Authors Note: Just a quick, if not boring chapter to tied you over.
Chapter 41 | Thankyou
"Ah hem" the principle of Uptown Sinclair High cleared his voice as he walked to the podium. There was a smattering of hushed voices and not so quite groans from the students, which filled the room.
The principle raised his hand to signal silence, and then cleared his voice again before everyone was finally quite.
"Well as I am sure you are all quite aware, the school year is drawing to a close. No I'm not going to give you all a lecture about how important the next fours weeks are for you seniors as I know you have heard it before but what I will say is that it is never to late. Many of you I am sure can't wait till the school year is over, you don't particularly care how well do you or not. But for many of you the next few weeks are going to be one of the hardest times in your life. It might seem scary and it is, it may seem nerve racking and stressful and yes it is. But as long as you come out of the end knowing you have done you best, and stayed true to yourself, you will succeed. I can guarantee you that. Thankyou"
There was polite applause from the seniors as the principle stepped down and the vice principal took his place. Grace looked over at Matt who was sitting next to her, pretending to gag. Laughing she shook her head at him, which only caused him to gag even more.
Felicity looked across at her brother and her best friend, who were laughing so hard tears were running down Graces face. "I thought you to promised to behave" she scolded them jokingly, shaking her finger at them.
"Shhhh!!!" Someone whispered from behind them and they turned around to see one of the teachers glaring at them from up the back.
Grace rolled her eyes wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Some people" Matt muttered, poking grace in the side and sending her off into another fit of laughter.
* * * * * * * * * *
"You joking" Coop exclaimed, looking at his friend who was staring at him seriously. "You are joking, aren't you?" he asked again.
Eli's face cracked into a huge smile; "I am totally serious" he nodded, slapping his friend on the back. "She want's us to go in on Thursday, so she can interview us and get a few photos and stuff"
"Aright!" Coop laughed, "I can't believe this man, what did your old man say?"
"I haven't told him yet, and I'm not planning to" Eli said bitterly, despite the excited look on his mates face. "Shit, his gonna go off" Coop said.
"Yeah well" Eli shrugged and ran his hand through his hair. "Stuff it, you know? This is my chance - our chance" Eli corrected himself, "to do something right. To succeed. And if he's going to try and stop me then fuck it. I don't give a shit" Eli spoke harshly, his voice filled with anger. "It wouldn't hurt him to once let me do what I want to do with my life would it?"
Coop looked kinda stunned at his friend's outburst. "Sorry man"
"Nothing you can do" Eli slammed the door to his locker, causing several heads to look his way. "This is one thing he isn't going to stuff up"
* * * * * * * * * *
"Table for two" Grace asked the young couple in front of her with a smile.
They nodded as a way of answer, to busy staring into each other's eyes.
[Grace - (Spaced out look) They look so much in love (shakes head with wistful look on face) I know I had my chance]
"Right this way" Grace gestured for the couple to follow her.
"Smoking or non smoking?"
"Non smoking thanks, my girlfriends asthmatic" The guy said pointedly.
"No problem, here you go" grace quickly wiped the table over before the couple sat down at a table as far away from the smoking area as possible.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Umm," The girl looked over at her boyfriend who took her hand across the table and smiled back lovingly, "Just a bottle of water thanks"
* * * * * * * * *
"Grace honey, do you mind coming into the kitchen for a moment"
"Sure Dad, just let me take this out to table 5" Grace answered, hurrying back into the crowded restaurant.
"So what's up?" Grace asked, returning to the kitchen minutes later.
"Well actually there's something I want to talk to you about"
"Okay" Grace answered raising an eyebrow.
"Well you know things have been really busy here lately, and with school holidays coming up in only a few weeks it's just going to get worse" Jake started.
Grace looked a Jake with a bored look on her face, "And?"
"And you mother hasn't been able to put in as much time here as expected"
"That's not her fault you know, it isn't easy having to work two jobs at the same time" Grace jumped in defensively.
"Whoa, calm down. I'm not blaming her. I just think it's time that I got someone else in here full time to help run the place"
[Grace - (blank look) And his telling me this because?]
"And what does my mum think about it?" Grace asked, suspiciously.
"Well that's the thing; I'm not quite sure how to tell her"
"And you want me to talk to her" Grace asked, realisation dawning.
"Not exactly" Jake shook his head. "Just umm, I guess you know" deep breath, "maybe you could just drop a few hints around the place about how busy it's gotten. She'll listen to you"
[Grace - In other words, he's asking me to do his dirty work]
"I dunno" Grace shook her head unsurely.
