Okay so after not updating for so long I did not expect all the great reviews I got from last chapter! It made my week to get so many! Thank you sooo much!

Also, I was trying to get used to his story again when I was writing last chapter so sorry it was so weird and randomly thrown into everything. I know it was sort of out of place.

Anyways, this one is pretty long and I think it will make up for last time.

Also the below lyrics are because of what Clare is wearing and sort of stuff at the end of the chapter. I won't give away too much :)

Whatever. It. Takes.

~JuliaGoldsworthy.

"Little black dress
Did you come here alone?
It's too late
It's too late
It's too late to go home"

-Little Black Dress.

-One Direction

It was about a week later, I had just got off the phone with my doctor from scheduling an ultrasound. It wouldn't be for another month and a half or so but I wanted to make sure I did everything right.

Alli walked out of the bathroom and into my bedroom. "How do I look?" she asked.

Her bright pink, strapless dress was short and tight and her makeup made her eyes look a lot bigger. It made my black sleeveless, thigh length dress look conservative. "You look great." I said. "But are you sure you want to go out like this with a guy you just met?"

She looked at me like I had just asked her something completely absurd, like if she could explain to me what water tasted like. "I guess that was a stupid question?" I laughed and moved past her to the dresser where my earrings were, she followed and started applying lip gloss.

"Clare, I really like this guy. He's so amazing and nice and-"

"Twenty-one." I said.

"Yeah. And?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes and went back to my earrings. "If he makes you happy Alli then you should keep dating him but I'm so tired of seeing you fall for guys over and over again just to get hurt."

"I thought it was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?" she said, her tone annoyed.

"Yeah Alli, to have loved." she looked at me for a minute then turned away and changed the subject.

"Anyways, he's getting us into the club he works at. Something...lounge or maybe it's something palace?" she racked her brain and I heard the front door open and close.

Eli appeared in the doorway. "Hey," he said, most likely expecting just me to be in the room. He scanned our outfits. "Where are you guys going?"

"Alli was just trying to figure that out." I said, looking at her with disappointed eyes.

"You know what I'll just call Jason and ask." she started swiping at her phone screen and walked out of the room.

"I thought we were going to have a movie night?" Eli said. He held up a DVD case. "Life of Pi? Remember?"

"I know Eli, but it's just that Alli met this new guy and I feel like I should go with her so I know she's okay." I said.

"But I don't know when I'm going to get another night off like this."

I shrugged. "We'll figure it out." I said.

He nodded. "Yeah but I was really looking forward to a little..." he pulled my hips to his and looked into my eyes. I felt his breath on my lips and I got a little dizzy. His hand pushed my hair away as he leaned down to place kisses on my neck.

"Mmmm, Eli." I said reluctantly, knowing that if this kept on I would have to bail on Alli.

"Stay with me." he whispered, his teeth grazing my ear slightly, sending chills across my body.

"Don't tempt me." I warned.

"Please?" he begged, his fingers grazing my skin.

I looked at him and resisted the urge to push him onto the bed. I heard Alli hang up the phone in the living room and shook my head to clear it. "No Eli, I can't. I'm so sorry."

He sighed. "Fine. I guess I understand." he rolled his eyes and smirked. I was glad he wasn't mad at me. "I'll miss you tonight." he said, holding my hand.

"I'll miss you too." I said, I hugged him. I almost wished I hadn't made these plans with Alli tonight. It was rare that Eli and I got to spend quality time together when we both weren't too tired to hold an intelligent conversation.

"Okay so it's the Orchid Lounge and we have to meet him around back so he can-" Alli walked in, still tapping her screen before she looked up at Eli and I. "Is everything okay?"

I pulled away from his embrace and felt cold despite the heat in the unairconditioned apartment. "Of course. Are you ready?" I asked.

"Wait, the Orchid Lounge?" Eli asked.

"Yeah why?" Alli said.

"The guys at the shop talk about that place all the time. It's in a really stingy part of the city." he said.

"So?" Alli rolled her eyes.

"So it might not be safe. Who are these guys you're going with?" he asked.

"They go to TU. One of them works there and he's getting us all in." Alli explained.

"Is Jenna at least bringing Conner?" he asked. I guessed that he would've felt better if there was at least one guy there that we knew.

"No, he's sort of people repellent in a way." Alli replied. "But he didn't try to keep Jenna from going so I don't see why you're doing that to Clare." she said.

"I'm not it's just that it seems sort of sketchy." he crossed his arms.

"I'll be fine." I said, kissing him on the cheek.

"I would just feel better if there was someone else there that could look out for you all. University guys are not all they're cracked up to be. Most of them are douche bags who just want to hook up with drunk girls and I'm sure that if one of them works at the Orchid Lounge then then they fall right into that stereotype." Alli rolled eyes.

