Sorry for the loonngg wait! My apology, but I'm back, baby! If you read the new chapter of New Beginnings, you will know that I will not update[Except for New Beginnings, due to the 5 reviews I requested for a final chapter before I leave Friday morning] until I get back in Texas. I'm going out of the country so…But! I promise,promise,promise, that the minute I get back, Updating all the stories will be the first thing I'll do.

Sorry for any mistakes.

An Angel and A Demon Fell In Love- Chapter 3

Clare Edwards sat in English Class, picking at her nails and not really listening to what had to say. It was the first day of school, not much ever happened on the first day. The class suddenly became quiet and Clare scrunched her eyebrows together but didn't look up.

Someone cleared their throat- most likely Ms. Dawes. "Mr. Goldsworthy, nice of you to finally join us." There was whispering and the sound of a chair scraping against the floor behind Clare.

She finally tore her eyes from her finger nails and followed the gaze of everyone else's-which landed on a smirking boy right behind her. She rolled her eyes-seeing it was the very same boy who had bumped into her earlier that day. She could feel him glaring holes into her back as she returned her attention back to her nails-picking at them nervously.

"What?" She heard him snap at everyone for whispering and staring, which only had an outcome of more whispers. "Take a picture. It'll last longer." The class finally fell silent. Ms. Dawes cleared her throat.

"As I was saying…" Ms. Dawes continued, "During this marvelous semester, we will be studying some of Shakespeare's wonderful writings."

Most people groaned, but Clare smiled to herself.

"I'll be assigning each of you a partner based on the writings you will be turning in for the next couple of days."

"But for today, you're free to do what you wish- as long as you keep your voices down and stay in a desk." She waved her hands, gesturing to the students to go on before taking a seat behind her desk and jolting down some stuff. The room erupted with talking, giggling, and laughter.

Clare didn't have anyone to talk to because her friends weren't in this class-they were all in regular 10th grade classes. So, to pass some time, she brought out her journal and immediately her eyes skimmed the page she last left off. Grinning to herself, she gently placed her pen on the page-ready to continue the story- when she felt a light kick to the back of her chair.

She paused, shrugged it off, and had only written down a couple words before she felt another kick to her chair- one that had much more force put into it.

Clare swirled around her chair to face a smirking Eli. "Can you stop that?" She asked, trying to hide her growing anger.

He didn't give her a response, instead just stared back intensely. Clare turned back around when he refused to give her a response and went back to writing-this time with no interruptions.

Eli liked to see a rise out of the girl in front of him, once again, going back into his old habits of ignoring how it made others feel and forgetting about the apology he had made not too long ago with Clare.

When the final bell of the day ran, the students scurried to escape the classroom and run into freedom. Clare took her time to put her journal into her bag and walk out. As she made her way down the hall, she felt someone collide into her should, making he stumble to the side a bit.

When she stabled herself, she looked up to find Eli strolling down the hall- hands in his pockets and even if you couldn't see him, you could tell he was smirking.

Clare tugged on her bag and walked out into the warm, breezy air. She took in a deep breath, her way to calm herself down.

Eli found it amusing to see everyone hated him-everyone except Adam and Imogen, of course, who-for some reason-found it in them to not instantly hate him-he didn't exactly know why but it was entertaining for him. Despite the glares and rumors, he didn't care much. His parents, the principles, school counselors, and even mere strangers disapproved of his actions; he knew that, but that only urged him to act out more.

Clare stopped in front of her steps, starring up at her house. She didn't want to go inside; she would rather stay outside, because she could actually escape from the screaming. It all happened to quickly for Clare. It was only the last two weeks when they first started arguing, not full out screaming, but just some bickering. And only last week, was when it when from angrily whispering to screaming their hearts out.

Clare could already hear them. If she stepped inside, she knew she would be greeted by the fake parents. The parents who abruptly stop screaming at each other and look at their daughter, with wide smiles- not making eye contact with each other. But their eyes said it all, they were growing to hate each other.

