~A Once and Again Series~
The Way We Were
Okay, here comes another girl to mess with Eli & Grace... lol. First Jen, then Cassidy, and now..... Carla. Oh, course on the show she didn't come in till the second season, but whatever. :)
Chapter 26//Official Endings and Beginnings
"So, what Trawler is saying here is that you don't have to conform to be happy... in fact, those that don't conform to society's idealism are probably the happiest people."
Eli looked across the table at Grace, who was looking down at the book in front of her. Grace was trying to help him write a paper, but Eli kept being distracted by her beauty. As Eli watched her, Grace reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, reminding him of their second kiss by the window at school.
"And, on page 54, there's an important paragraph that starts off: 'Those who view the world, see further than those who don't. And those that sense the world view the world in an overall means. So those that sense, whether their eyes are open to everything about them, can see better than those with a clear vision......"
Eli nodded, jotting down the page number 54 on his opened page of notebook paper, but his eyes were on her. He watched her mouth speak until he could no longer make sense of what words her lips were forming... he could only see her full lips moving elegantly.
[[Eli - She's amazing.]]
"I'd refer back to that paragraph in your paper, because it basically says his whole viewpoint of the book..." Grace said, looking up from the book, and finding Eli staring at her. Grace looked away, almost shyly, and then found herself looking back into his hazel eyes.
[[Grace - He's amazing.]]
Eli leaned across the table, and Grace met him halfway, but she paused before their lips met. "Maybe you need a different tutor... maybe one who's not so attracted to her pupil," Grace said with a smile.
Eli shook his head, "This seems to be working nicely."
Grace shook her head in amusement, but Eli just smiled and moved forward over the last few inches. They kissed softly, looking at each other through their open eyes.
"Grace? Zoe?"
Grace pulled back, slumping into her chair with a frown. Eli sat back too and they looked over as Lily came into the kitchen.
"Grace, you're here," Lily said, setting down the bag of groceries she carried. "Oh, hi, Eli."
"Hi... uh, Lily," Eli said, picking up his pencil. "Grace is just helping me on a paper."
"Oh, that's nice," Lily said, seeming distracted. She left the room.
Grace and Eli turned back to each other, and Grace shrugged.
* * *
"Grace, don't eat that!" Lily cried, taking the serving bowl of rice away from her daughter.
"I'm hungry," Grace complained, setting down the spoon she had been using. "When are we going to eat? Are we waiting for Rick?"
Zoe came into the dining room, and Lily looked at her two girls. "No, actually, we're waiting for your father."
"Dad's eating with us?" Grace asked in confusion. She looked at her mother who nodded.
"Is he bringing Tiffany?" Zoe asked.
"No, it will just be us..." Lily said, and went over to the table, where she replaced the bowl of rice Grace had been eating from.
Grace looked down.
[[Grace - So... it's like obvious that they're going to tell us something... why else would they want to have dinner with all four of us together.... So, I guess it's really happened.................they're divorced. *doesn't know how to react*]]
* * *
"Jake?" Lily questioned at dinner, after they had finished the meal.
Jake looked up with a start, and then nodded at Lily. "Uh, Grace... Zoe. Your mother and I have some news to tell you."
Lily didn't like the way he was handling it and stepped in, "It's something you've known was coming, and we wanted to talk to you together about it... to make sure that you understand nothing's going to change... your father and I are still your parents, and---"
Grace cut her off, "So, the divorce is official?"
"Yeah," Jake said gently.
Grace nodded, "Can I be excused? I have to call Julie about our English project."
"Grace, don't you want to talk about this?" Lily asked in dismay.
Grace shrugged, "What's there to talk about? You're divorced. I already heard your speeches when you first separated... I know how it goes: 'We'll still be here for you, even if we aren't together anymore'... 'this isn't about you, it's about us'... So can I be excused?"
Jake nodded, and Lily looked at him, her eyes narrowed. Grace left the room gratefully.
"So, are you going to marry Tiffany?" Zoe piped up from her seat after a break of silence.
Jake swallowed, finding his throat had gone dry, and picked up his glass of water, taking a big gulp.
* * *
"So, it's really happening..." Grace said into the phone later that night.
On her end, Julie said, "Wow, that's SO cool."
Grace leaned back, smiling to herself. "I know... I can't believe I'm dating Eli!"
