Hey guys,
This is just a lame, filler chapter, but the next is the da-hance...(;
I'm sorry if this chapter...I don't know, sucked, because it's not my best work.
I will hopefully have the last two(Last chapter and the Epilouge)chapters up by tomorrow, and if not, I don't know when because my stupid internet might be turned off _
I will type as fast as my fingers allow:)
So, until the next upload my beautiful readers,
Love Always(And I truly mean that, I really do love you guys),
~Pho:)
Chapter 25
Clare's POV
"Wait a second, wait a second!" Ali stopped me, "You're going to the dance?"
"Yeah," I answered as we walked into homeroom.
"With Eli?"
"No."
"What, what do you mean, no? Eli didn't ask you?" Ali asked, bouncing on her ball in anticipation.
"Well, I don't know if he was going to, but he didn't get a chance to." I answered casually.
"Didn't get a chance to, Clare, someone else asked you? And you said yes?" She asked, flabbergasted.
"Well, I kinda didn't have a choice." I replied.
"Clare…I'm so confused. What the hell?"
"She's going to the dance with Fitz," Adam finally said from the other side of the computer desk.
"What!"
"Miss Bhandari, I suggest you refrain from your outburst. And stop bouncing!" Miss Oh reprimanded.
"Sorry, Miss Oh," She said in a hushed whisper, continuing to smack my arm, "What do you mean you're going to the dance with Fitz?"
"Well…he said if I went on one date with him, he'd stop bullying Adam and Eli."
"And you said yes?" She questioned bewildered.
"Why would I say no? This isn't Wesley asking me to the dance and me trying to turn him down nicely, this is their safety I'm depending on." I explained.
"Clare, you are so dramatic," Adam chuckled.
"I'm sorry, I'm not taking this lightly. You guys really must underestimate how much I care about you." I snapped.
"Clare, chill, I was just saying. If you're getting all boggled up about this, you don't have to do this," Adam reassured.
"I'm doing this, I'm positive." I answered.
"But Clare, this is Fitz we're talking about. Fitz is a bad guy." Ali warned. The end-of-homeroom bell rang and we got our stuff together.
"I can handle it," I said, forcing a smile.
…
…
…
"Ali, I'm just pulling something out of my closet," I argued with her, "And the last thing I want to do is make Fitz find me attractive."
"But Clare, you said it yourself, you may be going with Fitz, but you're going for Eli. You have to wear something you'll look good in. Maybe not sexy, like you looked in your party dress, but definitely gorgeous!" Ali gushed.
"I didn't want to go to this dance in the first place, why would I want to look good for it?"
"Then why are you going?" She asked.
"I told you, to keep Eli and Adam safe,"
"Exactly, now let's go!"
"Was that a trick question?" asked annoyed.
"No, you just didn't think about your answer."
"Dammit, Ali. Fine, but keep it PG-13." I warned.
"Oh, Clare, don't worry, this is me we're talking about." She said casually.
"My point exactly." I chuckled, and she glared playfully at me.
…
…
…
We gave up on the mall; the stores Ali dragged me in were not PG-13. So we just settled with whatever was in her closet.I eventually found a high-waisted pencil skirt with a puffed out, silk purple top the tucks into it. We were just sitting in her room, listening to music when a grave look appeared on her face. She turned down the music and look at me with sorrowful eyes.
"Clare, why didn't you tell me?" She asked with a mixture of hurt and remorse in her voice.
"Tell you what?" I asked confused, taking a sip of my soda pop.
She took a deep breath and answered, "Why didn't you tell me that your parents got divorced, Clare, why didn't you tell us that they were even fighting? I feel like such a bad friend; how did I not know you were so hurt? How could I not realize you were so unhappy? I feel so selfish, I was too absorbed in boys and clothes, oh, Clare! I'm so sorry."
"Ali! How dare you say you're a bad friend? You're the best friend a girl could ever have." I reassured her.
