Happy (belated) Birthday's to my wonderful readers ForeverAndAlways37 and RED2012. ForeverAndAlways37 should have had In the Evening I've Got to roam as her birthday chapter but I was in the crunch of a work deadline and forgot so this chapter is dedicated to both of you. In honor of your birthdays there will be cake and ice cream!
Ch. 2 It's Me in the Thing
(DREW)
"Are you coming to my team's barbeque after school?" I ask Adam as we walk into school Tuesday morning.
"I don't think I'll blend at a football BBQ, anyway it's going to be football guys, cheerleaders and player's girlfriends," Adam says rolling his eyes.
"Clare will be there too I asked her," I tell him.
"Of course you did, I guess I'll come by for a while. Not that I don't think it's good that you're going after a sweet and intelligent girl like Clare but don't you usually go after cheerleaders?" Adam questions.
"I thought I'd try something different, it is a new school after all," I shrug.
We part ways to go to our lockers, I see Julian and wave to him, some cheerleaders talk to me about the BBQ and then I go to my homeroom class which is English. Jake comes in with Marisol who's a cheerleader and Mo who's also trying out for the team.
"I'll see you at the BBQ after school Drew, Katie and I are going it should be quite entertaining," Jake grins.
It looks like he's going to say something else but Fitz comes into class and Jake closes his mouth. Fitz glowers at Jake and even shoots me a harsh look, I'm not really sure why but he was glaring at me when I asked Clare to the BBQ yesterday. Either he likes her, in which case he should have made his move by now, or he's protective of her as a friend and a friend of her brothers which I would sort of get.
I don't really pay attention in class; I don't really like English I just plan the afternoon in my head. I'll have to make sure we remain seen by Katie and Jake so they can see that we're on a date, but will likely have to keep us away from Owen and Fitz. I'll just keep my arm around her, maybe kiss her cheek and that should count as a date. Then I win and I'm $50 closer to my goal of getting a motorcycle.
My next class is transportation technology: vehicle maintenance which is a fancy way of saying of saying auto shop. It's a class I not only have with Eli but with Owen and Fitz, I expect Owen to spend the class sizing me up I don't expect him to grab me and shove me to the wall as soon as I go in.
"I'll be watching you today, you touch my sister and I'll break all of your fingers," Owen growls in a low voice. Several other kids hear him as they walk into class but no one pays much attention, what little I have seen of Owen I think this is pretty normal behavior for him.
"Relax it's a BBQ after school, I like your sister I'm just getting to know her, I won't do anything she doesn't want me to do," I assure him with a grin.
Owen still glares at me but he does let me go, we all start changing into our coveralls which are required because auto shop is messy. Before I leave the locker room Eli stops me, he doesn't look happy either but I know it's for an entirely different reason.
"I don't think an after school BBQ should count as a date," Eli says.
"Well that's really up to Katie and Jake isn't it," I respond and push past him to go out to class.
Auto shop is about the only class I'm any good at; when it's over I wash my hands and grab a quick lunch before heading to football tryouts on the field. I see Adam with Clare and Bianca who's in photography with me, Owen and Fitz. Adam waves and so does Clare, I wave back and wink at Clare which makes her bite her lip, it's kind of cute actually.
"You bringing someone to the BBQ?" K.C. asks me as he holds my feet for sit ups.
"Clare," I tell him.
"You're taking Owen's sister to the BBQ? You don't plan on living long, especially if he's there," K.C. remarks and we switch places when Coach blows his whistle.
"He's an older brother and he's protective I get it, I'm an older brother too. I won't do anything Clare doesn't want me to do he's all bark and no bite I'm sure," I respond.
"No Owen bites, he's majorly protective, most of the guys at this school are too scared of Owen to even ask Clare out. I asked her to a dance last year Owen told me to behave myself but I thought he was all bark and no bite too. When he caught us kissing in the hall he was pissed. He didn't do anything that night in front of Clare but Monday at school he told me to keep away by hanging me from the roof by my ankles. I started dating Jenna after that, well after a very careful explanation to Clare. She also went on a couple of dates with a kid named Reese; he's more like Owen and Fitz a bad kid that barely attend class. The way I hear it," K.C. says sitting up and staying up as he lowers his voice to tell me, "she didn't tell Owen they were going out. When he did find out…well no one's exactly sure what did happen but no one has seen Reese since then."
"Offense line up time for drive block drills," coach says after blowing his whistle before I can ask any more questions, "and defense other end of the field for trap drills, let's see what you can do."
