~A Once and Again Series~

The Way We Are

Thanks for reading/reviewing as always. Uh, all I have to say about the upcoming chapters is that don't expect everything to be all sunshine and rainbows for Eli and Grace. What would be the fun in that?

Chapter Two//Life on the Outside

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"What are you reading?" Rick asked as he entered the kitchen.

Lily looked up from the newspaper. "The classifieds."

Rick's eyebrows raised, "Are you thinking about getting another job, again?"

Lily shrugged, "If I happened to come across something interesting, maybe... I guess for now, the bookstore will have to just support me."

Rick leaned in and kissed her cheek, "I thought I was the one who was supposed to support you."

Lily smiled, "That's how it's supposed to work." She looked down at the paper, "But still, a different job would be nice."

"Mmm hmm," Rick agreed, nuzzling his face into her hair. "You could always come work for me."

Lily pulled back and shook her head at him, "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

Lily stood up, and began refolding the newspaper, "Just because."

[[Lily - Working with someone you love... isn't the best idea. I have to work with Judy, and I love her, but.... *small smile, and a shake of her head* It's just not a good idea.]]

"Do we have any more bagels?" Zoe asked, as the troops began filing into the room.

"Yes, on the counter," Lily said, pointing. Zoe went over to make herself a bagel. Lily looked at Jessie and Grace, "Did you two want me to make you eggs or anything?"

Grace shook her head, "I'll just have cereal."

"Jess?" Lily prompted.

Jessie distractedly shook her head. She slumped down into a chair at the table. Lily looked at her, concerned. "So, starting high school today, huh, Jessie?" Lily said, hoping to cheer the girl up.

Jessie gave a small nod.

[[Jessie - High school... yeah. *is silent for a few moments* Why was I so eager to start high school? I skipped eighth grade... all the friends I had made are still in junior high. And I'm going into high school..... yeah...]]

"It's not so bad, right, Grace?" Lily said,

Grace gave her mother a look like she had just asked her if the sky was green. "Being a freshman... it's bad."

Lily frowned at her oldest daughter. Jessie looked even more miserable. "But, you didn't have anyone else in high school with you when you started," Lily reminded Grace, "Jessie will have you and Eli."

Grace was silent, munching on her Golden Grahams. Eli came downstairs, and caught his name being spoken.

"I was just saying how Jessie will have you and Grace with her at the high school," Lily explained to him.

Eli shrugged, "We'll probably never even see her. All the freshman classes are at the far end of the school."

Lily disappointedly began fixing some scrambled eggs. Rick, sensing that Lily was trying to cheer Jessie up, spoke up, "Well, Jessie... you're smart. I'm sure high school won't be that bad."

Jessie shrugged.

"Eggs, Eli?" Lily asked.

Eli got out a plate and held it out. Lily scooped some onto his plate. Eli joined the rest of the kids at the breakfast table. "Good morning," He said to Grace.

Grace smiled at him, "Good morning."

Zoe faked a gagging noise. Grace threw a napkin at her.

"So, you're now a senior," Grace said to Eli.

Eli nodded, "Yes I am."

"Remember to see your guidance counselor about getting those pamphlets about colleges," Rick said to Eli.

Eli frowned, "It's the first day, Dad."

"And it's about time you really thought about what you want to do when you graduate," Rick replied, not sensing Eli's exasperation.

"Fine," Eli finished off the last of his eggs, "Can we go now?"

Lily threw her car keys over to him, "Drive safe."

The four kids headed out the door. They dropped Zoe off first at the elementary school, and well the car was in park, Eli looked over at Grace, "Want to drive?"

In the backseat, Jessie's eye widened.

"Really?" Grace asked, her own eyes a bit big.

Eli nodded, "You've got your permit."

"Uh, okay," Grace agreed with a smile. She and Eli got out of the car and switched sides. Jessie checked to make sure her seatbelt was on tight.

"You're a good driver," Eli approved as they went along.

Grace nodded, "My mom is just paranoid."

In the backseat, Jessie yanked out her class schedule, studying over it with a frown.

[[Jessie - *reading off of class schedule* English, room 234B. B? *looks up, confused*]]

Grace pulled into the school, and pulled into a parking space.

"Perfect driving," Eli complimented her. He leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"Where's 234B?" Jessie spoke up.

"Hmm?" Eli asked, drawing back from Grace's lips.

"234B," Jessie said again.

"Uh, the north corridor, second floor," Eli answered, distracted by the cute little smile on Grace's face.

Jessie opened her mouth to ask where the north corridor was, but Eli and Grace were already back to their kissing. Jessie got out the car, clutching her schedule.

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"Hey, there you are!" Eli said as Grace strolled into the lunch room.

"Hi," Grace said, wanting to kiss him, but seeing there was way too many people around. She caught site of Julie, Ashley, Sarah sitting at their old table. There was another girl at the table, who had long curly red hair. Grace had never seen her before.

"Did you want to go eat at JD's or something?" Eli asked, waggling the car keys in one hand.

