Savior Chapter 7: Fearless Blood, a degrassi fanfic

A/N: I feel as if I barely did any of the last chapter justice, especially considering it was a major chapter with Jake/Clare going forward in their forced relationship, Eli's feelings continuing to confuse him and of course Clare getting bitten again. But this chapter and so forth, I will try my best to make this as best as I can! Because I have a lot planned for Savior and I want to finish it one day. (: So please enjoy this chapter and please review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Degrassi or the concept of Vampires.

Clare hissed in slight pain as she placed her two stubby fingers on the bite marks left on her milky white neck. The bite marks had been given to her... but Clare couldn't remember who. She had remembered waking up the next morning after another lust filled night with Jake, but had dry blood stuck to her neck and she felt woozy upon standing up as well. She had thought Jake was too rough last night, maybe had been trying a new act out and had bitten her for dramatic effect. But when Clare had questioned Jake the next day at school, while she was wearing a hideous turtleneck to cover the bite marks which already developed a horrendous black and blue bruise around the two bite marks, Jake had shrugged saying he had seen the bite marks on her neck the night before. Which had Clare with rising questions in her head throughout the rest of the day, until she had been approached by Eli and his sisters,

(...)

"So a turtleneck?" Eli asked smugly as he leaned up against the locker next to Clare's. Clare rolled her eyes and looked behind Eli to see Fiona and Imogen who always seemed to be attached to Eli's hip at all time. Fiona had a grimace on her pale face as she shifted her binder to her other hip and mumbled,

"It's not like I enjoy being attached." The comment had taken Clare a back, but Imogen had a small smile on her shy lips and Eli was looking as if he was fighting off a full blown grin or even a laugh. Clare shook her head, hoping Fiona meant something else since the initial thought of her knowing what Clare had thought of her and Imogen would scare her more than she already was .

"Yes, a turtleneck. You're very observant. How about you go observe someone else and leave me alone?" Clare grumbled as she searched through her locker for her Chemistry textbook, hoping it was still in her locker and not at home under the pile of mess on her wooden desk.

"But where would the fun in that be?" Eli asked, but Clare had picked up on his tone and noticed it had gotten from being smug and teasing, to now something that was laced with concern. His dark green eyes had been lingering on her turtleneck, especially the spot where she had awoken with bite marls scarring her neck.

"It wouldn't be fun to begin with." Clare grumbled as she finally found her Chemistry book and pulled it from the rusty locker. "Now if you three excuse me, I'm going to Chemistry." Clare announced as she slammed her locker shut and began to walk in the opposite direction of the three most intriguing students that had been attending Degrassi. Clare was getting closer to her Chemistry room and just as she was ready to pick up pace and make it on time, she felt a strong, but gentle hand on her arm pull her into a nearly deserted hallway.

"What the hell are you doing, freak! I need to get to class." Clare growled as she tried to free her arm from Eli's grasp, but it was no use - the scrawny boy was stronger than her and it made her feel pathetic to some extent.

"Don't worry, the class won't leave." Eli answered which caused another eye roll from Clare as she huffed and balanced her Chemistry book on her other arm as Eli continued to grasp onto her arm. She would have to bring out her big guns for this next one in order for Eli to let go of her arm.

"Listen here.. Eli." Clare drawled out, a perplexed look crossing Eli's features. "You better let me go or my boyfriend will kick your ass." Clare warned, she expected Eli to let her go, apologize and scurry off to his next class. But instead a grin appeared on his face which had taken Clare back immensely. Roaring laughter left his lips as he let go of Clare's arm and doubled over in laughter from Clare's statement which had her burning with embarrassment if Eli wasn't even moved by her statement for one bit. She was sure using Jake as an excuse would scare Eli off, it would scare off most guys who tried to hit on her, but it obviously wasn't working on Eli as he started laughing even louder.

"What.. What is your problem!" Clare exclaimed as Eli soon began to calm himself as he stood into the standing position, a broad smile still playing on his lips as he looked down at Clare and shook his head in a way that made Clare desperately want to punch him - several times. Preferably in the groin which would send him down to his knees quicker than he'd expect.

"My problem? My problem is that your "boyfriend" isn't that scary to be quite honest with you. He's as scary as a fly. I'm not one to run in the other direction when I see a boy wearing plaid and working boots. Maybe that statement works on Wesley Betencamp and his friends, but I'm not them. You can't scare me. I'm immune to fear." Eli declared proudly as he smirked down at Clare and she huffed with anger as she began walking back down to hallway where she'd curve the corner to her Chemistry class she was so sure she'd miss.

"Wait.. Clare." Eli called out softly, suddenly regretful of being disrespectful to her boyfriend.. if that was what Jake was to her. Eli wasn't Jake's biggest fan and already Eli had been told mentally that Jake was slowly getting through to Clare, but he wasn't sure how far.. he wasn't sure he wanted to know how far either or even how Clare had begun to like the boy to begin with. But if Clare was alright.. he'd be alright.

