~A Once and Again Series~
Life is what you make of it
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala~~~~~ Wow, chapter 27 already. Thanks for reading!~~~~
Chapter 27//Before you interfered
Lily sighed, dropping her head. Judy watched her and waited. She knew that Lily was on the verge of one of her big conversations. Judy just hoped it wasn't about Grace. Judy didn't want to have to hide what she knew from her sister. Lily looked back up with a sour look on her face, "I just wish I knew what was going on in Grace's life."
Judy turned away to shield the grimace on her face. She reached for the coffee pot and filled up her mug. She turned back around. "What do you mean?" She asked innocently.
"One moment She's happy, then sad, then depressed even, then happy again. And now I can't even tell what she is anymore. She has just shut me out entirely from any of her emotions. Only a guy could do that to her, but she won't tell me even if she's dating anyone. Do you think she's dating someone?" Lily asked.
"No, I don't think she's dating anyone," Judy said honestly.
"Really?" Lily asked in surprise. "I could have sworn that it was a guy making her feel this way. And what else could make her shut down to her own mother?"
Judy shrugged, "Well, maybe it is a guy, but maybe she's not dating him."
"Like a crush?" Lily smiled. "No, I think it has to be more than just a crush. I mean, she's changed. I just wish I knew why."
Judy nodded, feeling extremely guilty. But it wouldn't be fair to Grace if she told Lily about Grace and Eli, especially after they had broken up. There was no point in making things worse for Grace by letting Lily in on things, no matter how hard it was not to. Judy just kept her mouth shut and listened to Lily rattled on about what could be happening in Grace's life.
* * *
Grace didn't know what to do. Eli had basically said she had to either get over Augustus entirely or forget about their relationship. But Grace didn't know if that was a bad thing or a good thing. Which man did she want in her life? Which man would be the best for her? Grace didn't know. All she knew she that she had to do something or she'd end up with nobody. But what should she do? Should she burn everything that reminded her of Augustus to please Eli? Or should she go and be with Augustus? Grace didn't know.
So she spent a week doing nothing. Eli was avoiding her and Grace purposely didn't run into Augustus at school. All she did was think, think, think until her whole head felt like exploding. She had to make a choice. But she needed more to go on. So, she finally decided she should go talk to Augustus, just talk, and see how things went. But Grace was having difficulties making herself do that. She was afraid that as soon as she stepped back into the world she and Augustus had shared, she'd forget about Eli entirely forever. And Grace wasn't ready to do that. Eli had been her first crush, and Augustus had been her first real love, but Eli had been the first to make love to her. It was all too screwed up. Grace didn't know what to do, and as the days past she began to wonder if Eli would even ever take her back. He had made it sound as if he wanted her to do something that would make her forget about Augustus and then come back to him. But how long would he give her before he shut and locked the door on her? The door was already shut, but Grace knew it still could be opened. But the question was did she really want to open it? Did she want to go back to Eli, with promises of having forgotten about Augustus, or was it Augustus she yearned for?
* * *
Eli was avoiding Grace as he knew Grace was struggling with making a decision over him and Mr. Dimitri. Eli knew it was best to give her time to think. But Eli had an idea of how to help things along. He looked up the address in the telephone book. There was only one Mr. Dimitri listed. Eli got into his car and drove to the address.
* * *
Augustus put down his pen as the knock sounded on his front door. The first thought that came to his mind was 'Grace!', but that was silly. Grace had never used his front door before; it had always been her tradition to come to the back sliding glass doors. But, still Augustus went to door with a glimmer of hope.
But it was not Grace's face he saw as he opened the door. Instead it was a vaguely familiar face. It took him a second to place it. "Eli?"
Eli nodded, "Hi Mr. Dimitri. Can we talk?"
Augustus was truly surprised by this visit, but let the young man in anyway. He couldn't help but study Eli, the guy who Grace's heart now belonged to. Eli was average height, a little taller than Augustus himself, and had slightly spiked dark brown hair. He was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. He looked like an average kid. But Augustus knew there had to be something more to him. After all, the guy was now the lovely Grace's boyfriend.
