I Do Not Own DeGrassi
Ch.7 Threats, Fighting and Worry
(CLARE)
Clare breathed in sharply, she was shaking slightly as she hung up her phone and tossed it on her bed. She reached over and shut her blinds, feeling that they were watching her made her skin crawl. She sank onto her bed, the tiny piece of red fabric still pinched between her fingers. Her mind was replaying the phone conversation over and over. For nearly an hour she sat there staring at the floor trying to decide what she should do. Obviously she wasn't going to wear the G-string, she was pretty sure even Alli wouldn't wear such a thing to school. But she didn't want any of her friends getting hurt either.
She could've easily told Jake, his room was right next door, but she couldn't seem to move. She was also afraid that Jake would go out and try to find where Fitz and Reese were watching her from. She didn't want Jake to try and fight them, especially on his own. She was pretty confident Jake could take on one of them by himself, but certainly not both. She bit her lip and sighed she was going to have to tell them, she was sure of that. But she was dreading it, she couldn't quite explain why.
The sudden loud banging on her door made her jump and brought her back to reality and out of her head. "Clare Dad brought home dinner, come downstairs." Jake's voice resonated through the door.
Clare put the G-string in the box and the box in her purse. "Coming!" She took a deep steely breath calming her nerves and relaxing her breathing. She went downstairs and joined Jake and Glen at the table. It didn't even occur to her that her Mother wasn't there.
"Clare? You okay?" Jake asked when Clare hadn't moved to put any food on her plate.
"Pull it together Clare! They're going to figure out that something is going on." She yelled to herself internally. "Yeah fine just had something on my mind." Clare assured them as Jake filled her plate with takeout Chinese. "Ummm where's my Mom?"
"She's working a little late but she'll be home soon." Glen smiled at her sweetly.
Clare nodded and began eating, putting up a front to appear as though everything was fine. Inside she was screaming, her mind racing with all kinds of terrible possibilities.
(ALLI)
Alli and Dave were leaning against his car, arms around each other, kissing and smiling at each other in the throes of young love. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar pair of black flats approaching. Alli broke the kiss and turned to the approaching figure and her smile broke. Clare had dark circles under her eyes, she looked sad and tired. Alli felt Dave's posture tense a little, he must've noticed too.
"Sorry to interrupt but can I borrow your girlfriend for a minute?" Clare asked shyly shifting her feet uncomfortably.
"You okay Clare?" Dave asked cautiously.
"Yeah just tired, didn't get much sleep." Clare assured them. Alli told Dave that she'd be right back and took Clare's hand. The two girls started to walk inside when suddenly Clare stopped and turned back to Dave, "Ummm Dave maybe you should go inside."
Alli looked at Dave and he shrugged he followed the girls inside saying that he'd wait for Alli by his locker. Clare led Alli into the girls washroom and after making sure no one else was in there she took the small white square box from her purse. Alli looked at it and then back to Clare.
"Fitz called me last night, He said that he and Reese weren't happy because they couldn't get near me, and that when Reese tried to I threatened him with violence." Clare's voice cracked and her hand holding the box was trembling slightly.
Alli put her hand on Clare's arm to calm her, "Those bastards!" Alli said through clenched teeth.
"One of them…Fitz I'm guessing got into my room somehow yesterday and left this on my bed. He told me to wear this today and that if I didn't they would take it out on someone close to me." Clare's voice was shaking and a tear raced down her cheek.
Alli unleashed the box from Clare's grip, and opened the lid. Alli's eyes got wide at the sight of the tiny red piece of fabric. "Clare…Oh my god are they serious? Have you told the guys yet?"
Clare shook he head. "I told Jake I had a nightmare and that's why I didn't much sleep. I thought about telling him after Fitz called but I didn't want him to go looking for a fight." Clare closed the box again and took it from Alli, "If I tell the guys they'll flip out. Eli will lose it. Maybe I should just wear it, keep them from trying to hurt one of you."
"Clare No! You have to tell the guys this is getting serious. They're trying to scare you, intimidate you." Clare just looked at the floor so Alli grabbed her hand and they marched out of the bathroom. Alli headed in bee line for Eli's locker. Sure enough Eli was there with Adam, they both stood up as soon as they saw Alli dragging Clare over.
"Clare are you okay? Jake said you had a nightmare and you went to talk to Alli and Dave when he dropped you off." Eli said coming to her.
"Tell them Clare!" Alli demanded.
"Tell us what?" Adam questioned.
Clare took a deep breath and handed the box to Eli, "Fitz called me last night. He said he and Reese were angry because they couldn't get near me. He said to make them happy I had to wear this today or they would hurt someone I care about." She looked at the floor the whole time and spoke so softly that they had to lean in to hear her.
