned around from their terribly interesting conversations. Eli of course rolled his eyes, a writing project? Was Mrs. Dawes on crack? A writing project wouldn't make the 'difference', change would make the difference, protesting would make the difference.
Mrs. Dawes passed around a packet of lined paper with the headings already put on it. Clare, Eli and Adam all stared down, jealous of Mrs. Dawes perfectly scripted hand writing.
"This first part will be quick, write down names of people that have influenced you, touched your life, changed you, made you see something differently, maybe you helped them" Mrs. Dawes said "You have two minutes"
Clare quickly wrote down the names, she was undoubtly uncomfortable as she wrote down names she should be embarrassed about. Eli didn't care, of course he didn't, he's Eli for the love of God. He wrote down names that were unthought of, people that shaped him. Now Adam just angriliy wrote down everyone that pissed him off, next to people that were close to him.
"Two minutes is up, I know you have your 'groups' pass them to the pepole in your group" Mrs Dawes said.
Uneasily Clare handed her's to Eli. The paper crinkled like one of those scrunchy cat toys and the tips of the paper were flapped down like a puppy's ear, next to that a variety of eraser marks dusted the page. Eli took the skimmed the tormented papers. Her paper read some people he had never heard of.
"Clare"
1. Mom 2. Dad 3. Darcy 4. Alli 5. Pastor Mike 6. Sister Violet 7. Reese 8. KC 9. Connor 10. Wesley 11. Eli 12. Adam 13. Jenna 14. Mrs. Dawes 15. Louie 16. Fitz 17. Macy 18. Leia
It was ironic that Eli's name was number 11 on her list. 11 was a lucky number, 11th was the date they ditched school and at 11am was the first time Eli had kissed her that time in the library. The thought caused Eli to smirk, maybe he was thinking to much into it, or maybe Clare was just as giddy about that number as he was. The names baffled him, who was Reese? Who was Louie, Macy and Leia? Great, now he wanted to know more. Again.
Clare read Adam's paper, of course he wrote down everything from comebook names to kids that bullied him, the cast of the jersey shore, his family...Adam was truely one of a kind.
"Adam"
1. Parents 2. Drew 3. Eli 4. Clare 5. The Joker 6. Batman 8. Superman 9. Catwoman 10. Fitz 11. That kid that hangs around Fitz, he has the eyebrows 12. Eveyone at my old school, the evils 13. Lo-
Adam really wasn't taking the assignment critically, as the paper says it all.
Now Adam read Eli's. Yeah, he knew his Eli was quite the deep one, a bit of romantic and once in a while a distant person. But his paper gave him more insight.
"Eli"
1. Clare 2. Adam 3. Morty 4. Uncle Bret 5. Those guys at the autoshop, their knowledgable 6. Dead Hands 7. Sav 8. Clare
Adam rolled his eyes. Eli was sprung. Adam sighed at the word 'sprung', he shouldn't have listened to Drew's rap collection
9. Julia 10. Shakespere 11. Romeo and Juliet 12. Cast of Desperate Housewives season 1
Eli really had no shame.
13. Death
Adam was baffled at number 13. Death? That wasn't a person, unless you read into that poetry which has Death as a character.
"Time's up, whoever's paper you have, write down how they have affected you. Be sincere, a few sentences will do as long as there is meaning" Mrs. Dawes said from behind her laptop.
Clare had Adam's paper, Adam had Eli's and Eli had Clares.
"Clare to Adam"
"Adam,
IfI hadn't met you I would probably be as narrow minded as I was in the ninth grade. Your personality get's me through the day. Your always there for me, and if you need me, I'll be here for you always"
"Adam to Eli"
"Elijah,
Yeah your pretty cool dude, thanks for being my friend and accepting me. It means a lot. Sappy moment over, never speak of those previous 13 words. Ever. If you do, I will personally wringe your neck (thats a promise). BROLOVEFTW"
"Eli to Clare"
"Dear Clare,
I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for being an idiot. You were right and I was wrong. These last few months that I've known you, I've learned more about myself then I have in a long time. Clare, you brought back the light that was gone, I'm no longer going to take anyone for granted, or be bull headed. I'll be more attalitical, because of you. All these words that I write are true, they come from me. Please, don't laugh. I know I told you I don't care what people think, but I care what you think, ok? Where we stand, I would like to know. I missed you throughout break, I did some thinking. And your the one for me and I know it.
Eli"
Eli blushed fushchia as he signed his name. At first he debated on erasing his 'love letter', afraid Clare would find him pitiful. But Clare wasn't like that.
"Now return the paper back to the original person, and they can't look at it" Mrs. Dawes said.
"Degrassi students, please proceed to the school gym, a important discussion regarding safe sex, we are aware of the number of pregnancies this year and we must lower our numbers" said Holly J awkwardly over the microphone. The whole class groaned. Clare chuckled and could only think of Jenna, boyfriend stealer got what she deserved.
"Something funny Edwards?" Eli asked quiet enough only for Clare to hear.
"Jenna is one of the girls that's pregnant, and Jenna stole KC away from me back in 9th grade, it's a long story but I'm over it" Clare breathed. "Hmm" Eli said in response as the trio followed the end of the line of students out the door.
