~A Once and Again Series~
The Way We Were
Hey, all, thanks for reading, as always. Oh, by the way, I did "steal" the Cassidy character from season one... she was the girl who Eli and Jennifer broke up over. I'm not sure what I'll do with her yet, so don't get too worried. Anyways.
Chapter 16//Making my own Choices
"My mom would never let me go, anyways," Grace said as she watched Julie go through Grace's closet. "You know there's not going to be any parents there, and my mom is a freak about those things."
Julie took out a dark blue sweater and held it up against her. She looked at Grace quizzically. Grace nodded her approval. "Besides, I don't think I could face Eli... not in front of a whole bunch of other people," Grace continued.
[[Grace - I don't know what I'm doing. I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to be doing. Life doesn't come with instructions. I've got to find my own way through this mess... but it's so hard.]]
"You probably won't even run into him," Julie insisted, as she took the sweater off the hanger and slipped it over her head. "How does it look?"
"You're a whole size smaller than me!" Grace reminded her friend.
"It doesn't look bad, though," Julie said as she stood in front of the mirror. "I'm just sick of all my clothes! And if Kevin's there, then I want to look really good."
"Don't tell me you're still hung up on Kevin!" Grace cried. She stood up off her bed and joined Julie at her closet.
"Well, he isn't going out with anyone. I thought he broke up with me for Shelley, but she's dating Brad now, so..." Julie began fixing her hair.
"So you'd take him back, even after he dumped you," Grace finished for her friend.
Julie scrunched up her nose, "Yeah, so?"
"Nothing, I guess... if that's what you want to do," Grace said, pulling a black shirt out of her closet.
"It's what I want to do," Julie said firmly. "I don't see you taking any chances!"
"What?" Grace asked in surprise.
[[Grace - I take chances! I do... or maybe I just used to. Did I stop taking chances? When did that change?]]
"All you talk about is Eli... and he finally kisses you, and you won't even talk to him about it!" Julie explained.
"It's not like that!" Grace insisted. "He's the one who won't talk to me!"
"Have you given him any chances to talk to you?" Julie asked, and when Grace stayed silent, added, "Just go to the party, and go up to him... and see what happens!"
Grace bit her lower lip lightly. Could she do that? Would she do that? Julie looked over at her, waiting for her decision. Grace held the black shirt up against her body, "How about this shirt for tonight?"
Julie let out a small squeal, "Alright, Grace!"
Grace smiled briefly, then her worried thoughts took over. She was actually going to do this.
* * *
"Where's Grace?" Zoe asked later that night, as she entered the kitchen.
Lily looked up from the newspaper. "Oh, she's spending the night at Julie's."
Zoe smiled, "So, can we have dinner with Rick and Jessie after all?"
"Oh, I don't know, Zoe. They probably have plans already." Lily said, looking over at her daughter's eager face.
"Please!" Zoe begged. "We could go to Chuckee Cheese's!"
"Let me call Rick," Lily gave in. She picked up the phone from the table, and caught Zoe's happy smile. "But they still might have plans, honey."
"I know," Zoe insisted, but as Lily turned her back, Zoe grinned wider and spun in a delighted circle.
[[Zoe - Jessie is SO cool. She's nice, and she's SO not like Grace! I hope she becomes my sister someday!]]
"Rick? Oh, hi Eli," Lily said into the phone. "How are you?.... That's good.... is Rick there?... okay."
Zoe waited impatiently behind her mother.
"Hi! ...Good.... Yeah, Zoe and I were just wondering if you and Jessie had plans for tonight... okay... really?... yeah, okay.... We were thinking of going to Chuckee Cheese's."
Zoe clasped her hands together in joy. She listened intently to her mother's conversation.
"Yeah, how about 6:30ish?.... Great, great... we'll see you then. Bye," Lily hung up the phone and looked at Zoe. "They're coming over at 6:30ish."
