~A Once and Again Series~

The Way We Were



<<<Chapter 24//Confusing Signals>>>

"Eli! How was Minnesota, my man?" Kevin called out.

Eli turned to his friend in the school hallway, "It was okay."

"Any hot girls?" Kevin asked, coming up beside his friend.

Eli shrugged, "No, not really."

"Last summer, I went to the Mall of America, and it was like, chicks- galore!"

Eli opened his locker, taking out the books for his next class.

"There was this red-head... she was just like... damn!" Kevin continued. "Like she had it all."

Eli nodded vaguely.

"How's your band coming along? Maybe I'll join.... then I can get all the chicks too," Kevin said, and played a little air guitar.

"I thought you and Julie were..." Eli reminded him.

Kevin ignored him, looking down the hall instead. "Is that... Grace Manning?"

"Hmm?" Eli asked, looking in the direction Kevin was looking. His eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.

[[Eli - *mouth open in surprise* I... Grace?]]

Grace was walking down the hall, with her friends Julie and Ashley by her side, but Eli knew that everyone's eyes were most likely focused on Grace. He had never seen Grace look like that before. Eli had thought Grace was pretty, even beautiful... but right now she was striking. She was hot. Her hair hung in curly waves, something Eli had never seen on her before. And she was wearing a short black skirt, even though it was the middle of winter, and a dark pink lacy shirt. Her face looked a bit different, and as she got closer, Eli realized why... she was wearing makeup.

[[Eli - She looks good, of course.... I just.. she doesn't look like Grace.]]

Grace saw Eli, and broke from her friends, coming towards them.

[[Grace - I feel like a whole new person... I like it... *smiles*]]

"Hi Grace," Kevin said, looking her over.

"Hi Kevin," Grace said, not noticing. She was looking at Eli, awaiting his reaction to her new look.

[[Eli - *frowns* She's like a whole different person...]]

Eli looked at Grace, unable to hide the frown from his face. Grace's smile faltered, and was replaced by a forced smaller smile. "Hi," She said to Eli.

"Kevin!" Julie said from behind them, not liking the way her boyfriend-of-sorts was checking out her best friend. "Aren't we going to lunch?"

Kevin reluctantly left.

"So, how was the rest of your break?" Grace asked Eli, nervously. His failure to react positively to her new look had been like a punch in the gut.

"It was good," Eli said uncomfortably. "Your's?"

"Good. Good," Grace said.

[[Grace - Why are guys so hard to understand??]]

"Eli? Is something wrong?" Grace asked. She just couldn't take the look of disappointment and resentment on his face anymore. If he didn't like the way she looked, he should say it.

"No," Eli answered, a little too sharply.

Grace was silent, studying him with a hurt expression. She took a small step back, shaking her head slightly.

[[Grace - *fidgety...trying to find the right words* We got so close.... we were closer than I've ever been with a guy before. And... it was really amazing. And for him to be... like this... it's like UGH!]]

"Grace..." Eli began.

[[Eli - Why do I keep doing this? Why am I so scared to let myself just FEEL for her? Would that be SO bad?]]

"....Grace?"

"Oh, hi, Mark," Grace said uneasily as Mark joined them.

"I haven't talked to you in a while..." Mark said with a smile and Grace disliked the way his eyes were roaming over her. "Probably not since the party," Mark smiled.

Grace shifted awkwardly as memories of kissing him at the party washed over her.

"So, how are you?" Mark asked.

"I'm fine." Grace looked to Eli, hoping he'd say something to get rid of Mark, but Eli was busy looking down at a notebook.

"Listen, did you want to get together tonight?" Mark asked.

Grace shook her head, "No... I'm busy."

"Oh, well, another time, then." Mark said, disappointed. Mark walked away, Grace looked back at Eli.

[[Grace - *about to burst* .....ELI?]]

"I've got to go to class," Eli said when he looked up from his notebook.

"Are... is Anti-inflammatory practicing tonight?" Grace asked quickly. She looked eagerly at Eli.

"Uh, I'm not sure..." Eli hesitated. He turned, ready to walk away, but then stopped, looking over at the beautiful, sexy girl before him.

[[Eli - I have to stop backing away from her... I can't let myself be too scared... I don't want to lose her.. *puts a hand on side of head, groans* Stop being a scared baby!]]

"Actually, wait... we are." Eli told Grace, a hint of a smile on his face for the first time since Grace walked over to him. "You should come by... at six... at my mom's."

Grace smiled, relieved. "Okay."

[[Grace - *rolls eyes* .....GUYS!.... They are completely confusing! Is that like part of the rules for being a guy?]]

* * *

Karen set the table. Jessie walked by, and Karen called out, "Tell your brother that dinner is almost ready."

Jessie wrinkled up her nose, "I think he's getting ready for practice."

"Well, he needs to eat, doesn't he?" Karen said practically.

"Yeah," Jessie said, "I'll tell him."

Jessie went down the basements stairs to Eli's room. Eli was sitting on one of the couches, playing his guitar. "Mom wants you to know dinner is almost ready," Jessie told him when she was close enough for him to hear her.

