Adam's POV
My mother didn't say a word. That was so not, her. I'm online right now. I get a message from Clare.
"Are you able to talk on the phone?"
"As of now."
She calls me. "Hey Clare."
"What happened?"
I turn on my music, so that no one hears me talking to her. "I listened to Drew's messages and he was trying to hook up with Bianca. He offered to eat her out and he said he wanted her to be his girlfriend. I texted him from her phone, so when he went down the boiler room, he got me instead. I sucker punched him and we started brawling. He ran out like a bitch and I chased him, but he just got in his car and tried to drive off. I kicked it as he was running and now there's a huge dent."
"You kicked your parents' car because you're mad at Drew?"
"Well, it's actually Drew's car, even though they have certain rules about it. His name's on the title. Anyway, Bianca found me, cleaned me up, and after I walked her home, we had sex. We didn't plan on it, but we just needed each other for that moment."
"Were you safe?"
"Yeah. We were and it didn't break. I checked."
"Well, I hope you and your dad can work this out since I think he might be the only levelheaded one. Maybe you could work for him after school to pay off the cost of the dent, and you should probably talk to Bianca about what type of birth control you'd like to use in the future, so that you're ready."
"I didn't want to just leave her alone after, but I'm pretty sure my mom would have killed me if she found me there today."
"Just call her now, while you still can."
"See you tomorrow Clare."
I give Bianca a call.
Clare's POV
I hope they go easy on Adam. He got in a fight and kicked his brother's car, but even I think Drew deserved it at this point, and I hate fighting. I got a message from Eli.
"Did you hear from Adam again?"
"I called him. He might be on the phone with Bianca now. He hasn't heard his punishment as of yet."
"I don't know why Adam fought Drew, but I bet Drew deserved it."
"He did."
"This is coming from the pacifist."
"I'm a pacifist not a doormat!"
"Everyone has their limits."
"I do."
I'm glad Eli and I can go back to bantering and not have to have this awkward situation with Fitz anymore. He and Jenna are good together. It's too early to say for Fitz and Alli, but I am hopeful.
"HELEN LEAVE ME ALONE!" I hear my dad shouting.
"I gotta go Eli. Family stuff."
I run out my room and find my mom crying. I don't know why my dad's so angry, but I grab my mom and bring her into my room. I locked the door. I don't want whatever's going on to get violent.
I tried to ask my mom what happened, but she collapsed in my arms and started sobbing. I hold her to me and tell her it's going to be okay. She should stay in here until he calms down. She says that she's not hurt, but she didn't tell me what happened to start the argument. I'm not sure if I want to hear it anyway.
Eventually, she goes back to her room, and Dad was asleep. I hope this doesn't happen again, but I have the feeling it will.
I had a missed call from Owen. "Is everything alright?" he asked me.
"No. My dad flipped on my mom today. I had to lock us both in my room. I've never seen him like this. He was like a monster or something."
"Did he hurt you or your mom?"
"He didn't touch me and Mom said she wasn't hurt, but she didn't tell me what happened before I heard him screaming at her."
"Leave your window open," he tells me. I open my window and lock my door.
About 30 minutes later, he climbs through it, sliding across my bed. I fall into his arms.
Owen's POV
I wasn't going to let anything happen to Clare or her mom tonight. I could hear from her voice that she was shaking. I wanted to punch Randall right now for making Clare so scared.
I held Clare in my arms and kissed her to try and distract her from everything, the kiss needy and tender. I can smell the tears that are on her shirt. My lips hit her neck and her jaw line and I unbutton her blouse, letting it fall off her. She moans into the kiss and she starts fumbling with my shirt. I reach out with my arms to make it easier. I pulled of her skirt, and she moves to take off my pants. I don't want this to go too far. I know she's upset and I want her to feel better, but I don't want her to regret this in the morning. I pull her into my arms and hold her against my chest. I start leaving kisses on her neck and shoulder. I held her until she fell asleep.
When I woke up, it was early morning and I had to go before anyone saw me. I kissed Clare on the lips and then I climbed out of her window. I went to my car and headed home. I had to get ready for school anyway.
Helen's POV
I don't know what to do about Randall anymore. He needs help and the more I try to help him, the angrier he gets. I wish Glen was here right now. I know he wouldn't let Randall hurt me, but if he knew I was confiding in Glen about our problems, he'd get even angrier. Glen's been such a good friend. It can't be easy for him to listen to me ramble about this stuff, but I need someone right now, and Clare's just too young. I can't burden her with this.