"Don't try to scar us out of going." Alli said, coming up behind me. "Clare's been coupled up in this apartment for weeks and I think it's about time she gets out." she nudged me and I smiled.

"I'll check in." I promised.

He looked between the two of us before rolling his eyes. "Fine, go ahead. Just be careful." he said.

Alli shrieked. "Yay! Let's go!" she headed out of the room and I went to follow her but Eli caught my arm.

"Clare," he said.

"Yeah?"

"You know I wouldn't be like this if it was just you going out." he said, glancing down at my belly.

"I know." I said, nodding. "I haven't forgotten. I'll be extra careful." I promised.

"I trust you." he said. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.

"What're you going to do while I'm gone?" I mumbled into his chest.

"I guess I could call Jake. I haven't seen him in awhile and I miss him."

I pulled away and smiled. I liked that Eli and Jake were getting closer.

Eli got his phone out and called Jake. "Hey baby ready for a date night?' Eli said in a deep voice and I laughed. "Great be here in twenty minutes. Yeah, wear something pretty. Love you too." he hung up.

"I think you and Jake are getting to close." I said.

"I don't agree." he said and smiled.

I kissed him quickly. "Just don't get so close you forget how much you miss me." I said, pulling his hips to mine like he had done to me earlier.

"Impossible." he said. His lips touched my forehead and I left the room.

Once we arrived at club we parked across the street from the main entrance. Jenna, who had been waiting, ran across traffic to meet us.

"Where have you guys been?" she shrieked. "I'm so excited!" she hopped between Alli and I and we linked arms before crossing the street.

I didn't see why Eli had said that this place was so bad. There was a pretty long line of people waiting to get in, so it wasn't a total dive. The bright purple florescent signs that read Orchid Lounge reflected onto them. Everyone in line seemed okay and they had a doorman so I assumed not just any crazy person could get in.

My heart started beating faster and I beamed. I didn't feel like a stuck-at-home pregnant girl right now. I felt like a teenager, a senior in high school. I was sneaking into a club so I could dance and have fun with my friends. So we could meet new people and feel sort of like what it must feel like to live the university life. Since I wasn't exactly sure what university life would look like for me, I was glad I had tonight to experience a taste of it.

However, the warm, florescent, alive feeling that I'd had at the front of the club quickly disappeared as we turned down an alley that was between two parallel brick walls. They were a few dumpsters that were overflowing with trash and hairy men sat next to them with cups out. Bugs crawled across the toes of our heels and rodents scurried between the bags of filth.

Finally, we reached the end of the alley and turned towards the back of the club. Alli led us up a set of stairs which put us on a dock that was a little better lit.

"Alli?" a male voice came from behind us. A dark haired man approached us and I immediately smelled the smoke coming from the cigarette between his fingers.

"Jason." she smiled and ran over to him, jumping into his arms. I rolled my eyes.

He was wearing a light blue dress shirt under a dirty white apron. Alli had noticed. "Are you still working?" she asked.

"No, I just got off but I hadn't had the chance to take this off yet." he gave Alli his cigarette to hold while he untied the strings behind his back.

I started to gag as the smoke rolled towards me. I'd never liked the smell before but now that I was pregnant it was nearly unbearable. Eli sometimes came home smelling like that whenever he stuck around to talk to the guys he worked with who smoked and I wouldn't even hug him until he changed.

I crossed my arms and discretely put a hand over my nose, trying to make it look like I was cold or something, though that was unlikely since it was pretty hot out tonight.

"Just turn around." Jenna said, moving with me so our backs faced Alli and Jason. "It bothered me a lot too."

I looked over at her and I smiled. "Thanks." She nodded. I idly wondered if Alli had told her that I felt like she had been judging me before when I told her I was pregnant. Maybe that's why she was being so nice. But maybe it was just because she could sypathize with me on things like this. Things that no one else would understand.

"You guys must be Jenna and Clare." Jason said.

We turned around to face him and his smoke. I decided to hold my breath until I had to introduce myself. "That's us." Jenna smiled, stepping a little in front of me to act like a barrier. It made me happy to see her be kind. "Thanks for getting us inside." she said. She started walking towards the door and he followed her.

"No problem, just follow me and everything will be totally fine." he smiled and dropped the cigarette before going in the door ahead of us.

Alli went in behind him and Jenna stepped on the still smoking cigarette before holding open the door for me. "Thank you." I mouthed and she nodded.

We then followed Alli and Jason into the club.

Clare had texted me to let me know they got in safe. I had been getting some popcorn and beer for Jake and I. He had brought over his Xbox and GTA 5 so we could play.

They got in." I said, sliding my phone back into my pocket and sitting down on the couch next to him. We'd moved it closer to the T.V.

"That's too bad." he said, chewing on a handful of popcorn.

I shrugged. "They'll probably be okay, right?"

