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"Are you sure you're okay to head on out to school?" Cece said, a crease forming on her forehead. she ran her fingers through her thinning blond hair and peeking slightly into Eli's room. "I'm worried about you. What happened last night - it could have been worse, baby boy."

"Mom, I'm fine," Eli groaned. "I stopped the car right on time and...and Clare is fine."

This last part he said breathlessly and his eyes fluttered closed happily. Cece seemed to take notice of this, taking a step into her son's bedroom and sitting on the edge of his unmade bed.

"Who's Clare?" she murmured curiously, giving him an inquisitive look.

"She's amazing, Cece," Eli sighed with a smile on his face. "She's beautiful and loves the same books as I do and she's just...she's lovely. You'd like her. She's curious about everything and anything. She's so nice, even though I almost ran her over."

"You sound so in love with a girl you don't even know," Cece chuckled. She patted Eli's leg, "That's all right, baby boy, just remember that you're seeing Becky. I know you don't feel..so strongly for her but she's a kind young woman. If you're going to - to chase after Clare, then end things with Becky. Don't hurt her by cheating or flirting. Be a real man and stand up for what you feel."

Cece seemed to be speaking about this from experience but Eli didn't ask; why open new wounds with an old knife? He nodded, understanding what his mom meant. It was unfair to hurt Becky when she'd been nothing but a sweetheart. Eli wasn't a heartless monster nor would he begin to act like one. He promised himself to do things correctly.

"What's this I hear about a crush?" Bullfrog boomed from the other side of the door.

"Dad," Eli moaned, grabbing the nearest pillow and putting it over his face. "I don't have a crush on anyone."

Cece laughed, "Her name's Clare and Eli almost ran over her last night, but being the gentleman he is, he dropped her off at her house. Isn't he the sweetest? Just like his father."

Bullfrog's face turned a shade darker and he coughed. "Let the boy get ready for school, woman. We should get started with breakfast."

Cece looked a bit uneasy but finally rose from the bed, giving Eli's arm one final squeeze. "Hurry on, baby boy. Don't want to miss your school day. Or Clare."

Eli let out an exasperated sigh, "I don't like her mom!"

But his parents were already out of his sight.

As he parked Morty in the parking lot, Eli looked around scanning the entrance of the school. He looked for a girl - auburn curls, pale skin, beauty that wasn't found anywhere else. His green eyes roamed the growing crowd that sat on the steps at the entrance. He saw the jocks all huddled close together, laughing like idiotic seals. Leading them was Jake Martin. To say they were enemies was a bit of an understatement. Jake was completely in love with Becky, and although Eli didn't love her in that way, he didn't like when anyone wanted what was his. He was extremely protective of things and people he considered his belongings.

There was a loud tap on the passenger's window. Eli's head snapped in the direction and he came face to face with a very unhappy looking Becky.

Internally cringing at the sight of his girlfriend, he rolled down the window and gave her a smirk. "Good morning, dear."

"Morning, Elijah," Becky said, giving him an equally fake smile. "Mind coming out of your hearse?"

"Well, actually I was having a moment with Morty, but if you insist," he shrugged, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and walking over to the opposite side of the car to see Becky. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and pulled back. "Is everything okay? You look pale."

Becky sighed shakily and broke down completely. Tears ran down her face, ruining her mascara and eyeliner. Eli didn't really know what to do. He was never a good one at comforting those who cried. Seeing as people were starting to give them looks, he wound an arm around Becky and pulled her in, inhaling her powerful, flowery perfume.

"Oh, Becky, what's wrong?" he murmured, kissing the top of her hair and avoiding all the stares he received.

"Eli Goldsworthy holding his girlfriend?" a voice mocked from behind him. "Well the apocalypse is approaching!"

Eli spun around to face Jake Martin. He sneered and said, "What do you want? We're a bit busy if you can't tell."

Jake rolled his eyes, "Whatever man. Hey Becky, whenever you wanna have some actual fun with a real man, call me."

Eli glared at him until the taller boy backed off. He turned back to Becky and lifted her face up to his. It honestly worried him that Becky was crying. She was usually so strong and never broke down, especially not in school. She didn't shed a tear in drama when her mom sent her a message saying her pet guinea pig had died - and that was a big deal.

"What's wrong? You can talk to me, Becky," he offered, pulling her in for a hug."

Becky sniffled. "I feel like we're falling apart."

This caught Eli by surprise. He froze, not knowing what to answer. He could simply admit that they weren't working out and they should go their separate ways, He didn't have the heart to do so, though, not when the poor girl was a wreck. He just held her tighter and sighed.

"What makes you think...that we're falling apart?"

"You don't look at me like you did four months ago," Becky accused sadly, "you see me like a friend, not someone you love. We fight and fight, and usually neither of us wins. I saw...how you looked a-at Clare yesterday. You saw her with...surprise. You showed interest. That was the same look you gave me a while back. What happened to us, Eli? How can I fix this?"

I never even looked at you in that way, Eli thought, rolling his eyes mentally. It was true. Eli always looked at Becky as more of a friend than a lover. He couldn't wrap his head around the idea of loving her. It was too strange, so he preferred to fake romance.

However, he wasn't about to break her heart to pieces in front of the whole school. People already thought he was a complete asshole, he didn't have to prove them right.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he quickly lied, looking around to see who was watching him. Basically the entire student body. "I never looked at Clare in any way. I felt sorry for almost killing her but that's about it. Can you please stop crying now?"

Becky gave him an exasperated look and shot, "Why should I? Don't I deserve to let my feelings out every once in a while like you do with your damn diary?"

