ELI'S POV:

Ever get those feeling were the weekends go by too quickly? That's how I felt making my way to the Dot for a cup of coffee on Sunday. It was already six in the afternoon, which meant I had to go to the God-forsaken place that was Degrassi High School tomorrow. Talk about a good way to ruin your Sunday. At least a cup of coffee would call down my nerve. That and sitting at a table, by myself, trying to figure out why Clare still had this photo of us. And even more important, why she had it in her pocket yesterday. I couldn't stop wondering about yesterday, or today at all. I even ended up writing Clare's name on my Physic's homework, instead of mine. That's how much this damn photo was bugging me.

I was so tempted to toss it in the street and forget it. I tried, but eventually I ran back and had to fish it out of the piles of leaves it was buried under. Once, I arrived at the Dot (with Clare's picture safely in my pocket), I was very surprised to find that it was almost empty. A few people were scattered here and there, but that was about it. Usually the Dot, even on a Sunday afternoon, was packed. I locked up my bike and made my way in.

Normally, I sat near the window, but I instead I slumped into the seat near the counter. Peter, one of the Degrassi legends I've heard about, walked right up to me, with a notepad in his hand. He was a tall dude with messy, dirty blond hair and light blue eyes.

"What can I do for you today, Eli?" He asked, gripping his pen tightly. The only way he knew me was because he dated Darcy, Clare's older sister, so he was familiar with Clare and I's "friendship."

"Lemme get a small coffee," I replied, deadpan. Peter nodded and he slipped away, my order in his hands. I pulled out the picture out of my pocket and continued studying it. Suddenly the door of the Dot swung open and the tall oak tree that was Jake Martin walked through and plunked down next to me. I stealthily slipped the picture back into my pocket without Jake noticing. Then he turned to me.

"Ever get those feelings when everything is just going…wrong?" He asked. I took note of the dazed, tired look in his eyes.

"Sure…," I replied. I know Jake and I are cool now, but imagine having the boyfriend of your ex just waltz right up to you and start chattering away. Pretty awkward, right? "But why do you ask?"

"I don't know, just a general thought."

"You know, if you really want to and if you're really that desperate to talk to someone, you can talk to me, right?" I offered. Peter swooped in, carrying a cup of coffee. I grabbed a pack of cream and sugar and began pouring them into my drink. Jake studied me to a point where it was starting to get ridiculously uncomfortable, but eventually starting talking.

"It's Clare that's bugging me. She's been avoiding me a lot lately. Like on Friday. I asked her if I could come over and she said no. That she was at the library or something. Anyways, I went over anyways, to deliver some stuff my Dad made for her mom and she said Clare went bowling with someone." I choked on the coffee I was drinking when he said this. And it didn't help that the coffee was still hot. Jake stared at me like a weird-ass, but I managed to compose myself quickly enough so that he could finish his story.

"I texted her about it and she hasn't called or even bothered to respond to my text. Would you happen to know anything about it?" He asked suddenly. In fact the question was so uncalled for that I nearly choked, again.

"Er, no why would I know anything about it?"

"Well, you're partners with her in English…"

"Yeah, so? Doesn't mean I know the details about her current love life," I shot back, raising my eyebrow at him.

"Whatever, I just thought maybe you knew something," He said. He got the sandwich he order and started to walk out towards the door, but not before casting me a suspicious look, his dark brown eyes narrow, like snake slits. Don't get me wrong. It's kind of terrifying having a tall guy look at you like that, but I couldn't help but wonder why. Could he suspect something being up with Clare and me? The thought scared me. Jake was a calm guy, normally.

But who knows what he's capable of when he's angry?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The next day, I was cruelly awoken by Bullfrog and forced to return to the hell-hole that was school. I was peacefully dreaming on my favorite skull pillow, when my door was literally kicked open by my eccentric father. He lumbered in, carrying his favorite guitar and wearing an old Fall Out Boy T-shirt.

"Wake up, Eli!" He said, pulling the covers off of me and opening my blinds. My father was not convinced I was awake until I shot up in bed, unintentionally making a noise that sounded like a zombie getting strangled.

"Yeah, I know," He said, sitting on my bed, patting my shoulder. "Monday's suck."

I was too tired to even agree with his brutally honest statement. He stood up and left me alone with my thoughts. I sighed heavily and forced myself onto my feet and trudged over to my closet, were I pulled out my blue polo and khaki's. I managed to get dressed, despite the fact I was pretty much falling asleep. I pulled a comb through my moppy hair and pulled my feet into a pair of black Vans. I packed up my backpack and walked downstairs to meet Bullfrog for breakfast.