"Do your parents know?" Julie asked.
"No, not yet, but they already thought we were dating, so it shouldn't be too bad to tell them," Grace said, adding 'hopefully' in her mind.
"Well, at least your mom's divorced now, so she'll be too busy planning on getting married and moving with Rick to give you crap about Eli..." Julie said in a joking tone.
"Oh God, I hope not," Grace said with a grimace. "I don't want to be Eli's stepsister yet..."
"Maybe your mom and Rick will break up?" Julie said.
"Maybe," Grace said, then thought about it, "NO... that wouldn't happen. They are SO much in love, it's disgusting."
* * *
Jake rolled over in his bed, giving himself space. Tiffany slept on, oblivious to his departure from her side. Jake looked at the ceiling, his thoughts weighing heavily on his mind. He looked over at the woman sharing his bed, and sighed.
[[Jake - What am I going to do??]]
* * *
Lily rolled over, inching closer to Rick. Rick shifted slightly, "Good morning."
Lily smiled, looking at him in the morning light. "Good morning."
Rick kissed her neck, "How does it feel to be an unmarried woman?"
Lily sunk into his kisses. "Very nice... but I was afraid that once I became divorced, you'd lose your thrill of seducing a married woman," She joked.
"Oh, no... The attraction's still there," Rick assured her, bringing his lips to hers.
* * *
Grace went to the hall closet to get a towel for her shower, and heard a sting of noises she'd rather not hear coming from her mother's bedroom... Rick must have spent the night. Grace grabbed a towel and hurried back to her bathroom.
* * *
"Hi," Eli said happily as Grace joined him in the hallway. They both looked around quickly, looking for any teachers or authority figures, and finding the coast was clear, they snuck a quick kiss.
Cassidy, passing by in the hall, shot them a harsh look, but she went unnoticed by the couple, who were too busy looking into each other's eyes.
"What are you doing Friday?" Eli asked.
"Friday..." Grace mind was blank. "Nothing, I think."
"Good, then you can come to Anti-inflammatory's gig." Eli said with a sly grin.
Grace's eyes widened in delight, "You have a gig!?"
Eli nodded, "Yeah, my mom's boyfriend, Leo, got it for us. It doesn't pay anything, but it's still an opportunity for us to be heard."
"Eli, that's so great!" Grace cried.
"Yeah, we're kind of psyched about it. And I need my inspiration there with me," Eli said, looking at Grace with a smile.
Grace grinned back. "I'll be there."
* * *
"Oh, shit!" *bang* "Come on!" *bang* *bang*
Grace watched in alarm as the girl hit the soda machine angrily. She looked over at her friend Julie who bore a similar expression on her face. Julie began pushing Grace to the left gently, planning on going around this angry girl. But the girl turned to them, her large brown eyes frantic.
"Do either of you have fifty cents?" The girl asked. "I NEED some caffeine, or I'll just die!"
Julie shook her head, her lip turning up slightly in disgust. The girl didn't seem to notice, and looked to Grace, her eyes pleading.
"Uh, yeah, I think I do..." Grace dug into her backpack, ignoring the glare from Julie. Grace found two quarters, and gave them to the girl, who gave her a huge grateful smile.
"Thanks! Oh, you saved my life. I owe you..." The girl deposited the coins into the machine and let out a breath of relief as her Coca Cola fell out with a clank. She looked once more at Grace, "Thanks. I mean it."
"It was no big deal," Grace said, but the girl was already walking down the hallway.
Julie turned back to Grace. "I can't believe you!"
"What? It was only fifty cents." Grace said with a shrug.
Julie rolled her eyes, "Yeah and she's only a drug addict..."
Grace paused, "Really?"
Julie nodded, "That was Carla... she just spent a couple of months in rehab, and she got kicked out of her last school... she's screwed up."
[[Grace - *wide eyed* I don't think I've ever known anyone who's that.... bad.]]
"Oh," Grace said quietly and they began walking again.
* * *
"Hey, hey!" A voice called.
Grace turned, thinking at first it might be Eli, but she saw instead it was Carla coming down the empty hallway toward her.
"Grace, right?" Carla asked as she got near her.
Grace nodded, surprised that this girl knew her name.
Carla smiled easily, "Whatcha doing?"
Grace smiled uncomfortably, "Uh, going home."
