~A Once and Again Series~
The Way We Were
Hey, thanks for reading, as always... and in case I haven't said it lately, thanks for your reviews...
Chapter 18//Keeping Secrets
"Would you like smoking or nonsmoking?" The hostess asked.
"Non," Lily and Rick said together.
"Alright, right this way," The hostess guided them to a booth. "Here are your menus, and the waitress will be right with you."
"Thank you," Rick said, and looked across the table at the kids. "Pick anything you want."
Zoe's eyes lit up and she opened her menu. Jessie let the menu sit in front of her.
"Jessie?" Rick questioned.
Jessie looked up, "Oh, I just wanted a blueberry muffin."
"Aren't you hungry?" Lily asked.
Jessie shrugged, "Not really."
[[Jessie - Everyone always is asking me if I'm hungry... I just don't feel like eating that much sometimes...]]
Rick looked at his daughter carefully, but didn't comment.
"Oh, I want the chicken tenders, french fries, and a banana nut muffin!" Zoe said, making up her mind. She closed the menu and smiled happily.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom," Jessie said, standing up. Zoe stood up too.
"Me too!"
"You know where it is, honey?" Rick asked. Jessie nodded. She walked away, Zoe following her.
* * *
"Have you two decided on what you want to eat?" Their waitress asked.
Grace looked up in surprise. "Oh, um, just a blueberry muffin."
"The same," Eli said quickly. The waitress walked away.
Grace retreated back into silence. She couldn't believe Eli had just said he thought their kiss was meaningless.
[[Grace - I think I was kind of expecting him to say something like that... and so, that's why I put off talking to him. *looks away* But it still hurts...]]
[[Eli - *looks confused* I should feel relieved that Grace thinks our kiss was meaningless, right?]]
"Look, Eli..." Grace began.
"Eli??"
Eli turned his head. "Jessie? What are you doing here?"
"What are YOU doing here?" Jessie asked. "I thought you had band practice at John's."
Grace wasn't concerned about having Jessie run into them, until she saw the surprised little figure behind Jessie. "Zoe, what are you doing here? Is mom here?"
Eli looked at Grace and they shared a brief worried look.
"Yeah, mom and Rick are over there," Zoe said pointing. "I thought you were at Julie's... are you guys on a date?"
"No!" Grace and Eli said together.
"Does Dad know you're here?" Jessie asked.
"No," Eli said quickly. "Don't tell them, okay?"
"So, you're not on a date?" Zoe asked, confused.
"Zoe, don't tell mom I'm here, okay?" Grace pleaded.
"Why not?" Zoe asked.
"Why not?" Jessie agreed.
"Just don't... please," Eli said. He looked briefly at Grace, who was looking at Zoe. His heart tore at the fear on her face. He knew Grace would get in big trouble if her mother found out she had lied to her, and had been at a party.
"I guess..." Jessie said uneasily. She looked at Grace and Eli curiously, wondering what was up.
"Zoe?" Grace begged.
Zoe looked up at Jessie. "Okay, I guess."
"Uh, thank you. I owe you, Zoe," Grace said. "You guys should go back, before they wonder where you've been."
The two girls walked away. Grace sunk down in her seat, putting one hand over the side of her face.
[[Grace - I can't believe I have to trust Zoe not to say anything... this is ZOE!]]
[[Eli - I can usually count on Jessie. I know she won't say anything. She's someone I always trust.]]
"Uh, can we have the check?" Eli asked as the waitress passed by the table.
"But, I haven't even brought out your food!" The waitress said in surprise.
"That's okay. We're not really hungry anymore..." Eli forced a small smile.
The waitress pulled out their bill and handed it to him.
"Let's get out of here," Eli said to Grace, after throwing down two dollars for a tip.
Grace nodded, and they made their exit.
* * *
Lily and Rick looked up as their daughters slid in the booth across from them. Jessie's face was a little scrunched up as if she was confused about something, and Zoe's face held a big knowing smile.