After half an hour of drills we shower and change, most of us grabbing an energy bar or protein drink to carry us through afternoon classes. Owen, Fitz and I all have photography this period but we don't walk there together, I leave the locker room first and they follow behind me. Bianca's already in class and they sit with her but she looks back at me, after what K.C. told me and Owen's threats this morning I expect her to threaten me too.
"Hey your brother's cool, he invited me to the Dead Hand concert next month they're my favorite band," she says.
"Cool, he got those tickets the minute they went on sale, I thought I'd have to go with him just be good to him, Adam can be…shy around girls," I tell her. I get an almost appreciative smile from Owen when talking about Adam since we share the bond of being big brothers, it's almost a smile but he's still glaring at me.
We watch a slideshow of black and white photography and then discuss black and white versus color. When class lets out it's my spare, it's also Fitz's and Clare's spare, Fitz and I are going to help Coach set up for the BBQ but I'm surprised to see Clare when I get to the parking lot.
"Hey you're early the BBQ doesn't start until after school," I comment.
"I know but Fitz said you guys were going to help set up so I came to help too," she says.
"Cool," I grin.
Coach Armstrong and both assistant coaches are out here setting up along with Principal Simpson. Fitz and I do the heavy stuff, Coach Armstrong sets up the BBQ and Clare sets up the buns, condiments, vegetables and drinks. The bell rings and kids file out to the field, the whole team is here and the cheerleaders, I wave to Adam who comes with Bianca. When I see Jake and Katie I go over and put my arm around Clare and she looks at me.
"We are on a date right?" I remind her.
"Yeah," she smiles but glances at Owen; he's talking with Fitz and doesn't see us.
Jake is sitting on the bleachers with Katie, he's eating but she's watching us. Adam is sitting on the field with Bianca, they seem to be hitting it off, I just hope they continue to hit off or she doesn't freak out when she finds out about him.
"Let's get some food before these guys eat it all," I remark and she smiles. She really does have a beautiful smile, it's soft and lights her face making her eyes sparkle even more.
We get food and sit across the field, far from people but within the sight of Jake and Katie. We eat in silence for a little while and it's starting to get uncomfortable but Clare breaks it.
"I wonder why Katie and Jake are here, it isn't like them to come to anything that has to do with the football team," Clare comments.
"Katie's your sister isn't she?"
"Stepsister and she hates us, even Maya who's her sister by blood," Clare replies.
"So how many kids are in your family, Adam said you came from a blended family like us," I remark.
"Five kids, Katie's the oldest since her birthday is in March and Owen's is May, but none of us get along with Katie. Then there's me, I'm not related to any of them by blood though, my family was killed in a car accident when I was little. Owen's parents were my Godparents and they adopted me. Tristan is next, Owen's younger brother by blood, he's two years younger than me and last is Maya, her birthday is in December making her the baby but she's only a couple months younger than Tris. Owen and Tristan considered me their sister by blood from the day I was adopted and took the last name Milligan. I considered them blood as well, even before our mom married Maya and Katie's dad we considered Maya to be blood and family but Katie's hated us from day one. I don't know if Jake really hates us but he's totally apathetic about the way Katie treats us, I swear he likes her borderline narcissism and sociopathic personality," Clare tells me using big words I don't understand but take to mean that Katie's a real bitch. "Jake's family is wealthy, they have a great big house, he drives a very expensive car and buys her anything she wants, it's disgusting really but at least when she's with him she's out of our hair."
"Adam and I have always gotten along at least most of you get along I mean that's good. You know I get the whole big brother protective thing but Owen seems to…"
"Go overboard?" Clare offers finishing for me.
"Yeah," I nod and then see Katie and Jake watching us so I put my arm around Clare. Thankfully Owen seems to be distracted and Clare seems to like having my arm around her as she leans against me.
"He does but he has his reasons too and he's just got a natural protective streak, if you're in his circle then he's protective of you," she tells me just as a football comes whizzing toward us, it's perfectly aimed at my head and would miss Clare. Still I let go of Clare and catch the football, Owen is glaring at me and I feel Clare tense up a little. "OWEN!" She yells grimacing at her brother. I stand up and toss it back to him before holding my hand out to Clare and helping her stand.
"I think we've put in enough of an appearance here what do you say we go to The Dot for some dessert?" I offer.
"Sounds great and I know how we can sneak out without going past Owen," she says taking my hand. Owen watches for us for a second but as soon as he's distracted Clare takes off running and dragging me with her. We run along the back of the football field and into some trees and now she slows down. I hear some kids in the distance but we never see them, we come out behind the pharmacy and across from The Dot. "Hi Peter," she smiles at the blonde boy behind the counter, "this is Drew he's new at DeGrassi."