"Hmmm... and then what?" Carla asked, slinging an arm over Grace's shoulders.
"Uh, nothing... maybe homework or something," Grace said uneasily.
"I owe you," Carla said matter-of-factorly. "So, how about I pick you up tonight... say 7?"
Grace looked at this stranger in surprise, "Uh, what?"
[[Grace - *confused* She's not like me... or any of my friends... why would I hang out with her? *long pause* But, she's interesting, and different......]]
"Oh, come on... it'll be fun." Carla moved away, and started down the hallway, "Seven, okay?"
"Uh," Grace mumbled, watching the girl walk away.
Carla laughed, "I'm not as bad as you probably heard! I'll see you at seven!"
Grace nodded, or something to the effect, and Carla disappeared around a corner.
[[Grace - Oh my God... what did I just get myself into?]]
* * *
"Actually, I have to get off the phone soon," Grace said into the phone.
"Oh, okay," Eli said on his end. "Homework?"
"Uh, no," Grace said, glancing at the clock: 6:57pm. "It's something else."
"Okay," Eli said. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then..."
"Yeah," Grace said, hearing a horn beep in the street. She went to the window, saying goodbye into the phone. Eli said goodbye, and she clicked the phone off absentmindedly as she spotted Carla's face through the windshield of a rusty brown car. Grace hurried out of her room and down the stairs.
Her mother and Rick were snuggled up on the couch together. Grace paused, setting the phone down on a table, and said quickly, "Mom, I'm going out with my friend now..."
"Okay, honey," Her mother said, her voice sleepy, "Don't studied too late, now, okay?"
"Okay," Grace said, smiling. She was lucky her mother was distracted with Rick's presence, or she'd want to meet Grace's friend, and Grace wasn't sure how her mother would take to Carla.
[[Grace - My mother would HATE Carla... I can just tell... *smiles*]]
Grace slipped her coat on and exited to her driveway. She ran over to Carla's car and got in.
"I thought you'd wuss out," Carla said, smiling at her appreciatively.
Grace got in the car, pulling the seatbelt over her and smiled. "No, I'm here."
Carla grinned, "Alright, let's have some fun!"
* * *
The Way We Were
Okay, here comes another girl to mess with Eli & Grace... lol. First Jen, then Cassidy, and now..... Carla. Oh, course on the show she didn't come in till the second season, but whatever. :)
Chapter 26//Official Endings and Beginnings
"So, what Trawler is saying here is that you don't have to conform to be happy... in fact, those that don't conform to society's idealism are probably the happiest people."
Eli looked across the table at Grace, who was looking down at the book in front of her. Grace was trying to help him write a paper, but Eli kept being distracted by her beauty. As Eli watched her, Grace reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, reminding him of their second kiss by the window at school.
"And, on page 54, there's an important paragraph that starts off: 'Those who view the world, see further than those who don't. And those that sense the world view the world in an overall means. So those that sense, whether their eyes are open to everything about them, can see better than those with a clear vision......"
Eli nodded, jotting down the page number 54 on his opened page of notebook paper, but his eyes were on her. He watched her mouth speak until he could no longer make sense of what words her lips were forming... he could only see her full lips moving elegantly.
[[Eli - She's amazing.]]
"I'd refer back to that paragraph in your paper, because it basically says his whole viewpoint of the book..." Grace said, looking up from the book, and finding Eli staring at her. Grace looked away, almost shyly, and then found herself looking back into his hazel eyes.
[[Grace - He's amazing.]]
Eli leaned across the table, and Grace met him halfway, but she paused before their lips met. "Maybe you need a different tutor... maybe one who's not so attracted to her pupil," Grace said with a smile.
Eli shook his head, "This seems to be working nicely."
Grace shook her head in amusement, but Eli just smiled and moved forward over the last few inches. They kissed softly, looking at each other through their open eyes.
"Grace? Zoe?"
Grace pulled back, slumping into her chair with a frown. Eli sat back too and they looked over as Lily came into the kitchen.
"Grace, you're here," Lily said, setting down the bag of groceries she carried. "Oh, hi, Eli."
"Hi... uh, Lily," Eli said, picking up his pencil. "Grace is just helping me on a paper."
"Oh, that's nice," Lily said, seeming distracted. She left the room.
