As Clare and Eli made it to the copier room to print 800 copies they both couldn't stop laughing making their way into the copier room, Eli turned to Clare with a smirk which made Clare blush "What?" She giggles heading over to the printer opening up the lid but his gazes moved to Eli.
"I miss your sweet smile and a soft laugh." Eli indeed missed her laugh but that wasn't the only thing he missed her, but he knew he had to get better and he was proud of himself and he was ready to start something again with Clare. Clare was about to put the new paper piece into the copier but Eli's hand brushed hers and there was a moment "Wait… we should… uh check if there is paper in it first" Eli informs the blue-eyed sixteen-year-old opening up the paper tray.
A smile grew from Clare's face. She watched him open up the tray and she nodded as he did so and looked like he was right. They did the right thing checking because there was no paper. She faces Eli "Well good thing we checked'' she was definitely flirting with him but so was he. Her heart was skipping a million beats as she and he were inches away from each other.
Eli had put the newspaper piece into the photocopier as Clare pressed the little button setting to 800 but there was no space between Eli and Clare they were dangerously close she could feel his breath it was sweet she could remember back when they were together after a kiss or make out session his breath was always so sweet a blush spread appeared on Clare's cheeks but she turns around to face Eli "So" she was trying to find words to come out.
"So" Eli repeated, "Oh Adam had told me that you applied for internships that must be exciting" he was so proud of her.
Clare nods "Yeah after writing for Degrassi Daily I started to think about wanting to become a journalist and trying to make the world a better place."
"That's wonderful Clare, any newspaper would be lucky to have you" Eli was genuine.
A smile grew on Clare's face "Thank you Eli. I appreciate that especially from you".
Eli flashed his everlasting smirk, the one that makes Clare's heart melt and she feels mush looking at him, their eyes connected as they stare at each other. "You have a talent Clare and I believe you can do anything you set your heart to".
Clare's face goes red, she smiles with her bright blue eyes "Same with you, I know you are pretty talented too in everything you do" she realised she stepped a little closer he was still smirking at her.
He wanted to kiss her right there but not yet he would get her to kiss him another time so he took out two Frostival tickets one for him and one for her "Clare I would like to ask you if you want to come to the Frostival with me?".
Clare eyes light up "With you love to" She takes one of the tickets out of his hand "Thank you".
"No need to thank me, you deserve to have fun" Eli slyly smiled at her.
Clare was still blushing she couldn't stop she still had feelings for the green-eyed boy whom she fell for the moment he ran over her glasses that day, she always loved him but after he crashes his hearse into a wall she knew the best for both of them to break up she was 15 to be in that situation no one should. Now that, Love Roulette, dating Jake, the cabin and everything was now in the past. Her family are now happy well she still doesn't speak to her father not after he chose his "new girlfriend's family" over her and possibly Darcy but other than that she's in a better place and so was Eli so she sure they both could pick up from they left off (way before the car in a wall obviously) she was still in love with Elijah Goldsworthy and he was still in love with her.
At that moment she was about to lean in and kiss him but the photocopier made a beeping sound signalling that all the copies had been made "I think that's the copier letting us know it's done" she turned around walking over to the copier and lifting the lid. She was right, all 800 copies had been made, she couldn't believe that not only her but her friends and Eli pulled this all off in a space of a few hours.
"Now all we have to do is hand them out somewhere"
"They usually go in the library and classrooms"
Finally, all the copies were handed out; both Clare and Eli now had their winter coats wrapped up with hats, scarfs and gloves walking out in the baltic Canadian December air. They started to walk over to the car park where the Frostival was. "This turned out so beautiful Fiona did herself" Clare admired the lit up place covered in carnival rides, arcade games, street food and sweets everywhere, other students running around and everyone was happy.
Eli faced Clare "What would you like to do first?" He smirks at her which made her blush.
Clare thought for a moment as she scanned the car park for a second. She spots a skee ball "Skee ball?" She turns back to Eli raising an eyebrow.
