Ch. 2 Feel
(CLARE)
We drive to a diner near Bardell where I find out they all go and we sit in a booth. Reese instantly put's his arm around my shoulders and when the waitress comes he orders us an ice cream sundae with two spoons.
"So beautiful why are you sad?" Reese asks me after everyone orders.
"Eli and I broke up. I told him he had to choose between me and the drugs and he said he wasn't sure. That the drugs made him feel alive. I told him I couldn't watch him destroy himself and he didn't care!" I lament to them, getting sad and feeling a stab of hurt again.
"What a jackass, I can't believe he would choose to be strung out instead of be with you. Oh well his loss is my gain." Reese shrugs.
Our food is brought and Reese puts the spoon in the ice cream and, holds it to my lips and I take a bite. He smiles and gets another bite for himself and we start eating.
"No offense Clare but your ex sounds like a real loser." The girl with dark wavy hair whose name is Jade says.
"He wasn't always like that, Eli's just…complicated." I sigh and take another bite.
"Complicated is just another word for moody." The other girl whose name is Angela smirks.
"The guy's a moron, he can't control himself, you shouldn't be around that. You should hang out with us more, not that we're angels or anything. I mean we party, drink sometimes and have been known to smoke the occasional joint but we're not druggies and we can control it." Nick tells me.
"Yeah you should hang out with us more Clare." Reese smiles and I get lost in his soft brown eyes.
"Sure, I guess." I reply a bit timidly, these feelings I have for Reese scare me just a bit.
"Especially now that you broke up with Eli, we'll help you get your mind off of that idiot and keep it off." Reese tells me and then fastens his lips to mine and I close my eyes.
His lips taste like ice cream as that's what we're eating, they're kind of sticky and cold but also warm and soft. His tongue probes my bottom lip and my lips part for him willingly and almost of their own accord. His tongue slides into my mouth along my cheek and circles around my tongue, caressing it and then pulling out slowly, he pulls at my bottom lip a little as he pulls away. I open my eyes and exhale, wishing he hadn't pulled away and for once not caring that we're in public and I smile at him.
"You deserve better." Reese says smiling at me and rubbing his thumb under my bottom lip.
All I can do is smile and bite my lip. We hang out at the diner for an hour and when we leave I realize I should go home as I haven't even started my homework. Harrison drives me home and Reese walks me to my door, he leans me against the wall, one hand on the wall above my head and his other is on my hip. My hands go behind his neck as his lips come to mine and they part immediately so his tongue can snake into my mouth. We keep kissing for several minutes pulling apart when we hear the car horn.
"See you tomorrow." Reese smiles caressing my cheek and then he turns and gets back in the car, waving as they drive off.
I go inside with a smile on my face and wave to my family eating dinner at the table.
"Clare aren't you going to eat?" Mom asks.
"Already did and I have homework." I reply with a happy shrug.
"Did you talk with Eli today?" Jake asks.
"Yep we broke up." I tell him.
"You seem uncharacteristically happy about it." Jake replies.
"When god closes a door he opens a window," I respond. "With a dark haired dreamy boy with the best brown eyes on the other side of the window." I add in my head.
My family seems very confused but I just smile and go up to my room. Finishing my homework quickly since nothing was difficult, then I shower and go to bed. I have that new love butterfly feeling and I've never had it so fast with any guy, not Eli, not Jake but I have it with Reese. That night I have a dream that Reese and I are at their spot by the ravine and there's a fire going and he's just holding me and kissing my neck and my lips. I wake up blissfully happy, I should be upset over my break up with Eli but I'm not. It feels right, I feel happy with Reese not worried or stressed or full of doubt just happy. I shower before Jake and get ready for school; Mom and Glen leave as I'm eating breakfast.
"I'm just going to eat and then we'll leave for school." Jake tells me as I rinse my cereal bowl in the sink.
Then I see Harrison's car pull up outside with Reese in the passenger seat. "That's okay Jake I have a ride." I tell him.
"A ride with who?" Jake questions coming to the window.
"Just some friends, see you at school." I reply as I grab my bag and walk out the door.
"Clare who are they?" Jake calls after me, following me to the front door.
Reese opens the door and slides over and I get in next to him, he puts his arm around my shoulders and waves to Jake.
