Clare's POV:
I fixed my hair in the mirror in my locker, clipping a flower pin into the left side. I wasn't as upset about these uniforms as Eli, but I still tried to incorporate my own style.
Speaking of Eli, I sadly won't get to meet him today since I signed up for a new program where you can mentor students that are just now transferring to Degrassi in the middle of the year.
I walked to Principal Simpson's office and he smiled when he saw me.
"Emily, this is Clare Edwards, one of our best students. She's a tenth grader here and she'll be showing you around for a while."
I looked at the girl that I would be mentoring.
By the yellow shirt she was wearing I knew she was a freshman, but that's about all I could tell from her appearance.
She had black hair that fell messily into her face, and her nails were painted dark purple. She didn't smile when she saw me, but she didn't glare either. Her expression just seemed uncaring, unaffected.
Connecting with her would be harder than I expected.
"Clare, meet Emily Kennisworth."
"Hey Emily." I said sweetly.
She flashed a small grin and waved, still not speaking.
Principal Simpson left then, leaving me with this quiet, mysterious freshman.
"So, I see you got your uniform." I said, attempting small talk.
"Yeah. It's the ugliest piece of shit I've seen in a while."
Even though I didn't like the use of profanity, I still laughed.
"I'll say. My boyfriend has gotten about a zillion detentions for defying this awful dress code."
She grinned again, and I hoped I was beginning to open her up.
"Boyfriend, eh? So there are actually some decent guys around this place?"
I giggled and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. So…want me to show you around."
She smiled, got up, and nodded. I was wrong to judge Emily; once you got to talking with her she wasn't too bad.
Emily's POV:
I was wrong to judge Clare; once you got to talking with her she wasn't too bad. Sure she seemed like a goody-goody oblivious little twit at first, but after she pulled me into a conversation and started showing me around, I learned she actually had a good sense of humor.
And she wasn't really a goody-goody; she defied the rules in her own way, just like me.
It was nearing the end of her free period and I groaned at the thought of having to go to my second period class, and losing Clare's company.
I was lucky to find one decent person; I didn't have much hopes of finding many more in my classes.
We sat down in the library and drank some cokes we'd bought at the vending machine.
"So Clare, there's one topic you've been avoiding." I said.
"Oh?" She asked. "Did I forget to tell you about the sports department or something?"
I rolled my eyes and laughed. "No. You haven't told me about your boyfriend."
Clare's POV:
I blushed and Emily raised an eyebrow.
How could I begin to describe Eli? He was so…my blush darkened and Emily grinned.
"Oh gosh, is he really that much of a heartthrob?"
"No, not really." I said, my cheeks still red. "He's just…I don't know how to describe him."
"Let's start with his name." Emily said.
I giggled. "His name is Eli. Eli Goldsworthy."
Emily's POV:
Never before in my life have I had a more realistic nightmare than the one I'm having right now.
The idea that this nice girl, who could possibly end up being my friend, would be dating the worst person alive is just inconceivable.
"What...?" I asked, laughing a little in my sudden hysteria.
"Eli Goldsworthy…do you know him?" Clare asked.
"Do I…do I know him? I…uh…how do YOU know him?" I asked, the tone and volume of my voice making Clare jump a little.
"Well he's in my English class and-…"
"He goes HERE?" I was screaming now, and people were starting to stare.
"Yes. Emily, what's wrong? How do you know Eli?"
Eli's POV:
I walked toward the library, hoping I could check out a few good books before my next class, which would be my free period.
I walked in and was happily surprised when I recognized Clare's red curls. She was sitting at a table with…
No.
This is impossible, it can't really be-
"Emily?" I asked, an unbelieving tone to my voice. Why was she here? She shouldn't be here, I wasn't supposed to ever see her again. The mere sight of her brought back so many memories, memories of Julia.
"Don't talk to me!" She screamed.
"Emily-…I…" I didn't know where to start. I didn't know what to say. I wanted her to disappear, I wasn't prepared to see her again. Why was this happening?
"Eli what is going on?" Another voice asked me then. Clare.
I turned to her, and whatever she saw in my facial expression couldn't have been good.
"Clare…why were you talking with her?" Clare and Emily couldn't speak with each other, it would destroy everything. Emily would tell Clare everything, things Clare didn't need to know.
She would tell Clare lies about me.
And worse, she would tell Clare the truth.
"I'm getting the fuck out of here." Emily's voice spat.
She started toward the door of the library and I stuttered after, wanting to clear my name, to say something at least.
"I'm sorry!" I called after her, but she didn't turn around.
"Julia, I'm sorry!"