Grace and Eli turned back to each other, and Grace shrugged.
* * *
"Grace, don't eat that!" Lily cried, taking the serving bowl of rice away from her daughter.
"I'm hungry," Grace complained, setting down the spoon she had been using. "When are we going to eat? Are we waiting for Rick?"
Zoe came into the dining room, and Lily looked at her two girls. "No, actually, we're waiting for your father."
"Dad's eating with us?" Grace asked in confusion. She looked at her mother who nodded.
"Is he bringing Tiffany?" Zoe asked.
"No, it will just be us..." Lily said, and went over to the table, where she replaced the bowl of rice Grace had been eating from.
Grace looked down.
[[Grace - So... it's like obvious that they're going to tell us something... why else would they want to have dinner with all four of us together.... So, I guess it's really happened.................they're divorced. *doesn't know how to react*]]
* * *
"Jake?" Lily questioned at dinner, after they had finished the meal.
Jake looked up with a start, and then nodded at Lily. "Uh, Grace... Zoe. Your mother and I have some news to tell you."
Lily didn't like the way he was handling it and stepped in, "It's something you've known was coming, and we wanted to talk to you together about it... to make sure that you understand nothing's going to change... your father and I are still your parents, and---"
Grace cut her off, "So, the divorce is official?"
"Yeah," Jake said gently.
Grace nodded, "Can I be excused? I have to call Julie about our English project."
"Grace, don't you want to talk about this?" Lily asked in dismay.
Grace shrugged, "What's there to talk about? You're divorced. I already heard your speeches when you first separated... I know how it goes: 'We'll still be here for you, even if we aren't together anymore'... 'this isn't about you, it's about us'... So can I be excused?"
Jake nodded, and Lily looked at him, her eyes narrowed. Grace left the room gratefully.
"So, are you going to marry Tiffany?" Zoe piped up from her seat after a break of silence.
Jake swallowed, finding his throat had gone dry, and picked up his glass of water, taking a big gulp.
* * *
"So, it's really happening..." Grace said into the phone later that night.
On her end, Julie said, "Wow, that's SO cool."
Grace leaned back, smiling to herself. "I know... I can't believe I'm dating Eli!"
"Do your parents know?" Julie asked.
"No, not yet, but they already thought we were dating, so it shouldn't be too bad to tell them," Grace said, adding 'hopefully' in her mind.
"Well, at least your mom's divorced now, so she'll be too busy planning on getting married and moving with Rick to give you crap about Eli..." Julie said in a joking tone.
"Oh God, I hope not," Grace said with a grimace. "I don't want to be Eli's stepsister yet..."
"Maybe your mom and Rick will break up?" Julie said.
"Maybe," Grace said, then thought about it, "NO... that wouldn't happen. They are SO much in love, it's disgusting."
* * *
Jake rolled over in his bed, giving himself space. Tiffany slept on, oblivious to his departure from her side. Jake looked at the ceiling, his thoughts weighing heavily on his mind. He looked over at the woman sharing his bed, and sighed.
[[Jake - What am I going to do??]]
* * *
Lily rolled over, inching closer to Rick. Rick shifted slightly, "Good morning."
Lily smiled, looking at him in the morning light. "Good morning."
Rick kissed her neck, "How does it feel to be an unmarried woman?"
Lily sunk into his kisses. "Very nice... but I was afraid that once I became divorced, you'd lose your thrill of seducing a married woman," She joked.
"Oh, no... The attraction's still there," Rick assured her, bringing his lips to hers.
* * *
Grace went to the hall closet to get a towel for her shower, and heard a sting of noises she'd rather not hear coming from her mother's bedroom... Rick must have spent the night. Grace grabbed a towel and hurried back to her bathroom.
* * *
"Hi," Eli said happily as Grace joined him in the hallway. They both looked around quickly, looking for any teachers or authority figures, and finding the coast was clear, they snuck a quick kiss.
Cassidy, passing by in the hall, shot them a harsh look, but she went unnoticed by the couple, who were too busy looking into each other's eyes.
"What are you doing Friday?" Eli asked.
"Friday..." Grace mind was blank. "Nothing, I think."
"Good, then you can come to Anti-inflammatory's gig." Eli said with a sly grin.
Grace's eyes widened in delight, "You have a gig!?"
