"Eli... Come on, let's go."

Clare urged her boyfriend, as she tugged at his arm. She sighed as he didn't respond, or move. Eli didn't want go inside of their school. He thought that people would think lowly of Clare when they saw her with him. It's not that he didn't want to be seen with her, he'd be damn proud to, but he didn't want Clare's reputation to get wrecked because of him.

"Eli, I don't care about my reputation. I didn't even know I was 'popular'."

"Clare..."

"Eli, please." She looked up at him with hopeful, sparkling blue eyes. "Do it for me, please?" He sighed and cautiously put an arm around her. She smiled and tapped his nose gently. "Don't be afraid, Eli. There's nothing to be afraid of, as long as we have each other."

He smiled and nodded. 'She's right... As long as I have her, each other, I'll be fine. Perfectly happy and safe.' Then took a deep breath as they entered Degrassi.


There were many gasps and sighs as Eli and Clare went inside, but Clare ignored them, proudly clutching onto her boyfriend's hand as they made their way to her locker. But the auburn-haired girl's proud smile was immediately replaced with a frown when she saw a tall, lanky, mean-looking guy leaning against her locker.

He stood up straight when he saw her, and grinned. "Hey, babe. Could I get your number?"

"Do I know you?" Clare asked, her voice laced with irritation. She didn't even know the guy, and he was calling her 'babe'. Eli might just blow up and leave, or even punch the guy's face. "Yeah, I'm sure you heard of me. Mark Fitzgerald, bad boy of high." Clare frowned, she wasn't impressed. She didn't like bad boys, except for Eli, but he looked like one more than act like one.

"Uh.. Sure... Excuse me, I need to open my locker."

"What's with the dude beside you?"

Clare looked beside her. Eli stood, frozen, his eyes a dark forest green, his free hand clenched into a fist, his mouth set into a thin line. Clare bit her lip, then spoke. "You mean Eli? He's my boyfriend, I guess... I guess he isn't feeling well right now."

"Stop flirting with my girlfriend, stop staring at her." Eli whispered harshly, fist trembling. He didn't like the way Fitz was looking at her. It was with lust, pure lust, no love or admiration in it, the "i-just-wanna-fuck-you-then-leave-you" kind of lust. He didn't like that Fitz was staring at her chest, her body.

Fitz just laughed. "Woah, little man. Calm down."

"Stop staring at my girlfriend. Or else."

"Or what?" Fitz smirked. "What could a guy as small as you could do to a guy like me? I'd crush you in under a minute."

"I'll kill you."

"What?"

"I'll kill you. Gut you, rip your heart out. I'll fucking make you bleed to death. I'll stab you till you're fucking lifeless." Clare stared at Eli in fear and shock. His whole body was trembling, his eyes were very dark, his tone cold and emotionless. He looked like a psycho.

"Eli? Let's just go. I'll just borrow Alli's History book."

"I'll fucking kill you if you ever look at Clare again."

Fitz brought his face close to Eli's. "Oh really?" Eli smirked. The guy smelled like cigarettes, alcohol, drugs. "Yeah. With your poor health, I could knock you out if I wanted to." Fitz shoved him. "You're a tough little guy, aren't ya? Well, I can change that."

Eli stumbled backwards, and fell onto the floor. Clare quickly grabbed his hand and used all her strength to pull him back up. Eli growled and grabbed Fitz by his collar and punched him in the face. Fitz fell backwards and Eli pounced on him, and began pounding his face with his fist.

Clare screamed as Fitz tried to fight Eli off. He stopped struggling and began to plead, but Eli didn't listen. He kept on pounding Fitz's face, till it was purple and swollen and bloody. A crowd gathered around them, with worried looks on their faces. Clare tried to pull Eli off of Fitz, but he was too heavy and too strong.

Two teachers appeared rushed towards Eli. They carried him off of Fitz. The dark-haired teen growled. "Let me kill him! I'll kill him! Don't think this is over, you bastard!" Eli screamed as two students carried Fitz to the clinic. Clare watched, tears running down her face, as the struggling Eli was carried away to the principal's office.


Clare was waiting for Eli when he got out of the principal's office.

"What was that?" She yelled.

"I did that for you." Was his only response. Clare frowned. "You could've killed him! I didn't think you'd actually go through with it, I didn't think you'd actually kill him, that you'd want to! Eli, you could get arrested for what you've done!" She clenched her fists. "You could've killed him!"

"So?"

"So?So?SO?! Is that all you can say? Eli, why? You didn't need to hurt him, Eli."

"If I didn't he would continue hitting on you."

"Eli, Eli, you know I only love you. If you're worried that I will leave you for him, or anybody, don't. Because I'll never leave you. No matter what." She cupped his face into her hands. "I love you, Eli." He wrapped his arms around her waist. He sighed sadly. "I'm bipolar."

"You're what?"

"I'm bipolar. I've always been. That's one of the reasons why I didn't want to be with you. I'd only hurt you. "

"Eli... It's okay... I'll help you. Step by step."

"But Clare... I've done so many bad things. I did drugs. I smoked. I drank alcohol. I've ran away from home a lot. My parents are junkies. I almost killed my ex-girlfriend before. I used people, manipulated them into doing things I wanted them to do. The scars I showed you, my uncle gave me those when I was a kid, to punish me for accidentally scratching his precious car. The burn, I got it from partying, I don't even remember how I got it, or who did it. I can't control my emotions, sometimes my actions. Clare..." He closed his eyes. "I'm a bad person. I'll be nothing but a burden to you. That's all I'll ever be."

Clare stared at him for a while, then kissed him deeply. "That's the past, Eli... Nothing you say or do will ever make me stop loving you. We can get through your problems, your hardships together."

Tears gathered in his eyes. "You really are an angel. My savior." He looked into her eyes. "You'd really stay with me? After everything I said, everything I did?"

"Eli, of course. I love you. Nothing you say or do will change that, what you did in the past doesn't change anything, I'll help you get through your problems, Eli." She kissed him. He smiled and kissed her back. "Thank you so much, Clare. Thank you for accepting who I am, and the things I did. I'll never leave you, I'll never let you down. I promise I'll love you for eternity." He pulled her into his arms, and brushed his lips against her forehead. She laced her fingers through his, smiling and blushing.

"Forever and always?"

"Forever and always."