She cringed at the sound of her name and the familiar voice that called it out as she walked along the school hallway.
Reluctantly Grace turned, and saw Amanda's short brown hair and wide smile heading towards her through the dwindling crowds of people.
Grace strained a smile as she tried to remember just who Amanda was.
GRACE Josh's girlfriend? Rick's? Sean's?
"Hey Grace, how are you?" Amanda beamed as she approached Grace.
"Fine, just fine" she replied, politely.
"We haven't seen you for ages- not at the guys practice, at lunch……..where have you been?" Amanda cocked her head to one side as she awaited Grace's reply.
GRACE Well you see………….
"Oh, I've been around" Grace said slowly.
GRACE the thing is………….
"Huh? Really?" Amanda had a questioning tone in her voice, "Are you and Ayden ok? He hasn't mentioned you lately……….you two were attached at the hip a few days ago!"
GRACE think of us as…………attached no more!
"Oh, no, we're fine" Grace flicked a loose piece of hair behind her ear, and felt the blood rush to her cheeks as Amanda stared intently into her face, expecting her to say more.
"It's just, we have both been so busy……" she began to drift off, and Amanda spotted the insecurity in her voice.
"Oh no! You two aren't on a 'break' are you?" She asked, sympathetically.
Grace could see Amanda's lips twitch into a sympathetic pout; her eyes became big and puppy-dog like- as though Grace had just told her she was dying of a terminal illness.
"Oh no, nothing like that!" Grace's eyes started to dart around, looking for someone to save her from this conversation…….from Amanda's sympathetic, sad eyes.
"Grace! You should have said something……….are you ok?" Amanda dug deeper into her forgiving soul.
"I am so completely fine!" Grace tried straining her tone, to lighten it with an up-beat happiness- but as she spoke the words, she could hear how fake they sounded.
Amanda opened her mouth, about to spurt out more condolences, but Grace couldn't take anymore!
"Oh gee, I really have to get going" Grace looked down at her bare wrist, and then back at Amanda.
"Seeya" She started to walk away from her, "And really, everything is fine!" she added, and started to quicken her pace, leaving Amanda dumb-founded.
GRACE (puts her head into her hands) it'll be all over the school by 12:00 today
Eli lumbered through the house, going straight from his room to the kitchen.
"Early start today?"
Jessie startled him, and in his still hazy/dream state, he almost lost his balance and fell over.
"Yeah………….got up at 6:00…………….got home at 1:00………." Eli muttered, as he raided the fridge.
Jessie looked down at her watch and then back at her brother, "and you have now awoken at 5:30?" she asked.
"I need to eat, don't I?" he mumbled, his head stuck in the fridge.
Jessie closed her math book and packed away her sheets of homework that were scattered on the bench.
"You know we're going back to Lily's for dinner, don't you?" she asked.
Eli moaned and brought his head out of the fridge, closing the door.
"Why not here?" he asked, walking over and leaning on the bench.
"Because Henry is taking mum out to dinner, and I insisted that they have it alone!" Jessie sighed, looking at her brother- with his shaggy bed hair and heavy, sleep filled eyes.
"You know Eli………….you really haven't been yourself lately!" Jessie continued to study Eli's sullen face.
"Really? And why's that?" he asked, a bored tone.
"I don't know! You tell me!"
"Nothing to tell" he grunted, walking into the lounge room and taking a seat on the sofa.
Jessie followed him, sitting down on the coffee table in front of her brother.
"Maybe its just old age kicking in" she nodded her head matter-of-factly.
Eli gave Jessie a soft kick on her leg, and she mocked pain.
"What about you?" he asked.
Jessie fell silent, and averted her eyes; "I'm fine," she mumbled.
"Your not starving yourself again, are you?" Eli's brow creased in concern.
"Eli!" Jessie turned to her brother, her eyes narrowed, "don't be a jerk!" she said, sternly, as she wrapped her arms around her middle.
"Sorry………….but seriously, how is everything with you?" he sunk lower into the couch as he awaited his sister's reply.
JESSIE I'm in love………….have been for the last few months……but I can't tell anyone, because I'm in love with a girl.
"Schools getting a bit harder" she mumbled.
Eli nodded, "I'm glad I'm outta that prison!" he muttered, "but that kinda stuff doesn't usually bug you?" he studied her eyes.
"Yeah well, I suppose life in general is getting a little harder aswell"
"Life………..specifically love life?" Eli sighed, knowing how hard that could weigh on a person.
Jessie looked away, suddenly wishing she could retreat inside herself and not have this conversation……..…..
"You don't want to talk about it with you're big brother, right?" Eli kicked out at Jessie once more, and this time she rose to her feet.
"Not really" she uttered, and headed back into her room.
"We're leaving for Lily's Jess!" Eli called out.
"Yeah, yeah!" came the muffled reply.
"Pick a card any card!" Zoe pushed a fan of cards into Grace's face that was bowed, while she read a book at the breakfast table.
"Go away Zoe" she mumbled, pushing away Zoe's hand.
"Grace! Just once…………pick a card and I'll show you a trick!" Zoe whined, putting the cards back under Grace's nose.
She sighed angrily, "No Zoe! I have to study!" she pushed at her sister's hand again.
"Grace!" Zoe began to whine.
Suddenly, Grace's head shot up, and her eyes narrowed into an icy stare- "Zoe, I have had a really bad day………..actually………..i've had a bad last couple of weeks………and all I really feel like doing right now is reading this stupid book for English, ok?" Grace pursed her lips, as she waited for Zoe to back away.
But she didn't, she simply stared right back at Grace, and slowly raised her hand with the cards- "pick-a-card!" she said, sternly.
Grace gritted her teeth, and let out a loud wailing sound, throwing her hands in the air.
"Zoe get the hell away from me!" Grace gathered her books, and rose abruptly from her seat.
"Why can't you just pick a card?" Zoe asked, as she followed Grace up the stairs.
"Because I don't want to pick a card!" Grace spat back.
"Grace!" Zoe yelled at her sister, as she stood in her doorway of her room- Grace turned and looked at Zoe; "you're a bad sister!" she added.
"So sue me!" Grace bellowed back, slamming the door behind her.
"I would if I knew you were worth anything!" Zoe cried back- Jessie and Eli stepped through the front door, hearing the last of Zoe's words- they turned their attention to her as she stood, halfway up the stairs.
"Want to pick a card?" Zoe asked, turning her attention to the new arrivals.
