26

Around 6:30, Paige and Tyler arrived at the Elliott household. Abby was putting an earring in her ear when she answered the door – surprised to see Tyler.

“Tyler? Are you coming along with us?”

Paige looked confused. “Uh, he told me that you said it was okay that he came over to watch the telly tonight with Grace while we were out.”

Now Abby was confused and Ty was fidgeting a bit. “Um..Grace didn’t ask me anything. Maybe she meant to and forgot. I..I guess its okay. You’ll both have to keep an eye on J.T.”

Just then Grace came downstairs wearing denim shorts and a tank top. Abby and Paige wasted no time in gaging Ty’s response to her.

“Hey Ty,” Grace said. “Everything okay with you staying here?”

“Next time ask me first, Grace,” Abby said to her daughter

“Oh, sorry mum. I forgot when I got home from school. I rushed to get my homework done so we can watch telly tonight.”

“Yeah, I just thought I’d keep Grace company while you were out,” Ty said before he added. “Um…J.T. too.”

“So poor Scott’s all by himself tonight, I see,” Abby said.

“Oh, he doesn’t mind,” Paige said. “I think he likes being alone sometimes. He’s got a book report to work on so he’ll be on the computer most of the night. Well, if this is all okay with you, Abby, why don’t we get going. We’ve got reservations for 7:00.”

“Sure, let me get my purse,” Abby said as she walked into the kitchen. She then took a piece of paper and wrote down the restaurant’s name and phone number.

“Grace, in case of anything, and I’m counting on that there won’t be, here’s the name and number where Aunt Paige and I will be. We should be home no later than 9:00-9:30, okay?”

“Okay. Enjoy.”

“Yeah, don’t worry about us,” Ty added.

Abby and Paige nodded and left. As soon as the door closed behind them, they eyed each other warily.

“Hmm, I wonder if that was a set up so they could be together tonight?”

Paige thought about it a moment. “I think you may be right. But, I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. We’ll only gone a few hours and they’ll have a ten year old hanging around them the entire time. Nothing like having your little brother cramping your style.”

Abby laughed. “This is true. C’mon, lets get going. I’m starved!”

Back inside the house, Grace turned the lock on the door. After she did, she turned and leaned her back against it, eyeing Ty’s long, lean body in beige cotton shorts and a white Abercrombie & Fitch logo t-shirt. The look on her face made him flush with a bit of excitement as he closed in on her.

“See something you like, luv?”

Grace just bit her bottom lip and nodded her head, never taking her eyes off his. He just continued to move closer until his body was pressed up against hers. Grace was trapped between the hard door and Ty’s hard, lean body. They wrapped their arms around each other and kissed, giving each other their tongues quickly.

As their breathing became rapid, Ty pulled his mouth away from Grace and whispered in her ear.

“Alone at last.”

That was, until they heard the thunder of ten year old sneakered feet come pounding up from the entertainment room, causing Grace and Ty to break apart quickly.

“Ty! What are you doing here?”

Ty quickly reigned in his aroused state and smiled at J.T., mussing his dark hair. “I’m here to hang out while our mum’s are out.”

“Oh,” J.T. said before he noticed a funny look on Ty’s face, which matched the even funnier look on Grace’s. J.T. may only be ten, but seeing Grace and Ty alone in the hall, looking a little skittish made him wonder. He then noticed that part of Grace’s lipgloss was smeared on Ty’s lips. J.T. let a big grin spread across his face when he realized what was up with these two. And, he planned on being every inch the pain-in-the-arse younger brother tonight.

“Uh, J.T….don’t you have schoolwork to do or something?” Grace asked with annoyance.

Seeing that Grace was trying to get rid of him told J.T. that what he assumed was true. He was gonna have fun having a go at these two.

“Yeah, I do…but not much. I think I”ll watch the telly with you two a bit before I do it.”

J.T. saw the frustrated look on Ty’s face, which matched Grace’s. “J.T. – why don’t you go do it now and watch telly later. Don’t forget, you have to be in bed by 9:00.”

“No I don’t. Mum said I could stay up till she got home.”

“She did not!” Grace fumed back.

“Yes she did,” J.T. countered. “Call her on her cell phone and ask her.”

Grace rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

Suddenly, Ty came up with an idea. “Tell ya what little mate,” he said to J.T. “Lets go a few rounds on the Playstation. We’ll play two out of three. I win – you have to go do your homework.”

“And….if I win,” J.T. smugly stated, “I get to stay up and watch the telly with you till mum gets home.”

Ty had no choice but to agree. “Fine! You’re on.”

“Get ready to have your butt kicked,” J.T. threatened as he took off back down to the entertainment room.

Ty looked to Grace who walked past him, pointing her finger at his chest. “You better win!”

27

Much to Grace and Ty’s dismay, J.T. beat Ty in all three games. Ty had no choice but to honor his bet and let J.T. stay down and watch the telly with them. Fortunately, J.T. sat on the big easy chair, curled up in a ball, while Grace and Ty sat a comfortable width apart on the couch. As time went by, Grace and Ty continually kept an eye on J.T. as he began to nod off. Ty had even gotten up and lowered the dimmer on the lights to help him along and also to make it a bit private between him and Grace.

When Grace got up and tiptoed over to J.T. and heard that he was snoring, she smiled with victory and headed back over to the couch. As she flopped down on Ty’s lap, she threw her arms around his neck.

“Finally! I swear that little twit was onto us.”

