Howdy readers. Sorry for the late update. Yesterday was a bit hectic for me. So, again, thanks for the spectacular reviews.

A lot of people have not seen the new promo. So, here's the link, just remove the spaces: http:/ www. youtube. com/ watch?v=bpCrGai8I2M

Enjoy!

Clare liked to think of herself as a brave person.

She never got stage-fright and insects didn't scare her. Scary movies may have startled her, but she never had a nightmare afterward.

She actually liked being in high-up places, and she found the dark comforting and welcoming, rather than scary.

But, Clare Edwards wasn't always brave. When her parents' arguments occasionally turned physical, she found herself shaking in her bed, hoping that they wouldn't hurt each other too badly, or worse, hurt her.

Clare was afraid of her older sister, Darcy, who didn't always have an easy life, and had a hard time dealing with some of the things that happened to her. She was afraid that her sister still carried the anger, fear, and sadness from her rape and would one day succeed in taking her life away.

Clare was afraid for all of her friends: Adam, who struggled day to day for being different and was constantly harassed by bullies and Alli, who didn't always know what she really wanted and was easily swayed by the idea of finding 'the one'.

But, one person had entered Clare's life and constantly made her fearful.

Eli had entered Clare's life like a storm, with his crooked smile and his intense, green eyes.

Sure, Clare had always been worried about K.C. when she was dating him, but she never had something to really worry about. Eli was completely worse.

Clare was always afraid that Eli was going to get hurt. He never knew when to back down and he was always too cocky, too self-assured.

"I'll handle it." Is how he tried to comfort her, but it never helped. When Fitz brought a knife to Vegas Night, Clare was more fearful for Eli than she ever had been. When she thought he had been stabbed, she had never been more afraid, or more heart-broken. The thought of losing Eli petrified her.

But, Eli's dangerous ways weren't the only thing that frightened Clare.

She was afraid of him, afraid of what he did to her. Clare had never felt so out of control before. When she was with him, she acted differently, and felt more alive. Eli brought out different Clare, one who completely forgot where she was and what she was doing; a Clare who only knew that she was with a boy she quite possibly might love.

And, that scared her. It scared her utterly and indefinitely.

She had never met someone who had so much power over her.

She was also afraid of how he made her feel. She was afraid of these new, undiscovered feelings that he brought out, that she couldn't control.

When he looked into her eyes and smirked, or said a sarcastic comment, or when his hand brushed against hers, she felt her heard flutter and her mind go blank.

But when he kissed her, Clare was completely engulfed by him. The way his lips molded against hers, the way his hands roamed her body, the way his tongue memorized every inch of her mouth, all of these things made her go insane.

She was afraid of herself. Afraid of not being able to manage herself or her raging hormones.

But, there were other times, when the fear vanished and he promised he wouldn't push her into anything she wasn't ready for.

When Eli just sat with her, kissing her gently, and when he was out of harm's way, Clare felt no fear, only acceptance that she would have to learn how to deal with her fears and bask in the happier times.

Yeah, very drabble-ish. Next chappie will have a story-line, I promise. Reviews make my world go 'round.

~S.S