She could feel his eyes on her.

Really, she could, and it killed her. It killed her because she wanted more than anything to break free of her optimistic demeanor, swoop over to him, and kiss the scowl off his face. She wanted to cry knowing that she was the cause of his pain. She missed the days when their relationship was perfect, back in the days that she was his lover and not his mother.

But those days were gone.

The sparklers were beautiful and it was something about the heavy musk of the sea air that carried Clare away. She allowed herself- just for a while- to forget Eli. He was her everything but she was fifteen. She should be here, she promised herself, dancing around the fire and getting sand caught between her toes.

Jake didn't make her catch her breath. There was no fire. Eli was like the sparkler in her hand, bright and shocking and spontaneous, while Jake was barely a flame on her horizon. Still, she allowed herself to move closer to him. This was the way it had to be.

Can't he see that?

His hand on hers isn't painful. It doesn't send shivers, but she convinces herself it's nice. The summer sky is so wide and the air is so luxuriously warm, there's no time to worry about psycho ex-boyfriends. She feels bad in thinking this but everyone has to move on, right? She made her choice the day of the dance. She chose happiness, freedom, youth. She couldn't be a porcelain doll for Eli, forever entrapped by his desire to keep her for his own.

She lets Jake come close. She's thought enough.

As they kiss, though, Clare makes a promise. This won't be forever. This will be sweet, this will be healing, this will be right. She'll let herself enjoy this. For now.

"One day I'm gonna steal your heart away."

Note: I wrote this with a cracked up elbow, haha. Boating accidents are the best, right? I didn't intend this to be written but it came out anyways. Let me know what you think. Remember, if you have a Tumblr, please follow me. I love talking to my readers and making friends with my awkward social skills. DFTBA.