Before I knew it, I was locking up my bike and walking up the steps to Degrassi Community High School. I had Clare's photo in my pocket and I intended on returning it to her. I couldn't look at it without going crazy and wondering whether Clare still like me or not. Girls can make you lose your mind like that. Eventually, I did find her, at her locker. I didn't approach her directly. I did what I normally did: just linger there like a shadow and wait for her to notice me. She didn't notice me directly, which was good, because I wanted to take a moment to look at her. She looked especially cute today. Her springy cinnamon hair was clipped back into a half ponytail. She wore a little navy blazer that brought out her blue eyes. I smirked at the memory of kissing her soft pink lips.

Eventually, she did notice me, standing a few feet away from her locker, staring at her. Her pale cheeks reddened and she gave me a small smile. I regarded this as a sign to come to her, which I did. I approached her and, feeling bold, I stopped short of a few inches from her. I looked down at Clare and smirked as she looked up at me, craning her neck to get a good look because I towered over her. I reached into my pocket and took her hand, pressing the neatly folded up picture into her palm.

"Looks like you dropped something on Saturday," I whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened as she unfolded it. Only problem is that she didn't look happy at all. She looked bewildered.

"Where did you get this?" She asked, her voice dripping with shock.

"It fell from your pocket on Saturday after we went to the library," I explained casually.

"Oh gosh, you weren't supposed to know I had this!" She said, her face getting so red it was pretty much purple.

"Oh? And why is that? Care to explain, Clare?" I think she even shivered when I said her name.

"Look, Eli. It's really complicated and you-"

"Hey guys," A familiar voice said. Clare and I both looked up and saw Jake, towering over both of us. He narrowed his eyes at both of us, yet he spoke in an oddly cheerful voice. "Am I interrupting something?"

Clare lowered her eyes and said in her best presumptuous, Clare-ish voice, "N-no, I'm just telling Eli the basics on constructing a successful short story."

"Uh huh…" You could tell by the way he said that that he wasn't buying Clare's story. Not wanting to mess things up between them and get my ass kicked by a big guy like Jake (especially since things were going so well), I followed along with Clare's story.

"So, Clare, what do I do after creating my characters?" Clare looked at me strangely, as if to say "What are you doing?" Eventually, she realized my plan and cleared her throat.

"Well, that's easy," She said, playing along. "You have to choose a point of view, like will it be in first, second or third person and from which character's point of view will it be written in."

Jake darted his eyes between Clare and I, as if trying to put two and two together. He didn't figure it out. At least I hope he didn't. Jake walked away, motioning for Clare to join him, who didn't delay a second. Jake possessively snaked his arm around Clare's waist, leading her away until they disappeared among the sea of Degrassi students. I shook my head, wondering what the heck just happened. Then it hit me:

What the hell was I doing?

Clare was Jake's girlfriend, and here I was, fooling around with her on weekends behind ol' Jakey's back. At this rate, Jake would find out about Clare and me, just like he almost had now. Jake was smart and I couldn't underestimate him. I would be a dead man, in five seconds flat. Maybe I should just tone things down with Clare. No matter if she liked me or not. I would not be the reason for having Jake and Clare hate my guts…again.

CLARE'S POV:

When Eli showed me the picture he discovered, I swear that all the color from my face drained. He wasn't supposed to know I had it. He would tease me endlessly about it and bug me about it until I ultimately went crazy. Even to this day (and I had all weekend to think about it), I still had no idea why I had the damn photo.

Besides, I've been so caught up with him that I had forgotten all about Jake…whom I was currently dating. If he found out I had been sneaking around with Eli behind his back, Eli would probably be dead and stuffed into back of his old hearse. Jake would also end up dumping me and labeling me a "cheater." The thought terrified me. Even though talking and hanging with Eli couldn't be classified as cheating, I would not be one to screw up my flawless reputation.

But the way Eli had saved my guts back there, with Jake's surprise encounter and all; one question lingered over my head like a giant bubble: WHY? Why had he done it? Could it be…maybe Eli still liked me? The possibility seemed too good to be true. He was nice to me towards the end of last year, but I could tell he still kind of hated my guts for what I did to him last year. Now imagine thinking all these thoughts while you have your boyfriend's arm around your waist. Sort of hard not to combust, isn't it? And Jake still wouldn't look at me after his encounter with me and Eli.

"Jake?" I asked. My voice was high and squeaky. He replied with a type of unintelligible grunt. I took this as a good sign that he wasn't mad at me and continued talking. "Are you…okay?"

"Yeah, I'm totally fine with the fact that my girlfriend has some type of secret that she won't tell me. Oh, and to top it off, she's hanging with some dude that I thought she hated."