“I think so too,” Ty replied. “Hopefully, he’s a sound sleeper. We’ve only got about 45 minutes before our mums come back.”

“Well, lets not waste it talking,” Grace said as she leaned into kiss him. Ty wrapped his arms around her waist and adjusted her on his lap. Her perfect little fifteen year old bum was conveniently nestled on top of his groin and was making his growing erection uncomfortable.

Grace had felt it and smiled in his mouth, suddenly realizing the power that she had over him to get him excited so quickly. She decided to play with fire a bit and teased him by wiggling her bum over his hardness, causing him to groan in her mouth.

“Grace,” he whispered against her lips. “You’re killing me, luv. Be careful what you’re doing, else I’ll have an accident in my knickers.”

Grace broke the kiss and slid off his lap and onto the couch next to him. She looked over again at J.T. who had turned away from them in the chair, then back to Ty. She took a deep breath for resolve and looked deep into his eyes.

“Well, we can’t have that happen now, can we?” she said with a hint of wickedness as she took her hand and placed it over the fly of his shorts, gently squeezing his hardness.

Ty’s blue eyes nearly popped as he let out a satisfied growl. “Crikey, Grace! What are you doing? Don’t do this if you can’t…..I mean…..”

“If I can’t what? Finish it?”

Ty looked down at her with a flushed face. “Yes,” he hoarsly whispered.

“And….what if I want to finish it?”

She emphasized that remark by squeezing him a bit harder causing a louder groan to escape his lips. He quickly looked over at J.T. who still hadn’t stirred.

“Grace…wh…what are you gonna do?”

“Hmm, I was thinking along the lines of this,” she said as her fingers moved up to unbutton and unzip his shorts.

Ty was practically hyperventilating at the thought of her bare hand on him without any clothes in the way. As Grace began to slip her hand inside, her lips went to a sensitive spot below his ear. Simultaneously, she nibbled his neck there just as her hand came in contact with his warm, hard erection.

“Bloody hell!” he practically shouted. “Dammit, Grace that feels so good.”

“You like that huh?” she whispered in his ear before taking his earlobe between her lips. She had gotten some advice from Allison as to what Jack liked her to do to him. Allison had said that Jack liked being kissed on his neck and having his ear nibbled and even being kissed down his chest.

As Grace continued to stroke him, she slowly began to kiss her way down his chest through his t-shirt. She so wished that he had a button down shirt so she could feel his skin. When she got down to his hard, flat stomach she saw Ty flinch, knowing that her mouth was very close to where her hand was stroking him.

Grace looked down and saw a lad’s erection for the first time. It wasn’t as scary looking as she thought it would be, but the hardness of it intoxicated her. She knew she was the reason for it. She also knew that his trembling and tightening meant that he was close to reacting to the stimulation she was giving him. She wasn’t sure how explosive it would be, so she didn’t worry. Until it happened.

“Grace….Grace…” Ty continued to pant. “I’m gonna…..if you don’t take your hand away I’m…….crikey, I’m gonna come!”

“Its okay,” Grace said. “Go ahead. I want you to, Ty. I want to do this for you.”

“But..but..you don’t understand, I……we don’t have anything to catch….its gonna go……..oh God Grace!”

His last remark was a result of Grace stroking him faster which sent him over the edge. Grace was momentarily jarred when she saw Ty lift his t-shirt up to bare his stomach, just before he shot his fluid all over it – and her hand.

“Oh my God,” Grace whispered as she went to take her hand away, only to have Ty hold it in place until he rode out his orgasm. Grace held her hand there, protectively under Ty’s, as she watched the evidence of his sexual release spill out all over his bare stomach. Never did she think the reaction would be that explosive.

When he was completely drained, Ty lifted his head and looked at Grace with glazed eyes.

“Wow! That felt incredible luv. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she sheepisly said.

“What made you want to do that?”

Grace looked down a bit. “I…I don’t know. I guess I was curious. And, well, I guess I wanted to…you know…please you. I know I shouldn’t be going too far, but I didn’t think this would be that bad.”

“No, it wasn’t. I guess it’s the ultimate ‘safe sex’. However, you’ve got to let me return the favor next time.

Grace looked a little stunned. “W..w..what do you mean? How can you….I mean…how without …you know?”

“There are other ways. When I was over Jacks we found his older brothers Playboy magazine. We read some stories in there about…well, I won’t get into the details.”

He immediately saw Grace blush and stopped. He didn’t want to have to tell her. He’d rather show her.

“I didn’t know there were other ways other than….you know……sex.”

“Well, there are other ways for a lass, just like there are other ways for a lad, like what you just did. But, only if you want Grace. I won’t force you.”

Grace was so intrigued about possibly receiving the type of pleasure he just did, without the benefit of sex, that she wanted to try it now. And she would’ve if not for…….

“What are you guys talking about?”

They both looked up to see J.T. looking up at them from the chair, rubbing his sleepy eyes. Ty quickly lowered his t-shirt, feeling the wetness begin to seep through the thin, cotton material. Grace, just as quickly, pulled her hand away and began to wipe the slipperiness on her bare thigh, wincing as she did so.

“Just talking, J.T.,” Grace answered. “Why don’t you go up to bed now?”

J.T. got off the chair and went over to them. Ty groaned, hoping that it was dim enough that he wouldn’t see the wet spot forming on the front of his t-shirt.

“I don’t want to go to bed,” J.T. said adamantly. “Mum’s not home yet.”