"Now?" Eli said with a groan. "The guys will be here soon. Can't you tell her that I'll eat afterwards?"

Jessie rolled her eyes, "You think she's going to accept that?"

"Right," Eli said, resigned. He set down his guitar and followed Jessie up the stairs.

They sat down at the table with their mother, and Eli hurriedly ate his meal.

"Eli," Karen said, looking over at him, "What's the rush?"

Eli reluctantly slowed down. He was almost done when the doorbell rang. "That's probably them," He said to his mother, starting to get up out of his chair. He looked to his mother, who nodded.

"Fine, fine," Karen said with annoyance. "I'd like to have a nice dinner with my beautiful son and daughter one of these days."

"You will," Eli assured her, going to the door.

"Hi," Grace said as Eli opened the door. "Am I early?"

"No," Eli said quickly. "The guys aren't here yet, but that's okay." Eli looked at her, seeing that her hair was tied back in a ponytail, the makeup gone from her face, and her skirt changed to pants.

Grace noticed him noticing her change of style, and smiled shyly.

[[Eli - I like her better like this... earlier she was hot and sexy, but now, she's... Grace.]]

"Come in," Eli said. They walked past the kitchen, and Eli tried to hurry past his mother, but no such luck.

"Grace. Hi." Karen said, slightly surprised. She had been expecting Turk or John or Markie... not this girl who had suddenly become a big part of her son's life. "How was your winter break?"

"Oh, it was great." Grace smiled. "Eli, Jessie, Zoe and I had a good time together on Christmas."

Karen was taken back by Grace's words. She didn't realize that Rick had taken the kids over to Lily's on Christmas. "...You did?"

"Yeah. Zoe is just crazy about Jessie. And Jessie is such a great girl," Grace said politely.

"Yes, she is," Karen smiled at Grace, and then looked at Eli. "E, Can I talk to you, for just a minute?"

Eli knew he was in for it. He looked at Grace, "I'll be down in a second."

Grace nodded, looking back and forth between mother and son. She uneasily started down the basement steps by herself.

Eli looked at his mother, waiting.

"You went over there on Christmas?" Karen asked, once she was sure Grace was out of hearing range.

Jessie, just entering the kitchen, froze nervously.

"Dad didn't tell you?" Eli asked. He looked at Jessie, and they shared a nervous look.

Karen saw Jessie, and took her plate from her, putting it in the sink. "No, and I don't know why he didn't. It's not a big deal, or anything. I would have liked to be informed of it, though."

Jessie nodded, "I thought you knew. It wasn't a big thing. We just had dinner, and watched movies for most of the night. We didn't even have to buy them presents."

"You watched movies for 'most of the night'?" Karen asked, sensing something was wrong with that sentence. "Just how long were you guys at Lily's?"

Jessie looked at her hands, and Eli spit it out, "We spent the night."

Karen looked away. She began rinsing off the dishes.

[[Karen- Why wouldn't he tell me? How could he not say anything? They slept at Lily's house... they all slept over at her house... what does that mean?]]

"Mom?" Jessie asked nervously.

Karen turned back to her kids. "If your father calls, tell him I need to speak with him."

"It wasn't a big deal!" Eli insisted.

Karen raised her eyebrows and looked at her son. "Eli--"

The doorbell rang. That would be the guys of the band. Karen sighed, shaking her head, "Go, go practice."

Eli left.

* * *

Karen finished the dishes and tidied up the kitchen a bit. She kept sneaking glances at the phone, and finally couldn't take it anymore, and picked it up. She dialed Rick's number.

"Hello?" Rick answered.

"Hi," Karen said, her anger coming across in that one syllable.

"Hi Karen, what's up?" Rick asked, apprehensively.

"What's up?" Karen repeated, annoyed. "How come you didn't tell me about the spending the night at Lily's on Christmas?"

Rick leaned back in his chair, sighing, "I guess I thought it didn't matter. The kids had no problems with it."

Karen fumed. "Of course they said they didn't, but how can you trust that?"

"Karen, it went good, believe me. They had fun," Rick assured her.

"How you not tell me?" Karen asked angrily. "What were you thinking?"

Rick carefully answered, "I was thinking-- Lily and I were thinking that it would give the kids a chance to bond, and it would be taking the next step in our relationship."

"Haven't you already had sex?" Karen asked sarcastically.

"It wasn't about that, Karen," Rick said, annoyed.

"Rick, I don't even know what to say to you about this..." Karen frowned into the phone, "Just know that I'm very disappointed."

The doorbell rang once again.

Karen looked over at it. "Rick, I have to go. But this is not over."

"Bye," Rick said, relived.

Karen hung up the phone and answered the door, finding her boyfriend, Leo, standing on her doorstep.

"You don't look happy to see me," Leo stated.

Karen forced a smile, "No, I am. I am. Come in."

* * *

"So, did you guys get in trouble for... sleeping together?" Jessie asked Grace when the boys had stopped playing for a few minutes.

