Where do I even begin? I am beyond sorry for leaving you guys high and dry for so long. But, it's officially summer for me now, so expect updates more regularly. I promise not to drop off the face of the Earth again.

Second, I would like to give a super special thank you and internet hug to hunnyfresh and DanceInSlowMotion (I hope both these names show up…sometimes Fan Fiction isn't always pen-name friendly. Just ask anyone who tries to type mine…) for their kind words on both Rhythm of Love and this story. Both of you made my day with your praise. Ego, meet your best friends. Ha. I'm kidding. But, seriously, thank you so, so much. Words cannot convey how much it meant to me that both of you enjoyed my writing so much.

And can I officially name the pairing Slare? Do I have the authority to do that? It's just, Clav sounds kind of dirty to me, and Cav reminds me of a baby cow. So, Slare it is, yeah? I ship Slare! ;)

Wow, I can be such a rambler sometimes, eh? Let's get started with chapter 2! :

"Hey," Sav poked me to cut off Alli's and my banter. "Isn't that the kid you walked out of your English class with? He looks lost."

Alli, Sav and I were sitting at our usual table at lunch, and Sav had me tucked close to his side.

I looked up and followed Sav's gaze. Sure enough, I found Eli standing at the entrance of the cafeteria holding a brown paper bag. His eyes were sweeping the room for a place to sit until he noticed an empty table, and he immediately made his way for it.

"Yeah, that's Eli Goldsworthy."

"Ohh," Alli's eyes lit up the way they did when she had been listening to the rumor mill and had gathered some information that she found interesting. "I've heard things about him…"

I rolled my eyes; I refused to be lured into the ridiculous rumors. I didn't want to hear any of the crazy stories Alli had undoubtedly collected. Of course, I was beyond curious about Eli and his strange ways, but if I was going to get my information first hand…maybe just not anytime soon.

Sav, on the other hand, shot a concerned glance down my direction that I assumed was supposed to be discreet. "What kinds of things…?"

"There have been lots of stories, but the most repeated one is that he just got out of juvie. It hasn't been confirmed for what, but I think it's either murder or drug dealing."

"Alli, that's absurd," I started to defend him as soon as the word murder had left her lips.

"I'm just repeating what I heard from Drew. Apparently they have a class together. He's says the guy is super secretive. He, like, never talks to anyone."

"I have a class with him, too, and he's a nice guy. He talks to me all the time; we're actually kind of friends. You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

I might have been over stating things by saying that Eli and I talked all the time, but I didn't think spreading rumors about people was fair. Eli probably had a good reason for being so standoffish.

"What if he is dangerous, though?" Sav interjected, his arm around my waist tightening protectively. "You trust people too easily, and while I love that you always want to find the good in people, it could get you in trouble. Maybe you should stick to being his English partner, and be less of his friend."

"Sav, please, this is silly. First off, Eli really is nice. Second, I think I can take care of myself, and third, I appreciate your concern, I really do, but it's unnecessary. I'll prove it."

Without stopping to think about what I was about to do, I was headed over to the table where Eli was eating alone. I plopped down across from him, making him literally jump out of his seat, but once he saw it was me, he relaxed slightly before narrowing his eyes in confusion.

"Are you lost? Your boyfriend's over there." Eli sneered and gestured over to the table I had just come from where Sav and Alli were openly gaping at my bold move.

"Nope, I'm not lost. I was just telling my boyfriend about my newest friend, and he really wants to meet you."

"What makes you think we're friends?"

"I never see you talking to anyone else. I figured I'm the closest thing you have to a friend at this school."

Eli seemed genuinely shocked by this; almost as if he hadn't given himself permission to be my friend, but it had happened anyway, without his notice. I felt a little accomplished for rendering him speechless- if there was one thing I had learned about Eli in the short time I had known him it was that he always had something to say.

Unfortunately, no one could keep Eli silent for too long. "So, you've been keeping tabs on me, eh?"

"Don't flatter yourself, slick. I love Sav."

"Whoa now, I never said you didn't. Defensive, much?"

That had come out wrong, but somehow I couldn't find the words to explain myself. Eli left me flustered and confused…not to mention frustrated. Maybe Sav was right, I should just be his partner for this project and then leave him alone.

