The first time that they talked was, coincidentally, due to none other than Clare Edwards. Eli stood at the bus stop, deep in thought. He was conflicted, no doubt about it. Clare was supposed to be the love of his life, wasn't she? They were supposed to be together forever. Soul mates, even. But Eli doubted that a soul mate would leave him alone in a hospital. He wanted to hate Clare. He really, truly did. But he couldn't. It was nearly impossible. Nearly.
Her name was Imogen Moreno, and she was the only other girl that he had laid eyes on since his breakup with Clare. Technically, she was the very first girl at Degrassi that had even sparked his interest before Clare. They had never interacted, unless one little smirk during English class counted. And he wasn't entirely sure if it did. Eli was broken out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of soft foot falls from behind him.
He turned to inspect where the sound was coming from. It was Clare Edwards. Of course. Eli quickly turned to face forward again and squeezed his eyes shut out of exasperation. This was why he was an Atheist. Surely there could not be a higher power that would be this cruel to him. Clare timidly approached the bus stop and offered Eli a small smile. Eli nodded in reply, choosing to be polite and acknowledge her presence. They both averted their eyes from each other and focused on the ground. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Clare cleared her throat and spoke up.
"Eli, look. I know that we ended badly, but we were bad for each other." She bit her lip nervously and looked at Eli to gauge his reaction, only to find that he was expressionless. "And I really think that we're better off apart. Besides, I have Jake now." Clare put her hand on Eli's arm. "Maybe we could still be friends?" Eli smiled, but it was like he wasn't actually there. The meds were obviously taking a toll on his ability to express emotions, but Clare didn't need to know that. "Sure, Clare. I'd love to be friends with you." The two of them were engaged in some small talk when the bus they were both waiting for pulled up to the curb.
Once the screeching and squealing of the bus stopped, they got on. As soon as he stepped onto the bus, Eli saw Imogen. She looked beautiful, as usual. Her hair was very simple for once. She had let it flow loose and it cascaded down her shoulders. They were also a few colorful streaks scattered throughout her hair, making her look polished but like she couldn't care less. And in all honesty, she probably didn't. Imogen was the kind of girl that did things for the hell of it. Sometimes, it came back to bite her in the ass, but she'd rather regret what she did than regret not doing it at all.
Clare slid into a seat that was in front of the one that Imogen was in. The bus was crowded, as usual, so Eli figured that he'd sit with Clare. They were friends now, weren't they? Just when he was about to slide in next to Clare, she shook her head. "Um, Eli. You can't sit here because..." She tried to think of a valid excuse. Clare had seen the way that Eli had looked at Imogen just moments before, and he obviously liked her. And Clare felt bad for everything that had happened in the past few months. Therefore, she needed to get Eli and Imogen together. She wanted Eli to be happy. Maybe Imogen and Eli could eventually have what she and Jake had.
Clare bit her lip and looked out the window, then looked back at Eli. "You can't sit with me because Alli is going to sit with me." She smiled innocently at Eli, then continued on in a sugary-sweet voice. "Perhaps you could sit in the seat behind me. That nice girl with the colorful hair is sitting all alone. Keep her company." Eli looked at Clare wide-eyed, realizing just what she was doing. He would have to have a talk with her later.
He looked from Clare to Imogen, who was now staring straight at him. Eli offered her a smile, but Imogen only continued to stare at him and then pulled out what looked like two large needles. Eli was taken aback for a moment before realizing that she was... knitting? He raised his eyebrows at the sight. How very odd. But then again, it seemed like that was Imogen. Odd. Clare gestured towards Imogen and gave him a look. Eli returned the gesture with a look of his own. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't. This girl was way too intimidating and would never be interested in him in a million years.
Or so he thought. Imogen chose that moment to look up from her red and black knitting project. She looked him up and down, as if she were sizing him up. Finally, Imogen scooted over near the window and returned to knitting. Clare smiled brightly and pointed to the now empty space next to Imogen. Sit down, you idiot! Clare mouthed to him with an exaggerated expression. Eli sighed and pursed his lips at Clare. This honestly wasn't any of her business, but in a way, he was grateful. Clare was giving him the push that he needed. Maybe this was the beginning of a real friendship.
The bus began to pull away from the curb and Eli sat down next to Imogen. He swallowed hard and adjusted his black leather jacket nervously. Eli took in a deep breath, as if he were going to say something. He opened his mouth and was about to begin speaking, only to close it a moment later. What was he supposed to say? Normally, Eli was good with girls and flirting. But it was different with her. Imogen, being the ever curious girl that she is, looked towards Eli while continuing to knit. "So, Eli Goldsworthy. You were saying?" She raised an eyebrow at him as if to challenge him, trying to keep a serious expression on her face. But as a smile found it's way onto Imogen's face, Eli couldn't help but break out into a smile as well.