Zoe let out a happy squeal and raced out of the kitchen. She had to find something to wear!
* * *
Lily went back to reading the paper. A few minutes after her conversation with Rick, the phone rang. Lily picked it up, "Hello?"
"Hey," Jake's voice greeted her. "Susan said you've been trying to reach me."
"Yeah, I have, Jake. For the past week!" Lily said, anger flowing through her body. "But apparently you're too busy with this Tiffany to care about what I have to say."
"Hey! Don't bring Tiffany into this!" Jake cried.
Lily sighed, looking up to make sure Zoe wasn't in the room. "Jake, I wanted to talk to you about this in person, but that hasn't happened, so... I think we should get started on... getting a divorce."
[[Lily - *throws hands up* I didn't want to do it like this, but he gave me no choice. He's never given me a choice.]]
"Lily... Lily! Can't we talk about this... some other time."
"Jake, there's nothing to talk about. We both know this is what we have to do."
"Is this about... Rick?" Jake asked angrily.
"No, Jake, this is about YOU and ME. It's not about Rick, it's not about Tiffany, it's not about Grace or Zoe... it's about US! It's time we finished this, Jake. It's time we got divorced," Lily said firmly.
"I'll come over after I finish up at the restaurant tonight, Lily. We'll talk about this then."
"No, I've got plans," Lily said, and she heard Zoe's feet coming down the stairs. "Naomi told me about a great mediator... it's cheaper than lawyers. I'll set up a meeting."
"Lily...." Jake began, but Lily cut him off.
"I've got to go, Jake," Lily hung up the phone and looked at her daughter who had just entered the kitchen.
Zoe put her hands on her hips and modeled the colorful outfit she had chosen. "What do you think?"
"It's beautiful, honey."
* * *
"What am I doing?" Grace asked nervously after she and Julie got out of Julie's older sister's car. Julie waved to her sister as she drove away.
"You're going to have fun... and maybe talk to Eli," Julie reminded her friend.
"But what if my mom calls your house?" Grace asked as she looked at the house in front of them.
[[Grace - That's so something my mom would do... call and check up on me, like I'm some ten-year old... I'm almost 15... well, 14 and a half. But, still, I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions. But, she treats me like a child... like Zoe.]]
"She won't!" Julie said surely. Grace wished she had her friend's confidence. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
Grace reluctantly trailed after her friend, and they entered the loud, crowded house.
* * *
"Eli! Eli!" Cassidy said, grabbing onto his arm. "I thought you left!"
"No, I've been around," Eli answered, shouting over the music. Cassidy pulled him out of the living room and they entered the kitchen, which was slightly quieter.
"Thanks so much, for everything, Eli! My party is a huge success, thanks to you!" Cassidy smiled up at him, and Eli nervously shifted.
[[Eli - What am I doing? Why did I ever agree to help Cassidy? Why did I come here?]]
"Here, have a beer!" Cassidy shoved a can at him. She looked at him and waited.
Eli opened the top, only planning on sipping it. He didn't feel like losing control over himself tonight. He was afraid of what he might do. But, then he looked at Cassidy's sparkling eyes, and found himself downing the whole thing.
Cassidy replaced the can with a full one, and took one for herself. "Did you want to go upstairs? You can see my bedroom."
Eli contemplated her offer, putting the full can to his lips.
* * *
"Hi Kevin," Julie said casually as she and Grace ran into him.
"Hi," Kevin said, his eyes looking over Julie. "How have you've been?"
"Okay," Julie said, staring deeply into Kevin's eyes. Kevin stared back.
Grace backed away from the two of them, and fought her way towards the kitchen. She seriously thought of calling Judy to come pick her up. Judy would understand, and not say anything to her mother. Or at least Grace hoped she would. This party was a stupid idea... Grace hadn't even seen Eli, and earlier she had heard a group of girls giggling over those stupid rumors about herself. All in all, it was a bad night so far. And now that Julie had found Kevin, Grace doubted that she'd want to leave.
