Chapter 1 (modified)
Eli just arrived home from the hospital, upset and angry with his mother almost dying. He was as vulnerable as could be, and frightened.
He arrived home at 1:00 am after nodding off in a chair at the hospital. He walked up to the house and opened the door quietly, trying not to wake anyone up. He turned on the light in the family room, not knowing that Grace fell asleep there, waiting for Eli…
"Oh, Grace, I'm sorry I thought you were upstairs in bed."
"No, that's okay, I was waiting up for you." Grace replied, yawning.
"Um… why?"
"Well… uh… I kind of thought that you might have been upset about Karen and- "
"Grace, listen, ok… She's alive, and she's ok, so I really don't want to talk about it."
"Eli, she's you mother! You're telling me that you don't even care that she almost died?!"
"This really isn't your problem, Grace, okay?"
"I'm your step-sister, It sort of is my problem."
"Please Grace, just stay out of it, okay?"
Lily hears noise downstairs, and takes a look.
"What is all the yelling about Grace?" Lily asked.
"Um, nothing Lily… Sorry that we woke you." Eli replies.
"Oh Eli, did you just get back?"
"Well, just about two minutes ago."
"Are you alright?" Lily asks with worry in her voice.
"Yes Lily. I'm fine." Eli answers, clearing his throat.
"You are being very brave about this you know," She says with a smile.
Grace starts stomping up the stairs.
"Well, since we are all just one big happy family, I think I'm going up to bed!" Grace says sarcastically.
"Gracie, is there something wrong?" Lily asks.
Eli rolls his eyes.
"I said that I am going to bed!" Grace yells.
"Um, okay… Oh remember Grace, you have to get up early tomorrow because Tiffany wants you to watch their baby."
"Yeah, right." Mumbled Grace.
Grace rolled over to the other side of the bed, and mumbled. Her stupid alarm clock was so annoying. 7:00 am. In an hour she had to be at her dad's house, because Tiffany was going out of town, and dad had to go to work that day. She was fully awake now, but still upset. Maybe Eli was right. Maybe it wasn't her business. But his mom could have died, was very sick, and he was still upset because of that stupid fight? And to make matters worse, he said that it wasn't her business. Wasn't she part of the family too? These days no one thought, or wanted her to be. They all love Jessie. Jessie was even taking Graces place with her mom. It gave her chills when she thought back to that stupid radio show of her mom's. How she couldn't be more thrilled if Jessie was her own daughter. That made her so mad.
Also she remembered who had to drive her to her father's. Her mom was out at the grocery store, and Rick was out with Sam presenting a new building model at his work. Eli. She would have to wake Eli up so he could drive her. She cringed.
After she got dressed, she went over to Eli's room.
"Eli! You have to drive me to my dad's!" Grace knocked on his door, trying to yell over his loud stereo.
"Eli! Come on! Get up!" she yelled after he didn't answer.
"Fine, I'm coming in there!" Grace was so mad, now he wasn't answering her?
When she walked into his room, Eli was just sitting on the bed, staring at the wall.
"Eli, are you okay?"
"Why… why did I have that stupid fight with mom? Now she's probably going to die just because I wasn't there."
"Eli, it was not your fault okay, don't even think that!"
"Grace, yes it is. If I would have been there for her, if I wouldn't have fought with her… I knew she had depression, and I didn't even comfort her! She was all alone!"
"No Eli, she has you! And if I had you it would keep me alive forever!"
Eli couldn't believe what he just heard. What did that mean? If she "had me"?
"What did that mean, Grace?"
Grace couldn't deny it. She had to tell him the truth… She looked into his eyes, and needed him. His beautiful eyes, they were this beautiful shade of blue. Like the ocean, but much more longing. She couldn't stop, and before she knew it, she reached over and gave him a kiss. It was so long and powerful. She wouldn't let go of him, because when she did, she was afraid to never feel this passion again. Finally, he pulled away though, but she barely noticed.