Eli nodded, "Yeah, my mom's boyfriend, Leo, got it for us. It doesn't pay anything, but it's still an opportunity for us to be heard."
"Eli, that's so great!" Grace cried.
"Yeah, we're kind of psyched about it. And I need my inspiration there with me," Eli said, looking at Grace with a smile.
Grace grinned back. "I'll be there."
* * *
"Oh, shit!" *bang* "Come on!" *bang* *bang*
Grace watched in alarm as the girl hit the soda machine angrily. She looked over at her friend Julie who bore a similar expression on her face. Julie began pushing Grace to the left gently, planning on going around this angry girl. But the girl turned to them, her large brown eyes frantic.
"Do either of you have fifty cents?" The girl asked. "I NEED some caffeine, or I'll just die!"
Julie shook her head, her lip turning up slightly in disgust. The girl didn't seem to notice, and looked to Grace, her eyes pleading.
"Uh, yeah, I think I do..." Grace dug into her backpack, ignoring the glare from Julie. Grace found two quarters, and gave them to the girl, who gave her a huge grateful smile.
"Thanks! Oh, you saved my life. I owe you..." The girl deposited the coins into the machine and let out a breath of relief as her Coca Cola fell out with a clank. She looked once more at Grace, "Thanks. I mean it."
"It was no big deal," Grace said, but the girl was already walking down the hallway.
Julie turned back to Grace. "I can't believe you!"
"What? It was only fifty cents." Grace said with a shrug.
Julie rolled her eyes, "Yeah and she's only a drug addict..."
Grace paused, "Really?"
Julie nodded, "That was Carla... she just spent a couple of months in rehab, and she got kicked out of her last school... she's screwed up."
[[Grace - *wide eyed* I don't think I've ever known anyone who's that.... bad.]]
"Oh," Grace said quietly and they began walking again.
* * *
"Hey, hey!" A voice called.
Grace turned, thinking at first it might be Eli, but she saw instead it was Carla coming down the empty hallway toward her.
"Grace, right?" Carla asked as she got near her.
Grace nodded, surprised that this girl knew her name.
Carla smiled easily, "Whatcha doing?"
Grace smiled uncomfortably, "Uh, going home."
"Hmmm... and then what?" Carla asked, slinging an arm over Grace's shoulders.
"Uh, nothing... maybe homework or something," Grace said uneasily.
"I owe you," Carla said matter-of-factorly. "So, how about I pick you up tonight... say 7?"
Grace looked at this stranger in surprise, "Uh, what?"
[[Grace - *confused* She's not like me... or any of my friends... why would I hang out with her? *long pause* But, she's interesting, and different......]]
"Oh, come on... it'll be fun." Carla moved away, and started down the hallway, "Seven, okay?"
"Uh," Grace mumbled, watching the girl walk away.
Carla laughed, "I'm not as bad as you probably heard! I'll see you at seven!"
Grace nodded, or something to the effect, and Carla disappeared around a corner.
[[Grace - Oh my God... what did I just get myself into?]]
* * *
"Actually, I have to get off the phone soon," Grace said into the phone.
"Oh, okay," Eli said on his end. "Homework?"
"Uh, no," Grace said, glancing at the clock: 6:57pm. "It's something else."
"Okay," Eli said. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then..."
"Yeah," Grace said, hearing a horn beep in the street. She went to the window, saying goodbye into the phone. Eli said goodbye, and she clicked the phone off absentmindedly as she spotted Carla's face through the windshield of a rusty brown car. Grace hurried out of her room and down the stairs.
Her mother and Rick were snuggled up on the couch together. Grace paused, setting the phone down on a table, and said quickly, "Mom, I'm going out with my friend now..."
"Okay, honey," Her mother said, her voice sleepy, "Don't studied too late, now, okay?"
"Okay," Grace said, smiling. She was lucky her mother was distracted with Rick's presence, or she'd want to meet Grace's friend, and Grace wasn't sure how her mother would take to Carla.
[[Grace - My mother would HATE Carla... I can just tell... *smiles*]]
Grace slipped her coat on and exited to her driveway. She ran over to Carla's car and got in.
"I thought you'd wuss out," Carla said, smiling at her appreciatively.
Grace got in the car, pulling the seatbelt over her and smiled. "No, I'm here."
Carla grinned, "Alright, let's have some fun!"
* * *