As he got closer, Ty got a brainstorm. “Aye J.T. I tell ya what. Go on upstairs and get me a bottled water then come back down and I’ll challenge you to a few more games till our mum’s come back. Deal?”

J.T.’s eyes lit up as he ran up the stairs. When he was gone, Grace sprinted to the downstairs bath to rinse her hand and grab some tissues. She wet them then brought them out to Ty to wipe his stomach.

“Crikey, think your mum will notice?”

“Not if my plan works.”

“What plan?”

Just as he said that, J.T. came back downstairs and handed Ty his water bottle. Ty opened and went to drink it, and conveniently spilled some down the front of his shirt.

“Ugh, look what I did?” he said with a smirk.

Grace smirked too, to which J.T. didn’t catch on. He and Ty wound up playing one more game until Abby and Paige came home. When they did, they all went upstairs. Paige saw Ty’s wet t-shirt and narrowed her eyes.

“What did you do?”

“Clumsy bloke spilled water,” J.T. filled in. Ty was glad, because J.T. made it sound like it was a genuine accident.

“Did you two have a good time,” Grace asked.

“Oh yes,” Abby stated. “It was nice to get out without the men or kids. How was everything here?”

“Oh fine,” Grace quickly said.

“Well, c’mon Ty, lets get going. I don’t want Scott being home alone too late.”

“Okay mum. Bye Aunt Abby,” he said, giving Abby a peck on the cheek.

“Bye Tyler. Thanks for keeping Grace and J.T. company tonight.”

Ty flashed a heartstopping grin. “Oh, it was my pleasure.”

Grace snickered a bit, which Abby caught. She wondered exactly what went on but, with J.T. with them practically the whole time, she figured not much.

Grace walked behind Ty until they got to the door. She refrained from kissing him in front of their mums, instead gave him a sexy wink. Paige was already at the car as she called out to her son.

“Ty….are you coming?”

Ty turned to Grace and smirked. “Already did!”

With that, he winked back at her and ran to the car.

28

While all this was going on throughout the course of the night at the Ellioitt household, Scott sat alone in his room doing some research on the ‘net for his book report. Sometimes he hated being alone – sometimes he loved it. Tonight, his mind was a little elsewhere. He began to think about Grace and Ty being alone together, even though J.T. would be practically up their arse.

He was starting to begin to feel pangs himself. He was gonna be 16 in December and was thinking about having himself a girlfriend. Although he’d always have a secret love and affection for Grace, there was nothing he could do about it. Well, not now, but he hoped, deep down inside, that someday he may be able to let her know how he truly felt about her. Then again, maybe as the years went by, his feelings may change. Perhaps he was just in the throes of a classic teenage crush. But he had known Grace all his life, so he knew that his feelings for her went beyond that.

Taking a deep sigh, he propped his left elbow on the desk and rested his chin in his palm while his right hand clicked the mouse. Just then, his Yahoo Instant Messanger signaled that Chels2018 was sending him a message. He immediately perked up a bit. It was Chelsea, the girl from Grace’s party who was also in his class. He suddenly remembered giving her his ID so they could IM each other. Between getting ready to go to California for wedding and getting ready for school when they got back, he hadn’t been on the computer too much.

He decided to take a break from his report and snap the boredom of his quiet surroundings. He clicked on the box accepting the message from Cheslsea.

Chels2018: Scott? Is that you? Are you busy?

SctSav: Yeah, its me. I’m just working on my book report.

Chels2018: Can you chat for a moment?

SctSav: Sure! Kinda bored. All alone tonight.

Chels2018: Oh? Where is everyone?

SctSav: My dad’s in London till tomorrow and Ty’s over Grace’s watching the telly while her mum and mine went out to dinner.

Chels2018: Must be nice to have peace and quiet, eh?

SctSav: Sometimes. Its not like its London District here (LOL!)

Chels2018: I’d give anything just to have one night of quiet.

SctSav: You got noisy brothers and sisters?

Chels2018: No. I’m an only child.

SctSav: Oh. Well, it must be quiet, then.

Chels2018: No, its not.

Scott was a little confused by her answer. And..a little concerned.

SctSav: Um…is everything alright?

Chels2018: Yeah. Well, no. Not really. Its my parents.

SctSav: Whats going on?

Chels2018: They fight all the time. Real bad. Sometimes the screaming is so loud that I just hide in my room and put a pillow over my head.

Scott suddenly felt very bad for Chelsea. Sure, his mum and dad had their share of rows, what couple didn’t? But, nothing like what Chelsea was describing.

SctSav: Are you okay?

Chels2018: Not really. I wish I could just get out of here. Sometimes its so bad that I just want to pack up and run away.

SctSav: Chels, don’t say that!!

Chels2018: I can’t help it. I have no one here to talk to. No brothers or sisters. I can’t even call my friends when they fight like this because I’m afraid they’ll hear them over the phone. That’s why I like this IMing.

SctSav: Are they still fighting now?

Chels2018: Not any more. Its been quiet for the last five minutes. Probably because my mum got knackered from the fighting and passed out.

SctSav: Passed out?

Chels2018: Um….she drinks. Sometimes a lot. My dad travels for business so she’s alone a lot. I think she drinks to forget how lonely she is.

SctSav: Chels, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. Look, you can always talk to me when it gets like that. If I’m not online, then call me and I’ll get on so we can chat.

Chels2018: I’d like that Scott. I’ve been missing you at school. Guess we’re in different classes.

