Hello Readers, I was actually hoping to get this up this weekend, but that didn't happen. Monday isn't too bad though, hope you all enjoy!

Ch. 8 A Thrilling Moment

(CLARE)

"You don't look so pouty this morning," I comment when I see Drew Monday morning.

"It still hurts, but I spent most of the weekend at Owen's being miserable with him, when I wasn't working. I spent a lot of time thinking, at Owen's and at work about me and Ashley. I hate to admit it, but we were probably doomed from the start."

"Probably?" Adam and I question at the same time interrupting Drew.

"Okay, definitely doomed from the start. You can't hide a relationship, not at my age, not in high school. I had to hide and that was hard, exciting but hard, and mom would have killed us both if she'd found out. I could never have brought Ashley home, we would have had to hide until I graduated, which didn't make any sense. I chased her when I shouldn't have, and she let me catch her, but she's right it shouldn't have happened. Not now, not like this, we never could have made it work."

"That's a very mature outlook Drew," I grin.

"Our little boy's growing up," Adam teases putting his arm around me and pretending to sniffle.

"Shut up," Drew counters speeding up his walk a little bit.

"Don't worry Bro, another girl will flash you a smile and bat her eyelashes at you and the pain will heal," Adam says.

"Yeah, and now you have a thrilling experience to hold onto the rest of your life. A torrid affair with an older woman, the kind of thing people love to read about," I comment while my mind begins to drift.

I have my first assignment for my writing class at Centennial, I'm supposed to write about a thrilling experience in my life. According to the assignment parameters it can be good thrilling or bad thrilling, as long as it's something exciting with lots of emotion. The problem is the only truly thrilling events to happen in my life are not things I want to write about. My mom's cancer, dad's affair, dad making and selling drugs, getting arrested, not things I want to relive right now. I wasn't around for Julian's birth, and I honestly wasn't that thrilled when I found out Darcy was pregnant. My life is mundane, boring, and no one wants to read about that. I suppose my brief fling with Johnny was exciting, but I don't really want to write about that either.

"Clare? Hey Spacey," Drew says waving his hand in front of my eyes.

"What?"

"I asked what you know about Declan, I'm working with his sister on a project," Drew repeats.

"Sorry, I was thinking. You know Declan, he's in out photography class."

"No, I've seen Declan, I don't know anything about him. I've never even talked him, you got him caught up in class his first day," Drew argues as we walk into school.

"That was a week ago, I haven't really talked to him since then. I don't know, he was nice when I got him caught up, talked a lot about the places he's traveled to. I got the feeling they come from money," I shrug and realize Adam left us sometime after we walked into the school.

"Yeah, she did seem a little stuck up," Drew says opening his locker. "So, what were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I reply and Drew gives me a look. "Really, it's nothing, I'm taking a writing course at Centennial, mostly online, and I got my first assignment. I was thinking about that."

"Only you would put college work on your plate when you already have school and a job," Drew remarks as we're joined by Owen and Bianca.

"I know, I worried about it too, but she says it's not that much work," Owen comments.

"It's not, and the English classes here are too easy. Speaking of which, I need to get to class," I reply closing my locker.

"I'll come with you," Bianca says. We have the same homeroom, but I get the feeling she wants to talk. "Did you talk to Owen at all this weekend? I texted him a few times, it's not like he ignored me, but he did seem to be avoiding me."

"I believe," I comment as I sit down at my desk, "he and Drew spent the whole weekend together. As Drew put it, being miserable together. I think they both just needed some time. You came into school with him this morning didn't you?"

"Yeah, and we talked, about school. He wouldn't say anything about his weekend or his parents. He told me his mom was having an affair last week. I told him I was there for him, whatever he needed, and then I hardly hear from him all weekend."

