Chapter 8

I Love You

Eli couldn't wipe the grin off of his face as he strolled through the halls of Degrassi. He was in a relationship with the girl of his dreams, and she was living under the same roof. The same girl he drove to school that morning and made out in his hearse before class. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her lips were swollen. Sure, things weren't ideal with her family situation, and mentally he was having a little trouble, but it wasn't something they couldn't deal with as a couple. They've already overcome so much in such a short time, and they only just met. For that reason, he couldn't remove the smugness off his face.

However, It was lunch break now, and instead of looking for his girlfriend, he told her to meet him in the student council room. Eli needed to make amends. He needed to thank Imogen for taking the fall for him for the computer he destroyed yesterday. He was compelled to at least explain to Fiona about his failure with the yearbook video as well. Instead, when he entered the room, he was met with Mo and Jake.

"Well, well, well! Look what the cat finally dragged into Degrassi—bro, I haven't seen you in days!" Mo announced. It was true. He'd last seen Mo at the end of the rave when Jake dropped him off at his house at 3 a.m.

"Oh, trust me—I know what he's been up to," Jake teased, tapping his comedic friend on the arm playfully.

Eli eye-rolled at his tall friend and placed his backpack on one of the chairs, trying his hardest not to look bemused by his suggestive comment. Both friends probably wanted details that he didn't feel comfortable fully divulging. "I have no idea what you're both talking about—"

"That's such bullshit!" Mo quickly retorted, "I saw you and tutu-chick all over each other at that rave—"

"—Not to mention she also went home with you after I dropped you off," the tall teen added, folding his arms over his chest. Jake's eyes were boring on Eli. Almost as if to hold his dark-haired friend in place and make him spill his secrets.

The dark-haired teen nodded his head, refusing to expose any intimate information about his relationship even if he was so enamored that he wanted to scream it from the school rooftop. Eventually, Eli would have to tell someone other than his parents about his and Julia's relationship status. He just didn't think Julia would appreciate him advertising their sex life.

"My lips are sealed." Eli made a lock and key motion by the corner of his mouth, making his two friends audibly "boo" in protest.

"—Whose lips are sealed?" a familiar voice spoke. Eli turned his head to find Adam.

"Your boy was about to tell us about his night with the cute senior transfer," the tall lumberjack informed Adam. Mo and Jake hastily proceeded to take a seat at the round table next to their emo friend, dressed in all black.

"I was looking for Imogen, but this sounds way juicier!" Adam admitted as he pulled a seat next to Eli as well.

The four boys were gathered around, ready for Eli to expose his latest ventures with the new girl.

"Since when did this become gossip hour with yours truly." He motioned to himself, his nails adorned with black sharpie ink.

"Uhh...since you finally got a girlfriend," Mo answered first.

Eli was about to counter Mo since he was dating Marisol, but Jake instantly butted in. "—And the only one of us having sex!"

Adam's eyes went wide in surprise while Eli's face warmed at his sex life being publicized. He usually wasn't one to get flustered so readily. To remedy that, he covered his embarrassment with a cough. Nevertheless, It didn't take long for him to get bombarded by questions about him and Julia.

"Didn't you just meet?"

"Where did you guys have sex?"

"How many times have you done it already?"

"What did you do?"

"Bro, was it good?"

The teen dressed in all black was tense from annoyance. His arms and back were becoming more rigid as the questioning went on. "Guys! Chill!" Eli spoke, halting his friends, "besides, I never kiss and tell."

Audible groans were coming at him from all sides.

"We're your boys! You have to give us something." Mo argued.

"Facts," Adam added.

"Plus, I took you and goth chick back to your place. You'd be nothing without me," Jake stated.

Eli huffed out air dramatically. "Remind me to never get rides from you again…."

Jake chuckled but waited patiently for him to speak again.

"FINE—Julia is amazing. She gets me, she's fun to hang out with, and she's hot and cute at the same time! Plus, sex has never felt this good…."

"I knew you two hooked up!" Jake teased, "I was right. Pay up!" His tall friend motioned for Mo with his fingers.

His jokester friend shrugged at Eli unapologetically. "What can I say! I didn't think you had it in you, emo boy."

Eli raised an eyebrow in confusion. He didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted.

"So, how many times have you done it already?" Adam asked, intrigue behind his eyes.

"—Oh god, please don't answer that! Tell me you and the new girl are not a thing!" Fiona exclaimed, joining the conversation with Imogen.

"You have a girlfriend!" Imogen squealed. She wrapped her arms behind Eli in a quick embrace. "We should have a double date!"

