Gen 2, Chapter 2 - A disappearing act?

Marcus. He was all I could think about. I know it sounds stupid, but I couldn't get him out of my mind. His gorgeous green eyes, like emeralds, and his soft wavy hair. And his smile! That sexy smile that made me melt every time I thought about him, that made my heart flutter a million times a second.

There were no words how to describe how I felt. Just like I needed him, like I craved him.

Too bad I never saw him again after that precious night at the beach. Months, even a year passed, but he just seemed to vanish into thin air. I longed to just see his face around somewhere, but there was no trace of him. Any hope I had of us getting together went down like a lead balloon.

Nevertheless, life carried on. Mum and Dad both had achieved their LTW's, so they were mega-happy, and I just ate, slept, cheerlead and studied, the latter being the most important as I had the biggest exams coming up, the ones that define your life forever. No pressure then.

One day I was just doing some studying when I heard the doorbell ring. I ran to get it and standing before me was my art teacher Miss Wells. (Not Marcus as I would have hoped!)

"Hello Gracie. Are your mother and father home?" she asked me.

"Hi Miss. My parents are out in the garden I think. Let me go and get them for you." I ushered Miss to a chair, got Mum and Dad and started to make some tea for us all.

"So what brings you here today Miss Wells?" Mum asked when we were all seated around the table and the tea I made was ready.

"Nothing bad I reassure you. Quite the oppisite actually. I'm sure you know by now that Gracie is such a sweet, hardworking pupil, and of course an amazing artist. I have got a great oppurtunity for her. I have arranged for Gracie to have a showing of her artwork at the local gallery. It'll be a proper showcase with refreshments and music and I think it will be a great chance to show everyone what a great talent she is. So what do you say Gracie?"

Wow. I was shocked that Miss thought so highly of me, but I was also very pleased and excited. How could I turn down something like that?

"Of course I will Miss! I'd love to show my work off!" I replied.

So it was set for the following Friday. The art gallery was all mine. I was surprised at how many people had actually arrived. My parents were there of course (they wouldn't have missed it for the world!) and so was Lauren and her mum.

I enjoyed going around talking to people about my work and a few even bought some of my work! Dad enjoyed providing the music and Mum was more than happy to serve the refreshments.

Then, the one person I wanted to walk in did. Marcus. And my God did he look gorgeous! I hid around a corner for a second , just to compose myself and my thoughts. However he already saw me, and came around to surpise me.

"Gracie, isn't it?" Marcus said, smiling.

"How could you forget me?" I asked flirtily.

He laughed. "Oh trust me, I haven't forgotten about you. I haven't forotten about you once."

I blushed. That must mean he feels the same way about me! I thought. I felt a rush of euphoria throughout my body.

I composed myself again. "And where did you disappear for this past year?"

"I'm glad you noticed. See the day I met you, I was just visiting this town to see if I wanted to move here. Seeing you instantly made up my mind that I did want to live here. So I had to go back home to Twinbrook to tell my family, sort out my job and buy myself a house here. It had just taken a bit longer than I had expected. But I'm here to stay now, and I guess that's what really matters."

He smiled that smile, you know the one that makes me go weak at the knees? My eyes caught his. It was that moment, where your bodies are so close together the chemistry is frightening, and you both lean in to kiss and time almost stands still.

But just as we were about to kiss - BAM! Mum appears, telling me that Miss Wells was looking for me. Great timing again Mum. I had to roll my eyes.

I had to leave Marcus standing there so I could find Miss when Mum grabbed my arm.

"Who was that guy? What's his name? How do you know him?" she demanded. Not angrily of course - Mum can't do angry.

"Jeez Mum what is this? The Spanish Inquisition?" I said. "Look Marcus is just a friend, I met him a while back."

Mum raised an eyebrow. "Is that why you two nearly kissed?"

I blushed again. Mum had got me, unsurprisingly. She doesn't miss a thing.

"What am I not allowed to kiss people now?!" I exclaimed, annoyance building up in my body like a volcano.

"No. It's just that he is a little too old for you, don't you think?" Mum's voice stayed calm, which infuriated me.

"He only turned 18 a few months ago. And I'm nearly 17 Mum, really."

"Well I don't care. When you're 18 you can go out with him. He seems like a nice guy, but I still don't trust you dating guys much older than yourself. Who knows what he can influence you to do? So that's final." Mum said, firmly.

