"Clare."
I didn't need to turn around; I knew who it was that called to me. His voice was the most melodious thing I'd ever heard.
I smiled and looked at him, my eyes almost shattering at his beauty.
His dyed black hair was messy in his face, his green eyes peeking out at me from under his bangs. Whenever I looked into his eyes I was at a loss for words; they never failed to hypnotize me.
The candle light reflected off of his bare chest, accenting the muscular chest planes that I never would've guessed he had, seeing as he wasn't an athlete.
His studded belt held his tight black jeans just below his hip bones, and I couldn't help but stare at his crotch.
He smirked at me, knowing how mesmerized I was by him.
"Come here my darling." He called to me, and before I knew it I was in his arms.
"I love you Clare." He whispered softly in my ear, his breath sending a shiver down my spine.
"I love you too Eli."
We sat down on the large bed, the silkiness of the rose petals tickling my skin as Eli began to kiss me.
He kissed my hair, my ears, my cheeks, my neck. His lips were soft and gentle at first, but they became more firm and demanding as he opened his mouth and began to suck on the skin beneath my chin. His tongue absorbed my senses and all I could do was sit there and gasp as the most beautiful person in the world looked into my eyes, and brought my face to his.
I wrapped my hands around his neck as he took custody of my lips and tongue with his own. I felt lightheaded, but his strong hands on the small of my back kept me from falling. He dipped me, so I was almost lying down on the bed, pushing his tongue farther into my mouth as his velvety hands caressed my face.
We were laying down now, our bodies pressed together, not an inch between them. Yet I could feel none of his weight, only the immense pleasure that crashed through me like a tidal wave.
Our clothes were gone, out of sight and mind.
I could feel every part of his gorgeous body on me, his heart beating against mine. His soft skin felt so warm.
Our bodies heated until they reached the point where it was too unbearable to be apart. So we melted together. Eli inside of me, one body, one heart. We would belong to each other forever.
"Clare." He said my name as he pressed his lips to mine, keeping them there, breathing my breath, our breath now.
"Clare." He whispered it again his voice cracking with pleasure.
"Clare…" His voice started to fade, and everything became fuzzy. What was happening?
"Clare…" I heard him one last time, barely audible…

"Clare? Clare, wake up."
My eyes shot open. I was in my bedroom, curled up in the center of my bed.
I sat up and looked around, startled, till my eyes finally found my mother standing in my doorway.
"I'm going to the mall to buy something to wear to the Christian Single Mingle Mixer at the church."
"But mom, you're not single."
"Well, since your father will be spending the night AWOL at his office, or wherever he goes, tonight I am single."
I sighed. I wasn't going to argue with her, she'd gotten so good at it now that her and my dad fought all the time.
"Okay. Have fun."
"Thanks dear. Are you sure you're gonna be okay here home alone?"
It's better than being here with you and dad as you scream your heads off at each other, I silently retorted.
"Yes. I'll be just dandy."
If she heard the sarcasm dripping from my voice she didn't show it. She turned and walked down the stairs. A minute later I heard the door open and close. She was just as anxious to get away from me as I was from her. I got up from my bed and rubbed my eyes, trying to clear my head.
Feeling cold all of a sudden, I slipped on a sweater and walked downstairs to my empty living room.
I looked out of the rain-drop-stained window at the bleak, lifeless sky. A pang of sadness went through me, but it hardly had anything to do with the weather.
I sat down on the couch and hugged my knees, just sitting there quietly, thinking.
Visiting my grandmother had been terrible. Just her, my parents, and I squished into one tiny house. You'd think my parent's would at least have the dignity to not fight in front of relatives, but I found out that they don't.
I needed earplugs to fall asleep every single night, and even that didn't drown out their ridiculous shouting battles completely.
Now I only had one day of break left, today.
Tomorrow it was back to Degrassi in a ridiculous purple uniform that made me look like Barney the Dinosaur. I didn't have good feelings about this "New Degrassi".
And as much as all of this upset me, none of this was the soul reason for my sadness.
My sadness came from an emptiness, the feeling of not being with someone I'd liked a lot more than I'd thought. Maybe even loved.
I'd spent almost every moment with him up until Vegas Night, and now I only see him in sexual dreams.
Eli.
It would be a lie to say I hadn't thought of him before now, but the thought of him still hit me in the heart like an unexpected electric shock.
A tear slipped down my cheek and I wiped it away, embarrassed even though I was alone. We'd been going out for less than a week, and yet I missed him more than I'd missed any boy in the past. Maybe it's because even before we were officially going out, we knew that we would eventually. From the moment we met when he ran my glasses over in the parking lot, we were destined to be together. And though it didn't manifest itself at first, that destiny became more and more evident as the two of us grew closer.
Eli and I were so alike in everyway. Same sort of emotions, different ways of dealing with them. Different life stories, but relatively the same outlook. Very different writing styles, but we both love to write.
I'll never forgive my English teacher for making us partners.
I'll also never be able to thank her enough.
Stupid Eli. His witty smirk, his sarcastic phrases, his hearse, his guy-liner, everything that makes him unique and beautiful and the only person I find irresistible.
And the worst part is that he still tries to talk to me. Although I'm beyond ecstatic that he hasn't lost interest over break or gone into shock because of Vegas Night, I'm also terrified.
If I keep seeing him and talking to him and being with him…then I'll love him. And I'm not sure if that's safe.
I almost watched him get stabbed and die…and the feelings I felt the moment before I saw the knife in the wall were feelings I'd give anything to never experience again.
Also, if he ever broke up with me, or left, or if I decided I couldn't be with him anymore… I don't know how I would live then.
So much for being an independent woman.
I fell back on the couch and closed my eyes, hoping I'd fall asleep again. And hopefully this time I won't dream about-
My train of thought was cut off by my cell phone vibrating on the table.
I looked at the blinking screen, and my heart fluttered.
I had one new text message from Eli.
My heart pounded as I opened the message and began to read it.