"Girls?" Rick asked.
"Hmmm?" Jessie mumbled.
"Is everything okay?" Rick looked over them again.
"Everything's fine," Jessie said quickly.
Zoe smiled at Jessie, and nodded, "Everything's fine."
Rick looked at Lily, and they shared a curious look. Lily shrugged. Whatever it was, the girls probably wouldn't tell them. "We ordered for you while you were gone," Lily told them.
The two girls were silent. Zoe was still smiling and kept trying to caught Jessie's eye, but Jessie was staring down at the table.
* * *
"Oh my God!" Grace exclaimed after they had made it a block away from the restaurant.
"Don't freak out," Eli said.
"I'm not freaking out!" Grace insisted. She stopped walking and looked over at him. "Do you realize how close my life just came to ending?"
"Yeah, but everything worked out," Eli said, touching her shoulder lightly.
Grace's eyes widened, "But it's not over! Zoe is a blabbermouth... I bet she's telling my mother right now!"
"Hey, don't worry. Jessie's there too, and I know she wouldn't say anything. And Zoe looks up to Jessie... so if Jessie doesn't say anything, Zoe won't either, I bet." Eli reassured her. He grabbed both of her shoulders lightly and waited until her eyes met his. "It'll be okay."
[[Eli - I just... I just feel this need to make her okay... She's usually so together, and to see her upset... I just want to make it okay for her...]]
"Yeah," Grace breathed out. She began to relax a little more. They continued walking. They reached Cassidy's house, and Grace was relieved to see Julie standing out front. She turned to Eli, "Did you want a ride or something? I'm sure Julie's sister would give you one."
"Uh, no. My dad would be wondering where his car was when he gets home tonight. I'll just find some of my sober friends, and they'll drive the car back for me." Eli said.
Grace nodded. Julie had caught site of her, and waved, but Grace was reluctant to leave Eli. "So, I guess I'll see you Monday..."
[[Grace - Eli was really there for me tonight... I didn't expect that. But at the same time, now I know he didn't mean anything by the kiss... so... *shrugs* Maybe we can be friends, or something...]]
"Yeah, sure, Grace," Eli's voice wasn't as confident as Grace would have hoped.
[[Eli - I don't have girl friends... not really. It's always been hard for me to be just friends with a girl. Jennifer was my friend, before we... started dating. And Cassidy is a friend, I guess... but I think she wants something more... So, I don't have much luck being just friends with girls. *half-smile*]]
Grace began to walk away, but stopped. "Eli?"
"Yeah?"
Grace paused, smiling softly. "Thanks... for everything."
Eli smiled a bit, and hung his head as she walked away.
Grace walked up to Julie. "Hey."
"Where have you've been?" Julie asked, grinning. "And what were you doing with Eli?"
"Nothing," Grace said, shrugging, but smiling at the same time. "Let's just go."
The girls walked over to the curb, where Julie's sister had just pulled up. Eli stood in the dark by his father's car and watched them drive away with a small smile on his face.
* * *
"Well, we had fun tonight, didn't we Jessie?" Rick said, as Lily pulled up in front of Rick's apartment building.
"Yeah, Dad," Jessie said.
[[Jessie - I always been good at keeping secrets... I don't like to, but I'm good at it.]]
"Well, bye Zoe, bye Lily," Rick said, as they got out of the car.
Jessie echoed her father's words, catching the secretive look in Zoe's eyes and nodding. She and Zoe had managed not to spill the beans on Eli and Grace's non-date at the restaurant. It had been hard though... twice Jessie had to elbow Zoe when Zoe had almost inadvertently let the secret out. But they had done it.
[[Zoe - I think Grace and Eli make a cute couple... it's kind of gross, since they might be stepbrother and stepsister someday, but... I dunno. It's nice to know something I'm not supposed to know....*big smile* I like secrets.]]