"Come on Grace. You know how stubborn your mother can be. There's no way she'll agree if I suggest it"
Grace let out a deep sigh, "yeah I guess"
"So you'll do it," Jake asked hopefully.
"Yeah" she nodded grudgingly.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Jess, do you mind cleaning up a bit?" Rick asked his daughter, who let out a small sigh. "But dad, its Eli's turn" she protested, staring over at her brother who shrugged.
"Don't look at me," Eli laughed, "it was his suggestion," he pointed at his father.
"Eli can do it tomorrow, okay" Jessie rolled her eyes.
"Yep, like I haven't heard that one before" grudgingly she rose from the table.
"E? Can I talk to you a minute?" Rick cornered Eli as he was leaving the kitchen.
[Eli - (look of shock on face) There is absolutely no way he could have found out yet (looks down) unless Lily told him]
"Ah yeah I guess" he answered hesitantly.
"Lily told me that you and Jess stopped by the other day," Rick said casually.
[Eli - (lets out deep breath) I thought (shakes head)]
"Ah yeah, we bumped into Grace at the restaurant and I offered her a lift home" Eli said, leaning back against the wall, wondering where the conversation was headed.
"So you two are . . ." Rick raised his eyebrows.
"What? No!" Eli exclaimed, "We're just-" he shoved his hands into his pockets, unable to complete the sentence.
[Eli - Friends? Are we really, because the other afternoon I felt so relaxed. Just Grace, Jessie and I hanging out and chillin' with some music and shit. It just felt so . . normal]
"I'm glad" Rick smiled, "Lily and I were getting worried that you'd never work things out"
"Well, I guess we have. I mean, it may still take a while but it's getting easier," Eli admitted to his father.
"So then would you agree to have dinner, all of us, next Friday?"
"Well, um. Sure" Eli shrugged. "But um, just remember the bands playing at Remixx so I can't stay late okay"
Rick chose to ignore his son's last comment, not at all pleased with the news of Eli's band scoring a regular gig at the club.
"So I'll tell Lily you'll be there"
"Yeah sure" Eli nodded, and then turned to head upstairs to his room.
"Oh and Eli" Rick stopped him.
Eli turned around slowly, "thanks"
"For what?"
"I know it couldn't have been easy"
Chapter 41 | Thankyou
"Ah hem" the principle of Uptown Sinclair High cleared his voice as he walked to the podium. There was a smattering of hushed voices and not so quite groans from the students, which filled the room.
The principle raised his hand to signal silence, and then cleared his voice again before everyone was finally quite.
"Well as I am sure you are all quite aware, the school year is drawing to a close. No I'm not going to give you all a lecture about how important the next fours weeks are for you seniors as I know you have heard it before but what I will say is that it is never to late. Many of you I am sure can't wait till the school year is over, you don't particularly care how well do you or not. But for many of you the next few weeks are going to be one of the hardest times in your life. It might seem scary and it is, it may seem nerve racking and stressful and yes it is. But as long as you come out of the end knowing you have done you best, and stayed true to yourself, you will succeed. I can guarantee you that. Thankyou"
There was polite applause from the seniors as the principle stepped down and the vice principal took his place. Grace looked over at Matt who was sitting next to her, pretending to gag. Laughing she shook her head at him, which only caused him to gag even more.
Felicity looked across at her brother and her best friend, who were laughing so hard tears were running down Graces face. "I thought you to promised to behave" she scolded them jokingly, shaking her finger at them.
"Shhhh!!!" Someone whispered from behind them and they turned around to see one of the teachers glaring at them from up the back.
Grace rolled her eyes wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Some people" Matt muttered, poking grace in the side and sending her off into another fit of laughter.
* * * * * * * * * *
"You joking" Coop exclaimed, looking at his friend who was staring at him seriously. "You are joking, aren't you?" he asked again.
Eli's face cracked into a huge smile; "I am totally serious" he nodded, slapping his friend on the back. "She want's us to go in on Thursday, so she can interview us and get a few photos and stuff"
"Aright!" Coop laughed, "I can't believe this man, what did your old man say?"
"I haven't told him yet, and I'm not planning to" Eli said bitterly, despite the excited look on his mates face. "Shit, his gonna go off" Coop said.
"Yeah well" Eli shrugged and ran his hand through his hair. "Stuff it, you know? This is my chance - our chance" Eli corrected himself, "to do something right. To succeed. And if he's going to try and stop me then fuck it. I don't give a shit" Eli spoke harshly, his voice filled with anger. "It wouldn't hurt him to once let me do what I want to do with my life would it?"
