Chapter Thirteen

e_goldsworthy94: Hey Edwards
clarebear95: He was acting so weird today, I don't know what was up with him.

Clare vented to her boyfriend over the internet. She had misplaced her phone so this was the only other way she could talk to him.

e_goldsworthy94: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop, rewind, and play.

Clare thought about it for a second before replying. She wanted to word it so it didn't seem as creepy as it was actually.

clarebear95: He was very… I don't know, he wasn't Adam. He was being a gentleman, pulled the chair out for me at the Dot. He showed up randomly too.
e_goldsworthy94: You hung out with Adam today?
clarebear95: Yes, he came over randomly; I didn't want to say no to him.
e_goldsworthy94: That's weird that he would go over to your place I didn't know you two were close.
clarebear95: We aren't.

Eli scratched his head, he knew Adam and Clare had hung out once or twice but he knew they weren't close.

He thought a minute before replying to Clare. He didn't want to sound mean but he knew what was going on.

e_goldsworthy94: How was Adam acting around you, today?
clarebear95: Somewhat Adam like, but somewhat flirtatious, nervous, I don't know, it was weird.
e_goldsworthy94: Adam was flirting with you? Adam like you, Clare.
clarebear95: Adam likes me? I highly doubt that.
e_goldsworthy94: I know Adam, Clare. He's flirting, hard.
clarebear95: What are we going to do about it?

Eli thought a minute before responding.

e_goldsworthy94: I'll talk to him.

He thought a minute before sending another instant message.

e_goldsworthy94: I'll handle it.
clarebear95: Oh the famous last words that the famous Elijah Goldsworthy utters before he get in trouble.
e_goldsworthy94: Ha-ha, very funny, Edwards.
clarebear95: I only speak the truth.
e_goldsworthy94: I'll handle it, trust me.
clarebear95: Good luck with that, Eli.
e_goldsworthy94: Yeah, yeah, yeah, Ms. Sarcastic. I have to go more chores call my name.
clarebear95: Alright, Eli, I'll let you know when I locate my phone.
e_goldsworthy94: Ok love, talk to you then.
clarebear95: Bye Eli.
e_goldsworthy94: Bye love.
clarebear95: I miss you, Eli.

Eli hesitated for a minute but couldn't deny it, he missed her too.

e_goldsworthy94: I miss you too, love, so much.

e_goldsworthy94 has signed off.

Clare logged off her instant messaging service and her facerange page. She was trying to soak in the information Eli had just thrown at her. Adam had a crush on her? That was impossible. Clare knew that Adam liked Fiona, or at least that was what Clare thought. Maybe she had it all wrong.

Eli pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. No missed calls or text messages.

"Damn." He knew Clare hadn't found her phone. She would have tried to get in touch. He opened his contact list and stared at Adams name. Eli wasn't jealous that Adam had a crush on Clare. He just didn't want Adam getting jealous when he and Clare were together.

Eli pressed the call button and put his phone on speaker. He still had chores that needed to be done.

The phone rang three times Adam finally answered.

"Yoski Broski! How them chores treating you?"

Eli rolled his eyes.

"They're chores, what do you think?"
"That bad, huh?"
"That bad? I got them coming out my ass already and my mom keeps giving me more."
"That sucks."
"Did you hang out with Clare today?"

Adam was taken aback. He didn't expect Clare to tell Eli they had gotten together.

"W-what?" Adam stumbled over his words.
"Did you hang out with Clare today? Yes or no?"

He didn't mean to sound angry. He was just tired of Adam crushing on his girlfriends.

"Yes, I didn't think it'd be problematic though." Adam's tone was becoming defensive.
"It isn't. I just didn't like that she thinks you were flirting with her."
"Flirting? Me? N-no, I wasn't flirting with her."

The fact that Adam stumbled over a word told Eli everything he needed to know.

"Of course you were flirting, just be honest."

Adam sighed.

"Ok, I was flirting. Fiona is never going to like me so I thought.." Eli cut him off.
"So you thought trying to get with my girl would work better?"
"Whatever, Eli." The call went dead. Adam had hung up. Eli shrugged. He wasn't going to sweat it.

Eli's phone soon started ringing and it was Clare's set ring tone. A smile crept across Eli's face as he hit the 'send' button to answer the phone.

"Hey love." His phone was on speaker still so he was quick to pull it away from his ear when she spoke.

"Hey Eli."
"How are you?" he asked.
"I'm good, how are you?" He shrugged like Clare could see him. That was one of his bad habits.

"I'm ok, considering my best friend was flirting with my girlfriend.
"It wasn't that bad, Eli, just a little innocent flirting."
"I know, but still, Edwards, he always does it. He's done it with every girl I've ever crushed on. He did it with Julia too."
"I think he's just insecure, Eli. I mean look at what Fiona did to him."
"Still, he can't find some other girl? He did like Bianca."
"Bianca wasn't every nice to him either."
"I know."

Eli turned the phone off of speaker and put it to his ear. He sat down in the chair in the kitchen. He'd been doing chores nonstop for the past two hours. He figured he deserved a break.

"How much longer are you going to be grounded for? I'm so bored."

Eli smiled; he couldn't believe she missed him that much.

"Just a few more days, love. I think you can survive."
"Yeah I guess I can."

"So he flirted with you? Seriously?" Alli couldn't help but be surprised. Clare didn't strike her as Adam's type.

"Yeah, it was so weird."
"Why would he flirt with his friends' girlfriend? It's not very respectful to his friend."
"He's insecure, All. Bianca was not very nice to him and then Fiona stood him up."
"So? It doesn't mean he can flirt with his friend's girlfriend."
"I know, but still, I don't want to be mean to him, he isn't mean to me."
"Still you date his best friend; he shouldn't be flirting with you like that."
"It was one time, I didn't make the big deal out of it, Eli did, and I understand where he's coming from."
"As in?" Alli wasn't too sure what Clare meant.
"Eli claims Adam has done this with all the girls Eli has crushed on and even with Julia."
"Oh wow, I didn't realize." Alli broke off.
"Neither did I. Eli is nothing but a mystery to me still."
"And you're his girlfriend, imagine how much of a mystery he is to everyone else."
"Very true. Adam is a mystery all in himself. Especially with him being an F to M."
"An F to M?" Alli questioned. Now Clare had done it. Not everyone knew about Adam.
"Promise you won't tell anyone? Not everyone knows about Adam."
"I promise."
"He's a female to male transgender."