"Ice-cream!" Katie beamed, "I could definitely go some chocolate ice-cream right about now!"

Jessie and Grace both turned to Katie with raised eyebrows- jaws dropped.

"You guys want some too?" Katie asked, smiling.

Jessie laughed, and leaned in, kissing Katie on the cheek- "No sweety……..but you go………we'll wait here" she smiled.

Katie nodded, and got to her feet- Jessie watched as her girlfriend strolled across the grass, sunlight illuminating her beautiful features- heading towards the ice-cream van parked across the street.

"She does realize that the lunch we just ate could have fed an entire Ethiopian village!" Grace laughed.

Jessie nodded, turning back to Grace- "She has a bottomless stomach" Jessie agreed, smiling.

The three girls had decided to spend the afternoon together- in the park for lunch, and then down to the shopping centre for some retail therapy.

It was more Katie's idea- to get Jessie out of the house, thinking that her girlfriend needed to get away from the madness of her life for atleast a day. Katie insisted that Grace come along, saying the more the merrier, and since Eli was at work- Grace agreed.

"You know Jess………" Grace began, crumpling a burger wrapper in her hand, "You never look happier than when you're with Katie".

Jessie smiled, and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as she felt her face turn red; "well you know what………." She began, and Grace looked up.

"I see those smiles of pure delight every time you look at my brother aswell………."

Now it was Grace's turn to flush crimson; "I guess we're falling in love…….." Grace sighed.

Jessie let out a small, whimsical laugh; "I guess we are………"

Both girls looked at one another sheepishly, "great, huh?" Grace asked, and Jessie nodded- both girls joining in a few giggles before Katie returned.

"What's so funny?" she asked, sitting down crossed legged beside Jessie- chocolate ice-cream cone in hand.

Jessie smiled, and leaned over, kissing her cheek- "Nothing".

Grace tucked a piece of hair behind her ear again, wishing desperately that Eli were with her.


"Have you sent out for you're passport yet?"

"On Friday"

"Good man" Jake said, patting Eli on the back.

"Now all that's left to do is tell my family!" he sighed heavily.

Jake stopped rifling through the papers on his desk, and slowly turned around to face Eli who was standing awkwardly in the doorway. Jake had a dark face on, not that Eli was surprised- he'd been putting off telling his family for 2 weeks now, regardless of the many warnings and urging Jake had given him.

"E!"

"I know………..I know……….." Eli said before Jake could finish, throwing his hands in the air.

"I don't think you do Eli!" Jake motioned towards the door, and Eli closed it behind him, taking a few steps into the office.

Jake sat in his chair and stared at Eli, hard; "the last thing I need is your folks thinking I manipulated you're young, impressionable mind into some sort of ploy to get my business booming…………..the last thing I need is to be in the bad books with them………..and Lily for that matter!"

Eli ran a hand through his hair, and nodded his head solemnly; "I know………and I will tell them…………."

"When!"

"Tonight"

Jake raised an eyebrow, and Eli bit his bottom lip; "I already told my mum………."

"And……….what did she have to say about me corrupting her son!" Jake asked.

"She's………actually kinda happy for me……….I mean she still has all the motherly worries about letting go of her baby boy………but she's actually………..proud" Eli swallowed the last word down.

Jake smiled, "well it wasn't so much you're mother I was worried about………Judy could have brought her around to the idea if she were totally opposed………..its you're father I'm worried about……….."

"That makes two of us"

"And Lily"

ELI and Grace………….

Eli nodded; "I have you're word then?" Jake asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You do" Eli replied, and turned towards the door, enclosing his hand around the door handle.

"Good luck" Jake said, as Eli walked out.

And as he closed the door behind him, Eli let out a deep sigh; "I'm gonna need it" he whispered under his breath.


"Sexy?"

Jessie and Grace both turned to Katie, who was wearing massive black sunglasses that only allowed the tip of her forehead and chin to show.

Jessie scrunched up her nose and shook her head, "doesn't really do it for me!" she said, giggling.

Katie gasped and feigned insult, she took the sunglasses off and slid them onto Jessie- whose little face was totally covered by the monstrous sunglasses.

Jessie turned to Grace, who cracked a small smile, and then turned back to the rack of lipsticks she was pretending to be interested in.

"You ok?" Jessie asked, taking the glasses off.

Grace half smiled, "of course"

"I know hanging around in a chemist isn't a ball……….but there's not much else to do………..but we could always go home and…………."

"No" Grace said, turning to Jessie. She knew this was the biggest outing she'd had in a few days. And between hanging out in a chemist trying on different shades of lipstick, and seeing Jessie vegetating on the couch wallowing in her own sorrow………..well………..Grace would take the lipstick any day.

"I'm just………missing Eli………" Grace murmured, looking down to her feet.

Jessie nodded her head, and smiled; "you got it bad!" she sighed.

Grace looked up, reflecting a similar, sheepish smile; "that's not such a horrible thing!"

"Jess! Come look at these!"

Jessie turned, and watched as Katie headed towards a stand of reading glasses towards the back of the store; "back in a sec" she said, walking towards Katie.

Grace watched her go, and then turned back to the lipstick. An entire row of fiery red, and passionate pink- she was unamused.

But, as she turned around, she saw on a shelf behind her- a wide variety of condoms.

GRACE (biting bottom lip) we've talked about it………..but talking and taking action are worlds apart when it comes to……….sex……….the be all and end all…………..

She studied the rows, examining each packet with scrutiny.

GRACE I know I'm ready………..and therefore, if I am so completely certain………..than I should just stop delaying………..

She reached out and grabbed a red packet, with 'safe sex' printed on the front in large white letters.

GRACE but then again………..is all this debating a sign that I'm infact not ready?…………..

Grace bit her bottom lip and stared down at the packet in her hands. Her mind was racing so fast, that she didn't even notice as Jessie approached.

"Oh my god!"

Grace dropped the packet as she jumped in fright. She looked at Jessie, feeling her face burn; she quickly looked away from her mortified stepsister, bending down to pick up the packet up from the ground.

"Grace………..are you and Eli…………..!" Jessie began, then doubled up on herself; "oh no wait! I do not want to know that about my brother!" she gasped.

Grace stood up again, and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear; her face was as red as a tomato now, and she was sure everyone in the store was staring at her……….staring at the tomato head standing in the condoms section…………..debating whether or not to lose her virginity.

GRACE don't I win brownie points for practising safe sex!

"Jessie!" Grace hissed, trying to shush her.

"I………..I………….I am sorry Grace………." Jessie began.

"Don't be……….I was just looking for the hell of it……….." Grace said, stuffing the condom packet back on the shelf.

"Oh" Jessie looked down at her feet, and then back at Grace. "So you haven't?……….." she began, but Grace cut her off.

"No! Of course not!"

Jessie gave a sigh of relief, "but you know……….if you did……….you could tell me…………. I am you're friend you know…………."

"I know" Grace murmured, looking to her feet with great interest.

"Granted, knowing about my brothers sexual life may cause deep psychological problems for me later on in life……….but you wouldn't have to go into great details………..just……….if you needed, or wanted to talk………..I'm here"

Grace looked up, cracking a small smile; "thanks Jess" she mumbled.

Jessie nodded, "Katie and I are going to the toilets………….can you just wait here for 5 minutes?" Jessie asked.

Grace nodded, and watched as Jessie and Katie headed out of the store.

Once she was sure they were gone, she grabbed two red packets, and bolted to the counter to pay for them.

GRACE I'm so sick of rationalizing everything!