Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or any of its characters...I'm not that awesome :/

"Where do you go
When the day is long
And where does your heart beat
And who is wrong

Why do I feel this way
Why do I kneel
How could I let it go
Why do I feel
Why do I feel
Why" - "Let it Go" by Blue October

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.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Adam asked again thinking Clare hadn't heard him.

Clare tried to get her thoughts together.

"I went to find him, since he had skipped school today." She said wiping her nose. "I figured he was avoiding me, and I wanted to know what was going on. I ended up finding him in front of that comic book store you guys always go to."

.

.

Clare took a deep breath and walked up to Eli. He was at the back of the store rummaging through the clearance comic books.

"Found you, looks like you weren't hiding very well." Clare said to him.

"I wasn't hiding," he said defensively.

"Oh really, then why weren't you at school?" Clare questioned. She was surprised at his cold respond.

"What's with the third degree? I just didn't feel like going." Eli was clearly irritated

by her presence.

Clare wasn't an expert on relationships, but if she learned anything from being with KC

was that if boy acted like he didn't want you around, there was a reason for it.

"I guess this is it huh?" Clare made sure she avoided his eyes,

'don't cry in front of him, don't cry in front of him' she told herself over and over,

she could already feel her eyes burning.

"What are you talking about?" Eli asked, turning his attention to her.

"I get it Eli, I've taken the hint. It's better that we figured this sooner then later." Clare knew she half meant what she said, but she wanted to get a rise out of him.

"Taken the hint?" Eli looked at her in confusion.

"You are pushing me away, avoiding me, and you haven't been honest with me lately." Clare trying to keep her tears at Bay. "If you don't want to be with me just come out an say it."

"Ok, yes, I admit I haven't been a very good boyfriend lately. But that doesn't mean I want us to break up. I've just been dealing with stuff . Now, can we not talk about this here, this is a public place after all." Eli's words showed no compassion, nothing that could reassure Clare that he truly cared.

"By dealing with stuff you mean Julia?" Clare couldn't hold back anymore, she needed straight answers.

"Clare, I thought you where being understanding." Eli said looking disappointed at her.

Clare shook her head at him, she had been more then understanding.

"I can't compete with some who is dead, Eli," Clare said exasperated.

"Ok, I am stopping this conversation. You are clearly not thinking straight." Eli said.

Clare took a big breath.

"Do you love me?" she asked.

"What? Are you seriously asking me this right now?" Eli said in disbelieve.

Clare knew she was coming off a bit irrational, but she needed to know.

"I am dead serious," she emphasize each word.

For the first time since this conversation started, Eli look straight at her without avoiding her eyes.

"Not now Clare, please not now." Eli pleaded with her.

"Then when Eli? It's a simple yes or no." Clare wasn't dropping the subject.

"Don't do this Clare," he said.

"I'm tired of this, Eli," she said. "I love you with all my heart. See, I can say it."

He didn't say a word.

"I understand if its hard to be happy knowing someone you love isn't with you. But it feels like you are not making an effort. Don't you see that this is creating a hole between us that keeps getting bigger….and I don't think I can pretend its not a big deal." Clare said, knowing what was coming next.

'What are you saying?"

"You were right, maybe we should of stayed away from each other." Clare told herself to be strong, she could do this.

"Clare, not now. I know I can't be completely honest with my feelings right now. But I do care, I truly do. Just give me more time." Eli held on to Clare's shoulders and tried to get her to understand him, but she turn her head away from him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't think my heart is strong enough."

She turned away, knowing that if she didn't leave now she would breakdown in front of him. Clare made her way outside as fast as she could. Holding her tears long enough to make it to the door. Once outside, she let a sob escape her. Tears clouded her vision as she made her way across the street.

"CLARE!"

At the same time she heard her name being screamed out, she also heard a car honking to her left. But before she could make sense of what was happening. She felt someone push her forward. Clare felled to the ground and landed next to the sidewalk.

But what she heard next if a sound she will never forget. It will be forever imprinted in her mind. The screeching of wheels when car made a sudden stop and the sound of a car hitting a body.

Clare looked up only to find Eli laying on the ground, several feet away from her. He had obviously been hit.

"Eli!" she practically screeched.

She run over to him, put his head in her lap. His face was bloody and so was his shirt, but Clare couldn't see where the blood was coming from.

"Help!" she screamed. "Somebody help us!"

"Clare," Eli's voice was faint and quiet.

"I'm so sorry," She said caressing his cheek with one hand and holding his hand with the other. "I take it back, I take it back!"

But Eli had lost consciousness, and Clare didn't know if he had heard her.

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"I told him stuff I didn't mean, I stupidly ran out into incoming traffic. Eli pushed me out of the way of a car, only to be hit himself. Because of me, he is fighting for his life," Clare cried against Adam, as she told him what happened.

"It's okay, Clare," Adam reassured her, as he tried to wipe his own tears away. "Eli is strong, he'll be fine."

They held each other for comfort as they waited for news.

Finally Eli's mom emerge from the double doors with a tear stain face and a morbid expression.

AN: Thank you to my 2 lovely reviewers for chapter one, this Chapter is dedicated to you: themisfitsx and mcflyXlove. 3 3 The fact that you liked my story made my day. The next chapter will consist of flashbacks from Eli's point of view. As always, please leave a review. Your feed back is what gives me the inspiration to write ^_^