"Mum, has this been tested on animals?" Zoe asked, examining the pink lipstick.

"I don't know honey" Lily replied, adjusting her small hoop earrings.

"Poor little rabbits!" Zoe sighed, and placed her mother's lipstick back on the dresser.

"Well…….. I usually check them before I buy………." Lily walked towards her dresser, and examined her lipstick- narrowing her eyes to read the small print.

There was nothing that mentioned testing on animals; she guessed that it was probably an anti-animal-friendly lipstick.

"Oh, here!" Lily pointed to the small writing which listed the ingredients; "where?" Zoe asked, trying to read the miniature print.

"It's there-" Lily lied, and hurriedly placed the lipstick back, "Zoe, honey- I'm running really late……..do you think you could look for my light blue oriental top?" Lily asked, glancing down at her daughter.

Zoe nodded, and left her mothers room to search for the top in the laundry.

"Thanks sweety!" Lily called, and hurriedly scanned the floor for her other black heel shoe.

"You ready yet?"

Lily glanced up, having to balance herself on one heel, she half smiled at Rick, as he stood before her in a smart suit- "almost………I just need my………." She heel pointed out from under the bed, "here!" Lily exclaimed, pulling it out and placing it quickly on her bare foot.

"Ready!" Lily smiled, standing straight.

"Err……..aren't you forgetting something?" Rick asked, scratching his head.

Lily looked down at herself, realizing she was still wearing her light pink pyjama top- "Oh!" she sighed.

"ZOE!" Lily screamed, walking towards Rick- "HAVE YOU FOUND IT YET?" she asked, yelling down the hallway.

Rick raised a hand to his ear, Lily's screams too much to handle at close range.

"Lil-" he tried, but she ignored him, finding more depth in her screams; "ZOE?"

Grace emerged from her room, her mother's screams disturbing her peace- "Mum!" she said angrily, "some of us have homework!" she added, shaking her head.

"Oh, sorry honey-" Lily replied, "but, have you seen my oriental blue top?" Lily asked, hopeful.

Grace sighed, and retreated back into her room.

"Thanks for all the help!" Lily muttered, and opened her mouth, about to scream out Zoe's name again.

Grace re-emerged, and chucked the light blue top at her mother, "there……..now go……….have a good time!" she said, and quickly shut her door again.

Lily examined the top; it was all crinkled- having been scrunched up on Grace's bedroom floor for god knows how long?

"I can't wear this!" Lily muttered, examining the top.

"Yes you can!" Rick replied, as he started unbuttoning his wife's pink pyjama top.

"Oh fine!" Lily said, in defeat, as Rick peeled off her pink top- she slipped the blue one on over her head.

Rick pulled her along, and as they practically ran down the stairs, Lily called out "we'll be home at 10:00………be good kids!"


Grace surfaced from her room at 8:30- in search of food……….having been on the phone to Ayden since she got home, she had retired into her room for the entire evening- even stayed in there through dinner.

Jessie looked up from the kitchen counter, where she was sitting- reading a poetry book for English.

"Finally got that phone detached from you're ear?" she asked, watching as Grace rifled through the fridge.

"Uhu" Grace replied, pulling out the dinner her mother had put away for her.

"Who would have guessed……….you and Ayden?" Jessie asked, and then went back to her book.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Grace asked, as she closed the door of the microwave.

"Nothing" Jessie muttered, trying to concentrate on her reading.

"No……really, tell me what you meant!" Grace replied, sternly.

Jessie sighed, realizing she'd opened a Pandora's box- "It's just……..you two seem like complete opposites!" Jessie answered her.

Grace was silent for a moment, the small muffled sound of the microwave filling the room, "we actually have a ton of things in common!" Grace replied, though her answer was a little late.

"I'm sure you do!" Jessie mumbled, and started reading her book again- thinking that they're conversation was done.

"No, really!" Grace walked towards Jessie, leaning against the kitchen counter; "we both love writing……and old movies……..and besides, opposites attract………if we were opposites- which we are not!" Grace could hear herself rambling on, but couldn't seem to stop herself.

