A/N: Before I start the story, I just wanna thank ALL of you for supporting and reading this story. I never thought it would be somewhat more popular than The Pretenders and Make Believe. I also wish I could answer all of your questions you leave in your reviews such as "When will Clare tell Eli she has HIV?" or "When will Clare ever get better from HIV?" I thought I might as well tell you guys the answers to those now.

Clare will eventually tell Eli of her HIV, she pretty much will have to now that they are dating.

Clare will never get better from HIV. I have said before it was terminal HIV. Meaning it will turn into AIDS and Clare will die from it.. So yes, Clare will die from this, she can never get better from this, I'm not spoiling anything either since this was pretty obvious from the story itself.

So anyway! Back to the story! (:


Drew's Point of View:

I could feel Alli's soft lips kiss me back, even deeper, she was enjoying this kiss just as much as I was, slowly I pulled her in closer and slid my hand up her shirt, feeling her shiver at the touch of my hand on her small soft back, as I trailed my fingers up her back, I could barely feel the back of her bra, before Alli pulled away quickly, shoving me away lightly when doing so.

"I can't do this." Alli breathed out heavily.

I gave Alli a confused look as she tried to catch her breath from our deep kiss.

"What? I thought you wanted me to.." I said confused as myself tried to catch my own breath.

"I did - I mean I do." Alli stammered. "Its just.." Alli sighed and shook her head.

"Its just what, Alli? What is it? Tell me." I said with concern in my voice as Alli looked down, I noticed a tear roll down her cheek."We hurt each other once.. Remember?" Alli whispered.

I sighed and looked down, nodding whilst remembering my one night stand with Fiona.

"You chose Fiona that night, Drew. You don't want this, Drew. Neither of us want this. We'll just cheat on each other all over again like we did before." Alli murmured as she began fiddling with her big bracelet around her wrist.

"We won't hurt each other this time, Alli. I don't have to choose anyone this time. If anything, I choose you." I whispered.

Alli shook her head and continued to look down, possible flashbacks in her mind as well, I grabbed her by her chin and forced her head up so her eyes could meet with mine.

"Alli. You're the only thing that has made me happy in a long time. I'm not ready to give you up." I said sternly as tears spilled out of Alli's eyes and landed on my hands and in her lap.


Eli's Point of View:

I tightened my grip around Clare's hand as we took a deep breath and entered the cafeteria. It was like everyone was staring at us like we were some freak show, which we were in a way.

A freak show of a couple and I didn't give a flying fuck, as long as I had Clare here, holding my hand, I was fine.

Whispers and murmurs floated around the cafeteria as people stared at us as we made it to the middle of the cafeteria.

"Eli? They're all staring at us. They know this is wrong.. We do too." Clare whispered sadly as her hand loosened around mine.

I sighed and shook my head, tightening my grip around her hand.

"Let them stare. Its you and I. Against all of them. There is no doubt you can handle it, Clare." I told her with a smirk to comfort her, then I turned my body to where I was standing in front of her, I grasped her other hand in mine and smiled. "You're the strongest person I know." I whispered as Clare gathered tears in her eyes, I slowly leaned in to plant a soft and tender kiss on her lips, only more gasps and whispers went around the cafeteria as I did so, but I didn't care whatsoever as long as Clare was here.

And she was here.

"Well, Well." KC sneered as he walked up to Clare and myself with the populars behind himself. "What do we have here?" KC asked smugly.

Jenna then strode up next to KC, obviously pissed at both me and Clare. "Yeah, that's what I'd like to know." Jenna spat whilst crossing her arms across her chest.

I sighed and took Clare's hands, pushing herself behind me in case Jenna tried anything with her, I couldn't afford to have my girlfriend of not even ten minutes get attacked by my ex girlfriend.

"This is what should have happened a long time ago." I hissed under my breath.

KC guffaws loudly at my words and shakes his head.

"Oh my God. Please don't tell me you're committed to his freak! Come on man. We know you better than to do that." KC said knowingly.

All I could was force a chuckle out, which turned into hysterical laughter that had all the populars' confused as hell, but I couldn't stop laughing at KC's stupidity.