SctSav: Yeah, I guess so. I haven’t really seen you since the party. I had a good time with you. You’re a lot of fun, even though you whooped my arse proper on a few games on Playstation!

Chels2018: LOL! Sorry. Didn’t bruise your ego, did I?

SctSav: Nah, not me. I don’t have too much of an ego. Ty’s got enough for both of us (LOL!)

Chels2018: I didn’t think you did. You’re really sweet, Scott. Thanks for chatting with me tonight, but I think I better go. I hear my dad coming up the stairs and I’m not supposed to be online past 9 on a school night. I’ll see you in school tomorrow?

SctSav: Okay. Um, if you want, only the juniors have footie practice tomorrow. If you stay to watch, we can walk home together. I’ll tell my mum not to come pick me up.

Chels2018: I’d like that. Let me ask my dad. Speaking of which, here he comes. Gotta go.

SctSav: Bye.

Scott saw that she immediately signed offline. He sat there in deep thought for a while thinking about what she told him about her parents. He felt really bad that she had to deal with that all the time. She really sounded like she needed someone to talk to. He smiled when he remembered how much fun they had the night of Grace’s party. Then, he blushed when he recalled her calling him ‘sweet’. She was fun, easy to talk to and pretty.

Perhaps what they need is each other.

29

Weeks had passed and Indian Summer had turned into Fall in Sheffield as October came around.

Ty and Grace’s relationship had been progressing smoothly, although neither one of them had the opportunity to progress any farther than they had that night several weeks ago. They saw each other at school and when their families got together. Everything was going forward in an innocent fashion which pleased Joe, but was beginning to frustrate Grace.

Ever since that night, she’d been thinking about what he said about it being ‘her turn’ next. The more she thought about experiencing that kind of pleasure she became flush with excitement. However, they hadn’t had a chance to be alone for that kind of activity. Whether at school or over each other’s houses, all they managed to do was steal kisses and a few secret touches, which drove Ty out of his mind.

Meanwhile, Scott was keeping his ‘friendship’ with Chelsea even more secret, although his parents were catching on that he may have a girlfriend. As soon as Scott starting telling Paige that he’d be walking home from practice, she knew something was up. However, when Sav was driving down the street, he spotted his younger son as he was walking home one day, with the very pretty girl from the party.

“Aha,” Sav said to himself. “So that’s why the little bugger has been insisting on walking home! Got himself sweet on a pretty lass.”

Sav purposely drove down a side street and took another route to his house, as not to have Scott spot him. Since Scott hadn’t said anything, Sav assumed he wanted to keep it to himself and didn’t want to embarrass him by driving up beside him and surprising him. However, he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret soon.

The annual harvest dance was coming up at the school. It was tradition that the girls do the inviting. Since freshman were fairly new and didn’t know a lot of people, they rarely attended the dance so it was mostly sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Grace had asked her parents if she could ask Ty to go with her. Knowing this was their daughter’s first official ‘dance’, they agreed. Grace was ecstatic.

“Oh thank you, thank you!” she exclaimed hugging them both. “Mum, I’ll need a new dress.”

“Another bloody dress?” Joe fumed.

“Daddy, it’s a dance. A special dance. I’ve got to have a new dress!”

“She’s right Joe,” Abby said in defense of her daughter.

Joe folded his arms and shook his head in amazement. Right now, he was outnumbered by the women of the house.

“Oh, I guess you’re right,” he gave in. “I guess I’ll have to get used to the fact that you’re growing up. Pretty soon you’ll be graduating, going off to university, getting married…..”

“For Pete’s sake, Joe,” Abby said. “She isn’t even sixteen yet and you have her married already.”

“No I don’t. I’m just…you know…thinking ahead. If I know you young lasses. You probably have your entire wedding planned!”

“Well, Allison, Beth and I talk about it, you know…in general terms. Every girl wants a dream wedding. I plan on having mine someday.”

“Someday,” Abby said. “Just make sure you find yourself a special young man.”

Grace rolled her eyes a bit. “Hmm, who knows. Maybe my last name will be ‘Savage’ someday?”

Now it was Joe’s turn to roll his eyes. “Oh God, no! Please! I was hoping that one day I’ll be able to extricate myself from Savage. Please don’t tell me that I’ll be stuck with him forever as an in-law!”

“Knock it off, Joe,” Abby said. “Grace is just pushing your buttons, that’s all.”

Grace just fluttered her eyes, not saying another word. Deep in her mind, she thought the name Grace Savage sounded good to her!

**************************************

Over at the Savage house, Scott sat at the kitchen table with a Twinkie in one hand and a sports magazine in the other. He stuffed his mouth, while he kicked his feet up, crossing his ankles and resting them on the edge of the table.

Until his mum came in and swatted them off. “What are you doing putting your feet on the table lad?”

Scott almost choked on his Twinkie when his mum startled him. “My feet weren’t touching the table – my ankles were.”

“I don’t care,” Paige stated. “You want to stretch out, go lay on the couch.”

Just then, the kitchen door leading to the garage opened and in came Sav and Ty. Paige looked up at them.

“How did it go with the guidance counselor?”

“Okay,” Ty said, clutching a bunch of university brochures and applications. “I’m still not sure on where to go or even what I want to do.”

“Well, think on what you talked about today, Ty,” Sav said. “You can’t wait too much longer. First semester is coming to a close awfully quick.”