"Clare!" Jake calls after me as Harrison drives away.
"Good morning Luscious." Reese smiles grasping my chin and turning my head to give me a quick but passionate kiss.
"Good morning." I reply when he pulls his lips away.
Harrison drives to DeGrassi pulling up in front of the building and I get out.
"Don't I get a goodbye kiss?" Reese asks pouting just a little. I smile and lean over the door to give him a passionate and long kiss. "We'll see you at lunch." Reese smiles when we part our lips.
I wave to them as they drive away and turn to see Owen and Luke staring at me, their eyes just about bugged of their heads.
"That was some kiss." Luke remarks.
"You and Reese?" Owen states in disbelief.
"What about it Owen?" I ask walking past them into the school but they follow me.
"Eli loses his mind, again and takes drugs and you guys break up and you lose your mind and date Reese?" He questions.
"I didn't lose my mind Owen Reese is a nice guy. He's very sweet and so far he's a better man than Eli." I reply walking to my locker and then something occurs to me. "I'm going to have to move my stuff out of Eli's locker before he comes back. I don't even know where they moved my locker." I muse out loud to no one in particular but Owen feels the need to chime in.
"I know where they are, we'll move your stuff and you can tell me what you're doing with Reese." He says.
I sigh and open the locker, Luke goes away returning a minute later with a box and I put all my stuff in it. Owen starts walking, Luke and I follow.
"This is nowhere near my classes." I gripe as we walk to the opposite end of the school.
"So you and Reese." Owen says.
"No offense but I fail to see how this is any of your business Owen." I respond.
"Because I know Reese pretty well and I know we aren't exactly friends but I know you, by reputation at least and you're a good girl not…" Owen starts but I cut him off.
"Maybe I don't want to be the good girl anymore Owen! Maybe I'm tired of being St. Clare what good has it done for me? Anyway I seem to attract the bad boy type, it's not like Eli was an Angel." I tell him as we reach my locker.
"Yeah I noticed but that's my point Clare don't you think I heard enough about you from Fitz? I know how guys like Reese think, I know how Fitz talked and he was able to get you to go to Vegas night with him." Owen points out while I put books in my locker.
I stop and turn to him; Luke is standing behind Owen and just sort of seems to be amused by the whole situation. Then again Luke, as far as I know, has no idea who Fitz or Reese is or anything about Vegas night.
"Fitz black mailed me into going to Vegas night with him by threatening Eli and Adam. Reese has been nothing but sweet to me!" I retort continuing to stash my stuff in my locker.
"Again that's my point Clare, Fitz knew how to get to you and you let him." Owen says.
I glower at the older boy and put my hand on my hip. "Now you sound like Eli, I can take care of myself Owen."
"I never saw you kiss Eli like that or Jake." Owen responds.
"I never knew you to pay attention to who I kiss or how!" I pause for a breath and look at the hockey players. "I appreciate the concern, I'm a little confused by it but I appreciate it. This is my life Owen, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. Reese is more physical than Eli, even than Jake but he's also really sweet. He didn't blackmail me or trick me; he's just been caring and sweet. This is my relationship and my life and I can handle it." I insist to him.
"And what if you can't?" He asks.
"Excuse me?" I inquire.
"What if you can't handle it? What if Reese does something?" Owen questions.
"You're being paranoid Owen, anyway I do have friends and a stepbrother and like I said before I can take care of myself." I assure him as I finish getting stuff in my locker and lock it up.
I never thought I'd be having this argument with Owen; Adam and Alli but not Owen. I hand the box back to Luke since I don't know where he got it from. I turn and start walking to my first class and they follow me until the bell rings and their paths diverge from mine.
"Where were you this morning I looked for you before classes?" Adam questions at morning break.
"Moving my stuff from Eli's locker to my locker on the other side of school with Owen and Luke; while arguing with Owen about me being with Reese." I tell him.
"Why would Owen care…wait you're with Reese now?" Adam asks.
"I don't know, I mean he didn't exactly ask me out or anything it just sort of happened." I shrug.
"You broke up with Eli just last night." Adam admonishes.
"I know that Adam and Reese and his friends saw me walking and saw that I was sad. I went with them and talked to them and Reese said I should hang out with them more. I don't know what we are but I know he makes me feel good when I'm with him. I love Eli, there's a part of me that probably always will but he chose drugs over me Adam! What am I supposed to do? Mope about until Eli realizes his mistake?" I question.