"Sounds fun let's go Edwards" he offered his arm which Clare happily took. They giggle and walk to where the skee ball, Eli lets Clare go first so she picks up the ball and throws it, it gets in one of the holes she scores.
"Yay! Eli, I got it in" she exclaims happily.
Eli watches the beautiful girl who just scored "Eh that's a rookie mistake now let an expert show you" he jokes and teased her smiling. Clare playfully glares at him but couldn't stop smiling and shaking her head. Eli steps in and throws the ball, scoring high.
"Wow you're right you are an expert" Clare smiles at him chuckling "So where did you become an expert" she crosses her arm playfully.
"One summer before 8th grade I spent every day in Zed 80" Eli explains to a curious Clare.
"Then you gotta teach me one day" Clare smiles ear to ear.
"Definitely and right now I'll help you" Eli was still smirking as he started teaching Clare how to play better. She listened to him carefully. After a while, they had enough and walked to a basketball game.
The shoot the hoops Clare was winning Eli was so surprised he looked at her in amazement "Edwards, I would never know you were into basketball."
Clare stops throwing the ball she turns to face Eli "Someone taught me back when I was a niner" she didn't want to bring up KC but she knows she had to one day cause at that sentence she sounded a little sad but Eli took notice.
"Is everything alright?" Eli asks her genuinely and is concerned.
Clare nodded "Yes I'm fine just some stuff that happened in grade nine I rather not talk about" she reassured Eli she rested a hand on his arm as his hand went over her hand. They looked at each other a little too long.
Eli quickly broke the stare "I'm starving, how about you?"
"Uh yep what should we have?" Clare replied.
"Candy floss?" Eli smirks and Clare nods.
"Sounds delicious!" She smiles, and they start walking through the Frostival. It was still so pretty with the lights with each sound of the machines and rides blended in with one another it was a wonderland. Once they reached the candy floss trolley they paid for theirs as they walked side by side.
They walked past the carousel walking side by side holding candy flosses in their hand, "800 hundred copies and we still have time to crash the carnival" Eli says looking at Clare.
"You know I wouldn't take you like a cotton candy type" Clare holds out her candy floss looking back at Eli.
Eli looks at her smiling "Oh Clare there so much you don't know about me" he told Clare and Clare smiles giggling.
"Oh" Clare playfully puts her hands up before Eli takes a bite of the candy floss which he realised he doesn't like.
"You're right I hate it" Eli quickly disposes the food item into the rubbish bin behind him then turns back to walk beside Clare.
Clare laughs lightly "See I do know you" she looks at Eli then puts her hand in her coat pocket, "And I'm glad there's no weirdness" she admits.
Eli had his hands in his pocket "No weirdness I like the sound of that but one thing still bugging me" he said stopping making Clare stand in front of him. "Were you worried us hanging out will set me off?" He asked the blue-eyed sixteen-year-old standing in front of him.
Clare looks into his green orbs "It wasn't you I was worried about" she was right she was falling for Eli again.
The two of them stood there until a car horn interrupted Eli knowing it was his dad, "Oh, there's my dad."
Clare takes a quick look to see, then turns back to Eli "Where are you going?" She asks.
"Away for the holidays but I'm" Eli was about to say something.
Clare smiles at him "It's okay go have fun" she knows he'll be back after the break. She stands there but Eli is about to walk away however he stops.
"Clare" Eli turns back to Clare and she looks at him "I need to know I'd you mean what I think you mean," he asks her if he had to. He was falling for her again too but again he never stopped loving her. Clare walks up to him and kisses him letting him know she wants the same thing as him and that was to be together again. "Woah okay" he was speechless but now knows she was in.
"Hold those thoughts we can talk when you get back" Clare was right they could talk when he's back and she was going to her grandparents tomorrow anyways so they both would not be in Toronto until school starts up again in the new year.