Clare let out a sigh before trudging up the steps and quietly opening the door and closing it. It only took a few seconds for her parents to acknowledge their daughter's presence.

Helen was the first to speak. "Clare. Honey, how was your first day of school?"

"Ah, yes, your first day of school. How was it, Clare?" Randall said, rearranging Helen's words.. You could easily tell they were hesitating to keep from giving each other deadly glares.

"It was fine, I guess." Clare mumbled, before walking up the stairs and closing her bedroom door with her back. She kept her ear on it. Through the wood, she could hear angry whispering-an attempt to keep from Clare hearing.

She grew angry, and threw the book in her arms across the room- making a couple of things fall off her desk.

No one heard the loud crash from her lamp except her. She tried to keep from crying, breathed in deeply and shook her head.

"It'll be okay…" She forced a smile and played light music to lighten up her mood.

(~~~)

For the rest of the week, it was the same Clare. Eli continued to torture her and others by closing their locks, bumping into them, glaring at them, and pushing their books off their desk when he passed them. Clare was determined to keep strong though. What Eli kept doing plus her parents constant fighting wasn't a great combination for her when she was at home. But she wasn't going to let him know that for just a couple of minutes, she let some tears out; that she was slightly hurt by his actions. No, she was going to stay strong and smile. That's the way Darcy had told her. To ignore the people who treat you badly and plaster a wide smile on your face. That really aggravated them.

On that very Friday, Adam and Eli were leaning against lockers on the floor- Adam reading another of his many comic books and Eli looking out the window in front of him while listening to music. It was actually too loud for many people's comfort and the fact that it was metal annoyed them.

People passing by or down somewhere at their locker would spat at him to turn down his "horrible" music. Eli only rolled his eyes and continued to tap his foot along with the beat. As he enjoyed his music, he spotted a glimpse of auburn hair in the corner of his eye. He averted to it and found none other than Clare Edwards, walking side by side with a short, dark skinned girl.

For a split second, only a second, they made eye contact, and neither made a face of annoyance or disgust. Eli closed his eyes and continued tapping his foot as he felt Clare's glares and footsteps until they were gone.

When he opened his eyes, he found Adam staring at him, scornfully.

"Did you do something to that girl?" All Eli saw was his mouth move.

"What!" He felt his earplugs being pulled out his ears and placed on the floor under Adam's palm.

"What did you do to her?"

Eli rolled his eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about. Now if you'll just give me b-"

Adam angrily tore them back out of Eli's grip and threw it on the other side of him.

"What the hell, man! I just want to listen to some music. Is that a crime?"

Adam scrunched his forehead together, "You'll get your precious ear phones when you tell me what you did to her."

Eli acted clueless, "What girl?"

"Don't play that card with me, Eli. The one with the curly hair and blue eyes. The one that just passed us, I know you saw her."

"And why do you think I did something to her?"

"Her facial expression towards you showed it all." Adam gripped onto the ear phones, making sure Eli wouldn't be able to get it.

"And what exactly did her facial expression look like?"

Adam thought back on it, "Well, she looked, she looked mad and kind of hurt."

He groaned. "Can I just have my freakin' ear phones back?" He voice rose a bit. They glared at each other for a while before Adam finally gave in and threw them at Eli.

"I know you don't like to play by the rules, but how you treat people, it's not nice."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious."

Adam shifted under his weight and twirled around on the floor, facing Eli cross legged.

"Why do you do it anyways?"

"Do what?"

Adam scoffed, "Why do you treat people the way they do? The whole tuff, bully figure doesn't suit well for other people."

Eli raised an eyebrow, "Who said I was trying to please anyone?"

Adam sighed before grabbing his bag and standing up. Eli looked up at him, "Where are you going?"

He shook his head, "I don't even know why I'm your friend but I am and I want this to get through that thick skull of yours." He bent down so he was face to face with him before continuing. "If you keep this act up, you're not going to have a single friend left nor will you have or get a girlfriend." Adam straightened back up and turned on his heel, disappearing around a corner.

