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* AUTHORS NOTE* I haven't wrote for fanfiction yet, but now I've put my thoughts onto paper onto computer. Please comment or review. It means a lot to me.

ELI'S POV

. . . just trace the lines on

You're paisley jacket. . .

I ran through the lines in my head as Adam played the bass to "you're paisley jacket" by Dead Hand. That concert was great. I am sitting in my basement . this is one of the "famous" guys nights that Adam and I planned. But I think Adam thought I would be more fun. All I can think about is Clare, her eyes, her smile, her . . . everything. I wish she loved me back.

"Eli, Eli, ELI!" Adam yelled.

"Whoa, what?" I asked

"You spaced out for a minute. Thinking about Clare?"

"How did you guess?"

"You get this weird look in your eyes, and you started coloring on your finger not your nail"

I looked down at my hand. Sure enough, the finger that I was drawing on the nail now had what looked like a vine down the finger. I moved onto the next nail. I could feel Adam's gaze. "Just continue what you where saying," I said without looking up.

"I was saying, 'do you want to order pizza or get take out?' but you were too in love with Clare to listen." Adam said. I could just slightly sense that he still felt like a third wheel.

"I know we have been through this Adam, we are not in love. I like her but she doesn't feel the same way I do. I guess we can just go to the Dot." I replied as he packed up his bass and grabbed his phone and began to text. "Who are you texting?"

He stammered before answering, "Uhh . . . my mom . . . she said she wanted me to tell her before I went anywhere besides your house" I didn't pay much attention to his answer, I knew how over protective his mom can be.

CLARE'S POV

I was sulking around my house when I got Adam's text

Going to the Dot, it's now or never

I sighed. But what else am I going to do? I miss Eli, way too much. He was my safety, my anchor, through all my tough times. Like when my parents were fighting and he gave me his headphones. I am going to return them when I go to the Dot today. If I go that is.

My mother yelled from downstairs, "We are going out to eat! Leftovers are in the fridge!"

"I actually think I am going to go to the Dot. If you don't mind. I am meeting Allie." I lied and said a silent 'sorry' to God for not telling the truth.

"Okay, that's fine. Your father has the car started, so I am going to join him before he gets. . . impatient. Have a good time." She slammed the door. My parents stopped fighting but they are constantly gone. I am lucky to see them twice in one day. I pulled out my phone and saw the screen blinking. It was Adam again.

We'll be at the Dot in ten. Please come.

Now where are those stupid headphones? The Dot is only a few blocks away so as long as I find those headphones fast I can make it to the Dot before them. I found the headphones under my nightstand along with a Sharpie clearly marked ELI GOLDSWORTHY. Why do I have it? I wonder how many Sharpies he has? I grabbed my bag and headed for the Dot. It was getting late so I decided to walk. I was barly a block away when the Hearse pulled up next to me.

CHAPTER 2

ELI'S POV

I was trying to focus on the road and not hitting anyone when Adam started talking.

"Dude! That's Clare! Pull over and ask if she wants a ride!"

Normally, if it was anyone but Clare, I'd ignore Adam completely, but since it was Clare, I found myself pulling over. I stuck my head out the window. "Well if it isn't Plath, my lovely assistant in all things related to English." I said with sarcasm. She whipped her head around and looked into my eyes. She had the most beautiful blue eyes.

"Actually, I was on my way to the Dot for dinner." I noticed she had one of my Sharpies in her hand and my headphones around her neck.

"Nice headphones, where did you get them?" I replied with my usual sarcasm, "We were headed there too, so get in the backseat"

"Uhh . . . "

"Just get in!" I said, I began thinking of what would happen if she kept walking, she could get mugged, or she could get hit by a car, just like Julia, my dead ex-girlfriend. Even though Clare wasn't mine I still tried to protect her. Clare guessed my thoughts and got in the back.

"Eli, if we want to get there before it closes, you might want to start Morty." Adam said. I felt guilty for snapping at Clare, but she didn't seem to mind. She started humming to the song on the CD. Paramour is the only band we agree on.

"You can sing you know, Clare, it's not illegal," I added softly. She started to sing. She had such a beautiful voice.

"eli, Eli, ELI!" Adam yelled, "you took a wrong turn!"

Crap, I must have spaced off again, I took a detour that led us to the Dot.

CLARE'S POV

Great, he noticed the headphones. Oh, well I will just return them in the Dot. I was using them to listen to music on my iPod. I am glad he gave me a ride, these shoes weren't meant for walking, I guess. Plus he was playing the CD I made him of all my favorite Paramore hits in return he gave me a CD of his Top 20 punk rock songs. I don't like them that much but it's my most listened to CD. I wonder why. . .