Coop looked kinda stunned at his friend's outburst. "Sorry man"
"Nothing you can do" Eli slammed the door to his locker, causing several heads to look his way. "This is one thing he isn't going to stuff up"
* * * * * * * * * *
"Table for two" Grace asked the young couple in front of her with a smile.
They nodded as a way of answer, to busy staring into each other's eyes.
[Grace - (Spaced out look) They look so much in love (shakes head with wistful look on face) I know I had my chance]
"Right this way" Grace gestured for the couple to follow her.
"Smoking or non smoking?"
"Non smoking thanks, my girlfriends asthmatic" The guy said pointedly.
"No problem, here you go" grace quickly wiped the table over before the couple sat down at a table as far away from the smoking area as possible.
"Would you like something to drink?"
"Umm," The girl looked over at her boyfriend who took her hand across the table and smiled back lovingly, "Just a bottle of water thanks"
* * * * * * * * *
"Grace honey, do you mind coming into the kitchen for a moment"
"Sure Dad, just let me take this out to table 5" Grace answered, hurrying back into the crowded restaurant.
"So what's up?" Grace asked, returning to the kitchen minutes later.
"Well actually there's something I want to talk to you about"
"Okay" Grace answered raising an eyebrow.
"Well you know things have been really busy here lately, and with school holidays coming up in only a few weeks it's just going to get worse" Jake started.
Grace looked a Jake with a bored look on her face, "And?"
"And you mother hasn't been able to put in as much time here as expected"
"That's not her fault you know, it isn't easy having to work two jobs at the same time" Grace jumped in defensively.
"Whoa, calm down. I'm not blaming her. I just think it's time that I got someone else in here full time to help run the place"
[Grace - (blank look) And his telling me this because?]
"And what does my mum think about it?" Grace asked, suspiciously.
"Well that's the thing; I'm not quite sure how to tell her"
"And you want me to talk to her" Grace asked, realisation dawning.
"Not exactly" Jake shook his head. "Just umm, I guess you know" deep breath, "maybe you could just drop a few hints around the place about how busy it's gotten. She'll listen to you"
[Grace - In other words, he's asking me to do his dirty work]
"I dunno" Grace shook her head unsurely.
"Come on Grace. You know how stubborn your mother can be. There's no way she'll agree if I suggest it"
Grace let out a deep sigh, "yeah I guess"
"So you'll do it," Jake asked hopefully.
"Yeah" she nodded grudgingly.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Jess, do you mind cleaning up a bit?" Rick asked his daughter, who let out a small sigh. "But dad, its Eli's turn" she protested, staring over at her brother who shrugged.
"Don't look at me," Eli laughed, "it was his suggestion," he pointed at his father.
"Eli can do it tomorrow, okay" Jessie rolled her eyes.
"Yep, like I haven't heard that one before" grudgingly she rose from the table.
"E? Can I talk to you a minute?" Rick cornered Eli as he was leaving the kitchen.
[Eli - (look of shock on face) There is absolutely no way he could have found out yet (looks down) unless Lily told him]
"Ah yeah I guess" he answered hesitantly.
"Lily told me that you and Jess stopped by the other day," Rick said casually.
[Eli - (lets out deep breath) I thought (shakes head)]
"Ah yeah, we bumped into Grace at the restaurant and I offered her a lift home" Eli said, leaning back against the wall, wondering where the conversation was headed.
"So you two are . . ." Rick raised his eyebrows.
"What? No!" Eli exclaimed, "We're just-" he shoved his hands into his pockets, unable to complete the sentence.
[Eli - Friends? Are we really, because the other afternoon I felt so relaxed. Just Grace, Jessie and I hanging out and chillin' with some music and shit. It just felt so . . normal]
"I'm glad" Rick smiled, "Lily and I were getting worried that you'd never work things out"
"Well, I guess we have. I mean, it may still take a while but it's getting easier," Eli admitted to his father.
"So then would you agree to have dinner, all of us, next Friday?"
"Well, um. Sure" Eli shrugged. "But um, just remember the bands playing at Remixx so I can't stay late okay"
Rick chose to ignore his son's last comment, not at all pleased with the news of Eli's band scoring a regular gig at the club.
"So I'll tell Lily you'll be there"
"Yeah sure" Eli nodded, and then turned to head upstairs to his room.
"Oh and Eli" Rick stopped him.
Eli turned around slowly, "thanks"
"For what?"
"I know it couldn't have been easy"