The dark-haired teen would've found it awkward that his ex-girlfriend was cheering him on to date someone else, but they have come a long way this school year. He was grateful they were both on good terms and wanted to keep it that way.

Fiona scoffed at her girlfriend's proposal.

"Why don't you like her," Adam asked, concerned.

"I don't know," the pristine girl answered, shrugging her shoulders, "I just think she screams bad news. Plus! We literally know nothing about her."

Eli didn't want to argue with the rich girl. Mostly because she and Imogen had his back yesterday. However, he found it annoying that Fiona wasn't willing to give Julia a chance. The rich girl didn't know Julia like he did and the knowledge of everything she's been through.

"Well, apparently Eli does." Mo patted him on the back. "We're talking biblical!"

"Eww," Imogen and Fiona exclaimed in unison.

More frustration washed over him as he rubbed the back of his neck to ease some tension. "I only came here to apologize to you, Fiona, for the video yearbook...I can't finish it right now."

The wealthy girl's face softened. "I'm sorry too for putting you through that. Clearly, you're not ready for the task, so I'll finish it."

"—It's not that!" He fumbled for an explanation better than Cam….He knew that's what she was alluding to.

"It's for the best, Eli." Fiona said firmly, "send me what you have so I can wrap it up." She walked away and started working on a nearby computer. Eli took a moment and gathered his thoughts before they began to wander too far….

"Imogen, I hope you're okay and didn't get into too much trouble."

"Just a small nose bleed. Anything to help a trusty friend," she beamed in delight, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He nodded thankfully. Imogen followed suit after her girlfriend, joining her on the computer.

"—Are you okay?" Adam piped up.

"Y-yeah! I'm great—Hey, I'm going to meet up with Julia, and I would love for you to meet her," Eli offered, strategically changing the topic.

Adam mulled it over but eagerly nodded his head yes. "Okay! Sure!" This excited Eli. The thought of his best friend meeting his girlfriend and vice versa.

"What about us!" Jake protested.

"—Yeah!" Mo added.

"You already met her. But maybe you can re-meet her when you're both not being horn dogs."

They both shrugged their shoulders at each other in agreement.

Eli and Adam walked out of the student council and into the Degrassi hallways full of students during their lunch break. "I told her to meet me here, so she should be around—"

The teen's eyes stopped dead on Julia. Except she wasn't alone. She was talking to an Ice Hound up against some lockers. His eyes narrowed, realizing it was Luke Baker. Eli's jaw clenched immediately at the sight of him. Their demeanors he noticed next. It was like they were the oldest friends meeting up after some time.

How does she know him?

Julia tucked her hair behind her ear, exposing her pierced earlobe while giggling at something he said.

Is she flirting with him?

Luke's eyes were locked on hers, and just as he reached out with his hand to touch her elbow, Eli's breath hitched in his throat. Eyes still firmly fixated on the jock, his fist impulsively clenched.

"Uh-oh! I've seen that look before," Adam warned, "Eli, calm down! They're clearly just talking." His best friend placed a firm hand on his shoulder, either to keep him from doing something impulsive or to calm him. But it didn't work. Eli violently shrugged it off.

He walked right up to the two, not even thinking about his next course of action. Eli's heart raced, his adrenaline picking up. He gave his girlfriend no warning when he grabbed her hand in his, forcing her to notice him. When Julia turned, he strategically went in for a kiss that lingered a second too long, given the fact that he was kissing Julia right in front of Luke. When he pulled away from the raven-haired girl, he immediately locked eyes with the Ice Hound next.

"So, how's Becky doing?" Eli inquired with a smirk. He placed his arm possessively around Julia.

"Better! Ever since she quit your little gay play." Luke kept his tall posture but managed to take a step back from the couple.

"—Ha! I'm so glad she found something better to do with her bigotry!" he mocked, sarcasm spewing from his words, "looks like you need to run along and do the same." Eli ushered him away with a hand gesture.

Julia merely stood there in confusion. She attempted to catch up on the rapid conversation; her thoughts stuck on how they even knew each other.

"Stay away from my girlfriend," Eli warned lowly, not daring to take his sight off of Luke Baker.

"Whatever, freaks…," he shook his head in disapproval, but not at Eli. Giving Julia one last longing look, he walked away without another word.

"What…just…happened," Julia wavered, still trying to analyze the situation.

"How do you know that guy? He seemed to know you pretty well!" the boy dressed in all black accused, pointing at where Luke Baker stood merely a few seconds ago, the volume of his voice a little too high for her liking.

"Calm down," Julia intervened, her face plastered in disgust at her boyfriend's volume. "I met him the same night I met you at the party—He seemed nice…."