"What now? Gonna say more insulting things about Jake?" Clare sneered and Eli flinched at her tone, not use to her so feisty around him. She usually ignored his mere existence and Eli wished it was that easy for him to ignore her existence as well.

"No.. I just. I'm here you know." Eli said softly. Clare turned around with a confused expression as she looked Eli up and down, seeing if this was some joke - some prank he and his sisters had organized to fool her around. But Eli looked extremely serious as he said those, his lips nor did his eyes twitch with any happiness. Eli quickly reached into his backpack to tear off a piece of paper as he grabbed his pencil as well, swiftly writing down on the piece of paper as he handed it to Clare.

"It's my house address. You can come by whenever you'd like if you.. need to." Eli explained nervously as he placed his pencil back inside his backpack and waited for some sort of response from Clare. She merely pursed her lips and hitched her textbook higher in her arms as she muttered,

"Whatever."

As Clare rounded the corridor and was heading for her Chemistry class which would begin in a good seven seconds, she swore she heard a girl with a snotty voice say.

"Bitch."

Clare was about to spin around and confront whoever had called her such a foul name seeing as she was the only one in the deserted hallway now, but then she heard the familiar manly voice she had spoken to not even a minute ago say,

"So are you, Fiona."

Then a smile had crept upon Clare's lips as she entered her Chemistry classroom just as the bell had rung, still clutching onto the scrap piece of paper Eli had handed to her.

(...)

It had been a week since that bizarre encounter with Eli and his sisters at her locker. Since the incident, Clare had given Eli polite smiles in the hall that he never returned, he'd rather look down at his shoes as Fiona and Imogen took his side as always. Usually if Fiona was closest to Clare when they would walk down the hall, she would shoulder Clare roughly causing her slam into the lockers or have her books fall to the floor. Fiona almost always gets pinched on her arm by Eli after doing such a crime, so Clare continues to smile kindly at Eli as he continues to ignore her existence.

Clare returned her attention to the bite marks on her neck that were slowly disappearing with time, usually bruises would have healed by now, but the mysterious bite marks continued to stray on her neck. Luckily, Clare's hair was growing and was now a little ways past her shoulder and had been able to hide the bite marks - which meant no hideous turtleneck sweaters from junior high.

"Hurry up, Clare!" Alli bellowed from downstairs which pulled Clare from her reverie as she groaned and grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder as she approved of her outfit in the mirror. Last night, Clare's parents had begun arguing again and brought Clare into the horrible argument which is the cause of Clare's rebellious outfit of a deep V neck white shirt and a black skirt which had a hemline that got shorter and shorter each time Clare wore the outfit which was completed with knee high laced boots which was sure to give her double looks from the male population at her school. But with Jake on her arm, Clare was sure to not be bothered whatsoever.

Clare quickly scurried from her room and down the wooden stairs to where her best friends were waiting for her, Alli's face complete with an annoyed look while Jenna looked fascinated with the wedding photo of Clare's parents, back when they were actually a happy couple people envied profusely.

"Took you long enough." Alli groaned as she pulled out her phone which was now clothed in a bedazzled phone case Alli had bought during her many trips to the mall with Jenna, which was a weekly occurrence.

"Alli was starting to get pissed, but now I can see why you took so long - you wanted to look hot for Jake." Jenna crooned as she winked at Clare which earned an eye roll from both Clare and Alli. Clare had finally been able to tell Alli and Jenna about her feelings for Jake, about how she finally came face to face with how she felt about him and they had even kissed a few times since starting their friends with benefits relationship. Clare had decided to keep the fact that she has had sex with Jake numerous times to herself, because she knew Alli and Jenna were known for spreading gossip and she wasn't too keen on the thought of Degrassi knowing she had finally had sex with Jake.

"Or to rebel - again." Alli noted which earned her a glare from Clare. Jenna merely shrugged as she soon began staring at her new artificial nails she had gotten done with both Alli and Clare the day before, she was fascinated by the sparkly texture.

"Just shut your trap, Alli. I didn't ask for your opinion." Clare snapped in which Alli widened her big brown eyes at Clare, usually Clare was easily agitated, but never had she snapped at Alli before. The gesture had taken Alli a back as she gulped and looked down at her phone for reassurance. Clare sighed heavily as she adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
"Lets just go to school." Clare mumbled as she walked past her two best friends and headed for the front door as she heard them retreating behind her slowly. Not a single one of them speaking after Alli has slipped up and mentioned a part of Clare that none of the three girls are allowed to mention.

Within ten minutes, the girls had managed to arrive at Degrassi without speaking a word to eachother. All they could hear was Jenna's absentminded humming to the tune of a Taylor Swift melody. But as soon as they stepped foot onto the campus, the speakers began to crackle and an elderly voice said happily,

"Please be aware of the Sadie Hawkins dance happening this weekend, students! Girls, be bold and ask a boy out!"

Jenna and Alli both had smiles on their faces as they faced eachother and began to talk happily about who they would be asking to the Sadie Hawkins dance this coming weekend.

