Polished Hearts

[DracoMalfoy]

Any other day, Eli wouldn’t be jealous of those attending the formal dinner parties, the selfish and snobbish rich held daily, but of course, this occasion was different. Not once in his years did he wish to possess social influence, but as he crouched into the thick bushes and gazed into the grand ballroom, he was finding himself willing to trade most of what he had away for an invitation into the social gathering his kind had been banned from. If his wish was to be fulfilled, he wouldn’t attend for the fabulous food, the thirst quenching drinks or even the devious gossip that spread like wildfire. Instead, he was far more interested in one, certain beautiful brunette that was attending. Never was he willing to admit it out loud, but Clare Edwards simply captivated him. She rested on the other end of the spectrum from all the others. Creative, kind and giving, Clare would never stoop as low as some of the very colleagues attending her family’s gathering. Eli’s hearts skipped beats when she smiled and he felt his being shatter like glass when he heard her cry. Never before did he have a stronger bond and friendship with another.

Eli couldn’t help but curse under his breath as he eyed all the gentlemen taking a liking to her appearance. Although his motives were selfish, he wished he could be standing next to her now. But, that simple concept was purely impossible; he even questioned God’s own ability to place him amongst Clare’s ranks. The way he viewed the situation, Clare was one of the few people on this earth that actually deserved the wealth she had. Her heart was pure and almost everything about her was perfect. Eli even loved the way she glared at him when he purposely tried to irritate her. Sometimes, he wondered if Clare valued their friendship on the same degree as he did, and of course he thought so, and yet, he didn’t. When it came to their social classes, she was far superior to him, but most times, it seemed as if that didn’t matter to her. Eli wondered how she was able to break away from the beliefs her society taught her. Maybe his own unique way of thinking had some influence over her; now that he thought about it, Eli would take full responsibility of changing Clare’s outlook on society.

Dismissing the more light hearted thought, the young man’s blood began to boil to an unhealthy temperature as he saw the one man he despised more than KC Guthrie spot Clare. Markus Fitzpatrick seemed to be his natural born enemy. He couldn’t help but wonder how such unholy slime like him had obtained such wealth and risen so high in the eyes of the Edwards. Fitz’s interest in Clare made Eli want to spit. He couldn’t help but wonder though if Clare was completely oblivious to Fitz’s attraction to her. He prayed the feelings weren’t reciprocated.

.~.~.~.

Normally, Marcus, or “Fitz” as he preferred to be called would be bored to death with these elegant parties he frequently attended, but, he was never one to turn down a free drink. Besides, he was lying in the favorable eyes of the Edwards, so if he was to keep that image, it was proper to attend their gatherings. The tall young man held the glass cup lightly in his hand as he took a rather large sip of the alcohol. His fortune came from inheritance and it was obvious that high society life was far more enjoyable than fighting for dirty garbage on the street to eat. That, and he would never have to lay eyes on the nuisance that was Eli Goldsworthy ever again. Scum like Eli weren’t permitted at these parties anyways.

The chatter of the men around him was less than interesting. Unlike most rich men, talk of stocks and politics never interested him. Only talk of the fine women in the room pleased his ear. But then, his eyes suddenly caught site of the most elegant woman in attendance. Clare Edwards was intelligent and beautiful; if she possessed the two traits he searched for in a woman, then he was determined to have her as a bride, no matter what the costs were. Much to his fortune, he’d proposed the idea of having Clare’s hand in marriage with the Edwards themselves and they seemed to support his venture.

Strolling towards Clare, caring little for his level of grace, Fitz smirked confidently as he found himself at her side. “Miss Edwards, you look elegant tonight,” he greeted her, using the speech and decorum he’d quickly come to detest.

[AppleMistress]

Clare couldn’t help but feel dizzier than she normally would, standing amongst the crowd of girls who wore bell-shaped skirts and layers of flounced petticoats. It was as though she was standing in a sea of bright colors. A sea in which she felt she did not belong. Especially tonight. Tonight, she felt that she was the object attention for most of the gossip bouncing against these ballroom walls. Although she was never exactly one to fear what these rich society types thought of her, she inwardly couldn’t help but fear and wonder where the source of the gossip was coming from. Some of the words she’d heard floating amongst the crowd frightened her. She brought her hands to her slender shoulders, instantly wishing that she’d insisted on wearing her navy blue evening gown—the one that actually had sleeves. Her mother had just recently bought the olive, low-necked dress she was currently wearing. And since she’d been the one to insist on her wearing it tonight, how could she possibly refuse?

Standing like this, it made her wish that she had someone she could talk to standing beside her. Even in such an extravagant ballroom filled with people, she felt as though she was all by herself. She frowned at the thought, pressing her teeth down against her lower lip at the very thought. If only Eli were there. He always knew exactly what to say. The young mistress felt her checks burn a faint crimson color as her thoughts concentrated on Eli Goldsworthy. Although his tactics could be quite risky, he never ceased to astound her. The things he said made her laugh. Though he was misunderstood amongst the people of her class. And her parents have expressed it numerous times that she should stay away from men of his nature. As much as she disliked disobeying her parents, she couldn’t help but feel the need to talk to him sometimes. Eli was really the only gentleman who had the power to keep her from cracking under the stress of these exquisite parties.

Abruptly, Clare registered that Mr. Fitzpatrick was standing next to her. She couldn’t help but feel nervous standing next to the tall young man. Fidgeting a little in her beautiful, yet highly irksome evening gown, she expressed a small smile. It felt wrong, talking to him. Especially when Eli harbored such hatred for Fitz. But he was only being considerate… Kindly.

“Thank you.” She uttered as politely as she possibly could. Although it was not exactly polite, she let her pale blue gaze fall downcast towards the marble ballroom floor. It was so clean and shiny; she could nearly see her own reflection in it. She looked up at Fitz once again, embarrassed. “How have you been, Mr. Fitzpatrick?” The thoughtful young girl couldn’t help but feel obligated to start some sort of conversation. The one thing that worried her was that his breath wrenched of alcohol. He was one to drink quite a lot, after all. It was a little unsettling.

[DracoMalfoy]

Fitz couldn’t help but chuckle at Clare’s predictable reaction to his approach; something about startling people fit perfectly in his abnormal sense of humor. His deep blue eyes examined Clare’s olive evening gown and in his mind, the dress certainly did her justice. After staring for a moment, the tall man brought his eyes back towards his cup and took another sip, finishing off the drink, much to his despair. Holding the cup gently in his hands, Fitz turned his attention back to Clare and once again quickly found himself admiring her appearance tonight. “I’m well,” he responded simply as he eyed a few of the other quests that passed by. “But please, I do insist that you call me Fitz; it’s much more casual, is it not?” If his engagement to Miss Edwards was to become a reality, he knew they’d have to conquer the formal name basis; they needed to become more personal, he thought.

Despite his rumored reputation as an alcoholic and a womanizer, Fitz was interested in getting to know Clare. It wasn’t only the Edwards’ money and social rank that had him interested. Clare was smart for her age, and tonight, he’d realized she was truly the epitome of beauty. Any man would be fortunate to call her their wife, but he was dedicated to becoming that one man. Casually closing some of the space between them, Fitz smiled and looked down at the young woman that had him captivated. “May I ask on how you’re fairing this evening? I assume you’ve grown a bit tired to these elegant gatherings?” Fitz knew for a fact he wasn’t a man made for high society life, but a vast fortune was not something any man would be willing to just forfeit.

After his first few parties, he’d found himself bored with the lifestyle. But, when money brought him closer to a woman such as Clare, and all the alcohol he could drink, then, he decided it was easy enough to cope. For a moment, Fitz moved away from Clare to set his empty cup on the nearby table, and to say he was overjoyed to find a full cup waiting to be taken nearby, was an understatement. Taking the cup and then a long sip of the drink, he felt instantly satisfied. Slowly, he moved back towards Clare and reached out his hand towards her. “Care for a glass?” Though the alcohol clouded his mind, it was odd that not even he could see that he’d taken a whole half of the glass in his sip.

.~.~.~.

Eli found his pale face was burning a crimson red in anger as he saw Fitz’s attempts at charming Clare. For a brief moment, he felt as if he’d lost his self control as he pondered breaking into the party to protect her from a monstrous man such as Fitz. He couldn’t help but wonder out loud why Clare would give such a pig of a man the time of day, especially when there were much better people attending the gathering. Although Eli didn’t want to send his mind into a worst case scenario, he swore he’d do something if Fitz tried to pull any sort of romantic action on Clare. He was only thinking of her safety after all; Eli refused to admit that maybe he was jealous of Fitz’s current position.

His jade eyes glared in pure fury as he watched his bitter enemy take a long drink of alcohol then offer the rest to Clare. He knew she was a smart girl, but hopefully she would be smart enough to not accept anything from a man as low as Fitz. Eli assumed Fitz was, or was at least rather close to being drunk anyways. There was no telling what his inferior mind was thinking; just that thought made Eli worry all the more for Clare’s safety. He of all people knew she wasn’t her usual joyful self at this time; her relationship with KC had ended in such a painful way. There was no telling if Fitz was willing to take advantage of Clare’s recent heartbreak.

Eli shuddered. He realized he wasn’t doing anything to clam himself. “Dismiss him Clare,” he muttered quietly to himself as he rested his forehead against the glass window to observe further.

[AppleMistress]

Clare absently brushed a few of her cinnamon colored ringlets back behind her ear, dumbfounded upon him wishing for her to call him by such a casual name. It was a polite thing, to call someone by his or her full last name. And the young girl most certainly did not care much for Fitz as a friend. He was more of an… an… acquaintance. Maybe he was even less than an acquaintance in her eyes. It would be quite rude to admit that out loud, so she bit her lip, deciding against saying anything in regard to that. “Yes, these gatherings are quite—“ she cut herself off as she watched Fitz take a step away from her to take another drink. She pressed her lips into a thin line, looking up at the young man intently for a moment or two.

She couldn’t help but feel extremely repulsed as Fitz devoured nearly half of his drink in one nonchalant gulp. The acrid smell of the liquid made her want to gag, but she held in the urge. Again, she was much too polite to say anything in regard to his tactics. Her pale blue eyes smoldered with knowledge beyond her years, and she took a slight step back from the young man as he offered the alcohol to her. “No thank you.” She squeaked lightly, her timid voice betraying her oh-so polite image. Many people tended to tell her that she was missing out when she refused alcoholic beverages. Clare felt that people tended to lose their minds when they drank too much; it made her feel tremendously uncomfortable.

Feeling desperate for something else to captivate her attention with, she turned her head to the side, scanning the crowd of familiar people. None of whom she wanted to talk to at this moment. Oh, if only she could push through those large doors and take off somewhere she could fill her tightened lungs with oxygen. Corsets… they’d be the death of her. Though as much as she wanted to run off, her mother and father explained to her that they were making some sort of imperative announcement. And she couldn’t help but hear her name being murmured whenever she were to brush past one of the more gossipy groups of people attending this party. The very thought of the suspense and being on the spot made her stomach churn uneasily. Feeling a little lightheaded and claustrophobic amongst the crowd, Clare decided to take a glance back at Fitz.