"No of course not, I just don't want you to get hurt again." Adam says.
I smile and kiss his cheek. "I know Adam and I don't what this is yet. Look would you feel better if you met him?" I inquire.
"It would help." Adam replies.
"Okay I'll talk to him at lunch, say after school at the Dot?" I ask.
"Sure," Adam nods.
The rest of the morning was status quo and when the bell rang for lunch I went out to the football field and waited near the trees for Reese and the others.
"Hey gorgeous," Reese smiles stepping out from the tree and taking my hand.
I say hi to the others as we begin walking down to their spot. Reese and I sit down on the log again and he puts his arm around me. This time they all have lunch and we sit and eat in relative silence.
"Reese," I venture when I'm done eating.
"Yes Luscious?" He asks.
"You remember me pointing out my best friend Adam the other morning?" I ask.
"I remember you said one of those guys was your best friend." He says.
"The smallest one was Adam, anyway I'm not sure what we are but Adam wants to meet you. He's a little worried since I just broke up with Eli and well he sort of heard from Connor about you." I tell him.
"Of course Luscious, I'd be happy to meet your friend." Reese smiles.
"Thanks, how's today after school at the Dot?" I question.
"I'll be there, oh and what we are is dating. I'm your boyfriend, you're my girlfriend." Reese informs me and then gives me a heated wanting kiss.
We continue the kiss until I have to pull away in order to breathe. They walk me back to the school property line of course and Reese gives me another fevered kiss before I walk back across the football field to the school. Aside from Connor telling me I shouldn't be dating Reese and Alli telling me to be careful the rest of the afternoon was fairly quiet. When the last bell rang I walked to the front doors to meet Adam but he wasn't the only one there; with him was Drew, Owen, Luke, Dallas, Alli, Jenna and Connor.
"What do you guys think you're doing?" I questioned all of them.
"Going with you to meet this Reese guy," Says Drew.
"Only Adam is going and Owen, Alli and Connor already know him." I point out.
"Which is why I'm going," Owen replies.
I shake my head and give in; something tells me I'm not going to win this one. "Fine let's go." I say walking out the door.
"So where are we all going?" Bianca asks, Drew I assume, as we start walking to the Dot.
"To meet Clare's new guy at the Dot," Drew tells her.
"Cool," she says.
I just shrug, what's one more person I barely know?
(REESE)
"This shouldn't take very long; we'll meet you guys in half an hour so." I tell Harrison when he drops me at the Dot.
"Cool," he says and drives away.
When I walk in I don't see Clare yet but I do see Fitz working behind the counter.
"Fitz, thought you went to juvie or something?" I greet him.
"Hey Reese haven't seen you in a while. I got early release been working here. What are you doing here, going to DeGrassi again?" Fitz asks.
"Nah I go to Bardell now came here to meet Clare and her best friend." I inform him.
"You're meeting Clare? Clare Edwards?" He questions.
"Yeah we're dating now." I reply.
"No way, I didn't even know she broke up with Eli." Fitz tells me.
"Yeah last night and then she was mine." I respond.
"Whoa, lucky bastard you always did move fast got there before me. Well here comes Clare and her two best friends are with her but so is a bunch of others." Fitz says in a lightly hard tone, I didn't even know he liked Clare.
I turn and look out the window to see Clare walking up with a large group. I recognize Alli and Connor that I know she was friends with when I went to DeGrassi. I also see Bianca and Owen that I didn't know she was friends with but I was. The three boys from the other morning are there too, the smallest one walking next to her must be Adam. There's also a short girl with long blonde hair and a tall boy with short dark blonde hair. When Clare sees me she smiles and I open the door so they can all come in, taking Clare's hand and pulling her in to a passionate kiss.
"Holy shit Clare's new guy is Reese?!" Bianca exclaims while I'm busy tasting Clare's luscious lips.
"Hey Bianca, Owen how's it going?" I question when I can bear to part my lips from Clare.
"Good to see you Reese, you two are cute." Bianca smiles.
"Hey," Owen up nods, "so you and Clare huh?"
"Yep me and Clare," I smile putting my arm around her back and walking to a table.
