I'm not a mushy person. No way. Never have been, never planned to be. I don't exactly fall for girls. I'm not gay or anything...but I just don't want to get hurt. No I would not let my heart become some chicks pinata.

At least that was how I felt last week. Turns our everyone was right. Degrassi changes people. The guys at my old school told me that no one is ever the same once they come here. Sometimes they change for the good, sometimes for the bad.

The guys were also convinced I was changing, when I told them about Clare. I tried to explain to them that, if they saw her, they'd feel the same. They'd understand. Of course they didn't believe me though.

Speaking of Clare. She was in my thoughts. She's all I ever thought about. She was only my English partner, but oh did I want more! I could only hope she felt the same. If she ever found out I liked her then, the cards would be in her hands. She'd be in control.

"Hey Eli!" Clare said as she walked over to me. I looked at her, her beauty.

"Couldn't get enough of me?" I smirked. I flirted with her to the extreme. She had to know I liked her. Or maybe just thought I liked messing with her. Now how messed up would that be?

"Shut up Eli." she smacked my shoulder. I laughed and acted like it hurt.

"That wasn't very nice of you Edwards." I said as I closed my locker. She laughed and shrugged. It made me want to smile. What was Clare doing to me? I don't smile.

"Come on Eli, we need to get to English." she walked away. I followed her because we did in fact have the same class. Clare was grade 10, but had grad 11 honors English. Wasn't she so smart?

I walked into English and Ms. Dawes perked up when she saw us. We were her favorite students because we produced the best work...when we weren't skipping.

"Well, well if it isn't or very own Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes?" she laughed. "I hope you two had fun yesterday, you missed the assignment. You two have to be married, for the rest of the month and the first week of March." married to Clare? Don't get me wrong I was pretty siked about it, but I couldn't even tell her I liked her. How was I supposed to be married to her. "Oh and you have to act like an actual couple. Once a week bring in a photo album I'll sign to you. You're going to fill it up with cute pictures of you guys together. And on Valentines day I want to know what you got each other and if you liked it. You'll give a presentation." she wasn't kidding was she?

"Okay Ms. Dawes." me and Clare said in unison.

"Oh and no class except the assignments every week. Other then that this is some time you guys get, to get to know each other." I officially loved Ms. Dawes! I turned to Clare and gave her a smirk.

"Looks like ditching yesterday was a good idea after all." I said in my most flirtatious voice. She blushed furiously and, again, I wanted to smile.

"Well...if you think so..." she looked down and I frowned when her auburn curls covered her beautiful blue eyes. I wanted to move her hair out of her eyes... but wouldn't it be weird if the new goth kid randomly put a move on the saint kid in the middle of class? One of these days it wouldn't be though, because she would be mine.

"So, wifey... were going somewhere special after school. Your coming whether you like it or not."

"But I have to check in with my parents." she looked stressed out when she said this. "But I really do want to go."

"Then how about this, you don't check in with your parents, and we have no problem." it looked like she would agree to this. But then her face fell.

"Eli I can't you don't understand... if I don't go straight home then they'll just get mad and I cant stand them getting any mad then they already are."

"Tell them its a school assignment. Technically it is...you wouldn't have to lie..." come on come one! This had to work...

"Eli..."

"Please Clare..." I frowned. I never frowned like I didn't smile. I kept my face blank, but this was really actually starting to upset me...how could she have this effect on me? She looked at me with a blank expression for a second...then she cracked a smile.

"Was that a genuine frown?"

"Yea..." I looked at her confused. "You like it when I from? That's just...weird...and mean Clare I'm hurt." I smirked and she blushed.

"No, no, I don't like seeing you frown..."

"Oh so you just wanted to laugh at my frown then."

"No that's not it! Not at all... I just... I... I didn't mean it Eli, all I meant was...its nice to see you do something else then smirk."

"Oh so now it's my smirking you don't like." now I just enjoyed messing with her.

"N-no! I like your smirk...it makes you Eli... I just never see a genuine expression from you...stop trying to mess with my head..."

"Fine... but your coming even if I have to kidnap you."

"Okay..." She caved. "But can I go home for an hour before we go...please?" I was about to protest when I saw the begging look in her eyes, then I nodded. Ms. Dawes walked by to give us our photo album to fill with pictures. I took our 'get-to-know-each-other' time as an opportunity to take our first picture.

I grabbed my camera out of my book bag, stood up, sat on Clares lap, and took the first one. She laughed hysterically, as all the people in class looked at us like we were insane. Then I decided to take another one, to piss people off. This one was of me...um...kissing Clare... she didn't reject it, that's good right?

I pulled away when I realized Ms. Dawes was standing in front of us. It looked like she couldn't decide whether or not to smile. Somehow she knew I liked Clare, I could tell. Weird thing, I wasn't angry or creeped out that Ms. Dawes knew. She was a cool teacher.

"Mr. Goldsworthy, I'd please like you to refrain from sitting on Ms. Edwards for the rest of the class period. But I am glad your starting on the project. Still, see me after class." she walked back to her desk and I took a seat back in mine. Clare was sitting there, shocked. When she thought I wasn't looking, she smiled, and touched her lips. It gave me butterflies.

Wait. What the hell? There's no way she gave me butterflies!