Although Clare knew all too well that Eli despised these sorts of gatherings, she wished with all her heart that he could be the one standing next to her at this moment—not Fitz. He understood her better than anyone else in the world, it seemed. She understood his sense of humor, and it seemed as though he understood hers’ as well. Maybe she’d be able to survive this long night if he was there. But of course, wishing wasn’t enough, as it was still Fitz standing there next to her.

[DracoMalfoy]

Fitz at first was about to persist that Clare to a drink of his beverage, but wisely decided against it as he retracted his hand and brought the drink towards his mouth, once again taking a large enough gulp to finish the entire drink. “I guess we all follow our own ventures,” he said, nonchalantly as he fiddled with his delicate glass in his big, strong hands. For the past few minutes, his curious ear had been catching some faint gossip concerning him and Miss Edwards and oddly enough, Fitz enjoyed being in the scandal with Clare. Association with her at this point in time was a good thing, even if the rumors about them were false and unpleasant. He eyed Clare once again and for a brief second, he envied Eli for being so close to her. He hated his enemy bitterly, but, Fitz still found himself wondering how the other young man was able to slither his way into Clare’s life, even with the Edwards disapproving so fervently. The bright music playing in the background helped lift his mood as he began to wear a sincere, façade of a smile, which under the influence of all the alcohol looked more silly than serious.

Quickly though, Fitz realized that an uncomfortable, awkward silence had arose between him and Clare and he was already finding himself dissatisfied with it. Deciding that a new stroke of conversation needed to be taken, Fitz tried his best to come off as serious and caring. “Miss Edwards, I do hate to spread salt on a wound, but I must offer my sincerest apologies for your tragic endings with Mr. Guthrie,” he said, trying his best to come off as professional and caring at the same time. Although he was willing to exploit Clare’s possible insecurities to win his way to her heart, he did wonder how KC had been so foolish as to leave a woman such as her. Clare seemingly had no faults and her social position offered promise, to anyone. “It seems this world holds more fools than wise men.” His timings in offering his proposal to the Edwards had been perfect; their open suspicions about KC had proven correct and Fitz was almost positive they wanted to find their daughter the perfect suitor, which he tried his best to come off as.

For a moment, Fitz almost decided to inform Clare about the engagement he’d planned with her parents, but, during an unusual moment of good judgment, he decided against it. Timing was perfect in all aspects of this situation and if he came off too strong, he could lure her away. Fitz knew it took much more than occasional small talk to fall in love with someone, but he was hoping his captivating appearance and perfect traits would speed the process along. Of course, Fitz’s mind was far too conceited to realize he was a man of many faults and few redeeming qualities. So, in his effort show proper decorum and seem charming and attractive, he was truly only making a larger fool of himself. Without his knowledge, of course.

[AppleMistress]

Clare watched Fitz for a few moments with perturbed eyes as he gulped down more of the alcoholic beverage. He was obviously under its’ influence at this point; she couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed for him. It was a major turn off for her, and just watching him suck it down every few minutes was beginning to worry and irritate her. Though some of her friends had suggested alcohol as a suggestion as a getaway from her troubles, she’d always refuse. The smell of the acrid liquid made her feel sick to the stomach, and she was not about to make drinking the beverage a habit. Especially not on Fitz’s account. She couldn’t help but feel the sudden need to distance herself from the young man.

She narrowed her crystal blue eyes just slightly upon hearing Fitz’s sympathies regarding her past relationship with KC. Just the sound of his name ringing in her ears made her feel like a sickening poison was killing her at a painfully slow pace. This wasn’t a topic she could discuss with just anyone, it was personal. She and KC had such a strong relationship—until that pretty blonde maiden decided she wanted him for herself and ruined everything. It was so hard for her to watch the one boy who looked at her with admiration and love turn towards another so suddendly. It left her heartbroken. Clare looked away from Fitz, trying to cast the painful memories away. “Thank you for your sympathies,” she started, her voice dull and a little quiet, “But I’d rather not discuss that topic.” She didn’t feel as oblivious as she was a few minutes earlier—she was noting Fitz’s attempts to become closer to her. It seems he had yet to notice how awkward and repulsed she acted when he talked to her. And why was this? Why did he feel the sudden need to speak with her? He wanted her to call him by his first name; he tried discussing something far too personal. What wasn’t she seeing? What was she missing here?

She edged a little away from Fitz, twirling one of her golden curls around her forefinger out of a nervous habit. She felt the need to distance herself from him, she felt uneasy and doubtful. This whole conversation was a little frightening itself. Eli was always telling her to beware of him, after all. And Fitz’s suggestion to drink and then mentioning KC like it was casual business made her feel dismayed. She chewed at her lower lip, looking towards the large doors once again. The very thought of running off made her feel exhilarated and free. Just the thought of the gentle air against her skin and walking barefoot in the grass seemed so much more contenting then it was standing next to a drunken Fitz in this crowded ballroom.

Clare looked up meekly at Fitz, deciding to be straightforward for a moment. “I-I am quite sure that there are other girls here that would absolutely adore it if you graced them with your presence, Mr. Fitzpatrick.” She lied politely, as though it’d be a way to show him she did not wish to be around him any longer. She hoped his drunken mind wasn’t comprehending her words as a mere complement. She shifted on her feet. ‘Eli, how I wish you were here right now!’

[DracoMalfoy]

Fitz’s smile faded as he heard Clare’s words, but he tried his hardest to keep his self control. Even in his drunken state, it was obvious that she was rejecting him and of course, this would not prove fruitful for his venture for her hand in marriage. Now seemed like the worst possible time to inform her of the engagement and pushing her further away from him with his actions was the last thing he wanted to do as of right now. Trying to shrug off the rejection and smile casually, Fitz set his glass down on the nearest table and focused his dizzy eyesight on Clare. “Please Miss Edwards, out of all the lovely maidens here tonight, I fancy you,” Fitz said, his charming demeanor failing him once again. “I thought you’d enjoy my company. I apologize if I’ve come off too strong.” Of course, arranging the engagement behind Clare’s back was coming off too strong, but he wasn’t one to ever admit a fault such as that. It was a misfortune to clearly know that Clare didn’t reciprocate his romantic feelings for her, but his determination to win her over was wavering greatly as he thought of Eli and the sick victory his rejection would bring him.

At the thought of losing any sort of competition to Eli, Fitz began to crave another drink. He sighed sadly when he realized there wasn’t a single filled glass in sight and as his thirst quickly grew, he cursed under his breath. Alcohol would calm his nerves and hopefully give him the edge he needed to “woo” Clare. He remained blissfully unaware that his obsession with alcohol was one of his major qualities that were pushing her away. The irony was quite cruel. “If you don’t mind my asking, what is it about me that offends you?” Fitz asked, truly curious. The answer was obvious, but for him, finding a negative trait about himself was similar to taking aiming for a target in the dark while wearing a blindfold. The rumors of his selfish thoughts and his conceited attitude were definitely true, unfortunately. “Or is your mind just focused on Mr. Goldsworthy?”

Oh, the thought of Clare thinking of Eli made his blood boil. Eli was nothing more than a mere peasant; he barely had enough money to keep his home and purchase food for himself. What was it that Clare saw in Eli that she didn’t see in him? Just the possibility of Clare fancying Eli over him drove Fitz into an abnormal form of paranoia. As long as he could remember, he and Eli competed against each other in almost everything. If Clare was some sort of prize in one of their bloody battles, then, he’d claim her solely for that reason alone. He wouldn’t concede to someone as low and poor as Eli. “I’d keep your mind off of someone as low as him,” Fitz continued, his tone clearly coated with pride and superiority. “You know what your parents think of him.” In the eyes of the Edwards’, Eli was nothing more than a failure. That’s where Fitz gained his extra leg in this “competition” of sorts for Clare.

Eli had fallen into the same category as KC had after his relationship with Clare ended. The Edwards had deemed both men unsuitable for Clare and after their descent, began his ascent. He’d played his cards correctly and won their approval. It was only a bonus to see Eli drop even further in their eyes as he rose. If Fitz had his way, Eli would be locked away and forced to rot in a cold dungeon. Just that simple thought made him chuckle lightly out loud.

[AppleMistress]

Clare was inwardly devastated with Fitz’s behavior, but she managed to keep up a composed posture. Since when was he so interested in her? He was coming off too strong so suddenly; it made her feel panicky. What if he had bad intentions? Eli tended to ramble off about how terrible Fitz was. Clare inwardly wished she had tried to steer clear of him. His terrible alcohol encrusted breath wafted towards her, causing her to hold her breath in revulsion. She was much too nice to outwardly express that she hated the way he drank large quantities of alcohol and talked to her as though she was a close childhood friend. She barely knew the young man, and his cocky behavior was driving her towards the point of insanity. Before she could say anything in regard to what he’d said earlier about his faults, he continued to speak.

Upon hearing his comment on thinking about Eli, she couldn’t help but feel her skin burn as a light shade of pink swept across her cheeks at a rapid pace. She was both embarrassed and irked at his statement regarding that. Her heart skipped a few beats. Why did he even think to bring Eli into this conversation? Was she really that readable? Of course she was thinking about Eli, but Fitz’s traits also disgusted her. She was just trying her best to distance herself from him. Was that really so wrong? She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it once again when he continued to ramble on.

Clare’s stomach churned to her discontent as she heard Fitz mention her parents. Although Eli came off as a bad guy to them, he was different from KC. He cared about the way she felt, and they shared interests. She hated to disobey her parents, of course, but she wished with all her heart that she could convince them that Eli was really a good guy when you got to know him. Fitz was using one of her greatest weaknesses against her, and she couldn’t find the will to say anything in reply at first. She decided against yelling at him, as much as she wanted to. She wanted to come to Eli’s defense, but she didn’t want to cause a big scene. Especially after noticing that she was one of the main appeals of the current gossip raging about. It would just cause that much more of hype. Clare sent Fitz a glare, biting down on her tongue as though to keep herself from shouting at him to leave her alone. “Mr. Goldsworthy is a good man. My parents have yet to see it, yes. Though that does not give you any excuse to talk so deficiently of him.” She replied with confidence in her voice. She couldn’t sit there and take it at this point. Clare just had to defend the one friend she knew she had. If Fitz thought he'd done something wrong before, it was probably obvious now that he'd said something to set her off.