"God, I was just trying to be nice. Why do you have to talk in circles? Have fun eating lunch alone."

Did I mention Eli also made me moody? He was the complete opposite of Sav. Sav gave me butterflies, but kept me grounded. Sav was sweet and genuine.

I shook my head at Eli, getting up to leave, but before I had the chance to make it out of earshot Eli called me back.

"Clare, wait…," I turned in time to see him wince as he swallowed a bit of his pride. "Does the invitation to join you still stand?"

"That depends…are you going to continue to be a major jerk?"

"Hey, I am who I am," he joked, but I narrowed my eyes at him, and turned to leave for the second time. "No, sorry, yes…I'll be a minor jerk, not a major one."

I couldn't help the small smile as my forgiving side won over my angry one. "That's what I call progress," I allowed, laughing.

Eli smiled back and packed up his lunch so he could join Sav, Alli, and me at our table.

"Be nice," I warned Sav and Alli severely as I took my spot next to Sav again, making it to the table just a few seconds before Eli.

"How did you do that?" Alli whispered, but before I had the chance to ask what she meant by that, Eli was sliding into the seat next to her. I almost giggled at the sheer opposition of Eli and Alli. Their skin color, their style of dress, their personalities…this was going to be an interesting lunch.

Seeing as I was the common denominator between us all, I spoke first. "Sav, Alli…this is Eli. Eli, meet my boyfriend, Sav, and my best friend, Alli.

"How come I am devoid of a title?" Eli asked, sarcasm coating his words.

"You have yet to earn one aside from 'jerk', and that just doesn't sound very pleasant in introductions."

"This is my jerk, Eli…you're right, it just doesn't roll off the tongue."

I rolled my eyes at him, and an uncomfortable silence settled in around everyone. I took note of how Eli sat just far enough away from Alli that he wouldn't have any chance of touching her, but close enough that nothing would seem off. It seemed like a very precise distance; something he had worked out and perfected.

God, why did I care so much?

"So," Sav cleared his throat, "how do you like Degrassi so far?"

I grabbed his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze to thank him for his effort. He squeezed back, and I gently leaned my head on his shoulder. Alli pretended to gag, and Eli shifted, looking unbelievably uncomfortable- like he was trying not to take note of the action, but he just couldn't look away.

"It's…a school."

Sav cracked a big goofy grin. "Really? I hadn't noticed."

Eli laughed, but it didn't touch his eyes. "Touché, man. But, in all honesty, there's nothing too special about it so far. I just am trying to get used to it."

His gaze landed on me around the time he said 'nothing too special', and I blushed, twitching under his hard stare.

"What's juvie like?" Alli asked, perking up. I sat up so I could kick her, hard, under the table. She yelped, "Geeze, Clare, I was just asking!"

"It's fine. I wouldn't know- I've never been there. How's India?"

Alli's eyes narrowed, but a chuckle escaped Sav's mouth. I cracked a smile. That would teach her to listen to rumors…and then repeat them to the subject of said rumors.

"I don't like him," Alli informed Sav and me, angling herself away from Eli.

"And I couldn't care less," Eli assured her.

Thankfully, before Alli went into full on bitch mode, the bell rang. Eli quickly stood- he gave me a small wave, Sav a slight nod, and totally ignored Alli before taking off to his next class.

"Well, he is interesting," Sav allowed. "Just be careful, okay?"

"Whatever, Mr. Protective; want to come over after school?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Could you two tone it down, please?" Alli requested, squeezing herself in between Sav and me.

"Yeah, sure- I'm off to class anyway. I'll see you two after school. Enjoy your classes."

Sav blew me a kiss before taking off down a different hallway. I pretended to catch it, and Alli groaned.

"Why do you two have to be so cute? And, speaking of which, I'm not the only one your cuteness seems to annoy." I shot her a questioning look, but she just nodded to the other side of the hallway where Eli was standing, watching. I blushed as our gazes met and held. My skin started to crawl. Suddenly, he turned on his heel and walked away…so weird. "Looks like trouble to me."

"What do you mean?"

"Clare, come on, you're the only person he talks to in the entire school. There has to be a reason for that."

"Maybe because I don't listen to rumors and I'm a nice person."

"Or maybe he's interested."

