Chapter 8: Kiss Me Better
Clare POV
I was really starting to get worried about Eli. After English class, he just disappeared. It's already lunch time and I've been looking for him everywhere. Usually he meets me at my locker right after fourth period. This may sound a bit harsh, but I was a bit disappointed when it was Alli who had greeted me at my locker.
"Clare, Eli's a big boy. I'm pretty sure he can handle himself," Alli assured me. Right, he's fine.
"I just can't help but be worried, you know? He's been planning revenge on Fitz ever since yesterday," I told her.
"I get it Clare, but you've got to learn how to trust him. Now come on, breathe in," she commanded. I took a deep breath. "Breathe out," she continued and I did just that. "Are you al – " I cut her off as I caught sight off Adam. I grabbed her hand and dragged her. "Clare!" she squeaked.
"Adam!" I shouted. He jumped slightly and turned around to face me.
"Hey Clare," he greeted uneasily. Great, he's nervous.
"Where's Eli?" I asked.
"I don't know where – " Alli and I blocked his way as he tried to get away.
"If he's doing anything bad you'd tell me, right?"
"You should just stay out of it," he replied in a stern voice. How can I?
"So he is doing something," Alli commented.
"Look, I don't know what he's going to do but it's going to be big. If he wants to deal with it this way, then let him," Adam nearly shouted. He's being defensive. He knows.
"Fine, we won't interfere but you better make sure that he doesn't get hurt," I hissed poking his chest in anger. If anything happens to Eli, I swear I will not be responsible for my actions.
"And if he does, you'll be dealing with my wrath," Alli tried to look tough by cracking her knuckles. Adam took a deep gulp and nodded his head quickly.
"Now, I know that you know exactly where he is. Go find him and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," I commanded. I saw something flash through his eyes. Oh he definitely knew.
"I can't make you guys any promises but I'll do what I can," he assured us before he walked away. Alli and I stood there with our arms crossed as we watched him walk away.
"You still don't think I should be worried?" I asked. Because I have every reason to be.
"Forget what I said because now even I'm worried," she replied. We sighed and decided to forget about it for now. She and I walked again, this time towards the cafeteria. I let out a huge sigh and decided to stop worrying myself about Eli. I guess I'll just have to trust his actions.
"How are you and Drew?" I finally asked. This is a good distraction.
"He's so frustrating, Clare. He doesn't want our relationship to be out in public but he likes it when we're confined to a room! I don't know what his problem is. Is he ashamed of me? Is it because I'm a year younger than him? I don't – " I shut her up by taking a hold of her arm.
"Look Alli, any guy would be lucky to have you. If Drew doesn't see that, then maybe he's not worth it. Be straight to him. Tell him that if he can't have you outside of a room, he can't have you at all," I told her. She shortly pondered my suggestion. As we took a seat in the cafeteria, she began to talk again.
"Thanks Clare," she smiled at me softly. "I'll talk to him about it. Maybe I could start by asking him to the dance at Above the Dot?" she asked me.
"That would be a good start. If he refuses to go with you, you'll know that something's up," I continued.
"You're really a great friend Clare," she stood up and gave me a hug.
"It's no problem Alli," I assured her, "Besides, it's the least I can do for you scheming on getting Eli and I together." Her mouth dropped open. I laughed wholeheartedly. Did they really think I was that stupid? Come on, I'm Clare Edwards.
"H-how'd you know about that?" she stuttered. I smirked at her. There's not much that I don't notice.
"I don't think it can get obvious enough. I've seen you and Eli hanging together and he actually lets you talk to him. Normally he'd make anyone else rather than me, Adam, and Sav leave him alone," I chuckled. That is actually true. He tends to be antisocial. "And occasionally Drew, just because he's Adam's stepbrother," I added.
Suddenly, her lips spread into a huge smile. "I see that you have no plan to contradict this?" she asked hopefully.
"Nope. None at all," I grinned at her.
"Oh my gosh! I knew it. You totally love him," she squealed from her seat happily.
"Who loves who?" Dave asked as he, Wesley, and Conner slipped into the table with us.
"None of your business," she snapped at him. She grabbed a hold of my arm and dragged me to an empty table. I giggled all the way there. "So tell me, when did this happen?" she asked curiously, her eyes sparking with excitement and happiness.
"Yesterday," I told her with a dreamy smile, as I recalled yesterday's event.
