Clare's POV

It's summer. Summer is supposed to be filled with days that are filled with fun and carelessness. This is the time for passionate summer flings and hot romances. Summer is supposed to be about spending time with the people you love. For me, though, every single day had been raining. When the sun is shining, I'm inside by myself, wishing for this summer to be over. I haven't felt more alone in my life than I have this summer. I have no one.

Alli has left for her Spalding Science program. She's been gone for 3 weeks already. Summer drags when your best friend is away for the whole summer. She would have been the shoulder for me to cry on; she was my support system. We have been sending emails and text messages back and forth, but she is so busy, she barely replies. Not surprisingly, she has gotten herself into some romantic drama with a fellow classmate. I wonder how things with Dave will pan out this next semester…

Jake has been up at the cabin for weeks now. Idealistically, I would have chased him there and made him hear me out. I would have told him that we can make it work, even if our parents were getting married. I would have pleaded with him, begged him to reconsider his decision; but I didn't. I never made the trip to the cabin. I didn't even try to talk to him after the text he sent me in the hospital. I had been replaying prom over and over in my head for weeks. As much as I thought I loved Jake, I must not have loved him enough to fight for the relationship. I realized he never even said he loved me; Eli said it for him.

Eli. It was almost as if we were friends that night at the hospital. We were there for our ailing friend, and we were there for each other. Us coming together that night really made me think twice about what I had told Eli at the night of the play.

"We are never getting back together!"

The look on his face killed me, but the anger I was feeling towards him for Imogen planting that medication in my backpack was too strong to care at the time. I resented him for his feelings about Jake. I knew that dating Jake almost immediately after our break up was not the best call, and I knew that Eli would be hurt by it. I did not think that he would actually believe that setting Jake up was the way back to my heart. I expected more of an effort. Deep down I felt that he was going to win me back, but I didn't want it to be in a cheap and degrading way. I was almost embarrassed for him.

I saw Eli once when Adam was released from the hospital last Saturday. The meeting was brief- he was over at the Torres' playing video games with Adam, and I dropped by to give Adam some welcome home cookies.

"Clare, how nice to see you." Mrs. Torres greeted me.

"Hi, Mrs. Torres. I was just dropping off some cookies for Adam's homecoming."

She smiled and received the bin of sweets from my outstretched hands. "The boys are downstairs in the basement playing some video games if you want to go down and say hello."

Not knowing that Eli was in the house, I made my way downstairs to see my friend. I got to the foot of the stairs and realized that Eli was sitting on the couch next to Adam watching Drew shoot the aliens on the screen. My mind started to race as the thought of quickly turning around and bolting flashed through my mind. And then he turned around. Too late.

"Clare…"he said softly.

Adam and Drew turned around. My face felt red hot, as if they had caught me doing something bad. "Hi guys. Adam, I'm so glad you are home again," I said as I rushed over to give him a hug. He winced slightly as I accidently squeezed his shoulder too tight. "Oh, sorry" I said stupidly.

I had the urge to embrace Eli as well, but I quickly nixed the idea.

Eli smirked. "Clare, how is your summer going?"

"It's been really busy, lots of fun though," I lied. He stared at me, analyzing me. I blushed. He knew I was lying. "What about your summer? Are you doing anything new?"

He shook his head. "Nah. Just been anxiously awaiting the return of my right-hand man," he said as he nudged Adam on his good shoulder. "I was dying of boredom without this kid home."

Adam beamed. "Eli has been keeping himself busy by masturbating."

"Me too," Drew said facetiously, his eyes still glued to the T.V. screen.

I raised my eyebrows. "Ah. Great use of your spare time, Eli." I shifted uncomfortably. "Well guys, I guess I'll leave you to it." I quickly spun on my heels to exit.

"Wait, Clare!"

I turned. "Eli?"

I stared into his eyes for what seemed to be forever. He was the first to break the connection. "Yeah, uh, I'm having a party next Saturday for Adam's homecoming at my house. It's going to be kind of a big deal- no parents. You in?"

My heart fluttered with glee. "I might make an appearance," I said coyly, and I left before I could let him or Adam see my pleasure.