A/N: So I should have mentioned this last chapter. KC and Jenna never had a baby. I strongly dislike Jenna so they broke up and that's that. Also, I said Eli never crashed the car. How about this: he ALMOST crashed the car but had a bout of common sense and didn't. However, he and Clare still broke up because he was too clingy and borderline crazy. They didn't hang out at school after spring break and ran into each other over the summer…aka awkward moments.

Also I am experimenting with how I write these. I am trying to make them sort of like a Degrassi episode with the switching of people and places. Hopefully, it is turning out well.

Disclaimer- I own nothing…except Theresa!

"I listened to your dad's radio show last night," Theresa said. She had figured that if she had started the lines of communication between her and Eli, she might as well keep them open. So once again she found herself turned in her seat.

"Up late last night?" Eli asked as he studied her.

"Yeah I couldn't sleep," she admitted.

"Did you enjoy the show?"

"Course. Your dad is amazing and funny which is why it just seems so odd," she said, slightly frowning.

"What does?" he responded.

"That you didn't inherit any of that," she teased and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Very funny. Didn't realize you were a comedian now," he smirked as she turned around.

"I get my shots in when I can," she quipped. Clare had been watching this exchange and tried not to dwell on it. She couldn't help but feel jealous at how easy it was for the two. She could barely look at Eli without feeling a sea of emotions.

"So Theresa, bump into Fitz yet?" Clare said ignoring the fact that she knew Eli was now staring at her.

"No, but I am crossing my fingers," Theresa grinned.

"Fitz? No. Trust me Theresa, you don't want to go there," Eli said. Theresa looked over her shoulder at him, her dark curls falling over most of her face.

"Are we not a fan?" she asked.

"He's slime," Eli answered simply and the somber look on his face surprised her.

"Eli…Fitz really has changed," Clare said and Eli bit back his words, not wanting to push Clare away again.

"Fitz is Fitz no matter what he claims," Eli answered.

"He seems alright to me," Theresa said as she looked from Clare to Eli then finally to Adam.

"Oh I'm not getting involved," Adam said holding his hands up as he laughed. He had been stuck in between too many Clare and Eli fights that he knew better.

"A lot of things happened last year, but this is a new year," Clare said not taking her eyes from Eli.

"Right. Everyone deserves a fresh start," Theresa said, but Eli laughed.

"See Theresa you are just too nice," Eli muttered.

"I resent that. I'm not too nice. I just think everyone deserves a second chance," she answered without turning around.

"What about a third? Or fourth?" Eli asked.

"Well Eli, what chance are you on," she asked and he blinked before smirking.

"Depends on who it concerns. With you I would say second," he answered.

"I'd say third. I still haven't forgiven you for getting her that damn telescope," Theresa retorted before Ms. Dawes called attention to the front of the room.

After class Eli stood up slowly, as he watched Theresa, pondering his next move.

"What ended up happening…to the telescope," Eli asked as she stood up. She brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear as he stared at her, taking in the delicateness that was so Theresa. Everything about her seemed so fragile yet he was the one who was having trouble. How could it be so easy for her to just interweave Julia into a normal conversation?

"I kept it. It felt weird not. All the times she kept me up trying to find one star or another. She was obsessed with that damn thing…Do you want it?" she said.

"No…no. I couldn't…I-" he said, unable to articulate how having that telescope would make him feel. She smiled as if she knew exactly what he had been unable to say, putting her hand on his for just a moment.

"I'll see you tomorrow Eli," she said and without another word, she left.

"Eli…are you alright?" Adam asked as he stared at Eli.

"Eli?"

Clare stared into her locker, she had completely forgotten what she was even looking for and was now just standing there, deep in thought. She was thinking about things she knew she shouldn't be thinking about, mainly Eli. All she could think about was the conversations that had occurred between Eli and Theresa. Eli seemed to find it so easy to talk to Theresa yet he could barely say hi to Clare. Clare just didn't get it at all. Theresa was Julia's sister yet that didn't freak him out at all. Clare grabbed a book from her bag and pushed it into the bag with more force than normal.

"Hey!"

Clare turned to see Jake's smiling face in front of her.

"Hey! Didn't see you there, what's up?" she asked as she turned back to her locker. He leaned on the locker next to hers as he smiled at her broadly.

"Nothing much just wondering if my favorite girl would like to get dinner, say…tonight," he asked. She stopped rummaging in her locker and looked at him. She could feel her cheeks start to flush and tried to ignore the fact that her cheeks would be bright red within moments.

"I'd love that," she said with a soft smile.

"Excellent," he said as he leaned forward. He kissed her softly on the cheek. As he pulled back, the wide grin back on his face, her face was still red, but she didn't care. He backed away, still smiling.

"Pick you up at seven?" he asked and she nodded her head feverishly. He waved before turning around. Clare bit her lip as she closed her locker. She was going to forget all about Eli and his problems. They could be friends, but she needed to move on. Jake was nice, reliable, predictable, sweet…he was everything a girl could want.

"Eli…Eli?" Ms. Polder said and Eli blinked. He looked at his therapist, who had an amused look on her face.

"So let's go back a bit. Theresa…how are you dealing with that?" she asked. Eli stared at his hands as he answered.