“I know,” Ty said somberly, still unsure about what to do with his life. “My brain is just clogged right now.”

“Mmm, I’m sure,” Sav said, leaning against the counter. “Your uncle told me that Grace asked you to the harvest dance.”

Scott scooted down in his chair a bit while Paige got an excited look on her face. “Oooh, you’re first dance! Oh, this is so exciting.”

Ty looked appalled. “Crikey, mum…its just a stupid dance. I’m only going because it means a lot to Grace. Plus, her two friends asked Chad and Jack so it won’t be too bad, I guess.”

“Well, its still an exciting thing,” Paige said, being a typical, excited mother.

Ty got a wicked look on his face. “Aye dad, mum’s right. It is going to be a special night. Gotta treat Grace right, you know…make sure she goes in style. How’s about lending me the Porsche that night?”

Sav scrunched up his face sarcastically at his son. “How’s about….no! And, don’t ask me again. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to let you drive it. Since there’s a bunch of you going together, I’ll do the next best thing. I’ll rent a limo for you guys for the night.

“Make it one with a stocked bar,” Ty said with a leer.

“Keep it up Ty and you won’t see eighteen – let alone drive my Porsche.”

“Aye, can’t blame a bloke for trying,” he mused before heading upstairs.

Sav stood there shaking his head when he noticed just how quiet and sheepish Scott was acting.

“What….no comments from you about your brother?”

Scott shrugged. “Nope.”

Sav looked at his youngest son and remembered that this dance was open to the whole school. He suddenly wondered if this girl he’d been walking home may have asked him.

“So, Scott…..is the reason you aren’t ribbing your brother about going to the dance is because you’re going yourself?”

Scott looked at his father with an astonished face. Sav met it with raised eyebrows to which Scott lowered his head.

“Um, yeah. I didn’t get a chance to tell you yet,” he meekly said.

Paige covered her mouth with both hands and widened her eyes. “Oh my God! Scott, you’re going too?”

Scott started to fidget. “Um, yeah. Its..its no big deal.”

“Who asked you lad?” Paige asked.

“Just this girl from my class. She was at Grace’s party.”

“The one you’ve been walking home with after school?” Sav asked

Scott started to blush. “How’d you know about that?”

Paige looked at Sav. “Yeah, how do you know?”

Now it was Sav’s turn to look sheepish. “Well, I saw the two of you walking home the other day when I was coming down the street. I figured since you didn’t say anything that you wanted to keep it to yourself.”

“Well, I didn’t want everyone to make a big deal about it,” Scott said. “I mean, we’re just friends. She’s an only child and, well, she’s having problems with her parents. We just talk and stuff, she IM’s me on the computer when I’m online. She’s fun and we get along well.”

Sav stared at Scott, astonished. “Wow, lad. I think that’s the most you ever said in one shot. I think you like her more than a friend.”

Scott looked mortified and got up. “Stop, okay. We’re….we’re just friends. She just needs someone to talk to, that’s why I’ve been walking home with her. No big deal. I’m going to watch the telly till dinner.”

With that, Scott left the kitchen in a hurry. Sav stared smiling after him until Paige whacked him in the arm.

“What was that for?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you saw Scott walking home with a girl?”

“Because I knew that you’d get all giddy, like you are now, and say something to him. He obviously didn’t want anyone to know, at least not yet. He’s not like Ty who wants to announce his adventures to the world. Scott’s shy and he likes to keep things to himself until he’s ready.”

Paige looked annoyed. “Just like you men – never wanting to make a big deal out of things.”

“And just like you women who want to make a big deal out of everything.”

That earned Sav another smack in the arm. “Yes, we do make a big deal! Our sons are attending their first dance together. They don’t think it’s a big deal, but I do, considering I can remember like it was yesterday when they were both born.”

Sav got a shy smile on his face, getting a little nostalgic as well. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I was just getting used to Ty trying to pull himself up to walk when you announced you were pregnant with Scott.”

“Well, I know how badly you wanted children and we talked about having them right away as soon as your divorce was final. But, you were also almost 40 when Ty was born so we had to hurry up and pop out Scott rather quickly.”

“I’m glad they’re close in age, though,” Sav said. “They rib each other, just like my brothers and I used to do, but they do get along. And, they’re good lads. I just want whats best for them and to make the most of the future ahead of them.”

“Concerned about Ty going to university?”

“I’m not sure if that’s what he wants to do, but I think he’s only doing it to please me,” Sav said. “I think he doesn’t want me to be disappointed in him. I want him to do something meaningful, but I want it to be something that he’s happy with.”

“He may need a bit more time,” Paige said.

“He doesn’t have much time left, but I can’t push him. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Well, for now lets just enjoy the present. Got a dance to look forward to,” Paige said with a sparkle.

30

In the weeks that passed, Ty was becoming more and more anxious about making a decision about his future. He knew he had to make some sort of a decision, but was procrastinating. Laying on his bed with his CD player blasting did nothing to erase the deadline bearing down on him. He sat up and turned the CD player off. His eyes then fell upon his guitar standing in the corner of his room.

He got up and grabbed it, remembering how strumming it once helped him get his mind off things. He tried to remember the tune he had come up with last time, wishing that he had written it down. His dad had taught him notes and chords and some writing basics. He thought that maybe if he got his anxiety down in a song or something, he’d feel a bit better.