"But Mum-"

"-No Gracie. I'm not hearing it. I'd be more than happy for you to go out with him when you're 18, no younger. But for now, no." And she just walked off.

I very rarely get angry, but that moment just then I was fuming mad. I know she was just doing her best for me, but she didn't know how much I loved Marcus. If she did, she would have never banned me from him. After all, Mum was the original 'Hopelessly in love' girl.

Why one rule for her and another for me?

That whole experience just left me willing for the day I'd turn into a young adult.

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Sorry this was a bit of a weird chapter. I just wanted to get a chapter out before Late Night arrives at the end of the week (Yay!) as I know I'll be preoccuied with it for a bit.

I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless :)

Gen 2, Chapter 1 - The first day of many

Everyone knows that the first day of high school is important. It's the day when you get labelled a 'nerd' or a 'jock' or a 'goth.' So no-one was as nervous as me on that first day. I felt like a little fish entering a big, big world.

Both Julia and Yvette were going to a different school as me, so I felt really nervous about not knowing anyone.

Mum just said that I would make friends in no time, that she didn't give me a name that meant "natural charm" for no reason.

And she was right (as always!)

High school was nowhere as cliquey as I imagined. I talked to anyone and everyone. At lunch I sat on a table with at least 10 people, and everyone was just so friendly.

One of those people was Lauren. She fast become my best friend. I could talk to her for hours and hours about nothing in particular, or crack private jokes that no-one else got.

One day, me and Lauren were just talking over the phone when she asked me if we should try out for the upcoming cheerleading 'auditions'. I agreed, thinking that it would be a laugh, not seriously thinking that we would get through!

But we did get through! Me and Lauren became cheerleaders!

It was pretty cool to be honest, and we got kitted out in these cute cheerleading dresses.

But we had practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which meant the rest of my time was spent studying, studying, studying!

And speaking of the academic side of school, I was doing pretty well in all my lessons. Not as well as Mum of course - after all she is a genius! - but well enough.

Except in Art.

In Art I was getting A*s!

My teacher Miss Wells said that I was her star pupil.

Dad said that he wasn't surprised at all!

I suppose I wasn't surprised either - art just seems to be something I'm naturally good at.

And on the boy front?

Nothing. Nada.

(I thought that would be appropriate, since Dad is trying to teach me Spanish.)

I was too busy for a boyfriend anyway, what with my cheerleading duties and my school duties.

However, on one of those rare evenings off, I decided to going for a jog around town, being a Lover of the Outdoors and all.

I ended up finishing my jog at the beach, and was going to head home as dusk had fallen, when I saw this guy just laying there in one of the sun loungers, staring at the stars.

I was just intrigued by him and I decided to go over to him. The reason why I don't know, but I felt compelled to go over there, like there was some sort of... attraction?!

I laid down on the sun lounger next to him. I just laid there for a minute, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Then I turned my head to him.

"I love looking at the stars too. ...This may sound a bit stupid, but they're just sort of magical. I could really spend all day looking at them."

He stayed silent for a moment or two and then he turned his head to me.

He had the most beautiful green eyes, just a shade lighter than mine, and these long, curling eyelashes that framed them. And his hair! His hair looked soft and wavy and I felt a sudden urge just to run my fingers through it.

I felt this all within a second of him looking at me.

"No, it doesn't sound stupid at all." He replied, in a husky, seductive voice.

"I feel the same way. My grandfather was an astrologer and he used to take me up to his lab and show me all the stars in his fancy telescope. And I thought that one day, just one day, they would wave to me or smile at me. I was only 7 then." He laughed, reminising.

"I've loved stars ever since." He paused. "My grandfather died a couple of years ago though."

He fell quiet.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I exclaimed.

"You have no need to be sorry."

Then a small, sexy half-smile formed on his lips.

Oh God.

I've fallen.

I've fallen for him hard.

A ring came from my mobile phone, shattering that amazing, wonderful moment.

It was Mum. "You need to get home! Curfew's in ten minutes!"

Crap. I thought. That's not good. And what bad timing too.

I got up. "I'm sorry, I've got to go." I said to the guy. I grabbed my stuff and started to walked towards the road, ready to hail a taxi.

"Wait! You don't even know my name!" He called out to me. "My name's Marcus. Marcus Andre."

I stopped in my tracks.

