Grace crossed her arms, turning her head from left to right as she looked down the road, waiting to see Eli's car.
"Hey" Grace turned around and saw Jessie and Katie walking towards her, arm in arm.
"Hey" Grace said, smiling at the happy couple, but quickly turned around, looking again for Eli's car.
Jessie laughed and sighed as she stood next to Grace, but still clutched Katie's arm "desperate to lock lips again, huh?" Jessie smiled, and Grace looked over at her, smiling embarrassingly.
"Gracie's got the fever!" Katie laughed "Like a cat in heat" she added, and both her and Jessie were in fits of laughter.
Grace tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, hoping that their loud laughter wasn't too obvious, even though the people walking past them turned and stared quizzically.
"Here comes lover boy now" Jessie managed to croak out, amongst her giggles, and Grace looked down the road, sure enough, Eli's car pulled up next to them.
"What's with them?" Eli asked as Grace opened the door, Eli observed Jessie and Katie, holding their stomachs, laughing uncontrollably.
"Making jokes at our expense" Grace said as she sided up next to Eli, he leaned over and kissed her on the mouth- and as he did so, her entire body eased, she had been hanging out for another kiss all day!
Eli pulled himself away from Grace's evoking lips, and leaned over her slightly "you two coming?" he asked Jessie.
"No, I'll get a ride home with Katie" Jessie said, smiling widely, and Eli gave her a grateful wink as she closed the door for him.
As he leaned back into the drivers seat Grace slid one arm around his neck, and kissed him tenderly on the lips- she REALLY missed him today, and he tasted so good- she wanted more!
"Miss me did ya?" Eli smiled as he pulled away and placed his hands on the steering wheel.
Grace smiled, looking down at her hands "kinda" she said, and Eli shot her a questioning glance "ok, a lot!" she said, and he smiled at her.
Eli pulled out onto the main road, and this time Grace let him listen to his own radio station- punk rock.
"Jessie told me what you said last night" Grace said, looking over at Eli.
He smiled nervously, shy about the fact that Grace knew how strongly he felt about her "oh yeah?" he said, keeping his eyes on the road.
Grace let out a little laugh; she could tell he was a little shy, because his brow creased slightly, and his eyes were squinting a little; as though he was in deep thought.
"Yeah" she said, placing her hand on his knee "and, I feel the same way" she said, and she saw as his face eased a little "I have for a long time" she added, and his face broke into a small smile.
"How long, exactly?" he asked, turning his head to look at her, and then concentrating on the road again.
Grace smiled "oh, you want me to inflate you're ego?" she laughed.
"Well- yeah, if you don't mind" Eli said.
Grace ran a hand through her loose hair "Well, since before our parents started dating" she said casually, and Eli shot her a curious glance.
Grace smiled at his questioning face "Eli- you were Mr. Popularity, practically every girl in the school had a crush on you" she said, staring at the road in front of her.
"Such a shame I didn't notice the girl that mattered" he said, not looking at her.
Grace smiled to herself, and Eli let one of his hands drop from the steering wheel, he groped around for her hand, and cupped it in his own, squeezing it tightly.
ELI It's true; popularity was all that mattered to me. That, and basketball. But I can see how completely vain and juvenile that was now.
"What are we going to tell them?" Grace said, suddenly breaking the easy conversation with a tricky question.
GRACE I really like Eli, I have for ages! But I feel so bad going behind my mum's and Rick's back. I mean, when we tell them, it will be a real shock for both of them!
"I don't know- I think the big question is WHEN are we going to tell them," he said, and Grace sighed.
"This would have been a lot easier if I'd gotten over myself and hooked up with you before dad and Lily got together" Eli said, glancing over at Grace's troubled face.
"Yeah well, we're together now, aren't we?" she asked, staring at his face.
Eli stopped at a red light, and shifted his body so he was front on to Grace "Yes, we are together now" he said, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing it gently "and that's all that matters" he added.
"Green" Grace said quietly, trying to contain her excitement at Eli's words.
Eli looked at her quizzically, and she nodded her head towards the lights "green" she repeated, and Eli adjusted himself at the wheel again.
Eli pulled up outside their house, noticing that both his father's car and Lily's was parked in the driveway.
Grace reached for the door handle, and just as she was about to push the door open, she felt Eli rest his hand on her shoulder, stopping her from leaving.
Grace turned around to look at Eli, who smiled at her mischievously and raised one eyebrow, making him look a little like 'the rock'.
"Wanna-" Eli began, but Grace cut him off; "Make out?" she said, a hint of laughter in her voice.
Eli smiled at her again, glancing in the back seat, and then back at Grace.
"Eli, how completely juvenile of you! Making out in the back seat of my boyfriends car? Hello? Teenage pregnancy-" Grace began, trying to keep a straight face.
"Fooling around is what leads to teenage pregnancy, making out just leads to-" Eli began "tonsil hockey?" Grace finished for him, and they both smiled at one another.
Grace looked from Eli, to the front door of their house and back to Eli "ok" she said, grinning from ear to ear.
Eli leaned into Grace, who slid herself down until she was lying on the seat, Eli suspending himself above her with his arms.
He kissed her hard and passionately on the mouth, Grace cupping his head in her hands deepened the kiss, pulling him down onto her, feeling his groin press against her pelvis.
She giggled as he planted butterfly kisses down her neck, and then made his way back up to her mouth, placing another sultry kiss on her soft lips.
Grace ran her hands down his back, lifting his shirt up a little so she could rub her hands against his skin.
He moaned a little as she pulled her hands out from under his shirt and ran them through his hair, pushing his face lightly into hers so they their kiss became more intense.