"Yeah," he nodded. I could tell he was trying to make his voice sound convincing. He started the game and we had been playing for about ten minutes before he spoke again. "So hey, what's it like living with Clare, huh?"

"It's actually pretty awesome." I said. "Even if it's only for a few hours, I know I'm going to get to see her everyday. I hug her everyday. I kiss her everyday. I fall asleep next to her every night."

"Alright, uh, yeah she's still my sister."

"Yeah, okay, for like two years." I scoffed.

He laughed shortly. "But it's really that great?" he asked and I nodded. "Come on there has to be something bad about living with her."

I tried to think. I really had to rack my brain to come up with something. "She doesn't always refill the ice trays before putting them back in the freezer?" I said.

"Are you serious?" he said with a straight face. I nodded. "Damn, you guys could not be more perfect for each other."

"I don't think so either." I said.

"Seriously, why don't you just get married to her already." he smiled.

I knew he was joking but I was sort of glad he brought it up. "I mean, it's not like I haven't thought about." I said.

Jake dropped his controller, making the car on screen crash into a building and burst into a ball of flames. "What?" he said.

"Don't act so surprised." I said. "I mean, you really haven't thought about me and Clare ending up together. Forever, I mean."

He leaned back into the couch, a strange look on his face like he was thinking. "I guess I pictured it like you already were." he said. "But, Eli marriage? That's a big responsibility."

My eyes narrowed at him and I smirked. "We're having a child. I think we're going to get the responsibility thing with or without marriage."

"That's true." he said.

My heart started beating faster as I thought about marrying Clare. Her wearing a white dress, meeting me at the end of an isle lined with rows of our friends and families. Saying vows and I dos and kissing me for the first time as my wife, Mrs. Goldsworthy. I smiled at how it sounded it my head. Clare Goldsworthy did have a nice ring to it.

I realized that Jake was still beside me. "Do you ever think about marriage?" I asked. "Do you think you and Katie will ever-"

"Probably not." he said, observing the label on the beer bottle he held.

"Why?" I asked, amused.

"Because we broke up last week." he started sipping his drink, which quickly turned into chugging.

"Man, I'm sorry. That's rough."

He slammed the bottle down. "It's whatever." he said, wiping his red mouth. "Another?" I pulled one out of the box that I'd placed beside me and handed it to him.

"Did she say why?" I asked.

"She said she'll be busy with university things in the fall and doesn't want to lead me on the whole summer." he spoke slowly. I knew he had really cared about Katie, and it was hard to see him like this. I put a sympathetic hand on his back and he nodded.

He resumed the game but I couldn't help thinking about what mine and Clare's wedding would look like. It would be hard to pick between Adam and Jake to be my best man, but I think I would rather have Jake stand beside me. We were a lot better friends than we used to be. I'd told him things about me that Adam didn't know, mostly because I had been high when I said them, but that didn't change the fact that I had. Besides, when Clare and I got married Jake and I would be brothers.

"Do you think that if I did it," I started. "Ask Clare to marry me, I mean, that she would say yes."

He thought for a minute while the game buffered. "I don't know." he said. "I guess you'd have to ask her."

I smirked and realized that was the only way I would know.

Once we were inside, the already hot temperature seemed to increase by twenty degrees. The whole place seemed to bump with the bass that came from whatever song the D.J. was playing. Lights bounced off the walls and into the crowd of dancers.

Jason had paired Jenna and I up with two other guys who he went to school with. It was a little weird at first, but it wasn't like I had any intentions, even if he did. He was a little taller than me, though shorter than Eli, and had blond hair and blue eyes. I'd learned that his name was Chase and he was studying engineering at Toronto U. I'm sure to lots of people, Chase would've sounded really impressive, but to me he was a little boring.

"Let's go dance!" Alli came up to me and yelled. I could smell the alcohol on her breath. Jenna came up beside her and pulled her back a little. I could tell she was a little foggy but still coherent. Alli was too far gone for me to do anything about it. I was designated driver for the night, since I obviously couldn't drink, and from a sober perspective, she was hilarious.

"Alli, I don't-I don't know." I shrugged and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, Clare and I were just getting warmed up to each other." Chase said, scooting closer to me so he could put his arm around my waist.

I could see Jenna start laughing. "You know what," I said. "On second thought, I'll go dance."

"Yay!" Alli cheered. "Sorry Chase!" she winked as we walked away.

We moved through the crowd quickly to get to the middle of the crowd, where Alli insisted was the best place to be. It was a fast song playing and that made me nervous. All the bodies bouncing around and bumping into each other.

Alli and Jenna started jumping and I felt like a bump on a log, like I didn't belong.

I sensed that Jenna knew this. "I'll watch your back." she said, rubbing her shoulder against mine in an attempt to include me. I was happy that she chose tonight to be nice to me.