"I think I'll ask KC, even though he hates me and might go with Jess.. it wouldn't hurt to ask!" Jenna exclaimed with a broad smile on her face as she clapped happily. Clare sighed and cracked a smile at her scatterbrained best friend who was never quite aware of KC's feelings towards her, it was always a hurricane of love between the two.

"I'll probably ask Dave, he'll always say yes to me. The boy can't ignore all of this." Alli said, gesturing to her exposed body in the short yellow dress that barely covered her bottom and her cleavage that was out in the open more than Clare's at the moment.

"Who are you gonna ask, Clare?" Jenna questioned as she faced her best friend with a curious look on her innocent face, her blue eyes wide with curiosity. Clare opened her mouth to answer with the obvious answer, until she took sight of the three people behind Jenna who were leaning sitting on one of the bench tables. Imogen was laying flat on the table, a book high in the air as she read quietly, Fiona was filing down her nails as she grimace occasionally and Eli.. he had his eyes on her, his piercing green eyes were boring into her blue ones and Clare found herself tongue tied at the moment. Eli broke off the stare and looked off a whiles away from Clare, a pained expression crossing his face which Clare deciphered quickly. Clare swallowed and soon merely shrugged at her two best friends.

"I honestly don't know. I might ask Jake, but eh.. dances aren't his thing. So I probably won't go to the dance to begin with." Clare answered as she looked over Jenna's shoulder to see if Eli was still on the bench with Fiona and Imogen where she had last seen them.

But they had left.

(...)

Clare walked the halls of Degrassi feeling immense stares on her figure which didn't set her off too badly. It was a usual occurrence to have guys staring at her bottom or mocking her large breasts, then not to mention the girls who were often calling her insulting names that didn't even begin to describe her. But Clare ignored them all as she continued to walk down the long hall, passing by the blue, yellow and black lockers as she swayed her hips flirtatiously for the hopes of a teacher or administrative to walk by and write her up for validating dress code. But that never happened to Clare, as strange as it seems she never gets written up or sent home for wearing skirts that barely covered her bottom and low cut shirts that exposed half of her breast. Perhaps the faculty knew of Clare's issues happening at home, possibly her mother had phoned in and warned them of any erratic behavior she'd show whilst in Degrassi. But what always got to Clare the absolute worst was,

How do they not even care.. how one ounce of care or kindness.. or even remorse was given to her by her parents or the teaching staff. No one ever seemed to care what Clare did these days and it was beginning to rub her the wrong way.

Clare immediately noticed Jake by his locker as he was talking to Drew and Bianca who were beginning to get a bit cozy with one another, their relationship was always the kind that involved plenty of touch.. touches wherever. Touches in places Clare didn't even want to think of at the moment. She merely placed a small smile on her glossed lips as she sashayed her hips and began heading towards Jake's way, feeling incredibly uncomfortable and insecure once Bianca locked eyes with her due to the fact that Bianca's eyes looked.. disappointed and pitiful as she looked at Clare from her black streak in her straight hair to her knee high laced boots. The way Bianca's brown eyes bore into hers was almost as if her eyes were whispering.

"Who are you? You aren't Clare Edwards. You aren't Saint Clare. You are a stranger."

But Clare shook off the stare as she continued to sashay her hips and head towards Jake and his coupled friends. She looped her arm through Jake's, catching him by surprise as she looked up at him with big seductive blue eyes and murmured,

"Hi." A smile crossed Jake's lips as he raised his eyebrow and looked to Drew's way who too had a smile on his lips as he gently squeezed Bianca's side. Bianca forced a smile upon her cherry red lips and looked down at Clare, hiding the obvious disappointment she had been feeling towards Clare the moment she saw the girl walk through the front doors wearing a short skirt that didn't flatter her as much as Clare initially thought. Bianca had spoken few words to Clare since meeting her in her last year, but Bianca had remembered Clare being very.. conservative when it came to her clothing and rarely swore. Yet now, Clare was the complete opposite and it made Bianca feel extremely uneasy to see a girl be someone she obviously wasn't. The poor girl was trying her hardest to sway her lips and seem somewhat appealing in the skimpy clothes she was wearing, but it wasn't even working for her sadly.

In Bianca's opinion, Clare needed a cold hard slap across the face, a hoodie and jeans to cover up her revealing body and a long talking to.

"Wow, you're showing quite a bit there, Edwards. Better put the Edwards twins away." Bianca teased openly as she gestured towards Clare's chest, her breasts were more revealing than they had been earlier in the day. A small blush crossed Clare's features, but soon melted away as she dismissively waved her hand to Bianca and had a grimace on her pale face- which caught Bianca off guard.

"So? You wear the same exact thing on a daily basis, Bianca." Clare retorted and Drew cleared his throat uncomfortably as he was already seeing where this conversation was heading from Clare's insulting retort. Bianca would not stand by Drew's side and allow a fifteen year old girl to spit words at her. Bianca was better than that, she knew her witty words and was sure that Clare would hear them.

