"Want to share you're thoughts?" Jessie asked as she walked with Grace to school.

"Eli" Grace murmured, her eyes firmly fixed on her feet.

Jessie nodded knowingly "Well- I figured that much" she said, and glanced over at Grace- who was still taking an unusual interest in her blue sneakers.

Jessie sighed, and adjusted the strap of her school bag "You guys have got to stop this" she announced, hoping for some sort of response from Grace- she didn't get one.

"Stop what, you ask" Jessie filled in Grace's gap of silence "Well Grace- because you asked, I shall preach to you!" Jessie gave a faint smile, but Grace wasn't looking at her.

"-You have to stop this whole 'juvenile angst routine'- its like a bad episode of Dawson's Creek! -" Jessie began, using her hands with great expression, " thinking that what you have isn't important! Because believe it or not……..it is! I have seen what it's like for BOTH of you when you don't have each other………it kills you not to be together, and when you are together it pains you even more to have to hide you're feelings!" Jessie turned to look at Grace, who was now looking straight ahead, making sure not to look Jessie in the eye.

JESSIE this beating around the bush makes me dizzy!

Jessie grabbed Grace's arm; pulling her to a stop, and forcing her eyes to meet Jessie's.

GRACE the last thing I need is a lecture.

"Do you love him?" Jessie asked sternly.

"Yes!" Grace said exasperated; hadn't they gone over this a million times already? She thought to herself.

"Do you want to be with him?" Jessie asked, and grace turned her head away; but Jessie pulled on her arm, snapping her head back.

"YES!" Grace said, annoyed at Jessie's firm actions.

"Then for god sake! Open you're eyes Grace!" Jessie's voice was cold and engaging- Grace found it impossible to block out her words.

"You love him, he loves you- overall picture- YOUR BOTH IN LOVE!" Grace opened her mouth, but Jessie wouldn't let her words be heard- "-If you think 3 months apart is going to be enough to sperate you two- then you either have no faith in you're relationship, or you have so quickly forgotten all that you've been through already!" Jessie spat the words out- hoping Grace was letting them sink in.

"So stop moping about this and just spend you're last two weeks together- just enjoy being together……..and when it comes time for him to leave and do what ever it is he has to do- well then-" Jessie searched for her next sentence; "-just be glad that the telephone was invented!" Jessie took a deep breath, her speech over; she awaited Grace's reaction.

"That's not all I'm worried about" Grace replied coldly, and turned to walk away.

Jessie stood for a moment; feeling fed up and exhausted with Grace and Eli's 'run around' relationship, which she always seemed to be repairing for the both of them!

She turned and ran after Grace, walking in time with her again, and turned and stared at her, amazed "what else could possible be wrong then?" she asked.

Grace shook her head, how could Jessie possibly understand?

"I'm sick of hiding" Grace croaked, refusing to slow down her walking pace- "I'm sick of hiding my feelings for Eli from everyone! I want to scream it from the rooftops without having this plunging feeling deep down that they're going to tear us apart again!" Grace didn't turn and look at Jessie while she spoke; she knew Jessie was listening, and understanding.

"I want Eli to come home and stop having to live alone in a dingy apartment- I want to stop feeling guilty about the fact that I LOVE someone. And most of all I just want to be able to open up to my mum again!" Grace crossed the street and Jessie followed.

"I want to tell them the truth about Eli and me, and I want to put my foot down and tell them that they cant split us up- and that they just have to accept us either way!" Grace suddenly stopped, and turned to Jessie.

"I want to stop lying, sneaking around- and I just want to have a normal relationship with you're brother" Grace said honestly, her eyes staring intently at Jessie's pale face.

Jessie nodded slowly, taking in all that Grace had said "Well, that's something that YOU have to do- nobody else" Jessie said, and Grace nodded meekly.

"I know" she replied, and turned to walk away again, Jessie following clumsily after her.


Eli walked casually into the school; holding his head high, keeping a straight face plastered on; and praying to god that the old bag that used to work at reception retired……… she'd recognise him for sure; god knows how many times he had to sit in that tiny little office, her evil eye staring at him while he waited to speak with the principal.

He turned the corner and nodded at two young girls who passed him; one of them turned bright red and looked away, while the other flashed him a sweet smile.

Turning another corner, Eli was greeted with a door, which said 'reception'. Taking a deep breath, he pushed it open and stepped in; relieved to see a forty something woman with short, brown hair had replaced the 100 and something white haired grandma who used to work here.