Eli opened the box, took one look at the contents shoved the box at Adam and took off with lightening fast speed down the hall.
(CLARE)
"ELI!" She called after him, there was a lump in her throat and a sick feeling in her stomach. "ELI!" She took after him and Adam and Alli ran after her.
Adam caught up to her first and grabbed her arm to stop her. "Clare let him blow off some steam. We need to tell the others, I'm calling Drew." Clare nodded, Alli hugged her and Adam got out his phone to call Drew. When he hung up he looked at Clare and gently placing a finger under her chin willed her to look him in the eye. "Clare promise me that from now on you will tell us when anything happens, no matter how small."
"I promise Adam." She nodded softly.
A few minutes' later five angry football players encircled the trio. Adam handed the box to Drew and told them what happened and how Eli took off set to kill after he heard. Drew tossed the box in the trash and the warning bell rang.
"I need to get books from my locker," Clare said timidly.
They all walked with Clare to her locker, Alli got her own books from her locker and sent a quick text to Dave. Then they all dropped Alli and Clare at class, Jenna was all ready sitting at her desk when she saw the group come in.
"Uh Oh what happened?" Jenna asked as the other two girls took their seats.
Clare just looked away fiddling with the buttons on her jacket but Alli quickly and quietly explained. After class Clare found Adam and Eli waiting for her. Eli had a developing bruise on his cheek and a bloody lip.
"You fought with him didn't you?" It wasn't really a question, she all ready knew the answer. She reached up touching the dried blood on his lip.
"They can't talk to you like that and threaten you and get away with it!" Eli insisted and Clare could see that he was still steaming. He put his arm around her and the three of them started walking to Clare's history class.
"Eli you could have been expelled!"
"Two weeks detention before school, since I'm working on the play. It was well worth it." He smirked. Clare shook her head.
Reese was already at his desk when they arrived at the classroom. Adam and Eli both glared at him, if looks could kill Reese would have exploded. When Eli looked like he was about to start up with Reese again Clare reached up and kissed him softly to calm him, and in a small way to let Reese know who her heart belonged too. Eli returned the kiss and smirked at Reese and he and Adam left just as the teacher came in. Clare sat down quickly glancing at Reese as she did so, to see the damage Eli had inflicted. Reese had a small cut on his forehead from Eli's ring, A black eye and a rip in his shirt. She knew it was wrong but she was glad Eli had inflicted so much damage and she smiled to herself as she sat down.
"You're not wearing our little gift." Reese hissed in her ear.
"I'm wearing jeans how can you even tell?" She whispered back.
"Just can and your little boyfriend got me detention for the next two weeks after school. I think it's about time to teach you a lesson in obedience." He was so close to her she could feel his hot breath on the back of her neck. Shivers ran down her spine, weather this was from his proximity or his words she couldn't be sure.
The teacher barked at them to pay attention and Reese sat back down. When class was over Clare put her book and notebook away and went to get up but Reese's hand on her shoulder held her firmly in her seat. He kept it there draping his arm over her shoulders as he slid on to her desk.
"You know we still have to work on our project, I was thinking we could meet after detention lets out." He said it with all the innocence in the world but the carnal look in his eye betrayed him.
"I have newspaper after school and I can't be alone with you." Clare said trying to get up but Reese was using his weight to hold her down. "We have to get to our next class." Clare said timidly. She looked up at the teacher but he was oblivious. Then she saw Mo and Drew come through the door.
"Stay away from her." Mo warned standing next to the much smaller boy with his arms crossed firmly across his chest.
"We have a project to work on this afternoon." Reese said calmly releasing Clare and sliding off her desk. If Reese was intimidated by Mo and Drew he never showed it.
"She has newspaper and you have detention for fighting with Eli." Drew stated taking Clare gently by the arm and helping her up.
"Goth boy came after me!" Reese sneered and then calming himself again added, "After detention, it's a big project we have to spend time on it."
"Fine she'll be in the auditorium with Eli and Adam and the rest of the people working on the play, you can work on it there." Drew said sternly giving Reese a steely gaze. Then he and Mo escorted Clare to her next class.
"Work on your newspaper stuff in the auditorium I know he has detention but I don't trust him to stay there. No one else on the newspaper knows what's going on. We all have football practice, so we won't be near our phones." Drew instructed her as they reached the doorway to her next class.
Clare nodded and turned to go in but then stopped and caught Drew and Mo by the hands. "I know this is just going to make everybody angrier but I promised Adam I would tell you guys right away when something happened." Clare bit her lip and took a deep breath, "Reese was upset because I wasn't wearing the…errr gift they left for me and he said it was time for them to teach me a lesson in obedience." Before the boys could respond or react Clare released their hands and went into class.
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