Eli appeared to be studying him too, and Augustus felt tiny under his stare. He turned uncomfortably away and gestured towards the kitchen, "Do you want something to drink?"
"Uh, no," Eli said. He looked around at Augustus' living room. "I just wanted to talk to you about Grace."
"What about her?" Augustus assumed Grace had told Eli about their relationship. And now the big bad boyfriend was here to protect his girlfriend from the perverted teacher. Augustus sighed. "Sit down." They sat uncomfortably on the couch and the armchair.
"We broke up.." Eli began and Augustus listened with interest. "But, I'm pretty sure we'll get back together, but it would help things if you stayed out of her life."
"What do you mean?"
"The book.." Eli started.
"Ah, the book," Augustus interrupted him, "Yes, that was a mistake."
"Yes, it was," Eli said coldly, trying to read the man before him, but finding it difficult. Mr. Dimitri was not displaying any emotions at all. "It's the reason we broke up actually."
"Oh, so she liked the book?" Augustus asked with a hint of a smile that faded quickly.
"Yes, no, I don't know. But, it put a wedge between us. You- You're the wedge between us, Mr. Dimitri. If you just backed off.."
"Back off? You want me to back off?" Augustus asked.
"Yes! If you could stay out of her life and stop screwing things up, then she and I could be a happy couple. We were happy together before you interfered."
"I think you got that backwards: Grace and *I* were happy together before YOU interfered." Augustus said angrily with the most emotion Eli had seen out of him.
"No, Grace said you had broken up because she knew your relationship was wrong," Eli insisted.
Augustus raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Grace said that? I don't think so."
"While, maybe not exactly that, but she was unhappy with you," Eli argued.
"Hmm," Augustus said thoughtfully and they elapsed into silence.
Finally Eli couldn't take the stillness anymore. "Please, just stay out of her life. I know I can make her happy, but she just has to forget about you first."
"I don't think I can promise you that." Augustus looked him straight in the eyes.
"I think you have to." Eli said, staring coldly back. "If you don't want everyone to know about how the forty-year old teacher is trying to seduce the 17 year old girl."
"Are you blackmailing me?" Augustus asked in surprise.
"Maybe," Eli shrugged, looking uneasy about what he had just said, but not ready to take it back yet. He knew he might have four aces in his hand, and that all Augustus had was a pair of twos. But was Eli hard-cased enough to put out such a threat?
"You don't know Grace at all, do you?" Augustus smiled. "You know what? I will back off, just for you. But, I can see already that you are not the right guy for Grace and pretty soon she'll realize that too."
Eli was unnerved by that and looked away, "Whatever, but a deal's a deal. You promise to lay off Grace?"
Augustus nodded with less confidence then he felt earlier. How could he be sure Grace would eventually pick him over Eli? What if he was underestimating Eli? Could Eli actually be the right guy for Grace and was Augustus clearing the way for the two of them to be together? But Augustus knew that if he didn't make the promise that there was a good chance that Eli would make do on his threat. Augustus couldn't risk that. "I promise."
Eli nodded, "Good. Now, I'll just be on my way.. I've got a girl waiting at home."
Augustus flinched at his comment and watched as Eli exited his house. What had he just agreed to? Oh, boy.
* * *
Grace grabbed her mother's keys off the table. It was time she finally visited Augustus. They had to talk before she could sort everything out. Now was as good as time as any to do it, Eli had left earlier and was still gone, so there would be no questions. Grace ran back up to her room on second thought and grabbed the bag containing the cologne. Augustus had given her the book, but she had never gotten him a present. But the cologne was perfect. It was Augustus' scent and it didn't belong on Eli. Maybe it had been Augustus who she had gotten the present for subconsciously without realizing it. Because she couldn't image giving it to Eli. No, it was Augustus who it belonged to.
Grace smiled as she went out to the car and started up the engine. She felt good. Going to his house felt good. Seeing Augustus felt good. Maybe it was Augustus who she should choose, after all. Well, tonight would definitely help her decide who was the right man for her. Tonight she would make a choice.
