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1 ~ Not Such An Idiot After All

Eli rolled over in bed and pushed the blankets off himself. He'd fallen asleep in his work clothes again after staying up late to work on a new song. He groggily turned off the alarm clock that read ten thirty.

His mom had pretty much recovered fully from the accident so he didn't have to wake up early anymore to help her down the stairs or anything. She was working again, not as much as before. But it was a start.

He was getting along with his mom again, splitting his time between her house and the house his dad shared with Lilly and her family. He was working full time at BookLovers still, proving he wasn't such an idiot after all.

~

In the kitchen there was a note on the fridge reminding him to pick his sister, Jessie, up from school around lunch and take her to a dentist appointment. He still had a while before he needed to leave so he fixed himself some breakfast and headed downstairs, anxious to get back to the song.

~

Eli drummed his fingers on the steering wheel along with the music on the radio. He was parked outside of the high school waiting for Jessie but she wasn't out front like she was supposed to be. Finally he turned off the car and walked inside to look for her.

He was roaming through the halls when he noticed his stepsister Grace hanging out with her friends. "Hey Grace have you seen Jess? I'm supposed to take her somewhere," he asked as he rocked back and forth on his feet, with his hands in his pockets.

"Did you ask the office? They'll page her for you."

He shook his head, "Yea right and risk running in to the Vice Principal? No thanks."

"Try the drama hall. I think she and Katie are usually around there at lunch time," Grace answered sounding slightly annoyed.

He thanked her and walked in the direction of the drama area. Sure enough he spotted Jessie leaning against some lockers by the theatre deep in conversation with her best friend Katie. "Jess!" he called. "Where have you been? I'm supposed to take you to the dentist."

Jessie looked a bit startled and Eli got the distinct feeling he had interrupted something. Jessie grabbed her things and said goodbye quietly to Katie before following Eli down the hall. "I'm sorry I forgot about the appointment," she mumbled.

"Don't make me come in to get you next time. Its creepy being here and not being an actual student."

"They can't give you detention or anything anymore. You graduated remember?" she teased him.

He sighed, "Just barely."

"Are you coming to dad's house tonight?" Jessie asked as they got in the car.

"Nope. Some of the guys are in town for the weekend. We're going out to celebrate Tyler's birthday," Eli replied. "I think whatever they've got planned is going to be a little more exciting than take-out food at dad and Lilly's place don't you?"

"I guess," Jessie said sounding a little disappointed. "Are you at least going to stay over there tonight? You're never around anymore."

"Because I have a job, unlike you," he reminded her impatiently. "You know I was staying at mom's to help her out."

She countered, "Mom's better."

Eli scowled at her, "I don't see why you're complaining about me being busy. Every time I see you, Katie's glued to your side."

"What is this music?" Jessie asked, changing the subject without him noticing.

He rolled his eyes, "Its alternative."

"An alternative to what?"

"To that old crap you listen to."

~

Eli walked in to BookLovers through the back entrance in to the storeroom. He pulled on the light blue button down shirt that was his uniform and left it open over the white t-shirt he was wearing. As he walked out towards the coffee bar he heard Jake, the owner call him from the office that he shared with Judy.

"You rang?" Eli asked as he leaned on the door jam.

Jake gestured for him to come in, "We're going to be understaffed for a few days. Kenny just called in sick."

"That's the third time this week."

"I know. I told him not to come back." Jake rubbed his forehead indicating how stressed he was, "Do you think you could help close tonight?"

Eli thought about his friends meeting him at Charlie's Pub. He could be a little late and they wouldn't mind. "I've got plans but we'll be done here by eleven right?"

"Great," Jake smiled, even though Eli hadn't officially agreed to stay longer. "I'll probably need you to take some more shifts too. Is that okay? I mean your mom's pretty much recovered right?"

Eli nodded, "Yea she's back at work again. I can probably swing a few more hours, I guess I could use the money. I'll just need to know ahead of time that's all."

"No problem," Jake acted as if he was doing Eli a favor instead of the other way around. "Have you clocked in yet?"

~

"Sammler! Its about time you showed up," shouted Eli's friend Matt. Eli walked past the bar towards the pool table where his friends had congregated. "We were beginning to think you'd ditched us for some chick."

Eli shook his head, "No man. Important coffee business."

"Oh ya, Ty told me you got a new job. What happened at the recording studio?" Jay asked as he handed Eli a drink.

"It's a long and boring story. Besides the pay is much better at this new place," Eli replied hoping he wouldn't have to tell them about getting arrested and everything. Most of his friends were away at college except for Tyler who was working full time at some sort of electrician apprenticeship. Eli just couldn't bring himself to tell them how badly he had messed up. "So who's winning?" he gestured towards the pool table.

"I am," both Tyler and Matt answered simultaneously.


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