"You see.." I paused and tried to calm my laugher. "That's where you're wrong, KC. So wrong. You don't know me. None of you know me. You all know the person I've pretended to be." I spat hastily, I could feel Clare quiver behind myself, letting out scared whimpers from the huge confrontation, I gently rubbed circles over her hand with my thumb to let her know everything was going to be okay once this was over. "The person you want me to be. You guys don't care enough to really get to know me." I paused and looked back at Clare, who was looking at me with those wide eyes. "Unlike her." I whispered loud enough for others to hear, but soft enough for Clare to get the feeling behind it.

Jenna rolled her eyes."Sure we know you, Eli! Your favorite color is green!" Jenna exclaimed.

"Its black actually, Jenna." I said with a smirk.

"Who gives a shit! That's what you want us to know? Your favorite color? We've had your back this past year and suddenly this chick comes along and you turn your back on us?" KC sneered, especially when he said the 'chick' part, making Clare move uneasily from behind me.

"Are you listening to yourself, Guthrie? Just twenty minutes ago, you kicked me out of your group, because I was in a wheelchair!" I exclaimed angrily.

"But you can walk now. So just forget all of this even happened. Your life is back to normal. Just like the day before she got here." Jenna spat nasally while she shot Clare a dirty look, I only tightened my grip around, Clare's hand.

This was going to end, and end for good.

"Back to normal?" I asked baffled. "My life was hell before she got here. You wanna know why?" I scowled as I looked at both KC and Jenna.

"Don't do it unless your ready. No one is forcing you too, Eli." Clare whispered from behind me.

I shook my head at Clare and sighed.

"No. I'm setting the cards down. Since you're all watching, I'll tell you who I really am." I told them as I let go of Clare's hand, peck her cheek before climbing onto a cafeteria table and standing up on it, feeling like a wave of déjà vu came over me as I remembered outing Alli's secret by standing on a table and here I was, outing my secrets.

"Eli, you don't need to prove yourself in front of everybody. It doesn't matter. None of it." Darcy hissed from down below with Clare by her side, both looking nervous.

I rolled my eyes and simply ignored, Darcy. I wasn't gonna back down.

"My name is, Eli Goldsworthy. Elijah Daniel Goldsworthy actually. I know what that name means to you. It means the high school's badass. The high school's ladies man. The high school's funny guy. You all think I have a happy and perfect life." I paused and looked around at the eyes all glued on me. "What you don't know is that I'm the farthest from that. You all think I was in that wheelchair because I 'got shot.' What you don't know is.." I paused and swallowed. "My dad did that to me." I said loudly.

Gasps and wide eyes from everyone besides Darcy and Clare was seen across the cafeteria.

"Yeah, my dad use to beat me okay? I don't mean a simple slap in the face, I mean he left me paralyzed by using a bat." I spat. "He controlled every move I made. You know all those parties I would go to and get wasted at? I would get a beating everytime I came home from those. Why? To keep my reputation around this place. I had broken ribs over and over again just to be accepted by you guys." I told everyone, as I looked down from everyone's shocked faces, I saw Riley's, which held hurt, but understanding. A look which was shining in Darcy and Clare's eyes as well.

"You think that's all?" I chuckled and looked around. "Not even close. You all know my best friend, Adam died right?" I asked everyone, gasps around the cafeteria by just mentioning his name, but everyone nodded.

"I tried to not let it affect me you know? For my best friend, Drew, Adam's older brother. You've seen him around here, the guy who does drugs and doesn't talk much?" I asked everyone.

No one even nodded, they were too in shock by my words already.

"Well, he doesn't even talk to me anymore. You guys don't know anything. ANYTHING about my life." I sneered hastily, but I could feel my eyes gather up and looked down at Clare who was trying to wipe away her tears, her eyes already puffy from crying, even Darcy had tears glistening in her eyes.

"I'd love to tell you that there is nothing else to say." I stopped as I felt some tears roll down my cheek. "When my grandparents and uncle died in a fatal car crash, that's when my dad lost it, he started beating my mom, and whenever I tried to stop him from hurting her, he just did it to me more and more often. Then my mom left five months ago. I didn't blame her." I murmured.

