PART 10
Jessie walked out of school and looked around. The whole day had gone slowly. She just wanted to get home and let the day end. She looked over to see a familiar face standing by a car. She hopped down the steps and over to the girl.
"Heather, what are you doing here?" Jessie asked.
Heather pushed herself off her car and smiled. "I just finished my last class and Katie told me this was your school. I thought I could drive you home. That's okay, right?" Jessie nodded. "Great! Hop in."
They both jumped into her car and started out of the parking lot. Jessie stared over at Heather. She had her long brown hair down. It had blond streeks running through it. She had a pair of tight jeans on and a black tank top that had spagetti strps. Jessie felt butterfly in her stomach. This made her quickly turn away.
"So, um, why are you so comfortable around me?" Jessie asked. The question had been bothering her for awhile. "Anyone who knows I'm gay gets really strange around me. They think I have some kind of disease."
Heather looked over at her. "Well, let's just say I see the world from the same side of the line like you do."
"You're gay to?" Jessie asked, a bit surprised.
*~B&W~*
*~Jessie stares up at the camera with wide eyes. "I had no idea."~*
"The person who helped me realize that I was gay broke my heart," Heather explained. "I convinced myself I was straight though. I even told Katie I was straight. But, then I met you. I really can't convince myself anymore." Jessie froze at her words. "I know you and Katie are together and that I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."
Jessie smiled. "No, it's okay. It's great to be needed sometimes." They got to Jessie's house and Heather turned the car off. Jessie smiled. "You want to come in for something to drink?"
"Sure," Heather smiled.
They walked into the house and Jessie went straight to the fridge. She pulled out two sodas and handed one to Heather. Heather smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear. She opened the soda and took a sip. Jessie smiled and jumped onto the counter. She still had her thoughts on what Heather said to her in the car.
"So, how's the appartment coming along?" Jessie asked.
"Great," Heather answered. "Mr. Linon says it's almost through and Katie and me can move in about two weeks from now. Then in two years you can move in."
"I can't wait," Jessie smiled. "When I get out of this house it would be like freedom. Lately I feel stuck." She sighed. "Can I tell you something? I would talk to Katie but, I want to talk to you. I mean, you're here."
Heather leaned against the counter. "Sure, I mean, go ahead."
"Well, um, well, remember me telling you about Eli and Grace?" Jessie explained and took a sip of soda. "Well, I was always jealous of Grace. Eli gave her a lot of attention before and after the wedding. I never had a reason to be jealous. He's my brother though and I was always okay when he had girlfriends. It's different with Grace. And well, I think they're sleeping together now."
Heather looked over at her. "Why do you think this?"
"Well, it was like two in the morning," Jessie explained. "It was Sunday. Well, I walked down from my room in the attic and saw Grace's light on. When I went in to turn it off she wasn't there. She wasn't even in the house. The next morning she and Eli came into the house together. Grace said that she woke up early and they were playing cards or whatever in the garage. I know better."
*~B&W~*
*~Jessie smiles. "I feel so comfortable with her. It's really weird."~*
"Think of it this way," Heather began, "love comes in all shapes and sizes. You and Katie, you're stepmom and your dad, and Eli and Grace. As you can see, girl and girl, girl and boy, stepbrother and stepsister. Things are weird but trust me, with love it doesn't matter."
Jessie let out a chocked laugh. "You're smart."
"Thanks," Heather said. "So, I think that you should just let the Eli and Grace thing go. It's a smart idea."
Mean while, Grace was in her English class. Her friend, Kelly, sat next to her and took out a notebook. She took one of Grace's pens and wrote the date. Grace just stared at the front of the class and waited for it to begin. When the teacher started Kelly began to whisper.
"So, what did your parents do about the paper?" Kelly asked.
"Nothing, I didn't show it to them," Grace told her and wrote down a few notes. "I'm not that stupid."
"Well, something happened to you," Kelly said and looked her over. "Oh, you had sex."
"No," Grace jumped.
Kelly looked her over. "No, you're right, that's not it. Hold on, I'll get this. Hair down with a light brush to it, hardly any make up, cheeks red. Oh, big one, you're wearing a sweater. I got it. You tried to sleep with your stepbrother and he pushed you away." Grace froze and looked at her. "Oh yeah, I'm good."
Grace leaned back in her chair. "Okay, fine. I'll tell you. Eli and I kissed and after that I went to his room. He pushed me away saying he didn't want it to seem like he was taking advanage of me. I just feel like he doesn't want it to happen."
"Well, it might have seemed like that because you're a virgin and he's slept with a lot of girls," Kelly said.
