Legal: I own nothing but the idea
Surprise I'm posting on vacation! Just a quickie shot but being the insomniac that I am I had time in the mornings and nights to get things done. Besides plotting and some scheduling things well you can't stop a writer from writing.
Before I get to the things to know for the quickie shot RED2012, AJackson16 and ForeverAndAlways check your PMs.
Okay now all the important things to know before reading:
*Takes place after "Time of Your Life" but Eli and Clare never got back together they did become best friends again
*She's dated a few boys after Eli and went to prom with Adam and Eli as friends
*Clare does not have cancer and will not get cancer
*Adam never dated Becky
*Jay never got engaged to Manny or dated her at all
*Ellie is living in and working in New York
*Paige and Jay both work in Toronto
*It's all in Clare's pov
Get Lost to Find New Friends
"Face it Eli we're lost," I comment from the backseat.
"We're not lost the GPS said the turn is a mile ahead," Eli replies from the driver's side.
"Dude the GPS is lost and I don't even see this road on the map," Adam says from the passenger seat.
"It's an old map," Eli quips back grumbling slightly because he knows we're lost.
"This road is older than the map," Adam shoots back.
"We're not lost this is the turn," Eli comments as the GPS on his phone tells him to turn. When we do turn we just see another long road marked by trees and nothing else. "Okay fine we're lost but I see a sign up ahead, it's a gas station hopefully because we need some and they should know how to get to the lake."
I shake my head and lean back on the seat putting my feet up on the arm rest. Adam is just laughing and Eli is hoping the gas station knows where the hell we are. He pulls into the gas station which looks like it's been here about 40 years. It looks a little creepy actually like something out of the beginning of a horror movie. At least there is another car here, a red car that looks like an American muscle car.
"I'm starving I'm going to go get some food," I tell the boys.
"We'll come with you," Adam says as I open the car door.
"Yeah this place looks a little creepy," Eli nods getting out with us.
"Oh for heaven's sake I can go into a store for some water by myself," I groan.
"We're still coming with you, I need to find directions," Eli comments.
"Yeah and we don't know who's in there plus I need water too," Adam comments.
I roll my eyes but it's no use arguing as much as it drives me nuts guys have this urge to be protective. Then again they also had valid reasons for coming inside. It's a little shack, it's hot and there's a couple portable fans going. It's small but there's at least some food and cold drinks, I head to the cooler in the back and open the cooler door getting out a bottle of water and find a tall guy with dark hair is staring at me.
"Can I help you?" I ask slowly.
"You look oddly familiar," he says and looks behind him. "Hey Chicks," he calls behind him and two girls come over simultaneously smacking the guy on his arms.
"Do not call us chicks," the honey blonde says, "What do you want?"
"Doesn't she look familiar?" He says pointing to me and both girls give me a discerning look.
"Yes she does, she looks sort of…" the redhead is saying when I cut her off.
"Wait you guys went to DeGrassi I've seen all your pictures. Paige was on the spirit squad and so was my sister Darcy."
"You're Clare Edwards, Darcy's little sister. You already know me of course and this is Jay and Ellie," Paige introduces the others.
"Hi nice to meet you or see you again," I smile as Eli and Adam come up behind me. "These are my two best friends Adam and Eli. Guys this is Paige, Ellie and Jay they went to DeGrassi."
"How many years ago?" Eli questions and I elbow him.
"Did you get directions?" I ask Eli.
"I think so, but I'm not sure it was the same lake," Eli replies looking at the map.
"Where you guys headed?" Jay questions.
"Big Pine Cabins, we booked one for the weekend," Eli says.
"That's where we're headed and we're also lost. Come on maybe we can go figure out the maps together," Jay comments.
"Good maybe Eli can figure out the map because Jay can't," Ellie remarks rolling her eyes.
We pay for the water and follow the guys out and they spread the maps out on the hood of Jay's car. While they try to figure out the maps Adam, Ellie, Paige and I sit down on the steps to the store. Adam and Ellie start talking about music, Paige asks me a couple questions about Darcy and then we start talking about journalism and magazines. I find out Paige is stylist that works for a couple of different magazines.