Everyone else follows us, rearranging the café so we can all sit down more or less together.
"Reese these are my best friends Adam and Alli, well I guess you already knew Alli." Clare says.
"Good to meet you Adam," I reply extending my hand to the boy and he takes it, squeezing fairly hard and sizing me up.
"Yeah you too," he says but there's a distinct guarded air in his voice that tells me he doesn't really mean it.
I don't mind though it's just what I'd expect from Clare's best friend male or female. I can't exactly say I had the best reputation. Alli and I never interacted when I went to DeGrassi but she did see me pick on Connor and she knows me by reputation so the look she's giving me isn't too surprising either. I'll just have to show her and the others I care about Clare.
"This is my friend Jenna and you know Connor, that's Drew, Dallas and Luke I don't know them that well and really have no idea why they're here." Clare says introducing me to the rest of the people at the table.
"We're here because we're concerned." Says the guy she pointed out was Dallas.
"You know she just broke up with her boyfriend Eli last night right?" Remarks the one called Drew.
"Yes I know I saw her right after. She was very upset about it; I took her out for ice cream with some friends of mine. Eli was stupid, choosing drugs over an awesome girl like Clare. I would never make such a stupid mistake." I tell them.
Clare smiles and kisses my cheek, Bianca is smiling although she seems to just be mostly amused. The other two girls have softened to me though, Jenna and Alli aren't exactly smiling but the look in their eyes is softer. Even some of the guys are starting to warm up to me a bit.
"She and Eli had an intense relationship always did and she's rebounding and you think that makes it a good time to date her?" Adam questions.
"Adam!" Clare scolds her friend.
"I've liked Clare since grade nine, I've wanted to date her for a while," I start when I'm interrupted by a voice butting in from behind the counter.
"So have I," Fitz calls out.
"Stay out of this Fitz!" Snaps Adam.
"I know it's sudden and she's hurt after her break up with Eli, I know all about their relationship she told us everything. She spent most of her time worried about and taking care of Eli. Now I think it's time someone took care of her and I will, I give you my word take excellent care of Clare. I would never cause her pain the way Eli did." I assert to her friends.
Clare smiles, bites her lip a second which is very hot and then touches her lips to mine. I lick her bottom lip and she parts them so I can snake my tongue in. I pull away after a minute though, I would have kept kissing her but everyone was watching us closely.
"See he's a good guy and he cares about me." Clare says to the table.
Alli, Jenna and Bianca are all smiling, Adam is still giving me a hard look but he doesn't entirely look like he wants to kill me now. Connor still does but the way I pestered him in grade nine I can't really blame him. Owen's face is harder to read but he knows me better than the others, Clare said she hardly knew him though so I'm not sure what he's thinking. He may think I'm lying. Drew, Dallas and Luke have all softened a little though; they don't look quite so much like they want to kill me.
"If the jury is satisfied I'd like to take my girl out now." I request.
"Just know if you ever do hurt her or live up to your reputation around school I will kill you." Adam warns me.
"Adam!" Clare scolds again.
"Yeah us too," Dallas says putting a hand on Luke and Owen's shoulders.
"And me," adds Drew.
"Oh god let's go Reese, I think you proved yourself." Clare says standing up and pulling my hand with her so I will stand and I do. "I'll see you guys tomorrow." She tells her friends and we walk out of the café.
I let her lead me around the corner so we're no longer insight of the people in the Dot and then I stop her, first pulling her to me for a soft kiss.
"I'll call Harrison, they'll pick us up, they're just around the corner." I tell her.
"I'm sorry about that," she apologizes.
"About what? It was just your friends being worried about you, it's what friends do." I reply.
I kiss her nose and call Harrison, he says they'll be here in a minute so I lean against the wall and wrap my arms around her, bringing her body to mine while we wait for the car.
(CLARE)
We drive to Harrison's house and go in through the garage which has been finished and turned into a room of sorts. A lounge I guess would be the best way to describe it; he's got a love seat a bean bag chair and a pile of cushions that make sort of a bed. There's carpeting a coffee table a mini fridge and a TV. The walls are decorated with posters and little light strings which remind me of Christmas. The only overhead light is a black light which is illuminating all the black light posters on the walls as well as all of our white clothing. There's also a lock on the outside and inside of the door, so either Harrison's parents don't care what he does and he wants to keep them out or they trust him implicitly but he still feels the need to lock people out. Reese guides me to the pile of cushions, all of which are surprisingly clean and quite soft, and we sit down as Harrison locks the door from the inside.