He didn't say anything for a second. The dark-haired boy was processing the information like it was an algebra problem. "Wait—I saw you two flirting just now! You had sex with him too!" Eli yelled, smashing his fist on the nearby locker.

Julia's face warmed. There was so much happening all at once. She was getting upset, Eli was yelling, people in the hallways were staring, and her boyfriend was exposing her sex life to anyone in ear shot. A part of her wanted to yell back at him so bad, but she held in the urge. Tears formed in her eyes from the build-up of emotions coursing through her. "I hate you," Julia spoke lowly and with such disdain.

Eli's face softened.

"—I'm sorry! I-I'm not thinking clearly," he stammered. Julia pushed past him and walked into the girl's bathroom, where he couldn't follow.

"Fuck," he whispered to himself in frustration.

Eli couldn't find Julia after school. He waited until all the school buses left with no luck. The teen boy wanted to call her cell phone but realized they'd been so busy that they hadn't gotten around to swapping that vital information. Frustrated, he smacked the steering wheel with enough power to honk the horn. Some students playing basketball on the Degrassi grounds were startled, but he didn't care.

"How could I mess up something so good, so fast…," Eli mumbled to himself. His mind started to go to places like his relationship with Imogen and how that ended. He could already picture Julia breaking it off the same way Imogen did. The only thing was he wouldn't be able to mend his relationship with Julia into a friendship if they broke up. Eli would want to kiss her by just being near her. He'd like to know what she was thinking. He would just want to be near her and not in a platonic way. And if she started hanging out with that idiot Luke Baker...He gripped the steering wheel tighter, his heart racing at the thought. Eli drove home directly to develop a game plan. Maybe his mom could have some womanly insight on how to course correct. Upon arriving, he noticed how dead quiet the house was.

Cece and Bullfrog must be out.

Eli rushed upstairs, even taking two steps at a time. When he opened the door to his room, he was shocked to see Julia sitting by the edge of his bed. Hunched over, it looked like she was holding ballet shoes. She had a thread and needle and was sewing a piece of material on the shoe. He would've asked more about it out of sheer intrigue, but he had more pressing matters.

"This is your room, so I'll leave." Julia got up from the bed quickly and was going to push past Eli when he stopped her.

"Julia, wait! I'm sorry!" the teen admitted abruptly. Eli held onto her by her elbow, keeping Julia in place. "I'm so sorry for what I said and how I reacted. I lost my cool when I saw you with that Christian freak…."

Julia's head was bowed low, not uttering a word. He let go of her elbow, and she didn't leave, which he took as a good sign. He tried to catch her eyes, but her bangs wouldn't allow it. "Please say something…" the dark-haired teen persisted.

Julia sighed. "You embarrassed me, you scared me, and treated me like shit…."

"I know! But I swear I'll never do anything like that ever again," the teen declared in slight desperation, "I'll get the bipolar freakouts under control."

"How do I know that?" Julia finally emerged from behind the curtain that was her dark bangs. They were red from crying, but there were currently no tears. A pang of guilt hit Eli in the chest. Her saddened features looked like a gorgeous, tragic painting. He didn't want to see her hurt. If he could, he would shield her and take her pain for himself just to see her happy. A new and overwhelming feeling washed over the teen, making Eli come to an instant realization.

"Because I love you, Julia," he uttered softly.

There was a moment of pause, but the words were ringing loudly around the two. Eli didn't expect her to say it back, especially after everything he's done. But it felt good to say it out loud. He couldn't help as a genuine smile broke out across his face. He'd give anything to kiss her and touch her after such a revelation. But that didn't seem appropriate. Eli let her take the lead instead.

Nevertheless, he couldn't deny that he always imagined when he uttered those three words, it'd be under the most romantic circumstances ever. But this was the exact opposite. The situation was nerve-racking since the raven-haired girl could effortlessly want nothing to do with him. It didn't take long for him to start freaking out.

Why did I just say that? It's gonna freak her out!

I shouldn't have! We've been dating for two days!

She probably doesn't feel the same way!

However, Julia's face slowly lit up like a Christmas tree a few seconds later. Her eyes brightened, and her lips tugged upwards. "Really—because we only just met. And no one's ever said that to me before…." the teen girl informed him.

"Are you kidding me? I've never felt this strongly in my life," Eli made clear, lacing his fingers into hers, "I've never been so sure in my life."

There was so much magnetic energy between them that it took every bit of the teen boy's strength not to close the gap and hold her close to kiss her.

"I think I might love you too…." Julia whispered.

