I Do Not Own DeGrassi

Ch.7 Things Will Get Better

(CLARE)

Drew began driving and we sat in an awkward sort of silence. Given the amount of time I spent at the Torres house hanging out with the younger Torres brother, and the times I'd inadvertently spent with him as a byproduct of hanging out with Adam at this point I considered Drew a friend. But it's not as though we had ever hung out together without Adam. Well minus Jake's cabin but as I spent half the night running for my life in the woods I was certain that didn't count. While we were both silent he kept glancing at me looking like he was about to say something.

"Just ask Drew." I sighed after a few minutes.

"I'm not even sure what to ask. Was the incident in the ass hole's car the first time he…"

"No." I cut him off quickly, "He kissed me last week but I didn't tell anyone. I wouldn't have told Mike or Adam either but I asked Mike to pick me up and asked if I could sleep at your house, well your parents' house, so I wouldn't have to go home and he let me sleep in his bed. He was going to sleep on the couch but I only felt safe when he was with me so he slept in the bed with me. And then well when Adam caught us in bed the next morning he was getting ready to punch Mike so I hopped up to stop him and told him nothing happened. But he demanded to know what I was doing in Mike's bed sleeping in his dress shirt so I had to tell Adam!"

I didn't know why it had been so easy to completely spill my guts to Drew but it was. I looked at him and he looked shocked. After a minute he shook his head a little as though shaking away a thought and looked at me.

"In his dress shirt?!" I smacked his arm, leave it to Drew Torres for that to be the thing he focused on. "Sorry so now this Asher guy is blackmailing you into finishing the week to finish out your internship."

"Yes I can't lose this internship and fail the class, besides if he says I came onto him…" I shuddered involuntarily as terrible thoughts ran through my head. I took a breath to compose myself. "It's four more days, one hour in the morning and two in the afternoon. Friday evening I'm done and I can put this all behind me."

"And you trust that he's not going to try something again?" Drew asked incredulously.

"No I don't but he can't really do anything in the office, my desk is in the bullpen and his private office has walls of glass. Like I said I won't stay late or go to any more events so that I'm not alone with him." I told him assertively.

Drew pulled into the parking garage and got out of the car with me. We went into the building and after telling security he was coming upstairs for a moment with me, they let us through and we got into the elevator, I pushed the button and we arrived at the interpreter office entrance a moment later.

"So where is he?" Drew asked in a hard voice.

I glanced toward Asher's office and Drew followed my gaze. I could see Asher eyeing us closely and then seemingly catching sight of my outfit for the day licking his lips just slightly as his eyes, I could see even from several yards away, glinted with lust. Apparently Drew caught this too as his arm suddenly came around my shoulders in a protective manner.

"Okay you saw him, remember you can't say anything. Thanks for the lift Drew." I said nervously as I saw Asher give Drew a hard look as soon as his arm was around me.

Drew leaned down a little and spoke softly next to me, "He just looked at you like he was a starving man and you were dinner and you want me to leave you here with him?"

"In an office full of people and you have to get to work now go." I insisted shoving him lightly. In truth I wish Drew could have stayed and been my personal body guard just in case Asher tried something.

Asher was still glaring at Drew and from the corner of my eye I saw him smile mischievously and I knew he was about to do something. "I'll get an update from Adam and Dallas later, be careful Clare."

And then he leaned down blocking my face from Asher's view and kissed my cheek, barely a peck and just for a second but it still surprised me and I jumped ever so slightly. I realized he did it for Asher's benefit and from Asher's point of view it could have looked like he actually kissed me. Drew smiled at me and walked to the elevators, I took a breath and walked to my desk, setting down my purse and sitting down. I turned on my computer and saw Asher walk out of his office toward me.

(DALLAS)

I watched as Clare and Drew walked away to his car. I hated the idea of her going back there, of being anywhere near that pedophile. But she was so worried about losing her internship and what he would do if she didn't come back, did I really have a choice? And anyway despite an awesome kiss and sleeping with her in my arms last night, it's not like we were a couple, we had barely been friends that long, it's not like I really had any say in what she did or didn't do. Speaking of which I had better tell Adam my feelings for her.

