"So, why are we here?" Eli sighed.

"So, that you won't be lonely." Clare cooed while staring in awe at the baby rabbits.

"I'm not lonely because I have you." Eli smiled.

Clare turned and saw Eli's eyes flick to the ground and back up to her. Clare smiled and looked away, blushing. She looked away and set her attention back on the bunnies.

"You know, I'm not going to get a dumb rabbit." Eli walked up behind Clare.

"How could not want this cute thing." Clare lifted the bunny to his face. "Let alone call it dumb." Clare made cute faces at the furry ball in her hands.

"Well, maybe it's cute, but I don't want to clean out a cage every day."

"Although I could argue with you, I'll let you decide what you want."

"Like if we argued you'd win."

"Chose what you want."

"I think a dog would suit me." Eli smirked walking over to the dogs in carpeted kennels.

"What catches your eye?" Clare bent down behind Eli.

"Well, I can't seem to keep my eyes off you." Eli winked.

"Wow, that's new." Clare teased and went to look around. "Eli, Come look at this one!" Clare cheered.

"What is it?" Eli walked over to Clare.

"I don't know."

"Looks like a Rottweiler." Eli smiled, happily.

"I think it's totally you."

"Yeah, I can see myself with him. Come here little guy." Eli reached in and picked the puppy up in his arms, cradling it like a baby.

"You look soooo cute with the little puppy-wuppy." Clare made faces and talked in a baby voice at the dog.

"Whoa Clare… you think I'm cute." Eli smirked, smugly.

"The puppy makes you cute."

"Well, to make sure this puppy stays alive to keep me cute, we should go buy him and get some food, too."

"Alright."

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Eli was grabbing a big bag of dog food for, Roscoe, their new puppy. Clare was in the next aisle over looking at dog collars and toys.

"What do you think, Beniful?" Eli showed the bag to Roscoe. "I think that's a yes."

"Eli! Look at these cute shirts!" Clare ran in holding up a knitted dog shirt with a bone that said 'Treats, treats and more treats.'

"That's real cute Clare." Eli smiled before turning back to the bags of food.

Clare smiled back, but it fell when Eli turned away. His head moved over enough that she could see her parents in the aisle across the way, looking at toilet paper.

"Clare? You okay?" Clare's head snapped back at the sound of Eli's voice.

"Oh, yeah. Come look at this stuff with me."

"What is it?"

"Just come look." Clare said desperate, pulling Eli to get him out of her parents view.

"At what though?"

"Just come."

"Clare!" Eli called.

"Eli, shush shush." Clare covered his mouth and dragged him harshly around the shelf.

"Clare, what are you doing!" Eli asked, loudly and slightly annoyed.

Clare knew Eli wouldn't be quiet without an explanation, but she didn't have one. If Eli didn't shut up her parents would surely hear him and find her. Then she would be taken away from Eli and he would know she was a liar. It would be back to the screaming and hate, away from the love and kindness.

Eli was about to shout her name again, and Clare knew it would be the one that got her caught. The only thing she could think of to do was probably the stupidest thing she could've done.

Clare grabbed Eli's collar and tugged him in fast and hard. Their lips connected and Clare closed her eyes, partly to make it look believable to Eli, but mostly because it felt so damn good.

At first Eli didn't know what to do. He was surprised mostly, but as he watched Clare enjoy herself, his lips began to move with hers and his eyes, too, closed with the feeling of pure serenity.

Clare's eyes opened just a peak to see if first, Eli was watching her, and two was to see if her parents had left. They had and by the look of it they had been gone awhile.

Clare pulled back and avoided eye contact. She smoothed out her dress and waited for Eli to say something. When he didn't she imagined she did something really bad, and made her way to the checkout counter.

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Nothing had been said the whole way back to Eli's house. The only time she heard him speak since the kiss was when he thanked the cashier, and even then it was a mumble.

Clare occasionally looked over at him to see if his facial expression would give her any indication of how he was feeling. He didn't have a girlfriend, and was it that bad if it was a kiss. She knew he didn't want to be a rebound, but he wouldn't be and it was just a kiss. Maybe he was mad that she didn't listen, she thought, but wasn't sure.

Eli parked the car and went into his house without even sparing a glance at her, acting she wasn't there. It hurt her a lot, but Eli wasn't one to just ignore the problem and let it go unsolved, is he?

Once Clare was through the door and noticed Eli, even though avoiding eye contact, he held the door open and waited for her. She gave him an apologetic glance before looking away and then being pulled back up against the door and feeling familiar lips. The one and only Eli Goldsworthy's lips.