For the next two hours he plucked at his accoustic, stopping every now and then to write a note down when something sounded good. Before he knew it, he had a piece of paper filled with notes that made up a song. He carefully shifted between looking at the notes on the paper and the neck of his guitar, trying to replicate the song. After several tries, he was able to play the entire song start to finish.

Pleased with himself, he got up to put the guitar back, when another idea hit him. He started to think about his life, his choices, his fears and, even more, he thought of Grace and how much she had meant to him. Lyrics started invading his brain so fast that he couldn’t get his notebook open fast enough to jot them down. Everything that he had so far experienced in his short seventeen years flooded his mind and spilled out on the paper.

After the lyrics came, he, once again, reached for his guitar and tried to put them to music.

******************************************

In his room, Scott turned his computer on and signed on line. He added Chelsea to his list so he’d know when she was one, but she wasn’t. Ever since she told him about her parents constantly fighting, he was concerned about her. She opened up to him a lot during their walks home from school. She told him how her dad travels a lot for work and how her mum is always complaining that he’s never around, even though her dad has a good job that pays well.

Scott minimized his Yahoo Messenger list and continued to surf around a bit until he heard the knocking sound, signaling that someone had signed on. He saw that it was Chelsea. He waited a bit to see if she’d recognize he was on before IMing her. After only a few seconds, Scott heard the bell and the box came up with a message from Chelsea.

Chels2018: Scott – you there?

SctSav: Yeah, I’m here. Whats up?

Chels2018: Scott, can you meet me outside your front gate? Please!

SctSav: Chels…..whats wrong?

Chels2018: Scott, please! I can’t type it out. I’m too upset. I need to see you. I need to talk to you. I don’t want to IM. Talking to you makes me feel better.

SctSav: Okay, okay! I’ll be waiting outside.

Chels2018: K. Thanks. I’m leaving now. See you soon.

SctSav: K.

Just then, Scott saw that Chelsea signed off immediately. He left his bedroom and went to walk downstairs. His parents went out to dinner with Joe and Abby to celebrate Abby’s birthday. He walked past Ty’s bedroom and was surprised when he heard him playing the guitar.

He dashed down the stairs and threw his sneakers on. He went in the laundry room and pulled a clean Gap sweatshirt out of the dryer and pulled it over his head. Before going out the backdoor, he pressed the code to open the front gate. He ran outside and down the driveway, outside the open gate and waited for Chelsea.

31

Scott stood outside on the street as dusk started settling over the sky. He then saw a figure walk down the street from down a block down. All he could make out was Chelsea’s shiny blonde hair, jeans and a red sweatshirt. When she got close enough that she saw him, she broke into a run.

Scott walked up and met her halfway. When she was only a few feet away, Scott saw that she had been crying. She continued to run towards him until she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tight and sobbing.

“Oh Scott! Oh, God, I’m so scared. Please…please can I stay with you a bit tonight?”

Scott held her tight to him and felt her body tremble against his. This was the closest that he ever got to her and, even though it was under grim circumstances, he was starting to react to her young, warm body pressed up against his.

He fought his body’s response to hers and pulled her away a bit to look at her.

“Chelsea, what happened? Tell me? Did…did you get hurt?”

Chelsea shook her head ‘no’ as she sniffed and wiped tears from her eyes as she fought for breath as she tried to speak.

“N….no, I’m not hurt, but…oh Scott, m…my dad came home after being away overnight in London and my mom went completely over the top. Sh…she started flinging things around and then she started hitting him. Sh…..she drank a whole bottle of wine and was tanked and my father knew it. He tr….tried to control her, but she just kept trying to take a swing at him. This was the worse I’ve ever seen her have a go at him. I…I couldn’t stay there and listen anymore. Please, can I stay with you a bit?”

There was no way that Scott could let her go back to her house now. Even though he knew he shouldn’t have anyone over while his parents were out, especially a lass, he knew this was a special circumstance. Plus….Ty was right upstairs so its not he would be alone.

“Of course you can stay Chelsea. But, you should call your dad in a bit to let him know where you are. He might be worried about you.”

“I..I will, but not now. I want to wait until things may be calmed down. Sometimes my mum winds up tuckering out from the fighting and the drop and falls asleep.”

She stood there with her arms about her, shivering in the chill, late October air. Scott acted out of instinct and put his arms around her to warm her up.

“It’ll be okay, Chelsea. Don’t worry. You can stay for a spell. My parents just went out to dinner and my brother’s up in his room. It’s okay.”

Scott felt her put her arms around him again and lay her head on his shoulder. “Thank you Scott. I..I had no one else to turn to. I couldn’t call any of my friends – none of them about….you know…the problems. You’re the only one. I felt I could trust you with it.”

“Well, I’m glad you confided in me. You can’t keep something like this to yourself.”

Chelsea then lifted her head and her face was dangerously close to his. She whispered against his lips.

“I’m glad you’re my friend.”

“So am I,” he replied, wanting so bad to kiss her, even in a traumatic moment like this. But he couldn’t take advantage of her state, even though it looked as if she wanted to kiss him. He figured it was just her emotions. As she shivered again, he took her by the hand.

“C’mon, lets go inside and watch the telly a bit. Then you can call your dad.”

Chelsea nodded and took his hand, following him up the long driveway. When they got inside, Scott hit the code to close the gate and led her to the family room where they sat next to each other on the couch and watch the telly. Chelsea looked as if she were staring off into space and every little sound made her jump. Scott grabbed the control and tried to look for a comedy to lighten the mood.