I sighed and sniffled, looked around to see Jenna's shocked face and I sighed more heavily, knowing her secret was about to be announced as well."You all know Jenna right? My 'girlfriend' right? Her and I made a deal." I told everyone, Jenna looked scared now, I knew she didn't want me telling everyone her secret, but I had too. "The deal was that, we'd be together if she would help me search the world for my mom and I'd.. I'd be a cover up for her considering Jenna never liked me, I let her use me to cover up her sexuality." I said loudly.

Now everyone was in even bigger shock.

"Jenna. You're a nice girl underneath all that hate you harbor. You're just like everyone else, afraid of what they'll think so you've made yourself look like a slut, but I know you pretty well. You're just a scared closeted lesbian. I won't say who you've been having an affair with, because that'll show pandemonium, but you're an alright girl." I told Jenna genuinely as I glanced at Bianca who was next to Jenna, both of them looking at each other nervous, their hands brushing up against each others, wanting to desperately grasp each others hands.

"There is no words to put how my life is. There's no way in telling how I'll turn out or who'll be by my side in five years, but one thing I know is.." I paused and looked down at Clare, who was looking up at me proudly. "Clare has kept me going this whole time. And go ahead and judge us, but judge us with a reason, not because you think you know us or our relationship. So KC." I looked over at KC to see him with no expression on his face. "Say what you need to say, because I don't live to please you or any one in this school anymore." I finished with my explanation.

KC stepped forward as I climbed down the table, he was clapping sarcastically.

"Bravo, dude. Bravo. Do you really think that sob story is gonna change who runs this school?" KC asked and scoffed. "I run this school, Goldsworthy." KC sneered.

I could feel Clare beside me, she grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together as she stood by my side, Darcy on my other side.

Darcy growled and looked at KC.

"Why don't you let them be?" Darcy exclaimed furiously. "Let him be?"

"Yeah. If Eli and Clare wanna be together, they sure as hell don't need your approval, KC." Riley sneered, I noticed that he was now on Darcy's side.

"He's right you know." I tell KC as I pulled Clare closer to me. "I wanna be with her and there's nothing you can do about it, KC." I sneered as I felt Clare squeeze my hand and I squeezed her back, earning a soft smile from her.

KC nods, his hands clenching and un-clenching.

"Alright, Goldsworthy. Go ahead and have it your way for a couple days. But don't worry, I'll make sure you regret this." KC spat and then looked at his posse. "Lets go!" KC snapped and soon the popular crowd followed him out of the cafeteria.

As soon as KC and his posse left the cafeteria, everyone else in the cafeteria burst into cheers and claps, I could feel myself growing hot as everyone looked at me with a new level of respect.

"Looks like they are on your side." Clare whispered, I looked down to see her smiling up at me.

I shake my head and smiled.

"No. Our side, Clare." I whispered.

Clare grinned broadly before throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me ecstatically as everyone in the room cheered and clapped even more.

We had done it, we really had done it.


KC's Point of View:

I tried to keep my anger calm and cool as we exited the cafeteria, I could hear the cheers and claps from my peers.

All those claps and cheers for them.

Precious and perfect Eli and Clare.

As we made it farther away from the cafeteria I stopped and pivoted, looking at Jenna in disgust, I'd have to deal with her later.

"Girls, ditch. I need to talk to the guys." I spat.

"But babe -" Jess, my new girlfriend, began, but I groaned.

"Not now, Jess." I said annoyed.

"Ugh fine. Come on girls." Jess said in a demanding tone she had gotten once she had started dating me, she snapped her fingers and the girls followed behind her as she left.

"We need to hit them where it hurts and that's Clare." I murmured lowly.

"Wait a minute." The new kid, Jake said. "We're not gonna hurt her are we?" Jake asked nervously, I rolled my eyes, obviously the new kid would care.

Owen chortled.

"The newbie's gonna back out already? Sad." Owen said with a smirk.

"But she's a girl. Isn't -" Jake began, but I groaned.

"Do you want in our group or not?" I asked him annoyed with his behavior already.

"Definitely." Jake said softly. "But what if we didn't go for her. What if we went for his best friend, that uhm.. Drew kid or whatever." Jake mentioned.