Clare's POV
I felt Owen kiss me goodbye, but I didn't want to open my eyes. When I finally did, I was all alone. I took a shower and got ready for school. My dad was gone already and my mom seemed so out of it. I asked her if she and Dad were getting a divorce. She just looked at me and said, "I don't know. I don't know anything anymore." I made scrambled eggs and put them on toast. After eating, I started my walk to school. I saw Adam on his bike when I get there. I guess he and Drew still aren't speaking. He asked me how I was doing. "I don't think my night fared much better than yours," I tell him.
"Meet after school. My parents technically haven't grounded me yet."
"The Dot."
I head into class. Eli asks me why I disappeared all of the sudden. I say I'll tell him later.
"The Dot." Well, I guess it's a party now.
K.C. tries to pass a note to Jenna, but she doesn't pick it up, so Miss. Dawes does. "Did you write this K.C.?"
"No," he lies.
"Then I will read it. 'Please, Jenna take me back. I am sorry.' If you are going to write love notes during class, then I expect something a bit more sophisticated than this."
Damn! She's not in a good mood today. She's usually nice. I guess she's sick of the drama. Who isn't?
When I get to math, Alli's all bubbly. Something about Fitz bringing her a trinket or something. I smile, but I'm honestly too panicked about my parents to get excited for her.
At lunch, Owen takes my hand in his. "Sorry about not being around this morning. I had to take my little brother to school since he missed his bus."
"Don't worry about that. Thanks for coming over last night."
"He came over last night?" Alli was staring at me.
It wasn't like that.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Those words haunt me now. I look over and Jenna is still fussing with K.C.
"Please Jenna. I love you."
"Why don't you go love on Marisol some more? I've moved on." She grabbed Eli and kissed him in front of everybody.
K.C. just stormed off.
Chantay came over and said to leave Marisol out of it.
"Why? She's a ho!"
"You say this as you sit with Bianca."
"Bianca goofed up once. Marisol was my friend and she was fucking him for weeks. She's a ho!"
This led to a huge argument during lunch. Alli and Bianca shared an awkward glance with each other, like at least we're not this bad.
Eventually, other girls came and encouraged Chantay to return to her table.
Drew's POV
Why do girls cause so much trouble? Marisol, Bianca. They're like serpents. I still can't believe Mom and Dad haven't punished Adam yet for what he did to my car or my face. How am I supposed to move on from Alli with a black eye and a dent in my car. No girl wants that.
Also, I'm sick of bitches staring at my eye. They need to mind their own business.
"What happened to your face?" Zane asked me.
"Shut up!"
"He got beat up by Adam!" Riley laughs.
"Shut up QB2."
"Hey, I got my football scholarship. Why risk getting hurt in high school games? Will you even get into college with your grades."
Now the whole tables laughing.
"Shut up!"
"Or what? You gonna swing at me. I can beat you up. Zane could probably beat you up. Adam most certainly will beat you up. You're a bitch. Maybe Alli could beat you up."
That's it. I lunged at Riley across the table and I drilled him in the face. That was the only hit I got in. He threw me to the ground and started kicking me. Shit! This was dumb on my part.
Miss. Oh came over and we both got sent to Simpson's office.
Simpson's POV
I was about to break for lunch when Miss. Oh came in with Drew and Riley.
"The football season is over. What is it now?"
"He attacked me first," said Riley. "He just got the worse of it."
"How do you have a black eye so fast?" I ask him.
"He got beat up, by his little brother." Riley laughs.
"Shut it Stavros."
"Riley, you have detention for retaliating. Get out of here."
"Drew. You know better than to start fights. In school suspension for the rest of the day and I'm calling your parents."
"Yes sir," he grumbled as he got his books.
I did not want to call Audra, so I called Omar. "Hello, Mr. Torres. This is Principal Simpson. There was a fight involving Drew and … no not Adam. Drew got into a fight with Riley Stavros….. I don't know what it was over, but Drew started it so he's serving an in school suspension and Riley has detention…. I'm sure Audra will want to talk to me about it. I'll be in my office for the rest of the business day…. You too."
Ugh! I hope Audra is busy today. Maybe I should just take a swig of bourbon or three before I talk to her.
