Chapter 1

Joan and Luke both walked out of their rooms and towards the top of the staircase. When there, they took one look at each other, and bolted down the stairs. They both reached the bottom at the same time, but Luke fell as he turned the corner. Being the caring sister she is, Joan kept going, strait into the kitchen. She flung open the top cabinet and took out the box of Pop-tarts, which was surprisingly empty.
"Another normal morning in the Girardi household, I see?" Joan gasped and turned around to see Grace sitting at her kitchen table. She was casually drinking her coffee and eating a Pop-tart. "No," Joan, disgusted, explained, "we're never this civilized." She opened the box, as if making sure it was empty, then threw it angrily into the trashcan. "Did you eat my Pop-tart?", she asked curiously pointing at Grace.
"No," Grace replied smirking, "I ate your brother's Pop-tart"
"What are you talking about"
"Oh, uh, his name was on it in red permanent marker. Why, I do not know, but I was hungry. By the way, where is Luke?" She asked "I haven't seen him since after Physics yesterday"
Joan giggled quietly to herself; "He fell at the bottom of the stairs"
"Uh-huh" Grace said, curiously confused, wondering if Joan was losing it again, or telling the truth. She got up from where she was sitting, and left her in the kitchen. Grace walked over to the bottom of the stairs, only to see Luke there.
"Hey." She offered.
"Hey, Grace." He said emotionlessly, lifting his head from where it rested in his hands. His arms were still propped up on his knees. "Did you fall or something"
"No, Grace, I always sit at the bottom of the stairs in the morning." He said sarcastically. He looked over at her at the same time she looked at him. Their eyes locked, and they both smiled softly. Soon their smiles faded as they slowly moved together. Their lips had just touched.
"Hey, hey, hey." Joan interrupted. They quickly separated and looked her way. "It's the weekend. Save it for after school, or at least when I'm not here. The last thing I need right now is a replay of 3 weeks ago, ok"
"Shut it Girardi." Luke and Grace both quietly laughed. He gave her a quick kiss before he went back up to his room.
"Luke, don't you want breakfast?" Joan yelled behind him.
"No," he answered, "There was this really cute blonde in out kitchen, so I let her have it." He said, continuing up the stairs.
Joan, looking annoyed, walked into her family room. Grace, looking happy, followed. They both threw themselves on the couch. Grace put her feet up on the coffee table. Joan kicked them off and let out a loud, noticeable sigh.
"So, you and my brother, huh?" She asked.
"Still can't come to face reality, can ya Girardi?" Grace answered.
"Look, I know this might be...kind of an odd...personal question...but-" Grace cut her off. "Spit it out" she said impatiently.
"But why Luke? I mean, like, how?" Joan finished quickly.
"Ok, this is just weird." She replied as she stood and headed toward and up the stairs. "What, wait, Grace, where are you going?" Joan yelled. Grace continued up the stairs, ignoring Joan. She walked all they way up to Luke's door. Taking a deep breath, she knocked, but let herself in soon after. She walked in slowly, and carefully shut the door behind her. Luke spun around in his chair, and smiled when he saw her.
"Cute blonde?" She asked quietly, sitting on the edge of his bed.
"Well, yeah. You are blonde," he said, then softly added, "and you are cute"
"Cute?" She asked, "Do you still have that death wish?" She added. He looked at her curiously, "would you have rather me said 'hot'?" He was slightly hoping for a 'yes'. Grace was about to say something when Luke's mother interrupted them.
"Luke, bring me all of your dirty laundry." Helen yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
"Your mother still does your laundry?" She asked. He took it as a rhetorical question, and chose, for multiple reasons, not to answer her.