Authors note: Oh, yeah... it's the New Year…and I said I was going to update on my Christmas break… I didn't, okay. I'm sorry. I was working on seventeen and forgot all about this and I was having trouble with this chapter and stuff so I'm sorry. Um excuse my mistakes because I'm too lazy to go and edit it tonight I'll do it tomorrow or something... and uh enjoy the new Degrassi tonight and stuff if you're watching. Oh and also this is the chapter things start to pick up, it won't be as boring next chapter I swear.

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Degrassi because if I did, I don't even know anymore.

Summary: A clock ticks, it never stops. Time never ends. Which means things are bound to happen, and it's not lollipops and sun shine all the time. There are storms but after every storm there's a rainbow. But what will it take Clare to realize that.

A Year And A Half

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

-Winston Churchill

Chapter Ten

Walking to the school from the parking lot hand in hand with Eli, Clare had a grin of her face. She couldn't be happier after the Christmas break she had. Eli and her shared that moment of intimacy together. It was slow, not rushed with want of finishing. It was full of being together in that way for the first time, full of sweet words, a few awkward moments and he kissed every single scar on her body, it was an experience she wouldn't have wanted her first time to be replaced with anyone else.

Christmas was full of family (well not her family) and friends and lots of laughs and too much food for her to stomach. It was an early morning since Cece and Bullfrog made it an important thing for the four of them to go to morning mass just for Clare. Although Clare didn't believe much in all that Jesus stuff now, she put on a happy face since they thought of her. Going made her think of an easier time a time where her dad hadn't turned abusive and her mother and sister were still alive. It was also a late night, Cece and Bullfrog going out to a friend's house leaving the two teenagers alone in the house. And they two took up the opportunity wasting no time to get each other undressed instead of taking it slow like they had the night before.

Most of the rest of Christmas break was full of staying in and watching movies on netflix since the Toronto weather took a turn for the worst and a few feet of snow-covered the ground preventing them from leaving the house. They could have left but it was cold outside and the two liked the idea of staying inside cuddling with each other watching very horribly done movies than go out and have to shove for three hours before leaving.

They did however go to Imogen's for new years. The group played board games Clue, Life - which Clare and Eli made know that the person they had to marry in the game had each other's names. They played a boring game of Scrabble, which Clare won, and Monopoly. The games that ends friendships Clare quickly learned, Adam and Imogen didn't talk to each other for an hour after that games over claiming that each other cheated. When really it was Mo but only Clare knew that, it was their little secret. The night ended with a new years ever kiss, the most mind-blowing kiss that Eli and her had ever shared as long as they have been dated. Or maybe it was just a normal kiss. But with her year ending in a kiss and the new year starting in one gave their kiss more meaning. she didn't know but she liked it and didn't care if their friends were making either gagging sounds or awwing sounds as they kissed.

And as they walked up the steps of Degrassi she started smiling even bigger. Any one would see the grin on her face, far and close. Cece even said this morning that if she didn't stop smiling she was going to end up blinding someone with how bright her teeth were when she was in the sunlight. That made Clare laugh as she ate her oatmeal that morning. Usually she wasn't one for school, and the busy hallways and the amount of people there in the long school day. But today was different she had a different look at her days lately, a more positive one than before. And she couldn't shake the smile off her face.

"You've been smiling all morning." Eli acknowledged.

"I'm happy." Giggled Clare glancing up at him as he started up the stairs and pulled her up them with her.

"That's good." He says. "That's really great." He squeezed her hand lightly and he opened the door , letting her walk in the school frist.

Surprise overtook her as she first got into the school. She expected to see a bunch of teenagers dragging themselves around tiredly because school had started back up and no one wanted to be there this early on a Monday morning. But what she had expected was not what she saw. People looked excited, happy to be there and full of energy, especially those grade nines she saw near a table close to the doors. There were even a few girls squealing excitedly jumping up and down. Confused and surprised was all she was seeing these people acting the way they were.

Looking up at Eli she saw as much confusion on his face as there was on her face but she still decided to ask. "What's going on?"

Eli just shrugged. "I don't know…" he pauses from the noise of a another squeal filled their ears "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, let's go…" Clare nodded and followed him away from the doors.

"Clare! Eli!" Becky's voice called their names suddenly.

Clare would have jumped if she weren't expecting it. Becky did this almost every school morning having something to say to the couple. Most of the time it was a lot of nothing that she had to say. Other days it would be about Adam being home sick so he wasn't going to be at school, or sometimes she'd come crying to them about a fight Adam and her got into, it was mostly none of their business. So Clare didn't understand why she'd even come to them. But Clare always stopped and listened to her, much like she did just now. She stopped pulling Eli's arm lightly to make him stop or else he would have kept going.

"Did you two hear? " She said stopping a few feet away from them holding something behind her back. Before either of them could speck she kept talking. "Degrassi is having a dance!" She said happily showing them the dance sign from behind her back.

"What!?" Eli snapped loudly. Causing stares to come their way and causing Clare to glance at Eli wide-eyed at his outburst. "A dance? Why?"

"For fun, Silly!" She said not bothered by his loud, angry words. "Why else would there a dance! You guys should come! It wouldn't be a dance without Degrassi's power couple."

"Power couple? I think you have us mixed up with Barbie and Ken over there." Clare said casting a quick look in Jenna and KC's direction before looking back at Becky.

"I didn't know you were so funny." She laughs

"Simpson said there wouldn't be anymore dances for a long time, remember?" Eli reminded Becky with the same angry tone of voice from before. He probably didn't notice that the more angry he got the tighter he started to hold Clare's hand. She tried to get free from him but it was no use so she gave up

"I talked to Simpson before the break, I convinced him it was a good idea for everyone to enjoy…"

"It's a good idea?" Then he snickered "It's not."

Becky's happy face dropped and she shook her head. "I was just letting you know." She said passing the dance poster to Clare before walking away back to Jenna and KC.

Eli was angry and you had to be stupid or blind not to know that he was but with the way he ranked Clare with him when she started walking again made her angry. "Let me go!" Clare almost shouted at him. She ranked her hand out of his and glared at him aware of the looks that were on them

"Clare…" He muttered.

"No! Don't Clare me." Clare snapped. "It's a dance! What is your problem?"

Eli sighed and shook his head "You don't get it." He says walking away from her.

"Get what?" She shouted at him but he kept walking. Clare let out a breath and ran a hand through her hair before she heard laughing from Becky, Jenna and Alli.

"Look's like the honeymoon phase is over." Jenna commented walking past her with the other but then she stopped a few feet in front of her and without turning to face Clare "Still hasn't told you his little secret yet?" She questions. Then she turned her head and Clare saw nothing but darkness in that girls eyes, it scared her how dark it was. "What a shame." Jenna said with a vengeful expression on her face when Clare didn't say anything. She kept walking and the other girls followed except Alli stayed for a few and looked Clare up and down, like she was looking for something before Alli caught up with the others.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

January 6th

13 Months

378 Days

End of chapter ten.

Review please!

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