Chapter Two

Clare couldn't believe that they had just discussed the question of her virginity on camera in a video which about thirty students would be watching tomorrow. The very thought made her want to throw up. She hated the fact that she had to be partnered up with Eli, and she hated the fact that he had asked her something so…personal. She had been so excited about the new school year, and suddenly, it wasn't quite turning out as planned.

Clare arrived at The Yo and, after picking out her concoction of cheesecake frozen yogurt with strawberries, cherries, blueberries, frosted animal cookies, sprinkles, chocolate sauce, and marshmallow crème, took a seat at one of the high tables. Eli and Maggie would be there any minute now. She pulled out her latest vampire novel, and poured over the pages while munching on her yogurt.

The bell above the door jingled, and in walked Eli with a bouncing Maggie. She hurried over to the self-serve yogurt, excited to pick out her flavor. Eli spied Clare and gave her his classic eye-roll. Clare shoveled some yogurt into her mouth to hide the threatening smile.

Eli walked behind her, grabbing on to one of her red curls and giving a small tug as he walked past. Clare turned and stuck her tongue out at him. He smirked, and walked towards Maggie.

"What flavor looks good to you?" He asked.

"I wish I could try all of them."

"You can mix them," Eli suggested.

"Really?" Maggie grabbed one of the paper containers and began filling it with various flavors of frozen yogurt. Eli sighed, and filled his own paper cup with Red Velvet.

After getting their toppings and weighing their yogurt containers, Eli paid for the both of them, and took a table across from Clare's. Maggie sat with her back to Clare, and Eli tried not to spend too much time staring at her. He decided maybe he should try talking to Maggie. Maybe Clare was right, maybe she wasn't that bad.

"So, Maggie," Eli began, "what do you think of the V-YDs?"

"I think it's super fun," Maggie giggled, "I love the idea of capturing memories like that. I just wish you and I could have been partnered up. But you're with…Clare right?"

"Yeah," Eli nodded.

"I'm so sorry," Maggie apologized, not realizing that Clare was at the next table over, "She is your ex, isn't she?"

Clare stopped reading; she was curious to see how Eli would answer that question. She kept her nose buried in her book, but her ears were tuned into the conversation at the next table.

"Um, yeah," Eli nodded, "last year was rough for me. For both of us. We just didn't work."

"Well, it's like I said earlier, you'll find someone better."

"Um…" Eli glanced over at Clare, their eyes met, and while Maggie was busy with her yogurt, he made a face at her, causing Clare to break her unspoken rule, and smile.

"Eli," Maggie glanced up from her yogurt, and Eli quickly returned his attention to her.

"Yup?"

"Maybe we can talk to Mr. Larson about switching partners. It must be so weird for you having to work with Clare and Nathan is such a jerk!"

"Clare isn't that bad to work with," Eli's eyes met Clare's once again as he spoke, "I mean, she is obnoxious but…" Eli smirked at the look on Clare's face.

"I just don't want you to be put in an uncomfortable situation," Maggie continued, "and I'm afraid you are. I mean, I would just die if I ever had to talk to my ex again. Besides, you should be focusing on moving on, and working with her just isn't helping."

"Maggie, she isn't the devil, okay?"

Clare smiled, taking a bite of her frozen yogurt, enjoying the conversation.

"I just don't want you to be upset," Maggie took a bite of her yogurt, "and I want to be your V-YD partner, not her. We'd have so much fun together! It'd be so much fun filming together at lunch and during class and after school – we could spend so much time together!"

"Uh…" Eli uncomfortably placed a hand on the nape of his neck.

"Besides, I know you don't really want to work with her. How did it go earlier with filming during class-time? It was awful working with Nathan. All he wanted to talk about was how many girls he slept with over the summer and how much he drank. It was disgusting."

"I'm sorry," Eli apologized, "but it wasn't so bad working with Clare."

"What did you two talk about?"

Her virginity.

Eli smirked at the thought of saying that, and wondered what Maggie would do if he did. The whole thing would be pretty funny. Not for Clare though.

Poor Clare.

Tomorrow, everyone in class would see that. It would be super embarrassing for her. Suddenly, Eli felt a pang of guilt. It was kind of his fault…he shouldn't have…it crossed a line. Lines. Working with Clare meant there were lines there that didn't exist before.

When they worked as English partners, there might have been lines, but he just didn't care to pay attention to them. Now, there were lines and he didn't have a choice but to pay attention and stay within them.

Before, it was a challenge. He crossed every line he could in that dumb English class. They bantered and he teased her and for a while, before getting together, there were several times they almost kissed.

But things were different now. There were rules.

He couldn't just tease her about anything and everything. He couldn't bump his hip into hers when they walked. He couldn't casually swing his arm over her shoulders. He couldn't kiss her. He couldn't do a lot of things he could the last time they were partners.

Maybe he couldn't then either, but just chose to anyway.

Eli never was a fan of rules.