"Okay we got it get in the cars," Jay calls as they fold up the maps.
"We'll follow Jay that way if we get lost again it's his fault," Eli says.
"I like the way you think Eli," Ellie grins.
We get back in the car and follow Jay, after another hour of driving, but only one wrong turn, we finally find the cabins. We park at the office and check-in. Our two cabins are actually pretty close to each other.
"It's pretty late now you guys want to unpack and go grab some dinner in town with us?" Paige calls over from her cabin as we all get our bags out of the two cars.
"Yeah sounds good, meet you out here in 30 minutes," Adam calls back.
"Adam Torres do you have a crush on former DeGrassi Queen Paige Michalchuk?" I tease him after seeing the twinkle in his eye when he looks at Paige. But wait until they've gone into their cabin so she doesn't hear me.
"Yes she's very hot and totally out of my league," Adam sighs as we go into the cabin.
"Adam no girl is out of your league," I refute.
"Thanks Clare, Eli did you know there were only two bedrooms?"
"Yes the sofa is a pullout," Eli responds.
"That's yours," Adam and I say together as we run into the bedrooms. We unpack and change then meet Jay, Paige and Ellie outside.
"We can all take my car, Clare sit in front Adam take the middle in back, Ellie sit on Eli's lap," Jay commands as we all walk to his car.
We head into to town and find a little restaurant, Adam sits next to Paige, Eli next to Ellie and I sit next to Jay. The little I remember about Jay from Darcy is that he's a bad guy who works in a garage. But talking to him during dinner I find out he's really a good guy, he has a lot of interests including music and he's read a lot of interesting books. It's good that we find something to talk about since Paige and Adam are deep in conversation, as are Eli and Ellie.
"You know we should probably get some basic groceries before going back to the hotel. At least for breakfast and lunch," Ellie points out as we leave the restaurant.
"Yeah good point, I saw a grocery store on the way into town we'll stop there," Jay says. We get back in the car and Jay drives us to the grocery store then we split up. Jay and I are on breakfast foods, Adam and Paige are on lunch items and Eli and Ellie are on snacks. "They rent boats at the lake you want to go out on the lake with me tomorrow?" Jay asks as we grab frozen breakfast items.
"Yeah that sounds great," I smile and Jay grins.
The six of us split the grocery tab and then Jay drives us back to the cabins. We all go into our cabin to split the groceries and then we say goodnight to Jay, Paige and Ellie. After a long day of driving I take a shower and go to bed. The next morning after breakfast we all get ready to go to the lake, which is conveniently right outside our door.
"I told Paige I'd meet her for snorkeling," Adam says when we converge in the living room.
"Cool Jay's renting a boat we're going out on the lake we'll see you guys for dinner. Are you going to be okay Eli?"
"Yeah I'm meeting Ellie see you guys at dinner," Eli replies.
When we leave our cabin we find the other three waiting for us. Jay and I walk to the office and he rents a speed boat. He drives while I sit back and watch the scenery. He docks it at a small island and we get off, exploring the island and eating lunch on the beach. We go swimming for a bit and then head back since we have to get the boat back by three. When we get to the beach just outside our cabin we see Eli and Ellie and Adam and Paige so we join them.
"There's a BBQ tonight for everyone at the cabins," Paige tells us.
"Well I guess that takes care of dinner plans," Jay grins. We swim some more before going inside to change for the BBQ.
"Just how old is Jay?" Eli inquires while I'm brushing my hair in the hallway mirror since Adam is in the washroom.
"It's none of your business Eli," I respond.
"I'm only asking as a concerned friend."
"Sweet but I can take care of myself. Anyway Jay and I were on the boat and alone together all day and he was nothing but a gentleman."
"Is that why you chose the dress that makes your eyes sparkle and shows just enough cleavage to get the guy salivating?"
"ELI!"
"What he'd do?" Adam inquires coming out of the washroom.
"Just remarking on her clothes," Eli smirks.
When we're ready we go out, this time we're the first ones out so we head over to the main courtyard for the BBQ. There's 50 cabins on this property and there looks to be about 150 people here.