[DracoMalfoy]

Fitz was quite surprised to hear Clare defend Eli. Of course, they had some sort of friendship, but still, he never expected to rejected for Eli. Maybe the alcohol was affecting how he was thinking as of right now, but it still very unsettling to him. “You’re defending Mr. Goldsworthy?” Fitz asked her, clearly shocked. He knew Clare’s answer would be yes, but it was just impossible to accept. Though he was acting poorly on his feelings, he did harbor certain feelings for Clare and apparently, he wasn’t doing very well for himself. The mere thought of Eli winning Clare over him angered him. Unfortunately, he seemed oblivious to how much Clare truly detested him right now, but it seemed that he was developing a good idea of the truth. And, upon being argued with, Fitz found his craving for a drink rise even higher. If he wasn’t drunk already, he was probably dangerously close.

There quite a few ladies attending this gathering that probably wouldn’t mind his presence and his drunken state of mind, but his persistence kept him here, next to Clare. Although it wasn’t needed, Fitz was determined to gain her approval for the engagement. Most men these days didn’t care whether or not their wife loved them, but oddly enough, he did. Even if his thoughts and motives weren’t pure, he did find himself feeling something for Clare. And the more she rejected him, the more he longed for her to return his feelings. “What could you possibly gain from a friendship with him?” he spat out venomously, jealously easily depicted on his face. Eli had no money to his name and was not popular in their society’s eye; why would Clare prefer Eli over him? If he could succeed without encountering legal trouble, Fitz would surely have Eli done away with. Clearly he was a distraction for Clare and the main reason why she didn’t seem to enjoy these parties.

“Never will be able to attend these gatherings so you must get your head out of the clouds,” Fitz continued, still clearly upset. “There’s nothing he can do for you; he’s no better than Mr. Guthrie.” The tall and frightening young man was sure that was a rather bold proclamation, but he was desperate to win Clare’s attention and heart over. He thought if he could convince Clare that Eli wasn’t good for her, then she’d accept him. But of course, continually gossiping harshly about Mr. Goldsworthy truly wasn’t helping his case at all. He had yet to realize he acted even more foolish under the influence of alcohol than he normally did. At least he’d soon be able to call Clare his bride; whether she approved or not.

[AppleMistress]

Clare’s eyebrows drew closer together in exasperation as Fitz continued to slander Eli. Though being the good willed, patient woman she was, she composed herself enough so she wouldn’t cause an embarrassing scene. “Your attempts to defame Eli are not affecting my current mindset, Mr. Fitzpatrick. He is very dear friend of mine; you are not becoming any closer to me by speaking so horridly of him.” She couldn’t help but blush as she used Eli’s first name. They were familiar enough with each other to be on a first name basis, but using his first name in front of Fitz would probably only anger him further-- especially in his nearly drunken state. That very thought scared her. He was tall, and definitely more strong and frightening than she was. If she said anything to set him off, there was no telling what would happen. She was quite sure there was nothing much he could do to her when they were standing among such a large crowd; she just let that thought give her a little relief.

Clare could be such a mouse of a girl sometimes; she was actually taken aback when she realized she had the will to argue with Fitz. Her dreadful ending with KC definitely formed her into a self-assured and opinionated young woman over time, maybe that was just a sign of change. She found herself especially joyful that she had managed to defend Eli as well. He most certainly did not deserve to be treated as he was in this town. Though he had his own certain way of doing things, he was a very dedicated, passionate, mysterious young man. He was only misunderstood. Clare did not understand why that was so wrong. In her opinion, Eli could do amazing things. He was clever and witty, a hard worker. Chills were cast down her spine upon noticing she couldn’t seem to get him out of her head. Eli was an incredible person to Clare, and Fitz couldn’t say a single thing to change that.

This whole scene made her regret not taking Eli’s advice. Staying away from Fitz would have been a better idea for sure. The things he said and the things he did were highly offensive and irritating, it made her ponder why on earth her parents favored him. She chewed on her lower lip. Once this party came to an end, she would almost certainly not have to worry about Fitz any longer. Of course, she was probably only jinxing herself with that very thought. She was unknown of how forcibly close to Fitz she would have to be.

Antsy to leave the fancy event, Clare bit down hard enough on her tongue to make it bleed mildly. Although the metallic taste of the blood spreading in her mouth disgusted her, it helped her to keep her sanity in check. Losing her patience and standing by Fitz like this was making her feel so uneasy. Her innocent pale blue eyes looked off to the buzzing crowd of high society types bragging about their money, discussing politics, gossiping. It made her wonder why they never became tired with it. It seemed like an meaningless cycle to her—why didn’t these people here crave for adventure like she did? As much as she tried to avoid looking for the large doors at the other side of the ballroom, she couldn’t help but let her meandering gaze wander off in that direction. Slipping off her uncomfortable shoes and inhaling the fresh outdoorsy air sounded like an absolute paradise in her mind. She wore a somewhat distant and lost expression as she visualized the wonderful things she could be doing with her time, almost hoping that her absentminded behavior would refrain Fitz from speaking to her once again.

[DracoMalfoy]

“Please Miss Edwards, don’t be so naïve,” Fitz spat back, angered at her lack of respect and care for him. He’d earned the scolding from her, but, the fact that she was a mere woman, standing up to him in such a rude matter, along with defending Eli, was really almost enough to burst one of his veins. All sense of care for her was nearly lost as his temper began to rise to an uncomfortable degree. He sent one of his large hands through his dark, spiked hair and eyed Clare angrily with his deep, almost evil, blue eyes. Why was it that she favored Eli over him? Maybe he had been a tad rude to her and his sudden advances towards her maybe made her feel uncomfortable, but regardless, he was a man of much more promise compared to Mr. Goldsworthy. Was Eli attending this gathering? No, he was, and that was all the proof Fitz needed to mentally assure himself that he was better than Eli. He deserved Clare’s heart, not Eli. He was better than the other young man in every aspect and damn it, if he couldn’t have Clare, he certainly wouldn’t forfeit her over to Eli.

Bringing his hands uncomfortably to his sides; they began to bawl into tight fists as he tried to control his anger. He decided to disregard his last thought of having Mr. Goldsworthy done away with and replaced it with a new goal to personally do away with him with his own two hands. His hate for Eli had never been stronger and it was humiliating to hear that Clare would choose Eli over him, if she was forced to. Would bothered him the most where the whispers from those who were overhearing the conversation. It seemed everyone, but Miss Edwards herself knew of the engagement and to see Clare resisting and arguing with him was not about to do their soon to be relationship justice. “You’ll realize soon enough that you’ve dived into water higher than your head,” Fitz glared at her, the rage from his mind representing itself prominently on his face. “I’ve tried dealing with you in the proper way, but soon you’ll regret rejecting me.” Threatening her wasn’t going to fix anything, he knew that, but, as of right now, he’d kill to see a look of fear and shock on that face that blushed a deep shade of crimson at any mention of Mr. Goldsworthy.

Clare’s face was supposed to blush at any mention of him. Nothing tonight was working out the way it should. Clare was supposed to be attracted to him, and the announcement of the engagement was supposed to over joy her, but now, that seemed like a nearly impossible suggestion. Fitz had been so confident that his plans would proceed perfectly when he arrived, but now, reality had hit him harder than a bullet to the back of his head. “Consider yourself warned,” he finished darkly, with a deep huff before turning and leaving her side. He swallowed and found his throat rather dry. His rage and jealousy was leaving him parched. He needed a drink and he needed it immediately.

Rushing over to the nearest table, Fitz was joyful to find a cup filled with the alcoholic beverage that was being served at the party. Taking the cup in his large hands, he took a long sip and instantly found himself replenished and relaxed. Faster than light, the alcohol began to take its relaxing toll on his mind and his fears were almost instantly calmed. ”When her parents announce the engagement, she’ll have no choice,” Fitz thought to himself with a pleasurable smirk. Literally, there would be no way Miss Edwards could say no.

[AppleMistress]

Clare avoided Fitz’s eyes while he spoke his livid words. Her ingenuous crystal blue orbs smoldered with trepidation as she studied the floor as though it held the answers to all of her problems. She clamped her jaw shut and attempted to swallow the nervous lump that began to form in her throat. She had every right to speak up to him as he shamelessly insulted one of her closest friends. Even so, she angered him. There was no way she could fight him verbally if he began to use his fists. That’s what she’d realized much too late. Since when did Fitz take such a liking to her? And why did he threaten her like that? Her head was dizzily spinning all so much that she was completely oblivious to the gossipy whispers about an engagement she was unaware of. She thought she’d heard someone murmur that very word earlier, though she was much too scared to overanalyze what it might have meant. What was the gossip about? Why was Fitz trying oh so hard to please her?

‘What if…’ she began to think, her eyes going wide, ‘Does this mean…’ She was beginning to put these outrageous puzzle pieces together. Although she wasn’t quite sure her assumption was correct, it seemed like a viable possibility. And it petrified her more than Fitz’s threatening words had only a few moments earlier. She’d just gotten over KC—what on earth were her parents thinking? Though if what she feared was a really a reality, how would she be able to stand against it? Everything about Fitz devastated her. She was a young maiden with no say. If her parents approved and Fitz approved, nothing she could say would stop it from happening.

Absentmindedly, Clare crossed her middle and fore fingers around each other in a gesture of hope that what she was thinking was only a bewildering hallucination. She felt sick to her stomach-- she needed air. She needed something to keep her mind away from the very subject of an engagement. Before she could even begin to think of something to distract herself with, she noted that her parents had already started their ‘big announcement’.

Her mother’s eyes glimmered with hope and pride as her father spoke words of thankfulness to the now silenced guests. Clare wasn’t exactly paying attention to her parents’ words of appreciation to the guests. Her heart was pounding at dangerously fast pace and her head was throbbing. That very moment, she knew her life was beginning to turn inside out. Everything made sense now, and she mentally scolded herself over how oblivious she was to the entire situation earlier on. How did she not manage to catch on to it beforehand? Not that it mattered. She’d be stuck in this situation, no matter what.

“We thank you all for coming on behalf of the engagement of Mr. Marcus Fitzpatrick and our beloved daughter, Miss Clare Edwards.” Her father’s words pounded in her ears mercilessly as her alarmed conjecture became an utter authenticity. The color drained from her face, making her appear somewhat ill. How could they not have told her? Why were they doing this to her? Sending her off to live forevermore Marcus Fitzpatrick was probably one of stupidest ideas she’d ever heard. She detested the young man’s antics and his favor of alcoholism. She never even expected she’d have to spend the rest of her life with him! How was she supposed to see the world, do the things she wanted to do when he would be holding her back? Without listening to the rest of her father’s little speech, she brushed past the crowds as swiftly as her feet could carry her.

Her heart was pounding nearly as fast as her feet were thumping against the ballroom floor. Her head was an emotional battlefield. She burst through the large doors she’d been wishing to exit throughout the entire event.

