Grace felt dizzy, as though her head was about to explode- or implode- one of those!

She felt her stomach lurch forward, and she had to swallow quickly, stopping herself form vomiting all over her plate.

She grabbed at the hem of her jumper, and clenched her fists around the material until her knuckles were white.

"Grace, why aren't you eating?"

Grace could hear her mother's words, but she felt that if she turned her head, even slightly, the throbbing she felt would surely increase and within a matter of milliseconds it would cause her skull to explode (or implode!)

So she simply stared straight ahead of her, staring blankly at the wall, trying not to focus on anything else.

"I'm fine" she squeaked, and quickly closed her mouth again- not wanting any vomit to escape.

Lily stared at her for a moment; she seemed to be staring into nothingness….

LILY I should have known right then that something was wrong!

"I'm fine" Grace croaked again, and Lily simply shrugged, spooning some more mash potato into her mouth, but still staring at her out of the corner of her eye.

Eli glanced up at Grace, her face was deathly white, and she wasn't blinking.

He tried to attract her attention, by creasing his brow, and fluttering his eyes slightly; but she seemed to be deliberately concentrating on the wall behind him.

Underneath the table he rubbed his foot against her leg, having to sink down into his chair to reach her.

He simply wanted her to look at him, so he could see she was all right; he didn't expect her to burst!

"WHAT?" Grace practically yelled, and everyone dropped their knives and forks, turning to stare at her.

Eli nearly jumped out of his skin, and promptly straightened in his chair, removing his foot.

"Grace?" Lily put a hand forward, but Grace snatched her elbow away before her mother could touch her.

"I'm fine!" she said, a little quieter now.

Rick's mouth was ajar, as was everyone else's, and for what seemed like a millennium, there was a deathly silence.

"Eli, please take Grace into the kitchen and pour her a glass of water" Lily said, not turning away from Grace.

Eli did as he was told, pushing his chair out and walking over to stand beside Grace who rose slowly from her chair.

"I think I'll take her into the bathroom" Eli said, noticing Grace's face was now a little flushed.

Lily nodded and watched as he escorted Grace up the stairs.

Once they were gone she turned to look at Rick, a questioning, panicked look on her face.

"School must be really getting to her," Jessie said, calming herself down enough to spoon some salad into her mouth.

Lily and Rick stared at one another for a moment, their mouths still ajar "huh" Lily said, shocked.


Eli lowered Grace onto the side of the bath, and then turned around, looking for a cloth he could dampen.

"I cant do it" Grace muttered, and Eli spun around to look at her.

"I feel completely ill just thinking about it," she said quietly, and Eli crouched down so he was at her height.

"It won't work Eli-," she croaked, lifting her head to look at him "-we're crazy for thinking they're just going to let us date!" she said, beginning to become hysteric again.

Eli rubbed a hand against her back, still looking into her eyes.

"Grace, I wont make you do something you don't want to do" He spoke so calmly and softly, Grace felt like crying at his kindness.

And sure enough, she felt sobs coming on "but I do want to do this" she said, brushing a hand against his cheek, tears beginning to spill "I want us to be together -" she croaked.

Eli smiled "well I don't want to go behind their backs" Eli said quietly.

Grace breathed in deeply "it will only hurt them more if they find out 6 months down the track-" Eli added, still rubbing her back soothingly.

Grace managed a small smile "you think we'll be together for that long?" she asked, and Eli beamed back at her.

"If I had it my way-" Eli said, and Grace sniffed, managing a slightly wider smile. Grace turned away from Eli's stare, trying to stop herself from crying further.

"I love you"

Grace turned her head, staring into Eli's eyes, not trusting herself to believe he'd just uttered those words.

Eli waited for Grace to say something, but she simply stared into his eyes- still filled with tears, and her lips still quivering.

"Say something-" Eli whispered "anything" he felt his own voice begin to shake.

Grace breathed in deeply, but still said nothing.

Eli sighed, and looked down at the ground "slap me, punch me, yell at me- kiss me-" before he could finish the last word Grace had leaned forward, cupped his head in her hands and kissed him tenderly, hungrily and passionately on the lips.

When she pulled away she saw his face ease "I love you too" she said softly "and I want to be with you Eli" she added.

Jessie watched as Eli and Grace walked down the stairs, and before Lily and Rick had time to turn and look for themselves, she rose from her chair, tugging on Zoë's arm who did the same.

"May we please be excused, thankyou!" Jessie said, and before Rick and Lily had a second to protest, or ask questions she and Zoë had bolted up the stairs, past Eli and Grace who now stood in front of Rick and Lily.

RICK seeing them stand before us, as though they had something to declare- I should have seen it coming!

Rick and Lily looked at one another, and then turned to stare at Eli and Grace.

Eli heard as Grace let out a short, quick breath- and he groped around for her hand, feeling her supple skin beneath his fingers; he cupped her small hand within his own massive one.

Rick and Lily watched as Eli did this, and stared as they held tightly onto one another, and then they turned their stare back to their children's faces.

GRACE Fear!

ELI Pure

GRACE and utter

ELI FEAR!

"We have something to tell you" Eli said, not enjoying the silence for a moment!