"This is big for Owen, his parents always seemed to have this storybook marriage. The kind you see in happy family movies, so to find…" I pause when other kids begin coming in the classroom knowing I have to choose my next words carefully, "that out was devastating. Also, he's a guy, sharing his feelings is not exactly something he knows how to do. Even Owen isn't perfect, give him time, he'll talk. If he doesn't want to talk about it though don't push him, just be there for him."

"Yeah, you're right, thanks Clare," Bianca smiles.

English class as always is too easy, and I spend most of it trying to think of what I could write about for my other English class. I think I'm going to have to make something up, maybe start with my fling with Johnny but make it more exciting, more interesting. In other words lie.

When the bell rings I walk to photography, Drew is in here at the table looking at the desk. He isn't exactly moping, but I can see that he's picturing Miss Kerwin at the desk. He does at least grin at me when I sit down. I see that his old self is starting to come back, and it won't be long before he's got another crush I'm sure.

"Good morning class," Miss Oh says walking into the room when the bell rings. "I'll be taking over this class for Miss Kerwin, she was offered a great job at a private school. We will miss her, but it was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. Now, please turn cell phones off and watch the presentation."

I can hear some whispers in the classroom, I look at Drew wondering if he knew Miss Kerwin was leaving. His face is expressionless as he watches the presentation. Either he didn't know and he's in shock or he did and he's concentrating on the presentation to not think about Miss Kerwin. The presentation is on various photo essays covering all kinds of subjects. I do mean all kinds, someone did one on public washrooms around Europe.

"I showed you all of those because your assignment for the rest of the week, including your homework, is to do a photo essay of your choosing. You will pair off and choose a topic, put together a comprehensive photo essay on that topic. At least fifty pictures, but more is encouraged. Nothing written, you need to convey your thoughts, opinions and feelings through the pictures you take. They have to be pictures you take, not ones you find. So, be realistic, your essay cannot be on the aftermath in war-torn countries or tigers in the wild, or anything else that would require long distance travel. I also don't want you working with the person you are sitting with. Get up and mingle, you have one minute to find a partner, go!"

At Miss Oh's command everyone jumps up and starts rushing to find a partner. I hate to admit it but I am happy that I don't have to work with Drew on this. He's one of my closest and oldest friends, and he drives me crazy! I'm sure I'd end up doing most of the work, as sure as I am that he'd comment how every location or picture somehow reminded him of Miss Kerwin. Maddison, a cheerleader, latches onto Drew before anyone else can. Maybe she can get his mind off Miss Kerwin. While I'm looking for a partner someone grabs my hand and pulls me through the crowd.

"Want to be partners?" Declan asks putting his hand at my lower back and holding me close. I can feel eyes on me and look over to see Drew snickering at how close I'm standing to Declan.

"Uh sure," I nod getting out of Declan's embrace and sitting at the table with him.

"So, any ideas for a topic?" Declan asks.

"Not really, maybe the homeless problem? We could go to soup kitchens and take pictures of the homeless camps a…"

"That sounds incredibly depressing, and I'm not taking pictures of bums on the street," Declan replies.

"Well, that's very shallow, it is a real problem," I snap back.

"I know, and I feel for them. We give to charities that help homeless people, that doesn't mean I want to go take pictures of them. Besides it could be dangerous, wandering the streets to take pictures of these people. A lot of them are drug users, and we may not even be let in to the homeless shelters."

"Okay, that's a fair point, so what should we do the essay on? If you say cheerleaders I will hit you."

"No cheerleaders," Declan smiles, "I wouldn't want to spend all that time around all that pep anyway. We can't travel, but what about architecture, a comparison of classic vs. modern and how it fits in with the natural landscape?"

"Yeah, that could be a good essay, maybe we could do some on the impact of new construction?"

"We can probably do that, we'll have to get out and take pictures. How's after school?"

"That's fine, I work five to eight tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday though."

"Okay, right after school we'll go, we'll start with the closer neighborhoods and I can do some research after I drop you at work. We can spend a lot of time Thursday taking other pictures and putting it together."

"Works for me," I nod.