"What happened?" I went on to tell her everything from Ms. Oh all the way to the hug that made me realize what I really felt. I had described about how warm and homey Eli felt. I told her how my heart would skip a beat every time he does things that show me that he really cares. "Clare, he's totally in love with you too!" she exclaimed.
"I doubt that," I murmured negatively.
"Stop thinking so low of yourself!" she chastised. "Anyone would be lucky to fall in love with you, but I'm particularly ecstatic that Eli had," she grinned.
"How do you know that?" I asked curiously. I doubt that he'd like a girl like me.
"No guy would ever give a girl something of theirs unless they wanted the girl to think about him twenty four seven. Think about it, he gave you the headphones whenever your parents would fight. That can also mean that he wants you to know that he's there with you even in your greatest time of need," she told me in a rush. I blushed slightly.
"I never thought about it that way," I mused. Maybe he does like me. Maybe.
"That's got to be the sweetest thing that I've heard a guy do," she sighed dreamily, "If only Drew was more like that. You're lucky to have a guy that cares."
"But what if that's just it? He just cares," I spat out the word grudgingly.
"I doubt that it's just that," Alli gave me a pointed look. Soon enough the lunch bell rang, and so we both gathered our things to go to P.E. When class started, I was disappointed to see that Eli wasn't here either. The class passed by slowly, much to my liking. My next class passed by just as slow. I just really wanted to see Eli again.
I walked to my locker and put the stuff I didn't need. As I closed it, Eli was leaning against the lockers casually. "You're here," I smiled softly. I felt my nerves calm down. "Where were you the whole day?" I pressed.
"Chill out Clare, I just had to take care of something," he smirked tossing something in his hand. I recognized it to be the skull that Fitz had ripped off from his car.
"Nothing stupid, right?" I asked.
"Promise," he held out one hand.
"You didn't get hurt?"
"Nope. Not a single scratch. See?" he stated pointing to himself.
Looking behind Eli, I saw Fitz and two others flanking him as he walked towards Eli and I. Eli turned around to see what I was looking at and smirked even more. What's wrong with him? He understands that he can get beat up, right?
"What's up my brother?" Fitz said coolly, bumping fists with Eli. "And sister," he added before walking down the hall, disappearing.
I turned to Eli, confused. So they're all buddy, buddy now? Last time I remembered, they were enemies. "You two sure seemed to have settled your differences," I commented I confusion.
"We just had a little talk," he replied before walking by my side. Something about his tone of voice made me know that there was more to it than just a talk. He's keeping something from me.
"And Adam?" I asked.
"Is fine," he answered in a fake groan. "Don't you trust me?" he asked with a smirk. Great, we're back to smirks again.
"I do it's just….. you won't get hurt right?" He better not get hurt.
"I promise and neither will Adam. Let's just say that if everything goes according to plan, Fitz will never bother anyone again," he answered devilishly. According to plan?
"Wait, there's more to this?" I asked with an exasperated sigh.
"Look Clare, our bully has crossed the line. I'm not going to let that go so easily," he replied coldly before he walked ahead of me. I didn't think that he wanted me to follow. I felt my stomach drop as I realized that he had left me. Knowing that no one was around, I let out a groan of frustration and began walking home. God forgive me, but… that bastard!
Today was completely different. He just wasn't there at all! I looked for him in the morning but he wasn't there. Fitz hadn't gone to school either. I was seriously getting worried. English class came around and he didn't show up either. After my fourth period, I had just finished putting stuff in my locker when I decided that I'm going to go talk to Mr. Simpson. When I get worried, I take it to a whole new level. On my way to his office, I collided into someone. Eli! Thank God.
"Where have you been all morning? I was getting worried," I shot at him. I took one good look at him and groaned. "So much for non-violence," I muttered. I took a step closer to him and lightly touched the cut on his lip. He also had a small bruise on his cheekbone, just below his eye. God help me, because if I see Fitz I will not hesitate to murder him. I took a deep breath to contain my anger and then pulled my hand away. "What happened?" I asked.
He seemed to have just pulled out from a daze. I internally smirked, but I pursed my lips instead. "Fitz and I got into a brawl and the cops had to break it up. Fitz just coincidentally had the fake ID of a Canada's Top Ten Wanted criminal. Oops," he smirked, obviously pleased with himself.
"You got him arrested?" I asked in disbelief. He's taken this way too far.