Grace entered the kitchen, seeing first the table full of food, and then the open coolers next to it... filled with beer. She looked away guility, uneased by the encounter with the alcohol. She should have known there would be beer here, but she just didn't think about it. Grace's eyes landed on a familiar face.
Cassidy, looking pretty in a dark blue dress that was really low cut. Cassidy moved sideways, and Grace saw who she was talking to... Eli.
[[Grace - of course...]]
And Eli had an opened beer in his hand. As Grace watched them, Eli put the beer can to his mouth and drank. Grace turned, and tried to exit the kitchen, but a group just entering blocked her way.
"Hey, you're Grace, right?" A guy Grace didn't really recognize asked loudly.
"Yeah," Grace said, knowing that Eli had probably heard that. She snuck a glance over at where Cassidy and Eli had been standing and found Eli's eyes on her.
"I'm Mark Jenson. I'm in your English class," The guy told her. "You're smart!"
"Uh, thanks," Grace said, looking for a way out of the kitchen.
"Did you want a beer?" Mark asked, reaching into the cooler. Grace looked over quickly at Eli again, but he was looking at Cassidy.
"Sure," Grace answered, surprising herself.
Mark put the dripping beer can in her hand, and Grace held it awkwardly.
"Did you want to go downstairs?" Mark asked.
[[Grace - Downstairs??]]
Grace looked over at Eli. Eli had been looking at her, but looked away when their eyes caught.
"Uh, what's downstairs?" Grace asked, feeling like a fool.
"Oh, just a pool table and a TV and stuff... it will be quieter," Mark smiled at her, and Grace noticed that he was really good looking, in his own way.
[[Grace - Sometimes I don't know why I do the things I do... I just feel like I have to prove something to my mother, to my father... to Eli. And usually, it comes back and bites me on the butt... *slightly tearful* but I do it anyways...]]
"Okay," Grace agreed.
* * *
The Way We Were
Hey, all, thanks for reading, as always. Oh, by the way, I did "steal" the Cassidy character from season one... she was the girl who Eli and Jennifer broke up over. I'm not sure what I'll do with her yet, so don't get too worried. Anyways.
Chapter 16//Making my own Choices
"My mom would never let me go, anyways," Grace said as she watched Julie go through Grace's closet. "You know there's not going to be any parents there, and my mom is a freak about those things."
Julie took out a dark blue sweater and held it up against her. She looked at Grace quizzically. Grace nodded her approval. "Besides, I don't think I could face Eli... not in front of a whole bunch of other people," Grace continued.
[[Grace - I don't know what I'm doing. I don't have a clue what I'm supposed to be doing. Life doesn't come with instructions. I've got to find my own way through this mess... but it's so hard.]]
"You probably won't even run into him," Julie insisted, as she took the sweater off the hanger and slipped it over her head. "How does it look?"
"You're a whole size smaller than me!" Grace reminded her friend.
"It doesn't look bad, though," Julie said as she stood in front of the mirror. "I'm just sick of all my clothes! And if Kevin's there, then I want to look really good."
"Don't tell me you're still hung up on Kevin!" Grace cried. She stood up off her bed and joined Julie at her closet.
"Well, he isn't going out with anyone. I thought he broke up with me for Shelley, but she's dating Brad now, so..." Julie began fixing her hair.
"So you'd take him back, even after he dumped you," Grace finished for her friend.
Julie scrunched up her nose, "Yeah, so?"
"Nothing, I guess... if that's what you want to do," Grace said, pulling a black shirt out of her closet.
"It's what I want to do," Julie said firmly. "I don't see you taking any chances!"
"What?" Grace asked in surprise.
[[Grace - I take chances! I do... or maybe I just used to. Did I stop taking chances? When did that change?]]
"All you talk about is Eli... and he finally kisses you, and you won't even talk to him about it!" Julie explained.
