OH MY GOD! I'm so sorry. So, so sorry! I've been distracted by all my school work. Because school starts next week, so I have to get everything done in time. I haven't even been on the computer like at all. I'm so sorry I'm late for updating this. Thank you for not getting mad or anything. I'm just stressed, and spaced on updating. Sorry.

Riley walked in holding a cup of tea with both hands. He handed it to Clare who sat on the couch, wearing Jake's jacket, as Jake held his arm around her shoulders. She sipped from the cup slowly, still wiping away stray tears that would come along. Jake squeezed her tight to remind her she wasn't alone.

"Alli and Adam don't know right?" Clare asked, staring down at her tea.

Riley shook his head. "No. I don't think so."

"Where…where…did he go?" She struggled to get her words out, heavily breathing.

Jake and Riley exchanged looks before Jake said, "I know you don't want to talk about it. But what happened?" Clare glanced up at him, with broken eyes. "Clare…we're your friends. You can tell us anything." Riley crouched down beside her. "Eli—he told me that you were…in love…with someone else."

She looked down again. "He misunderstood." Each of the boys leaned in closer to hear what she had to say. "I told him that you told me to choose Eli last winter. After the shooting." Her tears broke through again. "I just wanted him to feel like shit after all that he did."

"What did you do to do that?" Riley asked.

She sniffled, wiping her tears away with Jake's jacket. "I brought up you, Jake. I told him how great a guy you were to me, and I chose him over you. Then he yelled at me and I brought up that you broke it off with me first." She huffed a few times to get her strength back.

Riley stood up. "Uh…I'm going to make sure, nobody is wondering where we all are," he said leaving the two alone.

Jake waited for the door to shut behind Riley. He had scooted a little way from her and his arm was along the back of the couch instead of around her shoulders. He rubbed under his chin uncomfortably before speaking. "And, what did he say to that?"

"He accused me of choosing him out of pity." She pulled the coat tighter around her. "Now I don't even know what I was thinking that night in the hospital."

Jake rubbed his yes for a moment, letting out a loud sigh. "Clare, you didn't choose Eli because you couldn't have me." She looked up hoping he would make eye contact. "You would have chased after me if you really wanted me. When we broke up, you accepted that we weren't going to work out. Obviously if you truly wanted me, you would have fought for me."

"Because I believed you didn't want me," her voice became sad looking at the man she calls her ex, yet also her best friend.

He let out a chuckle. "Clare, I know you. When you want something, you go for it. Even if that means embarrassing yourself."

Clare laughed also, before slowing down. "But then, how come I have no idea what I want now?" Jake shrugged, and her head fell against his shoulder. "So then, tell me what I feel!"

"I can't help you there Clarebear." He rubbed her arm delicately as he leaned back.

XXX

Sav watched Anya dance with her new boyfriend, whom he didn't recognize. He had a more athletic build than him and Sav decided he definitely didn't need to piss of that guy. He turned to the bartender, asking for a scotch. He looked over toward the doors open to the hallway to see an angry Eli storm passed. He twisted back to the bartender, asking for it to be two.

Eli ran out the front of the hotel trotting down the steps, growling at himself. He searched around the parking lot, the snow falling and lack of moonlight, made Morty disappear with the rest. He dropped to the curb, burying his face into his palms.

There was a cough, and suddenly a glass was nudging against Eli's shoulders. Sav stood next to him, holding two glasses of scotch, handing one of them to Eli. Eli accepted, and Sav sat down. "I don't want to talk Sav," Eli groaned.

"I didn't say I wanted to talk. I just want to have a drink with a friend," Sav replied, sipping from his glass.

Eli gulped down most of the scotch, breathing in to ignore the sting. "Clare and I got into a fight."

"I thought you didn't want to talk?" Sav smugly said, still sipping from his drink patiently. Eli rolled his eyes and Sav responded, "What happened?"

"She never really loved me." Sav became intrigued as he focused on what Eli had to say. "She still loved Jake while we were together."

Sav furrowed his brows. "And she just admitted that?"

"Pretty much. She implied it in every sentence. That Jake made her choose me," he chugged down the last of his drink.

"Implying and telling are different things." Sav sighed when Eli gave him a deadly glare. "What did you say to her?"

"I yelled at her." His voice became sad, as if he regretted it.

Sav watched his beaten down friend for a moment, before stating, "I think you should go apologize to her."

"Why should I?!"

"I've spent the entire night pissed. Jealous of having to see Anya happy with this new guy of hers. Anya dumped me, and she moved on. These are facts. But, you talked yourself into believing something that doesn't sound like Clare at all. Go talk to her. Keep from yelling." Sav stared Eli down. "You know I'm right."

"I hate you." Eli handed the glass off to him as he got up and headed back into the hotel.

Sav leaned back and yelled, "I love you too!"

Eli ran into the reception trying to find a familiar face. Adam and Alli were dancing, but he saw Riley talking to Zane on the side. "Hey, have either of you seen Clare?"

"Why would she want to see you after the way you treated her?" Riley stated.

"Obviously you have. Is she still in the dressing room?" Eli worryingly asked.

"Whatever you're planning on saying to her, she won't forgive you. So just let it go! Give her a break!" Riley aggressively said to the black haired boy.

"Hey, what's going on?" Alli asked, holding Adam's hand as they made their way up to the boys.

"Nothing Alli," Eli replied, running out of the reception once again.

"What's wrong with him?" Adam asked.

Eli ran down the hall finding the dressing room he had left a crying Clare in. He didn't even bother to take a moment before entering the room or consider what he wanted to say to her. He didn't even stop running as he turned the knob to open the door. He almost fell in not letting go of the knob. He opened his eyes to see Jake lying back against the arm of the couch, and Clare lying next to him with her head on his shoulder, wearing his jacket. Jake's arm rubbed Clare's to soothe her.

"You have to be kidding me!" Eli screeched, disturbing the two.

"Eli!" Clare yelled, with shock but also with a bit of joy in her tone as her and Jake sat up. Eli growled one last time before turning around and taking off. "Eli! Eli, wait!" Clare stood up beginning to run after him, repeatedly screaming his name.

Jake tried to follow behind, but the two were already down the hallway; however he stopped when he noticed the gang outside the doors of the reception. He joined the group followed by Alli asking, "Okay, someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on?!"

I know this one is short. But a lot of you wanted a long story. If you're willing to wait a little longer again, I could make the next chapter longer, if you'd all be okay with that, that is. I just feel so horrible about spacing on posting this so late. So I don't want to do that with the next one. But if you guys are so eager for the next chapter, I won't edit it and try to make it longer. If you want a longer chapter, I'd appreciate some patience. But it's your choice. Tell me in the reviews. Plus don't forget to critique this chapter also. Thank you very much! Love you all! :*(^_^) ~Eli