A/N: Hey, this is both Amanda and Tori, who are collaborating together to write a post- Drop The World story on what we think should happen when Degrassi returns this summer. Enjoy~
Clare's POV
"Don't leave me, please-"
"I'm sorry, okay, but I can't."
Clare was awoken from the haunting memories by her mother, who looked at her with a concerned look over her coffee mug. "Sweetie, are you alright? You've been pretty quiet all break..."
"Oh... I'm fine..." Clare said unconvincingly. "I'm just not hungry." The thought of eating didn't seem very comforting with her stomach twisting into knots. Her mother just stared at her reproachfully, and Clare caved in. "Uhm, before spring break, Eli and I broke up..."
Her mom wrinkled her nose unintentionally. "That boy you were seeing?"
"Yeah..."Clare said with a nod. "I'm just a bit worried if I'll run into him today."
"That's completely understandable Clare, just stick with Alli, you'll be fine." Her mom reassured. Clare went to collect her bag and walked to the door, pausing when she heard her mom let out a gasp.
"I just forgot to tell you," Her mother said quite happily. "The Martin's have moved back to Toronto. Do you remember their son, Jake? You two were so close a few years back."
Clare was reminded of her old best friend, who she had almost every class with in elementary school and who made sunday school entertaining. She pondered over their families heading to the Martins' cabin every summer, and Jake's hopeless crush on Darcy.
"Oh, so is he coming to Degrassi?" Clare asked.
"Yes, I told his dad we would meet him at the office, so you can show him to his locker and classes."
Although she didn't like her mom volunteering her for things without asking, Clare was quite happy for this job. It would give her the excuse not to go to her locker, which was right beside Eli's. She could imagine him yelling at her, while Adam glared at her from down the hall. Not a scene she wished to be a part of.
When she left the security of her mom's car, the nervousness overtook her again. She felt as though everyone was starring at her; a feeling Clare loathed. Could everyone had found out about her and Eli's breakup? How they broke up? She kept her head up, and walked towards the office, where Mr. Simpson and a boy clad in a Degrassi uniform who she assumed was Jake were standing.
"Ah, Ms. Edwards," Mr. Simpson greeted. "I was informed you were showing Mr. Martin around?"
"Yes," Clare answered. She looked over at Jake, taking in his appearance. He was about a head taller than her, sandy coloured hair and similar facial features she remembered just a few years back.
Simpson nodded, then turned back into the office, while Jake grinned at Clare. "For a moment I thought you were Darcy," He commented. "Whatever happened to the glasses and long hair?"
"I got laster eye surgery the beginning of the year," Clare told him, as they began walking down the hallway together. "As for the hair, I cut and dyed it over the summer."
"It looks nice," Jake said, "So can you help me navigate around this school? I need to find my locker and my first period history class." Clare took his schedule from him, and lead him down a row of lockers.
Jake began unpacking things into is locker, Clare and himself sharing small talk about things that happened with there families. "So, where's Darcy?" Jake asked, and he locked his locker and hitched his backpack on shoulder. "She'd be in university, right?"
"Actually, she went over to Kenya, in Africa to do volunteer work for a semester. She found that she liked it a lot, so she's still over there."
"Oh, well, I can always remember Darcy being such a do-gooder." Jake said, grinning again from in front of the history classroom.
"Yeah," Clare smiled. "Well, here you are."
"Do you mind if I sit with you at lunch?" Jake asked, shifting his weight slightly. "I don't really know anyone else... no offense..."
"None taken... You can just find me in the cafeteria, I'll probably be with my friend Alli..." Clare paused realizing how different that sounded. She usually spent lunch with her misfits, with Eli's arm wrapped around her while Adam teased them.
Jake interupted her thoughts with "Alright, see you," as he entered him class.
"Clare Edwards!" She turned around to see Alli charging towards her from the end of the hallway.
"Hey Alli-"
"Don't 'hey Alli' me! Who were you talking to? He was so cute! Is he new?"
Clare sighed at all Alli's constant questions. "Yeah, he's Jake Martin. Our families were very close when he lived here, and now his family has moved back."
"So, you two were close..." Alli said slowly, but she couldn't mask the suggestiveness in her tone.
Clare frowned "Alli, its not like that!"