"Jake! I don't hate Eli and you know it," I said angrily. And it was true. I didn't hate Eli. "I thought you trusted me!"

"Yeah, I thought I did," He said. I could the hurt in his voice and it pained me to think what I a terrible girlfriend I've been to him. What person blows off their boyfriend for their ex.

"You can still trust me!" I pleaded. Jake and I were already at my Geometry class. I could see Ms. Conway still inside, gathering up her papers and preparing for class. "Jake, think about it, please! I've done nothing you could classify as cheating or unfaithful."

He stared at me, considering what I'd said. I knew I had gotten him with that one. And, besides, a little bowling with your ex never hurt anybody. Nothing happened.

"Fine," He said dryly. He swallowed and turned to go. "See you at lunch, Clare bear." Jake gave me a small smile before heading down to his class. I breathed a sigh of relief. He was still okay with me. And just because I was Jake's girlfriend, doesn't mean that I shouldn't have to stop hanging with Eli. I mean, we are doing no harm. We've done nothing wrong.

Just so long as we keep it that way.

ELI'S POV:

My classes whizzed by unusually quick for a Monday. One minute, I was falling asleep listening to my Calculus teacher chatter on and on about methods for solving non-linear equations and the next, I was sitting in my usual spot in English class. We were listening to Mr. Lockwood read a chapter of Wuthering Heights aloud. The book was good, but the way Mr. Lockwood read it could make even the most attentive student fall asleep.

I casually looked over at Clare, who hadn't once glanced at me since the start of class. She sat straight in her chair, her blue eyes darting back and forth as Mr. Lockwood read each line. Nope, I thought amusingly. My theory was wrong. I made an attempt to look interested when Mr. Lockwood looked at me slumping in my chair, his eyes like daggers. Soon, the cruel torture ended and Mr. Lockwood put down his book and stood up.

"Okay, class. Get with your partners and start answering the essay questions on the chapter you've just read. I hope you've been paying attention, unlike some people…" Mr. Lockwood's eyes darted my way, burning a hole in my face. "Get to work."

Clare made her way over to my desk, carrying her chair and book. I got the sheet of essay questions from my backpack. Just as I started writing my name on the piece of paper, Clare pressed her cool hand on my wrist and stopped me. I looked up and she smiled.

"Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for, you know, saving my guts back there with Jake," She said sincerely. I smiled at her.

"Yeah, no problem. It's the least I could do. Especially since I want to graduate…alive this year," I joked. And Clare laughed. Even after what happened with Jake and all, she still laughed at something I said.

"Yeah," She chuckled. I looked at her and her perfect, pale cheeks turned red. We both smiled and continued with our work.

And this time, we managed not to piss off Mr. Lockwood.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I hate those days when you just want to sit and relax after school, but you have too many damn things to do, like wash the dishes (thanks, Bullfrog), clean my room (not cool, Cece) and a crapload of homework (I hate you, Degrassi). By the time I finished all those things, it was practically time to go to sleep. So there I lay, on my bed, in pair of black sweatpants and no shirt. Waiting to go to sleep. My hair was still kind of wet from the shower I just took and even more irritating, was the fact that my brain refused to shut down for the night and go to sleep.

I guess couldn't even if I tried, what with all that happened today. It was hard to try and tone things down with Clare, especially during English class.

Okay, I'll admit that my previous love for Clare had managed weasel their way back into my head and into my damn heart. I hated feeling this way, despite the fact Clare had crushed my heart last, when I'd totaled my beautiful car. I couldn't help it. I guess that maybe, I just belonged with her. I couldn't do anything about it because of the Jake situation. And even if she liked me, it was best I keep my distance from her…right?

Wrong.

This whole thing was gonna make my head explode unless I saw her and tried to talk to her about this mess. What I would give to NOT be in mess like this, especially with graduation and all, but I knew that if I didn't, it might get out of control and Jake would kill me. But trying to keep away from Clare (both physically and mentally) was harder than I thought. Giving in to my instincts, I got up, pulling on a black T-shirt and sneakers.

Slowly, I crept out of my room and grabbed my keys. As I made my way downstairs, I leaned over the railing. Huh, that's weird. My parents were asleep already. And it's only 11:40 at night. I shrugged, thankful for this opportunity. I slipped out of the door as quietly as I could and grabbed my bike. I pedaled as fast as I could and before I knew it…I was at Clare's. Jakes truck wasn't there, so Clare was alone. I locked my bike and looked for Clare's window. A light was emitting from the window brightly. Only problem is that it was on the second floor. I searched for a good way to get up there before Clare's parents see me and call the authorities, getting me arrested…again. Then I spotted it: the tall maple tree that was right next to her window. I sighed. Oh brother, what had I gotten myself into? I approach the tree and with another exasperated sigh, I started scaling it.