They got out of the car and Eli opened my door for me. He and Adam were talking about some band I never heard of except the song that was on that CD. Eli started laughing. I sighed, I love his laugh. It was pretty deserted in the Dot. Peter was cleaning off the counter and there was a couple in the back reading a book. I wondered if that would be me and Eli someday.

"Hey, Clare" Peter smiled at me. I returned that smile.

"Hey, Peter" Eli came over to us and turned to me. He took my wrist gently in his hand and lead me to a table. Eli and I sat across from each other.

"Why is it that I feel like a third wheel around you too?" Adam said. Eli and I dropped our gaze to glare at Adam. Peter came over to our table.

"Have you guys decided on what you are having?" He asked pulling out a pencil and a pad of paper. I was the only one who knew it was just for show. Darcy, my sister, told me he had the most amazing memory ever. That was one of the things my sister liked in him. I looked over and gestured to Eli. He raised his eyebrows. I nodded my head.

"You guys are weird," Adam said, "I will have a grilled cheese."

Eli went next "I will have a burger and some iced tea," he looked over at me. "Order whatever you would like."

I smiled and said, "I will also have an iced tea and a ceaser salad,"

Peter repeated our orders without looking at the paper and went off to the kitchen. He came back with our food. When we were done Eli started the conversation again.

"So Clare," Eli said, "what brings you here with my headphones and my Sharpie?"

"My parents stopped fighting but they decide to spend most of their time outside of the house, leaving me and the house all alone. I decided to come here for dinner than you know the rest," I said trailing off.

"So you decided to bring my headphones and Sharpie along?" Dang, I thought he didn't notice I was avoiding that.

"Yep, pretty much. I needed to return them to you so I thought if I ran into you somewhere that I could just give them back," I didn't look up.

"Maybe I wanted you to keep them"

"Maybe I didn't know that."

"Maybe there are a lot of things you don't know"

"Like what?"

"Like . . . I like you"

ELI'S POV

I looked up, bracing myself for rejection. But instead of rejection, I get a look at Clare blushing. Why is she blushing? She shouldn't be blushing! Last time I checked, she didn't like me! So why is she blushing?

"Well, there are things you don't know," Clare responded.

Now it was my turn to ask, "Like what?"

"Like that I have been waiting for you to say that, and that I like you too," she looked down, "A lot, way more than I thought you liked me."

How is that possible! "You have no idea how much I like you, Clare!" I walked over to where she was sitting.

She stood up and asked, "Yeah? How much is that?"

"This much," I said quietly. Then I kissed her. I don't know how long but Adam cleared his throat, and we pulled apart.

"Clare, Eli, my mom texted saying I should come home early. Would you mind if you drove me home?" Adam asked. I could hear the sadness in his voice.

"Sure man, just one sec," I walked over to Peter at the counter and payed the bill. I looked over my shoulder and saw Adam and Clare at the table. Just sitting there.

When I got back to the table and said, "All set," Adam practically ran to the Hearse. I held out my hand to Clare and she took it without hesitation. As we were walking out I took my hand back and put my arm around her waist. Clare leaned into me. I could get used to this.

Adam was in the passenger seat of Morty. I opened the backseat door for Clare. She smiled and climbed in. I got in the front seat and started the car. I heard the faint intro to "Brick by Boring Brick," it was my favorite so I turned it up. Clare made me this CD. I listened to it a lot.

"well she lives in a fairy tale,

Somewhere too far for us to find," Clare sang. She looked over my shoulder. She was so close I could smell her shampoo just wanted to pull over and kiss her. Only one more block until Adam's house. "So how are you, Eli?" Clare asked.

"I am perfect, haven't you noticed?" I responded with my usual sarcasm.

"Oh, I noticed," Clare said quietly. I pulled over into Adam's driveway. After we unpacked Adam's stuff from the back, he went inside without a goodbye. "That was weird," Clare said.

"Yeah it was. I hope he's okay." I bet he was just in a hurry. Sometimes his mom overreacts. Clare got in the passenger seat and I got in the drivers.

"So what were you saying before Adam had to leave?" I asked Clare.

CALRE'S POV

Wow, I couldn't believe Eli kissed me! I have to tell Allie, oh, wait, I don't talk to her anymore. Not since she started dating K.C. I could tell Jenna . . . no I couldn't tell her, she's not exactly trustworthy, and with the baby and Next Teen Star I don't know when I could tell her anyways.

"I was saying that I like you." I replied to Eli.

"Are you saying that you, Clare Edwards, likes me, Elijah Goldsworthy? Did I get that right?" Eli said, smirking. I love his smirk.

"Yes, is that okay with you?"

He ooked over at me, "that's perfectly fine with me," Eli pulled the car over