As much as she hated to create a big scene, feeling the cold air of the outside world brush against her skin calmed her, just a little bit. There was no way she’d regret running out those doors. Her stinging eyes lifted up towards the darkening sky, her sight growing blurrier by the second. ‘Why, God? Why this? Why am I being punished like this?’ she thought as she leaned against the rough bark of an old oak tree when she was far enough away from her home. She used to sit under this tree when she was just a little girl. She’d read her books under the shade of its’ large branches and leaves. It was a common place for her to escape, a place for her to think. She slid down so she was sitting on her knees in the dewy grass. Never before did she feel so helpless. She couldn’t go against her parents’ words. She couldn’t.

And how would she tell Eli about this? Fitz was his absolute nemesis. And based on Fitz’s foul behavior at any mention of Eli, she was quite sure she’d never hear the end of it if she was seen with him. How would she possibly survive without Eli there to talk to? He was truly the only person who listened to her—the only person who understood her. This was all happening much too quickly.

Clare gasped for a breath of air to fill her demanding lungs with oxygen before allowing the tears she refrained from expressing spill down her porcelain cheeks.

[DracoMalfoy]

Eli had his ear curiously pressed against the window, trying his best to make out the conversations going on inside the house. Somehow, he was able to make out some of the guests discussing some of the recent gossip amongst themselves and he groaned out loud. If he had to hear one more stuck up rich man brag about his investments, he’d seriously vomit. But, much to his misfortune, Fitz and Clare were too far from the window for him to make out their conversation. Every time he saw his nemesis pick up a glass and gulp it down, he glared angrily into the window. Eli felt useless as he was unable to assist Clare and be there for her, but, it seemed as though they were bickering and he inwardly cheered for his closest friend. Yet, he found himself growing confused as he watched the Edwards make their announcement. He was confused and the words of Clare’s father were barely audible to him. He felt like a deaf man trying to listen to a pastor in church. Though, what he did notice was Clare running out of the house and away from the yard.

Without hesitation, Eli moved away from the window and began to chase after her, but as a moment passed, he stopped himself in his tracks. It was obvious that the announcement made merely moments ago had upset Clare, and he wondered whether or not she needed her space. Anything could’ve just been said to her at the party. A relative could’ve passed, they may have made another unnecessary decision for her or KC could’ve been brought up in one too many conversations. His curiosity was peaked to its limit, but, Eli knew that if Clare needed space, it was best to let her have it. Something in his gut insisted Fitz was responsible for the chaos and turmoil. Eli tried to convince himself of the foolishness of his statement, but his jealousy and hatred towards the taller young man kept his stomach insisting that Fitz was at fault. If he’d seriously done anything to upset Clare, he’d make sure he’d pay. Deciding tactical revenge was another thought better suited for a more fair time, Eli’s jade eyes followed the path Clare had taken away from the house and once again asked himself if he should follow.

Although it wasn’t his will, he felt guilty for not being present at the party to keep her company, but he did realize that he could be there for her now. Finally making the decision to be with Clare, Eli took off after her, not wasting a moment in trying to find her. He’d do anything he could to help her, even if that just meant apologizing for any misfortune that had fallen upon her. It took Eli only a minute or two to finally set his eyes on Clare and a relieved smile found its way to his face. Even though he knew her as Saint Clare, she had a different mind from everyone else. She was unpredictable to him and his deepest fears assumed she’d do something drastic. As relief spread through him, a light shade of red appeared on his pale cheeks. He always rather protective of Clare. Even though he couldn’t fight a literal battle for her, he always tried to make sure she was happy and safe in any and every way he could. Eli cared for Clare; she was the closest person to him in his life. Just mentally realizing that made the shade of red on his face deeper.

Trying to regain his composure and appear casual and confident as usual, Eli slowly approached Clare, making sure not to alarm her or upset her even more. He found himself frowning as he noticed small tears falling from her crystal blue eyes that he favored so much. Long ago, he’d decided he preferred to see her smile and laugh instead of sniffle and weep. Standing still for a minute, he simply watched her, silently praying for her in his thoughts. Though the situation was a bit different in his mind before he’d ventured after her, he suddenly felt his confidence lost and he was almost tempted to turn back. Eli let out a sigh as he collected his breath and then cleared his throat.

“Good evening Clare,” he greeted her, trying to sound joyful; instead, his voice came off as low and somewhat depressing. Seeing Clare sad really did make him sad. “Do you feel comfortable talking with me? I can leave you to your solitude if you’d wish?” Now wasn’t the time for humorous teasing. Eli always tried his best to be humorous and laid back, in an effort to relax Clare from the uptight, stiff parties she had to attend daily. But, this situation was different. Eli assumed she wanted a serious and caring friend right now; not one who was willing to make sarcastic comments just to gain a reaction out of her. All that mattered to him now was making sure Clare got what she needed to cope with whatever grim information had came upon her. Eli knew he cared for her deeply and he was almost positive Clare cared for him in a rather similar way. Their bond was strong and they’d do almost anything for each other.

[AppleMistress]

Clare heard Eli’s footsteps in the grass, mentally fearing it was Fitz. A heap of relief clouded her mind when she heard Eli’s comforting and concerned voice. When he was around, she knew she was safe. She looked up at him. As much as she wanted to smile in appreciation of his presence, she just couldn’t find the will to do so. Not in a situation like this, after all. She knew well that her news would upset him. Though the last thing she wanted for the moment was for him to leave her by herself. She needed someone, and that someone was most definitely Eli. He knew all the right things to say, he was considerate of her current emotional state. He understood her better than anyone else did. Because of the extreme actions her parents had taken, she felt that Eli was really the only person on this earth she could talk to about anything. She would trust this young man with her life if she had to.

“No, no. Please stay.” She pleaded softly, patting her palm down against some of the grass next to her as a gesture for him to sit down. As much as she hated to sound desperate, she really felt she needed him at a time like this. If she didn’t express her fears verbally, there was no way she’d be able to sleep at night. She wiped furiously at her watery eyes with the back of her palm, trying to keep herself from crying any longer. Then she sent her palm to her forehead, the action managing to push some of her soft bangs away from her face. The painful throbbing in her head was slowly beginning to subside, to her relief.

Pausing for a while after her former words, she inhaled a deep breath. “Eli, I’m scared.” She admitted suddenly in a ductile whimper. As much as Clare hated to feel vulnerable and helpless, she couldn’t help but express her current feelings in words. She was scared about everything. Her future relationship with her parents after this incident, how he himself would react to her news, the way Fitz threatened her… the way Fitz would probably treat her in his drunken state. She was frightened of it all. She bit down on her lower lip, focusing her reddish pale blue gaze towards the grass.

She felt panicky as she tried her best to think of how she should tell him. How she should tell him that she was unknowingly engaged to his arch nemesis. And how uncannily petrified she felt. She didn’t want to tell him the bad news. It was life changing news, for her, at least. And she knew well that once she was referred to as Fitz’s wife, she wouldn’t be able to speak with him as commonly. She didn’t want that. She didn’t want it at all. And as much as she wanted to stand up for it, she couldn’t. She was a tiny woman with no say. Even if she expressed her headstrong opinions, the engagement would not be broken. Her parents and Fitz made it official. And there was absolutely nothing she could do to stop it.

[DracoMalfoy]

For a moment, Eli felt a rush of relief pass through him as he heard Clare ask for him to stay. It was incredibly selfish to want to stay with her for his own motives; obviously, there was something plaguing her mind and he was too wrapped up in his own desires to be with her that he failed to put her first. He felt guilty for wanting to be with her so he was no longer alone, but he was also far too embarrassed to admit that to her. His expression softened when he heard Clare admit she was scared. An unbelievably powerful wave of worry washed through him, completely obliterating the joy and relief he’d just felt. What was it that she had to be frightened about? His curiosity was peaked once again, and not in a positive way. Feeling the need to be with her now more than ever, Eli slowly brought himself next to her and then sat down beside her, under the tree. If she wanted him to keep her company, then, he’d do so to the best of his ability.

“You’re scared?” Eli found himself asking, much to his regret. If Clare didn’t want to discuss the issue, then he was simply throwing salt on an open, bloody wound. Sometimes it was best to focus on the more positive aspects of life and for a little while, forget that the world was seemingly falling apart around you. Some people found that method of living to be extremely unorthodox, but it was a way of life that Eli held dearly. Things were much easier when you optimistic after all. Clearing his thoughts, he scanned his best friend with his jade eyes; trying to read her, discover what it was that was wrong. Normally, his skill at reading Clare was unmatched, but now, he found that he could not decode her thoughts. Being ignorant to how she was feeling made him feel useless; he’d do anything to change that.

Offering her a small an encouraging smile, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder. “Whatever’s troubling you, I’m sure it’ll work out for the best,” Eli continued, trying to assure her that all would be well. Of course, he knew not of how this situation would end. But, with all the tragedy and sadness in his own life, he knew that having a friend around to say everything would be well again did help. So, why not try and be there for Clare as others had been there for him? “There’s nothing that you can’t overcome, Clare. If you want to tell me what it is, I’m right here.” Eli didn’t want to force the troubling news out of her. She had a right to keep her thoughts to herself and by the customs of their society, he had little right to be inquiring such things of her; even socializing with her was immensely frowned upon. Just sitting here next to her was violating so many rules of their society. Oddly, enough, that was one of the main reasons as to why he was here.

“Of course if you don’t I understand,” he said, voicing his conflicting thoughts. “Don’t let me pry anything out of you that you don’t feel comfortable sharing.” The news would devastate him. Still, he was ignorant to the engagement between Clare and Fitz, but, since he lacked the knowledge of said engagement, he had little idea as to how much her news would hurt him. Irony had an evil tendency of being cruel.

Eli used his free hand to move some of his dark hair out of his eyes so he could use them to focus more on Clare. She deserved his undivided attention; she always did. That simply thought made him blush once again, but, for a brief moment, he looked down towards the cold ground, mentally pressuring the heat in his cheeks to dismiss itself. He was normally never one to blush. And this certainly wasn’t the time to do so. Deciding that a little embarrassment was less important than Clare, he looked back up at her anyways and offered her another smile. Eli was still finding himself utterly useless to her though. He felt like he was absolutely no help to her at all. He just hoped Clare didn’t mind that there was little he could actually say to her.

[AppleMistress]

Clare listened to Eli, the sound of his understanding voice calmed her down a little, but it worried her a little at the same time. He was completely unaware of how horrid this situation really was. Life as she knew it would change for the worst, and she had no say about it. Even if she verbally fought against her parents and Fitz, nothing would be able to stop the engagement from occurring. “I… I don’t want to tell you, because this… this news is just terrible. It’s terrible, and I don’t want to hurt you.” She started, her voice shaking a little as she felt the urge to cry again. She tried her hardest to keep her tears under control, “But I need to tell you, because you are going to know what will happen soon enough anyway. And I can’t overcome it, I can’t stop it from happening.”

