HERE IS CHAPTER 4! HOPE YOU LIKE IT! READ AND REVIEW! :D
Clare was asleep in Eli's arms, passed out in the back of Morty. Clare's ringing phone woke them both. Eli let go of Clare so she could dig through her purse to find her phone. Once she found it, she immediately answered without checking the caller I.D. "Hello?" She ran her fingers through her hair.
"Clare Diane Edwards! You do not storm out like that and leave us worried all night with no explanation! Where are you? Why didn't you come home last night?" Helen yelled quickly.
Clare looked at Eli readjusting, half asleep on the floor. "I… I stayed at Alli's."
"Well, never again! Come home right after school today. We need to talk to you." She demanded. However, soon after Clare hung up her phone with no goodbye. She shook Eli and he opened his eyes, still tired. "It's seven AM."
Eli shot up, "Crap! Really? We gatta get you home." He begun to crawl toward the back door, but stopped when Clare wasn't following behind. "What's up Clare?"
She played with her phone in her hands. "I'll get out here. I don't feel like going to school today."
"You're going to play hooky?" Eli questioned unbelievably. Clare nodded. "Well then I will be joining you then."
"Huh? I can't make you cut school." Clare replied.
"I don't care. That place has turned into a school version of cops pretty much. Plus, you need me and I want to be here with you." Eli stroked her back.
She yawned, "Thanks Eli. I couldn't of asked for a greater person to enter my life."
He smiled, "Ditto. You're still tired. C'mon, both my parents are at work. We can chill at my place."
Once they got to Eli's he let her nap in his bed as he watched some television. However, he ended up falling asleep on the couch.
Clare awoke, stretching her arms from her slumber, feeling much more refreshed for the day. She slowly walked upstairs to the living room to see Eli passed out on the couch, in which looked quite uncomfortable. She shook him a couple times after turning off the television.
He got up immediately rubbing his eyes. "Damn. How long have I been out?"
"I don't know. I just woke up a few minutes ago. But it's like ten, if that helps." She replied sitting next to him fixing his messy hair.
"Oh well, I guess that's cool. Did you sleep well?"
"Very well actually. Thanks again. Your bed is awfully comfortable."
Now he was brushing her bangs out of her face. "You're invited to stay whenever you like." She blushed from the feel of his fingers lightly brush her cheek. "So what do you want to do? Go to the Dot?"
"We can't go to the Dot. Peter might be there. How about somewhere we wouldn't see anyone we know?" Clare thought out loud.
"I don't know. The zoo." Eli joked. Yet Clare took him serious, and Eli could tell just by her expression. "Really? I was just kidding."
"Oh come on. It'd be fun." She happily implied, then scooted closer to him placing her hands on his upper thigh. "We could make it a date."
He glanced at her hands then back at her adorable puppy dog face. "Fine. But only because I can't say 'no' to that cute face." He put his arm around her shoulders and together they walked out and got in Morty.
At the Zoo, they walked hand in hand looking at all the animals. From awing at the marsupials, to imitating the penguins. The entire day they held giant smiles upon their faces. Clare was so happy, happiest she's been in months. All thanks to Eli. They ended their trip to the zoo, sitting on a bench by the lion exhibit. Still holding hands, Clare rested her head on Eli's shoulder as they watched a mother lion grooming its cub.
"How cute," Eli commented.
"I know. It's so nice to see a mother who actually cares for her child." Clare instantly related the scene to her own life.
"Don't say that. Your parents love you. They are just blinded by the anger they have toward each other right now." He comforted. "Don't think about it like that. Admire the lions, their such majestic creatures." The lioness let the cub go to run and play, as the lion, assuming to be the father lion, sauntered over to her. They rubbed heads together romantically, so sweet they looked. Eli placed his head on top of Clare's. Then the lion laid next to the lioness as they relaxed together, resting her head against his. "Maybe, it's not supposed to make you think of your parents. Maybe, this moment is intended to make you think of… something else. Maybe a metaphor for your… future."
Clare looked at the cub the parents were staring at as they relaxed. She moved her head so she'd be looking up at him. "Maybe." And they leaned into each other to kiss. After that they departed from the zoo, and headed home sense it was about time that the school would be let out.
Clare walked into her house hugging the stuffed hyena that Eli bought her at the gift shop. That they decided together to name Chuck. [AUTHOR NOTE: I had another name for it, but purposely changed it after "Love Lockdown pt.1] It was around five o'clock now, not realizing how far away the zoo actually was. Helen and Randall entered the living room from the kitchen. "Clare! Where have you been?" Randall yelled.
"You skipped school. Came home late. And Lied to us. I called Alli's when you didn't come home after school. Her parents said they haven't seen you and that you never spent the night last night." Helen looked stern, with her arms crossed and staring down Clare with aggressive eyes. "Where were you? Last night and today?" Clare rolled her eyes as she headed for the stairs. "Clare Diane!"
She stopped on the second step and turned toward them. "You really care to know." She said with an attitude. "I was with Eli. Last night and today." She stormed up the stairs slamming her door shut. She crawled into her bed, hugging Chuck.
An hour or two passed and Clare ended up taking a nap. When she woke up she had her computer beeping, meaning that she had and instant message. At her computer, Eli was online trying to talk to her. Luckily he just got on so she hadn't missed him.
Eli-gold49: Hey. Do your parents hate me?
Eli-gold49: Hello? Clare?
Clare-e23: No need to worry. I'm here. I just took a nap with Chuck
Eli-gold49: That's one lucky Hyena. ;)
Eli-gold49: So do your parents hate me?
Clare-e23: No clue. They got all pissed off. So I'm hiding out in my room.
Helen knocked on Clare's door, she tried to open it but failed. "Honey will you unlock your door. Your father and I need to talk to you." Clare stayed silent. "Please Clare. It's important. Will you come downstairs and we can talk?"
"Sure." Clare replied and didn't move until the sound of her mother's footsteps faded away.
Eli-gold49: I'm sorry. Anything I can do?
Clare-e23: I have no idea. But I guess I've been hiding too long. I have to go talk to them. Bye.
She logged off and headed downstairs in her pajamas slowly. Helen was sitting on one of the chairs as Randall paced in front of the T.V. "Clare sit down." Randall instructed kindly.
"What's going on?" Her voice broke, already knowing the answer, as she sat on the couch.
"We need to talk." Helen said.
"You keep saying that. Will you just tell me?" Clare screamed at them.
"Don't use that kind of tone young lady."
"Fine. Tell me." Clare calmed herself.
"Your mother and I have been fighting a lot lately." Randall started. "And…"
"No… No…" Tears begun to break through Clare's eyelids and run down her cheeks. "You guys are going to therapy?" She added hoping to change the subject.
They were silent for a moment. Helen shook her head lightly looking down, "No honey."
Clare's tears ran faster, as she ran up to her room, scared to actually let them use the words "divorce" to her face. Once in her room, she locked the door and grabbed her green and black bag. She threw in some clothes, which also included her uniform. Then her make up, cell phone with charger, and her school work. She hugged Chuck before placing him in her bag, then followed by her placing her favorite picture of her and Eli that he gave to her as a late Christmas present. Then she walked out the door to her balcony and down the trellis and started to run in the pouring rain.
I HOPE YOU LIKED IT! PLEASE REVIEW! TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS! :D LOVE YOU ALL! ANY THOUGHTS FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS? JUST PUT YOUR SUGGESTIONS IN A REVIEW! :D