* * *
The Way We Were
Hey, thanks for reading, as always... and in case I haven't said it lately, thanks for your reviews...
Chapter 18//Keeping Secrets
"Would you like smoking or nonsmoking?" The hostess asked.
"Non," Lily and Rick said together.
"Alright, right this way," The hostess guided them to a booth. "Here are your menus, and the waitress will be right with you."
"Thank you," Rick said, and looked across the table at the kids. "Pick anything you want."
Zoe's eyes lit up and she opened her menu. Jessie let the menu sit in front of her.
"Jessie?" Rick questioned.
Jessie looked up, "Oh, I just wanted a blueberry muffin."
"Aren't you hungry?" Lily asked.
Jessie shrugged, "Not really."
[[Jessie - Everyone always is asking me if I'm hungry... I just don't feel like eating that much sometimes...]]
Rick looked at his daughter carefully, but didn't comment.
"Oh, I want the chicken tenders, french fries, and a banana nut muffin!" Zoe said, making up her mind. She closed the menu and smiled happily.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom," Jessie said, standing up. Zoe stood up too.
"Me too!"
"You know where it is, honey?" Rick asked. Jessie nodded. She walked away, Zoe following her.
* * *
"Have you two decided on what you want to eat?" Their waitress asked.
Grace looked up in surprise. "Oh, um, just a blueberry muffin."
"The same," Eli said quickly. The waitress walked away.
Grace retreated back into silence. She couldn't believe Eli had just said he thought their kiss was meaningless.
[[Grace - I think I was kind of expecting him to say something like that... and so, that's why I put off talking to him. *looks away* But it still hurts...]]
[[Eli - *looks confused* I should feel relieved that Grace thinks our kiss was meaningless, right?]]
"Look, Eli..." Grace began.
"Eli??"
Eli turned his head. "Jessie? What are you doing here?"
"What are YOU doing here?" Jessie asked. "I thought you had band practice at John's."
Grace wasn't concerned about having Jessie run into them, until she saw the surprised little figure behind Jessie. "Zoe, what are you doing here? Is mom here?"
Eli looked at Grace and they shared a brief worried look.
"Yeah, mom and Rick are over there," Zoe said pointing. "I thought you were at Julie's... are you guys on a date?"
"No!" Grace and Eli said together.
"Does Dad know you're here?" Jessie asked.
"No," Eli said quickly. "Don't tell them, okay?"
"So, you're not on a date?" Zoe asked, confused.
"Zoe, don't tell mom I'm here, okay?" Grace pleaded.
"Why not?" Zoe asked.
"Why not?" Jessie agreed.
"Just don't... please," Eli said. He looked briefly at Grace, who was looking at Zoe. His heart tore at the fear on her face. He knew Grace would get in big trouble if her mother found out she had lied to her, and had been at a party.
"I guess..." Jessie said uneasily. She looked at Grace and Eli curiously, wondering what was up.
"Zoe?" Grace begged.
Zoe looked up at Jessie. "Okay, I guess."
"Uh, thank you. I owe you, Zoe," Grace said. "You guys should go back, before they wonder where you've been."
The two girls walked away. Grace sunk down in her seat, putting one hand over the side of her face.
[[Grace - I can't believe I have to trust Zoe not to say anything... this is ZOE!]]
[[Eli - I can usually count on Jessie. I know she won't say anything. She's someone I always trust.]]
"Uh, can we have the check?" Eli asked as the waitress passed by the table.
"But, I haven't even brought out your food!" The waitress said in surprise.
"That's okay. We're not really hungry anymore..." Eli forced a small smile.
The waitress pulled out their bill and handed it to him.
"Let's get out of here," Eli said to Grace, after throwing down two dollars for a tip.
Grace nodded, and they made their exit.
* * *
Lily and Rick looked up as their daughters slid in the booth across from them. Jessie's face was a little scrunched up as if she was confused about something, and Zoe's face held a big knowing smile.
