"Are you looking forward to tomorrow night?" Lily beamed across the table at Jessie, who was staring into her lasagna with a glazed over look in her eyes.
She didn't hear Lily's voice, only a soft, numbing murmur- she was so lost in her own thoughts. About the dreaded party tomorrow night………and, of course, Katie.
"Jess?" Lily repeated; this time, Grace who was sitting beside Jessie, just as quiet, nudged her stepsister.
Jessie's head snapped to the side and stared at Grace, who nodded towards her mother.
"Oh" Jessie said, turning to Lily "pardon?" she asked, in a small voice.
"The party Jess- are you excited about it?" Rick filled in for his wife; Lily smiled at Rick who sat at the opposite end of the table.
JESSIE thrilled (saturated in sarcasm)
Underneath the table, Jessie's feet tangled with each other as she thought through her words carefully- she could feel everyone's eyes on her, and she felt her shoulders shrink down as her own silence continued.
"I………I………." She stammered, feeling particularly Lily and her father's eyes burning into her.
"Geez mum, there hasn't been one night that you haven't mentioned this party!" Grace suddenly spat out, catching everyone, especially Jessie off guard.
JESSIE Thankyou
Lily's eyes narrowed on her daughter "Well excuse me for being excited on Jessie's behalf!" Lily retorted.
Jessie opened her mouth, but Grace cut in again- much to Jessie's relief. Grace allowed her fork, which had been suspended in her hand, to drop on her plate- the clanking sound echoing throughout the still dining room.
"Oh please- on Jessie's behalf?" Grace mimicked, "this entire party has been all about you…………Jessie had no say in any of it!" Grace found the words leaking out, uncontrollable.
Rick, Eli, Jessie and Zoe all cringed when they heard Grace's words- but remained silent, intent on hearing what she and Lily would say next.
Lily's hard face remained as she stared at her daughter, "that's enough Grace!" she said, sternly and quietly.
Grace opened her mouth, about to dig a bigger hole for herself- but she felt Jessie's hand rest on her arm, telling her to remain silent.
Grace looked around the table, at the stunned faces, and half eaten lasagna- she bowed her head slightly, and pushed her chair out, picking up her plate.
"I'm going to my room" she said, and left the dining room- with a long trail of silence behind her, the rest of the family looked at each other with shocked expression.
"Maybe things between her and Ayden didn't go well," Rick finally murmured, lifting his head to look at Lily, who was sitting perfectly still.
She nodded slowly, "Maybe" she agreed, not too convinced.
"I think she's going crazy" Zoe chimed in. Lily turned to her, creasing her brow in a warning, Zoe shoved some lasagna into her mouth.
"Eli, do you know what's going on?" Lily questioned, catching Eli off guard- who had also been in his own world- thinking about what was said between Grace and Ayden.
"You know Ayden well, don't you?" Lily saw the questioning look on his face when she spoke to him, and supplied the reason why she thought he might be a source of help "and, you and Grace are close" she added.
Eli flinched in his seat, and shot an awkward look towards Jessie- then quickly turned his eyes to Lily, shaking his head heavily "sorry".
Lily nodded, "that's ok".
"They didn't break up, did they?" Rick suddenly exclaimed.
Lily looked at him, her brow creased.
"They did" Eli supplemented, in a quiet, unsure voice. He didn't care if Grace didn't want Lily to know about her and Ayden, Eli couldn't bear to see her get in trouble, and fight with Lily.
"Why!" Lily exclaimed, "They were such a sweet couple"
Eli restrained from scoffing at that comment.
"They just want to be friends," Jessie said, quickly.
Lily nodded solemnly, "she must be upset," she mumbled, presuming Ayden was the one that called off their relationship.
"Mmmm" Eli murmured in agreement.
"I might go and speak with her," Lily said, pushing her chair out slightly.
"No!" Eli said, hastily "I'll go" he supplemented.
Lily nodded, "that might be best," she agreed.
Eli rose from his place at the table, and left the dining room.
Jessie sat, still in her seat- glad that all attention had been averted from her.
JESSIE of course it couldn't be that Grace's outburst was true……...oh no! Lily couldn't possibly be doing all this for herself………..(still sarcastic tone)
Eli walked down the stairs again, perplexed, he could hear the conversation had picked up in the dining room again, and they hadn't noticed his return- so he wandered into the kitchen- Grace wasn't there either.
He walked back to the hallway, and headed out the front door.