"Ok fine, whatever- you two are a match made in heaven!" Jessie sighed angrily, and slid off her stool- stomping out of the room, to avoid more anxious answers from Grace- about her love life………which really didn't interest Jessie in the slightest.

The continuous beeping of the microwave echoed in the kitchen, Grace huffed and sluggishly walked over to the microwave- taking out her bowl of soup……though she'd lost her appetite.


"Eli?"

He placed his guitar on his bed, and walked towards the door- opening it slowly, to reveal Grace standing on the other side.

"Hey"

Grace pushed past him, without saying a word- but he could tell by her eyes that she'd been deep in thought……..what else could she have been doing at 10:00 at night?

"It's pretty late Grace" Eli said softly- only giving her the warning out of courtesy, because he truly didn't want her to leave- she didn't seem fazed by his warning, and instead slumped down onto his bed- Eli slowly closed his door.

"You going to tell me what's wrong?" he asked, taking a seat on the floor, at the base of his bed.

Grace's head was buried in his pillow, so her response was muffled- "can I just wallow for a moment longer?" she asked.

Eli let out a small sigh, "No, you're wallowing worries me!" he exhaled, and when Grace didn't reply, he slowly outstretched his hand- to stroke her loose hair that fell onto his pillow- but before he could get close enough, her head turned, and their eyes caught.

She stared at his hand for a moment, and he quickly pulled it back- "so……..what's wrong?" he asked again, his voice deeper and more urgent this time.

Grace brushed away strands of hair, that fell across he eyes- and adjusted her head to sit neatly on the pillow, so she could speak clearly- "what does love feel like?" she asked.

ELI ask me that later…..when you're not staring so deeply into my eyes……..when I can think straight.

Eli cleared his throat, caught a little off guard by her question- "I really wouldn't know" he admitted.

Grace let out a small breath, "but what about Carla?….." she asked.

ELI what about you?

"That wasn't love……" Eli began, shifting slightly on the cold floor, "that was misguided infatuation…….." Eli looked away from Grace's deep eyes- he found them too rich to stare at for too long.

"Is there a difference?" Grace responded, quickly.

It was as though she knew what Eli was going to say before he said it- and he found himself stumbling to answer her next question.

" I suppose……when you're in love………the infatuation has to go both ways?" Eli said in a breath- surprised by how much sense his words made.

GRACE that probably describes love almost perfectly……

Grace nodded, allowing his words to soak into her- the more she thought about them, the more they made sense- "you're a very wise person E" she said, after a while.

Eli smiled, faintly- "And I wasn't even trying…….." he mumbled.

Grace smiled, and shifted her body so she was lying on her back, instead of her side.

"Why did you ask in the first place?" Eli asked, once Grace was settled.

"About what love feels like?" Grace replied, staring up at Eli's ceiling- she wondered how many times he'd done the same thing……..late at night……..when he couldn't sleep.

"Yeah" Eli answered, glancing over at her- she was silent for a moment, staring up at his ceiling- he wondered what she was thinking about……..while she remained silent, he watched her stomach move up and down with each breath she took.

"Because I've never been in love" Grace replied, honestly- after taking 6 breaths (Eli was counting)

"And I don't want it to sneak up on me………" Grace added, turning her head to watch Eli.

"I think that's the best sort of love though……the one you never saw coming…….." Eli replied, staring at Grace's robust, red lips while he spoke- he didn't even need to think about his words, they came truthfully and easily from his heart………from his soul.

ELI it's the best, and hardest love.

"But still…….. It's scary to think I could lose all inhibitions over somebody…..and not even realize it?" Grace answered him- though he could hardly hear her words, as they leaked somewhere into the background.

ELI the one you never saw coming………

Grace smiled, her eyes becoming heavy as she stared at Eli- who's thoughts and eyes were wandering away from her……..she knew it was late, and could feel sleep falling over her.

"Thanks for the talk Eli" Grace said, breaking his train of thought- she rose from his bed, and headed towards his door.

"Goodnight" she said over her shoulder, as she left his room.

Eli remained on the cold hard floor……and felt the familiar pricking at the back of his eyes……….because he knew, even though Grace couldn't even see it yet- that she was falling in love……..she was falling in love, and it hurt Eli, more than he cared to admit- because she wasn't falling in love with him.