"Now that everyone has found their partners and hopefully has their topics, fill out these forms. I need them turned in before you go, I have to make sure the topic you chose is feasible and acceptable in school standards. Women's lingerie and girls in bikinis are not acceptable topics. Your topic also needs to mean something, it can't just be food," Miss Oh says handing out the forms.

We get our form filled out and turned in first, and Miss Oh says we can go. I start walking to my locker and Declan comes with me.

"I have studies in literature last period," Declan tells me.

"World history, I'll meet you at the front doors when classes are out," I reply. Declan grins and walks off as I start opening my locker. Soon there is another boy leaning on the locker next to mine.

"You and Declan seemed to be getting mighty cozy in class," Drew teases.

"He pulled me from the crowd," I shrug.

"Yeah, sure," Drew laughs. He puts his books in his locker and puts his arm around my shoulders. "Let's go get lunch and get a table, unless of course Owen and Bianca are eating alone."

We do eat with Owen and Bianca, Drew is in a better mood it seems or at least not as mopey as last week. Owen and Bianca on the other hand seem to be not talking or something. Owen never really says anything to her and chose to sit next to Drew rather than his girlfriend. Bianca seems hurt and remains quiet. Bianca leaves the lunch table to use the washroom and that's when Owen leaves too. Drew seems to be oblivious to their relationship issues.

After lunch I go to my locker to get my books and Bianca finds me there, we walk to biology together. Owen comes in a few minutes later and hardly looks at either of us. They both have math last period, so I don't know if they walked together or if they'll talk. I have a feeling Bianca might walk home today rather than wait for Owen after practice.

After the last bell I visit my locker and see Declan walking to his locker, so I go with him. Then we go out to his car, a very nice new sports car. I was right, his family does have money, no way you afford a car like this with an after school job.

"Why don't we start here," Declan comments pulling over to the curb about ten minutes from school.

"As good a place as any," I shrug.

We walk down the street and Declan starts taking pictures of the buildings. We're in an older neighborhood and a lot of these buildings have been here for a hundred years. Declan is taking all the pictures and I begin spacing out, my mind wandering back to that English assignment I have to turn in Wednesday.

"Clare?" Declan says putting his hand on my shoulder and I blink at him. "You didn't hear anything I just said did you?"

"No, I'm sorry," I apologize.

"What's on your mind? You looked really deep in thought, is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything is fine, it's stupid," I shake my head.

"It can't be that stupid, it consumed you for a moment."

"I'm taking a writing course at Centennial, my first assignment is to write about a thrilling experience in my life. I don't have any thrilling moments in my life."

"I'm impressed, taking a college level course, something you pursued on your own I'm assuming?" Declan asks and I nod. "You must have had some thrilling experience in your life. I mean they don't expect everyone in the class has gone base jumping do they? What are the assignment parameters?"

"It has to be a thousand words or more on a thrilling experience in our life. It can be something that was a good thrilling experience or a bad thrilling experience as long as it's something that was exciting with lots of emotion. We're supposed to key in on the emotions of the event and make the readers feel what we felt."

"There must be something you can write about," Declan comments.

"Sure, I had about six months of highly emotional moments, I don't want to write about them. I don't think I can, it's too personal, I couldn't even write in my diary about it all. I thought about writing about my last relationship, kind of my only relationship, but it didn't go well. It was hardly even a relationship, we went on a couple dates, made out in his dorm room a..."

"Is the college guy why you're taking the course at Centennial?" Declan questions cutting me off.

