~A Once and Again Series~

The Way We Were

Okay, one little extra bit of info later on I talk about Eli's yearbook, and I know my high school always gave us the year books at the end of the year, but for the sake of the story, just pretend that Upton Sinclair does things different, and the kids already have their yearbooks for that year, cuz otherwise Grace wouldn't be in it since she's a freshman.. I've always been a stickler for facts, so that's why I'm saying this, lol. Thanks for reading/reviewing, as always.

Chapter 6//Holding Back

"Jessie, are you sure you don't want to talk to me about whatever bugging you?" Karen asked, concerned. She sat down on her daughter's bed and lightly ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. Jessie shrugged away, and remained silent. "Did something happen with your father? Is this about the.. woman he's dating?"

[[Karen - Jessie used to tell me everything. So did Eli, if you can imagine that. But now, my children are growing apart from me and keeping things from me.. and that's something I don't know if I'll ever get used to.]]

"No, it's not about Daddy!" Jessie said angrily. "It's nothing. I just want to be left alone, okay? I'm tired."

Karen edged off the bed, not liking this. "Jessie, I wish you'd tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, mom!" Jessie cried, and then turned and said in a softer tone, "Are we still going shopping tomorrow?"

"Sure honey, if that's what you want."

Jessie nodded and then pulled the covers up over her. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Karen reluctantly left the room, closing the door behind her. She went down the hall and knocked on Eli's door.

"Come in." Eli called out. His mother entered, shutting the door quietly behind her.

She walked over to where Eli sat on the floor, an open book in his lap, and headphones around his neck. Eli caught the look she gave him and said defensively, "Music helps me study."

"Well, it better, because you know how important it is that you do well on this test." Karen warned.

"I know, I know." Eli looked up at her questioningly. "Did you figure out what's wrong with Jessie?"

Karen shook her head, letting out a deep breath. "No, she won't talk to me. I was hoping you knew.. did something happen when you guys were with your dad?"

"No. It was strange. Before school she was all happy, and she even wanted to go to the basketball game. But after the game, she was angry.." Eli shrugged.

Karen thought this over. "Hmm, well, maybe we'll give it a day, and see if she's still upset tomorrow. Maybe you could try and talk with her?"

"Ah, mom.." Eli complained. "I don't think she'd talk to me."

"Just give it a try.. it couldn't hurt." Karen pleaded.

"Okay."

Karen turned to leave, but instead looked back at her son with a warm heart. "So, how's everything going with you?"

"Oh, good." Eli said.

"How's Jennifer?"

Eli grimaced, "Uh, we broke up, mom."

"Oh," Karen said in surprise.

[[Karen - I don't know what's happening in their lives. I used to know every freckle on their bodies, and now.. *sigh*]]

"Yeah, well, I should be studying," Eli gestured at the book.

"Right, right. Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, mom." Eli put his headphones back on, and Karen left the room, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

"No, I can't go back to school on Monday, I just can't!" Grace cried into the phone. "You weren't there. First Jennifer threatens me, and tells me to, like, never talk to Eli again.. yeah, I know! And then Sarah tells me that Jennifer is spreading rumors about me.." Grace drops her voice as her mother walks by the living room. "..That I slept with the entire team!.. I know!.. she's being such a bitch!.. yeah, okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow.. Bye."

Grace got up from the couch and went to hang the phone up. She noticed her mother eyeing her. "WHAT?"

"Nothing, I just happened to hear you say something about rumors?" Lily asked carefully, not wanting Grace to get mad at her for listening to her conversation.

[[Lily - Grace just doesn't talk to me like she used to. She used to tell me EVERTHING. And now, I ask her one little question, and she'll clam up..]]

"It's nothing," Grace muttered. She moved to the table and began pulling books out of her backpack.

"Is this about that rumor about you and Eli?" Lily asked.

Grace rolled her eyes, "It's so much more than that."

Lily walked closer to Grace, concern showing in her eyes. "What's going on, honey?"

Grace peeked up at her mom and shrugged, looking away. "There's just this girl at school who doesn't like me, and is saying mean things about me."

[[Lily - I have to fight to get her to talk to me now. And even then, I always know she isn't telling me the whole truth.]]

"Have you talked to this girl?" Lily asked.

"No, mom, that wouldn't work. This girl really hates me."

"Why does she hate you?" Lily asked, her expression showing that she was surprised anyone could ever hate her baby.

"She thinks I've been hitting on her boyfriend, only he's not even her boyfriend, anymore.. they broke up." Grace looked up at her mother, "So, it's like all total bullshit."

