MERRY CHRISTMAS! For those of you that celebrate Christmas. For those of you that do not, HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I hope you all have a great one. Here's a present for you. The gift of a jealous Eli muhahaha wow I'm weird. hahaha I hope you enjoy this one and don't forget to review! It means the world to me to hear your guys' feedback and to hear what you guys think of my story. Anyway, enough of my little babble. On with the story!
Clare's POV
All day long I couldn't get that kiss out of my mind. It was so spontaneous and full of passion, but I still don't understand; one minute he was happy then he had no emotion and then he just kisses me? WHO IS THIS GUY? And how was it that everything he did just made me fall harder and harder for him? Then the bell rang. School was out and I had a date with Eli, or at least, I think it's a date. I walked out of my class and over to my locker. As I was putting stuff away, Alli ambushed me. "OMG CLARE BEAR! Is it true?" I turned to her. "Is what true?" "You and Eli kissed in the hallway?" I turned away from her and continued to put stuff in my locker. "I don't know what you're talking about." "Omg it is true! Aww little Clare bears all grown up." I closed my locker and looked back at her. "Really Alli? It was just a kiss." "Well are you guys hanging out anytime soon?" I looked around, avoiding eye contact with Alli. "What? Do you have a date with him?" "I have to go." "Shut up! When? Where? I need details." "No Alli. What you need is to calm down." I then left. Once I made it through the doors of Degrassi I felt free of interrogation. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. When I opened them, I saw Eli leaning up against his hearse. He saw me and opened the passenger door and motioned for me to get in his car. I smiled and proceeded to do so. I got in his car and he closed the door behind me. He got in on the driver side and closed the door and started the ignition then we drove off with all eyes on us.
Eli's POV
I was so nervous, not that I would admit it. I was going on a date with Clare Edwards and after that stunt I pulled in the hallway, I can't screw it up. I was in too deep to turn back now. I drove us to the dot, got out and opened her door for her. She stepped out with confused smile on her face. Once we walked inside, all eyes were on us and people began to whisper, but why should I care? People talk about me all the time, spreading their crazy rumors about me. She, on the other hand, didn't know how to handle it. So I grabbed her hand and pulled her to a table in the corner. Then the waiter came. He was tall and had light brown hair. He walked up, but paid more attention to his notepad and not us. "What can I get you guys?" "Two coffees, Please," I spoke, but noticed Clare was day dreaming out the window. Then the waiter looked up over at Clare, "Clare?" She quickly looked up at who had called her name. Once she saw the waiter, she looked shocked, really shocked. "Jake?" she finally said. "In the flesh," he said with a charming smile. Who was this guy? Did they even notice that I'm still here? "So you left the country side?" "Yeah, my dad got transferred." "But you hate the city." "Yeah, well there's an upside to it," he said smiling. Great! The waiter is flirting with my date….on our date! Just my luck! Who is this dude anyway? "Oh, Jake, this is Eli. Eli, this is Jake. My family use to rent a cottage in the country side near his family." "Fun times," Jake added. "Oh yeah, because everyone loves getting frogs thrown at them!" Clare joked with him. "Guilty!" I wonder if I walk away if they would notice I even left. "So, what are you guys doing sitting in the corner?" Jake asked. "Um…well…." I started to say. "Corners are awesome! What's wrong with sitting in the corner?" Clare said cutting me off. I was confused. Why did she cut me off and say corners are awesome? Wow, she is something else. I stared at her confused. Jake just looked confused too and slowly turned around and walked away to get our coffees. I was still staring at her with a confused expression. She looked up at me and locked eyes with me. "What?" she asked. "I thought I had you all figured out, but I'm still trying to figure you out." "Guess you're not as good as you thought you were." Damn! She doesn't back down, does she? There was a pause with us just staring at each other. "Let's play a game," I suggested. She looked at me hesitant and said, "What kind of game?" I could use some amusement. Let's see how far I can go. I leaned in over the table, close to her and whispered, "What kind of game do you want it to be?" She scoffed and rolled her eyes, looking away from me. "Ok, fine, I was kidding. I was going to suggest a question game. You know, you ask me a question then I ask you one." She slowly looked back over at me, "You first." "Fine, let's start with something easy. What's your favorite color?" "Blue. What's yours?" Does she seriously have to ask? I looked down at myself and then back at her. "You're kidding me, right?" "Wow. I feel stupid," she giggled. "It's ok, we all have our moments," I say. "Your turn." "If you could change anything in the world, what would it be?" I knew we were supposed to ask simple, easy questions at first, but I was starting to really get the urge to want to get to know her. Clare looked down at her feet and let out a sigh that I could barely hear. "My parents, they don't exactly get along. Well, as you saw." Ok, now I feel bad for asking. "Oh. I'm really sorry about that." She nodded; still looking at the floor. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," I said looking at my feet. I set my hand on the table. This date was starting to take a turn for the worse. Man, I should really learn to keep my mouth shut. She must have seen that I was sad because she reached over and placed her hand on mine. I looked at our hands then up at her. She was smiling a comforting smile that said, 'it's ok, you didn't hurt my feelings.' I smirked, but this time a little more with a smile. We just sat there for a while. Then Jakecame and ruined everything. Ugh. He came by and dropped our coffees off. He clears his throat. "Sorry, don't mean to interrupt, but here's your coffee." We slowly move our hands away and start to drink. She eventually breaks the ice. "My turn?" I nod. "Hmm why does everyone fear you?" I couldn't help but laugh. "You haven't heard the rumors?" I ask attempting to scare her. She starts looking uncomfortable as if she starting to worry if they're true, but then she looks up at me in disbelief. She finally responds with, "That's just it. Rumors. I don't believe that stuff and I don't know why that would convince everyone to be so scared of you because they're obviously not true, right?" I smirk and stare at her for a moment. "You tell me." "I'm not scared of you, Eli. You can try as hard as you can to scare me, but I'm not scared." That's when I realized that she was the first person who wasn't intimidated by me or scared of me. She didn't believe the rumors and even if she did it didn't appear to me that she cared. "Clare Edwards." "What?" "Why aren't you scared of me?" She through the question right back at me, "Why do you care?" "Hey, I asked the question first." "Well, not to crush your high smug ego, but…." "What do you mean high smug ego?" "Um I'm not answering that." Smug? Ego? Doesn't everyone have somewhat of an ego? Why does it matter for me? "Fair enough. Why don't I scare you though?" "To me, you're just not scary. That's all." At first, I thought Clare was easy to read, like every other girl, but every time I talk to her, I realize more and more that she's not like other girls. She's…..different. She isn't constantly worrying about how she looks or who she is with and how they can make her look better or what the latest gossip is. She might even be able to handle me and my scars. If part of her doesn't appeal to a guy, she doesn't care. She doesn't change her into something she's not and well, she's real. And I am, without a doubt, falling for Clare Edwards.