"Not helping," Grace snapped.
*~B&W~*
*~Grace is on the stool. "Kelly knows me. I met her in English the first day and sense then I can't keep a secret. She can tell from anything I'm wearing or how I look what's going on."~*
"Listen, whatever Eli tells me I believe," Grace told her. "He gives something to me that nobody else can."
"Yeah, an orgasim," Kelly smiled.
"Kelly!" Grace jumped.
"What?" Kelly laughed. "Listen, you and Eli have been on and off. I know I only met you a little bit ago, but I know. Do you think something will happen? Are you in love with him?"
Grace looked down and then started to write what the teacher was saying. "We should pay attention."
After class Grace ran out. Kelly wasn't to far behind her. Grace didn't want to hear whatever Kelly had to say. Truth was, Grace did love Eli, she just wasn't sure he loved her. She climbed into her car and then drove away. Kelly was no longer in sight. So, Grace started her drive home.
Jessie and Heather were still in the kitchen talking when Grace got home. She walked in the front door, slamming it behind her. Heather and Jessie ran from the kitchen to see who it was and watched and Grace ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. Jessie leaned against the doorway and looked at Heather.
"That was Grace?" Heather asked still staring up the stairs. "I talk to her in Math sometimes. She told me her life was complicated. I guess now I know it's true." She looked over at Jessie. "Should we go up and talk to her?"
"No, Grace doesn't talk to me," Jessie said. "If I ever do, I don't understand. She's Eli's job."
That night Grace couldn't even sleep. Kelly's words were floating around in her head. What if Eli really didn't feel the same? What if she was just another girl to him? She let out a sigh and sat up. It was to soon to ask him if he loved her. If she asked him she thought he would freak out.
*~B&W~*
*~Grace is sitting on the stool. "I don't know how Eli feels. I thought that he might love me. But, he pushed me away. What if he doesn't love me?"~*
It was around twelve midnight. She got up and changed into her pajamas. Her princess pants and a shirt with no sleeves. She started down stairs right after she was fiished. The walked into the kitchen where Eli was sitting. She froze, not really wanting to see him. Before she could turn away, Eli saw her and he also froze.
"Hi," he said, not even moving an inch.
Grace tucked some hair behind her ear. "Hey." She walked over to the island and looked over at him. "So."
"So," Eli repeated. Silence filled the room. "Um, do you want something to drink?"
"No, I'm okay," Grace answered. "I don't really know why I came down here. I just couldn't sleep." Eli walked arond the island and stood next to her. "What about you? Couldn't sleep?"
"Well, pretty much," he laughed. "After I got up enough courage I was going to go upstairs and talk to you. I feel as if you've been avoiding me sense Saturday night. Well, not as much as you were today. Today if I walked into the room you made up excuses to leave. At dinner, you had to do this whole speech set up of why you had to eat in your room. Not to mention-"
"Okay," Grace stopped him. "Kelly said something today that has me going crazy. So I guess I've been trying to avoid any time I may be able to have with you." She turned around and then jumped on the counter. "I'm just a little freaked out. If this continues I'll be lying to my family and a lot of other people."
"I know," Eli said. He turned so that he was standing in front of her. "But if it doesn't I'll hate myself for the rest of my life for not giving this a try." Grace smiled, grabbed his shirt and pulled him in between her legs. "Well, I must have said something good."
Grace laughed. She rested her head on his chest and took both of his hands into her's. She began to play with his fingers. "I just, I want this to lst longer then I think you do. And I know this just started and this is a huge conversation for beginners, but I think I like you more then you may like me." She lined each finger on their hands together. "And if that's the way it's going to be I want you to break my heart right now and save me pain later on."
Eli kissed the top of her head. "You're not getting away from me that easy."
"Damn," Grace laughed. She looked up at him. "So, you want this to go somewhere? I mean, not just to your bedroom or anything, but you want this to go somewhere."
"You make it sound like I'm only using you to get you into bed," Eli said. Grace smiled and looked down. "It's understandable because of my previous relationships, but that's not what I'm trying to do."
"Good to here," she smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips. "So, um, what about Jessie? She's pretty freaked out about all of this. It's going to be hard to hide it from somebody who knows about it. Unless, we let her in on it."
"Okay, but I don't think I want to make out with my sister," Eli smiled and then put his forhead against her's. "Oh wait, I forgot, I am."
Grace laughed. "Only by marriage." She sighed. "Okay, I'm getting to bed. Maybe now I can sleep." Eli backed off and Grace jumped down. She kissed him softly. "Night."
