I want to thank everyone for all the wonderful feedback. This is my first
time writing a fan fic, so I keep on going back to the original series.
Thank goodness for www.televisionwithoutpity.com and all their great
episode recaps!! Also, I wanted to let you know that I already have the
next three chapter finished. Things are going quite well, I think. So,
anyway, if you see that I have updated, you may want to check to see if I
updated a chapter or two. Thanks again for the reviews! I really enjoy
hearing everyone's opinions! -K
Chapter Four
Eli couldn't fall asleep that night. He paced his room in the garage, spending another twilight thinking about Grace.
**Eli - "I know it's too late. I know she no longer carries those romantic feelings for me. I am glad that she was able to move on with her life because, if she felt half as bad as I have for the last few years, I would feel horrible. I know I can't do anything about this. Just continue to be her friend. Having her as a friend in my life is better than blowing any relationship we may have because of my feelings. But, I can't move on. Every girl I meet, I compare to Grace. No one is as smart, as funny. as luminous. Grace is in a class all by herself. I have her on such a high pedestal that I know no one could ever compete." - He shrugs and frowns.**
For the billionth time, he replayed that day in his head. The whole family spent the day running around like maniacs, planning the last minute wedding that Lily and his Father had cancelled. Eli had just realized that Carla, his former girlfriend never missed him - never thought of him. The only person who was there for him was Grace. When they were in her room, talking and thinking, they had almost kissed. It was then that Eli first saw Grace in a new light. He knew now that, had they kissed, it would have been for all the wrong reasons. Grace would have thought he kissed her to get over Carla. Deep down, Eli knew that had they kissed, he would have only thought about her. only because he spent every waking minute after doing so.
The next year, he was a mess. He was constantly high. He had no direction in his life. He knew it was reckless to let Grace get high that evening, but he couldn't help but wonder how she would react to him. Would she show any sort of intimacy with him? Then, she grew distant. She was never home. That high school play consumed all of her free time. He missed seeing her, so he tried to get over her by dating other girls. He even slept with a few, seeing if Grace would finally be driven from his heart. But all those dates and intimacies only made him love her more. And it was love Eli felt for her, he knew it was. When she didn't see him at her play performance, he knew she was angry with him. It almost seemed like they were growing close again. but he blew it once again by running from her, hiding from his mother.
During that time, he realized she had fallen for someone else, Augustus Dimitri. Eli knew he was much older, wiser, more mature and he saw how happy Dimitri made Grace. She was so happy. so in love. Then, with a blink of an eye, Augustus was gone, after the school board questioned his intentions with Grace. She spent the rest of that year to herself, devastated that the first man she ever gave her heart to was gone forever.
It was then that Eli realized that he needed to change his ways. He cut down on the drugs and cigarettes. He applied to college and was actually accepted. Eli studied and worked every waking minute, not spending time with his friends and let his music. Meanwhile, Grace moved on from Mr. Dimitri, though she still never dated while she was in high school. Eli knew of the rumors that were spread all over his former alma mater because Jessie told him. Such cruel things were said to Grace. She even turned up to his room one night, devastated and in tears. Eli comforted her, hugging her and listening to every word she said. Once again, he had the opportunity to tell her how he felt, to simply bend down and kiss her - give her some sort of idea about his feelings. Instead, he realized that it wasn't the best time. After having a scandalous relationship with a teacher, Eli knew Grace couldn't be subjected to rumors about a relationship with her step-brother.
During the next years, while Grace was away at school, he still had opportunities to see her on the weekend. He always worked the same shifts so he could spend time with her. Their friendship blossomed, especially when Grace started calling him every so often from school, just to chitchat.
He was still amazed that she had never found someone. He did believe her, today, when she said she was over Augustus. The years away at college, Grace had gained such confidence and composure. He was in awe by how much she changed the first time she came home her freshman year. He knew she had dated many guys. In fact, there were a few parties downtown they both appeared at with Grace hooked up with a different guy, while Eli sat on the side, always keeping an eye on her.
**Eli - "What am I doing? I should have given up hope long ago. But, I can't. I just can't."**
Grace awoke abruptly the next morning to the sound of her phone ringing. She clumsily reached for it, knocking it off her nightstand. When she finally picked up the receiver, the line was dead.