"Hey Clare, nice to meet you Drew so what can I get you?" Peter asks.
"A piece of chocolate cake with two forks and a chocolate milkshake with two straws," I order for both of us. Peter rings us up and I pay, he makes the shake and gives me the slice of cake, Clare and I take a seat by the window. We start eating and sipping at the shake, Clare smiles and I daydream about taking her for a ride on my motorcycle when I buy it. I guess actually maybe sort of like her. "Hey Peter can you take a couple of pictures of us?" I ask when we're almost done. Most people must be at the BBQ because the café is pretty empty.
"Uh sure," Peter shrugs coming over while I get my phone out.
"No don't take my picture I look terrible," Clare says trying to straighten her curls.
"No you don't, you look gorgeous," I tell her and she smiles again, biting the corner of her lip and blushing slightly.
"I do?"
"Yep," I nod and hand Peter my phone. He takes one of me feeding her cake, one of her feeding me, one of us both drinking from the shake and one of her kissing my cheek. I tell him thanks and we finish our food. "I should probably walk you back to school, the BBQ will be over soon and I have to find my brother, anyway I'm sure Owen has noticed we're gone," I comment.
"Yeah probably, hopefully Fitz and Bianca are keeping him distracted," she says.
We walk back down the street close together but not touching, when I see the school come into view, and Jake and Katie leaning against what I assume to be his car, I put my arm around her. We barely make it into the parking lot before she's taken from me though.
"Where the hell have you been? Did you touch her? I warned you about touching her," Owen growls.
"Owen relax we went to The Dot for dessert and we didn't even kiss, come on we should help clean up and get home," she says pulling Owen away by the hand but he still growls at me.
Clare turns back to smile at me and I grin back then I get a text from Jake. Yesterday he and Katie got my number and Eli's so we could meet without Clare or Owen knowing.
Jake: Behind the school in the greenhouse.
I'm not sure where the greenhouse is but I find it easily enough, Jake and Katie are in there and so is Eli. I give him a gloating smile as I get out my phone.
"I win," I tell them.
"An after school BBQ isn't a date," Eli argues.
"We sat together, I kept my arm around her, we went and got dessert at The Dot, I paid and got a kiss on the cheek, I even have proof," I say finding the pictures on my phone and showing the three of them.
"I call that a date," Katie agrees and Jake gets out his wallet handing me a $50. "You guys up for another game?" Katie asks as I put the money in my wallet.
"What now? There isn't some other girl you want us to ask out is there?" Eli inquires.
"No we're not done with Clare, first one to get a kiss gets $75," Katie says.
"Sweet $75 for a kiss," I smile.
"Any kiss at all?" Eli queries.
"No open mouth with tongue for a minimum of five seconds and we need proof," Katie replies.
"Good thing I have a date with Clare tomorrow night, too bad you'll be at practice," Eli says with a smug smirk as he pats my shoulder and leaves the greenhouse.
"So is there more after one of us gets a kiss?" I ask.
"As long as Owen hasn't killed you both we'll keep going I'm having so much fun, are you having fun Jakey snakey?" Katie coos and I almost throw up, something is seriously wrong with these two.
"I just like seeing you smile and Owen pissed off," he smiles and they kiss.
Since they start to make out I decide to go find Adam and get home, if this keeps up I'll have enough money for my motorcycle in no time.
(CLARE)
"How was the BBQ?" Maya asks when Owen and I get home.
"It was good but Owen tried to kill Drew with a football," I comment.
"I wasn't going to kill him, just knock him away from you," Owen shrugs setting down his backpack. "How was school?" He asks Maya and Tris.
"Fine," they say at the same time.
"You know I swear you two are twins sometimes," Owen comments rolling his eyes.
"I'm home," Katie calls into the house and we all make the same face. "How was your date with Drew?" Katie asks and we all furrow our brow at her since she's never had any interest in our social lives before.
"It was good, he seems really sweet," I reply cautiously and she gives me an odd smile.
"I'm going to go do homework in my room," she says and goes upstairs.
When Mom told us she was going to marry Maya and Katie's dad we knew we'd be moving. We found a four bedroom house with a finished basement, each of us kids have our own bedroom upstairs, I got the master which made Katie furious. Even though she got the second biggest, it has it's own washroom and a balcony, she shares a washroom with Maya but when Katie's home Maya usually uses my washroom, I told her she could. Owen's room is pretty big too but he has a bay window instead of a balcony, he and Tris share the other washroom. Mom and Dad turned the basement into a master suite, complete with a master washroom that has a dual shower and a Jacuzzi tub. Katie is at Jake's 95% percent of the time anyway and we all prefer it that way, I'm pretty sure even Mom and Dad prefer it that way.