Jessie walked out of school and looked around. The whole day had gone slowly. She just wanted to get home and let the day end. She looked over to see a familiar face standing by a car. She hopped down the steps and over to the girl.
"Heather, what are you doing here?" Jessie asked.
Heather pushed herself off her car and smiled. "I just finished my last class and Katie told me this was your school. I thought I could drive you home. That's okay, right?" Jessie nodded. "Great! Hop in."
They both jumped into her car and started out of the parking lot. Jessie stared over at Heather. She had her long brown hair down. It had blond streeks running through it. She had a pair of tight jeans on and a black tank top that had spagetti strps. Jessie felt butterfly in her stomach. This made her quickly turn away.
"So, um, why are you so comfortable around me?" Jessie asked. The question had been bothering her for awhile. "Anyone who knows I'm gay gets really strange around me. They think I have some kind of disease."
Heather looked over at her. "Well, let's just say I see the world from the same side of the line like you do."
"You're gay to?" Jessie asked, a bit surprised.
*~B&W~*
*~Jessie stares up at the camera with wide eyes. "I had no idea."~*
"The person who helped me realize that I was gay broke my heart," Heather explained. "I convinced myself I was straight though. I even told Katie I was straight. But, then I met you. I really can't convince myself anymore." Jessie froze at her words. "I know you and Katie are together and that I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."
Jessie smiled. "No, it's okay. It's great to be needed sometimes." They got to Jessie's house and Heather turned the car off. Jessie smiled. "You want to come in for something to drink?"
"Sure," Heather smiled.
They walked into the house and Jessie went straight to the fridge. She pulled out two sodas and handed one to Heather. Heather smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear. She opened the soda and took a sip. Jessie smiled and jumped onto the counter. She still had her thoughts on what Heather said to her in the car.
"So, how's the appartment coming along?" Jessie asked.
"Great," Heather answered. "Mr. Linon says it's almost through and Katie and me can move in about two weeks from now. Then in two years you can move in."
"I can't wait," Jessie smiled. "When I get out of this house it would be like freedom. Lately I feel stuck." She sighed. "Can I tell you something? I would talk to Katie but, I want to talk to you. I mean, you're here."
Heather leaned against the counter. "Sure, I mean, go ahead."
"Well, um, well, remember me telling you about Eli and Grace?" Jessie explained and took a sip of soda. "Well, I was always jealous of Grace. Eli gave her a lot of attention before and after the wedding. I never had a reason to be jealous. He's my brother though and I was always okay when he had girlfriends. It's different with Grace. And well, I think they're sleeping together now."
Heather looked over at her. "Why do you think this?"
"Well, it was like two in the morning," Jessie explained. "It was Sunday. Well, I walked down from my room in the attic and saw Grace's light on. When I went in to turn it off she wasn't there. She wasn't even in the house. The next morning she and Eli came into the house together. Grace said that she woke up early and they were playing cards or whatever in the garage. I know better."
*~B&W~*
*~Jessie smiles. "I feel so comfortable with her. It's really weird."~*
"Think of it this way," Heather began, "love comes in all shapes and sizes. You and Katie, you're stepmom and your dad, and Eli and Grace. As you can see, girl and girl, girl and boy, stepbrother and stepsister. Things are weird but trust me, with love it doesn't matter."
Jessie let out a chocked laugh. "You're smart."
"Thanks," Heather said. "So, I think that you should just let the Eli and Grace thing go. It's a smart idea."
Mean while, Grace was in her English class. Her friend, Kelly, sat next to her and took out a notebook. She took one of Grace's pens and wrote the date. Grace just stared at the front of the class and waited for it to begin. When the teacher started Kelly began to whisper.
"So, what did your parents do about the paper?" Kelly asked.
"Nothing, I didn't show it to them," Grace told her and wrote down a few notes. "I'm not that stupid."
"Well, something happened to you," Kelly said and looked her over. "Oh, you had sex."
"No," Grace jumped.
Kelly looked her over. "No, you're right, that's not it. Hold on, I'll get this. Hair down with a light brush to it, hardly any make up, cheeks red. Oh, big one, you're wearing a sweater. I got it. You tried to sleep with your stepbrother and he pushed you away." Grace froze and looked at her. "Oh yeah, I'm good."
Grace leaned back in her chair. "Okay, fine. I'll tell you. Eli and I kissed and after that I went to his room. He pushed me away saying he didn't want it to seem like he was taking advanage of me. I just feel like he doesn't want it to happen."
"Well, it might have seemed like that because you're a virgin and he's slept with a lot of girls," Kelly said.