"Grace!" Lily said, Grace knew she hated swearing.

Grace looked at her mother with bold eyes, "Well, it is. The girl is just being a bitch."

"Grace!" Lily cried.

Zoe walked in the kitchen, "Who's being a bitch?"

"Zoe!" Lily cried, and just sighed as she looked at her two daughters. "Where do you want to eat?"

"Chuckee Cheese!" Zoe cried.

"No!" Grace's face tightened in disgust, "Mom! I'm not going to a kiddy-place! You guys can go without me."

"It's not a kiddy place!" Zoe argued.

Lily shook her head, "Zoe, you and I will go to Chuckee Cheese another day, okay?"

"Why does Grace always get her way?!" Zoe screeched.

"Because I'm older!" Grace said smugly.

"Girls!" Lily cried.

"Hey." Judy greeted the three of them, and Lily turned to her sister with relief.

"Judy, where do you want to eat?" Lily asked.

Judy shrugged, "I already ate."

The two girls began fighting over where to eat again. Lily glanced at her sister with annoyance, and Judy gave her an 'I'm sorry' shrug.

* * *

"Did you talk to her?" Karen asked as Eli finally came into the kitchen on Saturday morning.

"Mom, I just woke up!" Eli complained, pouring himself a glass of juice.

"Well, Jessie's been up for an hour now, and she's not any better. Something's definitely on her mind, and she won't talk to me. Please, just try and talk to her, okay?"

[[Karen - ..why won't she talk to me? This is so hard.. What if she won't talk to Eli? Then what am I supposed to do? Call Rick and tell him I've failed at being a parent? *Long pause* I can't do that..]]

"Okay," Eli agreed and finished his juice. He began to pour a bowl of cereal and caught the look his mom threw at him. "You mean, now?"

"Yes."

Eli set the bowl on top of the counter and went down the hall, to Jessie's room. He knocked lightly on the door. "Jessie, can I come in?"

After a pause, Jessie called out, "I guess."

Eli opened the door and let himself in. Jessie was sitting on her bed, a book opened in front of her. Eli got closer and saw it was his yearbook. "What are you doing with that?"

Jessie threw him a cold look, "I just wanted to find out her name."

"Whose name?" Eli asked, sitting down next to Jessie.

Jessie pointed at a picture, Grace Manning. Eli looked at his sister in confusion, "What is this all about?"

Jessie shrugged, closely the yearbook shut firmly on Grace's picture.

A light dawned in Eli's head, "Is this because of the mom Dad is dating?"

Now it was Jessie who looked confused, "What?"

Eli opened the yearbook and thumbed through the freshman section until he reached Grace's picture again. Eli pointed at it, studying it. "Dad is dating Grace's mom."

"How come you didn't tell me that?" Jessie asked, surprised.

Eli looked down at his sister, "Why? It didn't matter.. you don't know Grace."

"Yeah, but you do," Jessie said, a hint of disgust in her voice.

[[Jessie - Nobody ever tells me anything. They think I'm just a kid. I may be a kid, but I still want to know stuff, you know? I don't want everyone to be keeping things from me.]]

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I heard this girl.. this Grace.. talking about you at the basketball game." Jessie closed the yearbook again, not wanting to see Grace's face.

"You did?" Eli asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Jessie looked at her brother carefully, "How come you didn't tell me that you're seeing her?"

"What? Jessie, I'm not seeing her."

"She said something about her parents walking on you two having sex.. and that's why you and Jennifer broke up." Jessie said, upset. "I really liked Jennifer."

Eli nodded, "I know you did, kiddo. But, Jennifer and I broke up, and it wasn't because of Grace."

"But, she said--"

Eli shook his head, "Jessie, she was talking about a rumor! Somebody started a rumor about her parents walking in on us having sex, because.."

Jessie waited for the explanation, "Because of what?"

Eli sighed, not wanting to have to say it. "Because something Grace said got twisted around. She had been talking about how she walked in on her mother.. and Dad-- and they twisted that around to make it be about us."

"She walked in on her mother and dad -- doing what?" Jessie asked, wanting to know the whole truth for once.

[[Jessie - I don't want people to feel they have to shield me from the truth]]

Eli shrugged, "They were close, making out or something.."

"Having sex?" Jessie said, disgusted.

"No, not that far," Eli said firmly, "But Grace said it was headed in that direction."

Jessie handed him the yearbook, and turned away from him.

"Jessie.." Eli pleaded.

Jessie wouldn't turn around. Finally Eli got up and left.

[[Jessie -I wish Eli would have told me about this Grace girl earlier. I wish I didn't have to find out about it like I did.]]