After a particularly funny sitcom was over, Chelsea realized that she’d waited long enough. No doubt, her father had noticed she was gone. She didn’t want to worry him – had enough to worry about with her mum.

“Scott, I..I know I should call my dad, but…I don’t want to go home. Its just gonna happen again another night.”

Scott turned to her. “Cheslea, you really have to talk to your dad about getting some help for your mum before she hurts herself. You know that.”

Chelsea put her face in her hands and started to cry again. “I know. I…I heard my dad say something like that to her – that she was sick and needed help. I just can’t bear the thought of my mum having to go away somewhere.”

“Chelsea, listen to me. It may be for the best. You know, years ago when my dad first started out in the band, they had a guitarist named Steve Clark. He was in the band up until 1991. Most of the years before, he drank an awful lot and was labeled an alcoholic. They tried to get him help and even had him put in rehab several times. But…Steve was too far gone and didn’t want to help himself. Plus, I found out that he didn’t have a good relationship with his dad and felt as if he couldn’t please anyone. He wound up finally succeeding in killing himself with pills and alcohol. But Chelsea, your mum doesn’t seem to be that serious. She also knows that she has you and your dad. You’ve got to try, no matter what.”

Chelsea looked up at Scott and smiled through her tears. “I..I guess you’re right. I..I don’t want my mum to hurt herself or…or worse.”

She then reached her hand up and touched his face. “Thanks Scott. That made me feel a whole lot better, even though I’m still a bit scared.”

Scott’s body tightened a bit when she touched his face and swallowed hard. “Its okay to be scared. You have every right to be. But Chels, you know you can always talk to me…anytime. You don’t have to be alone in this.”

Chelsea smiled a little wider. “You really are sweet lad. All the girls in our class think so. They call you ‘sweet Scott’.”

Scott started to turn pink. “Oh stop, you make me sound like a sissy.”

“I also like the way you blush. Its…..its rather fetching.”

Scott tried to cover his face with his hand. “Crikey, now I feel like a sissy!”

Chelsea suddenly put her hand behind his neck and pulled his head down to hers. “Well, let me make you feel like a lad, then.”

Chelsea touched her lips to his and kissed him softly and lingeringly. The suddenness of her move and the sensation it caused, stirred Scott’s body into an aroused mess. He thought it would only be a small kiss of appreciation, but when he felt her slide her other arm up to twine both around his neck, it became something more.

Scott wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight as their mouths slanted over one anothers. He shyly began to slide his tongue in her mouth and almost died when he felt hers touch his. He groaned in her mouth at the delicious feeling as they began to kiss more deeply.

They were so into each other, breathing heavily and letting out soft moans of satisfaction, that Scott didn’t hear the humming of the garage door open, nor the sound of the connecting door from the garage to the kitchen open.

Only the sound of footsteps as they became very close to the door of the family room caused him to break the kiss just in time before his father poked his head in.

“Scott, we’re….” Sav began to say before he saw the lovely little blonde lass on the couch next to his youngest son, who looked like the cat who just got caught with its paw in the cream.

“D..d..dad,” he stammered. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Obviously,” Sav said, taking in the situation as he walked in. Scott stood up, as did Chelsea.

“Dad, this is Chelsea. She lives a few blocks away. We’re in the same class together. Um…she’s the one who asked me to the dance.”

Sav looked down at the pretty fifteen year old who looked at him nervously, and frowned when he noticed that she may have been crying.

“Well, its nice to meet you lass. Scott didn’t tell me that he was having company tonight.”

Sav eyed Scott warily with that question and Scott fidgeted. Chelsea caught on and knew that if Scott got in trouble for having her here, it would be her fault.

“Um…Mr. Savage, Scott wasn’t expecting me. We..we were IMing each other on the computer and, well, I was upset and…..and I asked if I could come over for a bit until things……I mean…”

Just then, Paige walked in on the threesome and raised her eyebrows at the lovely young lass.

“Scott…?”

Scott did the introductions to his mum and Paige immediately noticed Chelsea’s upset state.

“Lass….is something wrong?”

Chelsea couldn’t help it and broke down in tears again. Paige instinctively went forward and took her in an embrace, allowing the girl to weep all over her as she spilled her guts about the fighting between her mum and dad.

Paige couldn’t help but cry along with her as Sav and Scott looked on concerned. Finally, Paige held Chelsea out in front of her.

“Listen Chelsea. I know this is difficult, but I’m sure your dad is worried. Why don’t you call him and let him know you’re here so he can come get you.”

Chelsea sniffed as Paige handed her the cordless. Chelsea punched in her number and, thankfully her dad answered. After speaking for a few moments, she hung up.

“Um, my dad doesn’t want to leave my mum alone. Could….could you take me home.”

Paige smiled and smoothed Chelsea’s hair. “Of course I will. Rick…hand me the car keys.”

“No, wait,” Scott said. “Why don’t I walk Chelsea home instead.”

“Lad, its dark out and its chilly,” Sav said. “I don’t think Chelsea’s dad would appreciate that. Let your mum take her home.”

“Okay,” Scott said before turning to Chelsea. “I’ll see you in school tomorrow.”

Chelsea nodded and smiled at him – a warm, beautiful smile that caught Sav and Paige’s attention. It was clear that she was extremely smitten with Scott, and he looked equally hooked as well.

Paige gave Sav a little leer before she put her arm around Chelsea and led her out of the room. Scott then turned to his father.

“Dad…I’m sorry about having someone here when no one was home.”

