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"You guys can't go spying on us." Rebecca says walking around as we sat trying to look ashamed in our seats in the bowling alley.

People were staring at us but they had mostly gotten over the fact that we had just tumbled out of a closet and their attention was diverted to Rebecca who looked like she was about to kill us.

"I don't get why this is such a big deal." Samantha reasons, “I mean it's not like, you haven't done this before."

Rebecca glared at her.

"You know what never mind." Samantha says in a small voice.

"Rebecca whatever they have done is wrong." Jeremy says calmly," But it's also not like we had left them any choice."

She looked thoughtfully at Jeremy.

Are you freaking kidding me? She would probably go ballistic if we said something like that because Rebecca had always been like that. Hot headed and stubborn but somehow the guy with god knows how many STD's manages to calm her.

"This is ridiculous." Alec says interrupting my thoughts, “Its not like you guys told us anything, so we took matters in our own hands."

For a moment there the both of them actually looked a bit guilty but Rebecca recovered.

"Okay fine what do you want to know?" she said.

We blinked twice making sure what we had heard was right .

"How about everything." Samantha suggested

"We met at a party and she gave me her number and I called her." Jeremy said.

Samantha had a really weird expression on her face that I couldn’t place.

"That’s it?" I ask.

"Yup." Rebecca said popping the 'p'.

We both look at them trying to fault them but none of us can come up with anything.

"Fine" Samantha said defeated."We'll leave you to whatever you guys were doing."

"Oh the date got over." Rebecca said smiling, “But on the other hand I need a dress for the homecoming winter dance."

________________________________________________________________________

The Homecoming Dance is one of the biggest social events of the year. It falls only second to prom. Since it was our senior year it had become a major event. Usually it happened earlier but this time they wanted to make the theme of the ball all wintery so they pushed it back to the last day before are winter break starts. Girls were buying clothes months in advance pouring over fashion magazines. Which meant two things.

.

Till now I had only been to one Homecoming dance during my freshmen year. I was nominated as a princess because back then I was popular as I was Natalie’s friend. After that I didn’t go to any dance or event this school had to offer, may it be prom or homecoming or the valentine’s day ball. I was always found sitting in my room and being a friendless loser which was obvioulsy the better choice. Note the sarcasm.

The real reason I hadn’t gone to anything like that all these years was well, because Natalie had made it clear that I wasn’t invited despite the fact that it was high school dance that was open to all.

Samantha and Rebecca often went. It wasn’t like they had any personal vendetta against Natalie like I did. Samantha despite being a cynic actually quite liked them. Mostly because she got asked to every single one of the dances by some really cute boy.

Rebecca who had only just joined a few years back wasn’t nearly as popular as Samantha. She had been asked but always refused for some reason. It was pretty weird as she was always the one who is said to believe in love and blah blah blah. Whenever we asked her she would simply shrug and say, maybe next time.

Yup she was a weird chick.

Then there was me. I hadn’t been asked even once since freshman year. Unless you count the time when a new boy asked me out and I ended it with the sloppy kiss I received. But you know what? I really didn’t mind it that much because freshman year’s homecoming dance had been a pretty memorable one mostly because I had gone with Alec.

He hadn’t officially asked me on a date but asked me whether we would go as friends. Back then I had the best night ever. We danced had fun drank from the spiked punch bowl. Overall it was fun.

"How do you think this will look?" Rebecca asked holding up the most fluffiest pink gown I have seen in my life.

"It tells us that your fashion sense is worse than Clara's." Samantha replies picking up a beautiful slim white dress, “Besides it is the winter ball hence the colors pale blue and white are required."

"I do not have pathetic fashion sense." I reply sulking.

"Oh come on cheer up." Rebecca says, “We all have dates to the winter ball and they are pretty hot. I’ve got Jeremy Samantha has her usual boy toy-"

"Boy toy?" Samantha asks raising her eyebrows.

"Oh come on." Rebecca sighs picking up a dress, “We both know that you are going to get rid of Matt in a few more weeks."

"Whets that supposed to mean?" Samantha asked her voice clearly on edge.

"It means that Matt's name is going to be added to the long list of your ex boyfriends." Rebecca said, “Come on Samantha grow up. I don’t get why you can’t just I donno, make a guy last for at least a month."

"Well at least the guys I'm with aren’t super shallow and artificial." Samantha retorted, “And they are certainly not Jeremy Hoffman who will sleep with you and then throw you away like last week’s newspaper."