"No, he's going to U of T, anyway this class is mostly online. I never told him my age, and when he found out some other truths about me I never heard from him again. It was upsetting, but not exactly thrilling. It's not like we were sneaking around, my brother-in-law and sister knew I was dating him. I'm not even sure I'd count the making out in his dorm room as thrilling. For the most part my life is boring, I think I'm going to have to make something up. I can write almost anything and make it sound believable. I just have t…"

Before I can finish my thought Declan pulls me to him and smashes his lips to mine. He turns us and leans me on the side of the building, holding me around the waist and close to his body. His tongue licks across my bottom lip, my stomach fills with butterflies, my knees begin to shake. I exhale against his lips and link my arms around his neck. When my lips don't part for him he gently nips my lower lip, this electric rush surges through me and I part my lips. My heart is pounding, I feel people watching us, I'm nervous and sort of embarrassed and at the same time titillated. Declan's tongue slides between my lips, caressing my tongue, the butterflies get bigger. I feel like I'm falling or floating, and grip tightly to him. He pulls away slowly, but keeps a hold of me as I'm still trembling a bit. It wasn't my first kiss, it was definitely the most passionate and unexpected though.

"That may not be a thousand words worth, but hopefully it was a thrilling experience," Declan grins.

"It was definitely thrilling," I respond.

"Have dinner with me Thursday night."

"Are you asking me on a date or is this for the assignment?"

"Clare, would you grant me the pleasure of your company on a date Thursday night? My place, I'm sure my sister will be out and I'll cook."

"I would love to," I smile pulling my lower lip into my teeth briefly. "I think I can walk again, we should probably keep going."

Declan grins and we keep walking, taking pictures of most of the buildings in this neighborhood. We may not use all of them, but at least we'll have the pictures. The last picture we take at the edge of the neighborhood is a very old building next to a building built in the last five years. The contrast between the two is actually very striking, I think we need to find more places like that with old and new buildings next to each other. Just not today because I have to get to work. Declan drives me to The Dot and walks me inside, it looks like he's planning to stay.

"I'm going to get some coffee to go, but I'll see you at school tomorrow," Declan grins and I smile back.

"I just have to change my shirt and clock in," I tell Spin still wearing the grin on my face.

"Take your time, it's pretty slow right now. So, smiley boy, one coffee to go?" Spinner questions.

I giggle under my breath and go back to the employee lounge to change. I clock in and go back out to the front, Declan is gone and there's only five other customer in here. Wes, Adam, Dave and Connor are at one table. Sav sits alone at another table, he seems to be doing his homework.

"So, what were you two doing?" Spinner inquires.

"Homework," I respond.

"With the smiles you two were wearing, I don't think so."

"There was a kiss, and he asked me out for Thursday since I'm not working, but we were really doing homework," I tell Spinner. I take the rag and start cleaning off the tables before he can say anything else. Biting my lip and smiling secretly to myself, in my head I'm already writing the English assignment that revolves around a surprising and wonderful kiss.

(DREW)

"Let's go to The Dot for lunch and finish up our project, I have my laptop with me," Maddison says leaning on the locker next to mine while I put away my books.

"I thought we were meeting at lunch?" Fiona remarks from my side.

"We…" I begin before Maddison cuts me off.

"No Drew's eating with me. We have to get our presentation together and ready for tomorrow."

"So do we," Fiona replies with a hand on her hip and her tone dipping into anger.

It's Thursday afternoon and I have two major projects due tomorrow. Two female partners and both are fighting for my attention, this should be a lot more fun that it is. This is not how I saw two girls fighting over me.

"Maddison give me a second," I request. She smiles at me and gives Fiona a triumphant look before walking away. "She and I are almost done, we can finish at lunch. You and I have spent all of twenty minutes together all week, I think we have a lot more to do. Plus, we have to go over our presentation t…"

"Which is why we need to meet at lunch," Fiona says cutting me off.

"I was going to say I don't work today, I have football practice after school, but we'll be done by four, maybe four-thirty. Then you and I can get together and spend the rest of the evening putting the finishing touches on the project. That will still leave us lunch tomorrow if we need it."

"Fine, text me when you're out of practice," she says and walks off kind of annoyed still.