"At least I look good in 'em." Bianca spat with the shrug of her leather jacked clad shoulder, she felt a twinge of guilt in her stomach as she saw Clare's face fall from mighty to of devastation, but soon she recomposed herself as she crossed her arms across her busty chest and huffed. Clare had came here to speak with Jake concerning the upcoming dance - not to be interrogated by Bianca and her snotty ways.

"I don't need her bullshit. I've already got too much on my plate already. The last thing I need the troubled girl on my fucking trail about trying to look good." Clare thought bitterly as she glared at Bianca's direction who had a satisfied look in her brown eyes as Drew squeezed her side once more and whispered something in her ear. The only words Clare could understand were, "alone" and "better." Clare hoped that Drew was getting into Bianca's head and convincing her to leave Clare alone. But Clare thought otherwise as she saw Bianca roll her eyes and turn towards Drew with a glare in her eye and grimace on her lips.

"No, Drew! I'm putting my foot down this time." Bianca seethed as she shot Drew a dirty look that caused him to look the other way, obviously fearful by Bianca's power over him. "Clare," Bianca began as she turned to face Clare, who was still standing by Jake's side with an expression mixed with hurt and fury. "You need to do everyone, including yourself a favor and change from this.. slu-floozy." Bianca stammered as she searched to find a word better than the one she planned to use, "I realize something is happening to you - something life changing perhaps. But that doesn't give you the right to walk around in uncomfortable short skirts and revealing shirts. You probably feel horrible, Clare. I'm not telling you this to be rude, judgemental bitch, because if I was - you'd know. I'm doing this so you won't have to pretend to be someone you aren't. You're Saint Clare, not Ninth Street Walker Clare." Bianca warned Clare with a small smile on her face, hoping she had somehow gotten through to Clare. Bianca was never one to care much for people besides her mother and Drew, but she had some sort of pull towards Clare and just loathed to see her struggling on the inside.

It was quiet for a moment's time after Bianca's speech to Clare. Drew still stood by Bianca, but had his hands in his pockets uncomfortably while Jake had Clare's flank as well as he shifted awkwardly from boot to boot. Neither of the four spoke a word, nor did the small crowd of people who were watching the confrontation from afar. All of them awaiting for Clare's response to Bianca's large statement the whole school had been wanting to tell Clare themselves, but no one ever had the stomach to do such a thing. All were too afraid.

All besides Bianca DeSousa in the flesh.

Until Clare lifted her head up and locked her angry blue eyes with Bianca's, making the leather clad girl scrunch her eyebrows together in frustration as Clare took three strides in front of Bianca before lifting her palm into the air and in less than two seconds smacked her hand across Bianca's face. The loud snap reverberated through the halls as every one's jaws hit the floor at Clare's stepping up and taking the rather large plate.

"Listen here, Bee." Clare snarled as she hissed at Bianca's known nickname. "I can dress however the hell I want to. I will come to school stark naked if I please." Clare sneered, earning numerous hoots and hollers from guys standing by watching the confrontation unfold. "It's none of your goddamn business how I dress or how I act and it sure as hell not your business about me acting strange because of problems. None of that is your business. So deal with your problems, which I heard had to deal with a certain gang member named Vince and Anson?" Clare admitted in a snarky voice which caused more whispers and murmurs to go about the hall as Bianca stood slack before Clare, a red hand print clear as day on her tan face. "Yeah, I know that. So stay the hell out of my life and I'll stay out of yours." Clare concluded with a smirk on her face as she soon grabbed Jake's forearm and turned towards his tall, lean figure.

"Come on, Jake. Let's just go." Clare whispered as she slowly turned towards the looming hall filled with students now separating from watching the confrontation. A part of Clare expected to feel acrylic nails dig deep into her hair and began a fight in the middle of Degrassi, but instead she heard a strong voice say,

"I was only trying to help, Edwards." Clare then stopped in her tracks and removed her hand off of Jake's forearm as she pivoted around to see Bianca now had her back to her and Jake as she walked down the hall slowly with Drew's arm snaked around her back as it seemed like he was soothing her. The sight struck Clare hard seeing as she had never seen Bianca DeSousa in such a fragile state of mind enough that she'd need to be comforted by Drew. Clare just merely gulped as she turned back around and began walking with Jake flanking her once more.

Both walked in silence until they made it to the JT Yorke Memorial Garden, Clare took a seat across from the headstone stating JT's birth date and death date, an old graduation cap laid on the top of his headstone. It had been rumored around the school that since JT never made it to graduation with his friends, they placed a cap in his honor years ago.

No one had touched it since, afraid of tainting what love was last touched on the pale blue cap and withered gold tassel.

Jake cleared his throat uncomfortably as he took a seat next to Clare, his elbows digging deep into his knee caps as he leaned forward, trying to grasp all that had happened in the past ten minutes between Clare and Bianca. He was sure Drew was trying to process the strange fight as well, surely everyone was.