Clare's POV
When I told Eli I wasn't scared of him, something happened. I don't know how to describe it, but it was almost like he was trying to keep the façade of him being this scary guy going, but at the same time, he is happy that I'm not scared by him. Eli is definitely not like most guys. I think it's really cute that he acts all tough when in true actuality; he's really sweet and caring. "So, whose turn is it?" He asked, interrupting my thought. "Uh you can go." "Why did you tell Jake 'corners are awesome'?" I suddenly felt a little awkward. I knew I was going to have to tell Eli about my past with Jake. "Oh….uh…..that…well…" "Yes?" "I knew it would make him leave." Eli looked confused, so I continued to explain. "I wanted to be with just you, you know, since this is a date and all." "I'm sensing there's more to that story. Am I right?" is it that obvious? I let out a small sigh. "I left out a part of the last time I saw him." "What?" "A couple years ago, we were in the cabin and one thing led to another and, well, we kissed and then we just had a thing for a while." I looked down uncomfortably. "Hmm, I see. So, who ended it?" "I did. Once we actually started to date and be a couple. I caught him constantly looking at other girls and flirting with other girls and I just couldn't take it. It was like he had changed. So, I broke it off with him and he was 'heartbroken' as he put it, but what I could never understand was, that if you love something so much that it makes you heartbroken when they leave then why would you stare at other girls and flirt with other girls and make me feel like I'm number two when they should be number one. I hate sounding self-centered, but isn't that how it's supposed to be, even if it was when we were younger?" I can't believe I just poured all of that on him on the first date. Aren't we supposed to wait to do that until way later? Oh, well, he asked, and I answered. "I understand and if I had gone out with you, I wouldn't have even thought about other girls." I couldn't help but blush. Heat crept up my neck and spread to my face. Crap! I don't want him to see. Ugh! I can't let him see. I quickly hide behind my hair, but that only made me blush more. You know what? I. Give. Up. Finally, he replies, "It's just wrong when guys do that to girls or even when girls do that to guys." "I know, right!" "And I think you're pretty cute when you blush," he said with a smile. I giggle. "What?" he asked. "This is the first time I've seen you smile. Like I've seen a little bit of a smile here and there, but those were more like happy smirks. This is like a full on smile." I love his smile. It makes you melt and sends tingles all throughout your body. "Shhh. It's a secret." "What? What's a secret?" "That I can smile." I let out a huge laugh, no, more like a guffaw. "I like your laugh." I look down and blush, again. "We should probably get outta here." I look up at him. He motions for Jake to come back. Jake walks over, "Can I get you anything else?" "Uh, yeah, can we get the check?" Eli asked. "Sure thing." I wish Jake would stop staring at me. I was feeling really uncomfortable. Eli noticed this. "Can we get that check as soon as possible?" Jake looked away from me and over to Eli. "Uh, yeah, I'll get that for you right now." Jake left. And I let out all of the air I had in me. "Thanks." "No problem. He should really get over himself. From what you told me, he lost his chance and screwed his chances with you." "You really understand me, but why do you care so much?" "I'm not sure. I'm supposed to 'hate' you and yet….never mind." And yet what? Ugh! I wish I could read minds. That way I wouldn't have to be so scared to fall for guys or tell them that I like them, for that matter. You see, I haven't exactly had the best track record with guys. All my passed relationships have all ended in pain and tears. Since this always happens, I have trust issues when it comes to guys and well this just isn't helping. "What?" "Nothing….it's stupid." "Really? You're going to tease me like that?" I stick out my tongue at him. He laughs and sticks his tongue out at me too. "Maybe I am." Flirt much? Seriously? Could he be a bigger flirt? "Well, you need to stop." Ha! Two can play at this game. "What if I don't want to?" He leans towards me over the table. Well, I think he just answered my question. Yes, he can definitely be a bigger flirt. "Then I'm going to be really sad." I lean in. We had a few inches between our faces. I haven't been able to get our kiss out of my head. When he kissed me, it was like a million fireworks went off, angels were singing and everything started to move in slow motion. It was right at that moment with the thought of our kiss from earlier that I had realized that I am, without a doubt, falling for Eli Goldsworthy.