"It's not like that!" Grace insisted. "He's the one who won't talk to me!"
"Have you given him any chances to talk to you?" Julie asked, and when Grace stayed silent, added, "Just go to the party, and go up to him... and see what happens!"
Grace bit her lower lip lightly. Could she do that? Would she do that? Julie looked over at her, waiting for her decision. Grace held the black shirt up against her body, "How about this shirt for tonight?"
Julie let out a small squeal, "Alright, Grace!"
Grace smiled briefly, then her worried thoughts took over. She was actually going to do this.
* * *
"Where's Grace?" Zoe asked later that night, as she entered the kitchen.
Lily looked up from the newspaper. "Oh, she's spending the night at Julie's."
Zoe smiled, "So, can we have dinner with Rick and Jessie after all?"
"Oh, I don't know, Zoe. They probably have plans already." Lily said, looking over at her daughter's eager face.
"Please!" Zoe begged. "We could go to Chuckee Cheese's!"
"Let me call Rick," Lily gave in. She picked up the phone from the table, and caught Zoe's happy smile. "But they still might have plans, honey."
"I know," Zoe insisted, but as Lily turned her back, Zoe grinned wider and spun in a delighted circle.
[[Zoe - Jessie is SO cool. She's nice, and she's SO not like Grace! I hope she becomes my sister someday!]]
"Rick? Oh, hi Eli," Lily said into the phone. "How are you?.... That's good.... is Rick there?... okay."
Zoe waited impatiently behind her mother.
"Hi! ...Good.... Yeah, Zoe and I were just wondering if you and Jessie had plans for tonight... okay... really?... yeah, okay.... We were thinking of going to Chuckee Cheese's."
Zoe clasped her hands together in joy. She listened intently to her mother's conversation.
"Yeah, how about 6:30ish?.... Great, great... we'll see you then. Bye," Lily hung up the phone and looked at Zoe. "They're coming over at 6:30ish."
Zoe let out a happy squeal and raced out of the kitchen. She had to find something to wear!
* * *
Lily went back to reading the paper. A few minutes after her conversation with Rick, the phone rang. Lily picked it up, "Hello?"
"Hey," Jake's voice greeted her. "Susan said you've been trying to reach me."
"Yeah, I have, Jake. For the past week!" Lily said, anger flowing through her body. "But apparently you're too busy with this Tiffany to care about what I have to say."
"Hey! Don't bring Tiffany into this!" Jake cried.
Lily sighed, looking up to make sure Zoe wasn't in the room. "Jake, I wanted to talk to you about this in person, but that hasn't happened, so... I think we should get started on... getting a divorce."
[[Lily - *throws hands up* I didn't want to do it like this, but he gave me no choice. He's never given me a choice.]]
"Lily... Lily! Can't we talk about this... some other time."
"Jake, there's nothing to talk about. We both know this is what we have to do."
"Is this about... Rick?" Jake asked angrily.
"No, Jake, this is about YOU and ME. It's not about Rick, it's not about Tiffany, it's not about Grace or Zoe... it's about US! It's time we finished this, Jake. It's time we got divorced," Lily said firmly.
"I'll come over after I finish up at the restaurant tonight, Lily. We'll talk about this then."
"No, I've got plans," Lily said, and she heard Zoe's feet coming down the stairs. "Naomi told me about a great mediator... it's cheaper than lawyers. I'll set up a meeting."
"Lily...." Jake began, but Lily cut him off.
"I've got to go, Jake," Lily hung up the phone and looked at her daughter who had just entered the kitchen.
Zoe put her hands on her hips and modeled the colorful outfit she had chosen. "What do you think?"
"It's beautiful, honey."
* * *
"What am I doing?" Grace asked nervously after she and Julie got out of Julie's older sister's car. Julie waved to her sister as she drove away.
"You're going to have fun... and maybe talk to Eli," Julie reminded her friend.
