I've been working on this new fanfiction and since i finished Just A Bet i thought i could handle this one!

I hope you all like it. It's ultimately an Eclare fic but with some minor Cake/Imogeli.
Enjoy!

Chapter 1 - Just Another Secret

Clare spent the morning in the library, listening to her Ipod as she sat by herself – drowning out the noises of the world around her. She looked around knowing the bell would soon ring and she would be forced to spend seventy minutes in a confined room with two people she didn't really want to see. Jake would be in this class, which was an upside, even if he wasn't as good a student as she, they were working well together.

Jake Martin, a childhood friend of Clare's had transferred to Degrassi right after spring break and she had gotten set up by their parents to "get Jake familiar with Degrassi". A good cover, seeing as their parents were always trying to set them up. Jake was cute, funny and sweet so naturally they did begin spending time together, it just came naturally. The two weren't quite dating but whatever they were was definitely a step up from friendship.

Students abruptly began scurrying from the library and Clare took that a sign that it was time for class.
Great, she thought as she pulled her bag over her shoulder and made her way into the hallway

"I don't understand…who was watching them?" Jake asked about halfway through English as they discussed 1984 by George Orwell. Clare felt her cheeks redden with second-hand embarrassment.
She heard a chuckle at the back of the class and turned to see Eli sitting with a conceited smirk, rolling her eyes, she turned back around. Don't give him the satisfaction, she thought to herself.

It was obvious to everyone that Clare and Jake were dating or at least pretty close to it and Clare couldn't help but hear the rumours about Eli and Imogen. That was the problem about high school – everybody knew everything.

"Can anybody help out ?" asked with an eager smile. Clare didn't have to turn around to know whose hand would be up to help.

"Go ahead!" she said excitedly, it was no secret that Eli was on of ' favourite student so of course she was always happy to hear Eli's input.

Clare listened as Eli explained that the novel is never clear whether big brother is a real person or a something made up by The Party, which she of course already knew.
"It's pretty understandable if you read the novel thoroughly" Eli finished and Jake turned and narrowed his eyes at Eli's obvious dig at his reading capabilities.

Clare cringed at the boys' exchange. Jake knew about her past with Eli and would often comment on Eli's "excessive staring" at her. So of course the two didn't quite get along.

Little did anybody know, sometimes Clare and Eli would meet up and talk. They never did anything more and they never brought up Jake or Imogen, that would make it too real. Clare hadn't even told Alli about it, she liked having a secret and being able to keep Eli in her life in a way.
The two would sit at the park closest to Clare's house, talking about her parents, his illness, the stresses of school and their friends.

They kept it a secret because the drama that publicly being friends would create was too much to handle. When they were together he was thoughtful and charming; the way he had been in the early stages of their friendship but at school he kept his arrogant, tough exterior; occasionally rolling his eyes at Clare or making snide comments to Jake.

Clare was different at school as well, she acted as though Eli deserved none of her attention and when they did interact she would politely serve him a sarcastic comment and smile.
They were fooling everyone.

That night, Clare sat with Jake, Alli and Dave at a booth in The Dot; talking over lattes and brownies – Clare and Alli's favourite.

Dave had invited a group of friends to his cottage the following weekend, and as Alli's best friend Clare and Jake were naturally invited along. Clare was nervous about spending the weekend with Jake. Sure, they spent time together and she enjoyed being with Jake…but being together over night scared her.

"I'm getting another latte, you want?" Alli asked, standing up and pulling Dave with her.
Clare shook her head "No, I'm good."

As Alli moved away Clare couldn't help but notice the couple at the booth across from them, Eli and Imogen. Imogen sat beside Eli talking animatedly about something nobody else could hear but Eli's eyes flickered to Clare, a small smile on his face, just for her.

Jake put his hand over Clare's and her eyes immediately snapped back to him.

"This weekend is going to be amazing. You, me, sunsets and bonfires, I can't wait to spend time with you." Jake said with a smile and all of Clare's fears melted away, he was a good guy, perfect for her.

Jake's eyes roamed down to her lips and she took in a deep breath, she was sure he was about to kiss her. They had only ever kissed once, on their second date he placed a spontaneous kiss on her lips after winning their game of mini putt. Though they kissed once, it hadn't become a regular thing… even though Clare wouldn't particularly mind.

Clare closed her eyes and felt Jakes lips on hers, warm and patient as he moved his hand to her cheek. When he pulled back he was smiling brightly at Clare and she couldn't help but reciprocate.
"I can't wait either, it's going to be perfect" she said leaning in for another kiss.