"Yeah, but they'll let him go right after they figure out that he just has a fake ID. Worse comes to worse, he gets fined for a fake ID possession," he replied coolly. It's not that easy!
"And if it goes to court?" I'm sure that one got him off guard, but he easily got a response.
"It's his word against mine," he answered. I was seriously about to yell at him for all I've got until Fitz walked towards us.
"Job well done Eli. You really got me," he said sarcastically.
"You understand that the ID was for novelty purposes only, right?" Eli teased. God, can you please knock some sense into this boy? I honestly thinks that he wants to die.
"I'll have to tell that to the judge," Fitz shrugged, acting as if everything was alright, but I could hear the cold, hard anger behind his voice.
"I hope you learned your lesson," Eli smirked. Idiot. Of course not!
"Too bad for you I'm a slow learner," Fitz scoffed. He walked away from us, but not before shoving Eli back with his shoulder. Eli just stood there and took it with a stupid smirk plastered onto his face.
"Now what?" I asked him in frustration.
"I'm in his head. Right where I want to be," he replied with a glint in his eye.
"You're hopeless," I groaned and began to walk away but he didn't let me. Instead, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back.
"Come on, Clare! Give me some credit," he told me with slight anger in his voice.
"Wow, great Eli. Nice job!" I said sarcastically with the roll of my eyes.
"What's your problem?" he snapped at me. Did he just snap at me?
"This," I touched his lip again, "this," I added, lightly touching the small bruise on his cheekbone. "Those are my problem!" I shouted at him.
"Yeah, I got hurt. Big deal. Fitz deserves this!" he shot at me. But you don't!
"But you don't deserve getting hurt," I replied with a sigh. "You promised me that you wouldn't get hurt," I whispered, on the verge of tears. I can't believe I'm crying in front of him. So much for being subtle.
"Clare, don't cry. I'm sorry for yelling at you and being an idiot," he murmured, his voice now softer. I nodded, assuring him that it was fine. I shut my eyes closed and tried to restrain the tears.
"Do they hurt?" I asked with a raspy voice. This boy is going to be the death of me.
"They won't if you kiss it better," he smirked. Hesitantly, I cupped his face and pulled him down to my level. I can't believe I'm doing this. His eyes widened as he realized that I was really going to do it. "C-Clare you don't – " I cut him off with a hush.
"I swear Eli, the next time you get hurt, I'll be the one to help you heal and then inflict more pain onto you," I threatened him. He nodded.
Slowly, I leaned in to his face and placed a light kiss on the bruise placed on his cheekbone. Not wanting to see his reaction, I dropped my gaze from his eyes down to his lips. I can't believe that his lips are damaged. I touched his lips once more, hoping that the cut would go away, before leveling my lips with his. My eyes fluttered closed as I closed the distance between us.
"BRRRRRRRIIIIING!"
I jumped and pulled away from Eli. Soon enough, the hallways were being filled my Degrassi students. "Damn it," I heard Eli curse.
"I'll see you?" I asked nervously. Way too close! I began to walk away but for the second time today, Eli pulled me back. My body was pressed up against him, his arms around my waist. We were almost in the same position that we were once in back in the dot, except this time, I knew that neither of us were going to pull away.
"You haven't kissed my lip better yet," he breathed before landing a kiss on my lips. I brought my arms around his neck and melted into the kiss. I vaguely heard the whistles surrounding us and Alli's loud squeal. My fingers fumbled with the bottom of Eli's hair as he tightened his grip around my waist. His lips are so soft.
I heard a cough so I pulled away from the kiss, not really wanting to. I was met with emerald green eyes that were lit up with happiness. I bit my lip shyly and realized that some of the blood had transferred onto my lips. Eli's lips quirked up into a smirk.
"Ms. Edwards, Mr. Goldsworthy, detention," Mr. Simpson said. I jumped as I heard him talk. He handed us detention slips and began walking away. "I am too old to deal with this," I heard him mutter. I couldn't help but let out a giggle.
"Are you mad?" Eli joked, "I mean, I did just get you another detention."
"It's worth it," I smiled at him. It was way more than worth it.
"Whoo!" I heard Alli shout. "Come on Adam! Pay up!" she demanded as she had her hand outstretched to Adam. Adam muttered a string of profanities under his breath.
"We have such awesome friends," Eli joked in a sarcastic tone as his arm wrapped around my waist. I snuggled into his touch.
"Are you feeling better now?" I asked with a grin.
"So much better"