Samantha looked really pissed. This was much more than just about Jeremy.

It was personal.

"Samantha he told me about it and he is sorry." Rebecca said looking slightly guilty, “But he has changed just give him a chance."

"And what you vouch for it?" Samantha said, “His latest catch? Wake up Rebecca he is going to do the exact same thing to you as he did to me."

Oh My God.

I’m so stupid. I yet remember last year when I was at home Samantha had come crying. I wasn’t one to question so I comforted her the best I could. I never did ask her what had happened because I knew she wanted space.

But now I got it.

Samantha and Jeremy.

If I was in a cartoon right now a light bulb would have just switched on above my head.

"Guys shut up!" I say loudly.

Most of the people in the store were staring at us mildly amused.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" I say looking at the both of them who look a little surprised by my outburst, “I cannot believe the both of you are fighting over Jeremy Hoffman. Get over yourselves for the love of god."

"Oh yeah because nothing can be more important than Clara and her sad pathetic love life." Samantha shot back.

I stare at her accusing gaze without breaking eye contact. In situations like this I go into either of two modes. I get scared and fall back as quickly as possible or a calmness settles over me and I can say just about anything. Like I said when I'm put in tough situations a calmness settles over me and this time with Samantha that’s exactly what happened.

"Leave her out of this." Rebecca said, “You may have a problem with my boyfriend but I’m not breaking up with him. I think he has changed and that’s all that really matters."

Samantha looked at the both of us for a moment and then said, “Fine, you know what I don’t care! Both of you can go to hell "

With that she turned around and exited.

"She'll come back." Rebecca said but she didn’t look very convinced.

_______________________________________

We ended our fail of a shopping trip after it became clear that Samantha wasn’t coming back.

True Samantha did have her hissy fits but none of them were this bad. In fact I was a bit peeved with Rebecca for being so insensitive but I was also mad at Samantha for snapping at me.

Even though she was kinda sorta right.

That’s why I was sitting in my room and doing math. I don’t know why but it was a habit whenever I was angry or upset I would do math to distract me. Mostly because I sucked so bad in it that I would have to give 100% concentration on each and every sum.

"You’re doing math."

I almost fell of my chair.

"God Jake don’t do that." I say turning my attention back to the quadratic equation that was kicking my ass.

"You’re doing math." He says again.

I turn around to face him. When I had come earlier he had been missing. During the few weeks he had been here I had noticed he had always disappeared for a few hours. When I had come back I had assumed he was of doing whatever Jake does.

He was leaning against the doorway his black hair messier than usual and his green eyes looking at me with genuine concern.

"Yes I’m doing math." I say trying to hide my irritation, “Now go run off and have your lovely little brownies in peace."

Okay so maybe I could have been nicer. But I honestly didn’t want to talk to anyone. I didn’t want to hear about Jakes snarky comments or be anywhere near Alec because I can’t believe that he is best friends with an asshole.

I swear to god I’m going to punch Jeremy when I see him or at least kick him where the sun don’t shine.

"Why are you going to punch Jeremy?" Jake asked making me realize that I had spoken out loud.

"No reason." I say.

"Oh come on we both know that you only do math when you’re upset." He said.

That completely caught me off guard. I stared at him confused.

"How do you know that?" I ask.

"Camp." He said, “You didn’t even take math as one of the subjects but whenever you used to get pissed you use to borrow someone’s book and sit and do it."

My mouth hung open.

How did he remember? It was true. In camp we had to do two subjects. The choices were Psychology, art, music, math, law, business and computers.

I had taken Psychology and Business. But Jake was right despite taking those subjects whenever I used to get pissed or upset, thank you very much Jake I used to sit and do it. It was kind of pathetic really. People sing or draw while I did math. And got all the sums wrong. Go me!

"I can’t believe you remember that." I say looking at him.

He gave a small smile. It was kind of hard to not to smile with him.

"If you are pissed because of the brownies I’m really sorry." He says scratching the back of his neck nervously.

I crack a small smile.

"No, it isn’t about that but I really wouldn’t mind having one now." I say.

"Wow Clara Wilson wants a hash brownie." He says smirking, “Who are you and what have you done with the real Clara?"

Despite myself I laugh.

"So am I going to ever find out why you want to punch Jeremy Hoffman?" He says.

I look at him considering my options. But before I can even think of them I tell him everything.

From what happened one year back when Samantha had come crying to the huge fight at the mall.