Normally I'd be very nervous in a nearly dark room with five people which I really don't know all that well and locked in no less but I'm not nervous at all. I feel perfectly safe with Reese I have every confidence he'll protect me. Nick sits in the chair, Jade sits on his lap and Harrison lies with Angela on the sofa and the other two couples start making out. Reese leans over and connects his lips with mine; his hand caresses up the side of my face and tunnels into my hair while his tongue begs entry between my lips. I part my lips allowing his tongue in and it swirls around mine and explores my mouth.
One of my hands goes to the back of his neck, the other rakes through the hairs at the back of his head, combing through his dark brown silken strands. His hand leaves my hair grazing down my face, along my jaw, to my neck until he finds the center of my clavicle. Then his finger traces down over my shirt to the bottom hem of it, his hand goes flat against my belly and I get butterflies in it. I start kissing him more frantically; it's like an impulse an inadvertent reaction to him touching me. His fingers find their way under the hem of my shirt and the muscles on my belly tighten in anticipation. His hand feathers up my belly and my breathing hitches, coming out in a shuddering gasp as his hand finds my left breast and he gently squeezes over the bra, eliciting a soft moan from my lips into the kiss. My belly tenses a little from nervous fear but the fire in my belly is rapidly growing, he's gentle, his touch both with his lips and hand are soft. It makes me kiss him harder, desire to be touched by him even more, to feel him and taste him and always be in his arms and kissing his lips.
After a time he moves from one breast to the other, squeezing and massaging gently just as he did with the other. I find myself moaning more and more, I worry that the others can hear me but they seem to be preoccupied in their own kissing or whatever else. We may all be in the same room but we're all worlds apart right now, each couple alone on their own island of bliss while being lost in the other person. It feels like we kiss for hours and yet somehow it feels like mere seconds at the same time. His hand moves under my bra while pushing my bra and shirt up a little, I gasp, my body tenses in anxiousness but I still moan in pleasure.
"Reese there's other people here," I whisper against his lips.
"They aren't paying any attention to us, just pretend they aren't there. You can't tell me you aren't enjoying this and I can make it feel even better." He smiles impishly but blissfully at the same time and his eyes are glazed over with lust.
I feel those butterflies in my stomach again and bite my lip in excited anticipation. He pulls my shirt and bra up a little more fully exposing my breasts to him now; my nipples harden a little at the sudden rush of air. Without warning his lips come down between my breasts, I sort of inhale and moan at the same time as my back arches pressing my body into his even more. I can feel his constrained erection throbbing through his jeans. Even touching through my jeans and his, the fire in my belly grows and my clit tingles at the feel of him. The butterflies in my stomach grow to pterodactyls and I tense even more. I'm extremely frightened and extremely titillated at the same time.
Reese begins trailing open mouth kisses over my right breast and then over my left. Sort of drawing circles, like making a target at which the center of is my nipples. His soft lips lingering with each kiss and leave a tingling sensation when they pull away briefly. With each kiss on my bare flesh I relax more and more. Then his mouth finds it's target coming down on my right nipple, his lips enveloping it softly into his warm mouth and my back arches further, I gasp and bite my lip as a moan comes from my own mouth. This feeling is incredibly erotic and a little scary but despite this small trepidation I'm enjoying it and I find I want more. My body starts moving on it's own, my individual moans turning to one successive chain as his tongue flicks my nipple and then he lightly sucks and I tremble. He moves to my left nipple giving it the same attention and treatment, having thoroughly touched every centimeter of my breast with his mouth he takes his lips from my skin and looks up at me. I'm biting my lip and smiling and he smiles back at me coming back down with his lips very close to mine.
"Don't want to take you farther than you're ready for and anyway I'd like to be alone for the rest." Reese says then gently takes my wrist and looks at my watch. "It's nearly dinner time I think we'd better get you home, can't be giving your mom a bad impression of me before we've even met." Reese tells me and then looks over at the others. "Hey Harrison I need to get Clare home."
The other two couples stop and look at us, then Angela looks at her phone.
"It's almost five I gotta get home too." She says.