"So either of you guys seen this fucker?" Bianca asked.

"Yeah he dropped her off at the house the other day and I didn't like the way he was looking at her then. Oh and remember last week when she ran away from kissing Liam?" They all nodded, "Asher had kissed her the night before and she didn't tell anyone."

"I can't believe she's kept this all secret till now." Adam lamented just as the bell rang.

We all walked in to school, Bianca and Owen waved as they separated to go to their class but Adam was walking to his locker so I followed. He got to his locker and looked at me curiously.

"Listen I need to talk to you, about Clare."

Adam looked at me narrowing his eyes, "What about her?"

"Last night all we did was sleep but I do like her, a lot actually." I confessed.

"I don't know how to respond to that. I mean I don't have any say in who she dates but I found her in your bed this morning in nothing but one of your dress shirts and after her news about Asher…" He paused scrunching his face up in anger, he took a breath. "How does she feel?"

"Truthfully I'm not sure. We haven't really talked about it."

Adam looked thoughtful for a minute as the second bell rang and we began walking to our classes. "Just be good to her, if you hurt her I'll kill you and so will Eli."

"So will Eli what?" Inquired the dark haired boy suddenly appearing behind us.

"Be late for class." Adam said grabbing the boys arm and running down the hall.

"Well either he's in to much shock after this morning or he's okay with me asking her out so that's what I'll do. Just as soon as she returns from co-op."

(ASHER)

Busily in the middle of an article I became aware of two people standing by the reception desk. I looked up and my eyes were ravished by the sight of Clare. She was wearing a cute skirt and her typical denim jacket but she was also wearing a tight top that was pushing her tits up and together, giving her a generous amount of cleavage. I licked my lips wanting desperately to take her tits in my hands and suckle them. I felt my dick throb a little as it began to get hard. And then I saw the boy with her, he was a good looking guy and he put his arm around her. He glared at me and I glared back then he bent down and kissed her. I did not like this boy; I did not like him touching her delicate skin. I was determined to replace his touch with mine. Clare sat down at her desk and I went over to her. She looked up at me; fuck how I loved her innocent clear blue eyes.

"You showed up." I smiled pleased.

"Did I have a choice?" She asked hard edge to her voice.

"Who was that?" I inquired keeping my voice even and curious, careful to keep out any hint of anger and jealousy.

"Who Drew? He's…" She paused for just a second seeming to determine how to classify him. "He's a friend."

"Excellent." I smiled.

She looked away from me nervously, "Well umm I should get to my fact checking."

I nodded and walked back to my office but I watched her for a moment after sitting down again. She kept her jacket on but even so I watched as her tits heaved with each of her breaths. I envisioned bending her over the desk, pushing her skirt up, ripping her underwear off and fucking her so hard she screamed!

(CLARE)

I worked uncomfortably for about 45 minutes as I could feel Asher's eyes on me the whole time. I concentrated on my fact checking and refused to look back at him. I glanced around the office quickly wondering if anyone else could see him leering at me but they all looked terribly oblivious.

"Newsie." His voice behind me made me jump, I looked back at him. "I need you to go make copies of the staff meeting agenda, you'll have to copy both pages and staple them together, twenty copies. You know where the copy room is right?" He asked but his eyes never left my chest.

I pulled my denim jacket closed as much as possible and took the papers from his hand. "Yes I know where it is."

I walked past him toward the copy room which was hidden in a back corner of the office. I went in and set the papers on the copier, quickly making twenty copies. I took them and placed them on the long table next to the copier and began stapling the two pieces together. Suddenly I heard the door close and I looked behind me to see Asher standing there, his hand locking the door and a vilely lustful smile on his face. He looked me over and licked his lips and I couldn't help but be aware of the bulge in his pants. Terror enveloped me, I became frozen. My body and mind didn't seem to work, I opened my mouth but no sounds would come out.

He took a few steps toward me slowly, "Shhhh." He smiled putting a finger to his lips.

