I figured I should probably say that I know, in the show, Clare is probably not going to get over Jake this quickly. I really just don't want to see Clare losing her mind and pining over Jake forever. It doesn't make sense to me. So I hope you can enjoy that my Clare realized how silly Cake was and gets over it pretty quickly.
Also, in my mind Fimogen is happening. So Imogen is not jealous, she is truly just concerned for her friend.
The next day at school Clare wasn't sure what to expect. She, of course, had to ride in with Jake. They couldn't let their parents know that anything was wrong. On the ride, Jake had thanked Clare for saving him from their parents last night. That was the only thing they had talked about. The rest of the drive was quiet. Clare couldn't wait to get to school and leave the uncomfortable silence of Jake's truck behind her for the day.
When Jake parked in his usual spot in front of the school Clare let out a sigh.
"You are still going to give me a ride home, right?" Clare asked.
"Of course. See you later," Jake grabbed his bag and headed into school without Clare.
Clare took her time getting out of the truck. It had just dawned on her that the whole school was probably buzzing about this weekend's party and she just wasn't ready to hear it.
Clare was slowly walking up to the school doors, with her head down, when she heard Adam call her name. Clare looked up and smiled when she saw Adam and Eli smiling back at her. Nothing could lift Clare's spirits quite like the smiles of those two boys. And now, with her reunion with Eli fresh in her mind, she couldn't help but grin. Clare wondered how she could have ever let this friendship get away from her. In this moment, she was positive that she had never been happy when she didn't have both Adam and Eli as her friends. After the weekend Clare had she certainly needed warm smiles from her FRIENDS right now.
"Hi!" Clare said excitedly, looking directly at Eli.
"Hi," Eli replied, returning her gaze.
"Hi Clare!" Adam moved his face in between Eli and Clare. "You got home safely the other night, I take it." Adam laughed at his own comment.
"I… Yes, I did. Sorry I left you like that at the party, Adam. That was wrong of me. I'm so sorry, I hope you weren't too worried." Clare was unsure of how much Eli had told Adam. If past precedents still held true, though, then Adam knew everything. That means Adam knows that she had kissed Eli. He knows she tried to persuade Eli to have sex with her. Clare suddenly felt embarrassed and was sure it was showing on her face.
"Let's… uh… It's time for school. Let's go." Clare turned quick and headed into the building in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.
The boys laughed at Clare's awkwardness. Adam loved that Clare was finally talking to his other best friend again and Eli loved how cute Clare looked when her cheeks were so flushed. Just like they were right now. Eli shrugged at Adam and they both followed Clare into the school.
As Clare rushed to her locker in a fit of panic, she wondered if Adam was upset with her. She was positive that Eli told him everything. What if Adam thought she was manipulating Eli? What if he thought that she was just using Eli again, like she had on the ride home from the cabin trip. Was she using Eli? Clare didn't think she was. She had been drunk, but Clare was convinced that she did actually mean all of those things that she had said to Eli the other night. No way that Adam could be mad at her for that. He didn't seem mad. Maybe Clare was just over thinking things. Just psyching herself out.
"Is everything okay, Clare? You took off pretty quick back there." Eli said to Clare's back, making her jump.
"Oh… Um… Yes, everything's fine, thanks," Clare tried to smile. It did no good. Eli couldn't see it anyway. She still had her face buried in her locker trying to avoid his gaze.
Eli could tell that something was wrong. He knew Clare better than anyone else. He could tell when she was embarrassed. He was hoping that it wasn't from anything that he did. Leave it to him to screw this up already.
Eli wanted to talk to her about it. He wanted to put his arms around her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. He wanted to tell her that, no matter what it was, that they could get through it together, but Eli was not sure if they were at that level in their friendship yet. And he knew that they weren't anywhere near the level of physical contact yet. Saturday did not count.
Eli figured that their friendship agreement meant that they were starting over. Now he just had to figure out how to be just friends with the one girl, left on this earth, that he had ever loved. He wasn't sure what would be the correct thing to say, but he figured that he might as well just go for it.
"Why are you so embarrassed?" Eli asked as delicately as he could.
"It's just that… It's just… Adam probably thinks I'm a horrible person. You probably think I am too. I'm guessing you told him everything. That's fine. I would have too, but now he knows what a bad person I am. I threw myself at you without even considering your feelings for one second! Do you even really want to be friends with me again? How could you want to? I have been nothing but mean to you since we broke up." Clare was starting to feel a bit dizzy and she grabbed onto her locker door to steady herself. How could she have let herself force Eli into this? After everything she had already put him through. She really was a mean person.
