Chapter 5

ELI P.O.V

Everyone was waiting while Clare and Jake got called by Clare's mom...well their mom. I checked the clock to see it was 8:16. We had to take 2 cars because there was so many people so we could fit 5 people in 1 car and 7 in the other.

We decided Clare's mom could drive the smaller car with Jake's dad in the front with her and Katie, Adam, Drew go in the back. In the bigger car Jake would drive with Bianca in the passenger seat. In the second row, Alli, Clare and a girl named Marisol. And me in the back alone. Which I was fine with. When Alli climbed in the car, Marisol instead of Clare climbed in next to her. Clare looked hesitant to sit next to Marisol but didn't say anything. When Clare went to go sit, Marisol took a big purse and set it on the seat next to her.

I rolled my eyes and wanted to laugh.

"Um, is it okay if I sit here?" Clare asked nicely with a smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry, since it's a big bag I have to have it next to me because it won't fit on the floor between the seats. But the back of the car is empty." She smiled, a fake smile

What a bitch, she was ridiculous. Clare didn't say a word but just climbed in the back of the car with me. There were only two seats in the back so she had to sit next to me. I knew it was awkward between us so I couldn't help but feel bad. She took out her phone and glanced at the time and put it away. I couldn't help but study her, she looked beautiful. She caught my stare because she turned to me and smiled. I smirked. We shared a moment. It was nice, I missed those moments with Clare. We never had them anymore. She turned away. I saw her cheeks turn a shade of light red. I smirked, same old Clare.

We had to be on the road for a half hour, Marisol didn't stop talking the whole ride so far. She had one big mouth with so much to tell. Bianca was the most annoyed and with her attitude, I was waiting for her to say something. I took out my Ipod and skipped to a song. Paradise by Coldplay. I looked at Clare, she looked bored as hell. Her glance went to the floor of the car and back to the window over and over again. I lightly tapped her shoulder. She turned to me.

I handed her an earplug, she took it and smiled. She slid closer to me because the wire was short, I smirked because our bodies were touching. I missed this.

"Thanks." She said.

"Skip to a song you like."

"I like this song." She smiled.

"Yeah, me too."

"What do you like about it?"

"The lyrics, the feeling of the song too."

"The lyrics are nice."

We listened to the song and I saw Clare enjoying it which made me happy. She looked happy.

I didn't realize Marisol was still talking until Bianca screamed "Marisol, will you shut your fucking mouth up for one second? If I didn't know any better I thought you'd be on coke!"

Clare and I started laughing along with Jake. Bianca just rolled her eyes.

"Have I ever told you I like your laugh?" I asked Clare, I didn't realized what I asked her until I said it. I remembered it was awkward between us.

"No, you haven't, thanks." She grinned

I was relieved she didn't take it as awkward.

"Excuse me?" Marisol asked glaring at Bianca.

Clare tensed up and looked uncomfortable.

"Uh oh, cat fight." Jake smirked

I chuckled, but I saw Clare roll her eyes at Jake.

"Wow, are you that blonde you didn't hear what I said?" Bianca rolled her eyes

Clare looked at me and I shrugged.

"Do I look blonde? No!" Marisol tried to defend herself but not very well.

"Well you're sure acting like it!" Bianca snapped

"Shut up!" Marisol screamed

"Is that all you got? Wow, no wonder Drew dumped your ass!"

"You are so bitchy! And how do you know that?" Marisol yelled at Bianca

"Tell Drew that I'm bitchy after he even dumbed skanky Alli for me!"

"How am I skanky?" Alli yelled

"If your Drew's girl, then how come Drew is dating Katie and not you?"

Wow this was getting bad.

"Eli, what do we do?" Clare asked me, she looked scared. I smirked.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, they're not getting physical."

Too late right when I said that Bianca slapped Marisol across the face, next thing I saw Bianca was on top of Marisol.

"Holy Shit!" Jake screamed. "Guys, I'm driving!"

"Eli! What do we do?" Clare tugged on my arm.

I looked at Clare, she looked scared, really really scared. I didn't want her too look or feel like that so I stood up and tried to break it up."

"Guy's calm down!" I tried to detach Bianca's grip from Marisol hair, no luck. "Alli, can I have some help?"

I looked back at Clare who was staring, 'Thanks' she mouthed.

When I turned around, Alli managed to get Bianca's hand off of Marisol. Alli and I pushed Bianca forward who fell back in her seat. I thought she'd get back up but she stayed there in silence.

I sat back down and looked at Clare. Clare was nothing like those girls and that's what I liked about her. Clare was different, in the best way possible. Jake just threw that away.

"What was that all about?" Clare whispered in my ear, I smirked.

"Just typical catty girls." I whispered back.

"Even Alli was in on it." She whispered and frowned.

"Don't worry about." I whispered and smirked.

"I guess." She whispered.

"At least it's over now, we just have to keep them away from each other." I whispered.

Clare kept frowning.

"What's wrong?" I whispered

"Nothing." She lied. I could see right through her.

"Clare, tell me," I whispered ,"You can tell me anything."