Clare's POV
I found Zane during my free period. Sometimes we do homework together during it, since he's not so good at math and I'm in the advanced class. I asked him what happened today, and he said Riley was taunting Drew for getting beat up by Adam, so Drew lunged at him and punched him. The fight earned Riley a detention and Drew an in school suspension.
I shook my head. "Fighting is so dumb."
"Tell me about it. I thought the feud would be done with once football season ended, but those two testosterone-riddled idiots are still going at it."
"Maybe it's unresolved sexual tension," I joke. Zane is not amused. "Sorry."
"Don't joke like that. I already know Drew is easy. I don't need him creeping on my boyfriend."
I snicker. "Well, I think he's learned his lesson with creeping on taken people. He went for Bianca after she got with Adam. That's why Adam beat him up."
"I figured. You busy after school?"
"I'm going to be at the Dot with Eli and Adam, discussing my parents' issues."
"Ugh! Well if you want to talk, you know how to find me."
After class, Eli drove me and Adam to the Dot. I get a large fry, knowing I have two moochers and a chocolate milkshake. Eli looks at me. "I don't do strawberry."
We sit down and I explain what happened with my parents last night and my conversation with my mom this morning.
"I've been to your house several times, and I've never seen your dad," Eli tells me.
"I know. He says he's at work all the time, but I don't know. Maybe he's having an affair or something."
"And they were fine before you moved?" Adam asked me.
"They seemed great, as always. Dad got a promotion and a transfer so we moved. We bought a nicer house. Everyone seemed happy. I was happy to get away from my ex and his jerky friends who failed their senior year and had to repeat."
"You dated a senior last year?" Eli asks me.
"Well, every freshman gets a mistake. Johnny DiMarco was mine."
Adam snickers at that. "Man, our families are like imploding on us. You better knock on wood Eli."
He knocked on the table. "What the hell happened to your brother during lunch?"
Adam shrugs. I tell them what Zane told me.
"People knew I gave him the black eye?"
"People saw you chasing him calling him a punk yesterday."
Eli laughed.
Bianca's POV
Adam's with Clare and Eli right now, so I'm just loitering behind school. I'm about to roll a joint when I see Jenna.
"Shouldn't you be at power squad?"
"We don't have any more practices until we get closer to the next athletic season."
"Where are your friends?"
"Probably kissing Marisol's fat ass!"
I snicker. "So you thought you'd rebel by hanging out here with me."
"I think dating Eli is enough of a rebellion. I dare date the goth guy and not the football player."
"OOOHHHH You're a revolutionary."
"Outcast is more like it, but I don't care anymore. Being friends with them got me nowhere."
"And you think I'll get you somewhere?"
"No, but you won't pretend. I'll take that."
I roll the joint and light it.
"Aren't you afraid of getting in trouble?" she asks me.
"No!" I pass it to her. She takes a hit.
"That tastes funny."
"It sure ain't chocolate."
Fitz climbs up and he smokes some too. "Eli's gonna be pissed. He's missing the weed and his girlfriend."
"Well, his loss." We finish the j and hang around for a while. Then, Fitz drives us both home. He probably shouldn't drive high, but he has been for a while, and he hasn't had a problem yet, so whatever.
Adam's POV
I hope Clare doesn't have to move if her parents split up. That would suck. Maybe she can help them get on track. "I have an idea."
Eli and Clare look at me. Oh, I should probably say it.
Maybe you should arrange for a romantic dinner for your parents on Friday. While they're out, we could snoop and see if we can find out what their problem is. We could try and save their marriage.
Eli's all for it. Clare's not so sure. "What if we get caught or we find something really bad?"
"Well, Eli and I can snoop and if it's too terrible, we just won't tell you."
Surprisingly, she agrees to that. We come up with a plan, order her mom flowers and say they're from her father and make them dinner reservations at the fancy French place Bordeaux at the edge of town. It will take them some time to get there and back, plus the dinner, so we should have plenty of time.
After the Dot, Clare walks home and Eli gives me a ride because I live further away.
When I get home, Mom is pissed. "Where have you been?"
"The Dot with Eli and Clare."
"Are they together?"
"No. She's with Owen, and he's with Jenna. We were just studying together."
"This fighting needs to STOP IMMEDIATELY"
"I didn't even fight him today. It's not my fault he decked Riley at lunch."
"It is too," Drew hissed.