"Oh, Clare," the bell rang and Eli sighed, " I have to get to class, but this is nowhere near over. And neither Adam nor I are mad at you. We'll talk about this later." Eli smiled sadly, but Clare had not yet turned to face him. Eli was feeling daring. He had to make sure she understood. He placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze before heading off to his first class with thoughts of Clare bouncing around in his brain.
At lunch, Clare walked into the cafeteria alone. She went to get her lunch alone. Only after she had her lunch in her hands and was staring out into the room, did she realize that she didn't know where to go and sit. She looked over to her usual table, the one where she always sat with Jake and Drew. That was automatically out. She knew she was pathetic, but she wasn't that pathetic. No reason to eat lunch with the guy she had just broken up with, even if he was technically her brother now. No, that wouldn't do.
At lunch, Clare walked into the cafeteria alone. She went to get her lunch alone. Only after she had her lunch in her hands and was staring out into the room, did she realize that she didn't know where to go and sit. She looked over to her usual table, the one where she always sat with Jake and Drew. That was automatically out. She knew she was pathetic, but she wasn't that pathetic. No reason to eat lunch with the guy she had just broken up with, even if he was technically her brother now. No, that wouldn't do.
Jenna's laugh was the next thing that caught Clare's attention. She and Jenna hadn't really talked lately, but they had become friendly acquaintances again last year. Surely Jenna wouldn't mind Clare joining her.
Clare started to walk towards Jenna's table when she realized that Alli was also sitting there. Oh no. Clare decided to abort that idea. She hadn't talked to Alli in weeks and she didn't think that right now would be the best time to start. She would have to deal with Alli another day.
Maybe Clare could go back to having lunch with Adam and Eli. That would be nice, just like the good old days. She looked over in their direction and immediately decided against it. No way was she going to go over there and ask to sit with them when Imogen and Fiona were there. Clare was intimidated by each of those girls individually; there was no way of telling what would happen when they were together.
Clare decided she would just take her lunch outside. It was nice out. If anyone questioned her, that could be her excuse. She just wanted to enjoy the nice weather before it was gone for the winter, no need to admit that she didn't have any friends to sit with at lunch.
Eli had noticed Clare standing alone on the other side of the room. He knew that she was probably having an internal debate with herself on what to do and where to sit right now. He tried to catch her eye and tell her to come and sit with them, but it didn't happen. Instead, she just took off and headed outside with her lunch. Eli sat there for a second thinking about how lonely Clare must be feeling right now. With that he jumped up and decided to follow Clare. It was obvious that she needed a friend right now and he was determined to be it.
"Eli, where are you going?" Imogen called after him.
"Be right back!" was all Eli answered.
Eli walked out to the courtyard. He spotted Clare, sitting alone at a picnic table and reading a book. She looked so sad and yet so pretty. He couldn't help but pause for a moment and take in her beauty.
He shouldn't be thinking this way about his friend. He shook the thoughts out of his head and walked over to Clare slowly and cautiously sat down across from her.
"Hi…" Eli started as Clare looked up from her book and let her eyes meet his. "You want to talk now?"
"Can we just not? I am way too embarrassed right now. I just want to pretend that today hasn't happened." Clare said.
"Clare, we can't be friends if we aren't going to be open and honest with each other. That's how friendship works. You tell me your problems and I help you get through them. We used to be really good at this, remember?" Eli explained.
"Eli, I'm not so sure that I was ever any good at being your friend. I never though of your feelings, and I still haven't, obviously. You were always there for me, but I just left when you needed me most. Our friendship was one sided and it was always you that was keeping me happy and helping me. I never returned the favor. I don't deserve to have you as a friend." Clare tried to express her feelings honestly while still trying not to hurt Eli.
"Forget about that, Clare, it's in the past and it's none of that is true. I was under the impression that we were starting over here. So let's wipe the slate clean and actually try and do this thing!" Eli smiled a friendly smile and Clare couldn't help but return it.
"Now, there is no need to be embarrassed, Clare. Yes, I told Adam, but I just needed to make sure my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. I needed a second opinion. I didn't tell anyone else, and neither will he. It's over. You were drunk. We get it." Eli paused and smiled a reassuring smile to Clare. "You are not going to get rid of us this easily. I've missed being friends with you. I've missed having you in my life. Let's go back inside and Adam can tell you the same thing, if you need him too."