I backed up but only succeeded in hitting the table; before I could react he was in front of me. He put a hand at the small of my back and pressed me into him. Finally I found my voice and my strength.

"What are you doing?" I pleaded trying desperately to push him off of me.

He only pushed me in closer forcing me to feel his erection, even confined in his pants it made me gasp and then gag, I turned away as he leaned down kissing my cleavage. I cringed and a few tears slipped down my cheeks.

"Did you honestly think you could wear that top in front of me and not expect me to touch your big tits? They just look so deliciously enticing they are begging for me to touch them." His lecherous tone and the carnal look in his eye stabbed at me with another wave of fear.

His hot breath so close to my skin already making me shudder along with his words, I tried to scramble away but I was already backed against the table and the only thing it succeeded in doing was forcing me to sit on the table. He took the opportunity to force my legs open shoving my skirt up and pulling me forward again so that I was pressed into him. I was trembling uncontrollably from fear; I felt sick and threw up a little in my mouth. He was licking his lips seeming to decide where to begin. I wanted to scream but every time I tried the scream would disappear in my throat.

"Asher stop!" I begged in a pleading whisper, when that didn't work I tried for logic. "What if someone tries to come in?"

He stopped and seemed to consider for a moment, then he gave sort of a growling sigh. He looked me over one more time licking his lips in an evilly depraved manner and then squeezing my breasts forcefully. I let out a short pained whimper and he actually moaned as though my pain turned him on even more.

"You better stop crying before you go out there again." He said flatly and then he unlocked the door and left as though nothing had happened.

I collapsed to the floor, fixing my clothes and closing up my jacket as much as I could. I couldn't stop shaking or crying it took several minutes for me to collect myself enough to be able to go back out to the office. A fleeting thought of reporting him passed through my mind but I knew what he would do if I did and I shook it off. I made a mental note to lock the copy room door behind me if Asher or anyone ever asked me to make copies again. I went to Asher's office dropping the papers in his desk.

"I have to get back to school now." I said trying very hard to keep my voice even.

"Of course Newsie I'll see you this afternoon though right?" His very voice causing my stomach to lurch.

All I could do was nod slightly, I left his office quickly grabbing my purse and practically running from the building, I barely caught the bus that went back to DeGrassi. I took a seat in the back and clutched my purse to my chest. Tears began pushing at my eyes again and I swallowed them away but my body would not stop shivering and my breathing was shaky and coming in frightened gasps. I felt disgusting; the feel of his grimy hands and dirty lips on my skin would not go away. I was only vaguely aware that we had reached my stop and I got off. I took a deep breath walking past a few students eating lunch near the front steps. I went inside, my lunch was in my locker but after what had happened I was not hungry I only felt sick.

"Hey Clare!"

I barely registered that someone was calling my name until I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped away with a frightened gasp to look at my attacker. But there was no attacker it was only Owen looking at me, a worried curiosity on his face. I let out a relieved breath and hugged him, simply happy to be touched by someone that wasn't Asher. He hugged me back tightly for a moment and I pulled away.

"Sorry." I apologized, for the hug or for jumping away though I wasn't exactly sure.

"What's wrong? Did he touch you again?" Owen asked, he kept his voice low but it was rigid, edged with concern and anger.

I couldn't answer I looked away tying to swallow the tears again, but I began shaking a little inadvertently. Owen didn't say anything but in my peripheral vision I saw his face change, get hard and angry. He took my arm gently and pulled me toward the nearest classroom, he threw open the door surprising Dave and Connor as he did so.

Dave looked at me I could see he was worried, "Clare are you…" he began but Owen cut him off.

"You two OUT!" He demanded loudly, his commanding booming voice was enough to make Connor go running even though he'd been on the football team with Owen last season.

Dave on the other hand stayed and looked at me. "It's okay Dave." I assured him he gave Owen one last look and then left.

Owen took out his phone and called someone, "Get Dallas and Adam and meet us in the Biology classroom. He touched her again!" I deduced that he must have been calling Bianca.

