Clare's POV
It's been a week since Eli met with the lawyer. I had to go back to school and fill Adam in on everything that is going on. Adam knew a lot more in the beginning then I did, he is Eli's best friend. I was talking with Adam at my locker, when all of a sudden I feel hands on my waist and I see Adam smile. I smile then turn around to see Eli smirking, "hey girlfriend." I smile wider, "what are you doing here." He shrugs, "Can't stay at home forever." I was about to kiss him when Adam coughs, signaling a teacher. We move away from each other immediately and Ms. Dawes walks by, "Well hello you two. Eli, good to see you're back." He fake smiles, "it's good to be back." She walks away and I quickly kiss him. "You two are so cheesy," Adam says while pretending to gag. I roll my eyes and laugh then walk to class with Eli. It feels like yesterday that I started falling for Eli and he started falling further and further away from me.
Flashback
"I don't know Adam, it's like he has some big dark secret or something," I say with a sigh. I could tell that Eli had been hiding something. Ever since he started getting closer to me, he pulls away; distances himself. Adam sighs, "Clare I'm sure he will tell you when he's ready." I start to get really mad, "Tell me what Adam?" He backs away, "Like I said, he will tell you when he's ready." "Tell me where he lives or"-I grab his precious comic book- "This will become shreds of paper." He panics, "Okay okay okay"- I hand him back the book and he tell me his address. "Why isnt Eli at school anyway?" I say walking with Adam to the parking lot. He sighs slightly, "You'll know why soon enough."
I put my helmet on the seat of my bike then reluctantly walk up to his door and knock. I step back and then Eli opens the door and looks at me, "damn it Adam." He steps outside and closes the door, "So you found me." I take a deep breath, "Eli you and I both know that there is something between us." He looks away from me, "I'm sorry I led you on." I look at him furiously, "You are seriously messed up," I spat walking down the porch steps. He walks behind me and tenderly grabs my arm, "wait." I turn around and face him. He sighs, "I think it's time you come inside." We both walk up the stairs and into his house. He shuts the door behind me and gives me a solemn look then walks up the stairs with me following. We stop at a closed door, "Eli what's going on?" He slowly opens the door and walks in. I stay where I am and he turns around, "Come on," I slowly walk into the dark room. He leans over slightly and picks something up then walks back over to me. Oh my God, he's holding a baby. I look at him shocked. "This is my secret,; Julia" he says looking down at the baby in his arms. "Y-you have a-a love child?" He tenses a bit when I call the baby that, "I'm sorry I didn't mean"- he cuts me off, "It's fine, I know what you mean." The baby was adorable, she was dressed in a white and black long sleeved onsey that had a red smiley face on it. She had a white bowed headband in her black hair, and her eyes were piercing green; Eli's. I smile down at the baby, "She's beautiful, Eli. Where is her mother?" I saw something change in Eli's face when I asked that question. He takes a second and then answers, "She died." I get closer to him, "Oh my God, h-how?" I ask quietly. "Giving birth to our daughter, she bleed out, hemorrhaged is what they said." No wonder Eli is so dark, he witnessed the death of his girlfriend, "So you're raising her alone?" He nods slowly then walks back over to the crib and sets the baby down. We walk out of her room and he shuts the door. He looks at me, "The reason I didn't tell you this sooner was because I didn't want to scare you off." I hug him, "I think what you're doing is amazing."
Clare's POV
The bell rings for the end of class and I walk up to Eli, "So how are things going?" I was almost afraid to bring the subject up. "It's still hard walking by her room everyday, but being with you makes it a lot better." I smile and look around before I quickly kiss him then walk to my locker.