"Then why didn't you tell me or Adam? We feel so guilty. I mean, you were so distant the past few days, and we thought something happened between you and Eli—"
"But I'm not dating Eli."
"Yeah, well, you're always together so we asked him if you two got in a fight or something. He told us about your parents, Clare, I really wish you had."
"I didn't want to worry, or bother you guys, I mean, you have your own lives, your own problems to worry about."
"Clare, you are a part of our lives; how could you think you'd ever be a bother?"
"I'm Saint Clare, remember? Puts everyone before herself." I muttered. She came to sit beside me on her bed, wrapping her arm around me and crushing her small body into me in a side hug.
"Remember, you come to us for anything."
"I will." I whispered. Ali and I haven't had a sisterly moment like this in a while and I sat there and cherished the moment. The familiar sense was more then comforting; it was uplifting.
All of the sudden, Paisley Jacket started blaring from my cell phone, signaling Eli was calling(1).
"Hello?" I answered.
Hey, Clare, where are you?
"I'm at Ali's, Eli, why?" I answered. Ali started giggling, and hopped off the bed.
"I'll leave you alone to your boyfriend," She giggled.
"ALI!" Slam. She shut the door. I sighed into the phone.
"Sorry, what was that?" I asked, not hearing what he said.
I asked if you were busy.
"Oh, no, not anymore. Why?"
Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Dot with me. He asked. Like on a date? I'd been to the Dot with Eli before, but he had never been so formal about it. You know, because I still have to go over ground rules with you for the dance. He muttered. Oh…
"Yeah, sure, Eli, I'll meet you there in fifteen minutes."
See ya then, Blue Eyes.
I sighed and shut my phone. I opened the door to find Ali with her ear pressed against it.
"Thanks for the clothes, Al, got to go meet Eli." I said walking past her.
"Oohh, someone's got a hot date."
"Ha, I wish. He wants to go over "Ground Rules"" I groaned.
"Who are you talking about?" Sav questioned, walking into the living room, eating a bowl of Life at…three in the afternoon. Okay…
"Clare's boyfriend." Ali said, plopping down next to him.
"Oh, you mean Eli? Cool guy." He said.
"He's not my boyfriend." I repeated for what seemed the billionth time in the last few weeks.
"Really? The whole school thinks you are. Actually, Chantay's saying you guys are Degrassi's new "Power Couple", and you're not even seniors."
"Uh…I'm leaving now." I announced.
"Don't fight it Clare!" Ali called after me.
"Yeah, yeah, bye, Ali, see ya, Sav." I said as I walked out of their house.
The walk to the Dot from Ali's is even quicker than from my place, so I was there in mere minutes. But when I got there, I heard arguing around the corner.
"Baby, baby, what do you mean we're over?" I high pitched voice rung out.
"Oh, don't 'baby' me. We were over the first time you cheated on me! How many times has it been since then, six?"
"K.C.," K.C.? As in my ex-boyfriend K.C.? He finally found out she was cheating? Ha, stupid boy, pay back's a bitch and you've just paid yours.
"K.C., I would never—"
"Save it! Marisol told me about you about you bragging in the locker room about how good Eddie was in bed. And it wasn't just him, but Sam, and Mason, and Derek. Who else, Jenna?"
"Baby, baby, baby, it can't be over. You love me, remember, you left that nerd for me. You want me." Jenna said, trying to sound sexy and seductive as she snaked her sleazy arms around his neck, whispering haughtily into his ear.
"I do not want anything that could infect me with diseases. You are the worst mistake I have ever made, and we are done!" My raging ex shouted. HA! Take that you stupid hoe!
"But baby—"
"No. I'm not your baby. I should've never left Clare for you. She was loyal, and honest, and wouldn't have cheated on me!" What was I, a dog?