* * *
Life is what you make of it
Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala~~~~~ Wow, chapter 27 already. Thanks for reading!~~~~
Chapter 27//Before you interfered
Lily sighed, dropping her head. Judy watched her and waited. She knew that Lily was on the verge of one of her big conversations. Judy just hoped it wasn't about Grace. Judy didn't want to have to hide what she knew from her sister. Lily looked back up with a sour look on her face, "I just wish I knew what was going on in Grace's life."
Judy turned away to shield the grimace on her face. She reached for the coffee pot and filled up her mug. She turned back around. "What do you mean?" She asked innocently.
"One moment She's happy, then sad, then depressed even, then happy again. And now I can't even tell what she is anymore. She has just shut me out entirely from any of her emotions. Only a guy could do that to her, but she won't tell me even if she's dating anyone. Do you think she's dating someone?" Lily asked.
"No, I don't think she's dating anyone," Judy said honestly.
"Really?" Lily asked in surprise. "I could have sworn that it was a guy making her feel this way. And what else could make her shut down to her own mother?"
Judy shrugged, "Well, maybe it is a guy, but maybe she's not dating him."
"Like a crush?" Lily smiled. "No, I think it has to be more than just a crush. I mean, she's changed. I just wish I knew why."
Judy nodded, feeling extremely guilty. But it wouldn't be fair to Grace if she told Lily about Grace and Eli, especially after they had broken up. There was no point in making things worse for Grace by letting Lily in on things, no matter how hard it was not to. Judy just kept her mouth shut and listened to Lily rattled on about what could be happening in Grace's life.
* * *
Grace didn't know what to do. Eli had basically said she had to either get over Augustus entirely or forget about their relationship. But Grace didn't know if that was a bad thing or a good thing. Which man did she want in her life? Which man would be the best for her? Grace didn't know. All she knew she that she had to do something or she'd end up with nobody. But what should she do? Should she burn everything that reminded her of Augustus to please Eli? Or should she go and be with Augustus? Grace didn't know.
So she spent a week doing nothing. Eli was avoiding her and Grace purposely didn't run into Augustus at school. All she did was think, think, think until her whole head felt like exploding. She had to make a choice. But she needed more to go on. So, she finally decided she should go talk to Augustus, just talk, and see how things went. But Grace was having difficulties making herself do that. She was afraid that as soon as she stepped back into the world she and Augustus had shared, she'd forget about Eli entirely forever. And Grace wasn't ready to do that. Eli had been her first crush, and Augustus had been her first real love, but Eli had been the first to make love to her. It was all too screwed up. Grace didn't know what to do, and as the days past she began to wonder if Eli would even ever take her back. He had made it sound as if he wanted her to do something that would make her forget about Augustus and then come back to him. But how long would he give her before he shut and locked the door on her? The door was already shut, but Grace knew it still could be opened. But the question was did she really want to open it? Did she want to go back to Eli, with promises of having forgotten about Augustus, or was it Augustus she yearned for?
* * *
Eli was avoiding Grace as he knew Grace was struggling with making a decision over him and Mr. Dimitri. Eli knew it was best to give her time to think. But Eli had an idea of how to help things along. He looked up the address in the telephone book. There was only one Mr. Dimitri listed. Eli got into his car and drove to the address.
* * *
Augustus put down his pen as the knock sounded on his front door. The first thought that came to his mind was 'Grace!', but that was silly. Grace had never used his front door before; it had always been her tradition to come to the back sliding glass doors. But, still Augustus went to door with a glimmer of hope.
But it was not Grace's face he saw as he opened the door. Instead it was a vaguely familiar face. It took him a second to place it. "Eli?"
Eli nodded, "Hi Mr. Dimitri. Can we talk?"
Augustus was truly surprised by this visit, but let the young man in anyway. He couldn't help but study Eli, the guy who Grace's heart now belonged to. Eli was average height, a little taller than Augustus himself, and had slightly spiked dark brown hair. He was dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. He looked like an average kid. But Augustus knew there had to be something more to him. After all, the guy was now the lovely Grace's boyfriend.
