Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or Hello Darlin' by Conway Twitty.

So, I was sitting there minding my own business when this idea popped into my head. My brain was all like: "Write, Ally. Write this right now." But I was all like: "STFU, brain. I have Biology homework I need to get done." Then my brain was like: "LOL, don't try to pretend you have your priorities straight." So I was like "SHUT UP, BRAIN! YOU DON'T KNOW MY LIFE!" So, I did my homework. :D Haha, take that, Brain! So, anyways, here we are. Well, here goes. (Side Note: Each chapter will be named after a song I feel fits the chapter. Just 'cause it gives me Degrassi feels and I love music.)

Hello Darlin'

Clare Edwards was back in town for the first time in over four years, four long, hard, grueling years, and what did her mother have her doing? Grocery shopping. She pushed the cart around irritably as she trailed behind her mother feeling like she was twelve years old again and her mother didn't quite trust her to be in the house alone yet. They had been traipsing around for what felt like hours and were not even halfway through the massive list for Christmas dinner. Clare's feet were beginning to hurt and all the noise was giving her a headache, but she was making her mother happy so she didn't complain.

"Clare, which is better the regular rolls or the frozen ones?" Helen asked with a pack of each in her hand as if literally weighing her options. Clare raised an eyebrow at her mom who looked at her innocently.

"Neither, mom. You always make homemade rolls. Which are absolutely delicious, by the way. So, put those back." Helen Edwards smiled broadly at her daughter and nodded in agreement. Clare smiled back and shook her head as her mother put the items back on the shelf.

That's when she heard it.

The sound she had been dreading since touching foot back in Toronto.

Eli Goldsworthy's voice.

Her entire being stiffened and her eyes widened as she looked up and saw him at the end of the aisle. She scurried desperately to her mother and crouched down behind her, doing her best to hide her tiny frame behind the shopping cart.

"Clare Diana Edwards, what has gotten into you?!"

"Mom, if you love me at all, please, please, please, for the love of God, hide me right now," Clare pleaded.

Her mother turned and as soon as she realized what was going on she narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "You're a grown woman, Clare. I'm not hiding you from your ex-boyfriend. If you want to talk to the man, talk. If you don't, don't talk. It's as simple as that. Now, stop acting like a child and straighten up. You're embarrassing me!" Helen hissed the last part.

Clare winced and looked around at all the curious eyes on her. Her mother took Clare's distraction to her advantage and whooshed away. Leaving Clare stranded in the middle of the aisle with no choice but to dive behind one of the frozen food containers to avoid being seen.

She held her breath and waited for him to pass by her, praying to everything holy that he wouldn't see her. She could feel her heart thrumming impatiently in her chest and she tried to convince herself it was from the physical exertion and not from seeing Eli again for the first time in so long. She had dreamed about this moment for so long and now that it was here she had no idea what to do. She swallowed hard before peeking around the corner and looking at him. He was just as handsome as she remembered if not more so. His dark hair was cut shorter than she'd ever seen it and his deep green eyes were sparkling merrily. He looked happy. She watched him as he browsed the aisle, taking his time with each item. Her legs were starting to burn from the effort of crouching, but she didn't mind. Seeing him again, seeing him happy, was worth it.

A tiny blonde made her way over to him and placed an arm on his shoulder with a wide smile and Clare's heart stopped. She let out a choked breath and leaned back around the corner, pressing her back against the cool glass of the freezer.

What did you expect? That he would just wait around for you to come back? Her mind taunted.

No, I expected him to come after me.

She hated admitting it, even to herself, but for four years she had waited. Waited for him to change his mind and come to her. Maybe show up on her doorstep unexpectedly one night. He never did, of course. It was a silly dream. He'd made his choices and so had she and those choices had torn them apart. There was nothing she could do about that now and stalking around in the freezer section to avoid being seen was definitely not going to change anything so she stood up and pushed her bangs out of her face. She'd pined long enough for Eli Goldsworthy and she was done with it.

"C-Clare?" a voice rang out from behind her. She nervously bit her lip. She squeezed her eyes shut and hoped she was wrong about who the voice belonged to before turning around and peeking out of one eye cautiously.

"Adam…um, hi?" she muttered awkwardly.