"Bianca's a bitch." Clare moaned as she leaned against the glass of the memorial garden, already a headache settling into her brain from the past day's events. All she had wanted was some peace and quiet, but of course had to run into an oncoming fight with Bianca and her unnecessary words.

"She's just trying to look out for you." Jake interjected, not wanting to admit that in a way he did agree with what Bianca had explained to Clare about her recent.. behavior in light of her parent's constant fighting. Jake had wanted many times throughout his friendship and now beneficial friendship with Clare to have stolen her away from the awfulness her parents unintentionally place her under, but in order to have the decency to pull Clare from her family and friends.. he'd have to be her Savior. Jake was not Clare's Savior, he would have known by now. Someone else was and Jake was already getting a good idea of who Clare's Savior was, the confrontation would take place soon as Jake had planned. His confrontation with Clare's lifelong Savior. Her partner, her best friend, her soul mate, her lover. Clare's Savior was soon to be her everything if she ever found out who the man was, but luckily for Jake.. that man always chose to stay in the shadows for the most part.

"Look out for me? Bianca looking out for me? Yeah, whatever." Clare snorted as she shook her straightened hair from her eyes and focused her attention on a tall plant by JT's headstone, standing tall as it brushed against the glass. Jake sighed heavily at Clare's stubborn attitude as she continued to look at the tall plant which seemed to be more interesting than the conversation they were having. Jake took a glance at Clare and pushed a short stray of brown hair behind her ear, showing off her helix piercing as she turned her face his way as he smiled,

"Why did you approach me in the halls though? Looking for some fun?" Jake said lowly as he snaked his arm around Clare's shoulders, a deep blush setting into her pale cheeks as he nuzzled his face against her neck.. his lips brushing against the scab of a bite mark. Jake swallowed hard as he felt the presence of eyes burning into the side of his face, he looked to his left to see that Eli was leaning against the locker next to Fiona who was looking over her shoulder at both Jake and Clare. Imogen who was standing next to Eli had a disgusted look on her face as she looked at the bite mark laced on Clare's neck and Eli's expression was a mix between hurt and anger as his eyes switched from the scabbed bite mark to Jake's neck himself. Jake caught a quick snippet from Eli's mind as he continued to stare at his neck.

"I wonder if he'd like it if someone bit his neck, or better yet ripped his jugular out."

Jake quickly shot Eli a glare from the corner of his eye as Clare continued to duck her chin, completely oblivious to the occurrence behind her. Eli quickly caught Jake's glare and suddenly felt the urge to break through the glass separating him from Jake to place an attack on the half blood that was being incredibly annoying and horrible. Jake heard those thoughts and his lips turned up into a grin once he saw Fiona's hand softly grab Eli's arm as she whispered something about taking the rest of the day off from school as Imogen nodded eagerly and placed a tentative hand on Eli's back as the two girls tried their best to convince him to leave before something horrible occurs in the next five minutes.

The scene was pure entertainment to Jake as he felt his grin growing wider and wider as Eli's thoughts began to become vile and violent as Fiona and Imogen's convincing became more hostile. Two members of the Golds coven had to control their fearless leader who couldn't even keep his emotions in check, the sight was utterly pathetic to Jake as he heard a growl and soon Eli's lip curled over his sharp incisors which placed a happy smirk on Jake's face to see someone of authority so easily angered.

"What are you smirking at?" Clare questioned as she turned her head in the same direction Jake's was and saw that there was nothing where Jake was smirking at. Just a row of lockers that were seemingly quiet except for one locker that was slowly shutting with quiet squeaks and a stray paper still moving by the gust of wind, Clare looked at Jake for an explanation, but now his smirk was replaced by an agitated look as he cleared his throat and looked back at Clare who was still asking for an answer.

"It was nothing." Jake reassured Clare as he softly squeezed her shoulder, causing Clare's face to relax into the warmness that was radiating off of Jake as she leaned closer to his face and soon pressed a gentle kiss on his lips that he responded with eagerly. The kiss grew deeper as Clare clutched at Jake's hair and his hand slithered down Clare's shoulder to her hips where he latched onto happily, leaning deeper into the kiss that was starting to become the highlight of Clare's day after all she had dealt with. A nice kiss with Jake, her friend who could also pass as her boyfriend was exactly what she needed.

"Mmm.. I can do this all day." Jake murmured once the kiss between him and Clare broke, a smile stretched out across Clare's face as she released Jake's hair and placed her hands on his muscular shoulders.

"Of course you would, I could too." Clare teased as she gave his shoulders a slight squeeze, he repeated the action by squeezing her side, causing her to jump at the sudden movement as she swatted Jake's hand away from the soreness on her side. Jake raised his eyebrow at her and she sighed, dismissing it by waving her hand once more as she placed her hand on her side.