"I'm just saying," Alli said as the walked to Media Immersions. "If your families are close, and you two are close... its kind of a given. He's really cute too!"
"Alli just stop!" Clare hissed, marching over to a computer desk. "Eli and I just broke up! I am not looking for a relationship, okay?"
Alli's eyes widened. "Oh, Clare! I'm sorry! Its just, you looked pretty happy when you were talking with him, and... I just want you to be happy okay?"
Clare smiled softly. "I know Alli, I appreciate it." The two began chatting about nothing in particular when Clare found herself face-to-face with Adam.
"Clare!" He said more surprised than a greeting. She was the one who avoided contact with him all break. "Can we-"
"We have to go to class," Clare interjected quickly, grabbing Alli by the wrist and pulling her into the Media Immersions classroom.
"I take it you haven't talked to Adam, have you?" Alli observed as they sat down at computers.
"No... I've been avoiding him. I can do without him guilt tripping me for breaking up with Eli."
"Do you really think he'd do that?"
Clare raised an eyebrow. "They're best friends."
"But he's your friend too, right?" Alli counter argued.
"Connor was my friend before I was with KC," Clare said. "And after he dumped me, Connor went off with him. I take it that friendships just don't make it through breakups. Besides, Adam is much closer to Eli anyway. Its fine, I have you, remember?"
"Yeah, you do!" Alli nodded her head enthusiastically. "But, I'm sorry you're going through all of this..."
"I'll manage," was Clare's replied before she started working on her Media Immersions assignment. The rest of her two classes passed by a blur, and Clare was more careful to avoid Adam, and find Alli in the cafeteria at lunch.
"Hey," She greeted and sat down. It wasn't too long before Jake sat down on Clare's right.
"Did you get lost?" Clare asked. Jake shook his head, while Alli gave a rather loud fake cough. "Oh, this is my friend Alli, by the way. Alli this is Jake."
"Hey," Alli greeted brightly, as Jake grinned in return. "How are you liking Degrassi?"
"I've only been here for almost 3 hours, but pretty good so far. This school has a decent looking basketball team I want to join!"
"You're one of those guys?" Alli deadpanned, while Clare gasped "Alli!"
"Hey, not all jocks are bad!" Jake argued.
"Clare and I haven't had the best luck with jocks, but maybe you could change our minds," Clare didn't miss the way Alli's eyes shifted between Jake and herself and scowled.
Alli began filling in Jake of all the crazy happening of Degrassi, while Clare glanced around the cafeteria, uninterested. She spotted Adam eating lunch with Sav. Eli wasn't with him. A number of scenarios filled her head of where he could be, each more unrealistic as the next. She half wanted to walk over to Adam and ask where Eli was, if he was alright, if he hated her. But she couldn't do that. Clare needed to let go with Eli. It just hurt even more that she had to let go of Adam as well.
Adam POV
Ever since Clare had basically fled after seeing him, Adam spent his first period wondering how things could have gotten so bad. He had always looked up to Eli and Clare as a couple. When all him and Fiona seemed to have were problems, all he wanted was what there relationship was like. But it was all over now.
Adam walked into the caf less than exuberantly. He stopped walking when he noticed Clare heading over on the other side of the room to sit with Alli. Just as Adam pondered where to sit, he spotted Sav sitting alone.
"Hey, man, is alright if I sit with you?"
Sav looked up and grinned. "Yeah sure, I could use some company."
Adam sat down opposite of him. "So, why are you sitting alone...? Every time I see you, your always with Holly J... aren't you two dating?"
Sav looked down and stabbed his fork into his salad. "We broke up."
"Oh," Adam said, feeling guilty for bringing it up. "Uh, sorry..."
"No... it's okay... we were going to break up at graduation anyway..." Sav said, although he still looked put out. "So, what's up with you? Don't you usually eat lunch with Eli and Clare...?"
"They... uh... broke up..."
Sav eyes drew wide. "What? Why?"
Adam didn't really know if he should tell Sav the full story about the twisted web of Eli and Clare's downfall. He didn't even really know the full story himself, only the information Eli had told him when Adam visited him in the hospital. "Well... Eli got really clingy..." Adam decided on saying. "And Clare couldn't handle it. That's what I got from Eli though- Clare's been avoiding me."
"That sucks." Sav commented. "Is that why Eli didn't come today? Couldn't face the awkward meeting in the hallway?"
Adam groaned inwardly at another thing that he wasn't sure he should tell Sav. Sure, Sav had been a pretty good pal, but he wasn't as close to Eli and himself. He didn't know how unstable Eli had become with Julia's death date approaching. "Uh...well... Eli's been going through a lot." Adam said carefully. " So, to help... his parents sent him to a therapy place... Oak Meadows... I think it's off the outskirts of Toronto." Sav couldn't mask the shocked look on his face, but Adam continued. "I'm suppose to visit him today, but I can't get a ride. Both my parents are working, and my brother can't pull himself away from his girlfriend to take me."
"I could take you," Sav offered. "I have to drive myself and Alli to family therapy after school, so it shouldn't be a problem. As long as your brother could pick you up."
"Really? Thanks man!" Adam smiled, having something to look forward to.
"No problem." Sav said. "Just meet me in the parking lot after school."
As the bell rang, Adam spent his third period class thinking of how to ambush Clare, so he could talk to her without her leaving. English was next period, and he knew she couldn't escape him then. Hoping to arrive early to cut her off, Adam bolted out of class and down the hallway. Not being very careful, he collided with a girl, knocking everything out of her hands.
"Sorry, sorry!" Said Adam, bending over to pick up the books the girl dropped.
"It's fine, " She reassured him, as he handed her back her stuff. Adam could help but notice that the girl happened to be extremely pretty, as if almost effortlessly.
"Uh.. Yeah... alright..." He stuttered on his words as the girl entered her class. He smacked his palm on his forehead. Why was he such an idiot? After what happened with Fiona, he shouldn't even kid himself. No one was going to look at him again.
Entering English class, Adam saw Clare and made his why over to her because she could notice him approaching. He sat up on the desk in front of her and coughed, making himself noticed. "Hey Clare."
She dropped the pen she was fiddling with, startled, and looked up. "Oh.. uh... hi Adam..."
Not wanting to continue with the awkwardness of the conversation, Adam bit the bullet and said, "Why have you been avoiding me Clare? I called and texted you like a zillion times over break..."
Clare sighed. " I just didn't to deal with it okay? Breaking up with Eli was hard, and I didn't want to deal with you hating me too."
"Wh- why would I hate you?"
"I broke up with Eli." Clare said, and look of pain across her face. "He's your best friend. I think its pretty obvious what you should think of me."
"I don't hate you Clare." Adam told her honestly. "I don't like that you feel I would take sides or something. I don't really know everything that happened between you and Eli but... I know it was hard for both of you. I am still your friend, Clare. You know that, right?
A small smile graced her lips. "Thanks Adam. I guess I was just worried you would be mad about me breaking up with Eli and things wouldn't be the same..."
"Its fine. Eli's getting better though... he's in therapy." Adam said offhandedly, wondering if it was alright to inform Clare of such information.
Clare looked more alert. "Really? That's... that's good."
"I'm going to visit him today..." Adam said, wondering if he was crossing boundaries. He couldn't keep the hope out of his voice however and said, "You could come with me... I know Eli would love to see you... You guys could talk everything-"
"Adam no!" Clare said, rubbing her temple. "I- I can't, okay? If we're going to be friends, you can't push me back to Eli, okay? We're.. we're not meant to be. Its not good for either of us. I'm glad he's getting better, but we're done. So, I'd appreciate it if you go to your seat now. Class is about to start."
Clare look really upset, and Adam instantly felt terrible. He wanted to be both Eli and Clare's friend. He didn't realize it would be so hard. As much as he wanted to believe they were forever a united front, he knew that they were broken.
Adam waited outside the school, crossing his arms against the cold. It was chilly for early May, almost as if nature had decided to sync the weather with his personal life. Things just hadn't been the same since the crash; Eli was in an institution, he hadn't talked to Clare up until today. The one group of people who ever had truly accepted him was falling apart before his eyes.
"Hey, ready to go?" Sav asked as he seemingly appeared out of thin air. "I wish I could come too, but family therapy awaits..."
"It's cool, man. Maybe next time," Adam said as they walked to the silver pick up. "Thanks for the ride, by the way."
"It's no problem," Sav said as he climbed in the front seat and Adam climbed in next to him. He shut the door and started the car before he said in a hushed tone, "How is he doing?"
Adam sighed. He wasn't sure if Eli would want everyone knowing that he was doing the opposite of okay. He had taken the breakup harshly, and wasn't letting anyone help him at all. "He's doing alright. His foot's almost healed by now."
"Oh, well that's good." The rest of the car ride passed with small talk, which Adam answered mindlessly. He missed the way things used to be; him, Eli and Clare all hanging out together. He'd give anything to be the third wheel again, rather than watching Clare try to go on like nothing's wrong and Eli spending his days torturing himself with "what if's" and wondering how Clare was doing. Before he knew it, they pulled up to the prison-like building.
"Thanks again for the ride," he said as he climbed out of the car and swung his back pack onto his shoulder.
"Like I said, no problem. Tell Eli I said hi."
"Will do. See you around." Adam shut the door, and began walking up the cobbled sidewalk to Oak Meadows.
Eli's POV
Eli smiled as Adam walked through the door. Oak Meadows was so boring and dull; he only left his room for his sessions. Of course he had other visitors, but seeing his best friend always made his day. Adam walked up to his bedside.
"Hey, how's everything going?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Eli laughed. "Better, now that I'm a few days from freedom. How's life on the outside?" He looked up at Adam, trying not to let the true intentions of his question show. He just wanted to know how she was doing. If she missed him.
"The same old. For once, things around school have been pretty quiet," Adam said as he rubbed the back of his neck. Eli knew Adam was trying to steer clear of mentioning the one person he wanted to hear about, but he didn't care. It would hurt to know what was going on with her, but driving himself insane wondering would hurt more.
"I guess there's a first time for everything. So… How is she?" Eli tried his hardest not to show his eagerness for information, but he knew he failed as soon as he heard Adam sigh.
"Eli, what do you want me to tell you? She's fine." He was frustrating Adam by asking about her every time he visited. It was a reminder to him that things had recently taken a drastic change since the crash, but Eli didn't think it was fair that he was only reminded by someone else's prompting. He was stuck in a living reminder of the stupid mistake he had made that cost him so much in one night.
"Sorry. It's just killing me to not know. I'm stuck in here every day, with therapists asking me a million questions, and CeCe and Bullfrog panicking whenever I don't put on a smile for their visits, and she's out there with a million guys who are so much better for her than I ever was."
"I know it sucks, but you can't let it take over. Soon enough you'll be at Degrassi and you'll be able to see for yourself that Clare isn't moving on yet. You guys both need space." Eli flinched at the sound of her name. Even though the breakup had been over two weeks ago, her name still felt like a dagger in his heart.
"I scare her. She thinks I manipulate her. Even with all the space in the world, it won't make a difference."
"You didn't manipulate her though. Like you said, a few more days until freedom," Adam tried to lighten the mood.
"It's not freedom if Clare wants nothing to do with me, and everyone's watching my every move."
Adam opened his mouth to reply, but a loud knocking interrupted. A nurse with a clipboard opened the door without waiting for a response.
"Mr. Goldsworthy? Dr. Cain would like to see you," she said overly cheery. Eli hated this place, and all the fake cheer. It just a sad attempt to cover up the fact that this was an institution and everyone here was analyzing you to find something wrong.
Adam looked up. He always seemed to be uncomfortable when nurses or therapists or doctors just barged in. Eli was more than used to it by now, but it always caught Adam off guard. "I should get going anyways, it's probably almost dinner time. I'll bring comics next time."
"You still want to come back after this fun filled visit?" Eli said, although there was a hint of truth in the joke. He always wondered why Adam came to visit when he was less than pleasant to be around. Sometimes he wondered how long it would be before he drove him away too.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Adam feigned hurt. "I'll see you later."
"See you." Eli turned to the nurse as Adam left. "Alright, let's get this over with."
A/N II: Will anything happened between Clare and Jake? Can Adam remain friends with both Clare and Eli? What does Eli's therapist want to tell him? In the next chapter, folks. Feedback is greatly appreciated, so review!