"Uh, no offense, Clare, but what the hell were you doing. You looked like a crazy person," Adam said with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I guess we're skipping the small talk," she muttered and shook her head.

She hadn't been in contact with Adam for a long time and was glad to see he hadn't changed a bit, but she could feel her cheeks heating up nonetheless because she had a feeling he knew exactly what she was doing and who she was hiding from.

"I…Uh, dropped an earring," she excused lamely. She could feel the flush flood all over her face and chest so she dropped her gaze and pretended to search for the floor. She placed a hand over her left earlobe to keep up the charade, but she knew Adam could see right through it. "Darn, guess it's gone."

"Right," Adam laughed, "I've heard a lot of stories about earrings getting sucked into a tiny blackhole in this grocery store. Looks like it got your other one too," he teased.

Her face was practically on fire.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. You got me," she admitted and shrugged her shoulders, trying to play it off casually. "My mom dragged me out Christmas dinner shopping and I was trying to avoid her for a minute. You know how intense Helen Martin can be."

He nodded thoughtfully, "But not nearly as intense as the person you're really hiding from."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he just rolled his eyes and motioned for her to follow him. "Come on, Clare. You have to meet my wife."

"W-Wife?! Why wasn't I informed of this?"

Adam shrugged and turned to give her a pointed look, "A lot can happen in four years, Clare."

She hung her head guiltily and followed along behind him without another word. He was right, it wasn't fair for her to cut Adam out of her life just because Eli had chosen to cut her out of his, but sometimes it just got too hard. There were so many memories with the two of them she couldn't help but see them as a set. It was easier to just let go.

"Hey, babe. Clare?" a feminine voice asked, breaking Clare from her thoughts and forcing her to look up. Her heart started beating in her throat when her eyes trailed up to meet a pair of green ones tinged with confusion and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on. She shook her head and quickly tore her gaze from his, doing her best to keep her cool. Passing out in the middle of the neighborhood grocery on her first visit home in a long time didn't seem like the most appealing idea. She glanced to her right to find the petite blond from earlier.

"Becks, this is Clare. Clare, this is Becky, you remember each other," Adam said proudly and wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulder.

Oh.

She was with Adam. Not Eli. She couldn't help but feel a wave of relief wash over her at that revelation and she felt a genuine smile tug at her lips. The pretty young woman had a polite smile on her face as she nodded greetings at Clare. Clare bidded her eyes to stay glued firmly on Becky's face so they didn't have the mind to travel just slightly to the left. No matter how badly she wanted to let them.

"I thought you said I wouldn't be meeting your wife, Adam. I already know Becky," she said, feeling silly for not recognizing the girl immediately earlier.

"Ah, yes, but not as my wife," Adam pointed out, his grin growing even wider. Clare smiled back and rolled her eyes.

"How have you two been?"

"We're great," Becky beamed, rubbing her hands over her swollen stomach.

"I see that," Clare chuckled, feeling truly happy for her friends.

"Well, it was nice catching up with you, Clare, but we've gotta get some… uh, stuff. Swing by for dinner if you want. Eli, would you give Clare the address?" He asked, grinning wickedly before whisking his very pregnant wife away. Clare could hear Becky's quiet laugh over the bustle of the store and watched as she swatted Adam's shoulder as they walked away.

She swallowed hard and sucked in a deep breath before turning back to Eli.

Be cool, Clare. Be mature. She repeated to herself, but one look at him and she knew there was no way that was happening.

"So, the address," she said, letting out a nervous laugh before handing him her phone. He silently typed it into her notes and handed it back to her. His fingertips brushed over her hand and she could feel electric currents flying through her arm. She yanked her hand away and he winced, running a hand over the back of his neck.

"So," he said after a moment. "How have you been?"

"Eli, can we please just not do this?" she whispered.

"Clare—" she held up a hand to cut him off and shook her head.

"I'll see you at Adam's in a couple of days," she promised.

With that she left, trailing out to the parking lot, never risking a look back at the man who had broken her heart.

Hope you liked the first chapter even though it's got major suckatuide going on. It'll get better. I already have it all planned out. :D Reviews would be lovely. Also, I need a beta reader if anyone's interested. :) Also, whoohaha. Just read over this chapter. Tons of mistakes. I fixed them all.. I think. If you see one let me know. :)