"I appreciate that. You have always been way too good to me, now I am going to try and make it up to you. I can't go back inside though. Fiona and Imogen don't like me. I can't just intrude on you guys and your friends."
"It's not that they don't like you, they just don't know you. You'll have to give them some of that Edwards charm." Eli laughed, "They pretend to be much scarier than they really are. No need to worry about Fiona and Imogen. Let's go."
Eli stared hopefully at Clare until she gave in and packed up her things. When she finally stood up from the table, he grabbed her hand to lead her back inside. It was as though a bolt of electricity shot right through them. They both felt it and the both knew the other had felt it. Instead of mentioning it, though, they just exchanged bashful looks and headed inside hand in hand. There was no point in saying anything; they both would have denied their feelings in that moment. They were only friends. There was nothing else between them.
Imogen's face dropped when she saw Eli walk back over to the table holding Clare's hand. How could Eli be back with Clare after the way she had treated him? How could he have done this without at least warning her? Clare was still with Jake as far as Imogen knew. Was she cheating on Jake with Eli? This was not going to end well. Imogen glared at Adam. Surely Adam knew what was going on. Adam just smiled stupidly at Eli and Clare.
"So, Clare is going to sit with us from now on." Eli said, almost daring the girls to contradict him. "We are friends again and I would appreciate it if you guys would support that." Eli walked Clare to sit down next to Adam then he sat back in his spot next to Imogen, across from Clare.
Eli looked over at Imogen, mentally begging her to be okay with this, and she just gave him an incredulous look. She though she was dreaming this. He did only say that they were friends. Hopefully that was all. Imogen was scared for Eli. She had seen him the last time he tried to get over Clare and she knew how difficult that was for him. She didn't want to have to see him so broken again. She didn't know if she would be able to put the pieces back together yet again.
When Eli looked over to Fiona, she was smiling back at him. He knew he could count on Fiona to support him, no matter what. Now he would just have to sway Imogen.
After lunch Eli and Imogen walked to their drama class together. Imogen couldn't keep her mouth shut about Clare any longer.
"How did this happen? You and Clare are JUST friends again? You aren't trying to get back together with her, are you? This is bad, Eli. This is going to end poorly. You shouldn't have done this. She's just going to leave you for her brother again!" Imogen was fuming.
"Imogen. Imogen, calm down. Everything will be all right. Clare and I are just friends. We talked this weekend and decided to try and be friends again. She realized that Jake is not a good guy, but she still has to live with him. I'm sure she will still have to talk to him at some point, and that's okay. She can be friends with both Jake and I. No reason that she can't if she wants too. I want Clare in my life. I also want you in my life, so could you please try and go along with this?" Eli was trying to convince Imogen that he was making the right decisions.
Imogen did not like any of this one bit. Clare and Jake must have broken up this weekend. That must be why she came running back to Eli. Imogen did not want her friend to get hurt again. She had to do something.
"Eli, I don't think I can support this. I just don't like what Clare did to you. And now, she and her brother broke up, and she comes running straight back to you." Imogen could not understand why Eli didn't see that. Was he really that blind to Clare Edwards' evil ways?
"Imogen, you have no idea what you are talking about!" Eli was starting to get upset now. Why couldn't his friend just be supportive of him? He understood that this was an unusual situation, but still. If Imogen cared about him she should want him to be happy. "Clare really needs a friend right now and I plan I being there for her. You know I still care about her. I probably always will, but I am not going to let my emotions get away from me. We're just friends. She and I have already talked about this. I don't want to lose her friendship again and I will do anything I can to not let that happen! You don't know her like I do. You just don't understand, Imogen. You don't know what she and I have been through together. She's my… she was my best friend!"
Eli had to relax. He turned his back to Imogen and took a few deep breaths. He couldn't let himself get out of control right now. He had a right to be angry, but he did not have a right to lose control. Imogen was just being so stubborn right now.
Imogen could tell that she had maybe pushed her friend a little bit too far. She was starting to feel bad now. Maybe Eli really could make his own decisions. He had clearly made up his mind about this and she was not going to be able to change it. Imogen decided that she would just have to support her friend whether she liked it or not. It was either that or lose Eli, and she did not want to lose him.
"Okay, Eli. I will let it go. For now. I just don't want to see you get hurt again." There, Imogen thought, that was good enough; supportive, yet not accepting.