The next day when I woke up, my fever was gone and I got ready for school. I expected to walk to school alone like I've always been, but Jake surprised me by waiting for me though we didn't say much on the way to school. Inside school was different. The entire school was in an uproar, mainly the boys as they all gathered around a crying Julia.
"Go out with me?" One boy asked.
"I'm sorry, I'm too heartbroken to date." Julia said as they all walked to her class with her, probably trying to make her feel better.
"Damn. I told her it was a bad idea." Jake muttered. "I'm just glad I didn't lose you in the process." he smiled and I just nodded as he dropped me off at my classroom. Eli still looked the same, not distraught or sad, but normal.
"Edwards, are you feeling ok?" he asked, he's the only one that calls me by my last name.
"Yes. A lot better thanks." I said as I sat next to a girl I didn't know, the desk had been empty and people would change seats every now and then so I doubt the teacher cared if I moved mine for the time being. I just didn't want to talk to Eli right now.
Eli seemed to be normal today, he was smiling as though nothing happened. As though he didn't confess his feelings to me yesterday, as though the him and Julia breaking up didn't matter even though she was devastated and probably cried all night.
"Clare, do you have a dollar I can borrow?" Alli asked curiously and I pulled out my wallet. "Cute wallet, where'd you get it?" she asked as I handed her the dollar.
"Eli." I answered honestly.
"And your old one?" she questioned.
"Threw it away, it was breaking." I shrugged and she gave me this weird look. "What?" I asked.
"You'll figure it out." she chimed and walked away. "If you can't I can always help you." she added as she stood in the door way and I rolled my eyes at her not even caring what she was talking about.
The rest of the day went normally, though Eli still looked happy the entire day like nothing was wrong. After the last bell I sighed and picked up my bag.
"It's Friday, cleaning duty." Eli said as he started to clean the tops of the desks causing me to join him. We stayed quiet for the most part. After that I saw Eli pick up a rather large stack of papers and walked next to him.
"Hand me some." I said and took a stack of papers off the top. "Where are we taking these?" I asked.
"The office. You were day dreaming when the teacher mentioned it." he said and I nodded. I can't seem to act normal knowing this became this way.
After we dropped off the papers, we went back to the classroom and I watched as Eli gathered his things and I sat down. "Cleaning is done." he said and I sighed.
"But I haven't finished my homework." I said knowing I didn't want to do it at home.
"Ok, I'll help." he said and sat across from me and I felt relaxed, everything felt normal and we were working together again. "Finished." Eli smiled not even fifteen minutes later.
"That's it?" I asked.
"Well you're done and Jake is waiting for you." he said pointing to my phone that had a few texts from Jake that I missed. I looked at the phone and then where Eli was sitting to see he was already getting his things and grabbed the back of his shirt.
"How can you be happy?" I asked grabbing his attention and causing him to look at me. "You're fine with me dating Jake even though you said you like me. I can't be just friends." I said as tears fell from my eyes.
"Do I look happy?" he asked and I could see the hurt in his eyes, it then occurred to me he's been faking his smile again. The one he only shows when he's hiding something. His arms immediately wrapped around me as he pulled me closer to him. "I'm not happy you're dating Jake and I do want to go out with you, but it's not in the cards. If I asked you out right now, you'd ditch me." he said, but didn't move and I didn't answer. I just clung to him balling his shirt in my fists as I cried and he let me. After a few moments Eli kissed my head and moved away. "I'll see you tomorrow." he said and gathered his things.
"Eli." I called out and he smiled.
"Clare, if I don't let you go now I won't be able to let you go especially after you told me you don't want to be just friends anymore. But the truth is you're still dating Jake and our fake affair or whatever it was is over." he said and I cried. I couldn't dump Jake, I don't like hurting people and I get that I was hurting Eli and I couldn't help but cry.
"Clare, you're late." Jake said causing me to wipe my eyes and turn around. "Eli left like five minutes ago." he added and walked up to me. "Did he make you cry?" he asked wiping tears from my eyes as I kept looking down, but shook my head no. "Then what's gotten you so upset?" he asked.
"I want to break up." I said honestly.
"Where did this come from?" Jake asked and I just looked down as I wiped a few tears from my eyes. "But you choose me. I know about the fake affair, Julia told me everything. I even confronted Eli and he told me where he took you, what you did, and yea it pissed me off, but he also said he didn't touch you." he pleaded.
"I fell for Eli. Yes, I forgive you for it. But what it comes down to is I can't be with you when I love someone else." I cried and he nodded.
"I knew I shouldn't have let her blackmail me, but I let my pride get in the way." he said wiping his eyes. This was the first time I ever saw Jake Martin cry.
"I'm sorry." I said and ran out the class and to my house, then went to sleep.