Marcus. The word tingled on my lips.

I was going to carry on walking when he called out again. "But I don't even know your name!"

I turned around. "I'm Gracie. Gracie Hope." I said flirtily and then I carried on walking.

And I knew that he was still staring at me as I walked away.

 

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I forgot to mention that Marcus Andre was created by mene and you can download him here.

(I just remodelled him a little bit!)

Thank you guys for still reading and commenting! It truly means the world to me! x

Gen 1, Chapter 10 - Time flies by

Time flies by, it really does. A couple of years had passed, and ineviatably we all got that litttle bit older. So much so, that it was soon Gracie's birthday!

I really wanted to throw a party for her - after all, she was growing up, and we had to celebrate it!

I got on the phone to invite everyone. It was organised for this Sunday afternoon.

I also set up a buffet and bar on our patio, with music, balloons and birthday cake!

All the guests started to arrive. I'd invited Morgana and Geoferry of course, and I also invited my new friend Tamara Donner. Romeo had brought along his bandmates, and I invited Gracie's friends Yvette and Julia.

Everyone was having a fabulous time.

It was time for the birthday girl to blow the candles on her birthday cake, and boy did she turn out to be a stunner!

I'm a bit surprised though. Through all this time she was the carbon copy of her father, but now I can see a bit of me in her. Her lips and nose are mine (at least I think so!)

Me and Romeo gave her her presents - a set of sterling silver bracelets and a (rather expensive!) painting that she had wanted for ages. (Gracie has got into art a lot!)

We also surprised her by doing up her bedroom. It's a lot more grown up now, and Gracie loves it!

"Thank you Mum!" she hugged me. "I loved the party, the presents and now my room!"

"You're welcome sweetheart." I hugged her tightly back.

"And you Dad. Thank you!" She wrapped herself in his arms.

"You deserve it." he kissed her forehead.

You know I am so pleased with my little family. I don't need any more kids to make me happy. I have an amazing husband and an amazing daughter, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Gen 1, Chapter 9 - Missing you.

It had been a couple of weeks since Romeo left for his whirlwind tour, and it was a very difficult time for me. I never realised how much I rely on him, how big a part of my life he is.

I was missing him. Missing him badly.

I hated having an empty space next to me when I slept..

and I hated having to cook (for fear that I was going to poison me and Gracie - are you surprised that Romeo is the cook of the house?!)

I've been emailing Romeo though and he's been sending me snaps from all over the world. Him in front of the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Taj Mahal!

And pictures of him and his family - I'm very happy that he's got to see them after all this time.

 Gracie seemed to be coping just fine, unlike me. I shouldn't be surprised though, she's a strong girl underneath all her brightness and sunshine.

She had been making lots of friends at school! More specifically Julia Landagrabb, who's become her best friend. Gracie got invited to her house, and she was really excited. I would be too though, if I got to go to the Landagrabb's huge mansion!

As well as making lots of friends, Gracie got on to the honour roll! She ran straight home one day exclaiming "I got on the honour roll! I'm on the honour roll!"

Bless her heart. I'm very proud of her, I just wish Romeo was here to see it.

As I hugged her one day, she whispered in my ear "Don't worry Daddy will be back soon."

I was amazed. I have a truly wondeful daughter.

On an different note, I've now been promoted to a Neurosurgeon! It's a lot of responsibility, but my boss Jaime said that she wouldn't have promoted me if she wasn't sure I could handle it.

So now I'm nearly there. I'm nearly a world-renowned surgeon, which has always been my biggest goal.

Months had passed, the same old routine, emersing myself in my work then coming home and looking after Gracie.

When one day, the door rang. I wasn't particulary bothered, I just thought it would be the pizzaman, or someone unimportant. So imagine my delight when I saw Romeo standing in front of me!

"ROMEO!" I lept into his arms.

"What are you doing here?" I said breathlessly. "I thought you weren't coming back home for a couple more weeks!"

"I had to come back. I missed you and Gracie too much. I didn't miss out on much of the tour, there was only three more concerts to go."

"I missed you sooo much. " I grabbed his hands.

"Gracie!" I called out. "Daddy's home!"

"Daddy!" She flew down the stairs and wrapped herself in Romeo's arms.

It was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.

After a long catch up, I just fell into his arms. There are no words to describe that moment.

I was just glad to have him back.