The dark-haired teen didn't think he needed to hear it back, but he couldn't deny it hurt that she was unsure. Julia said those three words, yet her feelings for him were far from being matched. Eli must've shown his disappointment on his face because she quickly remedied her statement.

"I appreciate you sooo much, and I've never liked anyone like this before, and we have so much fun…but I don't think I know what love is. I haven't had the best examples in my life," she confessed.

Eli was still let down, but at least he understood where she was coming from, remembering her home life. "I get it…," he reassured, mostly towards himself. He was trying to convince himself it was okay. "In the meantime, while you figure it out, I hope you don't mind me saying it all the time. It's kinda hard to stop once you start," Eli admitted. Blood rushed to his cheeks to such a raw admission.

"I'd be offended if you didn't," she answered brightly. "In fact, I wouldn't mind hearing it a couple of times." Julia cupped her hand to her ears in a jokingly "I -cant-hear-you" manner.

Eli brought his lips to her forehead and kissed her. "I love you so much," he whispered against her skin.

Julia giggled, his warm breath tickling her skin.

He moved her hair away from her ear and nibbled on her lobe. Julia's stomach did summer salts at his action. Whispering in her ear, "I love you, Julia Stone."

Moving down to her pale neck, he inhaled her sweet aroma before sucking on her tender skin. "I love you," he mumbled against her skin. Eli heard her hiss out loud. Pleased by her reaction, he smirked triumphantly. He loved his effects on her.

"Come here," she stated, hungrily searching for his lips. She dropped the ballet shoes she held in her hands with a loud thud. Julia grabbed a fist full of her boyfriend's Dead-Hand shirt, pushing his body against hers in sweet pressure. The warm breath from his words left her wanting so much more as she moaned in his mouth. Julia slowly backed herself until she felt the edge of his bed, bringing Eli along. The raven-haired girl broke the kiss and sat down on the bed. She scooted herself back further onto the full-sized mattress.

"Come here," she purred suggestively.

Eli would be lying if he said he wasn't looking forward to having sex. It seemed it was only getting increasingly better the more they did it. The more he learned about her wants and needs. Nevertheless, he hoped she didn't feel obligated to have sex with him because he said, "I love you."

"Are you sure?" He inquired, lifting an eyebrow at her.

"Most definitely Goldsworthy," she answered brightly.

Getting the green light, he eagerly pulled his shirt over his head, tossed it to the ground and crawled on top of Julia. There was a new found craving for her body that he needed to quench. They started fiercely kissing again, the teen taking the opportunity to reach under her shirt to fondle Julia's perky little breasts. She was already responding with her sweet sighs that drove him insane. His penis grew stiffer in his pants, making it a little uncomfortable.

"KIDS, WE'RE BACK WITH TAKE-OUT! COME DOWNSTAIRS TO THE KITCHEN!" Bullfrog boomed from the bottom of the stairs.

Almost like an ice-cold shower, Eli froze from what he was doing.

"Y-yeah!" He stammered, "coming, Dad!" the teen flinched at his poor choice of words. Julia stifled a laugh as she carefully removed his hand from her breast.

"That's one way to ruin the mood," Eli complained, getting up from the bed and placing his shirt back on his body. He reached into his pants and tucked his penis under his boxer waistband without hesitation. The teen definitely didn't want to walk downstairs in his current and apparent state.

Julia finished adjusting her clothes and got up as well. "Don't worry. We have nothing but time, lover boy." She playfully smacked his butt and ushered him out of his own room.

"Eli," Julia called to him in a low whisper. When he didn't respond, she shook him awake. "Wake up."

"Mhmm…what's happening?" the cute teen asked groggily.

"Get up," she requested, her demeanor shy when he spotted her in the dark dressed in what looked like a leotard and a delicate blush pink skirt instead of her usual sweats she wore to sleep. "I need to show you something…." She bit her lip, hesitant about what Eli would say next. Her heartbeat was already beating so fast in anxiousness.

The dark-haired teen looked over at his phone and noted it was 12:20 am. They'd gone to sleep two hours ago after finishing dinner with his parents and doing some homework.

"What do you need to show me so late at night," he questioned, propping himself from the warmth of his comforter, "is it something sexy?"

Julia ignored his last question and bit her lip again, hesitating to respond. It took her a couple of seconds to finally answer. "I want to show you who I really am," she finally let out.

"That's not cryptic at all," Eli smirked.

Julia rolled her eyes. "You can stay in your pj's. I just need you to drive. Is that okay?" She raised a hopeful eyebrow at him.

"How could I say no to that face." The dark-haired teen propped himself out of bed to find his shoes and jacket. "This better be good, Ms. Stone."