I hope this was worth the risk of possibly breaking my neck.

CLARE'S POV:

It was almost midnight and here I was, laying in my bed, still awake, bored out of my mind. Despite my mother's previous apology to me, she still ignored me in favor of Glen. She'd gone out with him again tonight, leaving me alone at home in the middle of the night.

"You're sixteen, Clare," She said. "You're perfectly capable of staying here on your own. I'll be back soon." She said that an hour and a half ago. And she still wasn't here. So, I'd changed into a pair of navy sweats and cotton white camis in an attempt to get comfortable and fall asleep. I couldn't, not only because of my mother, but because of what happened today. Jake hadn't been exactly one to converse with me today on the way home. And I'd just texted him. No response. I hated myself for feeling this way about Eli.

Yes, okay I liked him. Those feelings from last year had refused to fizz out from my heart. But I couldn't do anything about it. Somebody would get hurt either way. It was either gonna be Jake or Eli.

Thinking about all of this made my head hurt so much, that not even a hot shower could take it away. So, I picked up one of my favorite Fortnight books and began reading. I was already on chapter 3 when suddenly, I heard my window slide open. I bit my tongue down in an attempt to stop myself from screaming like a complete maniac. I grabbed one of my high heeled shoes, ready to beat the living daylights out of the person creeping through my window. I pulled the covers up to my face and prepared myself, when the perpetrator stepped into my room. I threw the shoe as hard as I could and nailed him right in the left shoulder. He let out a gasp of pain and stumbled back slightly.

"AH SHIT!" He yelled out, clutching his shoulder. Upon closer inspection of the trespasser did I realize that it was…

"Eli? Oh my gosh!" I scrambled out from under the covers and led him back to my bed, sitting him down. "Are you okay?"

Eli nodded, and the look of pure pain slowly ceased from his face. He managed a weak smile.

"So, what are you doing here? Sneaking into my house at midnight?" I asked.

"I just came to tell you something," He said, his pale cheeks turning pink.

"What?"

Clare…I think we need to tone down the "friend dates"…" He said, still clutching his shoulder. I felt pain and numb all at the same time around my chest.

"What are you talking about? I-If this is about Jake, then, don't let-why?" I stammered. I was wrong. My instincts were totally wrong. I felt like an idiot for thinking Eli liked me again.

"Clare…I like you too much," He suddenly admitted, not looking me in the eye. "So much, I felt stupid for even think I could deny those feelings. But I don't want to ruin anything between you and Jake. I'm the one who turned him into my "enemy". I don't want you to pay the price for my stupidity. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Eli, I…"I had no idea what to say. So I had been right. He did like me. The numbness in my chest relaxed and my head began to spin-in a good way. "I didn't know you felt that way. But what do you mean by "toning it down."

Eli didn't respond. I felt drawn to him, like a magnet. Capturing me with his gaze like a songbird, he grabbed my shoulders gently and pressed his forehead against mine.

Eli leaned in, hesitantly at first, but eventually found the courage to kiss me. I closed my eyes as I felt his lips against mine, softly at first. Chills roared down my spine and sent fireworks shooting. Electricity charged throughout my body and I could feel it from my toes all the way to my fingertips. Eli deepened his kiss, wrapping his arms around my waist, pressing his lips harder against mine. My fingers, numb from the shock, wrapped around his neck, playing with his curly, dark hair. I felt like capturing that moment and replaying it, living in it forever.

Eli and I eventually separated. I couldn't help but smile like a completely fool. Eli kissed me...and I'd let him. He smirked at me and got up, heading into towards the window.

"You know, Jake didn't say anything about not being friends with you," I said, as I watching him start out onto the window pane. He smiled at me.

"Yeah, but I still don't want to Jake to get upset," He explained.

"Then why'd you kiss me?"

"I just had to. I wanted to because I like you, Clare. I know it was wrong, but I couldn't help it. I needed to. So, do you think this could be our secret? Like I said, I want to leave Degrassi in one piece."

I nodded and watched at he slipped down the tree, got onto his bike and pedaled away into the night. Closing my window, I slid the window down and crawled back under the covers. I felt woozy and sleepy, so I switched my little reading light and lulled off to sleep, the memory of Eli's soft lips on mine. Even though Jake was my boyfriend, I would never regretted having Eli kiss me. And I would make sure no one found out about our little secret.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Yet, even in the deepest of slumbers, I felt little tears of guilt stream down my face. I had just done what I promised myself I wouldn't do:

I could hangout with Eli...as friends (even though my heart pounded whenever I saw him). But I never thought I would be one to actually...cheat.