"That was weird I wonder why she cares," Maya comments.
"I have no idea," I shrug.
Owen and I sit with Maya and Tris doing our homework, Mom and Dad get home and start on dinner and Katie comes downstairs when Dad calls her for dinner. We do the normal small talk over dinner about our days, Katie tells us she's going out with Jake tomorrow and will be sleeping at his house and we're all glad she'll be gone. After dinner Katie has to clean up, she's almost never home and rarely does her chores so when she is home Mom and Dad make sure she gets her chores done. The rest of us go to our rooms and finish our homework, after homework I shower and do some writing before going to bed. I dream about Drew and Eli tonight, they're both sweet but I have more in common with Eli and we connect on an intellectual level. Drew is just hot, but he's also a good big brother which I admire, I don't know all that much about him actually.
Jake comes to pick up Katie for school the next morning, Owen takes the rest of us, we drop Tris and Maya off first and then head to DeGrassi. Jake and Katie are here on the steps, she's draped on him and he has his arms around his waist. Jake leans against the banister and they watch people occasionally laughing or snickering after the other one says something.
"What do you think they're doing?" Owen queries.
"Probably talking about how they think they're so much better than everyone," I reply.
"Yeah they think they're better but they are delusional," Owen says and I giggle as we walk past them.
Owen leaves me to go to his locker and I go to mine, I get my books walking down the hall and see a lot guys gathered around the football trophy case which means the team has been posted.
"Morning Clare," Alli says suddenly from behind me and I jump.
"Hey Alli," I smile at her.
"Isn't Drew hot?!" She squeals quietly.
"Yeah he is hot," I agree.
"Not just hot the hottest guy in school I really like him," Alli tells me.
"Alli you know nothing about him and you're dating Dave," I remind her.
"All I need to know is that he's the hottest guy in school and Dave is getting boring," Alli says and I roll my eyes. Now I see Drew, he's coming over and he looks happy, Alli starts batting her eyelashes because Drew is smiling at us.
"Hi Drew," Alli coos.
"Yeah hi," he nods and then grins at me, "Clare I made QB1 you want to celebrate with me?" He asks and I feel Alli go tense because Drew asked me out and is barely paying attention to her.
"Yeah I'd love to but I have plans tonight," I reply.
"Yeah I know," Drew grimaces slightly, "we don't have a game this week how about Friday after my practice?"
"Sounds great," I smile and Drew grins walking off.
"I can't believe he didn't even look at me," Alli complains.
"Alli you have a boyfriend," I say again and then walk to class.
"Hey Clare, Drew said he had fun with you yesterday," Adam says when I get into class.
"Yeah I had fun too but I barely saw you at the BBQ," I comment.
"Bianca and I were talking on the bleachers a long time and then came inside to listen to Dead Hand music. I really like Bianca," Adam tells me.
"You should ask her out," I tell him.
"Yeah uh that might not be a good idea," he responds.
"Why not?" I ask but the bell rings before Adam can answer.
Adam never does answer the question and the rest of the day goes by pretty quickly, on my spare I meet Fitz outside and we start on homework.
"I hear you and Owen made starting line again for your positions," I comment.
"Yep Drew's a good player actually and Mo is our starting nose tackle this year. So you still going on your date with Eli tonight?" Fitz asks.
"Yeah right after school we're going to go downtown first and get dinner after. You and Bianca are still going to distract Owen aren't you?" I question pleading just slightly.
"Yeah we are, after practice we're going to go eat and hang out but be home by eight," Fitz says in a slightly deflated tone.
"By eight no problem thank you Fitz you're the best," I smile hugging him tightly and kissing his cheek.
"Yeah no big deal," Fitz shrugs.
"Hey Clare since we're both on our spare do you want to go now?" Eli asks coming up.
"Yeah great, bye Fitz and thanks," I smile at him before going with Eli.
"Morty's an antique hearse, nice isn't he?" Eli comments when we approach his car.
"Uh he's unique that's for sure," I remark getting in, "why exactly do you drive a hearse?"
"It's different and it's fun," Eli replies as he starts driving.