She said this in the loudest way possible and people around them started snickering. Eli turned a dark shade of pink. He didn't have a diary per say; it was more of a journal that he kept hidden under his mattress. Whenever he was stressed out he wrote stuff down. No one really knew about it, except Becky who had caught him writing down one day. He made her swear not to ever tell a soul but here she was, telling the school one of his secrets.

"Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that, was I?" she asked innocently, loosening her grip on his torso. "I guess we've both broken a lot of promises."

Eli couldn't take it any more. He was so close, so close, to telling her to go away and never speak to him again. So close.

And then she came.

She stepped out of a small, red car, in all her glory and beauty. The sun cast a gentle halo above her, making her look like more of an angel if that was possible. Her soft curls fell gracefully around her face and her blue eyes shone with excitement. As soon as she looked away from the driver that sat in the car, her eyes clashed with Eli's. His breath hitched in his throat and he didn't know what to do. He was aware that Becky was looking at him and muttering insults under her breath but that didn't really matter. Clare Edwards was looking directly at him.

He couldn't help the smirk that crawled up his face. It was inevitable and Becky noticed that his gaze was lost in the distance.

She spun around and raised an eyebrow when she saw Clare staring in that direction. "Why don't you go say hi? It looks like you're dying to get your hands on her."

Eli rolled his eyes. "Thank you for not crying anymore, dear. And no, if you're wondering, I don't want to get my hands anywhere near Clare. I just want to be with you."

He kissed her softly, but in the back of his mind all he was thinking was, You're an idiot, Goldsworthy! What do you get from kissing Becky? Are you trying to make Clare jealous? I doubt she'll ever blink an eye. She doesn't care about you, you have a girlfriend and you happen to be kissing her right now!

Becky pulled away. "What was that for?"

"Don't question it," Eli mumbled, "Now why don't we head for home room? We'll be late."

She nodded, linking her arm with his. He turned his head slowly to the side to see Clare. She averted her gaze and walked steadily to her friend, whom she gave a tight hug to. The two girls chattered happily, unaware that Eli Goldsworthy was setting his eyes on Clare.

"Dude, why would you do that?" Adam Torres accused grumpily, sitting down across from Eli. He unwrapped his sandwich from its plastic wrapper and bit into it. "You know what you're getting into."

"And what is that, oh wise one?" Eli grinned. "Humor me please."

"You're playing with fire," Adam said after swallowing. "Becky really liked you and you're playing with her head. Why don't you just break up with her if you don't feel it anymore?"

Eli sighed, all humor gone from his eyes. "It's not that simple. She...relies on me too much. Do you have any idea what would happen if I broke up with her?" When Adam shook his head, he went on. "She'd be a mess and it would all be my fault."

"Then what are you gonna do, get her to break up with you?" Adam said, rolling his eyes. "That's not gonna happen, Eli. She's crazy about you."

"She's crazy all right," Eli muttered, "but that's actually a good idea. Maybe I can piss her off enough to the point that she hates me."

"I still don't see how that will happen."

"But grasshopper, have a little hope," Eli smirked. "I'll come up with something."

"And what about that Clare girl? The one you almost killed?" Adam inquired, lifting an eyebrow. "What are you gonna do about your creepy obsession over her?"

Eli swallowed. "I'm not obsessed with a girl I don't know. We're not friends, hardly acquaintances. I just...she's really cute, man. And she reads Palahniuk! How many times have I told you I have yet to meet a girl who likes the same books as me?"

"About a million times," Adam chuckled. "So she's the one?"

"I wouldn't really say 'the one,' more like someone I'd like to get to know," Eli suggested. "I really want to get to know her."

"If only she had this lunch period," Adam muttered. He drank some of his Vitamin Water and laughed, "Wouldn't it be hilarious if she did have this lunch period? Good for you that Becky has lunch before us."

Eli shrugged. "I don't know. I feel like I just keep playing with Becky -"

"-you are playing with Becky," Adam interjected.

"-but I don't want to," his friend went on. "It's a pointless relationship.

Adam didn't really say anything else. He wasn't really experienced when it came to dating. Girls avoided him as if he were the plague because he was transgender. Boys thought of him as a freak and his only friend was Eli. That was okay, though, he didn't need a bunch of fake high school friend that talked crap about him behind his back. Dating, however, he wouldn't mind trying out. Eli was well known for dating a few girls here and there, and Adam couldn't help but feel left out from the experience.

"Adam, look! That's her!" Eli whispered excitedly, slyly pointing to the cafeteria's entrance.

Clare Edwards stood there, looking as lost as a puppy who has lost its owner. She had a bag slung on her arm and a brown lunch bag in her hand. She looked dazed and a bit confused.

"Why don't you invite her to eat with us?" Adam suggested with a shrug. "It can't kill to try."

Eli looked unsure and scratched the back of his head. He didn't want to make a move while he still had a girlfriend, remembering his mother's words from the morning. It wouldn't feel right to talk to another girl while being with Becky.

"What if she's waiting for someone?" Eli hissed nervously. "I don't want to impose."

"Go!" Adam laughed, "Before someone comes and steals her away."

Eli took a deep breath and rose from his seat. He made his way toward Clare, his hands shaking and his eyes glassy. She was so much more beautiful up close, with her big doe-like eyes and pale skin. She bit her lip and Eli knew she'd be the death of him. He smiled, truly smiled for the second time in two days, as he walked closer to him.

He was a mere five feet away when he stopped in his tracks. Clare was waiting for someone and that someone had arrived. Eli couldn't believe who that someone was.

A sort of cliffhanger to leave you guys waiting for more ;) . I'm sorry this kind of sucked. Yeah I'm not a big fan of this but I hope you enjoyed.

I'm still not sure how many days apart this story will be updated. It mainly depends on my inspiration and when I think of what to write. I have nothing to do all summer, so might as well update a story, right? :D

Thank you for reading!