Dad told us both to be quiet. "I have had it with your brawling. I arranged for you both to do some work for the clinic this Saturday, as you will be doing every Saturday until you make back the money for the car dent."
"WHAT!" Drew yells. "But Adam kicked it, not me."
"Well, you shouldn't have tried to get with his girlfriend, and I don't want a girl coming between you anyway. You two are brothers and you will act like it even if it kills you."
"Yes sir," we grumble as we go to our rooms. Well, this sucks, but it could be worse. At least I can take out Bianca Saturday night.
Friday
Owen's POV
I'm a shoo in for captain. I'm clearly the best wrestler they have, and the two seniors on the team are both lightweights who would have been bench warmers if they weren't going up against newbie wrestlers.
Since I haven't really seen much of Clare this week, I'm taking her out to dinner tonight for one of my favorite meals, chicken and waffles and for a night of early winter fun. We got an early snow blanket the other day and it's still here. It should melt over the weekend, so I want to enjoy it while it's here.
I can't believe this time last week was so different: I wasn't even with Clare. Drew and Alli seemed just fine as did K.C. and Jenna and Marisol and Mo. Eli and Fitz were feuding over Clare and Adam was pining for Bianca. Now, none of those things are true. Rumor has it that Drew's taking out Marisol tonight. Well, with their track records that should be an interesting event.
I went home after class to shower and shave and I packed my vampire outfit in case things get steamy. When I get to Clare's house, her parents are just pulling out the driveway which is not a surprise. What was a surprise was that Bianca answered Clare's door. "She's getting ready and her parents think we're doing a girls night out with Jenna."
"What? Why?"
"Because my boyfriend has some crazy scheme which has us all here."
Us? Then I heard another car pull up. It was Eli and Adam. "Hey Owen."
"What are y'all doing?"
"We're doing a favor for Clare. Don't worry about it. Go on your date."
I have no idea what they are all planning, but that's Clare's business. She comes downstairs, looking sexy as always. She's showing a fair bit of cleavage which I like.
She kisses my cheek and then says, "Shall we?"
I take her with me and we're off.
I ask her if her parents have been fighting, and she says no more yelling, but the house is always tense, especially when he comes home at like 9PM or later.
"Is he in a biglaw firm because they get really busy."
"No. It's more of a boutique firm. I don't know he's so busy."
I shrug and I play Vampire Weekend.
"I love them," she tells me.
"They don't even sing about vampires."
"I like their music. The name is just a fringe benefit."
I shake my head. We're almost there.
Jenna's POV
Should we be snooping in Clare's parents' house?
"We should start with their bedroom and the study," says Adam. "Marriages get in trouble because of affairs or money, so those two rooms are probably going to tell us the most about their relationship. Also, their laptops if we can get on them."
Eli goes with me to the study and Adam and Bianca go upstairs. Eli starts by taking pictures. "What are you doing?" I ask him.
"We want to put everything back exactly as we found it."
"Oh!" that's smart. He starts with the drawers. He mumbles about what he finds. "Checkbooks, bank statements, contracts. This all looks normal. No huge losses or anything."
He looks under the desk. "I think this is a false panel." We go down and remove it. There's a clear baggie with white powder. "Now this could ruin any marriage."
"Is that drugs?"
"My guess is coke. Well, that explains his explosive temper. This stuff will make you crazy." Eli took a picture and put it back.
We look around the rest of the room but we don't find any more drugs. We did, however, find a drug scale which Eli also photographed and we made sure everything was exactly how we found it.
We go upstairs and Adam is on their laptop. "She e-mails this Glen Martin guy a lot."
"You don't think he's related to Jake Martin," Bianca asks.
"Probably a common last name, but they talk about meeting for lunch and it was nice to catch up and they should do it again."
"Anything racier?"
"No. It could be platonic, but I don't know. They are clearly familiar with each other."
"Maybe there are pictures of him." Bianca gets open one of the family albums. I peruse it with her. We see little Clare and an older girl who must be her sister. The family looks happy. Oh! They have a Christmas photo with Peter. I go back to the older photographs and I see Clare, her sister and her parents with another couple and a boy. I take this one out. On the back it says, family outing with the Martins. This must be Glen. The boy looks like Clare's age. Jake?
We have a bunch of questions for Clare now as well as information to share with her. Adam copied the e-mails to show to Clare later. We log off her mother's computer and put everything back as we found it.
We all go out for pizza and discuss what all we found.