"Not helping," Grace snapped.
*~B&W~*
*~Grace is on the stool. "Kelly knows me. I met her in English the first day and sense then I can't keep a secret. She can tell from anything I'm wearing or how I look what's going on."~*
"Listen, whatever Eli tells me I believe," Grace told her. "He gives something to me that nobody else can."
"Yeah, an orgasim," Kelly smiled.
"Kelly!" Grace jumped.
"What?" Kelly laughed. "Listen, you and Eli have been on and off. I know I only met you a little bit ago, but I know. Do you think something will happen? Are you in love with him?"
Grace looked down and then started to write what the teacher was saying. "We should pay attention."
After class Grace ran out. Kelly wasn't to far behind her. Grace didn't want to hear whatever Kelly had to say. Truth was, Grace did love Eli, she just wasn't sure he loved her. She climbed into her car and then drove away. Kelly was no longer in sight. So, Grace started her drive home.
Jessie and Heather were still in the kitchen talking when Grace got home. She walked in the front door, slamming it behind her. Heather and Jessie ran from the kitchen to see who it was and watched and Grace ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. Jessie leaned against the doorway and looked at Heather.
"That was Grace?" Heather asked still staring up the stairs. "I talk to her in Math sometimes. She told me her life was complicated. I guess now I know it's true." She looked over at Jessie. "Should we go up and talk to her?"
"No, Grace doesn't talk to me," Jessie said. "If I ever do, I don't understand. She's Eli's job."
That night Grace couldn't even sleep. Kelly's words were floating around in her head. What if Eli really didn't feel the same? What if she was just another girl to him? She let out a sigh and sat up. It was to soon to ask him if he loved her. If she asked him she thought he would freak out.
*~B&W~*
*~Grace is sitting on the stool. "I don't know how Eli feels. I thought that he might love me. But, he pushed me away. What if he doesn't love me?"~*
It was around twelve midnight. She got up and changed into her pajamas. Her princess pants and a shirt with no sleeves. She started down stairs right after she was fiished. The walked into the kitchen where Eli was sitting. She froze, not really wanting to see him. Before she could turn away, Eli saw her and he also froze.
"Hi," he said, not even moving an inch.
Grace tucked some hair behind her ear. "Hey." She walked over to the island and looked over at him. "So."
"So," Eli repeated. Silence filled the room. "Um, do you want something to drink?"
"No, I'm okay," Grace answered. "I don't really know why I came down here. I just couldn't sleep." Eli walked arond the island and stood next to her. "What about you? Couldn't sleep?"
"Well, pretty much," he laughed. "After I got up enough courage I was going to go upstairs and talk to you. I feel as if you've been avoiding me sense Saturday night. Well, not as much as you were today. Today if I walked into the room you made up excuses to leave. At dinner, you had to do this whole speech set up of why you had to eat in your room. Not to mention-"
"Okay," Grace stopped him. "Kelly said something today that has me going crazy. So I guess I've been trying to avoid any time I may be able to have with you." She turned around and then jumped on the counter. "I'm just a little freaked out. If this continues I'll be lying to my family and a lot of other people."
"I know," Eli said. He turned so that he was standing in front of her. "But if it doesn't I'll hate myself for the rest of my life for not giving this a try." Grace smiled, grabbed his shirt and pulled him in between her legs. "Well, I must have said something good."
Grace laughed. She rested her head on his chest and took both of his hands into her's. She began to play with his fingers. "I just, I want this to lst longer then I think you do. And I know this just started and this is a huge conversation for beginners, but I think I like you more then you may like me." She lined each finger on their hands together. "And if that's the way it's going to be I want you to break my heart right now and save me pain later on."
Eli kissed the top of her head. "You're not getting away from me that easy."
"Damn," Grace laughed. She looked up at him. "So, you want this to go somewhere? I mean, not just to your bedroom or anything, but you want this to go somewhere."
"You make it sound like I'm only using you to get you into bed," Eli said. Grace smiled and looked down. "It's understandable because of my previous relationships, but that's not what I'm trying to do."
"Good to here," she smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips. "So, um, what about Jessie? She's pretty freaked out about all of this. It's going to be hard to hide it from somebody who knows about it. Unless, we let her in on it."
"Okay, but I don't think I want to make out with my sister," Eli smiled and then put his forhead against her's. "Oh wait, I forgot, I am."
Grace laughed. "Only by marriage." She sighed. "Okay, I'm getting to bed. Maybe now I can sleep." Eli backed off and Grace jumped down. She kissed him softly. "Night."