After 10 minutes Eli pulled himself off Grace, and she sat up.
She smiled as she saw the windows of the car had fogged up, and she looked at Eli as he panted with pleasure.
"We good?" she asked, trying to catch her own breath.
"Yeah" Eli said, smiling at her.
They both got out of the car and headed towards the door, allowing the cool night air to chill their flustered faces.
Grace walked through the door first, now completely composed, and then a minute after her, Eli walked in, steadying himself after their kissing session.
"Grace" Lily exclaimed as she saw her daughter appear "Eli-" she added as Eli's figure walked in a minute after her.
"You two took a while to get home," Lily said.
"Aren't you home early?" Grace asked.
Lily shook her head "Oh well, you two are setting the table tonight" she said, turning around and walking back into the kitchen.
Grace turned around and smiled playfully at Eli, who stepped forward to wrap his arms around her waist.
"Grace, Eli" Rick said, and they both turned around, stepping a fair distance away from each other.
But sighed with relief as they saw his head was buried in some documents from work.
Rick looked up at them and smiled "Eli, your not going anywhere tonight, are you?" Rick asked, and Eli shook his head.
"Good, because I am taking Lily out for dinner and a movie tonight, and you and Grace need to baby sit" he said, sitting down on the couch.
Eli was about to burst, as was Grace, but they contained themselves and both replied "ok".
"So, our mobile numbers are on the fridge, and if you need ANYTHING, just call us" Lily said, as Rick pulled on her arm.
She went to turn and walk out with him, but swerved back around "We'll probably call at 9:00, to see that everything is ok" she said, turning again, and then turning back, Grace and Eli both sighed "and make sure Jessie and Zoë go to bed at a reasonable time!" Lily said.
Grace and Eli nodded, and then Grace began to shut the door "Bye mum, love you- we will be fine!" she said, an then fully shut the door.
She turned to Eli who bent down and kissed her firmly on the lips.
"Alone at last" he said, as they parted.
"I'm hungry!"
Eli and Grace both looked over to see Zoë staring at them, too concerned with her stomach to notice, or care, that they'd just shared an intimate kiss.
"Ok, I'll call for pizza" Eli said, looking over at Grace who nodded in agreement with his decision.
"Can we have Chinese?" Jessie came into the room, the phone to her ear, pausing the conversation with Katie to make her request.
"Pizza tonight" Eli said, and Jessie sighed, turning around to begin her conversation again.
"You go make the call, and I will set the table" Grace said, walking towards Zoë, she pushed her towards the kitchen "you can help" she said, and Zoë moaned.
Eli smiled, walking towards Jessie who was sitting on the couch.
"Jess!" he said, waving his arm around to get her attention.
Jessie put the phone to her shoulder "What?" she asked.
"Need to call for pizza" Eli said, and Jessie sighed "I'll call you back in 10" she said, and hung up.
"Thankyou" Eli said, as Jessie threw the phone at him.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"BBQ chicken" she called as she walked up stairs.
Eli made a mental note and walked into the kitchen, where Grace and Zoë were getting out glasses "request?" he asked.
"Margarita" Zoë said "your so boring!" Grace replied, and Zoë punched her in the arm.
"Grace?" he asked, and she looked up at him "Pepperoni, please" she said, and smiled at him
Jessie entered the room just as she heard Grace's order "you gonna kiss him with Pepperoni breath?" Jessie asked, smiling.
"Doesn't matter, I'm having Peperoni aswell" Eli said, and smiled at Grace.
"Well you can both have bad breath then" Jessie said, grabbing some lemonade from the fridge "what a handsome couple!" she added.
Grace and Eli just laughed.
"I feel sick" Zoë said, cuddling up close to Grace as the four of them sat on the couch.
Eli looked down at Zoë, who was right between him and Grace.
"Well, you shouldn't have eaten so quickly" Grace said soothingly, rubbing her shoulder.
Eli smiled; she's so gentle, he thought to himself, and Grace looked up- catching him as he stared at her.
"C'mon Zoë, we have to go to bed soon" Jessie said, watching as Grace and Eli stared at one another.
Zoë moaned, "She's right, c'mon" Grace said, gently lifting Zoë off of her.
They both trudged up stairs, talking quietly.
Eli smiled at Grace, her soft face illuminated as they sat in the dimmed lounge room, only a small bit of moonlight draping through the window.
Grace returned the smile, and turned her back to him, lowering herself down to rest her head on his chest, dangling her legs over the edge of the couch.
He tucked one arm around her waist and slowly stroked her hair, looking down into her rich eyes.
"Are we stupid for doing this?" she asked him while he soothingly stroked her hair.
Eli sighed, "it doesn't feel that way", he said.
"No, it doesn't, does it?" she replied.
Eli smiled warmly "it actually feels kinda- right" he said, trying to find the words.
Grace returned the smile, and closed her eyes, she suddenly felt so tired as Eli stroked her hair, and she felt herself nodding off.
"Tired?" he asked, now feeling the need to sleep aswell.
Grace murmured, enjoying the comfort of being nestled in his arms.
Eli looked down at her, concentrating hard on her soft-featured face "I think I'm falling in love with you" he said quietly; he wasn't even sure the words had escaped his mouth, but as he looked at Grace's angelic face, he suddenly felt them in his throat- and, let them out into the open.
"Maybe, over these past few months, I had been falling deeper and deeper into you- and now, I think I am-" he stopped himself for a moment, realizing Grace had fallen asleep and couldn't hear a word he was saying, "I think I love you" he said quietly, and pretty soon his eye lids closed and he was asleep aswell.