"It's nothing, it's just the scar again." Clare explained briefly and Jake nodded as he remembered Clare's tales about the numerous crescent shaped scars on her body, especially the pronounced one on her knee. Whenever Clare began to ramble on about her many scars lacing her body, Jake usually kept quiet. Jake keeping quiet was always odd to Clare, but she never questioned it. She always thought he was possibly horrified by the crescent shaped scars or that he was never one to give comfort when it came to injuries. Jake was usually the guy who would tell you to walk it off and man up unless it got worse.

Clare cleared her throat as she removed her hand from her side and faced Jake with a bright smile on her face, realizing that now would be a good time to ask him about the upcoming dance this weekend.

"So, have you heard about the Sadie Hawkins dance happening this weekend?" Clare asked Jake with the bright smile still on her lips. Jake nodded absentmindedly as he looked back at the place where Eli and his coven had stood watching his movements with Clare. The locker was now closed shut and the stray paper on the floor was no longer there. But there was the steel aroma in the air which made Jake wary of who was around.

"I was wondering if you'd like to go.. with me?" Clare began to say and soon Jake turned his attention to her as she continued to ramble, "I know it'll be weird to go on a date with.. me. But it'll be fun since Jenna is taking KC and Alli is taking Dave. I'm sure Drew will go with Bianca. Everyone will be there and we can have fun.. have a chance to be a.. couple?" Clare offered softly as Jake swallowed deeply. The word couple ringed through his ears and all he could think of is what his father would say about the whole mess occurring behind his back. Jake wasn't ready for the commitment with Clare.. yet. He would need certain people out of his way and he would need help.

"Clare.. I'd love to go." Jake began to say as he saw a bright grin cross Clare's face, he was beginning to feel regretful about his next choice of words. "But I can't." Jake concluded swiftly and Clare's grin dropped from her face as she looked at Jake with confused eyes.

"What.. Why not?" Clare asked in a soft voice, already feeling her eyes start to burn from the rejection of Jake. This day hasn't been the best for her and already it was beginning to cause an effect on her body and mind. She looked up at Jake who had a blank look upon his face as he rubbed his neck nervously as Clare removed her hands from his shoulders as well.

"I.. Um.. My cousins are coming into town this weekend." Jake stammered and Clare knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. Jake had never mentioned his cousins to her before, she never even knew he had cousins. She knew his mother had an older brother and sister, but Clare never knew they had children before.

"Your cousins?" Clare asked slowly and Jake nodded at her question.

"Yeah, Owen and Katie? You don't remember them?" Jake asked, implying that Clare had met Owen and Katie before, but.. she couldn't recall ever meeting them before. Clare's childhood was a blurry one filled with memories of seeing Jake and his family, to seeing her sister destroy herself and her parents continuous fighting which never seemed to end at any point.

"No.. I never even knew you had cousins." Clare confessed softly as she brought a finger to her lips and began to bite her nails nervously. How did she not remember Owen and Katie? She couldn't even remember their faces.. their names.. nothing. The blurriness of Clare's childhood coming to her mind at hundred miles per hour as she desperately wished she remembered all that had happened between the ages of three to nine.

"Clare? You alright?" Jake asked calmly as he reached out to touch Clare's shoulder and soon a quick white flash came across her vision and brought a new scenery to her,

(...)

"You're it, Katie! Try and get me!" Clare shouted cheerfully as she quickly shoved Katie on the shoulder, but was too rough and had pushed Katie over onto the muddy dirt that they were all playing on. Clare gasped as she saw Katie sit in the mud, her pink dress laced with a splatter of dirt, some had even managed to splatter on her pale face, covering her freckles.

"Katie!" Owen exclaimed as he saw his cousin laying on the muddy dirt in an idle position. She didn't scream, she didn't cry.. she didn't even speak. Not even when Owen approached her and tried to grab her arm to pull her up onto her feet, but Katie was not moving to Owen's words. Owen eventually gave up as he turned to Clare and pointed a chubby finger at her, causing her blue eyes to go wide in fear. Clare had always been fearful of Owen and was afraid of what he'd do to her.

"What did you do to Katie!" Owen asked loudly as he had a grimace on his face, his finger still pointed at Clare's trembling figure as she started to stagger back.

"I..I..I didn't mean to shove her! I.. I'm sorry Katie!" Clare cried out, apologizing feverishly in fear as she stammered. She was ultimately afraid of what Owen would do to her for accidentally pushing Katie to the ground. Owen was a strong boy for being eight and he'd certainly pummel Clare to the ground in no time.

"You're not sorry! You did it on purpose, Clare!" Katie screeched from her position on the dirt. "She hurt me, Owen!" Katie lied greatly as she held her knee in mock hurt as her eyes locked on the crescent shaped mark on Clare's knee, knowing very well who caused that mark.

"Jake won't be here to fight me off this time." Owen growled and before Clare even realized what was happening, he had Clare pinned on the muddy dirt, the mud seeping into her long reddish brown hair and through her blue dress. Clare soon heard the sound of clothing being torn and looked down to see that Owen that torn the side of her dirty blue dress, showing her milky white skin. She soon felt tears rushing down her face, afraid of what Owen would do to her, she was legitimately scared of the consequences of pushing Katie.