"Fine! Then go back to your nerd! See if I care! I was going to leave your boring ass anyway!" She squealed and stomped away. K.C. drew out a sigh and ran a hair through his hair, he turned around so his back was facing me and I tried to make a quick get away, to no avail. Just as I was dashing past him, he turned around.
"Clare," He breathed out.
"Oh, hi, K.C."
"Did you hear me and Jenna?" He asked and I decided to lie.
"No, Jenna was here? Why'd she leave? She might get angry if she sees you with me."
"I don't care. I left her. Now I know how you felt when I cheated on you, because she did the same thing to me. Clare, I was really stupid, and I want you back."
"K.C., are you crazy? You know that feeling you have right now? It's called betrayal. Heartbreak. Remorse. Resentment. You don't get over that so easy, especially when you think that person loves you." I informed him.
He walked forward and grabbed my hands, I looked at him in utter shock. "That's the thing, Clare. I do love you. And I know you love me, too."
"Wow, K.C., you used to be an intelligent person but I don't think that football helmet has enough padding. I thought I loved you, but you proved me wrong. And you love me as much now as you did back then; not at all. What you're in love with is the thought of having someone there for you, for you to use and manipulate how ever you want. Well, I am no longer your toy, Kirk Cameron Guthrie." I announced proudly and began to walk away.
"Hold on," He said, grasping my wrist. I am really tired off people doing that! "You don't just get over your first true love, Clare, you said it yourself."
"That's just it. You're not my first true love. And you have no idea how easy it was to get over you." I remarked.
"How can you say that? I was your first boyfriend. You said you loved me."
"And so did you, but you cheated on me with the first pretty face that came along. So, goodbye." I said as I walked away.
"Wait a second—"
"Hey, Sweetheart, sorry, I'm a few minutes late; Morty wouldn't start." Eli said coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. Goodness, he is a lifesaver!
"That's okay," I said, playing along, though it seemed a little too easy, "I'm sorry, K.C. Goodbye." I said as Eli and I walked into the Dot, his arm still around my waist.
"Oh my goodness, thank you, so much!" I said, gratefully, chuckling, "He found out Jenna was cheating on him and came crawling back to me. Watching her fake butt get dumped was the single most amazing thing I've ever seen. Her, whining in her Jenna way, trying to convince him that she didn't cheat on him, wrapping her skanky arms all over him. It was pitiful." I laughed as we entered the restaurant.
"Serves him right, the way he treated you." Eli laughed with me.
"And then he's talking about how he knows how I felt. If he knew how I felt, he'd know to stay clear of my wrath. But the best part was the crestfallen look on his face when you came and…rescued me." I said the last part over dramatically, placing the back of my hand on my forehead, feigning graciousness.
"Seeing the fall of K.C. is really what you've been waiting for, hasn't it."
"One of the few things." I answered.
"Well beside that, what is there?" He questioned, truly interested.
"For Darcy to come home, for the impossible; my parents to love each other again, and…never mind." I muttered.
"What?" He asked.
"No, nothing, that's really it." I lied.
"Sure…" He muttered.
"So!" I said, deciding to change the subject, "What were those rules you wanted to go over?" I asked, finding the whole thing absolutely hilarious.
"You joke now, but I'm totally serious about this."
I composed myself and continued, "Eli, what do I have to do?"
"First of all, I'm driving you," He began, I was about to object but he interjected, "He can meet you somewhere in the school, it's too easy for him to pick you up and make a detour somewhere. Second: Never leave the gym. If you do, you tell Adam or I. Three, I'm giving you five minutes to get from your meeting spot with Fitz and back to the gym, if it takes longer than that, we're coming out and looking for you."
"Wow, that's all?" I asked jokingly, but partly in disbelief.
"Well, I would say, don't let him touch you because you don't want to catch any of his diseases, but that may set something off in his pea size, testosterone driven brain." He smirked, causing me to chuckle half heartedly.
"So, what were you and Ali doing during your GDO?" Eli asked.
