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Okay, so thanks for all the reviews, I really, really love you guys! I'm glad my story is such a success, it makes me so proud. Fear not, there will be a sequel, hopefully started as soon as this story is finished. Enough of this small talk, here's another chapter and thanks for the reviews!

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Chapter Twelve

A Proposition

Tod had spent most of the night and a good deal of the morning practicing what to say to Clear in front of the mirror. He had ditched most of the ideas and had only come up with, "So Clear, I know you like my friend but I like you so do you want to go out sometime?" At different points in time it had sounded good but he wasn't so sure that Clear was going to think so or even agree to go anywhere with him.

But the time had come to once again go to Mount Abraham High and face Clear; he considered not even asking her but he realized that he liked her too much to just sit back and watch her pine away over Alex. Maybe his friend was right, maybe she would ditch her 'crush' when she realized that someone else liked her.

Tod was in the middle of practicing a more improved 'speech' when George shouted from downstairs that he'd better hurry up or be late. With a sigh, the younger Wagner left the bathroom, grabbed his backpack and followed his brother out the door toward their father's station wagon.

* * *

Clear had managed to remain unreachable until the now dreaded fourth period rolled around, plunging in right in the middle of Alex and Tod, as well as in the same room as Carter and Adrienne. She considered dropping out of French (though she was now getting used to the language) or perhaps even jumping out of the second story window to get away from Alex and his girlfriend but she wasn't ready to do something quite so drastic.

Regardless of those ideas, Clear trudged into fourth period and ignored Alex and Adrienne, who were chatting by the blonde's desk and took her seat in the back of the classroom, trying to ignore the way that Tod was smiling at her, attempting to catch her attention.

"Clear," Tod finally said, getting her attention verbally, "can I talk to you for a second?" He sounded rather nervous, almost like he regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

For the first time since he had left Alex's house the night before, Tod found himself feeling very nervous; it was one thing to practice in front of his own reflection but it was quite another to actually talk to the girl on the receiving end of his date proposal.

Clear looked up at him, cocking her head slightly. "What?" She asked, making it obvious that she wasn't in the mood to talk, about anything. She figured something about Alex or Adrienne was about to come out of Tod's mouth and she mentally steeled herself against his words, putting on her 'whatever' exterior.

Looking at Clear just then caused Tod's heart to freeze and his breath to catch in his throat; his feelings for Clear were partially to blame for his paralysis but he was also afraid of rejection, of what she might do as soon as he spoke to her. Unable to think of anything else to do, he willed himself to continue speaking, though he wasn't quite sure what was going to come out of his mouth. "Listen, this might sound really strange but I know Alex and Adrienne are going to the movies Friday night and...spy on them." Tod muttered, eyes going wide when he realized what he had just said. 'Where in the hell did that come from?' He questioned mentally, seconds away from slapping his forehead with an open palm.

Clear stared at him, confused, eye brows raised, trying to figure out what he was talking about. "Spy on them?" She repeated, sounded more confused then anything else, which Tod took as a good sign.

'Okay Wagner, you have two seconds to turn this into something good,' He prompted himself mentally, taking a deep breath. "Okay, that didn't come out right but...yes, spy. You could see that Alex really doesn't care about Adrienne." Tod explained, trying to figure out exactly where those words were coming from. He hadn't meant to say any of those things! 'But I do care about you,' He willed his mouth to say but no words would come past his lips.

Still, Clear looked incredibly confused, mentally attempting to sort out Tod's words. Did he really think that she was so into causing herself mental pain that she would go to the movies to watch Alex on a date with someone else? She been through enough lately, she didn't need the added visuals; she was doing a pretty good job of torturing herself with her own mental pictures. She didn't need the solid facts. "What are you talking about?" Clear asked instead, feeling as though that wasn't exactly what Tod was trying to tell her.

"I know if sounds weird but think about it...I'll even go with you, so it doesn't look like you're spying." Tod offered, knowing that was the first thing he'd almost done right in the two minutes that had passed since the conversation had started.

At his latest words, Clear felt more confused then she had before. "Wait a second... are you asking me to go out with you?" She questioned, cocking her head like a confused puppy dog. Perhaps that was why Tod had looked so nervous and had spoken like he was half-delirious.

Tod's face first paled, then his cheeks turned a soft pink with embarrassment and he quickly shook his head, though all he wanted to do was agree with Clear's words. "No, no...that's not what I'm saying..." He stuttered nervously, feeling a wave of humiliation sweep over him. He should have known that asking Clear out was a very bad idea but his heart had gotten the better of him and forced him to open his mouth.

Clear frowned. "Then what are you saying?" She asked him, trying to decide if she thought it was such a bad idea for Tod to be asking her out. It was true that she 'loved' Alex but the thought of spending a little time with Tod didn't seem like a bad thing either. She had really gotten to like him, and his charming wit, his sheepish smile, over the past few days and almost brightened slightly at the idea of getting to know him a little better. But, of course, she would never admit these things out loud.

Tod seemed to have regained himself for the time being and answered, "A little recon at the movies, you and me, to make it look less obvious." He paused, waiting to see what Clear would say and when she didn't say anything right away he continued, "Just think about it." He finished the conversation by copying his phone number down on a sheet of paper and handed it to her.

Clear stuck the paper in her pocket and remained silent.

* * *

Was she really that pathetic? Honestly?

Yes, she was.

Clear wasn't exactly proud of herself when she decided to take Tod up on his proposal of 'spying' on Alex at the movies but she dialed the Wagner's number none the less, telling herself that she was going to let it ring four times and then hang up.

On the fourth ring, just as she was preparing to disconnect, the phone was answered by Tod's older brother. "Um...can I speak to Tod please?" Clear asked, seriously considering hanging up right that second. Her brain, however, didn't register that idea and forced her to speak.

"Sure, one minute." George muttered, taking his lips away from the mouth piece and shouting, "Tod, phone! It's a girl!"

His words made Clear blush and she was happy that she wouldn't actually have to see Tod in the seconds that followed. She waited for no more then a minute before Tod's voice came over the phone, telling George to mind his own business in the other room before greeting her. "Hi Clear."

"How did you know it was me?" She questioned, knitting her eyebrows even though she knew that Tod couldn't see her.

"As sad as this sounds, I figured you would be the only girl to call my house, looking for me." Tod explained, adding sheepishly, "Besides my mother."

Suppressing a laugh, Clear shook her head comically, another gesture blind to the boy on the other line. "Look, are you still up to going to the movies on Friday?" She asked, still trying to convince herself that she was out of her mind.

"Yeah, of course." Tod answered quickly, seeming to brighten slightly.

Clear took a deep breath, knowing she had this one last chance to back out. Instead she said, "Then count me in."