"Grace…" Eli started, stunned at what just happened.
"Eli, I'm in love with you."
"Grace, we need to get going to your dad's," Eli changed the subject, afraid that he would fall in love with her, surrender to another heartbreak.
What did he say? Am I ready to babysit? Who cared! Not her!
"What…" Grace asked longingly.
"Come on, we have to go."
"You know what? Forget it. I'd rather walk." Grace expected fire to blow out of her ears. "You know, just because I'm in love with you, I wouldn't expect you to love me back. I don't even think you know what love is because your just a heartless-"
"Grace, please…" Eli didn't want to do this to Grace.
"Just leave me alone, ok?"
Grace started walking to her dad's, which was about five miles away… But she didn't know that Eli was secretly following her in his car. Chicago wasn't exactly the safest of all places to walk.
She was so tired after 3 miles she decided to sit down on a bench, not to mention the bench was right across from "Bob's Adult Video Store" downtown.
"Hey little hottie, you performing tonight?" A man with a beard and an old ratty shirt asked Grace.
"What?" Grace asked, trying to sound annoyed, though she was very frightened.
"I'll pay you 20 bucks for one night."
"Hey, get away from her!" Eli grabbed the old man's shirt.
"Uh, sorry man, she's yours. Settle down," The man said, scared.
"I've never been known to settle down," Eli growled.
"It won't happen again!"
"Yeah, I'll make sure of that." Eli let him go, as the man scurried away, like a rat.
"Eli!" Grace sobbed and hugged him.
"Would you like a ride?" Eli smiled.
Grace wiped a tear and nodded.
"Girl, you come from a good part of town," Eli joked. The more he thought about how much he had hurt Grace, the angrier he got with himself. Man, how long was she in love with him? Since after Carla left?
"Grace, there is something we need to talk about."
"Eli, not this morning…"
"Yes, this morning,"
"Ugh," she mumbled.
"I know that you're in love with me, but I'm afraid to love. Especially you. We both know that out hearts will get broken, and this is very wrong-"
"Eli, I don't love you. I just got caught up in the moment," Grace lied.
"Yes, you do," Eli chuckled. Eli couldn't tell her the truth, how much he loved her. Then it would be trouble from the start! They needed to stop this before it started.
"And you…?" Grace asked hopefully.
"Grace…" Eli started. Here it goes "No. I am not in love with you." Yes he was, oh why did he have to suffer?
Grace nodded, and could have died.
They were all at home having dinner now, and Grace sat as far away from Eli as possible. She neither talked to him, nor looked at him.
"Grace, how was babysitting?" Lily smiled.
"Mom, I don't see why I have to baby sit. I'm sixteen! That's not old enough to stop?"
"How come dad didn't ask me to baby sit? I'm old enough!" Zoe yelled.
"Because you aren't mature enough, and Dad was afraid you'd paint her fingernails," Grace joked.
"So?" Zoe folded her arms.
Grace rolled her eyes.
"Mom! I got my science experiment done!" Zoe said proudly.
"Well, we will just have to take a look at that, won't we?" Rick smiled.
"What was it on?" Jessie asked.
As the family talked what seemed forever, Eli stared at Grace. Oh no. He was falling in love with her. He decided to take a chance. Why shouldn't he tell her?
"Eli, you've been awfully quiet, what's wrong?" Lily asked.
"Uh, nothing, Grace can I talk to you?" Eli asked.
"Um… okay," Grace looked at the floor. Oh no.
Grace and Eli walked into her bedroom, and locked the door. What was he going to say? Humiliate her again?
"Grace, I-" Eli started.
"Eli, I'm not-"
"Yes you are."
"Eli! No I'm not!"
"Well, that's not good. Because I'm in love with you," Eli smiled from ear to ear.
"No you aren't. You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"Does this look like I'm faking?" Eli reached over, and this time, HE gave her a kiss.