"That's actually not a bad idea." Fitz said. "Drew means a awful lot to, Eli even though they don't talk." Fitz said.

"What do you think, KC?" Dave asked as he looked at me.

I already had a million thoughts running through my head, I was indecisive.

I could go for Drew, a pretty easy target considering he isn't always with Eli, but then again, there is Clare, she's such a pushover, she'd fall for any trap, Eli would just need to be away from her to do so, which was probably gonna be a risky task.


Jenna's Point of View:

It was a hard task, eavesdropping, especially since now KC probably hated me for Eli giving out my secret.

That I was a lesbian.

At least he didn't give out my affair with Bianca, that would have been even worst, Owen would blow a gasket.

Soon I heard footsteps and I jumped from my hiding place only to be knocked down."Ugh! Watch where you're going!" I exclaimed in my fake nasally voice I had grown accustomed to the past couple years.

"Crap. Sorry, Jenna. You okay?" Darcy asked as she reached her hand out for me to grab, I stared at her hand and sighed, taking it in my own as she helped me up.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Darcy asked again.

"What? Me? Yeah, Yeah I'm cool. I'm okay." I stammered nervously.

Darcy looked at me oddly before I shook my head and brushed past her.

"Jenna! Jenna!" Darcy called out, but I simply ignored her, I had to ignore her.

I couldn't be around her, not when I had that feeling in my stomach.


Clare's Point of View:

"Thanks man. For standing up for us. You didn't need to do that, but you did. So thanks." Eli thanked Riley once we were out of the cafeteria, Eli's hand still gripped mine tightly, I didn't wanna let go and I knew he didn't either.

Riley smiled and looked at both me and Eli.

"Don't worry about it man. I'm always gonna be here, tomorrow and even five years from now." Riley promised, Eli, which made his face light up in a smirk.

"You're a really good guy, Riley." I told Riley genuinely with a smile.

Riley smiled down at me.

"And you're a cool girl. I'm sorry so many people underestimated you, maybe now that you are with, Eli, people will get to know you." Riley said with hope.

I smiled and shrugged.

"Hopefully." I said as I looked up at Eli with a pure smile on my face.

"Hey Riley. Can you give me and Clare a second to talk, man?" Eli asked Riley and Riley nodded.

"Yeah man. Catch ya' later." Riley said before walking away.

I faced Eli and smiled.

"I still can't believe you did that." I told Eli incredulous at his speech in the cafeteria.

"Neither can I.' Eli said and he paused and looked down at me. "I saw you cry." Eli said in a softer tone.

I sighed and buried my face in my hands.

"Oh no. That's embarrassing." I murmured in a muffled voice.I could feel Eli pry my hands off my face and hold them in his own.

"Babe, why'd you cry?" Eli asked with concern in his voice."Promise you won't make fun of me?" I asked him.

Eli nods and smiles.

"Promise." Eli promises.

I sighed and squeezed his hands.

"I'm so proud of you." I whispered.

Eli didn't say anything, all he did was stare at me in shock.

"The guy I met on the first day of school would have never had the guts to do what you did, Eli. You have changed. I'm so proud of you." I murmured.

Eli still didn't say a word as he broke off our gaze and he started to look away nervously.

"I'm sorry." I paused. "I shouldn't have." I apologized.

Eli chuckled and shook his head.

"No. Its just that.. No one has ever told me they have been proud of me before." Eli said truthfully.

"Really?" I asked him.

Eli nods sadly.

"Yeah. I've waited my whole life to hear my dad say that to me, but he never has." Eli pauses and looks back at me. "But come to think of it. I wouldn't wanna hear it from anyone else, but you." Eli whispered in a sweet tone.

"How did I get so lucky?" I asked Eli with a smirk.

Eli chuckled and looked down.

"You didn't." Eli said and that caused me to giggle.

"I got lucky though. No doubt about that." Eli murmured as he brought my hand up to his mouth and lightly kissed it, making my cheeks redden with a blush, I threw my arms around his neck once more, burying my face in his neck, as I enjoyed this moment with him, this moment where's he's holding me so tightly that I don't wanna let go.

Ever.


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