I just want to say, this story is way too much fun to write. I look forward so much to adding a new chapter everyday. I hope you guys feel the same way with reading it.

Apart

"But at the same time that the experience is pulling you apart, it's also bonding you. You have this joint venture! You both made this baby. And that's the thing I still can't get over." ~Paul Reiser

Clare and Eli both approached each other at the same time. They stopped in the hallway. Clare looked down.

"I think we need to talk," she mumbled, shifting her feet.

Eli smirked, "I think we do."

They decided to skip English to much dismay of Clare. They drove far away. Eli wanted to get as far away from real life as they could when they talked. That way things wouldn't seem so real. They wouldn't have to worry about everything standing in their way. They could only worry about each other.

He pulled the car over by the side of a barren field miles away form Degrassi. Clare looked around, a little freaked.

"This looks like one of the places the ax murderer brings the innocent girl to in a horror movie," the blond commented, looking at the boy beside her. He gave her a tiny smile.

"Trust me…you're safe," he reassured, jokingly. Both of them let out small, awkward laughs.

It became quiet all too quickly. Both were trying to gather their thoughts and what they wanted to happen. It was hard to put into words what each wanted to say. Little did they know that the other was thinking the same exact thing.

Eli was the first to speak. He hated the silence and had to break it. "I don't…love Eva," he confessed.

Clare nodded, "I know."

"I know you know. I just want you to know that you're the only one I care about like this. You're the only one I want to be with."

Clare digested what he had said. She never knew that he felt that strongly for her. She knew that she did, but thought Eli was a stone. He was always so strong. Nothing, especially love, could break through his tough exterior.

It wasn't like she expected him to never love anyone. It was more that she thought he'd never have to say it. The girl would just know and want to do anything for him so he would love her. He'd never have to say it because they would always strive so hard to get him to that point.

And she, Clare Edwards, was the girl.

"You're my best friend, Eli," she began, "We're having a baby together. I love you…so much. But I think…I think we should wait. Until after the baby is born. I want to make sure that we can get through anything. It's the perfect test."

"What do you mean?" Eli felt his heart breaking. He'd opened but his heart to her and she was turning him down completely.

"I'm not saying we aren't good for each other. I just want to see if you feel this way when we're parents. Okay?"

"Fine," Eli breathed, torn apart, "We'll wait."

"What does that mean…'I just want to see if you feel this way when we're parents'?" Adam asked as he hung upside down on their group's usual picnic table.

Eli shrugged and sighed, tossing another torn apart stick onto the ground. "I guess she wants to see if I'll love her unconditionally."

"But you do…" the other boy responded, sitting up. Eli looked over at his best friend.

"She doesn't get it. And that sucks," the Goth boy concluded. He picked up another stick and started breaking it.

"So is she going to let you help with the baby?"

"I don't know. I think so…" he closed his eyes, "I hope so."

Adam put his hand on Eli's shoulder, "Well…if she does…you have to prove to her that you were meant to be. You have to be a great dad."

Eli inhaled deeply. "I'm going to be a dad…" it hit him hard. He stood and started pacing. "I'm only 16! I'm going to be a father!"

"You just figured that out?"

Eli ran his hand through his hair, "How am I going to do this? I don't know how to be a parent. I don't even have a job. How am I going to pay for the kid?"

"Get a job?" Adam said, sarcastically.

"Okay…that I can do. But what about everything else? Clare doesn't even have anywhere to live!"

"She's staying with my family. I told them that she's pregnant and we're going to help her. When she has the baby…you can figure that out. But for now…she's okay."

Eli nodded repeatedly; "Okay…" he took in a deep breath, "Okay…"