"It's just...I thought this was going to be fun. Like an escape, but with Alli fighting and Jake being here, there's nowhere to hide, nowhere to run, nowhere to escape too." She whispered in my ear leaving herself lingering there.

When I went to face her to whisper something, she was already facing me, we were inches apart. Our lips were...centimeters apart. It happened by accident of course but I liked and missed the feeling. I was surprised she didn't turn away. I couldn't believe what I was thinking but I was about to close the distance. Just when I was inching closer. We hit a bump and next thing I know our foreheads smack together.

"Ow!" Clare and I yelled at the same time rubbing our foreheads.

"I'm so sorry!" She said.

"It's fine." I smirked. "Is your head okay?"

"Uh yeah."

We smiled at each other rubbing our heads.

CLARE P.O.V

I couldn't believe my lips were inches away from his and I kind of, maybe wanted to inch closer. The thing is with Eli...my mind goes back to the time of him being clingy and...scary. I couldn't go back to that, I need my space. Then again, maybe Eli would be the old Eli, maybe it was a phase. Because of Julia. That was the thing, everything was about Julia. It wasn't fair. Maybe Eli's officially over her though, but I don't know.

I was thinking about all this as the pounding in my head got lighter and lighter. I looked at Eli who was staring at me and smirking. I saw a bump forming on his forehead. I frowned because I did that, that must have hurt him more because I didn't feel a bump on my head.

"Uh, eli?" I asked

''Yeah?"

"You have uh...a bump on your forehead, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Eli smiled. I liked his smile.

I went to lightly touch the bump. "Does that hurt?" I asked.

Eli seemed to be pulling out of a daze. I blushed. "Nope, not at all. It's actually kind of numb. How about your head?" He smirked.

"Nope, not all all."

''Good." He said.

After 2 minutes, Eli took out a pen from his pocket and a pad from the other. He made a tic tac toe box. He handed me the pen for the first move.

"Seriously?" I giggled while writing an X in the top right corner

"What else can we do?" He smirked, he wrote an O in the top middle square.

At the end, I won! We played for 6 more times until we ran out of paper. Eli and I really bonded in that car ride, we became so much closer in those 4 hours. But we were only an 9:34 into the ride. So long, I thought. Eli gave me an ear plug for his ipod and handed it to me so I picked the song When September Ends by Greenday. In the middle of the song, Eli fell asleep. I laughed to myself. While listening to the song, I fiddled with the skull ring on his finger. Typical Eli. A black Skull ring. I grinned. Suddenly Jake made a sharp turn causing Eli's head to fall lightly on my shoulder, i laughed lightly. I don't know what made me leave it there, but it felt right.

I checked the clock to see it was 7:46. I decided to take a nap too so I drifted off to sleep.

I awoke to my head on Eli's shoulder and Eli looking at me.

"Morning sleeping beauty." He said smirking

"Ha ha, very funny." I said fixing my hair. I saw Bianca driving and Jake sleeping in the passenger seat. "I thought Jake was driving?"

"We stopped so Jake could rest."

"I slept through all that?"

"Correct!" Eli said pushing a piece of my hair down that was sticking up. I blushed.

"What time is it?" I asked

"10:17." Eli said glancing at his watch, the one I gave him that used to be my dad's.

"Wow, you still have that?" I smiled pointing at the watch.

"Yeah, I don't think I'm ever going to get rid of it," Eli smiled ," the memories."

I looked at him and he looked at me. Awkward.

"Im sorry Eli but-"

"I know, I'm not... trying anything, don't worry." Eli smirked a bit.

I nodded and glanced out the window. I pulled out my phone and played pac man for about 10 minutes while Eli stared at the ceiling.

"You hungry?" I asked him

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah." I said "Bianca?" I whispered

"What Edwards?" I looked at Eli and rolled my eyes. Eli smirked. "Can you stop for something to eat?''

"But we're gonna lose your parent's car. They'll be long gone."

"Jake knows how to get there and I'll call them."

"Alright, I'm freakin hungry too."

She pulled into a Pizza place, I was surprised it was open this late. Bianca ran in and came back with two pies.

"Everybody up!" She screamed

"What is it?" Jake moaned

"Dinner! You want it or not?" Bianca rolled her eyes

Everybody shot up. We all ate and I texted my mom and told her we stopped for something to eat.

Everyone went back to sleep. The only ones up were Bianca, Eli, Alli and I. Alli was to busy texting Dave the whole ride.

Eli was staring out the window, he looked sad.

I tapped his shoulder. "Eli?"

He turned around, "Yep?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why?"

"You look sad." I grinned

"Oh uh, i think it's from being bipolar, side effects."

I felt so bad, I forgot.

"Eli, I'm so sorry I forgot. I didn't mean to-"

"Clare, it's fine. Stop saying sorry, it's okay." He smirked

"Okay. Eli?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?" He smirked.

"For being so, nice and forgiving." I smiled

"Anytime." He smiled too.

I glanced at the watch, it was 11:00, so one hour and a half too go.