Eli just arrived home from the hospital, upset and angry with his mother almost dying. He was as vulnerable as could be, and frightened.
He arrived home at 1:00 am after nodding off in a chair at the hospital. He walked up to the house and opened the door quietly, trying not to wake anyone up. He turned on the light in the family room, not knowing that Grace fell asleep there, waiting for Eli…
"Oh, Grace, I'm sorry I thought you were upstairs in bed."
"No, that's okay, I was waiting up for you." Grace replied, yawning.
"Um… why?"
"Well… uh… I kind of thought that you might have been upset about Karen and- "
"Grace, listen, ok… She's alive, and she's ok, so I really don't want to talk about it."
"Eli, she's you mother! You're telling me that you don't even care that she almost died?!"
"This really isn't your problem, Grace, okay?"
"I'm your step-sister, It sort of is my problem."
"Please Grace, just stay out of it, okay?"
Lily hears noise downstairs, and takes a look.
"What is all the yelling about Grace?" Lily asked.
"Um, nothing Lily… Sorry that we woke you." Eli replies.
"Oh Eli, did you just get back?"
"Well, just about two minutes ago."
"Are you alright?" Lily asks with worry in her voice.
"Yes Lily. I'm fine." Eli answers, clearing his throat.
"You are being very brave about this you know," She says with a smile.
Grace starts stomping up the stairs.
"Well, since we are all just one big happy family, I think I'm going up to bed!" Grace says sarcastically.
"Gracie, is there something wrong?" Lily asks.
Eli rolls his eyes.
"I said that I am going to bed!" Grace yells.
"Um, okay… Oh remember Grace, you have to get up early tomorrow because Tiffany wants you to watch their baby."
"Yeah, right." Mumbled Grace.
Grace rolled over to the other side of the bed, and mumbled. Her stupid alarm clock was so annoying. 7:00 am. In an hour she had to be at her dad's house, because Tiffany was going out of town, and dad had to go to work that day. She was fully awake now, but still upset. Maybe Eli was right. Maybe it wasn't her business. But his mom could have died, was very sick, and he was still upset because of that stupid fight? And to make matters worse, he said that it wasn't her business. Wasn't she part of the family too? These days no one thought, or wanted her to be. They all love Jessie. Jessie was even taking Graces place with her mom. It gave her chills when she thought back to that stupid radio show of her mom's. How she couldn't be more thrilled if Jessie was her own daughter. That made her so mad.
Also she remembered who had to drive her to her father's. Her mom was out at the grocery store, and Rick was out with Sam presenting a new building model at his work. Eli. She would have to wake Eli up so he could drive her. She cringed.
After she got dressed, she went over to Eli's room.
"Eli! You have to drive me to my dad's!" Grace knocked on his door, trying to yell over his loud stereo.
"Eli! Come on! Get up!" she yelled after he didn't answer.
"Fine, I'm coming in there!" Grace was so mad, now he wasn't answering her?
When she walked into his room, Eli was just sitting on the bed, staring at the wall.
"Eli, are you okay?"
"Why… why did I have that stupid fight with mom? Now she's probably going to die just because I wasn't there."
"Eli, it was not your fault okay, don't even think that!"
"Grace, yes it is. If I would have been there for her, if I wouldn't have fought with her… I knew she had depression, and I didn't even comfort her! She was all alone!"
"No Eli, she has you! And if I had you it would keep me alive forever!"
Eli couldn't believe what he just heard. What did that mean? If she "had me"?
"What did that mean, Grace?"
Grace couldn't deny it. She had to tell him the truth… She looked into his eyes, and needed him. His beautiful eyes, they were this beautiful shade of blue. Like the ocean, but much more longing. She couldn't stop, and before she knew it, she reached over and gave him a kiss. It was so long and powerful. She wouldn't let go of him, because when she did, she was afraid to never feel this passion again. Finally, he pulled away though, but she barely noticed.