"But what if my mom calls your house?" Grace asked as she looked at the house in front of them.
[[Grace - That's so something my mom would do... call and check up on me, like I'm some ten-year old... I'm almost 15... well, 14 and a half. But, still, I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions. But, she treats me like a child... like Zoe.]]
"She won't!" Julie said surely. Grace wished she had her friend's confidence. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
Grace reluctantly trailed after her friend, and they entered the loud, crowded house.
* * *
"Eli! Eli!" Cassidy said, grabbing onto his arm. "I thought you left!"
"No, I've been around," Eli answered, shouting over the music. Cassidy pulled him out of the living room and they entered the kitchen, which was slightly quieter.
"Thanks so much, for everything, Eli! My party is a huge success, thanks to you!" Cassidy smiled up at him, and Eli nervously shifted.
[[Eli - What am I doing? Why did I ever agree to help Cassidy? Why did I come here?]]
"Here, have a beer!" Cassidy shoved a can at him. She looked at him and waited.
Eli opened the top, only planning on sipping it. He didn't feel like losing control over himself tonight. He was afraid of what he might do. But, then he looked at Cassidy's sparkling eyes, and found himself downing the whole thing.
Cassidy replaced the can with a full one, and took one for herself. "Did you want to go upstairs? You can see my bedroom."
Eli contemplated her offer, putting the full can to his lips.
* * *
"Hi Kevin," Julie said casually as she and Grace ran into him.
"Hi," Kevin said, his eyes looking over Julie. "How have you've been?"
"Okay," Julie said, staring deeply into Kevin's eyes. Kevin stared back.
Grace backed away from the two of them, and fought her way towards the kitchen. She seriously thought of calling Judy to come pick her up. Judy would understand, and not say anything to her mother. Or at least Grace hoped she would. This party was a stupid idea... Grace hadn't even seen Eli, and earlier she had heard a group of girls giggling over those stupid rumors about herself. All in all, it was a bad night so far. And now that Julie had found Kevin, Grace doubted that she'd want to leave.
Grace entered the kitchen, seeing first the table full of food, and then the open coolers next to it... filled with beer. She looked away guility, uneased by the encounter with the alcohol. She should have known there would be beer here, but she just didn't think about it. Grace's eyes landed on a familiar face.
Cassidy, looking pretty in a dark blue dress that was really low cut. Cassidy moved sideways, and Grace saw who she was talking to... Eli.
[[Grace - of course...]]
And Eli had an opened beer in his hand. As Grace watched them, Eli put the beer can to his mouth and drank. Grace turned, and tried to exit the kitchen, but a group just entering blocked her way.
"Hey, you're Grace, right?" A guy Grace didn't really recognize asked loudly.
"Yeah," Grace said, knowing that Eli had probably heard that. She snuck a glance over at where Cassidy and Eli had been standing and found Eli's eyes on her.
"I'm Mark Jenson. I'm in your English class," The guy told her. "You're smart!"
"Uh, thanks," Grace said, looking for a way out of the kitchen.
"Did you want a beer?" Mark asked, reaching into the cooler. Grace looked over quickly at Eli again, but he was looking at Cassidy.
"Sure," Grace answered, surprising herself.
Mark put the dripping beer can in her hand, and Grace held it awkwardly.
"Did you want to go downstairs?" Mark asked.
[[Grace - Downstairs??]]
Grace looked over at Eli. Eli had been looking at her, but looked away when their eyes caught.
"Uh, what's downstairs?" Grace asked, feeling like a fool.
"Oh, just a pool table and a TV and stuff... it will be quieter," Mark smiled at her, and Grace noticed that he was really good looking, in his own way.
[[Grace - Sometimes I don't know why I do the things I do... I just feel like I have to prove something to my mother, to my father... to Eli. And usually, it comes back and bites me on the butt... *slightly tearful* but I do it anyways...]]
"Okay," Grace agreed.
* * *
