A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but thank you for all the reviews. I went through a slight writer's block phase but i'm back on track and more updates should be posted soon! Thank you again, for reading!
Chapter 9 - Wednesday
Clare
I had been getting weird looks as I passed students in the hallway for the past two days but today it was different. They were acknowledging the fact that I was with Eli now, and I guess by association I was no longer a social zero.
I smiled when I saw him waiting for me, his arms crossed in front of him as he leaned against the row of lockers. "Good morning" he said cheerily before placing a kiss on my lips.
"Good morning" I replied with the same stupid grin.
I could get used to showing up to my locker everyday with him waiting for me. It was the perfect way to start my day.
"So I was thinking…" he said as I opened up my locker.
"Today we do lunch, just the two of us. We'll sit in Morty, listen to music. It'll be fun"
I laughed, knowing he had a lunch for the two of us all planned out. "Yeah that sounds good, I'll just let Adam know and it's all us" I said closing my locker and facing him.
"Walk me to class?" I asked hopefully and he nodded before taking my hand in his.
"I can't help but notice all of the staring…but I don't feel like I did before. These aren't disapproving glares like usual." I said as we walked down the hallway together.
"Everyone suddenly realized how beautiful you are." He said quickly and I looked at him, unamused.
"Hey that's my theory and I'm sticking to it." He said hiding a smile.
"Although I don't exactly believe you, thanks" I felt the blush appear and he laughed, grazing my cheek with the side of his hand.
"You're adorable when you blush, you know that?" his words only made me blush more and he laughed as we reached my classroom.
"Alright, your stop! Have fun." He mused with sarcasm obvious in his tone.
"Yeah, you too." I said as I leaned up to give him a kiss. "Bye." I said catching one more glance of him before heading into class.
"Someone looks happy" Adam said wiggling his eyebrows. I sat down beside him and laughed.
"Yeah I guess I am." I said realizing that things with Eli were seemingly perfect. Then I remembered what Eli had told me the night before about Adams feelings for me and the smile quickly faded.
"Well, I'm glad. You deserve to be happy for once." Adam said with the most genuine smile. Why did I have to make Eli tell me it was him?
"Thanks" I said getting out my things for class.
When I looked up I saw a girl with red hair, the same girl from a week ago that was all over Eli in the hallway. She was standing before me, with an expectant look on her face, as if I knew what she was doing here.
"Can I help you?" I asked, confused.
I looked at Adam who just shrugged his shoulders, waiting to hear what the girl had to say as well.
"You're dating Eli now, right?" she asked, her eyes not leaving mine. I nodded "Yeah" I said with a raised eyebrow.
She stood thinking for a minute before looking at me again. "I'm not saying this because I want him or whatever…" she said twirling a fire red strand of hair between her fingers.
"But you seem like a nice girl and I'm just warning you before you get caught up in his lies and end up hurt."
I sat silently, what did she expect me to say?
"He's a player, Clare. You can't believe a thing Eli says. He will just sleep with you then leave you."
I stared at her. Really, what did she expect me to say? Of course I couldn't believe a word that came from her mouth. I only knew her as the girl all over Eli just a few days ago.
"Thanks, I'll take that into consideration." I said dryly. She smiled and tilted her head to the side, clearly not picking up my uncooperative attitude.
"Us girls have to stick together" she winked at me before saying a quick goodbye and walking out into the hallway before I had a chance to say anything in return.
I looked at Adam, still unsure of what just happened. "That was…strange." He said finally.
I shrugged my shoulders. "I've seen her with Eli before and he didn't give her a second look."
I thought of the time I had seen the two of them together. How she was all over him. Playing with her hair and touching him for no reason, obviously some heavy flirting on her part. But I also remember his reaction to all of that. He stood stiff beside her, polite but obviously disinterested in what she had to say. Did she even know Eli well enough to make such accusations?
Adam just looked at me with a look that I knew so well. He was worried about me, I could tell. But he had no reason to be. Eli and I were happy and I didn't see that changing anytime soon.
