Wow! Again, so many reviews! I've never had this many reviews on any story ever so thank you very much! Glad to hear you are all enjoying the story. Unfortunately, I will be without a computer until Wednesday night or Thursday, so I will not be able to post until then, but I will hand-write some chapters that I can just type up when I get back. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review!

Declan's POV

"Sav, have you found anything on that Eli kid?"

"Elijah Goldsworthy, grade 11, taking a few advanced courses. Nothing really bad from his transcripts, good grades. Only some concerns from previous teachers because of his clothing and his interest in death. He also drives a hearse."

Not bad.

"Well the clothes don't bother me, the interest in death I may have to discuss with him, and a hearse? How the hell do you even acquire one of those?"

"Er, used car lot?"

"Dude! There were dead people in that vehicle!"

"Well it was probably sterilized or cleaned or something. Declan, what if his hearse is haunted? Wouldn't that be freaky?"

"Sav, please stop talking. Now I have about twenty minutes until I have to go to The Dot with Clare and Elijah."

"Have fun?"

"Maybe we will have fun, maybe not, but I can promise you, I WILL interrogate this boy."

"Go get him killer."

I stalked out of the office and into the Zen Garden. This is the one place I think almost everyone in the school finds relaxing. Usually there aren't too many people in here, so it is nice just to sit here.

There are only two things on my mind, helping Clare, and of course Holly J.

Not seeing Holly J everyday made me go crazy. New York City was huge and there was so much to do, but I was all alone, so all I could do was sit around and study. Skype became my new best friend, I spent hours anxiously awaiting her screen name to pop up on my buddy list. Being miles away, and in a different country, if you want to get technical, was my own personal torture.

As I stared into the hallway, I saw someone approach their classroom door across the way. They began to open the door, then turned to say something to whoever else was in there. I only saw their hair, but the hair alone made me realize who it was.

Holly J was only a few feet away from me now. But she couldn't see me, I had this huge plan all set up, this cannot be happening.

So I ducked down, went behind the J.T. Yorke memorial and waited. She exited her classroom and walked to the left. I checked that the coast was clear and went to the right. From there I went to the stairs, only five more minutes before lunch.

Clare's POV

Two. More. Minutes.

I cannot bear just sitting here waiting for the clock. It's taunting me, the ticking seeming to go slower with each passing second.

All I want is to go to lunch with Declan and Eli and get this over with. I can only imagine what Declan will say to Eli, and what Eli will say in response.

I can't stay here.

I raised my hand, Ms. Oh called on me.

"May I go to the washroom."

"Yes Clare, please bring your belongings as the lunch bell will ring shortly.

Quickly I grabbed all of my books and backpack and flew out the door. I got to the front doors of the school unnoticed. Seconds later I heard footsteps behind me, thinking it was a teacher I turned around nervously.

"Clare." That voice, it makes me melt. Then I really saw him, somehow he looks more and more amazing every time that I see him.

"Hey Eli."

"You ready to go."

"Yes, I'll text Declan when we get outside."

We walked outside, his body ridiculously close to mine, not that I minded, until we got to the top of the stairs. He suddenly moved away from me.

I didn't know why, and with all honesty felt a bit hurt at this action, then I looked up and saw Declan standing there looking at us.

"The bell didn't ring yet kids."

"That's nice, let's go." I said to him.

He cracked a small smile, "To The Dot!"

I looked back at Eli who had a small, nervous smirk, it was oddly adorable. I smiled at him, then looked at Declan.

"You ready for this?"

"Born ready."

At this we both counted down to three and jumped down the rest of the stairs, onto the cement sidewalk then sprinted to Declan's car.

We always do this, at first it was a challenge to see who was the best (I've only won a few times), then it became "Clare if you win you get to drive the car down the road."

I won a lot more when that agreement came.

Today, I won.

"Hah, you would think walking around New York City all the time would make you more physically able to beat me eh?"

"You would think. But you aren't driving today."

Eli came up behind this.

"Clare, you drive?"

"Not really." Declan said, looking at him. "I let her try it out sometimes."

"Any good?" Eli asks curiously.

"Depends on the day really."

"Hey! I'm pretty good at it, for not getting real lessons."

"My lessons are fine thank you very much!"

"So, I don't think I should let you behind the wheel of Morty anytime soon." Eli says cautiously.

"No, probably not." I say, I think I'd be afraid if something ever happened to Morty while I was behind the wheel.

"Alright children, buckle up. Prop Master, you're on music."

"Decs, it's a two minute drive."

"Not the point, I always need music."

"Fine."

About two minutes later we got to The Dot, I saw Peter behind the counter and wanted to go talk to him for a few minutes.

"Hey guys I'm going to go talk to Peter for a moment, what do you want to drink? I'll order it when I'm over there."

Simultaneously both boys said "Root Beer."

And away I went.

Eli's POV

This is the exact moment I was not looking forward to. So its blatantly obvious that I have feelings for Clare, and I am almost one hundred percent sure that she has feelings for me too. What I didn't expect was for this guy, Declan, to come in and want to know everything about me because Clare was like family.

I understand him wanting to protect her, because I also want to protect her, but I will admit, I feel a bit intimidated, not that I'd show it anyway.

"So, Eli, what are your intentions with Ms. Edwards?"

"That's really the first question you are going to start off with?"

"Well, I figure if you're going to be hanging around with Clare more I'll get to know the basics about you anyway, but answer the question."

"Alright then, I would like to date Clare, and I think she might feel the same, but the girl is a mystery. I never know if she's being coy or is nervous, or whether or not I really annoy her. She makes me absolutely crazy, but extremely happy at the same time. I never know what to do when I'm around her, accept to try and get the real Clare to come out. I get the feeling she doesn't show a lot of herself real often, and it makes me feel like I can walk on air when she actually acts like herself with me."

I don't think he was expecting that, hell I wasn't either. It just all came out. Fuck, he's looking at me funny. What the hell did I just do?

"Damn, I approve."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Now my turn to ask questions.

"Question: How do I find out how she really feels about me, and in turn, get her to go out with me."

"You're already on the right track right now. How about this, I'm throwing a party Friday night at the club upstairs, you should ask her to go with you. And just keep talking to her man, she seems to interested, and I've never seen her act like this before, not even with KC."

I despise that name, apparently it showed on my face.

"You dislike him already?"

"Well, Alli told me what happened."

"Yeah, Spinner, Peter and I still have to take care of that asshole."

"Let me know when you do, I'd like to be there."

"Will do man."

Clare and Peter sauntered over to our table, still talking to each other, both carrying drinks in their hands.

"Hi guys, oh Peter, come over tonight after your shift and I'll give you the present that Darcy sent you from Africa."

"Sure, no problem. Now, what would you all like to eat?"

Clare kept smiling and ordered, and began talking to us. I think she sensed that the tension was gone between Declan and I, and honestly, I really think we could be friends.

Now for my mission: asking Clare to Declan's party.

Should be easy right?

Probably not.

Just, don't make a total fool of yourself Goldsworthy.

I know, that chapter was a bit pathetic, and really out of character from what we've seen of Eli so far, but I don't know, part of me thinks, or rather hopes, that there is a hopeless romantic behind those dark clothes and beautiful hazel/green eyes.

I wish I could post before I leave, but I will only be gone a few days and will post soon after I get back. Please review and thanks for the ongoing support!