Eli scoffed. I never said I wanted a friend. He came to me.

When the bell rang, he got up and walked down the deserted hallway, slamming his fists into each locker.

(~~~)

Clare tapped her pencil against the desk, her hand against her forehead as she tried to solve the problems in front of her. She was exhausted for some reason. Her eyelids were heavy, and her vision came and went. Not being able to handle it anymore, she raised her hand- asking for permission to excuse herself.

"Is something wrong, Clare?" Her science teacher asked.

"No, I just need to use the bathroom. But thank you for asking." She gave her teacher a small smile before walking out of the classroom and into the still hallway. She walked down the hallway-in the opposite direction of the bathroom-and rubbed her temples as she wandered around the school aimlessly.

Clare finally settled on a shadowy corner. She slid down the wall and endured the silence. At that moment, she didn't really care if she never returned back to class; she felt she needed the time alone, in silence, to rest.

It became more restless at home. The screaming grew louder by every passing day. And it was all her mind was set on at the moment: Her parents. She would stay up all night, starring at the ceiling and tried to keep herself from bursting into tears. She thought if being around them more would help minimize the screaming and arguments. And that's what she did. She tried spending her time with them, not being able to bear hearing them argue again.

If Darcy was here, she'd shut them right up.

But she wasn't Darcy, she wasn't the beautiful, out-going, strong, loving girl. Clare simply applied herself as weak and bashful. She most certainly didn't know how she would get her parents talking in a some-what calm matter.

If I could just find a way to get them to talk. What would Darcy do? Maybe if I g-

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a loud bang. Her eyes shot open, darting around the hallway to find the source of the sound.

Telling from the hair, Clare could tell it was Eli and another boy much taller than him. Eli's back was against the lockers, while the other boy had Eli's collar bundled up in the other boy's hand. All Clare could do was scoot father into the corner-if possible- and watch the scene unfold.

"You brought this on yourself, Emo Boy." The taller boy said.

"I'm so scared!" Eli smirked at him. Before Clare knew it, punches were being exchanged. Eli, being the smaller on, was being easily picked up and thrown at the lockers.

"You ever mess with my shit again, your consequence will be worse." The taller boy walked off, leaving a hurt Eli on the ground. But he wasn't groaning in pain or near to tears, he was chuckling. Clare watched as if he was a mad man.

Through his bangs, Eli's green eyes met with blue eyes. A pair of blue eyes he would be able to recognize anywhere.

"What?" He snapped at her.

Clare was going to shake her head and reply with a 'Nothing' but stopped herself. She was fed up with his behavior.

"Just looking at the biggest jackass in the school." Eli raised his eyebrow, a bit impressed with her confidence.

"Ouch! I'm hurt." They glared at each other before Eli broke the tension.

"What are you doing out here anyways? I didn't know Saint Clare liked to skip class." Clare clenched her jaw tight.

"Why do you care?" She spat at him.

Eli smirked, "Change your tampon, princess. I was just asking a question."

Immediately Clare turned a bright red, resulting in Eli to burst out laughing-his laughter echoing throughout the hallways.

Before Clare had a chance to say anything, she heard footsteps coming down a hallway. Her instant guess was that it was a teacher.

She quickly got to her feet-Eli being too busy rolling around on the floor laughing didn't see Mr. Simpson walking down the hall and stop right in front of him.

"Elijah. My office, now." Mr. Simpson said, angrily.

"It's Eli…" He mumbled before getting on his feet and trailed behind Mr. Simpson.

(~~~)

Clare let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She peeked around the corner, letting out a sigh of relief when she saw the coast was clear.

It had only been 5 minutes since she was gone and decide she might as well go back to class. She couldn't risk getting caught. Besides, she didn't potentially plan to skip class.

As Clare walked back to class, there was only one thought on her mind-one she has never thought of.

Clare Edwards officially hated Eli Goldsworthy.

This…T_T This was crappy. Argh. Sorry if it sucks.

Eh…Reviews? Anyone?...