Eli appeared to be studying him too, and Augustus felt tiny under his stare. He turned uncomfortably away and gestured towards the kitchen, "Do you want something to drink?"
"Uh, no," Eli said. He looked around at Augustus' living room. "I just wanted to talk to you about Grace."
"What about her?" Augustus assumed Grace had told Eli about their relationship. And now the big bad boyfriend was here to protect his girlfriend from the perverted teacher. Augustus sighed. "Sit down." They sat uncomfortably on the couch and the armchair.
"We broke up.." Eli began and Augustus listened with interest. "But, I'm pretty sure we'll get back together, but it would help things if you stayed out of her life."
"What do you mean?"
"The book.." Eli started.
"Ah, the book," Augustus interrupted him, "Yes, that was a mistake."
"Yes, it was," Eli said coldly, trying to read the man before him, but finding it difficult. Mr. Dimitri was not displaying any emotions at all. "It's the reason we broke up actually."
"Oh, so she liked the book?" Augustus asked with a hint of a smile that faded quickly.
"Yes, no, I don't know. But, it put a wedge between us. You- You're the wedge between us, Mr. Dimitri. If you just backed off.."
"Back off? You want me to back off?" Augustus asked.
"Yes! If you could stay out of her life and stop screwing things up, then she and I could be a happy couple. We were happy together before you interfered."
"I think you got that backwards: Grace and *I* were happy together before YOU interfered." Augustus said angrily with the most emotion Eli had seen out of him.
"No, Grace said you had broken up because she knew your relationship was wrong," Eli insisted.
Augustus raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Grace said that? I don't think so."
"While, maybe not exactly that, but she was unhappy with you," Eli argued.
"Hmm," Augustus said thoughtfully and they elapsed into silence.
Finally Eli couldn't take the stillness anymore. "Please, just stay out of her life. I know I can make her happy, but she just has to forget about you first."
"I don't think I can promise you that." Augustus looked him straight in the eyes.
"I think you have to." Eli said, staring coldly back. "If you don't want everyone to know about how the forty-year old teacher is trying to seduce the 17 year old girl."
"Are you blackmailing me?" Augustus asked in surprise.
"Maybe," Eli shrugged, looking uneasy about what he had just said, but not ready to take it back yet. He knew he might have four aces in his hand, and that all Augustus had was a pair of twos. But was Eli hard-cased enough to put out such a threat?
"You don't know Grace at all, do you?" Augustus smiled. "You know what? I will back off, just for you. But, I can see already that you are not the right guy for Grace and pretty soon she'll realize that too."
Eli was unnerved by that and looked away, "Whatever, but a deal's a deal. You promise to lay off Grace?"
Augustus nodded with less confidence then he felt earlier. How could he be sure Grace would eventually pick him over Eli? What if he was underestimating Eli? Could Eli actually be the right guy for Grace and was Augustus clearing the way for the two of them to be together? But Augustus knew that if he didn't make the promise that there was a good chance that Eli would make do on his threat. Augustus couldn't risk that. "I promise."
Eli nodded, "Good. Now, I'll just be on my way.. I've got a girl waiting at home."
Augustus flinched at his comment and watched as Eli exited his house. What had he just agreed to? Oh, boy.
* * *
Grace grabbed her mother's keys off the table. It was time she finally visited Augustus. They had to talk before she could sort everything out. Now was as good as time as any to do it, Eli had left earlier and was still gone, so there would be no questions. Grace ran back up to her room on second thought and grabbed the bag containing the cologne. Augustus had given her the book, but she had never gotten him a present. But the cologne was perfect. It was Augustus' scent and it didn't belong on Eli. Maybe it had been Augustus who she had gotten the present for subconsciously without realizing it. Because she couldn't image giving it to Eli. No, it was Augustus who it belonged to.
Grace smiled as she went out to the car and started up the engine. She felt good. Going to his house felt good. Seeing Augustus felt good. Maybe it was Augustus who she should choose, after all. Well, tonight would definitely help her decide who was the right man for her. Tonight she would make a choice.
* * *