"Grace…" Eli started, stunned at what just happened.
"Eli, I'm in love with you."
"Grace, we need to get going to your dad's," Eli changed the subject, afraid that he would fall in love with her, surrender to another heartbreak.
What did he say? Am I ready to babysit? Who cared! Not her!
"What…" Grace asked longingly.
"Come on, we have to go."
"You know what? Forget it. I'd rather walk." Grace expected fire to blow out of her ears. "You know, just because I'm in love with you, I wouldn't expect you to love me back. I don't even think you know what love is because your just a heartless-"
"Grace, please…" Eli didn't want to do this to Grace.
"Just leave me alone, ok?"
Grace started walking to her dad's, which was about five miles away… But she didn't know that Eli was secretly following her in his car. Chicago wasn't exactly the safest of all places to walk.
She was so tired after 3 miles she decided to sit down on a bench, not to mention the bench was right across from "Bob's Adult Video Store" downtown.
"Hey little hottie, you performing tonight?" A man with a beard and an old ratty shirt asked Grace.
"What?" Grace asked, trying to sound annoyed, though she was very frightened.
"I'll pay you 20 bucks for one night."
"Hey, get away from her!" Eli grabbed the old man's shirt.
"Uh, sorry man, she's yours. Settle down," The man said, scared.
"I've never been known to settle down," Eli growled.
"It won't happen again!"
"Yeah, I'll make sure of that." Eli let him go, as the man scurried away, like a rat.
"Eli!" Grace sobbed and hugged him.
"Would you like a ride?" Eli smiled.
Grace wiped a tear and nodded.
"Girl, you come from a good part of town," Eli joked. The more he thought about how much he had hurt Grace, the angrier he got with himself. Man, how long was she in love with him? Since after Carla left?
"Grace, there is something we need to talk about."
"Eli, not this morning…"
"Yes, this morning,"
"Ugh," she mumbled.
"I know that you're in love with me, but I'm afraid to love. Especially you. We both know that out hearts will get broken, and this is very wrong-"
"Eli, I don't love you. I just got caught up in the moment," Grace lied.
"Yes, you do," Eli chuckled. Eli couldn't tell her the truth, how much he loved her. Then it would be trouble from the start! They needed to stop this before it started.
"And you…?" Grace asked hopefully.
"Grace…" Eli started. Here it goes "No. I am not in love with you." Yes he was, oh why did he have to suffer?
Grace nodded, and could have died.
They were all at home having dinner now, and Grace sat as far away from Eli as possible. She neither talked to him, nor looked at him.
"Grace, how was babysitting?" Lily smiled.
"Mom, I don't see why I have to baby sit. I'm sixteen! That's not old enough to stop?"
"How come dad didn't ask me to baby sit? I'm old enough!" Zoe yelled.
"Because you aren't mature enough, and Dad was afraid you'd paint her fingernails," Grace joked.
"So?" Zoe folded her arms.
Grace rolled her eyes.
"Mom! I got my science experiment done!" Zoe said proudly.
"Well, we will just have to take a look at that, won't we?" Rick smiled.
"What was it on?" Jessie asked.
As the family talked what seemed forever, Eli stared at Grace. Oh no. He was falling in love with her. He decided to take a chance. Why shouldn't he tell her?
"Eli, you've been awfully quiet, what's wrong?" Lily asked.
"Uh, nothing, Grace can I talk to you?" Eli asked.
"Um… okay," Grace looked at the floor. Oh no.
Grace and Eli walked into her bedroom, and locked the door. What was he going to say? Humiliate her again?
"Grace, I-" Eli started.
"Eli, I'm not-"
"Yes you are."
"Eli! No I'm not!"
"Well, that's not good. Because I'm in love with you," Eli smiled from ear to ear.
"No you aren't. You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"Does this look like I'm faking?" Eli reached over, and this time, HE gave her a kiss.