I deliver it quite calmly as if was reciting a story that had nothing to do with me. There was a moment of silence after I finished. It wasn’t awkward though.

After a while Jake spoke.

"Do you trust me?"he asked.

"Is that supposed to be rhetorical?" I ask completely confused with his random question.

"No I mean seriously." He says.

I look at him but instead I see a fourteen year old boy. Same messy black hair and green eyes just shorter much thinner.

The one who had stolen my first kiss. The one who colored my hair red and read my personal diary in front of the entire camp.

But the one who was standing in front of me was now older. He was taller much more muscular and his black v neck shirt did nothing to hide it.

The same guy who hadn’t told anyone about the little outburst I had during chemistry while writing the notes. Or the same guy who had remembered something as stupid as me doing math when I’m upset.

But most importantly he was the guy who despite knowing everything about how I felt about Alec hadn’t said a word to him.

"Yes I do." I say.

He smiles. Not the usual smirk the one that lights up his entire face with his dimples prominently showing. He extends his hand.

"Then come with me." He says, “I want to show you something."

I glance at him and then I glance at his extended hand and then without hesitating I take it.

_____________________________

"Oh my gosh." I say looking at the beautiful view in front of me.

"Its pretty isn't it?" He says.

I nod.

We were at the park right now. The sun was setting and we had been sitting there for hours. I kept on saying Oh my gosh, to dumbfounded to even think about anything else.

Our town park or as we called it Wannabe Central Park was the only place in our entire town that actually had any sign of greenery. But no one used to come except for drug dealers and seedy people because the park was so dense with trees.

Jake. Drug dealers. That was the first thing that had come to mind. So I had started panicking.

"Jake you do know I was kidding about the drugs right?" I asked.

He simply laughed and holding my hand he dragged me further into the dense foliage. During that time while I was dodging trees and vines and what not I couldn’t help but notice how Jake's hand felt against mine.

That was until we reached. I was completely awestruck because never in a million years would I have thought that such a place existed here.

It was a small lake that sparkled in the sun. A once new dock sat there a few weeds around it. The once green trees lay bare but all of its bright orange, yellow and red leaves scattered on the floor. Each movement made a crunching sound. The small lake sparkled and glittered making the entire place look out of this world.

I must have just stood there for five minutes unable to say anything.

"Its beautiful." I said, finally breaking the silence.

We had gone and sat on the dock. Our feet barely touching the water of the river. Everything from Samantha to Rebecca to Jeremy vanished.

It was just me the beautiful view and Jake and at that moment I really didn’t need anything else.

We sat in silence but we did talk about random things from time to time. From the teachers in school to some random English project Jake had on the Salem witches. At one point he asked me if my family was descended from witches. This earned him a playful smack which almost made him fall inside the lake.

"Are you going to homecoming ball next week?"he asked looking the sun setting.

Times like these I really wondered who Jake was the cocky idiot or the one who was so sweet at times that it was unbelievable.

"Its a ball." I say, “With dancing, huge dresses and people with too much make up. Its basically all three things I hate at once. So unless I want to go there and break my leg while trying to dance I’m not going to the dance."

"True." He said, “You always did hate dancing. Not that you were any good at it."

Definitely the cocky idiot.

I simply roll my eyes.

"But I'm a really good dancer so I can probably make up for you." He says.

Its my turn to almost fall of the dock.

"Are you asking me to the ball?" I say looking at him kinda surprised.

"Yeah who else?" He says, "After all who else will take you? I am in all regard your boyfriend. So shouldn’t we keep appearances?"

For a second I'm disappointed that he is only asking me to keep this stupid charade up. But I quickly brush away that thought.

"Okay fine Henderson." I say, “But don’t complain if I step on your toes."

“I won’t." He then pauses and smiles,"Okay maybe not a lot."

I laugh.

"Okay now we should get going its getting dark. “he says standing up.

"But you like it." I say, “You loved sitting underneath the stars."

He looked at me his green eyes widening in shock.

"How do you remember that?" He asks.

"What?" I say, “You can remember stuff but I can’t? That’s stupid. I remember you had said it when you had to introduce yourself in camp. You also said that you loved the snow but you could barely see any stars in New York and the snow was always dirty there."

He stares at me in silence for a while looking at me with an expression I can’t quite decipher.

"I thought you had a crappy memory." He said.

"Well." I say just as the sun sets, “Some things are just worth remembering."