I'd like to update this once a week, but I already have the next few chapters finished, so we'll just see. Things might get a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me, I'll answer!

This is the first time I've written in first-person, so please bear with me.

Clare

Now that he was on my mind, I couldn't stop the spiraling feeling of pain coursing through my body. This was definitely not how I thought my first night back at home would go, but of course, here I am, stuck reminiscing the past. Tonight was going to be a night of mourning what could have been.

I hung up the last shirt I had in the laundry basket and went over to my night stand. Opening the bottom drawer, I mentally prepared myself for a long night of tears and what-ifs. I reached for the small shoebox and set it on the bed while I took a seat at my headboard. Taking a deep breath, I reached for the shoebox and lifted the lid. As I threw the lid aside, fresh tears resided in my eyes.

The box was full of memories. Pictures were scattered within the box and there were notes and printed letters. I closed my eyes for a moment, to try to gather some peace as I reached to move aside pictures. My eyes opened and my fingers were shoving the pictures to a different side of the box. I knew the order of the stack of the pictures that lay on top of the item I was reaching for. I knew if I were to look at them, I'd see a happy Eli and Clare running in the water at the beach. I'd see Eli giving Clare a piggyback ride. I'd see Clare rolling her eyes as Eli was leaning in to kiss her, holding a mistletoe above her head. I'd see many smiles and kisses and hugs and shared laughter.

My fingers met a small fabric bag that lay underneath the recently shoved aside photos. I grabbed it and pulled it out. My shaking fingers found their way to the top of the bag and I pulled it open. I turned to bag upside down and gently shook until the small object hit the palm of my outstretched hand. I whimpered when the cool metal sunk into my skin.

I looked down and new tears fell down my cheeks. The small ring that was supposed to symbolize love lay in my palm. I still had mine, and he had his. I wondered what he did with his? Did he keep it stored away like I kept mine? Or maybe he threw his out? That thought brought up the question that was always on my mind, what did he do with my purity ring? Did he still wear it or did he throw it out too? I don't want it back. It's his, he rightfully deserves it. I just hope he still has it somewhere.

I shook my head, reminding myself to focus on the ring in my palm. When we broke up, I threw it at him. It was his, after all. He was the one who bought it. I tried to make him keep it, but he put it back in my hand, begging me to keep it. I had told him it wasn't mine anymore, we were breaking up, I had no right to keep it. He just looked at me, his eyes full of tears, telling me I earned it, there was no way he could return it or give it to anybody else, it was picked out for me.

That was the night that I regretted so much, but I didn't have enough energy to dwell on it because I felt my eyes getting heavier and I felt exhaustion rushing over me. Before I fell asleep, I stared down at my palm. At my ring.

At my engagement ring.

Eli

We were sitting at Little Miss Stakes, each of us taking an awkward sip of our drinks. It wasn't going well. I guess Bullfrog and Cece were expecting me to bring home a girl more like Clare. But hadn't they seen how awful that had turned out? Cassie was being blunt with them, she wasn't going to put out an act of who she was.

"So, Cas, Eli was saying you live with your sister in her apartment?" Cece tried again.

"Yeah. She's usually whoring around though, so we don't see much of each other, which is good. I am going to end up murdering that bitch, I swear." Cassie said angrily. "I have to pay half of rent, which is fucking ridiculous because I also have to buy the groceries, but if I don't, she'll kick me out." She said shrugging as she took another sip of her margarita.

Cece offered a fake smile towards her. She decided to call it quits with Cassie and directed her next question at me. "Have you been hanging out with Fiona recently? I haven't heard anything from you about her."

Cassie snorted and started laughing. "Oh God, that little bitch. As if we'd ever hang out with her! Her little snooty ass complaining all the time drives me insane!" She openly expressed her hatred for Fiona.

Cece looked at me, her eyes filled with concern and a bit of sadness. "Oh, that's too bad, I liked Fiona. Eli, why don't you ever hang out with her anymore?" She asked, making sure everybody knew she was only asking for my input.

"Um, well, Her and Cassie don't really get along..." I started explaining. "I actually met Cassie- I mean Cas, through Fiona. It was just after we got back from Winter break. I was eating with Fiona at the campus pub, listening to the bands playing. Fiona and Cas used to have French together and well..." I started to tell the story of how we met, but didn't exactly want to finish it. Luckily Cassie broke in, she picked up where I left off. "I was in an argument with some crazy bitch and we started going at it. She clawed my face, so I pulled at her hair and it got pretty violent. Eli came over and pulled me off the chick because it was pretty obvious I was winning."

I decided to continue telling the story. "And well Fiona told me she knew Cas and offered her to sit down with us and eat, so she did. And we just kind of hit it off." I ended there with a smile, but Cassie decided to keep telling the story. "Yeah, we ended up getting so smashed that I mistook Eli's ID for my own fake and we decided to head back to his dorm where things got very steamy. I woke up the next morning naked in his bed cuddled into his side, and I guess we just sort of became official from there on out." She said as she grabbed my hand. I offered an embarrassed smile.

My parents stared at us until Cece cleared her throat. "So, um, why don't you hang out with Fiona anymore?" She asked for the third time, actually interested in knowing why.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "She kept scolding Eli on his choice to be with me and kept bringing up that bitch that dumped him last year." She said with an annoyed tone in her voice.

Bullfrog started coughing and shared a looked with Cece. I knew that look, they were both offended that Cassie had just said something that cruel about Clare. I was even annoyed that she referred to her as a bitch, but I let it slide.

Our food came and interrupted the tension in the room. We remained silent while eating, except for a few statements about the food.

After dinner, we headed back home where I watched a movie with my parents. We asked Cassie if she'd like to join, but she refused, saying she'd rather update her blog. Before she headed upstairs, she asked where we kept our alcohol and Bullfrog lead her to the liquor cabinet, where she grabbed a bottle of tequila and a shot glass. She ran upstairs as Bullfrog warned her to be careful.

While watching the movie, I could feel their gazes on me. I knew what their thoughts consisted of. Thoughts of how they weren't impressed by Cassie. Thoughts about how she contrasted against Clare. Questions about what went wrong with me and Clare. Questions about why I chose somebody like Cassie.

I knew they'd keep up with the charade that they liked her. And I knew they'd still keep an open mind with her, but I knew they missed Clare. And they missed how I was when I was with Clare.

But I knew they mostly missed me and Clare together. One of the greatest tag teams there ever was.