Authors Note: I don't own Degrassi, the characters, Why by Rascal Flatts, or anything that you recognize. :)
There she stood. The one place she'd never choose to be. Her boyfriend, her best friend's funeral. She never thought he was going to die so young. She thought she could've at least seen him graduate. But the goth boy killed himself. She thought he was happy with her. She thought wrong. She looked around at everyone. She never knew Elijah Goldsworthy had so many friends. Everyone knew the boy or knew of the boy. Now here she was standing, about to sing a song for him. Tears started dripping down her face. She remembered how when her parents fought, and she cried, Eli would come over, hold her, and kiss her tears away. She knew it was selfish, but Clare Edwards wished it was someone else. She opened her mouth and started to sing.
You must've been in a place so dark
You couldn't feel the light.
Reaching for you through that stormy cloud.
Now here we are gathered,
In our little home town.
This can't be the way
You meant to draw a crowd.
*Flashback*
"Alli, give them to me!" Clare screamed. *CRUNCH* A hearse killed her glasses. "I think they're dead." A goth boy said. Degrassi hasn't had a true goth in so long. Heads were turning, bullies were angry, and Eli Goldsworthy was the cause. He really made an impact.
*Flashback ends*
Oh why? That's what I keep asking.
Is there anything I could've said or done?
Oh, I had no clue you were masking
A troubled soul.
God only knows what went wrong,
And, why you would leave the stage
In the middle of a song.
Nobody really knew, but Eli Goldsworthy was a pretty amazing singer, and guitarist. He'd only shown Clare. He'd have little "shows" for her. Clare always knew he was troubled, but she never knew to what extent. She thought he was getting better. She'd never been more wrong.
Now in my mind
I'll keep you frozen as a seventeen year old
Rounding third to score the winning run.
You always played with passion
No matter what the game.
And when you took the stage
You'd shine just like the sun.
*Flashback*
Clare looked up at Eli. It was their fifth date, and he brought her on a beautiful picnic. Eli was telling her how he used to play baseball, and by the way he was talking, he sounded really good. It seemed to Clare that whatever Eli put his mind to, whatever he liked, he turned out to be really good. Eli was always one of a kind.
*Flashback ends*
Oh why? That's what I keep asking
Was there anything I could've said or done?
Oh, I had no clue you were masking
A troubled soul.
Oh, God only knows what went wrong.
And, why you would leave the stage
In the middle of a song.
*Flashback*
"Eli, are you okay?" Clare asked. He looked at her. "Just...I really like you, Clare. But I'll be okay." Eli murmured. Clare smiled. "I'll see you soon." Eli walked away. Clare didn't know that was the last time she would ever see her boyfriend of 10 months alive. She didn't know she would be the last person to ever see Elijah Goldsworthy alive. She just thought she'd see him the next day. But Clare Edwards learned not to think and expect so much.
*Flashback ends*
Yea-Yeah!
Now the oak trees are swaying
In the early autumn breeze.
A golden sun is shining on my face.
Through tangled thoughts I hear
A mockingbird sing
This old world really ain't that bad a place.
"Eli, this isn't that bad a place. Degrassi's alright. Just Fitz, Owen, and Bianca. Tell me what's going on?" Clare begged. Eli shook his head. "Whatever, Clare. I'll be okay soon. This isn't a bad place? What about your parents, my parents, what happens to Adam, what happened to Julia? This really isn't THAT great a place." Eli argued. Clare sighed. The boy did have a point. She never thought to ask what he meant by 'I'll be okay soon.' And now she knows. Clare Edwards never felt so stupid.
Oh why? There's no comprehending
And who am I
To try to judge or explain.
Oh, but I do have one burning question
Who told you life
Wasn't worth the fight
They were wrong.
They lied.
Now you're gone
And we cry.
Cause it's not like you
To walk away in the middle of a song.
Your beautiful song.
Your absolutely beautiful song.
Clare broke down crying. Alli and Adam ran up to her, also crying. The whole church was in tears. Just wondering why such a nice boy would take his own life. "Eli, I'm sorry I didn't see anything was wrong. I love you and I'm going to miss you so much. You were the nicest, kindest, most loving best friend we could've ever asked for. You stood up for Adam, drove us home, helped Sav with his dad's car, cared for me countless times, and so much more. Rest in peace, Elijah." Clare cried. She kissed her fingertips and let them linger on his coffin, saying her final good bye to the emo hearse-driving goth teenager that she fell in love with.
AN: I cried while writing this. :( R&R?