"Hello, how may I help you young man?" she chimed, smiling furiously at Eli.

Eli returned the grin "good morning" he said sweetly, and walked towards her desk, leaning his elbows on the top.

"You can help me by contacting Grace Manning" he asked; figuring that they probably hadn't updated her file yet, and she was probably still listed as 'Manning'.

The lady smiled "and who might you be?" she asked.

"I am her step brother- we've had a family tragedy and I would like to take her out of class" he said, loosing the smile and replacing it with a glum expression.

"Oh-" the lady turned her lips upside down, examining Eli's face.

"I hope it wasn't anything too terrible" she said, turning around to face her computer while she tapped the keys.

Eli watched as she looked up Grace's time table- "ah no……our dog died" he said, and the lady shot him a questioning glance "dog?" she repeated, unamused.

Eli silently cursed himself for such a stupid lie; but he figured that if he'd made it something too serious, somebody might contact Rick or Lily to give their condolences.

"Yes- Fido" he lied, and tried to darken his face with sadness "it was very sad- we found him this morning. Right after Grace left for school……..he was lying in the middle of the street-" he paused for effect; "-some heartless human being had run over him and driven off without a second thought-"

"A hit and run?" the lady breathed- clearly moved by Eli's heartfelt story- which he was exaggerating completely!

ELI too easy.

He swiped an imaginary tear from his eye, and nodded solemnly; "yes- we were sitting down to breakfast when we suddenly heard the screeching of tyres- and then a loud THUMP! And then that ear piercing whine coming from Fido- - we ran out, but the impact was so great, he died straightaway! Never even had a chance at living!" Eli made his tone shaky- and hopefully, believable.

The lady nodded, "Was that Grace Manning?" she asked, and Eli nodded.

She tapped a few more keys, and then the printer started up, churning out her class timetable.

She handed him the piece of paper and pointed out her second period of Biology- "I'm sorry for you're loss" she said as Eli left, and he gave a solemn nod.


"So- what can we conclude from this?'

Total and utter, dumb-founded silence.

"Come on people! We talked about this just last week!"

Followed by more silence.

"Don't make me call on one of you!"

A dare-you-to silence only followed.

Mr Nimber sighed, and rubbed his brow- "fine! James Carlton- please tell me what you concluded from this" he asked one of the boys in the first row.

The shaggy haired pupil simply stared at his teacher who looked down at him- "dunno" he said, and Mr Nimber gave up, throwing his hands in the air.

"Why do I bother?" he muttered to himself, walking over to the black board.

Grace sighed as he began writing more notes for them to copy down- school used to be so easy for her- before life got so complicated………

Just as Grace took out a pen from her bag, there came a knock at the classroom door- she didn't bother looking up to see who the late student was.

"Yes?" Mr. Nimber asked the stranger.

"Grace Manning?"

Grace looked up, her heart stopped as it always did when she saw Eli. Wait- she shook her head slightly- were her daydreams blending in with reality……or was Eli really standing there, asking Mr. Nimber to excuse her from class!

Eli leaned over and whispered something in Mr. Nimber's ear, and the teacher nodded solemnly; turning to scan the room for Grace's face.

He found her, and as they locked eyes she rose from her seat, gathering her books and bag.

She walked towards them, and Mr. Nimber rested a heavy hand on her shoulder "I'm so sorry Grace" he said, shaking his head.

Grace looked at him blankly, but nodded her head anyway.

"Your excused" he added, and Eli stepped aside, allowing her to pass through the door.

GRACE who said Eli was a bad influence on me?

Once out in the corridor Grace gave Eli a questioning stare. But he simply looped their arms, and pulled her along "wait till we're outside" he muttered.

ELI call this……..a random act of romance.

GRCE call it……….insanity!

Once they got outside Eli unlinked their arms, and turned to Grace, lifting her backpack off her shoulders and slinging it over his own arm.

"Come on" he urged, cupping her hand as he lead her to his car.

"Eli!" Grace said, as they walked along.

"Yeah?" he asked casually.

"Am I skipping school?" Grace asked astounded.

Eli smiled and looked over at her cute, mortified face; "yeah- you could say that" he replied, smiling wider.

Grace was silent for a moment, allowing him to pull her along; and then she looked up at him "Just making sure" she muttered, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Don't worry," he said, looking down at her.

"I'm not" she replied, tightening her grip.