All righty everyone. Or like three people that may be reading this... I am in an epic writing mood right now, and I think I should use it while it lasts. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Review at the end please.

Clare's POV:

We arrived in the empty parking lot where the van may once have been commonplace. I unbuckled my seatbelt and went to open my door.

"Nope," Eli said, stopping my actions. He then got out and walked around the front of the vehicle to the passenger side. He gave the handle a hard pull and the door swung open, just missing a direct hit to his gorgeous face.

I stifled a laugh, placing one hand over my mouth while the other grabbed the one Eli was extending to help me out of the monstrous vehicle.

After I successfully exited, he locked and closed the doors, as if someone was going to come out to ransack it. He pulled the handle once more to ensure the door was indeed locked before turning around and placing a hand on my back, guiding me to the front entrance of the arena.

When we reached the multiple sets of double glass doors. I pulled on one of the handles, expecting it to be locked. Only to be surprised when it glided out of place and opened to let us in. Eli looked at me, excitement in his eyes as he took the door, letting me enter the stadium first, but he followed along shortly, replacing his hand on the small of my back. He was making sure I was safe.

It was the safest I had felt in my own skin since that day at Drew's. We stood at the top of the stairs for a moment before rushing down to the performance area. I climbed up onto the stage first, looking down at Eli with my head cocked to the left.

"Well, you comin'?" I asked, challenging him.

He placed one hand onto the five-foot high platform and jumped up gracefully. There was nothing this man couldn't do perfectly. When he was back upright, he crossed his legs and sat down. Ping. Just like that. He nodded his head, gesturing that I should do the same right in front of him.

So I did, that is why I'm here, no?

"What happened, Clare?" He asked as soon as I looked comfortable.

"Do you want the long or the short story?" I asked.

"I have nothing but time."

I nodded, took a breath and said, "Drew is an asshole," I closed my eyes, willing the tears that were threatening to emerge to stand down.

"What happened, Clare?" Eli repeated, placing a hand on my left knee. I felt the love in his voice.

"He's a jealous bastard, is what he is," I opened my eyes to see a sympathetic, but confused look etched across his face. I elaborated, "I was talking to Dallas, waiting for Drew to get home. He saw us talking and accused me of cheating on him." The tears bounced back into my ducts.

Eli started rubbing my knee, willing me to feel better.

I sniffed, but continued speaking, "He dismissed Dallas and grabbed my arm, twisting it around my back." I pulled up my right sleeve, revealing a hand-shaped bruise wrapping around my forearm.

Eli's eyes widened, and he scooted forward, gently grazing the dark coloring with his fingertips.

"He did this to you?" He asked, hurt clouding his eyes.

I didn't want to hurt him more but, "That's not it, Eli. He did more." Eli's eyes met mine and I wanted to cry, not because of my pain, but his. This man had done nothing but love and protect me, and another tore me down.

"What else did he do to you, Clare?" Eli asked, his voice cracking.

"The post was somewhat true, except I didn't ask for it. I didn't ask for any of it," I uncrossed my legs and brought my knees to my chest. The tears started to flow free with big, gasping sobs.

"That bastard raped you?!" Eli bagan to get angry, his stages of grief passing like wind through a tunnel, "That guy is going to get a piece of my mind," when he got really angry, he started to talk like it was twenty or more years ago, and even in my state, I found it funny.

I started laughing at him.

"Oh, and now you're hysterical. Great. Just dandy."

I laughed harder, and soon, his anger dissipated and he joined me, rolling on the stage, laughing.

"Freeze!" Someone yelled from the top of the stairs.

I honestly didn't come up with that ending until I wrote the sentence before. But I think it adds a nice twist. Review below please!

-Babygirl669