I smiled and threw my head back before I laughed.

The three of us swayed and laughed and before I knew it I could feel a sticky sweat glide across my skin and run down my neck. Jenna apparently did too, since her thick black eyeliner had smeared down to her cheek bones. We didn't care though. I was just glad that I got to be here with them. I was surprised I was having this much fun. Normally dancing in front of people freaked me out but here, my body moving to the rhythm, it felt right. It made me feel young, when I had felt pretty old the past few weeks.

I looked at Jenna and Alli and we decided to go back to the bar to find the boys.

"There they are!" Jason yelled as we approached them. "We were just about to come look for you girls." he smiled before turning to Alli.

"Here," Conner said. "I got you a drink." I observed the dark fizzy liquid and decided it was Coke, since that's what he had bought me earlier in the night.

"Thanks," I said, drinking almost half of the decently sized glass.

"You girls sure were working hard out there." he said, putting his hand on my waist again.

I slowly removed the drink from my lips. "Chase what is this?" I asked, pointing to it.

"Coke." he nodded.

I smelled it. I was indecisive before a bitter after taste hit the back of my throat.

I moved to Alli who was practically in Jason's lap and held the glass out to her. "What is this?' I asked.

She took a sip and then drank to to almost the bottom before I wrestled it away from her. "I don't know but whatever it is get me some more of it." the two laughed hysterically and I rolled my eyes.

I walked over to Jenna who was chatting with the boy she'd been paired with. "Jenna, what is this?" I asked.

She took the cup and sipped from it. It took her a minute but she finally looked up at me with a panicked look in her eyes. "Clare, this tastes like Vodka."

My mouth dropped and I felt like crying. Chase came up beside me and put his hand on my waist again.

I elbowed him in ribs and threw the rest of the glass at him. I wish there had been more than left than there was.

"What the fuck?" he spat at me.

"You spiked my drink?" I yelled.

He rolled his eyes. "You were so tense. I just thought I'd loosen you up a little." he moved towards me and I shrugged him off. "Come on, just look at how much fun you had dancing."

"I didn't have any before then." I yelled.

"Clare, I've been doing it all night." he said. I'd had three Cokes, not including the one Jenna tasted.

"No." I shook my head, refusing to believe him.

He pulled a flask out of his back pocket and unscrewed the top before tipping it upside down. Not a drop fell out.

I started crying and Alli finally noticed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Jenna asked, pushing him away from me.

"What's going on?" Alli slurred.

"Chase has been spiking all of Clare's drinks tonight." she said. Alli put her arms around me.

"So what's the big deal? She's a little drunk. Some coffee will reverse that if it's so awful." Chase and Jason laughed.

"I'm pregnant." I yelled at them. They both stopped laughing and looked at me, like they were waiting for me to tell them I was kidding.

"Come on, let's go." Jenna said as she ushered Alli and I out through the crowd.

We reached the car and I was gagging myself trying to puke, Alli held my hair. I now realized that I was more drunk that I thought I had been inside. The only time I'd ever had any alcohol was with Dallas and that was just cheap beer. Vodka was much, much stronger.

"Clare, it's okay." Jenna said. "Everything's going to be fine."

"I don't know that!" I yelled.

She ran a had through her hair and I could tell she didn't know what to do. "Let's get home. If we can just get back to the boys I think they'll be able to help us figure out what to do. Eli will probably help calm you down too." she said. "Here, I found this in the car." she handed me a water bottle and I wasn't sure if it would help any but I quickly chugged it. If nothing else it would clear the horrible taste of my stomach from my mouth.

"I can't drive." I said. Not only was I drunk but I was also emotional and I was horrible at driving through tears.

"Me too." Alli slurred. I noticed that she was barefoot and a hot pink strap was slipping off her shoulder.

Jenna hesitated, "I can drive." she said.

"Jenna," I started.

"I'm fine." she nodded. She rubbed her eyes as if to clear her mind. "I-really, I'm fine."

I looked at her and nodded before handing her the keys. She walked around the side to get behind the wheel.

I puked once more before getting in the passenger side next to her. Alli took up pretty much the whole back seat, as she had passed out. It was about a half hour drive home and I was pretty sure Jenna could handle it, but I knew it was dangerous.

Maybe Eli was right, I shouldn't have gone out tonight.

So is that a cliffhanger? Anyways, I don't know why I made Alli and annoying drunk because I like Alli but I guess it was just fun.

Okay so tell me if you liked or hated it. Also, tell me what you think the Eclare baby should be named and if it should be a boy or girl. Oh and just because I put those lists in last chapter, doesn't mean that names still aren't up fro consideration. I have not decided on one yet and probably won't until the chapter where the baby is actually born.

Thanks so much for reading!

Whatever. It. Takes.

~JuliaGoldsworthy.