"Girls?" Rick asked.
"Hmmm?" Jessie mumbled.
"Is everything okay?" Rick looked over them again.
"Everything's fine," Jessie said quickly.
Zoe smiled at Jessie, and nodded, "Everything's fine."
Rick looked at Lily, and they shared a curious look. Lily shrugged. Whatever it was, the girls probably wouldn't tell them. "We ordered for you while you were gone," Lily told them.
The two girls were silent. Zoe was still smiling and kept trying to caught Jessie's eye, but Jessie was staring down at the table.
* * *
"Oh my God!" Grace exclaimed after they had made it a block away from the restaurant.
"Don't freak out," Eli said.
"I'm not freaking out!" Grace insisted. She stopped walking and looked over at him. "Do you realize how close my life just came to ending?"
"Yeah, but everything worked out," Eli said, touching her shoulder lightly.
Grace's eyes widened, "But it's not over! Zoe is a blabbermouth... I bet she's telling my mother right now!"
"Hey, don't worry. Jessie's there too, and I know she wouldn't say anything. And Zoe looks up to Jessie... so if Jessie doesn't say anything, Zoe won't either, I bet." Eli reassured her. He grabbed both of her shoulders lightly and waited until her eyes met his. "It'll be okay."
[[Eli - I just... I just feel this need to make her okay... She's usually so together, and to see her upset... I just want to make it okay for her...]]
"Yeah," Grace breathed out. She began to relax a little more. They continued walking. They reached Cassidy's house, and Grace was relieved to see Julie standing out front. She turned to Eli, "Did you want a ride or something? I'm sure Julie's sister would give you one."
"Uh, no. My dad would be wondering where his car was when he gets home tonight. I'll just find some of my sober friends, and they'll drive the car back for me." Eli said.
Grace nodded. Julie had caught site of her, and waved, but Grace was reluctant to leave Eli. "So, I guess I'll see you Monday..."
[[Grace - Eli was really there for me tonight... I didn't expect that. But at the same time, now I know he didn't mean anything by the kiss... so... *shrugs* Maybe we can be friends, or something...]]
"Yeah, sure, Grace," Eli's voice wasn't as confident as Grace would have hoped.
[[Eli - I don't have girl friends... not really. It's always been hard for me to be just friends with a girl. Jennifer was my friend, before we... started dating. And Cassidy is a friend, I guess... but I think she wants something more... So, I don't have much luck being just friends with girls. *half-smile*]]
Grace began to walk away, but stopped. "Eli?"
"Yeah?"
Grace paused, smiling softly. "Thanks... for everything."
Eli smiled a bit, and hung his head as she walked away.
Grace walked up to Julie. "Hey."
"Where have you've been?" Julie asked, grinning. "And what were you doing with Eli?"
"Nothing," Grace said, shrugging, but smiling at the same time. "Let's just go."
The girls walked over to the curb, where Julie's sister had just pulled up. Eli stood in the dark by his father's car and watched them drive away with a small smile on his face.
* * *
"Well, we had fun tonight, didn't we Jessie?" Rick said, as Lily pulled up in front of Rick's apartment building.
"Yeah, Dad," Jessie said.
[[Jessie - I always been good at keeping secrets... I don't like to, but I'm good at it.]]
"Well, bye Zoe, bye Lily," Rick said, as they got out of the car.
Jessie echoed her father's words, catching the secretive look in Zoe's eyes and nodding. She and Zoe had managed not to spill the beans on Eli and Grace's non-date at the restaurant. It had been hard though... twice Jessie had to elbow Zoe when Zoe had almost inadvertently let the secret out. But they had done it.
[[Zoe - I think Grace and Eli make a cute couple... it's kind of gross, since they might be stepbrother and stepsister someday, but... I dunno. It's nice to know something I'm not supposed to know....*big smile* I like secrets.]]
* * *