"Grace?" he whispered, looking out into the darkness of their front lawn.
"I'm here" Grace replied.
Eli squinted, and saw the blurry outline of her sitting body on the front step, he fumbled around for the porch light- flicking it on, and it provided a dull light. He stepped out of the house, closing the door behind him, and took a few steps towards her turned back.
"Can I sit?" he asked, quietly, looking down at her small body.
She nodded once, and he slowly took seat beside her, making sure to leave a small space between them.
He could smell her plate of lasagna that sat beside her, and could hear her small breaths, and the faint sound of noise coming from inside.
But apart from that- the night was still- streetlights lit the street outside their house, and clouds passed over the moon- taking away all natural light from the evening.
"Want to talk?" he asked, after the longest time.
Grace looked at him from the corner of her eye, "why did you come looking for me?" she asked.
Eli took a deep breath, "Lily thought you were acting strangely- so I told her that you and Ayden broke up, and she suspected that was why you chucked a fit at dinner" he answered her "she wanted me to make sure you were ok"
Grace turned her head towards him, her eyes stern; she stared at him for a moment.
"You told her that Ayden and I broke up?" she repeated.
Eli turned to her, and nodded, tentatively "Because he just wanted to be friends" he explained.
Grace continued to stare at him, "she thinks Ayden broke it off?" she asked.
Eli nodded silently.
Grace's stare continued, deeper and deeper- and Eli waited for her scorn- but it never came. She turned away, looking out at the illuminated street again.
"Thanks for covering for me" she muttered.
Eli was surprised that she didn't jump down his throat "your welcome" he finally said.
"Truth be told………….she was juts getting to me………..with the whole party thing, which is so obviously on her behalf" Grace mumbled.
Eli had a perplexed expression, which Grace studied when she turned to him; "Aunt Judy told me the entire story of my mums horrendous sweet 16………..she thinks mum is just trying to compensate for what she never had" Grace explained.
"Oh" Eli sighed.
"And………. I didn't want mum to put Jessie on the spot" Grace added.
Eli turned to her, "she didn't……….Jessie is looking forward to the party……….." Eli explained.
GRACE he can be so blind sometimes……….it's no mystery to me why he couldn't see the feelings I had for him all those years ago…………..he can be so blind!
Grace shook her head slowly, "I think you and Jessie need to sit down and have a long talk………." Grace sighed.
"I thought she really wanted this………." Eli couldn't understand; all the girls he went to school with had thrown sweet sixteen's, it was the done thing when he was in school, and the parties were always huge events. Why wouldn't his sister want one?
Grace shook her head slowly, and reached her hand over to Eli's leg, patting it softly; it wasn't her place to tell him all of Jessie's secrets; she knew that Eli and her were close; Grace could only imagine how it was eating away at Jessie to not tell her big brother the truth about her sexuality; and the girl she loved.
But Grace knew that Jessie wasn't ready, she could sympathize with her; and knew she would tell Eli in her own time, when it felt right.
GRACE hopefully, when he knows all her truths; they will be as close as they once were………….or maybe they will drift further apart?
Eli looked away, he didn't come looking for Grace to talk about Jessie, but before he had even strung a sentence together; Grace spoke his question.
"You want to know what Ayden said, don't you?" she asked, veering the subject; afraid Eli might try and pry into what Grace knew about Jessie.
He nodded, still looking away from her.
ELI desperately!
"He said………….he didn't think he could make it to Jessie's party tomorrow……………" she whispered.
"Oh" Eli replied, expecting that was the case.
"So I suppose that's it…………" she added, and Eli turned to her, his eyes questioning her words.
Grace read them, and knew what Eli was thinking; "its as though he's cutting me off forever………….. I thought, him coming tomorrow night, might change things. I might have a chance to sit down and explain everything to him, gently and thoroughly. But he's cut me off completely now………..and I can't say I blame him!" she sighed.
Eli saw the hurt in her eyes, he reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her face; she flinched slightly, and he pulled away.
"I'll be your date…………if you want" he murmured.
Grace stared into his eyes, examining the tinge of green in them; she gave a far-off smile- but didn't say anything as she rose to her feet, just continued to smile.
She reached her hand down to him, and Eli took it as she pulled him to his feet, he followed her inside.
ELI she can be so…………
Eli waited for her to say something, but she didn't, she released his hand when they entered the house- and they both walked back into the living room, silently.
ELI mysterious.