I wave to Fitz one last time before we drive off and he waves back. Eli drives us downtown and we walk to the bookstore first, Eli and I like a lot of the same books. He doesn't like the vampire fiction and I don't like the graphic novels but other than that we have very similar tastes. After spending an hour at the bookstore we walk around downtown for a while and get some ice cream before going to the theatre. We watch the movie in silence and Eli doesn't so much as hold my hand, I'm starting to think Owen threatened him if he touched me.
"It's such a beautiful film; they just don't make films like that anymore," I comment as we leave the theatre.
"Yeah no kidding there's no plot or intelligent writing any longer," Eli says. "So dinner where should we eat? Do you like African food?"
"I've never had it but I like most types of food," I reply.
"Well there's a great little African place a couple blocks over," Eli tells me.
I say that's fine and we go there for dinner, I find out Eli is an only child and his girlfriend died last year and now the hearse makes more sense. I tell him about my family but we don't talk about death too much as it's a sore subject for us both. I also learn he loves drama and wants to do a play, shortly before the check comes Eli excuses himself to the washroom.
"Dinner was nice thanks, I do like African," I smile as he pays the check.
"I'm glad," he smiles standing up and pulling out my chair. "I don't want to seem too forward but do you think I could have my goodnight kiss now? I'm just afraid if Owen sees us he'll kill me," Eli comments and I giggle a little.
"Sure," I smile putting my hands on his shoulders and bringing my lips to his.
I was expecting a simple goodnight kiss but to my surprise Eli licks my bottom lip. I part my lips for him and his tongue invades my mouth as his hand goes behind my head to keep me in the kiss. It's not exactly a forced kiss and it is nice but it was more than I was expecting and it feels kind of weird. I also think I someone snapping a picture with their phone while we're kissing. Eli pulls away and smirks at me, I smile nervously and we start to walk out.
"Oh wait I left my phone in there be right back," he says and runs back in.
I watch as he gets his phone back from the waiter and he comes back out to me. We drove to the restaurant so his car is just in the parking lot and he drives me home.
"Hi honey how was your date?" Mom asks when I get in.
"It was good, I have some homework to finish," I reply and go up to my room.
I set my stuff down and start taking off my shoes when there's a knock on my bedroom door and I all come in, Maya opens the door coming in and sitting on my bed.
"How was your date with Eli was it?" My sister asks.
"It was fine, Eli and I have a lot in common," I respond.
"You don't sound like you're very in to him," Maya comments.
"I don't know the date was good we have a lot in common, it was longer than my date with Drew so I got to know Eli more but, well he barely touched me all night. Although Owen probably threatened him, except Owen's not supposed to know about this date and then when he asked for a goodnight kiss it was just sort of…" I pause searching for a way to describe the kiss. "Not forced exactly, I don't know it just felt kind of weird. I have a date with Drew on Friday, an actual one not at a BBQ so we'll see maybe Drew and I are better suited for each other even if we have less in common," I tell her.
"Hey at least you have two guys trying to date you even with the threat of Owen and he goes to the same school. I asked Zig if he wanted to do something this weekend and he said he liked me but he didn't want to end up dead for hanging out with me. How is it that Owen manages to scare guys at a school he doesn't even go to?" Maya laments sitting on my bed.
"Yeah just wait until next year when you're at the same school as we are and he can just stand behind you and glare at any guy that talks to you," I remark.
Maya sighs and flops back on my bed, "I'm never going to be able to date."
"You just have to learn to sneak around like me, what Owen doesn't know keeps him from hurting other people," I reply and Maya laughs just as there's knock on my door and Owen pokes head. We look at him and both burst into laughter.
"What?" He asks furrowing his brow at us but we're laughing too hard to say anything. "Do I have something on my face or something what's so funny?" Owen grouses when we won't stop laughing and now Tris comes out of his room.
"What's going on?" Tris asks.
"I don't know the girls won't stop laughing at me," Owen complains.
"You oughta be used to that by now," Tris teases.
Owen growls playfully and Tris takes off running, Maya and I stop laughing a little and get up just in time to see Owen hoist Tris across his shoulders. Owen runs Tris downstairs and outside past Mom and Dad, who hardly pay attention as this happens a lot. Owen takes Tris to our trampoline and tosses Tris on there, then Owen gets on and the boys start jumping up and down and doing tricks.
"You know as much of a pain as he is we are lucky to have him," I say to Maya as we watch the guys jump.
"Yeah we are," she smiles before we run over and join the guys.
Update next Saturday starting the next day when Eli shows proof of the kiss to Jake and Katie and they raise the stakes again. Plus Clare spends some time at the Torres house.