"Grrrr," Grace growled, opening her eyes and being blinded by the bright spring sun that shone through her window. Awake now, she got out of bed, ran her hand through the messy mop on top of her head, and then walked down to the kitchen.
"Gracie! Good morning!" her mother cried, as soon as she entered the kitchen. Lily was busy at the counter, making a grocery list. "I had no idea when you would join the living world."
Eli was sitting by himself at the table, eating a bagel with lox and reading the newspaper. He looked up and caught Grace's eye, giving her a huge smile.
Grace grabbed a bagel, slathered it with light cream cheese, poured some coffee, and joined Eli.
"Where is everyone?"
"Well, Jessie and Katie are spending the day at Navy Pier. Zoe is at her friend, Hannah's house. Seems they have a huge end-of-the-year project for Government that they want to complete away from preschool hands. Rick took Drew to swim lessons. I have to run to the grocery store. Do either of you want to join me?" Lily asked.
Grace wrinkled her nose and rolled her eyes at Eli. Eli rolled his eyes in return. "No thanks!" they said, in unison.
"Do you have plans?" Lily asked, not catching their facial expressions.
"We both have to work at three," Eli said. "I was just going to go hang around until then."
"I have to try and study for my botany test, but I really am not too concerned about it."
"Now Grace, just because you've been accepted to grad school already doesn't mean you have to blow off you classes now!" Lily lectured.
"Seriously, Mom - it's botany. The class is cake. I'll be fine."
"If you say so. Well, if you kids don't need me, I'm going to go pick up Judy." She soon left.
Grace rubbed her temples and yawned.
"Tired?" Eli asked.
"Yeah, for some reason I was up late last night."
"Hey, I'm sorry about that. I should have done that on my own time."
"Don't worry about it. Besides, I didn't clock out until we were leaving, so I will get paid, too."
"Hope your Dad won't get mad about that."
Grace gave him a confident smile, "I wouldn't worry about that. So, you're just hanging around? Doing anything specifically?" she asked.
"Not really. I should go apartment hunting."
"That sounds like fun! Mind if I tag along?" she asked.
**Eli - "Does she need to ask?"**
"I would love that!" he responded.
"Alright. Just give me fifteen minutes to shower and get ready, ok?" she got up from the table and placed her dinnerware in the dishwasher. Then, she ran out of the room.
**Eli - "Reason Number 48575 why I love Grace? She can get showered and ready in fifteen minutes!"**
Chapter Four
Eli couldn't fall asleep that night. He paced his room in the garage, spending another twilight thinking about Grace.
**Eli - "I know it's too late. I know she no longer carries those romantic feelings for me. I am glad that she was able to move on with her life because, if she felt half as bad as I have for the last few years, I would feel horrible. I know I can't do anything about this. Just continue to be her friend. Having her as a friend in my life is better than blowing any relationship we may have because of my feelings. But, I can't move on. Every girl I meet, I compare to Grace. No one is as smart, as funny. as luminous. Grace is in a class all by herself. I have her on such a high pedestal that I know no one could ever compete." - He shrugs and frowns.**
For the billionth time, he replayed that day in his head. The whole family spent the day running around like maniacs, planning the last minute wedding that Lily and his Father had cancelled. Eli had just realized that Carla, his former girlfriend never missed him - never thought of him. The only person who was there for him was Grace. When they were in her room, talking and thinking, they had almost kissed. It was then that Eli first saw Grace in a new light. He knew now that, had they kissed, it would have been for all the wrong reasons. Grace would have thought he kissed her to get over Carla. Deep down, Eli knew that had they kissed, he would have only thought about her. only because he spent every waking minute after doing so.
The next year, he was a mess. He was constantly high. He had no direction in his life. He knew it was reckless to let Grace get high that evening, but he couldn't help but wonder how she would react to him. Would she show any sort of intimacy with him? Then, she grew distant. She was never home. That high school play consumed all of her free time. He missed seeing her, so he tried to get over her by dating other girls. He even slept with a few, seeing if Grace would finally be driven from his heart. But all those dates and intimacies only made him love her more. And it was love Eli felt for her, he knew it was. When she didn't see him at her play performance, he knew she was angry with him. It almost seemed like they were growing close again. but he blew it once again by running from her, hiding from his mother.