A couple minutes later the door opened again and a pissed looking Bianca, a worried Adam with angry eyes and an even more concerned and angry looking Dallas came in the room. Adam rushed over and hugged me tightly. I hugged him back starting to feel safe again. Dallas pulled me to him as soon as Adam let go and turned me so that my back was to his chest and wrapped his arms around me holding me close. And I finally felt a hundred percent safe.

"Drew told me how that creep looked at you and licked his lips when you got there." Bianca stated an acrid tone to her voice. "So what did that slime ball do now?"

I swallowed hard to keep back the tears and pressed into Dallas a little more. "I'm still going to my afternoon shift and you guys still can't say anything to anyone and that includes Drew." I asserted looking at Bianca to make sure she would pass it on to Drew.

"Fine our lips are sealed." Bianca said and the others nodded.

I took a deep breath and Dallas strengthened his hold on me. "He asked me to make copies and I went to the copy room it's in a back corner of the office and a few minutes later he followed me and locked the door behind him." I paused to take a shaky breath and looked at a spot on the floor I couldn't seem to look at their faces as I told them. "He cornered me against the table said that I was asking to be touched because of how I was dressed and kissed my breast, I tried to get away and he just pressed me closer. I finally got him to stop but he squeezed my breasts really hard and then left the room."

Owen punched his fist on the desk and I finally looked up. Bianca was red, from anger I assumed her fists clenched. "I'm calling Drew." She said pulling out her phone and walking to the back of the classroom.

"Clare you can't possibly go back." Adam pleaded, his face was soft but his blue eyes were filled with anger and worry.

"Adam I have to we discussed this already. If he asks me to make more copies I'll lock the door behind me."

Adam sighed, "I don't like this but fine. I'm going to go finish my lunch and pretend like everything's fine as I sit across from Eli." He said sarcastically with an incensed tone. He went to the door but paused at the handle and turned back. "You're still coming over to work on our project right?"

"Yes right after co-op." I assured him quietly.

"Adam and I will pick you up from co-op." Dallas said and Adam smiled before exiting the room. "Have you eaten?" Dallas asked me when Adam had left.

I shook my head, "After that I just feel sick, not hungry."

(ADAM)

I returned to my lunch and Eli; inside I was boiling mad, if it was up to me we would all go to the Interpreter office together and beat Asher fucking Shostock to a bloody pulp for touching Clare. But I couldn't let it show through, I couldn't tell Eli.

He looked at me as I sat down again, "What did Bianca want?"

"Oh uh she wanted to know what to get Drew for their one month anniversary." I lied.

"Dave said Owen kicked him and Connor out of a classroom to be alone with Clare. You don't think he and Clare are seeing each other do you? I mean he did ask her something in the hall few days ago and she went to that hockey game." Eli commented.

"Clare and Owen no way!" I shook my head unsure of how to tell Eli that they were becoming friends without telling him why. Then remembering seeing Clare that morning in Dallas' bed, cuddled up to him in nothing but his shirt, and Dallas' earlier confession I looked at Eli. "But Dallas likes her and he's gonna ask her out."

"Oh." Was all he said and his expression was hard to read.

(CLARE)

After Adam left and Bianca was still on the phone with Drew, I turned to Dallas. "I should get my books and go to class Mike, the bell will ring soon."

He looked at me a moment and then nodded. "Adam has co-op afterschool too so I'll drop you both off and we'll both pick you up." He said still holding me.

I nodded and slipped out of his arms, I could feel Dallas and Owen both watching me as I left the classroom. I walked to my locker to get my books and Dave came up to me.

"Hey Clare are you okay what did Owen want with you?"

"I'm fine Dave Owen is helping me with something that's all" I told him.

He looked unsure but smiled a little and walked away. I walked to my next class and sat at my desk waiting for class to begin. I may have been sitting calmly but my mind was going a million miles an hour as it ran through several terrible scenarios of what Asher might to do to me this afternoon. When the teacher came in I scolded myself internally. "Stop it Clare that's not doing you any good. Stop thinking about Asher, things will get better."

Remember I warned you all that Asher wou be more vile than on the show.

I'll try and update agin this weekend.