"I'm starving I'm going to get some food," I tell the boys.
"Yeah me too," Adam nods and Eli comes with us. We get some food and find a place to sit down. After a few minutes we're joined by Jay, Ellie and Paige.
"We would have been here sooner but girls take forever to get ready," Jay grumbles.
"Hey don't blame me Princess Paige over here took twenty minutes to do her makeup alone," Ellie sighs.
"Perfection takes time," Paige replies.
"I think you're perfect without makeup," Adam tells Paige and she smiles.
The six of us talk over dinner, mostly about Simpson and Armstrong and things that have happened at DeGrassi over the years. A band is playing on the deck and after he eats Jay stands up and holds his hand out to me.
"Care to dance?"
"I would love to," I smile.
I stand up taking Jay's hand and we walk out to the patio where people are dancing. It's a slow song so Jay puts his hands on my waist. Since he's a good seven inches taller than me, even in these heels so he must be nine inches taller than me with them off, I can barely put my hands on his shoulders. We begin dancing and I see Paige and Adam dancing as well, I smile at Adam and he winks at me.
"You know this is a bit awkward why don't you wrap your arms round my waist," Jay suggests.
"What about your hands?" I question.
"They'll hold you closer," Jay replies. I smile, biting my lip and bring my hands down his chest wrapping them around his waist. His arms wrap around my body including my arms and his hands sit at the small of my back. "So how old are you?" Jay inquires.
"Seventeen, I'll be eighteen in February," I tell him.
"Past the age of consent then," Jay grins and I take my head from his chest to twist my mouth at him.
"I'm still a virgin and I have an abstinence ring," I inform him taking one arm from around him and showing him the ring.
"Yeah Darcy had one of those too," Jay comments.
"With my parent's divorce and some other things I don't know if I still want to wait for marriage but I'm not just going to sleep with any guy. Especially a guy I barely know," I tell him.
"That's okay a really great kiss can be better than sex when done right," he grins and stops dancing. Jay cups my chin and leans down seizing my lips. The soft feel of his lips makes me tingle, a breath hitches in my throat and I feel like I'm floating. I pull myself closer to him, my hand gripping the back of his shirt as my lips part. Jay's strong, silken, slippery tongue glides between my lips and I release that breath. My tongue grabbing hold of his wraps around his and I stand on my tiptoes putting my hand at the back of his neck deepening the kiss.
"Adam!" Bianca exclaims and I'm so surprised to hear her voice I pull out of the kiss.
"CLARE!" Fitz and Owen exclaim together.
"Holy shit Clare was making out with Hogart," Owen laughs.
"Uh hey guys what are guys doing here? Is my brother here?" Adam questions.
"We come up here every year just the three of us your brother is at home. We missed last year but we weren't going to miss this year, B and I are off to college and Fitzy got himself a job. Like a real one a career type job, he took his GED and he's gonna be a minister," Owen informs us.
"Hey that's great Fitz," I smile.
"Thanks, so are you and Jay dating?"
"We're just enjoying the weekend," I reply and Jay grins.
"Yeah and we have a dance to finish," Jay says pulling me away. We walk down toward the beach and I take off my shoes when we get to the sand. "I hope you know you look incredibly beautiful in that dress," Jay tells me when we're alone under the moonlight.
"Thanks," I smile and blush a bit.
Jay takes off his coat putting it on my shoulders and he sits down in the sand setting me in his lap. I lean back with a smile and we look up watching the stars. After some time we're joined by Adam and Paige, a short time later Eli and Ellie. Paige is wrapped in Adam's arms, Ellie lies with her head in Eli's lap and we all watch the stars.
"Tomorrow is our last day we should all do something together," Paige comments.
"I vote for just hanging on the beach and swimming," Eli says.
"Sounds good to me," I grin.
"Tomorrow might be our last day but I hope the fun will continue when we get back," Jay remarks to me but Paige answers.
"Adam and I already have plans to hit a couple of clubs," she comments.
"And Eli will be moving to New York for school where I already live and I promised to show him around," Ellie grins.
"Oh the fun will continue," I smile before putting my hand on Jay's shoulder and crushing my lips to his.