Hey guys! So this is a little um...you know what, just read for yourself. This one-shot is for eclarefanxxx by request. Please enjoy "Burying The Young Is Never Easy"...
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No Beta Reader, so ignore mistakes if any :)
Burying The Young Is Never Easy
CLARE
"Good morning Eli, how're you today?" he slipped his fingers through my fingers, lacing them together, "I'm doing good, how was your night? Any fighting from the parents?"
"It was quiet, surprisingly. My mother went out to a charity fair, and my dad just sat on the couch, staring blankly at the television. But, it's better than screaming. Silence is a good thing at this point," I leaned my head on his shoulder for support, as we walked into Degrassi.
"Do you know where Adam is? He usually meets us by my locker," I noted Adam's absence, glancing over at Eli.
He cleared his throat, leaning against the row of lockers, "He's probably sick, last night he went home from playing video games early with a stomach ache. Although, he didn't even eat anything-which was odd for him. He usually cleans out the whole fridge."
A chuckle came from the both of us, "That's Adam for you."
I glanced around nervously, making sure no teachers were around before pressing my lips to Eli's briefly. His lips curled up into a grin, forcing me to pull away, "You're such a cheese ball, smiling when I kiss you."
"In my defense, it's kind of hard not to smile when I have the most amazing woman in the world kissing me," a blush cascaded across my cheeks.
The bell rang, signaling that we had to go our separate ways, "I love you, okay? I'll see you after school."
I nodded, kissing him once more, not wanting to let go of his hand, "I love you too...let me know if you see Adam today, I'm worried about him. He seemed a bit off."
"Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine."
He wasn't.
The moment Eli and Clare both stepped into their first period classes, both in separate rooms, all the eyes were on them. All thirty five students in each classroom were on them-some teary eyed, some sympathetic, some blank.
Eli and Clare had no idea what had caused this attention.
But they both ignored it, sitting down in their seats, distracting themselves.
Eli's class had carried on according to the regular status of a first period math class he didn't want to be in. As for Clare, she had received a simple task, that she would have to follow from the teacher, "After class, Clare Edwards, the principle wants to talk to you."
Little did she know, this would be the worst visit to the principles office she ever had...
ELI
My feet moved eagerly, one foot racing in front of the other to Clare's locker. We were planning on seeing Madagascar 3 today, being that it was her choice of movie.
It was a quiet day, a weird one at that.
People were staring extra hard today, as if they were waiting for me to speak up and say something to them. A few people patted me on the shoulder in the hallways, and even girls sent a few awkward hugs my way.
To say that I was confused, would be an understatement.
But I knew all the confusion would be put to rest once I reached Clare. She always has the right thing to say, and always the correct way of handling any weird situation.
My heart dropped, finally reaching my girlfriend's locker, only to see her on the floor, sitting Indian style, with her eyes focused on the shaking letter in her hands...
CLARE
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Simpson?"
The principle flashed me a sympathetic smile, tears in his eyes. My eyebrows tightened at his odd behavior. Everyone was acting so weird today, and I felt extremely left out at this point in time.
"This letter was supposed t-to be delivered to your house, but I didn't have the guts to send it out. U-Uh, Clare I don't know how to tell you this, but-." Tears were now in my eyes-from what, or why, I'm not sure.
"What happened? Is it E-Eli? Did he get into another fight? Is he hurt? Mr. Simpson-," he cut me off, "Please take a seat Clare."
"I'm not sitting down until you tell me what happened to Eli," Mr. Simpson sighed dramatically, before pushing the letter on his desk towards me, "It's not Eli, it's a note...a note from Adam."
That's the last thing I remember before sprinting out into the hallway, and collapsing by my locker with the letter in my hands. I had opened it with shaking fingers, and tears streaming down my face.
Wishing Eli could be here with me, I pushed back my curls, keeping them from sticking to my cheeks due to all the tear consumption on my skin. I distinctly remember opening it with pride, trying to think it would be a good thing maybe...
But no; it wasn't.
Dear Clare,
By now, I'm sure you've heard that I'm long gone. I left Eli's last night in a hurry, only to sneak into Degrassi and place two notes on Mr. Simpsons desk. I couldn't slip them into your lockers, so I had no choice. Choices. You've always told me that I had a choice Clare, but right now, I don't.