Eli smiles at her walking away Clare watches him leave smiling he put a finger to her lip she could still feel Eli's lips on hers she missed that, she missed the way he would make her feel, she missed those green eyes, the smirk everything she just missed him and they both are in better places. She turns around walking away she noticed Jenna, KC and Connor at some machine she's happy to see they are good she turns back to check Eli and his dad car had now disappeared she turns back she was going to go find Alli she still had time before she had to go home since Jake was hanging with Mo and Marisol.
It only took a few minutes but Clare finds Alli and Dave playing with a bullseye machine thing and she walks up to them "Hey you two" she exclaims.
Alli hears her best friend "Clare!" She turns around hugging Clare as it was Dave's turn on the machine, "So where did you and Eli get to?" She raised an eyebrow.
"We handed out the newspapers now he is away for the holidays" Clare only told this to Alli because she wanted to wait until she and Eli had talked.
"That's good" Alli gave Clare a genuine smile. She was so happy to have Clare back in her life. There were so many times the past few months where she just wanted to apologise to Clare but she just couldn't and hated that a boy got in the way of their friendship but thankfully that is all in the past now and they are stronger than ever.
Dave had finished his turn and his phone went. It was a text from his dad "Do you ladies need a ride home my dad is here?" The boy asked.
"Oh I would thank you" Alli kissed him.
"Sure if your dad doesn't mind" Clare adds.
"Not at all Clare" Dave responds.
At that, the three of them walked to Dave dad's car getting in the back, fastened up their seatbelts as Mr Turner drove out of Degrassi's car park leaving the Frostival behind. Clare was dropped off first and she gave her thanks as she got out waving bye to Alli and Dave, she walked into her house taking off her coat, scarf, hat and gloves putting them in the cupboard.
Clare's mum hears the door she walks up to her daughter "You're home sweetheart I made dinner".
"Thanks, mum" Clare replied hugging her mother, their mother and daughter relationship was getting better since earlier this year it took a while but they talked. Clare lets go following her mother into the dining area. Glen was there but Jake must be still out so it was just the three of them. Clare sat down and ate her dinner talking to her mother and stepfather. Once she was done she went upstairs with a grin on her face. She had a text from Eli so she opened it up once she sat on her bed.
"Had a great time these past two days - Eli"
Clare had to double read that she thinks to herself what to write back she wanted to be truthful and say she enjoyed his company and she couldn't wait to see him again, she bit her lip looking at the text on the screen, she typed back "Me too actually and thank you for helping me" she clicks sent and waits.
Eli replied in seconds "No need to thank me, Edwards, we do make a pretty good team."
Clare blushes at Eli's text "I guess we do :)" she sends her phone down so she could get out of her uniform and her jammies on and ready for bed.
Eli just finished packing for his trip and he now found out that he was going to New York. He heard his phone going, seeing it was Clare. He smiles to himself as he picks up the phone as he reads the text and replies "Is that a smiley face I see? ;)". He throws his phone on the bed as he goes into his bathroom to take a shower.
Clare was now sitting on her bed, her phone beeped, she picks it up and sees that Eli has responded, she opens up the text and texts back "Maybe? But I do know that's a smirk" she hit sent and lays back on her pillow smiling while holding on to her phone.
Eli had now finished his shower all he could think about was Clare. He knew that she was the only girl for him and there was no other girl that caught his eyes because he's only interested in Clare. He dries himself as he puts on his boxers but also pjs too since it was freezing. He climbs into his bed under the covers and grabs his phone and smiles wide when he reads Clare's text. "Well I smirk because of you and how beautiful you are ;)) but it's getting late and I have an early flight".
Clare almost was falling asleep when she heard her phone and seen it was Eli she opens up the text to type back "Night sweet dreams and we will talk when you come back" she hit sent and puts her phone to the side as she had put her lamp off and put her covers over her and falls asleep thinking about Eli.
Eli was now asleep; he dreamt about Clare like he always had and he couldn't wait to talk to Clare and get her to kiss him again when they went back to Degrassi.