"Uh, sure," Grace agreed. "Let me just go say hi to my friends, and then we'll go."

"Alright," Eli agreed and watched her go.

"Hi guys," Grace said as she approached the table.

"Hi," Her friends chorused.

"This is Diana," Julie said, gesturing at the new face at the table. "She just moved here."

"Hi," Grace said to Diana.

Diana smiled politely at Grace and then turned to Julie. "Who is that guy over there?" Diana asked.

Julie followed where Diana's eyes were looking, and groaned. "That's Kevin."

"He seems to keep looking at us," Diana commented.

"Yeah, well... he and I have a lot of history," Julie said with a sigh. "He was my boyfriend last year."

"Oh," Diana said, getting it.

"So, uh," Grace said, uncomfortably. She kind of felt like an outsider. But that didn't make sense. These girls were her best friends. "I just wanted to come over and say 'hi'."

"Oh, okay," Julie said, looking over at Grace.

"I'm going out to eat with Eli," Grace explained.

"Have fun," Sarah said.

"So, what's the story behind you and Kevin?" Diana said eagerly to Julie.

Grace waited, but no one else said anything to her, so she backed away, and joined Eli at the doors.

"Ready?" Eli asked.

Grace nodded, "Yeah, sure."

"You okay?" Eli asked, brushing a lock of hair back from her face.

Grace nodded, plastering on a smile, "I'm just fine."

They left, Grace glancing a look over her shoulder at her friends.

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"Did you tell Rick?"

Lily paused, her forkful of noodles halfway to her mouth, "Tell him what?"

Judy gave her that 'don't play dumb' look. "About the job," Judy said.

Lily shrugged, "I'd tell him, but there's nothing to tell... I haven't heard back from them yet. I probably won't here back from them."

"You're sure you don't want to stay here?" Judy asked, looking around at the deserted bookstore. "We could always give you a pay raise."

"We can't afford to do that," Lily reminded her.

Judy nodded, "Right." The bells above the door rang, and they looked over in surprise. "A customer," Judy said happily.

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"Watch it!"

Jessie grimaced as two guys pushed hurriedly past her. She looked down at her schedule, reading over the classroom numbers for her history class again. She looked up, and studied the numbers writing above the doors. She sighed and looked down at her paper again.

"Hey Jess."

Jessie looked up, catching a glimpse of Grace going past her. "Grace- -" Jessie began, but by then Grace was already out of sight. Jessie began moving unsurely down the hall again.

[[Jessie - I ended up eating lunch alone. I thought maybe I'd see Grace or Eli... but... they weren't there. And, of course, I have NO friends at this school. None. The only two people I know here are so wrapped up in themselves and their relationship, that they don't even think about ME...]]

The bell rang, and the hallway cleared out as kids rushed into classrooms. Jessie looked down at her schedule for the millionth time.

[[Jessie - And I can't even find my stupid classroom!!]]

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"Where is she?" Eli asked with annoyance.

Grace looked out the car's window. "Maybe she had to go to her locker or something."

Eli nodded, and drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. "We have band practice tonight at my mom's... want to come?"

"Of course," Grace said.

Eli turned to her and smiled, "You're my inspiration."

Grace smiled back, and drew his head towards her. She kissed him, her lips lingering against his.

The back side door opened, and Jessie climbed in behind them.

"About time," Eli said gruffly. He and Grace didn't look back, and so they didn't see the pained look on Jessie's face.

[[Jessie - I hate high school.]]

"So, we're working on putting music to the newest song," Eli said, looking over at Grace.

"Cool," Grace said.

In the back, Jessie crumbled up her class schedule and tucked it inside one of the pockets of her backpack.

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"Where are you going?" Rick asked as Eli and Grace walked past him.

"To practice..." Eli said. "I thought I told you."

"Did you see your counselor today?" Rick asked.

Eli's shoulders slumped, "I forgot."

"You know, it's important you start thinking about your future," Rick said firmly.

Eli's eyes narrowed, "I'll go tomorrow." He opened the front door, "We'll be back later."

Rick sighed as the two of them left. Jessie entered from the kitchen, hearing the car start up in the driveway. "Where are they going?"

"To practice," Rick told her.

"Oh," Jessie said, disappointed. She would have liked to go to practice too.

* * *

"Eli," Grace said gently as they began to drive towards Karen's house.

"What?" Eli snapped, and then caught himself. "Sorry."

Grace shrugged, "That's okay... so do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Eli said, and then contradicted himself by launching into it anyways, "All my dad and my mom do anymore is bug me about college. College." Eli sighed, "I don't think I want to go to college."

"What do you want to do?" Grace urged him.

"I want to do this..." Eli looked over at her, "I want to play music, and be with you."

Grace smiled. "Then do that."

"Yeah, right... my parents would throw a fit," Eli snarled. He lapsed into silence.

Grace turned and looked out the window.

[[Grace - Eli's always saying something that shows just how much he cares about me. I know he loves me. I love him. *thoughtful silence* But, what if he goes away to college? What about when I go away to college? Will our relationship really last that long, if we are apart?]]

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