"But now you're here and you don't know why."

Clare's POV-

I guess I'll tell you a little bit about myself. I'm a high school dropout. I used to go to Degrassi Community School. I have a boyfriend who goes there, his name is Jake. We've known each other since 2nd grade. I also have two best friends, Adam and Alli. They are boyfriend and girlfriend. We're a little quartet of 15 year olds. With the help of Adam and Alli, Jake got me to go back to school. So I'm starting school again this semester. Which happens to be today. I don't really want to go, but I have too. For Jake. I slipped on a denim dress and put on a deep red belt. I put on my flats, went downstairs, grabbed a pear and headed out the door. My mom is already at work so I had to walk. It was about a 10 minute walk. I got soon got there and got ready for my first day of school since 8th grade. I know what you're thinking, how am I in 10th grade when I wasn't in 9th? Well I caught up on my school work this summer. So I technically have already been through 9th grade. I walked up the steps not paying attention to what I was doing.

"Watch out!" I heard a voice yell. I turned and saw a football coming towards me. Before I could react I felt a sharp pang on my head. The force was so strong I fell over.

"Uggh." I Groaned. I opened my eyes and saw a muscular hand offered to me. I took it and got up.

"Sorry about that, my idiot brother doesn't know how to throw." The boy smiled.

"Oh it's ok." I smiled back. He looked familiar. He had short, brown hair, and blue-gray eyes.

He smiled at me "I'm Drew." He stated. "Drew Torres." Torres! That's it! He's Adam's brother.

"Clare." I shook his hand.

"You're my brother's friend, right?"

"Yeah, I thought you looked familiar."

BRRRRRRRRRRING!

"I gotta get to class, see you around."

"Ok." I smiled at him as he walked away.

I turned around and rolled my eyes. Typical jock lines.

I continued up the steps trying to not get in anybody's way.

I got into the school in one piece. Thank God! I inhaled the familiar aroma; Degrassi always smelt like it was freshly cleaned with a cheap cleaner. I smiled to myself as I went to the office. I got my schedule and locker number. That's when I heard a very familiar voice calling my name. I turned to see none other than Jake Martin. I smiled and gave him a peck on his lips.

"Hey Clare- Bear" "Hi Jake" I playfully rolled my eyes. I took my hand in his, and headed to locker 103. I opened it with ease while Jake leaned on the locker next to mine. He smiled at me while I put my new textbooks in my locker. Once I got all the books I would need for first period Jake and I just started talking. After about 20 minutes a boy tapped Jake on the shoulder.

"Sorry to sound like a total girl right now but, your blocking my locker." He smirked. Jake moved so the boy could get to his locker.

"Thanks." The boy said under his breath. The boy looked how do I put this nicely? He looked Goth. He was wearing black skinny jeans and a black shirt with a gray jean vest. He had dark chocolate locks that swooped down covering his left eye. He didn't know I was looking at him considering he was scrambling to get his books in and out of his bag. He looked uncomfortable. He finally got finished and walked off.

"You know him?" Jake asked.

"No do you?"

"Yeah his name is Eli Goldsworthy. I hear he's an emo freak." Jake told me.

"Well have you ever met him?" "No."

"Then don't judge Jakey" I smiled at him. He laughed and walked me to my first class. Math. Ugh.

E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C-E-C

My first 4 periods weren't that bad actually. I have math and French with Adam. And I have biology and calculus with Alli. Right now is lunch and I don't have the same lunch period as Jake, Adam, or Alli. So right now I was sitting alone playing with my food.

"Can I sit here?" I heard a voice say.

I looked up and saw a girl with curly brown hair and a tan body.

"Sure" I said while looking back down at my food.

"I'm Bianca"

"Clare."

"So are yo-"She asked before she was interrupted.

"Hey Bee" A semi familiar voice said. "Oh hey Eli" She smiled and gave him a small kiss. "Hi…" He drifted indicating for me to introduce myself. "Clare" I told him. "Clare" He repeated. He looked at me up and down. Would it be bad to say I liked it? Yes! He obviously has a girlfriend! And you have a boyfriend!

Ugh. If I knew I was gonna meet him I wouldn't have ever came back.

"I was going to ask Clare here if she was new until I was rudely interrupted" Bianca playfully hit Eli on the chest. Eli smirked and sat down with Bianca copying his actions.

"So Clare, haven't seen you around before. You new?" Eli asked me.

"Yeah I just came back today"

"Came back?"

"Uh yeah you see in ni-."

"Clare!" I heard someone call. I turned around to see none other than Jake Martin. I got up and he pulled me into the hallway.

"What the hell Clare!" He yelled.

"What?" "Don't talk to that guy!" "And why not?"

"Clare he's a freak!" "He's nice"

"Whatever" And with that Jake stalked away. What was his problem? Eli was nice. And cute, funny, smart…. Stop Clare!

I walked back into the lunch room to get my backpack from the table where Eli and Bianca were at.

"What happened?" Bianca asked me.

"Oh nothing just some relationship drama, that's all" I plastered a fake smile on my face and walked to my next class. English. Greeeat, I hate English. It's so boring!