She looked up at Eli, staring into his distinctive jade eyes timidly. She bit her lip as she paused, knowing well that she had to let it out. She had to tell him what was happening. Though she knew well what she had to say was going to upset him, and she didn’t want that. She didn’t want to tell her friend something that would make him suffer. Eli was one of the closest people to her in her life, and he was going to be taken away from her. Fitz would have complete control over her after they were wed, and based on their conversation earlier, there was no way that she’d be permitted to speak with Eli. And the last thing she wanted was for Eli to get in trouble for being seen talking to her. What if this was their last chance to actually talk to each other? Fitz’s chilling threats still rang clearly in her head. ‘You’ll realize soon enough that you’ve dived into water higher than your head.’ She could still recall the frighteningly dangerous anger spark through his deep blue eyes as he spoke to her in fury.

Clare’s terrified pale blue eyes smoldered with puzzlement and worry. She had to tell him. She had to tell him everything. It was now or never. “Eli…” she started, pausing after she said his name apprehensively. Her head started throbbing painfully once again, and she closed her eyes tightly in a gesture to cast the feeling away, “Eli, my parents announced that I am engaged to Fitz. I-It is an arranged marriage. And I cannot do a single anything about it. There’s absolutely nothing I can say to stop it from happening.” After saying those very words, she couldn’t help but let a few more tears escape from her red blemished eyes.

Eli was the person she had to depend on. And she knew that he enjoyed her company as well. He made her feel so special, and the things they talked about were things she could talk about with no other person in this town. Without him, she knew she’d be an empty shell. He cared for her opinions—this was especially rare, as no other man would give the time of day to hear a woman’s perspective of anything. He was considerate, and would crack a sarcastic joke if he wanted to see her smile. Even though she occasionally disagreed with his more violent tactics, she loved everything about him. The way his bangs fell just slightly over his perplexing green orbs… The way he spoke, the way he dressed, the things he’d say. The way he made her feel when looked at her. The time she spent with the handsome young man was time she highly appreciated. And knowing that she would be forcibly separated from him because of a man as low as Fitz… it made her ever so depressed and panic-stricken.

[DracoMalfoy]

Eli only heard glass shattering as Clare spoke to him; her news was far more than terrible. As he finally processed what she said, the world seemed t stop moving and simply fall apart around him. In those few moments, it seemed as if every breath he let out of his lunges would be his last. An uncomfortable burst of rage and hate began to pound its way out of his heart and it fought his self control to release itself. Why was the world so unfair to him? Fitz was the one man he despised the most; he was sure Fitz was the one mistake God had made. And Clare, his only friend Clare, was to be married to him…what had he done to deserve this? No, the true question was, what had someone as pure as Saint Clare done to deserve that terrible fate? A life spent at Fitz’s side seemed much worse than spending eternity in hell. Eli felt as if his heart had ceased beating; although she wasn’t to blame, it was a great challenge to look Clare in the eye after hearing the news.

“You’re marrying him…?” his voice seemed to his a mind of its own now. He’d heard the words clearly and the last thing he wanted was to hear Clare say them again; the question was only going to break his heart more thoroughly. His normally gentle and caring hands instantly bawled into tight fists as the challenge to hold his anger in became nearly impossible to overcome. Eli knew Clare would never do anything to hurt him, but her words had driven a deep dagger into his heart. Clare was his only friend; she was the only one he could talk to and feel comfortable with. She knew, understood and accepted him, as he did to her. She didn’t seem to care that he was different from all the other men in her life; on the other hand, she seemed to like it. But, he knew the life he knew would soon end without Clare in it. Fitz would surely restrict her from seeing him; the worst part of it all was she was right. There was absolutely nothing they could do to stop the marriage; her parents had made the decision and neither of them had a say.

Now, Eli understood why Clare was scared; hell, he was frightened as well. Any words he had stored to comfort her had left him and now it seemed that he needed the comfort. He needed to be strong, assuring and controlled for Clare…but, he just couldn’t do it. His control finally left him. In pure rage, Eli shook and let out a small scream of pure anger. Needing some way to vent his unlimited frustration, he turned and quickly threw a quick, powerful punch at the tree that sat behind them. “It’s not fair!” he cried, fighting his hardest to keep the tears from falling out of his jade eyes. He failed. This was a side of him that he never showed; he hated the thought of frightening Clare. The news of her engagement had frightened her enough and she trusted him to be there for her and make her feel better. Of course, Eli was sure his current behavior wasn’t comforting to her at all. He just couldn’t help this.

Continuing to let out his anger, he grabbed onto the ground as hard as he could and just shook. Eli simply couldn’t settle down. Clare deserved someone much better than Fitz; the world was just cruel and unfair. She was a woman of beauty, intelligence and creativity; Fitz was a man who would set her aside for a drink. Why was the world cruelest to the best of people? “I can’t believe this!” he exclaimed, raising his voice a bit higher. Eli wanted to panic, to cry and to sink off into an endless sea of depression. But, he knew it was better to worry about Clare; she was far more important to him. A moment passed as he continued to vent his rage. Then, he was finally able to take a deep breath and he took full advantage of this returned ability. His composure began to return, though rather slowly. Taking his attention of himself, his guilty green eyes turned to Clare and he did the first thing that came to mind: sighed.

“Clare, I’m sorry,” Eli breathed out, his voice somewhat under control now. “I shouldn’t have reacted that way, but this situation is more about you than it is about me. If there’s anything I can do, please, tell me.” Eli absolutely detested that all he could was offer empty, useless apologies. They wouldn’t help her in any way. But, his status left him useless. Clare had no escape from this engagement and of course, there was nothing he could do to convince the Edwards to reconsider their decision. This was truly the most tragic night of his life. But, the title would soon be handed off to the night he’d have to watch Clare walk down the aisle.

[AppleMistress]

Clare sat there in grim silence as she let Eli vent out his anger. He deserved to react in any way or form he felt he had to. She honestly couldn’t blame him. But witnessing the pain and infuriation he expressed over the horrific situation left her heartbroken. She wiped furiously at her blotchy eyes with the back of her hand to stop any more tears from spilling out of her ingenuous blue orbs. Optimism was always an excellent trait to have in situations of this nature, but in reality, it seemed as though there was no bright side. Or at least there was no positive side to her current knowledge. Trying to dismiss this scenario as a mere nightmare was only wishful thinking. She knew this was real. This was happening. It was the hard, cold, stony truth, and there was nothing she could do to make it better. Unfortunately, they were both deemed useless when it came to stopping this horrible engagement. No one listened to a woman’s opinion in these days, and no one cared at all for things people of Eli’s status had to say.

“You deserve to react in any way you please.” She felt herself chocking on her words because of her urge to cry, to just sob and scream to the sky that this wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Her life was spiraling out of control, she’d be stuck forevermore at Fitz’s side. She weakly let a slight smile grace her saddened features. “I was the coward who ran away in tears, after all.” She licked her lips, suddenly feeling extremely uneasy and embarrassed. Yet she was somewhat comforted at the same time. Having Eli there now was all that mattered to her. Just knowing that one single person on this cruel Earth cared for her like no other did.

Sickening fear bubbled in the pit of her stomach at the thought of living in everlasting paranoia. Fitz was an alcoholic… And if she ever tried to go against what he said to her, there was no telling what he’d do. She knew well that she would never lay her eyes upon Fitz in a gesture of desirability or admiration. She could be forced to marry him, but she would never have the heart to love him. Clare sniffled; hoping that she’d finally stopped her crying. She was thankful for Eli’s concern for her, even though this was a painful time for the both of them. She turned her head to look at them, but tried to avoid his eyes. She hoped he couldn’t see the fear that smoldered constantly in her own eyes. “Eli, he threatened me. H-he’s an alcoholic.” She expressed only a few of her many fears in words, “And I want to continue talking to you so much… But being the loathsome man he is, he won’t approve. How is this going to work?” her voice was weak, and she felt as though her question was a little selfish.

She hoped with all her heart that Eli wouldn’t say they would not have a chance to see each other again in the future. Clare was pretty sure she’d crack under the pressure of having to marry Fitz if she was unable to see Eli. He was the only person on Earth she’d be able to talk to. She used to confide in her parents… and now they both had managed to cause her so much pain because of their misinterpretations of Eli. They had all the right intentions, she supposed. But why did they decide to confirm the engagement with Fitz without asking her approval? Did they think she was incapable of finding a suitable husband after her terrible downfall with KC?

Clare stared at her hands, which were neatly folded in her lap. Never before had she felt so helpless. Thankfully, Eli made her feel a little better. He made her feel like she wasn’t alone. But the thought of marrying his loathsome nemesis put her to tears. Spending an eternity with Fitz until the day of her death seemed so dull in her eyes. What was she to do with her life? Clean the house while Fitz went off to drink with his friends? She wanted a life of adventure; she wanted to know what was outside the confined walls of her home. She wanted to write and read and attain more knowledge of the world around here. There was no way possible that she’d achieve that goal with Fitz holding her back

[DracoMalfoy]

Eli had doubted it was possible, but Clare’s next words hurt him even more than her first. Of course, it wasn’t challenging for him to believe that Fitz was an alcoholic, but hearing that he threatened someone who’d done absolutely nothing to him just made his blood boil to an uncomfortable temperature. Just knowing that Clare was soon going to be trapped in the hands of an idiotic, abusive alcoholic just made him want to scream to the sky; it seemed as if he would never be finished venting out his frustration. Although Clare had more right to worried and upset, Eli couldn’t help, but be selfish. He really did enjoy her friendship and he always loved having her around to speak to. But, it was obvious that Fitz would rob both of them of their friendship once he and Clare were married.

It was extremely challenging for Eli to find any words to comfort Clare; he was far too angry himself to think about anything soothing. He knew thinking about Fitz hurting Clare would only keep him up all night in fear of deadly nightmares, but if that large, worthless mistake ever laid a hand on Clare…he just didn’t know what he’d do. It wasn’t fair how neither of them could have what they really wanted and yet, scum like Fitz had whatever he desired handed to him with a snap of his fingers. Why was the world so cruel? “He threatened you?” Eli finally heard himself spit out as his jaw dropped. It was nearly impossible for him to register. Why would anyone want to hurt Clare? Fitz was nothing more than a rude alcoholic, but still, there was no reason to hurt someone as pure and kind as Clare Edwards. He’d give anything to remain her friend, but he knew her safety was far more valuable than his happiness.

“Clare, I love being with you too,” Eli continued, oddly calm. “But, if Fitz ever were to hurt you, I’d feel responsible.” Of course he’d never turn his back on Clare and walk away; he cared for her far too much for that, but, if Fitz didn’t want him around, it was probably best that they were never in the same room together. “I don’t want to dismiss our friendship and I’ll never turn my back on you, but I want you to be safe and well.” Eli hated being selfish with all his heart. Staying near her was one of the most selfish things he could ever do; yet, he couldn’t help himself. Too depressed to really care, he let his bangs fall in front of his jade eyes. Nothing could end well for him.