During that time, he realized she had fallen for someone else, Augustus Dimitri. Eli knew he was much older, wiser, more mature and he saw how happy Dimitri made Grace. She was so happy. so in love. Then, with a blink of an eye, Augustus was gone, after the school board questioned his intentions with Grace. She spent the rest of that year to herself, devastated that the first man she ever gave her heart to was gone forever.
It was then that Eli realized that he needed to change his ways. He cut down on the drugs and cigarettes. He applied to college and was actually accepted. Eli studied and worked every waking minute, not spending time with his friends and let his music. Meanwhile, Grace moved on from Mr. Dimitri, though she still never dated while she was in high school. Eli knew of the rumors that were spread all over his former alma mater because Jessie told him. Such cruel things were said to Grace. She even turned up to his room one night, devastated and in tears. Eli comforted her, hugging her and listening to every word she said. Once again, he had the opportunity to tell her how he felt, to simply bend down and kiss her - give her some sort of idea about his feelings. Instead, he realized that it wasn't the best time. After having a scandalous relationship with a teacher, Eli knew Grace couldn't be subjected to rumors about a relationship with her step-brother.
During the next years, while Grace was away at school, he still had opportunities to see her on the weekend. He always worked the same shifts so he could spend time with her. Their friendship blossomed, especially when Grace started calling him every so often from school, just to chitchat.
He was still amazed that she had never found someone. He did believe her, today, when she said she was over Augustus. The years away at college, Grace had gained such confidence and composure. He was in awe by how much she changed the first time she came home her freshman year. He knew she had dated many guys. In fact, there were a few parties downtown they both appeared at with Grace hooked up with a different guy, while Eli sat on the side, always keeping an eye on her.
**Eli - "What am I doing? I should have given up hope long ago. But, I can't. I just can't."**
Grace awoke abruptly the next morning to the sound of her phone ringing. She clumsily reached for it, knocking it off her nightstand. When she finally picked up the receiver, the line was dead.
"Grrrr," Grace growled, opening her eyes and being blinded by the bright spring sun that shone through her window. Awake now, she got out of bed, ran her hand through the messy mop on top of her head, and then walked down to the kitchen.
"Gracie! Good morning!" her mother cried, as soon as she entered the kitchen. Lily was busy at the counter, making a grocery list. "I had no idea when you would join the living world."
Eli was sitting by himself at the table, eating a bagel with lox and reading the newspaper. He looked up and caught Grace's eye, giving her a huge smile.
Grace grabbed a bagel, slathered it with light cream cheese, poured some coffee, and joined Eli.
"Where is everyone?"
"Well, Jessie and Katie are spending the day at Navy Pier. Zoe is at her friend, Hannah's house. Seems they have a huge end-of-the-year project for Government that they want to complete away from preschool hands. Rick took Drew to swim lessons. I have to run to the grocery store. Do either of you want to join me?" Lily asked.
Grace wrinkled her nose and rolled her eyes at Eli. Eli rolled his eyes in return. "No thanks!" they said, in unison.
"Do you have plans?" Lily asked, not catching their facial expressions.
"We both have to work at three," Eli said. "I was just going to go hang around until then."
"I have to try and study for my botany test, but I really am not too concerned about it."
"Now Grace, just because you've been accepted to grad school already doesn't mean you have to blow off you classes now!" Lily lectured.
"Seriously, Mom - it's botany. The class is cake. I'll be fine."
"If you say so. Well, if you kids don't need me, I'm going to go pick up Judy." She soon left.
Grace rubbed her temples and yawned.
"Tired?" Eli asked.
"Yeah, for some reason I was up late last night."
"Hey, I'm sorry about that. I should have done that on my own time."
"Don't worry about it. Besides, I didn't clock out until we were leaving, so I will get paid, too."
"Hope your Dad won't get mad about that."
Grace gave him a confident smile, "I wouldn't worry about that. So, you're just hanging around? Doing anything specifically?" she asked.
"Not really. I should go apartment hunting."
"That sounds like fun! Mind if I tag along?" she asked.
**Eli - "Does she need to ask?"**
"I would love that!" he responded.
"Alright. Just give me fifteen minutes to shower and get ready, ok?" she got up from the table and placed her dinnerware in the dishwasher. Then, she ran out of the room.
**Eli - "Reason Number 48575 why I love Grace? She can get showered and ready in fifteen minutes!"**