"I think I'm handling it well. I would be lying if I said seeing her isn't hard, but at the same time it's nice. She doesn't treat me like some freak just cause I talk about Julia. She loved Julia, just like I did," Eli said. Ms. Polder seemed to consider everything he said before answering.

"Eli, my only concern when it comes to Theresa is that you may be shifting your feelings from Julia and even Clare to Theresa. I don't want you to being to have a growing dependency on Theresa as you did with Clare," she said and Eli sighed as he tried to stop himself from replying angrily.

"I am not growing dependent on Theresa. We just talk in class. It's no big deal." Eli grinded his teeth and tried to ignore his overwhelming want to tell this woman she was insane.

"Then why did you become so angry when you found out she had talked to Mark," Ms. Polder asked.

"Because Fitz isn't the kind of guy that Theresa should be hanging out with. If Julia was here-."

"But she isn't Eli," she interrupted.

"Exactly! She would want me to protect Theresa-," he said before she stopped him once again.

"No Eli. I think this is really when you need to separate the actions that are expected from you from the actions that you expect from yourself. You need to separate the real expectations that are present for you from the expectations that you have made. It is not your responsibility to protect anyone. Your only responsibility is to take care of yourself."

Eli looked at his therapist trying to shove away his disgruntled feelings. He wouldn't disagree with her because it wouldn't get him anywhere.

"Does it look forced?" Mona asked Theresa as they stood staring at the new picture. Her mom had got it at an antique store and placed it in the living room. It was a landscape painting of a farm and field.

"It looks nice mom," she said, deciding not to ask when they cared about farms. Her mom looked so hopeful, so happy to make a step in the right direction. Trying to be nicer, more open…apparently more open to farms.

After Julia's death, just weeks after, Theresa turned 15. The same age that had marked the beginning of feuds between Julia and Mona. Now at 16, she and her mother were still trying to make sure they never got to that point, that point where Theresa would leave and not come back.

"How's school this week?" Mona asked as she continued to look at the picture.

"It's going well. I'm trying out for soccer this Friday," she said. Her mom put her arm around her and squeezed.

"That's a great idea. Good way to make new friends," Mona said.

"Yup," she said considering once again telling her mom about Eli. She dismissed this thought almost immediately. She didn't think her parents truly hated Eli but she knew that they placed blame on his shoulders. Telling them about Eli would just open up wounds that didn't need t be opened up. Besides nice girls didn't bring about pain, they helped get rid of it and Theresa was a nice girl.

Theresa ran down the street, her converse slapping on the pavement. Not only was she going to be late but she was pretty sure converse weren't uniform. Her parents had both left for work; she had overslept, and missed the bus. As she rounded the next block she heard a beep and looked beside her to see a hearse, the hearse.

For the first time the sight of that hearse sent relief through her.

"You running late?" Eli said as he leaned over, shouting out the passenger window.

"Yes!"

"Get in," he said and she opened the door getting in without a thought. They jetted down the street as she pulled down the mirror looking at her face.

"Oh lord," she muttered as she attempted to gather her hair which was particularly curly today. She pressed her hands to her cheeks and Eli looked at her alarmed.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"I'm so pale," she muttered as Eli pulled in. He looked at her once the car was off, glancing at her cheeks. She looked at him and realized yes they were slightly pale, but not in a walking dead sort of way.

"You have freckles. I never noticed before," he said as he stared at the small blemishes on her face. She smiled at him, as if amused.

"There is a lot of things you never noticed about me Eli."

All day Eli wondered what Theresa had meant by her comment. All day Theresa even wondered what she had meant. That's why she found herself staring at him from across the café until she finally got her things and sat down at his and Adam's table without a word. Adam looked at her surprised, but Eli didn't. It was almost as if he had expected her to sit there from the start and was more put off that she hadn't.

She carefully opened her ice cream sandwich as Adam watched her still curious. She pulled off the top part, the cookie part, and ate it slowly.

"That's a very odd way to eat an ice cream sandwich," he commented. She smiled serenely in response.

"Yeah I suppose. I got it from my sister," she said and Eli smiled as he remembered the oddity of Julia.

"Hey," said Clare as she sat at the table. Eli ignored the surge of his heart as her smiled at Clare.

"Hey Clarebelle," Theresa said and Eli winced at the use of his father's nickname for Clare, reminding himself that Theresa didn't know.

"Hey. How's it going?" Clare asked.

"Great! They have ice cream sandwiches. How could anything be wrong," Theresa said, deciding to ignore the chaos that had been her morning. Eli couldn't help but laugh though.

"That's sound logic. There is one good thing about the day so how could anything else be bad. Actually that's Theresa logic," Eli said.

"Oh Eli, you just have me completely figured out," she said as she rolled her eyes. She began to eat the ice cream middle with her spoon.

"Actually I don't…not at all," he said frowning. She didn't say a word choosing to focus on the sandwich. It was occurring to Eli more and more that he knew very little about Theresa. He knew the parts that were more consistent with who Julia was, but Theresa…Theresa was different.

"You guys start on Ms. Dawes assignment yet?" Adam asked and Eli smirked.

"Describe yourself as Shakespeare would see you," Eli said, "an assignment perfectly designed for me."

"Tragic hero," Theresa said without missing a beat as she ate the bottom cookie part.

"Of course," Adam added.

"What about you Adam?"

"Clown," he said with a grin.

A/N: Hope you liked it! Feedback is encouraged! I love reviews :)