Chapter 6

"So Coop, I'm gonna take off" Eli said tapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Is that such as great idea?" he asked raising his eyebrow at the pretty blonde who was waiting for Eli by the door of the club.

"Coop, I appreciate your concern but its fine" Eli answered, "anyway it's not like it's the first time I've taken a chick home this summer"

"But what about" Coop didn't get to finish his sentence.

"What about her? She knew from the start that it can't be serious between us. Plus she isn't going to be home tonight, how else am I supposed to have fun?"

"Whatever man, your choice" he said walking away. God Eli could be such and idiot he thought angrily. He already has a gorgeous, sweet, intelligent girl waiting for him and yet he chooses to go of with some trashy blonde. Of course, he thought to himself, I probably wouldn't have turned her down either, but then again I don't have a girl waiting for me to tell her that I love her.

"So what's your brother doing tonight?" Leah asked casually reaching for a piece of pizza.

"Step brother" Grace corrected her friend automatically.

"Is there a difference?"

"Yeah well that would be like illegal" Grace snapped. Leah had been on her case ever since she had told her about her and Eli. Not that there had been much to tell.

"Grace, regardless of how you guys are related, sex with a minor is illegal. No, just wait one second okay" her friend continued in response to the indignant look on her face, "if you want to have sex that's your decision, that isn't my business okay, and I'm not going to judge you for that. I just think you deserve better"

"What am I supposed to expect. Like he said it doesn't mean anything and it was my choice, his giving me exactly what he promised and I shouldn't expect any more."

"Maybe you shouldn't expect it Grace, but you deserve more. You don't deserve to be here with me just so you don't have to hear him bringing home whatever girl he may happen to meet, and you sure as hell deserve someone who isn't taking drugs"

"Eli isn't taking drugs" Grace denied tossing her pizza crust down.

"So your saying he didn't come to school stoned yesterday?"

"So he smoked some dope, it was no biggie" Grace said softly, avoiding Leah's eyes.

"Maybe for Eli it wasn't, but then I saw you Grace, and don't tell me it was just once"

"What the hell is your problem" Grace exploded, turning on her friend, guilt written all over her face.

"It isn't what my problem is Grace. It's what your problem is. Taking drugs isn't going to bring Eli any closer to saying what you want him to say and you should know that"

"Look I'm sorry, this just isn't going to work" Eli admitted, pulling away from the gorgeous blonde whom he had been kissing.

"You can't be serious" she glared at him.

"Well ah yeah, I am" Eli said, his apologetic expression turning into a smirk.

"God, I should have known better" the girl complained, pulling her top back up, "1st years are so damn immature"

"Really? Well I guess I wouldn't know, being a high school senior and all, but then again, I didn't hear you complaining a minute ago"

"Fuck you"

"You already tried that, and I would say maybe next time, but I don't think there will be one, do you?" Eli laughed as she slammed his bedroom door and then sank down on his bed, he'd been a total jerk and he knew it, but what else was new? Being a jerk was what he was good at, well apart from sex, but even that was getting old.

Rolling onto his stomach he groaned, he had just let a total babe walk out his door and all because of one stupid little comment about Grace.

"You know what, I think I'm going to go" Grace nodded as she stood up, "I ah forgot that Jessie is coming over really early tomorrow to go shopping so I should probably get a decent nights sleep"

"I thought we were going shopping tomorrow"

"Sorry I ah meant to tell you sooner" Grace shrugged as she grabbed her bag off the couch, anyway I'll see you later okay"

The sound of the front door slamming caused Eli to awaken with a start. Sitting up he rubbed his eyes, he couldn't even remember falling asleep. Guess I wasn't the only one who had a bad night he thought as he made his way over to his door to find out why Grace was storming up the stairs as she was.

Reaching out for the door handle he paused to listen as her footsteps stopped outside his door opening it before she had a chance to knock.

"Eli, hey. I thought you were busy tonight?" Grace asked, glancing past him into his empty bedroom.

"Yeah it uh didn't work out" Eli shrugged, yawning lazily.

"Oh"

"I thought you were going out tonight?" Eli asked casually, wanting to know why she was standing outside his room with such a pissed off look on her face.

"I was, I did. Now I'm back. Is that a problem?" she snapped glaring at him.

"Whoa, chill out, it was just a question, I didn't flip when you asked me"

Grace shook her head "Sorry, Leah's just been hassling me that's all. "

"About what?"

"You. Us" Grace shook her head, "Drugs".

"That's none of her business, and anyway, it was just a bit of dope, no big deal"

"She's just worried; she thinks that I'm smoking with you to get closer to you"

"And are you?"

"What sort of a question is that Eli, I know the deal alright?"

Eli looked at her for a second and shrugged, he knew she wasn't telling the total truth but right then he didn't care.

"Alright, sorry, listen Coop gave me some great stuff earlier, what do you say?"

"Grace. Eli? Anyone home?" Jessie called out, knocking loudly on the door, she was sure someone must be home, the car was out the front. Shaking her head she fumbled for her keys in her bag and opened the door.

"Eli? Are you here?" as no one was downstairs she began her way upstairs, as she stood outside Eli's door she was sure she could faintly make out a sweet smoky smell.

"Eli!" Jessie yelled pounding on his door.

AT THE SAME TIME

"Shit that's Jessie" Eli groaned loudly as his sister banged on his door, rolling over onto his side he panicked slightly when he saw Grace lying beside him on the bed.

"Grace wake up" he whispered, shaking her hurriedly.

"Just a second!" he called out to his sister as Grace stood up, still half asleep. Dragging her over to his wardrobe he pushed her inside.

"Crap, the smoke" Eli shook his head, cursing at himself he ran over to the window and opened it, tossing his ashtray out the window in the process.

"Are you okay?" his sisters worried voice called out to him.

Taking a deep breath he opened the door, "yeah I'm fine, I thought you weren't going to be home tonight"

"Long story" wrinkling her nose she looked at her brother with disappointment, "Have you been smoking again?"

I think I was so angry at the time because I knew that what Leah was saying was the truth. I had begun smoking with Eli because i thought it would bring us closer, I just wasn't ready to admit it to myself at the time.

Needless to say Jessie didn't beleive Eli when he told her he wasn't smoking and she was around a lot more after that, apparently she missed having her brother around, but we all knew that was a lie. Her excuse of Karen needing space was more credible but not very beleiveable.

Which is why it wasn't that much of a surprise when Karen suggested soon after that Eli go and stay with her for the rest of the summer. Needless to say he was less than impressed.