He hated to admit it, but he was as frightened as Clare was. The thought of seeing her marry a man as vile as Fitz made him want to scream in terror, but he just couldn’t. Some part of him wanted to seem calm, mature and brave, for Clare’s sake. He doubted she even noticed, nor did she really want his support, but he wanted to be there for her, in any way he could. Just thinking of Clare hurt almost made him tear up, but he sniffled and tried to keep himself calm. “There’s really nothing you can do?” Eli found himself asking; as soon as the words left his mouth, he wished with all of his broken heart that he could take them back. He knew there was little to nothing Clare could do and it would nearly be impossible to change things. And, it would sting so much more to hear it again from her mouth.

[AppleMistress]

Clare bit down harder on her lower lip as she listened to Eli’s reply. She knew now that she had to compose herself. She had to stop feeling sorry for herself, calm down a little, and think of possible solutions to end this horrifying problem. She hadn’t the will to look in Eli’s eyes now, as she feared her answer to his question would disappoint him even further. “I wish I could do something to stop this... I could try to plead with my parents to discontinue the engagement.” She started to say quietly, sounding just a little unsure of herself, “But I doubt they’ll follow through. After my relationship with KC ended, they seem obligated to find me someone who can make me happy.” Clare couldn’t help but roll her crystal blue orbs in exasperation as she said this, as it was quite obvious a man of Fitz’s nature would be incapable of making her blissful in any way or form. She wished with all her heart that her parents would give her the chance to marry whom she wished to marry. But in their eyes, she was much too naïve to find someone suitable. She loved her parents; she knew they had good intentions. But what they were doing to her now was hurting her more then they’d ever know. Fitz was such a revolting young man, what had he done to please her parents? What did he do that caused her parents to think she’d be contented forevermore at his side?

Hesitantly, Clare set her hand down gently on top of Eli’s in effort to calm him a little. His expression and the feeling in his words told her that he was probably hurting just as much as she was. He had to know that she was willing to be there for him as well. “Trying to persuade my parents may be a difficult task, but I’ll try the best I can...” her voice cracked lightly as she said this, doubtful of her own words. She would do everything in her power to stop the engagement, but she knew well that it would be hard enough to verbally argue with her parents. She hated to see Eli in this position; she hated to see him on the brink of tears. She wanted to continue meeting with him to talk and share a few lighthearted moments before the stiff and boring parties she had to attend in the evenings. He was the most important person to her in her life, she didn’t want to be restrained from seeing him. If he disappeared from her daily life, she hadn’t a clue on how she’d live with herself. Eli was her inspiration for knowledge and creativity. Without him, she would never be the same.

She didn’t want him to feel responsible if they were caught speaking to each other, though. She felt selfish when she felt dependent on him. She had to be strong for him. It was her at fault if they ever were caught speaking with each other, she felt. It was her desperate need to be free that could get them both into so much trouble. She wished everyone else could see what a wonderful person Eli was—all of the rich society types she lived around misunderstood him. They labeled him poor and they disliked his tactics and habits. Why did money have to separate people? Why couldn’t people live amongst each other without having to worry about riches? Money was essential for life, Clare understood that. But just because someone else had a little less money did not necessarily mean they were a bad person. When she heard Fitz slandering Eli in such a ruthless way, her blood boiled to an unhealthy temperature. Rich society types seemed to enjoy jabbing at people whom were less fortunate than them, and she despised it.

While thinking these thoughts, her sadness was slowly being replaced by resentment. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, inhaling a deep breath in a way to calm herself. Her tears finally stopped falling. Clare knew she’d have to stay strong. She had to keep her self confidence if she wanted to turn her life around. There had to be something she could do... something to stop herself from this terrible fate. But what would she do? What had to be done to convince her parents that Fitz was the last person on this earth that she wanted to marry?

[DracoMalfoy]

Eli suddenly felt himself comforted as he listened to Clare’s words. The chances of the Edwards reconsidering the engagement were disappointing, but the hope the idea brought, regardless of how weak it was, did help to brighten his expression. Fitz wasn’t perfect for Clare; he was nowhere near suitable to call himself her husband. And just thinking about what would become of their friendship if Clare was to marry the revolting young man made him cringe in fear. She was truly his best and only friend; life without her really didn’t seem worth living right now. “I’m sure you can do something,” Eli finally replied, with an encouraging smile. For the first time in the last few minutes, he had the courage to look Clare in her eyes. Her crystal blue orbs were always so enchanting to him. Her eyes spoke to him often; they were probably the things he admired most about Clare. Of course, it was deemed wrong for him think about Clare romantically, and he avoided it whenever possible, but, her beautiful eyes did have a habit of hypnotizing him.

He was caught off guard when he felt Clare’s hand rest on top of his. His heart skipped a few beats and then continued to pump at a normal pace. Something about the simple, friendly gesture just left Eli speechless for a moment. He knew both of them were rather close to each other, but even being friends was dangerous. His heart wasn’t supposed to skip when she touched him and he wasn’t supposed to blush every time his jade eyes saw her. She was only a friend to him; just that was pushing the boundaries of their society, but it was enough for him. “Your parents really love you Clare,” Eli finally gathered up the courage to continue after swallowing the lump in his throat. “Even if marrying Fitz is the most foolish decision they could make for you, they do love you.” Eli knew Clare’s parents really cared for her. It was true that they had an odd way of showing it, but they did. Though most other girls wouldn’t have the opportunity to plead their case, he was sure the Edwards would be open to what Clare had to say.

Oddly enough, he was beginning to feel a little relieved. Although the news of Clare’s engagement had frightened him more than any other news, something about just being here with her in the quiet just relaxed him. Their meetings were always his favorite part of the day. It was always sad to see her leave to attend a gathering she’d be bored to tears at, but even if he saw her for just a few moments, it made the day great. Society was definitely a cruel entity. Thanks to its rules, they had little time to see each other and technically, they weren’t even supposed to know each other. Eli despised how both of them were frowned upon. He really didn’t care much what others thought of him, but he detested how many people simply disregarded what Clare had to say because she was a woman. If he was in charge of the social rules, he’d change that. For all the time they’d been friends, Eli had learned Clare had a lot of things to say and she had some creative ideas. If someone would just stop and listen to her, he was positive they’d discover she was far more interesting than she appeared.

Those thoughts, led Eli to a completely unorthodox solution to Clare’s dilemma. He considered stating his thoughts, but quickly bit his tongue to prevent himself from speaking such foolish words. The metallic taste of blood began to fill his mouth, but still, he kept his mouth shut. For a while now, he’d considered asking Clare to just runaway with him. They could leave, go to America where everyone was free…but of course, that idea was simply foolish. Eli didn’t have a penny to his name and Clare’s parents certainly wouldn’t let her leave, especially with him! It was just a preposterous thought that kept entering his mind like a cockroach. He sighed and sent a hand through his dark hair. Someday soon, Eli had to get control of his wild imagination.

[AppleMistress]

“Yes, I know they have ethical intentions.” Clare responded softly, running a hand absentmindedly through her cinnamon textured curls, “Though I do wish they’d stop treating me like an oblivious child. I wish they’d allow me to think for myself from time to time.” She let out a gentle sigh. She supposed she was just letting her wishful thinking get a hold of herself once more. Girls didn’t have the privilege of speaking their opinions and expressing themselves, as they wanted to. They had to follow the rules society set out for them. But really, that was the last thing Clare wanted. Freedom and independence from this way of life seemed like utopia to her. She was thankful that her parents were willing to listen to her—but they tended to constantly tell her that she let her uncanny imagination get the best of her. They were loving and protective parents, and she felt selfish asking them for anything. So she knew asking them to withdraw her engagement with Fitz would be an extremely hard thing for her to do.

She finally opened her eyes, looking out in front of her at the quaintly quiet area around them. It was nice, just sitting here where they could hide away from the rest of the world. The time she spent with Eli was time she appreciated greatly. He made her feel like she actually had the right to her opinions and ideas. The feeling was just spectacular. She couldn’t help but feel her cheeks burn faintly upon realizing that she couldn’t seem to get the handsome young gentleman out of her head. All she ever thought about when she was standing alongside the rich society types at the various parties she attended was what Eli would think of the irritating men who only ranted about their stocks and fortune. She always tended to smile whenever she imagined him scoffing and rolling his eyes at the very thought. His gestures and comments always tended to bring a lighthearted grin to her features. Something about being around Eli made her feel so free and comfortable.

She sat there in sincere silence for a few more moments, just enjoying her freedom now while she still had it. There was no telling how long it’d be until she would possibly be Fitz’s wife, and she knew she had to take pleasure in it while she had it in her grasp. If she was unable to convince her parents that marrying Fitz was a mistake, then that’d be it. She’d have limited time to express her opinions and act freely. It made her feel as though she was a prisoner that was just about to be caught—just about to be caught and sentenced to a life forevermore in a dungeon of despair.

Clare pursed her lips at the thought, a little discouraged. Forevermore would she be with Fitz. That life definitely did not satisfy her. If there was no way to convince her parents, that was it. The line was cut. She looked towards Eli, trying her best to cast away all of her negativity. She attempted a small smile, despite the dismay she felt towards the situation. “Um… thanks for being here.” She started, sounding a little embarrassed as she looked down towards the ground, “I really appreciate it and all…” She couldn’t help but wonder why she was stuttering all of the sudden. She lacked the confidence in her ability to convince her parents, but she knew she had to do so if she wanted to stop herself from this endless spiral of depression. She had to do it for Eli, too. She had to keep hope that she could keep their friendship alive.

[DracoMalfoy]

“Everyone should be allowed to think for themselves,” Eli remarked coldly. He just didn’t understand why people thought they were better than others. Every single person in the world is a human being with thoughts and emotions; why do some people simply disregard that? It was just something he couldn’t comprehend. Eli loved being different and living his life the way he wanted to, Clare, had to follow a specific code of conduct and it was unacceptable for her to fall below society’s standards. He wished they could live without fear of what society thought of them. It wasn’t fair for Clare to have her fate chosen for her; she deserved the right to live the way she wanted to, just like every other human being. Although it was selfish thinking, he just couldn’t process the idea of Clare marrying Fitz. Seeing her married to another man, especially one he despised, would be incredibly hard for him to do.

Eli forced himself to look away from Clare’s crystal blue eyes finally and tried his best to focus on something else. Just seeing her meant the world to him. When they were alone, they were free to do and say whatever they wanted; no one else in the world mattered to them but each other and hiding from the world seemed like so much fun with Clare, especially since neither one of them wanted to be found. Clare made him feel appreciated and loved and it was just overwhelming for him. No one really cared for him as much as she did and the feeling of being truly loved just made his heart soar. Clare was the most beautiful girl in the world, and he was lucky to have her as a close friend. Sometimes, he wished he could attend one of those elegant parties just to be with her. They seemed tedious and useless, but, he’d do anything to spend more time with Clare. It seemed wherever they were, Eli would feel comfortable being with her.