"No! Please Owen don't hurt me!" Clare shrieked, but soon she felt something sharp grazing the side of her stomach and before she could make out the voices surrounding her.

She felt someone insert their teeth into the side of her body, causing unbelievable pain.

(...)

"Clare?" Jake asked louder, pulling Clare from the memory that had occurred a second ago. She swallowed deeply as she soon remembered a blurry Katie and Owen from her childhood and the awful bite on the side of her stomach. She gently placed hand on her side as she felt it ache with the sudden memory of Jake's two cousins, wondering how in the world she could forget such people who treated her so horribly from the flashback.

All Clare knew was that she needed some time to herself and she'd need immediately, away from Jake, away from her best friends, away from Degrassi.

"I.. I need to go. I'll see you later." Clare said quickly as she gathered her bag up and slung it over her shoulder as she left the memorial garden with quick footsteps, ignoring Jake calling after her and beating against the glass to catch her attention.

Clare had one destination and that destination was to get home, where hopefully her parents would be at work or having adulterous affairs to care that she is leaving school early to investigate about her blurry childhood.

(...)

The sound of Clare's feet against the pavement sounded as if someone was smacking the ground rapidly. Clare was trying her best to escape the school after her daily events began to take a toll on her after the quick flashback which had came upon her in at an awful time. The flashback was the worst part of it all, she couldn't understand a single moment in the flashback.. she had known Katie and Owen? She use to play with them? Jake had also been mentioned.. Then the bite mark..

Clare stopped running and stood slack in her position as she placed a hand on the side of her stomach, feeling the scar ache once more with the memory. She gulped and slowly raised her shirt to see that the fading scar was still carved onto her side, carrying a memory Clare had forgotten.. but now suddenly remembered. The memory shook her frame as she gulped nervously and pulled her shirt back down to cover the scar, suddenly feeling sick upon seeing the crescent shaped scar.

In a few minutes Clare finally made it home, but by the time she was on her front porch did she realize that her mother's car was in the driveway, signaling that she was already home. Clare contemplated returning to school and figuring out some bogus explanation for missing out on her fifth period class, but decided against it seeing as it would be too much trouble for her.

The front door creaked open once Clare unlocked it and she mentally cursed at her plan to make a quick escape upstairs in hopes to avoid her mother who was possibly downstairs. But her mother had already heard her as she heard the sound of heels against wood come closer and a voice ask loudly,

"Who's there? Randall? Glen?" Helen called out, but as she finally came to the front door to see her fifteen year old daughter standing before her looking dishevelled and dressed very promiscuously did she gasp as Clare bit her lip and looked down at her knee high laced boots. "Clare! School doesn't end for another three hours, young woman! Also, care to explain to new clothing attire?" Helen questioned as she placed her hands on her hips and pursed her lips in a tight line, expecting an answer from Clare very quickly.

"I.. Uh.. I just.." Clare stammered, feeling pressured as she stood before her mother in such a manner. Usually Helen was barely ever home due to work, church and her many affairs that Clare barely saw her, but seeing her mother home alone in the afternoon shocked Clare.. leaving her a bit speechless as she stumbled around for words to answer her mother's question.

Suddenly the sharp brill of Helen's cell phone began to rang, making Clare sigh in relief as she saw a quick escape from her mother's intervention, but as she tried to sneak past her mother up the stairs only did Helen snap her fingers and point in front of her for Clare to stand until her phone call was over with. Groaning, Clare obeyed and shrugged her bag onto the staircase rail as she awaited for her mother's cell phone conversation to end.

"Mhm.. Yes of course I have the case papers finished, what kind of question is that George?.. It's lost? You can't find the file I slapped onto your desk yesterday morning? For fucks sake, George!" Helen shrieked and Clare flinched as she heard her mother swear for the first time in front of Clare. Helen was always one who never swore.. until now of course. Clare could only think of all the words her mother and father uttered when she wasn't around, the thought nearly shook her to the core.

"Jesus Christ, George! I'll go down to the damn office myself and find the goddamn file for you. You're suppose to be an organized man! Mhm, just make more excuses. I'll be there soon, make sure you don't lose yourself like you lost my fucking case!" Helen shouted as she quickly pressed the end button on her cell phone and slammed the device on the end table angrily as she glared at Clare from the corner of her eye.

"And as for you, young lady." Helen began and Clare immediately felt all of six years old again hearing her mother be so authoritative and a parent for the first time in years. "I'll deal with you when I return home. Don't you dare leave your bedroom. You are in big trouble, missy." Helen growled as she grabbed her purse which was on the couch and also swiped her phone as well, then she was gone as usual. Clare glanced out of the closest window to see her mother hurry towards her car, in a bigger hurry to find a case file instead of lecture her daughter. The thought had Clare rolling her eyes as she grabbed her bag and began heading upstairs, hoping she'd finally receive the peace and quiet she had been hoping to have since her horrible day.

(...)