Eli walked into the cafeteria where he found Imogen waiting for him, a book open in front of her. As Eli sat down she smiled up at him and put the book away. "So!" she said clapping her hands together enthusiastically. "Dave invited me up to his cottage this weekend. Tons of people are going. You in?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

Considering it for a moment, Eli gave her a half-hearted "I guess". Spending the weekend with Imogen wouldn't be so bad, Eli thought. She took his mind off of the negative things in his life and he needed someone like that. Eli was trying to move on with his life and befriending Imogen and getting to know her seemed to have been the perfect way to do that.

Eli looked past Imogen to see none other than Clare and Jake sitting a couple tables away. Clare's hair was pulled back in a pony and her bangs fell across her forehead perfectly. He watched as Clare leaned in and gave Jake a quick kiss before noticing Eli and instantly pulled away, embarrassed.

Eli's throat tightened and he focused his eyes on Imogen. Don't look at her, he thought as he leaned into Imogen whose lips awaited his. His mind cleared with the intensity of their kiss and he smiled, glad to have Imogen in his life.

They had kissed a couple of times in the past and each time it helped him move forward but even after their kiss his eyes still found Clare's across the room. She looked back at Jake and said a quick goodbye before pulling her bag over her shoulder and heading out of the cafeteria.

Of course Eli had to follow her, that look they just shared…it was different. It meant something.

Their secret friendship was what they both needed. That connection they had was still there but they never took it further, because they knew they couldn't and they both needed that friendship.

Eli ran out the door before finally meeting Clare and pulling her shoulder to look at him.
"Hey" he said out of breath.

Clare gestured for him to follow her and she quickly made her way to a classroom a few feet away and once Eli was in the room she closed the door behind him, making sure nobody saw.
They had never interacted at school since they broke up and they both intended on keeping up the charade, their friendship was too much to risk.

The room was empty and dark and every move they made was multiplied in sound. Clare could hear Eli's jagged breaths as he leaned against the door.

"I don't like seeing you kiss her" Clare admitted, her voice a whisper. Eli took her hand and pulled her closer to him.

Clare pulled herself forward, wrapping her arms around Eli's neck before capturing his lips in a kiss.
"I don't like seeing you kiss him" he said back as the kiss broke with the same hushed tone.

They continued kissing, their tongues moving in unison. Eli guided Clare to a desk not far behind and lifted her onto it, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist as they drifted into oblivion.

"So that was..." Eli began saying as he fixed his clothes and ran a hand through his hair. This shouldn't have happened and they both knew it, though neither of them would ever admit that; their feelings were too strong to justify this as wrong.

"Unexpected?" Clare said with a small laugh as she fixed the buttons on her shirt and fixed the clip that held some of her curls to the side.

Eli watched as she frantically fixed her hair and clothes and laughed.
"What is so funny?" she asked, turning around with a hand on her hip.

"You! Just…calm down okay you look all frazzled." He said taking a step closer and placing a hand on each shoulder, steadying her.

"How can I be calm right now?"

"Take deep breaths…just don't get so worked up" he laughed and she looked at him unamused. Now he was teasing her. Classic Eli, she thought.

"I guess I should be getting back to class." She said after a few moments of silence. And back to Jake, she thought.

Clare walked towards the door and Eli stopped her, wrapping a hand around her wrist before she could escape and bringing her eyes to his.

"Wait…" Eli said quietly and she waited…knowing that he had something to say.

"What does this mean?"

Clare opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She was speechless, a rare occurrence in Clare Edwards' world.

What did this mean? So they fooled around and both were currently in a relationship. They hid their friendship and now this would be just another secret - Another lie to everyone in her life. She knew it was wrong but their connection was something so different than she had with anybody else; she couldn't deny seeing him.

"I- I uh…I don't know." She stuttered out, finally. Suddenly the stained tiles of the classroom floor was the most fascinating thing in the world.

"So we just go back to the way things were?" he asked watching her intently, even though the classroom was dark he could still see her face and it made his heart ache seeing how distraught this all had made her.

She nodded. "Yeah well… you're with Imogen and I'm with Jake. And like we had talked about before – being seen publicly is just too much drama right now."

"Okay" Eli said slowly…realizing that this didn't much but to him it was significant. When they were dating they never went further than kissing and today was just a little bit more. It was passionate and intimate – unlike anything they'd ever shared.

"So back to class now?" Eli asked, for her benefit. He could tell she wanted to leave, with each second that passed she inched closer to the door.

Clare nodded. "I'll see you later." She whispered as she closed the door behind her, leaving Eli alone in the dark classroom.

Reviews are always appreciated ;)