"Yeah I have to be home for dinner," Nick agrees.
"Let's go then, I'll take Clare home first." Harrison tells us.
Everyone stands, Reese take my hands and helps me to stand. We all fix our clothing and hair, Harrison unlocks the door and we go out to his car. He only lives a few blocks from me so it only takes a few minutes to get to my house. Reese gets out of the car with me and walks me to the door; he's about to kiss me when the front door opens and my mom is standing there.
"Uh Mom this is Reese my boyfriend, Reese is this my mom Helen." I introduce them.
"It's wonderful to meet you, Clare is so smart and beautiful I can see where she gets it from." Reese smiles sweetly kissing my mom's hand.
Mom relaxes and smiles. "Well a boyfriend with taste and good manners. It's very nice to meet you Reese would you like to stay for dinner?" My mom asks.
"I would love to it smells wonderful but my friends are waiting and I really have to get home." Reese tells her pointing to the others in Harrison's car and they wave.
"Well how about tomorrow night then? I would like to get know you better especially since you're dating my daughter." Mom says and I roll my eyes.
"Tomorrow night, I'll be here; I'll bring Clare home from school." Reese smiles and turns to me taking my hands he quickly and softly kisses my lips. "See you tomorrow Luscious."
Reese smiles at my mom and goes back to Harrison's car; I wave to them as they drive off. Mom and I go back inside where Jake and Glen are giving me different levels of curious and protective looks.
"So a new boyfriend already?" Glen asks.
"Is that who picked you up this morning?" Jake inquires.
"Yes his name is Reese and yes Reese and his friends picked me up this morning." I inform them.
We sit down to dinner and they start asking me a bunch of questions about Reese, most of which I realize I don't know.
"He's coming to dinner tomorrow night you can ask him all these questions yourselves." I tell them.
"Do you think it's such a good idea to start dating so soon after breaking up with Eli?" Jake asks.
"I think Reese is very sweet and he treats me very well and I don't think Eli made his choice. I also think you should mind your own business Jake." I snap at him.
After that they leave the topic of my relationships and everyone talks about their day. My mind continually wanders back to Reese and I smile every time I think of him. I eat and clean up quickly before going to my room to do homework. That night I dream about Reese again, I wake up early and blissfully happy. I shower, dress and get ready for school; Jake is downstairs eating when I come down. Just as I'm getting ready to eat I hear a car horn and know it's Harrison's car.
"See you at school," I smile at Jake.
He gets up and walks to the door with me and I can feel his eyes on me all the way to the car. Reese is sitting in the front again and he gets out and opens the door for me, I slide in next to Harrison, Reese gets in on the other side of me and I wave to Jake as we drive off.
"Here Clare we got you breakfast, we've already eaten." Jade says handing me a coffee cup and a pastry bag containing a chocolate croissant.
"Thanks I'm starving," I smile.
"Can't have my sexy girl starving," Reese smiles capturing my lips for a gentle kiss.
I'm done eating by the time Harrison pulls up to DeGrassi's steps. Reese gets out and lets me out putting his arm around my lower back and pulling me in for a passionate kiss.
"We'll see you at lunch Luscious," Reese smiles when he pulls away.
I nod and bite my lip, I walk to the first step and then turn to wave to them as they drive away, blowing a kiss to Reese.
"Who are they?" Eli's sudden voice behind me makes me jump.
I turn around to face my ex. "The one in the passenger seat is Reese, my boyfriend. The others are his friends and what are you doing here? I thought you suspended until Monday?" I inquire.
"I came to get some books and school work." He replies, I turn to start going into school but Eli catches my arm and stops me. "How can you be dating again already? Does he know we just broke up?" Eli questions.
"Yes he knows Eli, he knows everything I told them the whole story of our relationship. He knows exactly when we broke up." I inform him.
"Only a creep would date a girl who's vulnerable after a breakup." Eli states in a hard tone.
I glare at him, narrowing my eyes. "He's not a creep Eli, he's sweet and caring and he didn't choose drugs over me so I'd say he's a better man than you." I say my tone taking on an air of venom in the last part that wasn't all together intentional. Then I turn wrenching my arm away and walking into school, leaving my ex-boyfriend flabbergasted on the bottom step.
I'll get chapter three up as soon as I can.