The pictures each held a horrible memory, every single slightly torn and worn picture must have held some memory.. a memory that was blurry and unresponsive to Clare. An old shoebox laid next to her as she filtered through the thick stack of pictures in her lap that were held together by a rubber band, she had hoped the rubber band held them together to keep the memories safe inside, that when she opened the pictures the memories would come flooding back. But no memories flooded back into Clare's mind as she looked at the old pictures.. nothing came to her mind but sadness.

The picture that Clare had clutched between her thumb and index finger was one that had herself, Jake, Owen and Katie. Clare herself was probably six, Jake was most likely seven or eight as the same went for Owen and Katie as well. Katie had a bright smile on her face as she clutched onto Owen's hand happily. Owen had a straight smile on his face as he look contorted with pain from having to hold Katie's hand. Jake had a grin on his face as he had his arm around Clare's shoulder as he held her closer to his body. Clare had a small smile on her face and seemed uncomfortable as she was being held too tight by Jake's arm.

The picture puzzled Clare as she studied her younger self's body to see that her shirt was risen up a bit to show off the bottom part of the crescent shaped scar on the side of her stomach. Clare's heart stopped as she also saw the making of a crescent shaped scar on her younger self's knee as well. The scars.. the memories.. the pictures were becoming to become too much for Clare as she quickly threw the scatter of picture pack inside the old shoebox, closing an worn out lid on top as she slid the box under her bed.

Wrapping her arms around her knees did Clare sigh and lean against her wall, closing her eyes and wishing all that had occurred today never happened. That she did not wake up in the morning to her two best friends who never seemed to keep their mouths shut, to come into a feisty confrontation with Bianca, to have Jake reject her for the Sadie Hawkins dance just for his cousins that Clare cannot seem to remember except for in the quick flashback, or for Clare to come home to a raging workaholic mother who has seemingly pushed everyone from her life. The day had been hectic and tiring, Clare was exhausted and as much as she loved the idea of climbing into her cold, floral bed and falling asleep to soothing music on her iPod.. she knew she wouldn't be able to with all that was on her mind. She needed to vent - and to vent horribly.

There was a long list of people in Clare's mind of who she could possibly vent to, whether it be over text or phone if they were still awake to listen to her ramblings,

Alli and Jenna.. both were on speaking terms with Clare again after the small incident that happened this morning with Alli's rambling tongue, but Clare didn't feel comfortable enough with her best friends to confess her feelings and problems to them. Most likely they wouldn't have advice or fall asleep over the phone, which would cause another fight the next morning.

There was the opportunity to call Jake.. but Clare didn't feel so settled in calling him to talk about her past with his cousins that is beginning to hit her like a ton of bricks. So Clare crossed Jake's name off her venting list along with Alli and Jenna as well.

Her parents.. Clare could phone her mother or father for advice, for insight on Jake's cousins and advice on with what happened with Bianca, but they were both very busy. Her mother dealing with missing files and her father dealing with his affair with his secretary. Clare wouldn't be able to stomach the horrible and possibly short sided conversation with her parents.

All three of Clare's options were crossed out, she couldn't phone none of the five people she thought of without feeling upset or uncomfortable. She wanted to feel nice, to feel listened, to feel.. comfortable at the least. Then suddenly Clare remembered a certain conversation she had just a week ago with a boy who stated the words so truly,

Eli. He did say he was there for her.. she heard him say it very clearly that he'd be there and he said it with no hilarity in his tone either. He said it with such.. seriousness and the statement now relieved her as she soon remembered he had given her a piece of paper with his address on it. Clare quickly climbed to her feet as she raced across her room where she had thrown her bag when she arrived to her room, she grabbed the bag and emptied its contents on her bed seeing numerous pencils, notebooks, and gum wrappers fall out. She feverishly searched for the piece of paper, sifting through the gum wrappers - not finding a single thing with the wrappers as she searched through her notebooks as well, only finding notes and secret notes she'd pass during class.

Just as Clare was well on her way to give up hope on finding Eli's address in her bag, she found a piece of paper wedged between her French notes and as she quickly unfolded it, she saw the words printed in a scrawl say,

1551 Quints Drive

Clare smiled as she quickly shoved the address in her pants pocket and grabbed her jacket from her chair, shrugging it onto her body as she began to leave her bedroom quietly, careful not to make any noise if her mother or father happened to be home early. Clare was still in trouble and the last thing she wanted was to be caught by her easily agitated parents, but as Clare made it to the front door unscathed by her parents, she smiled to herself as she slowly opened the front door and shut it softly behind her as she made her way down her porch and in the direction of where Quints Drive was at.

The address sounded fairly familiar to Clare, but she quickly shook it off figuring she knew the multiple streets in Toronto as she made her way down the street, her hands stuffed in her pocket and determination on her features and nervousness in her veins.

A/N: This chapter may have some errors and I apologize for that, but its late at night and I'm too lazy to proofread this piece to see if its perfect. But either way, please review! Your reviews mean the most to me and sadly I only received three last time and I hope I can get some more this time? (: