A/N: So I've plotted it out and this will be about ten to twelve chapters. It was going to be a one-shot, but I felt like there was something more. I own nothing. Chapter inspired by Breakeven by The Script. Review? pls/thx

"They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
'Cause she's moved on while I'm still grieving
And when a heart breaks, no it don't breakeven"
- The Script

Eli shifted in the sheets throwing his arm over his eyes to block out the light from the window. He felt the heaviness of sleep pin his limbs to the bed. He hadn't slipped into the hotel bed until around four and even then his mind was racing for hours. Something about the first night back was unsettling. It was strange being back home for the holidays, even stranger that he wasn't in his own bed. Instead he was caged in a hotel room with his fiancé Sara. Just in a handful of months everything had become so different, including him.

He peered over to the side of the bed where she should lay but there was no sign of her. Struggling he sat up and reluctantly let the sheets puddle in his lap. Her phone was missing from the side table so he reasoned she must have slipped out, probably to run some wedding errands. All she thought about was ivory and rose petals these days. She teased him about it claiming he should've given her more than a month to plan it. All Eli thought about was getting through this circus. Of course he could never say that to Sara in fear that her big brown eyes would go glassy and threaten to make him feel monstrous.

Sara was a great girl. She was beautiful with long auburn hair. She was well liked and kind. She never pushed or argued and found Eli's generally tempestuous disposition "artistic." She was majoring in education and attended mass every Sunday morning with little concern that Eli didn't. She didn't need his past, just his future. That was what drew him to her initially. They met at a poetry reading full of phrases that belonged only in a Taylor Swift song. Sitting at the same table she would laugh gently at his snarky comments and hold very few opinions of her own. The relationship was equally agreeable. There were the appropriate landmarks of the 3 month and 6 month anniversary both celebrated with a nice dinner and a glass of champagne. They had date nights and spent a few afternoons a week at various fine arts events. Eli drove the conversations and Sara would participate in her gentle way. A few nights a week they stayed the night together.

Initially Eli found the whole ordeal dull and predictable. There weren't the firey arguments or the combustible sexual tension. It seemed simple, patterned and harmless. It was then Eli realized that this was a normal relationship. This was what he heard about and believed to be myth. He never had to peel back layers and she never needed to dig into him. So when she hinted about their eight month anniversary being a sign of how perfect they were, he had purchased her a ring.

The proposal was genuine. He loved how she had brought calm and normalcy to his life. She loved his laugh and how his biting comments never fell on her.

Even now as he sat in the empty bed he could feel the simple and routine nature of his life with her. She didn't question why he came to bed late and she went about her business without having to inform him. Just a year ago someone could've asked if he'd have married a girl he'd known less than a year and he would have assumed they were on mushrooms. Then again just a year ago he still had the occasional pang from Clare. Now he saw that this is how it was supposed to go and Sara wasn't the type of girl who didn't deserve the pretty wedding she wanted. He wanted her to be happy; he felt she deserved all the happiness he could ever hope to give her, probably more. He let her run off and plan everything with their mothers and he'd occasionally nod when she muttered something about flowers or invitation colors.

Running his hands through his disheveled hair he slumped back into his bed and closed his eyes. Sara would be back soon he reasoned. She always was.

Clare's eyes fluttered open and she glanced at the end of her bed. Alli was flipping through a magazine and humming along to a song in her head. She looked up when she felt the bed shift under Clare's weight.

"Good afternoon sleeping...well I love you, but I'm not going with beauty."

"Be nice to me, my head is broken," Clare whined rolling her eyes.

"It probably was your spectacular booze consumption, are you interning for Dionysus or something?"

"I'm too hung over for you to make Greek mythology jokes."

"Fine, fine. Do you want to talk about it?" Alli raised her hand holding the detonator to Clare's minor destruction last night. Clare's eyes watered as she looked at the seemingly innocuous card held between Alli's two fingers. Alli proceeded to scoot down the bed and held Clare in her arms.

"I know it's been forever but, I just never thought he'd do this so soon or ever. It's Eli for Christ's sake." Clare choked out. Alli's eyes grew wide; Clare was rarely profane especially when it came to using the Lord's name in vain.

"I didn't know he'd be tacky enough to send you an invitation," Alli snorted.

"I'm sure he never thought twice about it. I'm just some old high school friend. The ex girlfriend who wasn't even the first love. And now I'm crazy. He's settling down into lifelong matrimony and I'm crying because of it? We haven't even talked…"

"This isn't meant to sound harsh but why did you take it this hard?" Alli nodded at the empty wine bottles and broken glass.

Clare laughed bitterly. "I thought he was sending me a letter like the last one I got from him. I thought this was him reaching out and," Clare began to break down again.

Alli frowned and pulled Clare in again.

"I am so, so sorry. I'll buy you all the drinks in the world and we'll have a total girl's night tonight. And then in a few days we'll find you an incredibly sexy dress and I'll be the hottest date at the wedding."

Clare jerked away. "Alli you're insane if you think I'm going to that."

"Clare you have to. It's part of the whole ex moving on thing. You go there and prove how over him you are while I simultaneously point out how ugly he's gotten and that his new girl is a bitch. Besides you've been over him right?"

Clare nodded slowly unsure what her mouth might betray if she opened it.

"Great, so a girl's night to get over the shock and you'll be back to normal. I promise. Now get up and shower before I hose you down."

Clare smiled and slipped into the bathroom. Her face fell as she turned on her shower and let the hot water attempt to undo last night's damage. If she was so over him why did her heart feel like it was in the pit of her stomach?

"Those drinks better be huge," Clare thought as she let her eyes drift closed and willed herself to think of anything but him.

A/N: So I got a p.m about why I chose not to use Imogen vs. an o.c. I already have no interest in her b.c I'm pretty sure her and Eli will swap spit. Also because she hasn't been introduced into the episodes I'd have to be making up enough besides her name to make her an oc. I also didn't want the fiance just to be a raging unlikable bitch, and if I based Imogen just off her desciption as a liar and manipulative that's what she'd be. Anyways reviews? Pls and Thx.