I got to the classroom, and picked a seat smack in the middle of the sea of desks. I sat there doodling in my notebook when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to be face to face with Eli.

"Sorry to tell ya Blue Eyes but you're sitting in my desk" He smirked.

"Sorry to tell ya Green Eyes but it's not your desk anymore." I smirked back at him.

He shrugged and sat in the desk in front of me.

"Good Afternoon class! My name is and I'm only saying that because I see a new face today!" She said looking at me.

"Please dear, what's your name?" She asked me.

I stood up and said, "Clare Edwards"

She smiled "Well Clare do you know anyone in this class?"

I looked around and saw Adam. "Adam and Eli"

"Well lucky for you they are partners. So Adam do you mind being with Joshua?" turned to face Adam.

"No ma'am. I'm ok with that" He smiled. I loved Adam. He was always so selfless. Great quality to have when you're a best friend.

"Eli you will be partners with "

"Cool" He smirked at me. I just rolled my eye playfully and sat back down.

After class I went to my locker to get my books and shit. That's when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and saw the darkest eyes. Jake.

"When were you planning on telling me?" He asked. What!

"Huh?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" He shouted. "You just met that freak today and your already messing around with him!"

"What are you talking about?" My voice was quiet. I hated when Jake got angry. It only happened once! Get over it!

"You and Eli! Why'd you two go third base!"

Now I was just pissed. Does he really think I'm like that?

"WE DIDN"T DO ANYTHING!" I screamed. By now the whole hallway was in this conversation. "I can't believe you thought I was like that, I thought you knew me better, Jake" I felt my eyes sting with liquid, threatening to fall out.

"I thought I knew you. But your just like every other slut at this school" He said as he walked away. I just shook my head and walked the other way. Out the doors of Degrassi, and onto the streets of Degrassi Boulevard. I didn't care if school wasn't over. I had to leave. I was walking into the woods that were in front of the school, when I felt a gentle tug on my arm. I turned around thinking it was Jake.

"Listen if you're here to apologize-"Just my luck. It wasn't Jake and I probably looked like an idiot. Eli just smirked.

"Hey, what happened back there?" He asked me. I really wanted to tell him. I couldn't do this to Jake. I loved him. Right?

"Nothing you need to worry about" I turned my back to him and continued walking into the undiscovered group of trees.

"Wait! Clare! What did I do?" He took my arm and spun me around again. I looked up into his beautiful green orbs. Pure shock and hurt were built in his eyes. They glistened from the reflection the sun had on them.

"It's what I did, Eli" I looked down at my feet. I couldn't look him in the eyes. Not now.

He laughed with no humor. "Don't play the 'It's not you, it's me' bit. I've known you for less than a day, and I can already tell when there's more to it than that." He shifted his weight and started talking again. "But little did I know doesn't do anything without her precious boyfriend's permission." I looked back up at him, and he stared into my eyes. He scoffed, then shook his head and walked back towards the school.

Why couldn't Eli just mind his own business? I soon followed his trail and walked back into school. I sure as hell wasn't gonna go into a new class late. So I just sat on the floor by my locker. I whipped out my iPod and started listening to Roses by Meg & Dia. I rested my head on my locker facing the ceiling. God what was wrong with me? I suddenly felt someone's presence next to me so I turned to see Adam. I turned off my iPod.

"Hey" I greeted.

"Clare, if Jake treats you like that you should break it off." I was taken aback. What?

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

Clare, I heard you guys fight earlier. Remember what you told me on the phone the day before you started school?" I didn't answer. Which told him to go on.

"You told me you were only going to come to school to be closer to Jake, but in ninth grade you said you didn't want to deal with drama, that's why you dropped out. You told me that you wanted to go back to school, when you were ready, so you could do something with your life."

"I know, but can't it be for both? I mean I might break it off with Jake. And I have no idea where my life is going. So, now that I think about it, why am I here?"

"See? You have a good path to go on. You just need to make the choice to go on that path." What he said, I really took to heart.

"But I need time to think if I want that path. But-"

"But now you're here, and you don't know why" Adam interrupted.

"Your right. I don't. But I'm starting to figure it out"

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!

Adam got up and left as kids flooded the hallways. I got up and grabbed my chemistry book. On my hunt to the chem. lab, I saw Eli. And Bianca. They were swapping spit in front of the whole school. Gross. I just rolled my eyes as I heard one of them moan. I finally found the classroom and sat at a desk by the window. Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I saw Jake. He smiled at me like nothing happened.

"Hey babe, I'm soo sorry about the fight we had. I hate Eli, and as long as you just don't talk to him, then I'll be fine." He sat in the desk next to mine.

"Its fine" I gave him a shy smile and faced the front, waiting for the bell to ring. When it did I Had to introduce myself. All I did was stare out the window looking at the free world. When the bell rang I got up and took my notebook. Before I closed it, I saw that my hand doodled on it while I was staring out the window. It looked really weird. I didn't even know I could draw like this, more or less while not looking at the paper. There were two guys, back both facing the human eye. It looked as if they were fighting. It kinda weirded me out. But whatever. I walked out of the lab and put my book back into my locker. I feel stupid calling this my first day of school.