I'm sorry for doing this to you Clare, and I know how much it will affect you. But, there is no options for me anymore. I'm trapped, and I've finally realized that I'll never get out. No matter how many times you tell me you accept me, your kind heart can finally take a break.
Being my friend wasn't easy, for Eli or you, and I want you to know how thankful I am that I had two of the best people in the world as my amigos. Even though we were a bunch of weirdos, crammed together in an awkward companionship, we all fit the pieces in our broken lives of a puzzle.
Trying to cram my pieces in was one of the hardest thing I ever tried to do.
I'm done trying to make my piece fit, when it was never meant to belong.
Love Always,
Adam.
P.S. Take care of Eli for me. Never give up on the ones you love-like I did.
"Clare?"
I ignored the familiar male voice, choosing to continue staring at the letter before me. Tears had soaked the paper, and I haven't even noticed I shed a single tear.
"Clare? What's wrong?"
The lump in my throat was beginning to block my the passage way to my air supply, my chest tightening with fear. The shock has definitely settled in, and now, all I feel is the numbing pain.
"Clare? Clare? It's Eli...come on sweetheart, look at me."
People around us stared, flashing me these looks, looks I couldn't even describe. They were judging me, telling me through their glances that I must keep it together-I need to keep it together.
But I just can't.
"Clare...Clare talk to me."
I felt Eli's left hand on my lower back, forcing me away from my position against the lockers. I could hear my heart racing.
Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud.
Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud.
Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud.
It was constant, repetitive, and at at this point, seemed never ending.
"Clare...p-please, talk to me, I don't know what's going on."
Eli's voice was bitter sweet, the possessiveness and worried tone not easily going by me. He was frantic, most likely going into a panic attack-a bipolar chain reaction if you ask me. I could hear his heart, for he was just inches away from me.
I could feel his hot tears against my skin, and then, my wall came crumbling down.
"A-A-Adam...I-I-I'ts Adam, he-he-he's gone."
To choke out those words through powerful heaves and shakes was one of the most hardest things I've had to do in a long time. After that, Eli didn't speak, just pulled me into his lap, and forced my head into the crook of his neck.
I whimpered, shaking like I've just seen a ghost, unsure of how to act-what to do.
So I cried.
I'm losing my parents, merely hanging on by a thread to my family. Darcy is gone, most likely never to return. Everything is crumbling to the ground, everything and everyone around me.
The only person I have left is the boy cradling me in his arms; and even then-I have no idea how long he will last.
In days he can crack under his depressing state, and I could find him on the Degrassi roof, ready to jump without me beside him. Or worse, find out he overdosed on his medication.
All of these possibilities of the future made the extreme, uncontrollable sobbing even worse.
People had started to gather around us, Bianca and Drew, all teary eyed...even Dave, with a sanded expression on his face. We all had tears, all holding onto each other, not knowing what to do besides cling to the ones we have left to hold onto.
"Sh, it's alright Clare. Everything will be alright," I choked back a sob, gasping for air in Eli's shoulder.
My tears soaked up the top of his shirt, absorbing the fabric effortlessly. My friend-one of my best friend had taken his life earlier today, how and where and why, is still a question to me.
But one answer I do know, is that he didn't even come to me or Eli for help. If something was bothering him so much, he should've just came to us; we would've talked, we would've understood, we would've compromised.
"I-It's n-n-not alright Eli, nothing's alright!"
"Y-You're getting yourself worked up, j-just calm down...try and be calm," he whispered shakily against my ear, but the word 'calm' just caused another trigger, making my body shake violently in my boyfriends arms.
My best friend was gone.
He was the one I went to when I had problems with Eli, sometimes about my family problems, and we always understood each other. Even if we didn't see each other for continuous days, our friendship never changed-it was strong like a rock, yet as delicate as a flower.
Eli and I looked up, to see Drew, Bianca, and Dave, all wrapping their arms around us. Tears were falling quicker than the speed of light, salty drops stinging each other's skin.
The pain never felt so good.
We were all from different stereotypical groups, we all hated each other in some way, for stupid reasons we won't remember in twenty years.
But now, we all had one thing in common.
On June 9th, 2012, we all lost a loved one; Adam Torres.
END OF BURYING THE YOUNG IS NEVER EASY
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Love you guys,
Cliffhanger Girl
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A/N: Within the next few days, they'll be an important announcement I have to tell you all regarding continuing writing. It's not bad news, don't worry.