Eli
I leaned against the back doors of Morty, waiting for Clare. I had this lunch all planned. I needed to step up my game. Things with Clare needed to be a tad more intimate than they had been in the past. The clock was ticking, the days going by fast. And soon my two weeks will be up.
I saw her approaching, a bright smile placed on her lips. She waved as she came closer and looked at Morty.
"We're eating lunch in the back of a hearse?" she asked incredulously.
"Scared?" I teased and he narrowed her eyes.
"Scared? No. Grossed out? A little…" She said trying to take a peek inside the hearse.
"It's not so bad…" I said before pulling the door open.
I nodded for her to enter get in and after a hesitant pause she climbed in, sitting down at the very back, leaning against the other side of front seats.
"Are you joining me or am I eating lunch alone?" she teased as I stood watching her. I laughed and rolled my eyes before jumping in and closing the hearse door behind me.
Clare
Eli had made us both sandwiches and brought cookies and juice. I loved that he could make me feel so special by giving me something I had always found boring, growing up.
"That was really good. I haven't had peanut butter and jelly since I was a kid." I said placing my hand on his knee as we sat side by side in the dark hearse.
I could make out the faint blush on his cheeks and I smiled, I liked that I had this effect on him.
"Well I'm glad you liked it." He said with a satisfying grin.
We sat in silence for a minute, our eyes not leaving each other's and I felt heat begin to rise in my stomach as I tried to keep my breathing normal.
"You have something…" I said pointing just below his lip. A blatant lie and I think he knew. He wiped at it carelessly and waited for my approval. "Better?" he asked his voice low.
"Not really, I'll help." I said moving forward and kissing his lower lip. I looked up and saw that his eyes were closed. I took this as a sign that he enjoyed it and I debated with myself whether or not to continue.
It's just kissing. What's so bad about that?
I smiled to myself and kissed him with urgency, my arms moving around his neck and his hands sliding down to my waist.
"Wow" he said out of breath as the kiss broke. He smiled and kissed my forehead as I watched his chest rise and fall quickly. He wanted this as much as I did.
I pushed him onto his back and moved so my legs were on each side of him.
I couldn't believe what I was doing. But I felt different than I ever had. I wasn't scared or anxious. I was safe with, Eli.
"Umm, what are you doing?" he asked confused.
I looked down at him and kissed him quickly before pulling away. "Can't I kiss my boyfriend?" I asked in what I knew was the most innocent voice.
"Of course you can. Come back…" he said with a smile, reaching up to pull my lips back to his.
It was perfect. Being together in Morty, as much as it creeped me out…it was peaceful and made our time together so much better. Kissing Eli had become one of my favorite pastimes.
My lips travelled down to his neck and I heard a small moan escape Eli's lips and his arms slid up my legs, resting at my waist.
And then the peaceful moment was gone.
I heard a loud thud, faint voices and suddenly the hearse filled with a burst of light as the door swung open.
"Shit!" Eli muttered and I looked up to almost too many familiar faces.
My cheeks turned a bright shade of red, and I quickly left my spot on Eli's lap.
"Well, didn't expect to find this." Jenna said in her droning voice.
"I'm so used to finding you back here napping or eating alone…I didn't think…" Drew began to say to Eli and I saw the others behind him begin to mumble under their breath and share small laughs.
My eyes caught KC who just stared back, his expression bewildered as he took in the sight of my tousled hair and pink lips.
Eli looked over to me and ran a hand through his hair. "You guys ever heard of knocking?" Eli said with annoyance in his voice.
"Yeah sorry about that…" Drew said. "I guess we'll leave you two alone." He said wiggling his eyebrows in Eli's direction.
I shook my head. I was absolutely humiliated. "No, it's okay. Lunch is almost over. You guys stay. Eli, I'll see you later." I said quickly, sliding out the back of the hearse.
I could feel the eyes on me as I walked across the parking lot.