As if on cue, the letter that Clare had received with Eli's note on it dropped out of her folder. The letter pratically shined like a copper penny on a sunny day. Adam walked ahead while Eli and Clare were left abandoned in the hallway. Slowly Clare crept down and picked up the letter, carefully reading the literature. It was beautiful!
Eli stood in silence, yes this was only really awkward.
"Eli..." Clare said "I wish you would have said something sooner..."
"Is there something wrong?" Eli said. If this were a fairytale, Clare would be kissing him passionately against the lockers. But no.
"I tried to move on over break, I met someone else and I feel terrible beyond beliief. I'm sorry Eli" Clare said as she walked along to catch up with the class, tucking the paper into her sweater pocket and left Eli behind in the dust. If he were to see her face, he would have had felt worse the he already did.
It was true, Clare had met someone. It was Reese, the boy who called her cute in 9th grade, biggest boost of confidence for her at the time. She didn't care about him, but she was attracted to him. When he had found out that her grandma's house was literally five blocks from his uncle's house, he made his move. Everything from tossing rocks at her window, to taking her on late night walks, to texting her all the time. He was persistant and he was not one to take no for an answer. Clare had no choice but to give in to his pleas.
Clare quickly slid into the seat next to Adam, still shooken up. Why did Eli have to be so deep? Why did she have to fall for him? Why, why why? A tear slid down her cheek as she whiped it away. Adam looked at her, his face fell with concern. But he had to give her time, she would tell him. Clare's eyes weren't on the speaker all the time, they trailed to a junior with brown hair and brown eyes, obviously a stoner, possibly a sex addict. Clare was checking him out? A girl flirtatiously draped her arm around him and whispered something in his ear.
"He's like a clone of Eli, if you think about it, same features, just different build and style" Adam said to Clare.
"That's Reese. Were going out" Clare said stalely.
"Uhh...When? Eli? Hi? Way to inform me" Adam said.
"I've known about him for awhile. I can't look at Eli, Adam. He hurt me, I almost lost him. However he proceeded to just keep edging Fitz on" Clare said, flustered. She didn't want Reese.
"But you guys were like, meant to be" Adam said, trying to talk girl.
"Can you not say that? Were not meant to be, fate decided otherwise Adam" Clare said quietly. She kept her eyes on Reese and tried to listen to the speaker. She was celibate till marriage. Why should she care about freakin' how to properly have safe sex when taking birth control? It didn't apply to her.
Reese waved and winked at Clare flirtatiously. Yeah, he wanted to do bad things to her. It was just to much of a turn on to have a girl like Clare be a virgin, so naive, so innocent.
Clare waved back and looked down. This couldn't be to bad. Reese was nice enough, he was smart enough, he was genuine enough and he was funny in a strange light. Enough with the enoughs.
Eli entered the gym and slid next to a girl named Jess. She was new, and indeed weird. Very much so was she afraid of Eli by the way she slid over to avoid him breathing her air. Clare felt a tinge of jealousy go through her, she bit her bottem lip in frusteration and harshly turned to avoid him. This would be difficult.
The speaker ended her small speech. She wanted to know if there was any questions. Really, you expect teenagers to be serious?
"So, what's a virgins first time like, for a girl, cause there's this girl and well...you know" Reese spoke up and stared directly at Clare. Eli followed his eyes like all the rest and saw he was looking at his-just Clare. Anger boiled in him. He would kill Reese slowly.
"Well thats a good question! As a guy, you should always be safe and birth control is a must. It's not going to be pleasent for her, but the way the guy treats her will be the only experiance she'll remember, in other words, be loving" The overly open speaker said. Mr. Simpson hurried along the rest of the questions and avoided the innapropriate ones.
Clare was mad. She didn't know him hardly and she had not even thought about him like that. Yes, she thought about Eli like that once but she knew that was wrong and decided to stop before she got carried away.
The speech ended and the everyone walked out as if they were being herded like cattle, a sea of red and blue cattle. The classes all gathered back. Of course, Adam, Clare and Eli ended up at the back just out of pure luck. Reese ducked out of his line and quickly grabbed Clare and forcefully pulled her to him and kissed her hungrily. Eli had to watch the whole thing, his knuckles beamed white as they clenched.
"Break it up you two!" A officer said, detaching Clare from Reese's embrace on her body "If I catch you one more time, I'll suspend you" Clare rolled her eyes.
Reese waited for the officer to leave before kissing her one more peck on the lips.
"Quit it Reese, I know what you were talking about in the gym, I'm not sleeping with you" Clare said.
"Clare" Reese said as he leeched his eyes to hers "I didn't ask that because I plan on it, well I'd like to, but I was just honestly thinking of your well being if we get carried away, is all"
Eli scoffed. This guy was full of shit. How dumb was Clare to believe he had a heart of gold?
"Uh...Ok" Clare said, dumbfounded.
"See you later beautiiful" Reese said as he walked back to his line where his groupies surrounded him.
"Are you dumb?" Adam asked sincerely to Clare.
AN:Soo I've decided to discontinue the other two stories I was writing and write this one. Tell me what you think! Review pweet please?