But this time, he had to follow the rules. And the rules were very clear – no crossing the line with Clare Edwards.

"You'll just have to see tomorrow," Eli replied.

"I told Nathan all about my summer. My parents took me to France with them. It was so beautiful. I'd never left the country before. Then I worked at a summer camp for the rest of the summer break. It was lots of fun. I'd never been a camp counselor before! We had to learn several different songs to teach the kids…wanna hear my favorite?"

"Um…"

"I'm an acorn small and round, lying on the cold, cold ground…"

"Maggie…"

"No one wants to pick me up…"

"Uh…"

"Just because I am a nut. I'm a nut, I'm a nut, I'm a nut…"

Eli met Clare's eyes again, and they both stared at each other in utter shock as Maggie continued.

"Called myself up on the phone, just to hear my golden tone. Asked myself out on a date, picked me up at a half-past eight."

"Maggie…"

"I'm a nut, I'm a nut, I'm a nut…"

"You're somethin' but I don't think a nut is quite it…"

"You don't like my song?" Maggie asked.

"I just don't think a frozen yogurt place is the best place to break out into song…"

"There's a dance too! Want me to show you!"

"Um…no," Eli said a bit too quickly. Maggie looked as if she was on the verge of tears.

"I didn't mean it like that," Eli tried to recover, "I just think…The Yo just isn't…it's not the right place to show me a song and dance. Why don't you um…show me…outside?"

Eli cursed his niceness. Maggie was practically jumping up and down in her chair, "Okkie dokkie!"

She hopped down from the chair and all but ran outside. Eli turned back towards Clare, who, from behind a well-placed hand, was smiling.

He gave her a little wave, before following Maggie outside.

Clare shut her book, and watched through the window as Maggie sang and did her little dance. Eli just stood there, with his hand on the nape of his neck, watching her with eyes that seemed as though, at any moment, they would pop from their sockets.

Clare couldn't help but laugh. Poor Eli looked so miserable standing out there. But he did deserve it for what was recorded on to the video camera. That darn video camera.

Clare suddenly felt a pang of nerves in her stomach. Tomorrow, the whole class would watch that video. Stupid Eli! Clare even began considering the idea of skipping class tomorrow, but chose against it.

The bell jingled again and Eli walked towards her; Maggie was nowhere in sight.

"What did you do? Murder her?" Clare couldn't help but smile.

"No, she had to go home. I told her I left something inside but that I'd see her tomorrow in class."

"Her dance was impressive."

"You should have heard the rest of the song," Eli hopped up in the empty chair across from Clare's, "So, I'm pretty sure she thinks you're the devil."

"So I heard," Clare nodded, "So are you going to talk to Mr. Larson about changing partners?"

"No way," Eli looked at her as if she sprouted a second head, "Are you crazy? And work with that? No way!"

"She isn't that bad…"

"Clare, the girl broke out into song and dance at a yogurt shop. She's that bad."

"She really likes you though."

"Lucky me. Come on, let me drive you home."

"You don't have to…"

"I know," Eli shrugged, "but why not. However, if you start breaking out into song and dance, I will be forced to throw you out onto the curb."

"Aw, but I've been practicing my musical number all week."

"Shut up, Edwards. You want a ride or not?"

"I've been practicing my singing!"

"Do you want a ride or not?"

Clare gathered up her things and followed Eli out to Morty, "You know," she said as Eli unlocked his door, "he really isn't that bad."

"Of course he's not," Eli said proudly, "He's Morty and he's awesome."

The duo climbed into the hearse and threw their bags into the back. Eli turned the key in the ignition, then turned on the radio.

"Hold on," Clare stopped him, "There's something important I want to tell you."

"What?" Eli asked, a bit nervous at what she had to say.

"It's really important, Eli. I-I don't know how to say this…"

"Clare," Eli lowered his voice, "it's fine. You can still tell me anything."

"Well…it's just…" Clare cleared her throat before belting out, "The phaaaaantom of the operaaaa is therrre…insiiiide your miiiind!"

"Okay, that's it," Eli pointed to the passenger door, "out. Now."

"But I'm not done!"

"Clare!"

"Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! You can fool annny friend who evvverrrr kneeew you!"

"Clare!"

"Seventy-six trombones caught the morning sun, with a hundred and ten cornets close at haaaand…"

"Clare!"

"To the rhythm of MARCH MARCH MARCH all the kids began to march…"

"Clare!"

"And they're marching still to this daaaay!"

"CLARE!" Eli shouted, "ARE YOU FINISHED?"

"Ooooklahoma where the…"

"CLARE!"

"Alright, alright," Clare giggled, "I'm done, I'm done. I promise."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Because if not, I will throw you out of this hearse."

"I promise," Clare solemnly nodded.

"Good," Eli continued to drive.

"Loathing, unadulterated loathing…for your face, your voice, your cloooothing! Let's just say, I loath it all! Every little trait…"

"CLARE!"