He was brought from his thoughts when he heard Clare break the silence between them. He couldn’t help but smile at her words. Eli was willing to be there for her whenever he needed her; besides, if their positions were switched, he was sure she’d do the same for him. Taking a breath, held her hand and tried his best to fight off a blush. “It’s really not a problem, Clare,” Eli replied casually, but sweetly with a sincere smile. They had each other and that was all that mattered. He hated to think that their days may be numbered, and, even if they were, he wanted to enjoy the time he had left with Clare before she was married to Fitz. “I want to be here for you. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?” This time was confusing for him. He really cared for Clare and he wanted to spend time with her no matter what others said or thought, but, now that she was engaged to Fitz, everything became truly complicated. The thought of her getting hurt because she wanted to spend time with him made Eli sick. He wanted her to be safe, but he was too selfish to leave her.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Clare was feeling the same conflict inside her. Fitz put their friendship in jeopardy and if there was nothing she could do to change her parents’ mind, they’d have little time to talk anymore. But…that was negative thinking. Eli literally shook his head, trying to banish the fears and paranoia from his mind. He wouldn’t spend his last possible few days with Clare worrying about what was to come. All that mattered was that he had a good time with her. Trying to find something new to ponder, Eli looked back into Clare’s eyes and nearly found himself hypnotized. He didn’t really know why he loved her eyes so much; they were the very first things he noticed about her. They said so much about her. Her eyes appeared caring and friendly, just like her; they also showed off how imaginative and creative she was. They really were a marvel to Eli.

[AppleMistress]

Clare couldn’t help but let the slightest shade of pink brush across her porcelain cheeks. Eli’s touch was so gentle and heartfelt; it made her feel like a fragile object that was being handled with the utmost amount of care. At the thought of appearing any more flustered, she looked down sheepishly. She absently brushed her side swept bangs out of her eyes with her free hand, smiling a small and appreciative smile. She couldn’t help but wonder why she felt so flustered and jittery at his touch. Romantic thoughts of the young man weren’t acceptable. Not only by social standards, of course. They were so close, if she held romantic feelings for him and he couldn’t find the heart to return them, she was pretty sure their friendship would shatter. And that was the last thing on earth she wanted. Eli was the only person who truly saw her for who she was, she felt as though she could be completely honest about everything with him. If she lost the person she trusted the most in the world, then how would she be able to find confidence in anyone else?

The brunette closed her eyes, inhaling a deep breath to soothe her conflicting thoughts. She leaned back further against the bark of the tree behind her, inwardly wishing she could just sit here forever. She wouldn’t have to worry about stepping foot inside her elegant home, arguing with her parents’ tactics… Facing Fitz after running away when their engagement was announced. Would he be mad about that? His actions were partly what had driven her to scamper away in fear in the first place. Fitz was an unreasonable man sometimes, though. Her heart couldn’t help but pound faster as she thought about the menacing gleam in his dark blue eyes as he bickered with her. If she had to live with him for the rest of her life, she’d have to be on her toes all the time. Although she could find the courage to verbally stand up to the tall man, she didn’t know what she’d do if he began to use his fists. She wasn’t all that strong when it came to defending herself psychically. Flinching visibly at the thought, she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. Now wasn’t the time to think about these things. She needed to calm down, she needed to enjoy these few moments of peace while she had them in her grasp. She was afraid of Fitz, but she wasn’t willing to let her fear get the best of her. She’d face Fitz to the best of her ability if it meant standing up to her friendship with Eli. A world without him would surely send her into depression.

Trying to console herself a little, Clare opened her pale blue eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder if she looked like a complete mess. She was sure her eyes had visible red splotches after she’d cried her eyes out earlier. And she’d probably be scolded for ruining her new dress with grass stains. Then again, she didn’t really care much for appearance much anyway. Tonight, or at least what was left of tonight, she was going to relax to a full extent. She wouldn’t have to care if her shoes were missing or if her dress was wrinkled and dirty. Acting so carelessly wasn’t exactly the right way to handle a problem, but right now, relaxing herself and enjoying her time with Eli was important.

She looked towards Eli upon finding the courage to do so. “You’re so kind.” She expressed meekly with a slight grin. She paused, biting her lower lip for a mere moment before looking back up at him, “Please, don’t feel responsible… I mean, if Fitz does something. He’s an alcoholic, he’ll probably do some reckless or harsh things. I love spending my time with you so—but… I just don’t want you to feel responsible.” She became just a little tongue tied saying this, as she felt as though it was a little rushed and timid. She didn’t want Eli to feel responsible on her account if Fitz did something to her. It was her selfish want to be free that would be held responsible if they were caught, after all. As much as she hated bringing up difficult subjects like these, it was oh so hard to ignore them. Ever since hearing the announcement of her engagement to Fitz, her mind had gone haywire, thinking of all the things that would go wrong. She hated feeling paranoid, but she really could not help it.

[DracoMalfoy]

Eli felt himself smile lightly at Clare’s kind words. Never did he want to think about Fitz hurting her, even if it was quite possible, but he really was shocked at how kind she was. Regardless of what anyone said or did, he would feel responsible if Clare was hurt for associating with him. Her effort to ease his fears and conscience though warmed his heart. It was hard to fight the blush that was once again trying to sneak its way onto his face. Eli was determined to someday get control of his emotions when he was around Clare. His blushing was obvious on his pale face and he felt so foolish sitting there, blushing like a mad man. Shrugging the thought off, he examined the dark green grass with his own green eyes. He remembered his friendship with Clare was special because they didn’t care what others thought and they were perfectly comfortable being themselves. So maybe it was okay to blush every once in a while. Romantic thoughts were out of the question though, Eli tried to remind himself. Their friendship was the most important thing to him and he would never purposely put it in jeopardy. Clare’s kindness and trust was valuable to him; he didn’t want to gamble it because of his own reckless feelings. Their friendship was enough for him; at least, that’s what he told himself.

Sighing to himself, Eli leaned his back against the tree he’d taken his frustration out on only minutes ago. Much to his joy, time seemed to be moving slowly. If anything, he feared his time with Clare would fly by like a bird, but right now seemed surreal. He wondered if Clare thought the same way, but for him, this was perfect. Even with danger hanging in the thin air above them, just being here together in silence was enough for him. There was no telling what tomorrow would bring, but that didn’t matter to Eli right now, or, he tried not to think about it. Who knew when he would see Clare again? Ever precious minute had to be used to its full advantage. “How about we try and forget about it...just for tonight?” Eli suggested, speaking his mind like he often did. He knew that those who lived in high society often stressed about the littlest things; Clare wasn’t normally like that. One night of escape sounded perfect to him and he hoped the same could be said for his friend.

Trying to lighten the mood between them, Eli moved his hand away from Clare’s and then up to one of her cinnamon curls and gently fiddled with it for a moment. “Maybe we could take a walk?” he continued, probably sounding a little too excited about the idea. “I could kidnap you, just for a while.” Honestly, if Eli was going to hold her hostage, he would never have an intention of returning her. She was too great for the stuck up life she lived in, but he guessed sometimes, fate had an odd way of fooling with people. Sometimes, when it was just them, he completely forgot that Clare rested on the other end of the social spectrum. It really didn’t have to matter how much money someone had. To Eli, Clare was just a person; a beautiful, creative, humorous, perfect person. And, even if he was just a mere peasant in the eyes of her peers, he was positive she just saw him as a person as well. Clare would never be one to judge someone by appearance; she was far too good for that.

“So, what do you say, Miss Edwards?” he finished, in a teasing tone.

Even though they were the best of friends, Eli found great humor in teasing her. Sometimes, seeing her roll her crystal blue eyes playfully was entertaining and seeing her react to his playful comments always made his day. Though, he never meant harm in his joking actions, it was fun to just be silly and forget how serious and dark life had to be. Everyone deserved a break from their everyday routine, he thought. And, Eli knew that even if she refused to show it, Clare really did mind his teasing. Though he found it hard to read her mind sometimes, he was almost sure she preferred it over the boring, lifeless chatter that went on at those sleep inducing gatherings she was forced to attend.

[AppleMistress]

Clare couldn’t help but let an extremely heartfelt smile cross her features as she heard Eli’s words. Just hearing the suggestion made her feel free and cheery. She admired his attempts at comforting the situation with an optimistic solution. Although escaping problems in oblivion and bliss could be a bad thing sometimes, she was sure spending what was left of the night with Eli wouldn’t hurt. The worst possible scenario was probably the chances they’d run into Fitz, which she highly doubted. Mr. Fitzpatrick was probably scoping out some of the more popular liquor stores or bars at this hour, after all. She was quite sure that a bar was the last place they would go. Just thinking of the acrid smell wafting towards her as Fitz spoke his arrongant words to her made her shudder inwardly. So, deciding to treat Eli’s decision with full appreciation, she casted all of her paranoid thoughts away. Tonight, the night that might be her last night of freedom, she was going to have some fun. The pristine girl couldn’t help but hope it’d last forever.

The analytical brunette raised an eyebrow as her sapphire eyes smoldered with knowledge beyond her years. “Hm...” she started for a brief moment, letting her chin sink into her palms for a moment as she tilted her head slightly to the side, “Tell me, Mr. Goldsworthy. Do all kidnappers ask their victims permission before whisking them away?” She said this teasingly in reply in order to match his enthusiasm. There weren’t enough words for her to describe how thankful she was for Eli’s presence right then. He was the only person who could make her grin... The only person who could make her heart flutter so terribly fast... Clare became a little flustered at her sudden thoughts, and tried to dismiss them as she focused on the good-humored situation at hand. Leave it to Eli to make her feel both appreciative and confused at the same time. To her, that was just one of his fascinating traits. The way his jade eyes sparked with mischievous intent and the way his voice sounded so jokingly, yet gentle at the same time warmed her heart.

As though to express her agreement with Eli’s suggestion, Clare brushed invisible dirt off of her olive evening gown before lifting up to her feet. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning her back against the trunk of the old tree as she looked down at him with a curious expression. Part of her was telling her to turn back, to confront her parents. But then the other side of her wanted to run off with Eli. She ultimately and quickly decided she’d go with Eli—mainly because she felt that he deserved her time and attention more than her parents did right now. She’d think about her parents when the time came around. Thinking more about her engagement to Fitz would drive her over the edge for sure—she needed to give the blow of the situation a rest for a little while to help ease herself. And who knew when she’d even get to see Eli again? That question made her heart ache.

Taking a deep breath, Clare let her pessimistic thoughts tarnish. Her crystal blue orbs glittered with amusement as she looked down at Eli expectantly. Tonight she’d have a good time—she’d forget her problems for an hour or to. Though she couldn’t help but wonder where Eli was planning on taking her.