"GDO?"
"You know, Girls' Day Out?"
"Only you would know that…" I muttered, causing him to chuckle, "And it was more like a Girls' Day In. She insisted on picking out an outfit for me for the dance and when I rejected every scandalous piece of clothing she had picked out for me in the store, we headed back to her place and raided her closet until we found an outfit conservative enough for my place but "sexy" enough for Ali's approval. She tricked me into it," This caused him to laugh, "And then the rest of the day, we hung out with President Savtaj Bhandari."
"So it wasn't a Girls' Day at all?"
"Nope. Actually, we were about ready to call Adam over." I said with a nonchalant shrug.
"You'd call my young Grasshopper over and not me? I'm thoroughly offended." He feigned hurt.
"Sorry there, Goldsworthy. Bhandari, Torres and Edwards make up the original posse." I joked.
"Yes, but I'm the bonus prize." He retorted smugly.
"Ha, isn't there a consolation?"
"Ouch, Edwards, you hit me where it hurts!" He exclaimed.
"Your giant ego?" I teased, arching an eyebrow and cocking my head to the side.
"Maybe that did, but I meant my heart, Clare. I don't know how I'll get over this devastating wound." He said, pretending to wipe a tear away.
"All wounds heal with time, big boy." I said as I stood up, patted his shoulder, and walked from the table.
"Wait—where are you going?" He asked.
"To call Adam!" I said waving to him.
"Oh no you don't!" He said chasing after me on the side walk.
"Sorry, Eli, but Adam's just a more interesting person." I teased, walking backwards to face him.
"Psh, that is so no true. I can at least have a conversation that doesn't revolve around comic books."
"Hey, I find Adam's escape from reality refreshing."
"Yeah, but you know you wouldn't be able to stay away from this," He said gesturing to his body, "For so long." He smirked.
"You are so conceited."
"But you love me anyway, Sweetheart." Though he was joking, a blush still arose in my cheeks.
"When did I ever say that?"
"Oh, you know you love me, you're just in denial,"
"Why do I feel like we've had this argument before?"
"There'd be no need for an argument if you'd just admit it." He mused.
"Yeah, in your dreams Eli," And with that, I had backed up into a telephone pole. In fact, it was that very same telephone pole that started it all; It was our telephone pole. Though it may sound odd, this pole started it all. It began with arguing, charging after one another, and then an awkward moment. It was the same situation, with two minor differences. One, the roles were reversed. I was the one being accused while being cornered, he being the accuser/interrogator, and there was no awkward moment. Only a sense of Déjà Vu.
"Why do I feel we always end up in the same places?" Eli asked, as he gazed into my eyes.
"The sense of comfort draws us back every time." I muttered, "This was the place you first taught me to speak up to my parents, and the place I first really met you." I confessed.
"I was right." He said, a smirk tugging along his lips.
"About what?" I asked.
"You couldn't live without me," He smirked and backed away from the pole.
"Hey!" I grunted and he just snickered as he ran to Morty.
Wow, this was scaraly lame. I know, it's not a word, but it's my word!
I hope you liked the hear felt Ali/Clare moment.
Eh, I haven't much to say for this Author's Note.
Oh Right!
Don't forget to check out My Best Friend's Girl, because if I don't get enough reviews, I'm not continuing it!
And I do have other story ideas in mind!
Anyway, that's all.
Like It?
Love It?
Hate It?
Rate It!
Just don't forget to review it!
I've lost a lot of reviewers.
Maybe you guys lost faith in me...?
I don't know.
But I promise you, you will like the ending.
Only one person anticipated what is going to happen.
And no, Clare's not going to pull the whole, "I'm not going to talk to you for getting into a knife fight" BS.
If she were, I would've stuck with "Vegas Night" People. But I didn't.
So let me just get rid of any conspiracy theroies(?) right there.
Okay, I'm rambling!
Love Always,
~Pho:)