I close my locker and join Maddison, on our way to The Dot I see Clare eating with Declan again. She had lunch with him Tuesday and Wednesday although they are partnered for the photo essay project as well. Spin is working of course and I order from him, when I order for myself only Maddison gives me a look, it's like she thought this was a lunch date. She orders a salad and we sit down, she gets out her laptop and we look through the essay. We swap out a few pictures and change the order of a couple and look through it again. Happy with what we have she closes her laptop and then starts talking about the game tomorrow.

"Later Spin," I wave as we leave the café.

"See ya, good luck at the game tomorrow Drew," Spin waves.

"I think we should go out and celebrate after the game tomorrow," Maddison comments linking her arm through mine as we walk back to school.

"We haven't won yet," I reply.

"I'm sure we'll win," she giggles like the bubble-headed cheerleader that she is.

I know she's baiting me to ask her out, but I don't want to go out with her. When I see my brother on the steps I see my exit. "Little Bro," I call to him and start running over, "about tomorrow."

"What about tomorrow?" Adam questions looking at me with his head cocked to one side and his eyebrow arched.

"Nothing, I just had to get away from Maddison," I tell him.

"Girl problems Drew?" Dave teases.

"The only problem is Maddison wants me to ask her out," I reply and they laugh.

I walk with them until we're inside and Maddison is far behind me. I quickly go to my locker and grab the books I need and rush to parenting class. Miss Sauvé took over the class, she does well and she's a good teacher, but I do miss seeing Ashley in the class. Although, in most ways it's better that she didn't stay at the school, it would have been really painful to watch her in class and not be with her.

"Have a nice lunch with the peppy cheerleader?" Fiona asks when she sits down.

"Not especially," I respond and I'm pretty sure I see Fiona smile. Class is kind of boring, we have to watch a video and then do a worksheet on the video. It's an older video too, from like the 80's and seems pretty out of date.

"You'll text me when you're done with practice?" Fiona asks when we leave class.

"Yeah," I nod. Fiona smiles and we part ways to get to our last classes.

Math is long and boring as usual, and there are some things I don't understand. I'm happy when it's over and I can get to football practice. Football is something I'm good at and I can work out my frustrations and aggression. When I've showered and changed after practice I text Fiona to meet at the front steps.

"Where should we work? We can go to my house, I think Declan's out for a date," Fiona says.

"We could just go to The Dot, I'm starving now."

"Okay, The Dot then," Fiona says but sounds somewhat annoyed.

We walk to The Dot in silence, we go in and get in line behind Connor. Spinner hands Connor a tray of milkshakes and he turns around bumping into Fiona. Three milkshakes going all over her blouse and skirt.

"Aghh, you moronic klutz, this blouse is an Elizabeth Bradley original," Fiona shrieks.

"Sorry, I'll buy you another one," Connor says.

"Didn't you hear what I said? This is an original you can't buy another one, you couldn't afford it anyway."

"You can clean up in the washroom, I can give you a Dot T-shirt to wear," Spinner offers.

"I'm not wearing a that," Fiona responds.

"Do you have a car?" I question.

"No, I mean yes I share it with Declan, but he took it for his date."

"Here, take mine, just drop it at our house when you come home," Spinner says taking his keys from his pocket.

"Thanks Spin," I smile taking the keys.

Spinner nods handing Fiona a few paper towels and I take her outside and around the back to Spin's car. Opening the passenger door for her, she gets in still patting milkshake off of her with paper towels. She tells me how to get to her house and I begin driving. As we drive the houses are getting bigger and nicer, we're past Owen's house and the houses are almost mansions. She tells me to pull into a driveway, a large two-story with a porch and large lawn.

"Nice house," I remark.

"Yeah, I guess," she shrugs using a keypad to open the front door. "I'll just be a moment to change, but I should start these soaking i…" she stops when we both hear noises from the kitchen. "I thought Declan was going out," she comments turning the corner so I follow her.