Hi, are you back from your grandmothers? It would be nice to catch up.

He wanted to catch up. He wanted to see me. Or at least talk to me.
A tear fell down my cheek as I realized how much I wanted to catch up with him too.
Without really thinking about it, I sent him this message:

Hi, yeah I'm back. Would you like to come over, my parents are gone and I'm kind of lonely.

I waited in silence until I heard my phone beep.

Sure. Be right over.

He didn't chide me for inviting him over with no adults, so he must really miss me.
I mentally scolded myself as I realized how easily I was forgiving him for all the pain and drama he'd caused me.
A few minutes later his hearse pulled up in the driveway. I held my breath as I heard the doorbell ring.
I fixed my hair, opened the door, and-
There he was.
He looked even more perfect than he had in my dreams. He stood there in his faded gray jeans, vintage tee shirt, and black leather jacket, giving me a lopsided grin. His eyebrows were slightly raised, as if he didn't know what to expect from me.
He looked paler than usual and his under eye circles were dark, he must've had trouble sleeping.
"Hi." I said, failing at holding back my smile.
"Hello Clare." He said, dimples appearing in his cheeks as his smile widened.
I stepped aside in order to let him come in, and he took off his shoes and looked around.
"You have a nice house."
"Thank you." I said, awkwardly pushing my hair back behind my ear.
"So…" He said, making the moment even more awkward.
"Uh, here, we can sit down." I said, gesturing towards the couch.
He followed me and sat down next to me, leaning back into the cushions.
I looked down at my hands and hoped that he would speak, I had no idea how to break the silence.
He reached over and took one of my hands in both of his, stroking it.
I gasped at the unexpected touch.
"I missed you." He whispered, looking at me with his beautiful green eyes.
I sighed. "Eli…"
"I'm sorry Clare. I'm so sorry for everything." He began, cutting me off.
"You were right, I should've listened to you and not fought with Fitz. I'm sorry for the fear, pain, and terror I caused you at Vegas Night. It's been eating me alive all break."
I sat there in silence, completely caught off guard by his apology.
"Do you forgive me?" He asked quietly.
I couldn't help myself, I wrapped him in my arms.
"Of course I do." I murmured into his chest.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, stroking my hair with one of his hands.
"Thank you Clare. I promise, nothing like this will ever happen again."
"It better not! I…I thought I'd lost you." I said, tears coming to my eyes as the emotions I'd bottled all break spilled out.
He brushed them away, and then kissed the wet spots on my cheek, drying them with his lips. I shivered.
"I thought I was gone too. I thought he'd stabbed me, I can't even…" I put a finger to his lips.
"You don't have to explain." I said, noticing the wetness in his eyes. A drop fell and he whisked it away hurriedly.
"I'm such a pansy." He muttered.
"No you're not. You don't have to be embarrassed to cry in front of me. It's actually really…sweet."
The familiar smirk appeared on his face.
"Well don't expect to see me like this ever again." He said, grasping my hands in his. "I'm not gonna cry in front of my girlfriend."
My eyes widened. "Girlfriend?"
"We're still together right?" His face turned stone cold, but his smirk reappeared when he saw me giggle.
"Well, I don't know…" I leaned in to kiss him. Our lips melted together and the room heated up. He slipped his tongue inside my mouth and my heart leaped. Everything was good again.
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