I had never been caught doing anything like that. In fact, I had never done anything like that before and there it was on display. I felt my body shake as I neared the school, humiliation was never something I could really handle.
I took one last look back and saw Eli watching as I walked away.
Did that really just happen?
I was wondering the halls as I had been doing for the past 10 minutes. Normally I wouldn't think about sneaking out of class but I needed to think. So I told Mr. Simpson that I had to use the washroom and still hadn't managed to bring myself back to the classroom. I passed by Eli's history class and took a quick peek into the window to see what he was doing. Maybe I just needed someone to talk to right now.
Through the glass I spotted Eli, his head leaning down on his crossed arms on the desk in front of him. Was he seriously sleeping in class?
I rolled my eyes and stomped off. Why was I so mad all of a sudden?
"Hey! Wait up!" I heard someone call from behind me.
I turned around to see KC walking hurriedly towards me. Maybe that's why I was in such a bad mood; it's as if my body prematurely sensed he would soon be in my presence.
"Not in the mood, KC." I said simply, continuing down the hallway. I picked up my pace, wishing I hadn't gone for this stupid walk and stayed in class instead.
I felt KC's hand on my shoulder and he pulled me back to look at him.
"Please, Clare…will you just listen for a second?"
I shrugged his hand off of me. "Fine. What do you want?" I asked my voice quick.
"Just…what we walked in on earlier…" KC began to say and I felt myself flush. Embarrassment washed over me. Of course none of them would just be able to forget what they saw.
"You should know he's like this with every girl. He's sweet charming Eli until they sleep with him then they don't get as much as a phone call afterwards." He explained.
And I scoffed at the irony.
"First, I don't believe a word coming from your mouth and even if that were the case, this time it's different. I'm not having sex until I get married and he knows that."
KC laughed. "Well based on what I saw in the back of that hearse you aren't exactly headed down the path towards a celibate relationship, Clare."
I ignored him, because he was kind of right. What they saw didn't exactly show me as the good girl Clare everyone knew.
"And second. Why should I consider anything you have to say after what you did to me?" I asked finally and he stayed quiet.
We stood silently for a minute, both of us staring at each other. I could still see a glimpse of the boy that told me I was "so much more" than the smart one.
"Because I may not have been the best person this past year, but you have. I don't want to watch you get hurt again when this time I can stop it."
I thought of how Eli made me feel. The sincerity in his words, the vulnerability in his voice at times, it wasn't an act.
"KC, your intentions are good but you just…don't see Eli the way I do, I'm sorry." I said before turning away and making my exit, heading back to class; where I should have stayed.
Eli
I walked beside Drew as he talked on about Bianca. Bianca said this, Bianca did that. It's all I ever heard.
I craned my neck around the sea of students that flooded the hall, looking for Clare.
"Am I boring you?" Drew said sarcastically as I continued looking ahead. "You're not even listening to me…" he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"Yeah you were saying something about Bianca…I heard." I said rolling my eyes.
"Then what did I say?" he challenged, with a smug grin.
I shook my head. Well played. "Fine, I wasn't listening. I'm trying to find Clare. I don't want to leave today without talking to her after what happened."
"Things were getting pretty heated, huh?" Drew said elbowing me with a teasing smile.
I shook my head, trying to hide my own smirk.
"I guess, I just don't want her to be freaked out by my entire group of friends walking in on us." I said harshly and Drew just laughed in response.
"I really am sorry. That wasn't cool of us. I really didn't think that would have been a possibility of what was awaiting us behind that door."
I shrugged my shoulders. Not knowing what to say. I tried to pretend like I had never made that stupid bet but it was slowly coming up to haunt me. All I had to do was fully execute this plan. I care about Clare and if she were to ever find out about the bet she would never speak to me again. If I just won the bet then this could all be kept a little secret and be swept under the rug. She would never have to know.
Would I feel guilty? Of course. I feel nothing but guilt every time we take a new step in our relationship along with the feeling of adoration I get when I'm always around Clare. I felt awful. But it would all be over soon.
Only six more days.
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