[DracoMalfoy]

Hearing Clare’s question made Eli actually chuckle out loud for a moment. Truthfully, he hadn’t expected a response like that and it only confirmed his suspicions that Clare was always full of surprises. He was overjoyed though because it seemed like she was accepting his invitation for a small escape from the judgmental and cruel world they both lived in. Although this night couldn’t, Eli wished it could last forever. Every moment he spent with Clare was amazing and precious to him. Hearing she was marrying Fitz really felt like a dagger to his heart and he did want to escape the reality that his best friend was to be wed to his bitterest enemy. If he could just forget it for one night, he would.

Eli rolled his green eyes playfully as he sent his gaze over to the nearby road for a moment before returning to Clare. “Not normally, no,” he replied teasingly. He often enjoyed the times when he and Clare would playfully bicker. One of the best feelings to him was struggling to come up with a clever reply to something she said to him. It really did ease his fears and he was almost positive that it was a bit of a distraction to Clare as well. “But, I think kidnappers should be a little more kind to their victims. Maybe then they’d be more willing to go.” Now, Eli was determined to “kidnap” Clare for the night. He wasn’t sure where he’d take her, but, she deserved some time away from her hectic, high society life.

If they were caught escaping or returning together, he knew things may not turn out so well, but oddly enough, that was a risk Eli wanted both of Clare and himself to take. Neither of them truly knew how long it would be before the marriage between Clare and Fitz approached. Although he wished the engagement could be postponed, he also knew that they needed to enjoy the precious minutes they had together. Imagining life without Clare was nearly impossible for Eli, but someday it would happen; unfortunately, that day was coming way too quickly for his taste. But, tonight was a night that he and Clare could just enjoy. It could be their special dream; Eli hated sounding negative, but he did know that you had to wake up from a dream. Eternity was definitely a long time in most people’s minds, but, if he was with Clare, then it wasn’t long enough in his mind. Eli dreamed that it wasn’t practically forbidden for them to meet in the open; he couldn’t help but wonder if there would ever be a time when the rich and the poor could be friends without becoming a mockery of society. If they lived to see the day, they’d be pretty old, he thought.

From here on out, Eli was determined to make this night fun and bright for the both of them. Neither of them wanted to think about Fitz or the fact that Clare was engaged to that scum of a man. Right now, the young man just wanted to have some fun and forget about all the trouble in their lives; he was positive Clare wanted the same thing almost as much as she wanted to be free from her parents’ obligations. Mimicking his friend’s actions, Eli pretended to brush dirt off his clothes as he eyed Clare playfully with his entranced green eyes. “The night is young Miss Edwards, but at the rate you’re moving, soon, I won’t be,” Eli continued to tease her, his tone and intentions only good and playful. He simply loved how Clare wasn’t afraid to defy her society. Leave it to him to find a best friend that was similar to him in almost every way. He guessed that was what really made them so close to each other.

[AppleMistress]

Clare simply challenged Eli with a playful smirk as she pushed off gently from the rough bark of the tree she had been leaning up against a mere moment before. She walked off a few paces ahead, towards the deserted road she assumed they’d be taking. She abruptly turned when she was only a yard or two away from where she had been standing beforehand, her reddish brown curls bouncing lightly against her shoulders in gesture with the movement. “You’d best hurry before your victim gets away from you, Mr. Goldsworthy.” She teased lightheartedly, her kindly smirk still gracing her features. Even though it seemed their little adventure had just started, she felt that she was already having a splendid time. Joking around was something she couldn’t possibly do in her high-class style home. It was much too unladylike to think or to express opinions. Though when she was with Eli, it was like society didn’t matter at all. It made her wish suddenly that they were the only two people in this town. The problems regarding political and economic situations would just disappear. Clare knew that was selfish of her, and she scolded herself inwardly for it. If anyone were to disappear, it should be her. She was the one of her kind that didn’t balance in with the way things were supposed to be. Disregarding her thoughts, she focused on Eli instead. Things couldn’t work the way she wanted them to, but tonight, she’d forget everything. She wouldn’t let her problems smash her will now.

Forgetting everything for a little while seemed too good to be true. And she was being granted that one wish tonight. She focused on the wind, the way it caressed her porcelain cheeks tenderly. The fresh air. The sheltered area surrounded by trees and nature had the power to make her feel free. And that’s really what she needed. She had to focus on the positive side of her night to make her negative thoughts blemish. Feeling a little relieved in her sudden ability to ease her worried thoughts, she inhaled a deep breath of the outdoorsy air. She was free for a night. And she was with her one and only best friend. This was most likely one of her last glimpses of a carefree life, and she had to enjoy it to the fullest. Her smirk turned into a somewhat sincere smile.

Clare suddenly let her glance move downcast, and she eyed her feet, which were trapped inside uncomfortable shoes. Pursing her lips, she leaned over, slipping them off so they fell limply into the dewy grass. Leaning over, she hooked both of the shoes on her forefingers. She’d hold them while they walked; and if they encountered a place where they’d be indoors, she’d slip them back on. But for now, she just felt relieved to be rid of the devastating shoes. The brunette was pretty sure her tiny feet were red and blistered at this point—if walking around barefoot meant she’d be rid of them for a little while, she was willing to do so.

She looked up at Eli sheepishly after doing this, her blue orbs swirling with eagerness and puzzlement. She scrunched her lips slightly, looking up at the darkening sky for a second or so before returning her attention to the young man. She smiled gingerly at him before turning around, taking a few steps on ahead. The brunette loved the way the earthy ground felt beneath her freed feet. She looked at him from behind her shoulder curiously and playfully. “Coming?”

[DracoMalfoy]

Eli couldn’t hide his smirk as he watched Clare’s actions. Compared to the proper, crafted doll she appeared to be at her society’s social gatherings, she almost appeared as if she were in a different time; a time where women didn’t have to dress up all the time and answer to the men in their life. Something about it was entertaining and oddly surprising to him. Her teasing always seemed to make him laugh. Sometimes his jokes and jabs at her irritated her, but it was only in good fun; Clare just couldn’t seem to duplicate the way he made her feel. She always made him laugh and smile; that was one of the best things about her though. “I couldn’t let my victim escape now could I?” he responded with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, playing along with this unusual scenario they’d created for themselves. “If I let you go, I would bring shame to the kidnappers’ union.” Eli chuckled as he spoke, not finding the joke to be particularly humorous, but instead, he was taking far too much joy in this silly game. It was just sad that this may be their last night doing something like this.

Trying to expel that negative thought, Eli quickly walked to Clare’s side, disregarding things like proper posture and grace. His abnormal movements most likely did make him look foolish, but, as long as he was with Clare, he didn’t really seem to even notice other people, let alone care about what they thought of him. Directing his jade eyes towards the dark path ahead, he smiled, not smirked, but legitimately smiled. The moon was out, only providing a view of what was directly in front of them and the rest was a mystery. To him, it seemed like both of them were taking a chance. Eli hated to admit it, but, he’d always dreamt of seeing the world. An unbelievable adventure to see every country and culture their world had to offer sounded amazing to him. But, just walking the streets with Clare felt even more amazing. And, processing that thought made his cheeks burn a deep crimson shade. Why did she always have to make him blush?

“I like not being able to see where we’re going,” Eli broke the silence between them, randomly speaking his mind. He was always a fan of mystery and risk. Although the streets of London were nearly abandoned at night, he always loved to think about who or what they would run into while they were out. Even the smallest interaction between someone they assumed wasn’t important could change the entire course of their lives. It was frightening to think about too. Eli’s inner fear let off an alarm, reminding him that they could also run into Fitz while they were out. When, his bitter enemy’s name came to mind, some many questions followed. What would they do if they were caught? Of course, he would protect Clare. What about the engagement? He just didn’t know. Eli cursed himself under his breath for thinking of the man who was responsible for all the turmoil in his and Clare’s lives. This was supposed to be a fun entertaining night; not one of worry and sorrow.

He glanced at Clare once again, and almost instantly, a smile was brought back to his face. He truly was lucky to have her as a best friend. No one understood and listened to him better than she did. When he had mad, risky plans, she tried to bring his mind back to planet earth and keep him safe. She was really the best friend anyone could ever ask for. Once again, Eli found himself blushing madly. He faced away from her quickly, hoping she hadn’t seen him as red as a cherry. It’d be completely embarrassing if she had.

[AppleMistress]

Clare listened to Eli’s words attentively, slanting her head to the side in contemplation as her cinnamon textured curls swayed lightly with her gesture. She let the dainty yet bewitching shoes she was holding nonchalantly with her forefingers dangle gently as she strode along the darkening streets of London. The young girl couldn’t help but fear these streets at night—there was no telling who and what you would run into. Though as she walked alongside Eli, she felt contented and safe. He just had that compelling affect on her, and it was yet another trait she admired about him that she could add to her ever-growing list. As though to hide the fact that her cheeks were burning as she secretly admired him in her outlandish thoughts, she let her gaze descend towards the ground for a moment. She absently pulled at the tip of one of her ringlet’s, letting it bounce back into the same position it was at a second earlier. Her hair had always had a mind of its’ own, after all. It was terribly hard to tame sometimes, though she did like it the way it was. She wasn’t the type to spend hours staring at her reflection in admiration, after all. Of course, her hair was probably the last thing she should worry about at a time like this.

The brunette realized how outlandish and transfixed she probably seemed, and forced herself out of her trance. She lifted her downcast glance to look over at Eli with a shy smile. She shook her head knowingly at him, sending her free hand towards the back of her neck in order to soothe the troublesome stiffness that had formed whilst she was at the party only minutes earlier. “Well, I suppose I understand that. You’re a man of mystery.” She didn’t let her smile falter, even though she couldn’t seem to expel some of her negative thoughts. What if Fitz decided to go looking for her after she fled the party? What did her parents think of her for acting so rudely and unladylike on her impulsive fear? She pursed her lips. Clare suddenly didn’t care what they thought. She would rebel a little before she was stuck forevermore at Fitz’s side. It made her feel uneasy and nervous to go against her parent’s words, but tonight, she felt it was only fair to make a simple exception. Spending as much time as she possibly could with Eli was worth breaking a million rules to her—he was really that much of an important person to her. Just thinking of losing him made her cringe visibly. It was so hard for her to forget that everything was going wrong. The tiny thought that this may be the last time she’d ever spend with Eli made her feel as though she was being stabbed ruthlessly in the heart. The memory of the pain flashing through his enchanting jade eyes as she had explained the news to him overwhelmed her. And knowing there was nothing she could do about this hurt her even more. She wanted to help him, to make his hurt go away. She knew well that he’d already suffered through several tragedies. They needed each other; and they were going to be forcibly separated.

Feeling a little desperate, she couldn’t help but edge a little closer to him as she walked alongside him—just enough that their shoulders were close to touching. She liked the way he smelled; and having him so close to her made her feel safe and warm on the inside. Inwardly, she hoped that the darkening skies were hiding her flushed porcelain cheeks. She had an unbreakable bond with this young man, and Fitz would never get in the way of that. Even if she was forced to live forevermore at his side.

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