AUTHORS NOTE
this chapter starts off from where 48 finished.


"Is Grace ok?" Eli raised an eyebrow as he studied Zoe's cunning face.

"It's always about Grace!" Zoe spat back, and started trudging heavily up the stairs "I'm the one who suffers………..I'm the one stuck with a terrible, mean sister!" Zoe practically screamed, and as she walked into her bedroom, she slammed the door fiercely behind her.

Eli and Jessie turned to one another and shrugged.

"I better go see Grace" Eli mumbled, and slung his bag onto the floor.

"Ok" Jessie said, and headed into the kitchen "I'm going to call Katie" she said to her brother over her shoulder.

Eli nodded and headed up the stairs.


"Go away pest!" Grace yelled at her closed door.

But the only reply that came to her verbal abuse was three more knocks on her door.

Grace reached behind her for her pillow, holding it tightly in her hand; she waited for the door to open………….

Eli's head poked into Grace's room, and before he could think, a pillow came hurtling at him.

"It's me!" He yelled while picking the pillow up from the floor.

"Sorry………" Grace sighed, scrambling off her bed and walking to Eli.

"That's ok" Eli muttered, handing the pillow back to her.

She smiled and reached up to his head, patting it softly "Didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked, quietly.

Eli reflected her grin, "Nah……….you throw like a girl!" he muttered.

Grace gasped, and pushed the pillow hard into his chest, causing Eli to step back in mock pain.

It took him a moment to catch his breath, when he looked up, Grace was sitting at the edge of her bed, looking down at her hands and twirling her thumb ring over and over.

"Want to tell me what's wrong?" He asked, closing her door behind him, he took a few steps forward into her room, and stood infront of her, looking down at her bowed head.

"Not really" she mumbled.

"Is this about Zoe and her card trick?……….." he started.

Grace let out a small laugh, and both her and Eli were surprised to hear that she was crying quietly.

"Grace?" he tried again, bending down, he tried looking at her face, but she turned away and swiped at the small tears that were falling.

"I'm fine" she uttered, her voice croaky from tears.

"No your not" Eli started again, and brought his index finger to rest under her chin, slowly raising her head so she looked into his face.

Her eyes were big and watery, with small droplets of tears running down her flushed cheeks.

ELI she's beautifully sad when she cries………..

"Your beautiful when you cry" Eli whispered- the words simply tumbling out of his mouth.

Grace sniffed once more, and closed her swollen eyes for a moment- "it's that………." She whispered, opening her eyes again.

"What………?" Eli asked softly.

Grace reached up, softly pushing down the hand that rested beneath her chin.

"You……….me………..how hard everything has become all of a sudden" she uttered.

Eli looked away for a moment, and then turned to study her deep brown eyes again; "Sorry………" he started again.

"Don't be sorry Eli………..just tell me what's happening"

ELI I love you………….but you don't know who you love.

"I can't do that," Eli whispered oh so softly.

"Why not?" Grace croaked, her voice pleading for an answer.

"Because I know where I stand……….. I know how I feel about you, and I'm not about to hide that…………..but you, and this whole thing with Ayden………..you don't know what you feel," Eli said, simply.

Grace turned away for a moment, brushing away more tears; "I wish I knew, so I could stop hurting you both" she sighed.

ELI I have to

He lifted his hand beneath her chin again, turning her head back to him "I can wait until forever………." He uttered.

Grace stared into his hazel eyes, "thankyou" she mumbled.

Without even realizing it, they had both inched forward, and nervously and tentatively……….their lips met in a perfect, moist kiss.

What if I told you
It was all meant to be
Would you believe me,
Would you agree
It's almost that feelin'
That we've met before
So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy
When I tell you love has come and now.………..

GRACE (standing by herself, staring into camera) why can this feel so right………….but be so wrong? (Eli walks into view, and stands beside Grace, she turns to him and they look into each others eyes)

A moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime,
For a moment like this
Some people search forever,
For that one special kiss
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime,
For a moment like this

They pulled away, Grace's lips still quivering from her cries; she continued to stare into Eli's eyes.

Everything changes
But beauty remains
Something so tender
I can't explain
Well I maybe dreamin'
But 'till I awake
Can we make this dream last forever
And I'll cherish all the love we share

"Your making it harder………" she whispered.

For a moment like this
Some people wait a lifetime,
For a moment like this
Some people search forever,
For that one special kiss
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime,
For a moment like this

"I'm sorry" he replied, in a husky breath.

Could this be the greatest love of all
I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall
So let me tell you this...
Some people wait a lifetime

ELI (still standing, looking into Grace's eyes)

For a moment like this
Some people spent two lifetimes,
For a moment like this
Some people search forever,
For that one special kiss
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me
Some people wait a lifetime,
For a moment like this

"You should be" Grace sighed heavily.

OHHHH, LIKE THIS
OHHHH, YEAH, 'cuz people search for every moment yeah.
Some people wait a lifetime,
for a moment like this.
Ohhhhh, like this.

"I'll go" Eli replied again, and shifted his body, about to get up and leave………..but Grace rested her hand on his shoulder, causing him to turn and look into her face again.

She didn't say anything, only cupped his face in her hands, and bent her head down for another kiss that seemed to last forever.

ELI & GRACE (both turn away from one another and walk off, leaving a blank black screen…………then, we see them both run back to one another and embrace each other in an intense kiss)


AUTHORS NOTE

Song at the end, which was just background music, was Kelly Clarkson's 'a moment like this'.