Grace rolled her eyes, "No... I mean, what can they do? All we did was sleep in the same bed. It was no big deal."

Jessie smiled, drawing her knees up to her chin. "You two looked so cute sleeping next to each other."

Grace blushed slightly, "Really?"

Jessie nodded.

[[Jessie - Okay, I don't get why they aren't dating already... I mean, they're like perfect for each other! I've never seen Eli this hung up on a girl before... it's cool. *smiles* And know that I know Grace better, I can see that she would really make my brother happy... and he needs that.]]

"Can I tell you a secret?" Grace asked.

"Yeah," Jessie answered.

Grace looked over at Eli and the rest of the band, but they were busy working on a new song. Grace lowered her voice anyways, just in case. "I woke up... that night. And I saw that we were sleeping in the same bed, but... I liked it, you know? He made me feel comforted and safe. And so I just went back to sleep..."

Jessie smiled. "So why aren't you dating him again?"

Grace's face twisted up, "I swear... if I hear one more person say something like that..."

Jessie paused, not knowing whether to continue on the subject. Finally she said, "Well, it is a REALLY good question, Grace."

Grace looked over at Eli, who was grinning and goofing around with Markie. She smiled, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

[[Grace - I really like Eli... and I think he likes me... So, why aren't we dating?? It is a good question.]]

Grace thought this over, and kept coming back to that one kiss she and Eli had shared. Grace looked at Jessie. "Okay, there's something you don't know..."

"What?" Jessie asked, eagerly. She leaned closer to Grace in anticipation.

"Eli and I kissed... at that first dinner at my house." Grace said. Jessie's eyebrows went up. Grace continued, "It was a teeny tiny kiss... and afterwards, Eli didn't even say anything to me about it."

Jessie sighed, "I guess my brother is a typical guy after all."

"And then... when we were at Perkin's... I said something about the kiss being meaningless-- you know, just to see what he thought-- and he agreed with me!" Grace sighed.

"What?" Jessie shook her head. "Grace, that's what you're letting stop you from dating my brother?"

"Well... if he thought the kiss meant nothing, then why would he want to date me?" Grace asked.

"Grace!" Jessie cried. The boys began to play again. Jessie took Grace's hand and led her up the stairs and past the living room where her mother and Leo were cuddling on the sofa, and to Jessie's room.

Grace looked around curiously... she had never been in Jessie's room before. But Jessie drew her attention back with her words.

"Grace, Eli didn't think the kiss was meaningless!" Jessie insisted.

"He said---" Grace began, but Jessie cut her off.

"Grace, Eli will say anything to protect himself from getting hurt," Jessie informed her. "You said, you thought the kiss was meaningless, and he agreed... but not because he actually thought that! But because he thought YOU thought it was meaningless!"

"Oh," Grace took this in. It made sense. She looked at Jessie gratefully, "How come you understand it so much better than me, and you weren't even there?"

Jessie shrugged, with a pleased smile.

[[Grace - Thank God for Jessie.]]

Grace grinned joyfully. This all made sense... And now, what was stopping her and Eli from getting together? NOTHING. Unless, of course... Eli started backing away from her again, like earlier today.

There was a knock on Jessie's door.

"Come in!" Jessie called out.

Eli poked his head in. "Did Grace go..." Eli noticed Grace sitting on Jessie's bed. "Oh, I thought you had left." Eli entered the room. "Did you come here to hang out with me or my sister?" Eli joked.

Grace looked at Jessie and they shared a smile. "Oh, I came here to hang with Jessie, of course."

"Fine, than I'll just have to go to the basement by myself," Eli said lightly, and slowly left the room.

Grace looked over at Jessie, who signaled for her to follow Eli. "Go," Jessie whispered.

Grace stood up, and walked after Eli, her heart beating a mile a minute. Eli turned around in the hallway and waited for her. "Is practice over?" Grace asked.

"Yeah, the other guys went home," Eli said, as he and Grace headed towards the stairs down to the basement.

"Oh, what time is it?" Grace asked, remembering her mother telling her to be back at nine pm.

"Uh, 8:45," Eli answered.

"I have to be home by nine," Grace told him.

"Well, then I'll go get my mom's keys," Eli said, and went in the living room, and came back with the keys. He and Grace got in the car, and Eli drove towards her house. When he had parked in the driveway, Grace turned to him.

"Eli..."

"Yeah?" Eli looked over at her with intense eyes.

"I didn't think our kiss was meaningless..." Grace said, after a deep breath.

[[Grace - Okay, I said it....]]

Eli took in her words. He looked deep in her eyes, "Me neither."

[[Eli - Okay, I said it...]]

Grace smiled, pleased. "I've got to get inside," She said reluctantly.

Eli nodded, "Yes."

Grace unbuckled her seatbelt and left the car. She threw a lingering look back at him when she got to her door.

[[Grace - Now... will we........]]

Eli watched her go inside, letting out a deep breath.

[[Eli - Now... are we going to.....]]

[[Grace/Eli (word overlaps).... date....?]]

* * *
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