Once we come around the corner from the entry the open kitchen is in full view, Declan is here with his date, he seems to be cooking for her. His date just happens to be Clare, which she never told us, not me anyway. The four of us catch sight of each other at the same time, Declan looks as surprised to see us as I am to see Clare. Everyone is just looking and blinking at each other, as usual I'm the first one to break the silence.

"Well now, doesn't this look romantic," I tease Clare, "and I thought you two were just photography partners. Oh wait, is your photo essay on romantic, intimate dinners."

"Shut up Drew," Clare huffs tossing a piece of bread at me. I catch the bread and bite into it with a grin on my face.

"I thought you were working on your project," Declan remarks to his sister.

"I thought you were going out," she replies sauntering over to see what's on the stove.

"I said I had a date, it's more romantic to cook," Declan counters as he lightly shoves his sister away.

"Declan is a wonderful cook, he studied under some of the best chefs in the world," Fiona tells Clare.

"Of course he did," Clare responds.

"I suppose you came home to change? Did he spill milkshake all over you to get you to shut up?" Declan teases his sister.

"No some idiot kid turned around and dumped a tray of milkshakes on me. Drew was kind enough to bring me home since you had the car, although as you just came home it doesn't appear that you needed it. I'm going to go change, and then we'll partake in dinner with you, after all you are making my favorite," Fiona comments before sauntering out of the kitchen.

"Fi, I didn't cook this for you," Declan calls after her in annoyed tone and just as my stomach growls.

"It's okay, we were going to The Dot to eat, I was starving after practice. When she comes back I'll get her out of your hair," I tell Declan. My stomach argues with me as it growls again, what he's cooking does smell very good.

"No, it's fine, we have plenty of food and she won't leave now. Do you mind Clare? After we eat we can go up to my room, give Drew and Fi the living room," Declan says.

"Sure, that's fine, I've known Drew forever, but what makes you think I'm going up to your room alone with you after this?" Clare inquires.

"If I do something you don't like I'm sure Drew will come up and hit me," Declan says with a bit of sarcasm and a bit of fear in his voice.

"If you do something I don't like I know where to kick," Clare retorts and I begin laughing.

"Can I help with anything?" I ask Declan.

"I'm almost done, you can set the table I suppose," Declan replies.

"I'll help," Clare says getting up from the table.

We don't have to ask where dishes are because their cabinets have glass doors. We do have to ask where placemats, napkins and silverware are however.

"So, when did moneybags ask you out?" I whisper to Clare as we begin setting the table.

"Monday, after he kissed me," she replies.

"Of course," I nod.

"Table for four, told you we were staying. You don't mind that we crashed your date do you Clare?" Fiona asks appearing in the kitchen once more. She's changed her clothes, although she's still as dressed up as she was before. If it had been me I would have changed into pajamas or something. Especially, since we're at her home now.

"No, it's fine," Clare replies though she does sound a little annoyed.

"After we eat you two can clean up while I take Clare up to my room to be alone," Declan informs his sister.

"But we have work to do," Fiona kind of whines.

"That's what you get for crashing my date," Declan replies.

"I clean up all the time at home, we can work in the living room when we're done," I tell Fiona.

"Fine, I suppose we don't have all that much to do, run through the presentation and put the finishing touches on it," Fiona says.

"It's ready, you two can serve yourselves," Declan says bringing over plates for him and Clare.

"What about your parents? Should we leave some for them?" I question as I begin piling my plate high.

"No, take as much as you want," Fiona replies with a tight voice. I can tell that her parents aren't just out for the night or working late. "So, Clare," Fiona says sitting at the table on the opposite end from Declan, "What do your parents do?"

Clare bites her lip and looks down, she doesn't want to talk about it. Probably afraid of Declan's reaction after Johnny. I can't blame her, after seeing this house and their wealth I'm not even sure I want to talk about my family. I'm not sure if I should jump in or let Clare answer.

Look no cliffhanger, the next update will pick up from just about here, and probably still in Drew's pov. The next story to be updated is "I Wanna Be Your Man Like No Other Can."