"Alli, that's crazy talk. We're barely even friends let alone romantically involved. I mean, I like him, but I barely know him. And I'm sure that's exactly how he feels, too. Stop trying to make drama in my life where there isn't any. Even if he was interested it would be a one way street. Can we just focus on your life drama for the time being?"

"Yes, because my parents being sadistic assholes is all I want to talk about."

"What if Sav and I talked to them with you…?"

"Maybe…I don't know. I'm not home, so I don't want to even think about them right now. Can we just get to class, please?"

"Lead the way."

She smiled thankfully at me, grabbed my hand, and led me off to our next class. I couldn't really pay attention to the teachers, though. The entire class period Eli's bizarre stare was etched into my brain. I couldn't figure out what the expression on his face had meant, if anything, and it really bugged me. Maybe I was just spoiled with Sav because he was an open book. I always knew what he was thinking because he always told me. But Eli was so secretive.

And why in the world did I need to figure out Eli's secrets so bad? Why was he so intriguing to me? Maybe it was the intellectual in me that needed to solve every puzzle; leave no stone unturned.

I had to stop thinking about Eli- it was going to give me a complex.

So, I started to doodle Sav's name along the edge of my notebook to keep me distracted. Soon, the doodle turned into a full blown, cliché picture of Sav's and my name inside a giant heart. When had I turned into a sap? Not that I really minded- I had the Sav induced, goofy smile plastered on my face again.

Was it wrong to be this happy? If so, I prayed to never, ever be right.

I spent my last classes for the day in a haze of Sav. Just thinking of spending time with him later still managed to give me butterflies in my stomach. I hoped this giddy, light relationship that we had finally found never went away. I don't know what I would do if I lost Sav- especially after everything we had already been through.

I pushed the darker thoughts out of my mind, and managed to pay attention to the last ten minutes of the school day. When the bell finally rang I rushed to my locker to find Sav already there, waiting for me.

"How do you do that?"

"Get to your locker so soon? These long legs are good for one thing and one thing only- bringing me to see you sooner."

"You're such a charmer. I drew you a picture!"

"Yeah? Let's see it."

I rummaged through my bag until I found the lame drawing of the heart, and I handed it to Sav. "So, am I the next Michelangelo?"

He pulled me in for a hug, kissing the top of my head. "Maybe not Michelangelo, but I definitely see the aesthetic appeal. This is going in my room. Thanks, Clare. I love it."

"And I love you," I said, wrapping my arms tighter around him.

"Get a room," Eli requested gruffly, arriving at his locker.

"How about you just get a heart, instead," I joked, childishly sticking my tongue out at him.

"I wish I could, but I went to the Wizard of Oz and he was fresh out. Darn."

"See you tomorrow in English," I told him before entwining my hand with Sav's and pulling him toward the parking lot.

"You know," Sav started lightly, draping his arm around my shoulders, "you probably shouldn't encourage him."

"What do you mean?"

"I think he likes you, Clare. I mean, maybe a little more than a friend. You really don't want to encourage him…"

"What is with you and Alli? Eli and I are friends. Barely friends, in fact. Do I detect jealousy?"

"No, Clare, I'm not jealous because I know you. You assume the kid is just being friendly, so you're just being friendly back. I'm just telling you to watch how…flirty you get. Eli might get the wrong impression"

"The kid, as you so eloquently put it, is just being friendly. There isn't anything to be careful of. Gosh, when did you get so paranoid?"

"Can we not fight about this? I was just…observing. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you, Clare. I love you."

Sav had gracefully swung himself in front of me so he could place his hands on my shoulders and look me in the eyes. I knew he really hadn't meant to offend me, but I was upset that my friends seemed to think I wasn't a good judge of character. I was perfectly capable of watching out for myself.

"Fine, then let's not fight. I love you, too. You know that."

Sav nodded and pulled me in for a hug.

The fight had been short, harmless. It was the first one that Sav and I would have in regards to Elijah Goldsworthy, but it certainly would not be the last.

Like I said, I promise not to disappear on you guys again. So, expect an update soon. In the meantime, tell me what you thought about this chapter! =)

Lastly, I have a request. I think, if you have not already, you should go read DreamernWriter123's newest story. You should read all the other ones, too, but the new one is gold. She has a wonderful talent, and you will enjoy yourselves. I guarantee! Go!