Sav put his arm around him. “Its okay Scott. You did the right thing in helping her. Poor lass was scared. But…she seems to really be taken with you.”

Scott’s blush crept up back on his face, remembering their kiss on the couch. “Dad! She’s….she’s just a friend. A good friend. A really good friend.”

Sav looked at him skeptically. “Uh-huh.”

Scott threw his hands up and turned to leave. “I’m going up to bed.”

“Um…by the way,” Sav said. “Where was your brother when all this was going on?”

“Last I heard, he was in his room playing the guitar. That was a couple of hours ago.”

As Scott left, Sav raised a curious brow and smiled. “Oh really?”

32

Sav climbed the stairs and headed towards Ty’s room. He put his ear to the door and heard him playing the guitar and humming along to it. He didn’t recognize the tune and thought it might be something that he came up with himself.

As much as Sav knew that Ty should be pondering over his university choices, he had to feel a twinge of pride for his eldest son’s newfound desire to play the guitar. He decided to leave him in peace and headed for his bedroom for the night.

The next morning, Ty and Scott both came downstairs together to grab something to eat before heading off to school. Paige was in the kitchen waiting for them.

“Well, you were quite a hermit last night,” Paige said to Ty.

“Oh, well, I was horsing around on the guitar. Thought it might clear my mind a bit before I delved back into all that university stuff.”

“Must’ve been really into it,” Paige said. “You missed all the excitement last night.”

Scott looked up at his mother. “Mum!”

“Oh…Scott, I’m…..I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d mind your brother knowing.”

Ty looked at Scott with curiosity. “Knowing what?”

Scott frowned a bit. “Well, Chelsea’s parents had a major row last night and she came over. That was it.”

Ty grinned. “Chelsea? The lass from Grace’ party?”

“Um…yeah.”

“So, you innocent little angel you! You’ve been secretly seeing her, eh?”

“Stuff it, Ty! We haven’t been ‘sneaking’. Just been IMing each other online, walking home after school. That’s it!”

“Yeah, right. With you, holding hands means something serious.”

“Bite me! I happen to like her. She’s a nice lass and her parents are having some problems. She just needs a friend right now and, well, I happily obliged.”

“Sure you did,” Ty teased. “No arm twisting there. So…..does this mean you’re going to the dance too?”

Scott rolled his eyes which signaled his answer. “Good work, little bro. Pretty soon you’ll catch up to me.”

Ty smacked him in the arm to which Scott got up and chased him out the door. Paige swiped the keys off the counter to follow them out to take them to school.

Upstairs, Sav was just coming out of his bedroom when he walked past Ty’s room. The door was open and he saw his guitar in the corner. He walked inside and went over to it and picked it up. He then went over to Ty’s desk where there were several sheets of paper with notes and lyrics on it.

Sav knew he should respect his son’s private thoughts, but he couldn’t help but grin over the fact that he was locked away last night writing these songs. And, well, they were right there on the desk!

Sav shuffled through several sheets, briefly scanning the lyrics and notes, mentally sounding them out in his head, until he came to the last sheet that had a song that he titled ‘Regret’. Sav knitted his brows at the word and wondered what kind of regrets a seventeen year old lad could have.

He casually read the words.

“…you came…you saw…you conquered,

you pulled me in your little game,

and now I’m not the same,

you twisted me around your little finger,

did you think what you were gonna do,

would make me wanna fall for you,

but now its all been said and done,

you may have thought that you have won,

but what I felt for you that day,

is something that won’t go away,

I’ll never feel love for you,

I’ll never feel the sky,

I’ll never have the answer

to the burning question ‘why?’

I’ll never get to take back,

what you could so easily get,

the only think I’ll ever do,

the only feeling I’ll have for you,

is the burning twisting fire of regret

Sav slowly sat down on the bed as he read the cold, gut wrenching words that he couldn’t believe came from a seventeen year old lad. He put the paper down on the bed and picked up the guitar to play the music that Ty wrote to accompany the lyrics. As it came together, Sav’s face was a mixture of shock and surprise. It was a catchy little tune with some clever hooks.

He quickly went through some of the other sheets of paper, playing the notes on the guitar, but not really looking at the lyrics. After about the fifth page, Sav put the guitar down and was dumbstruck by Ty’s songwriting talent. However, the words to that song ‘Regret’ concerned him a bit.

He picked up the song again and scanned the words a second time; ‘pulled me in your game’, ‘twisted me around your finger’, ‘I’ll never get to take back what you could so easily get’.

Sav rubbed his chin in thought, wondering what this could be about. It was obvious that it was about a girl doing him wrong. But….he’s only been with Grace and, as far as he knew, nothing had happened between them. At least, no this bad to cause a ‘burning, twisting fire of regret’. Could….could it have been someone else?

At first, Sav thought of that girl Julie from the night of the party. But, that was several months ago and Ty didn’t seem to display any signs that made him feel this way. No…it had to be something else.

He noticed that Ty started up with guitar on a frequent basis as soon as they returned from California. Could something have happened after that?

Sav decided not to wrack his brain over it. Ty could very well have gotten the idea from a program on the telly. Even he knew that when he was in the band, they derived a lot of their inspiration from other sources. Hell, he remembered that ‘Lets Get Rocked’ was about Bart Simpson! Maybe Ty saw some movie about a guy who got wronged by his woman?

Sav put the sheets of music back on the desk in pretty much the same order, placed the guitar back on the bed and left Ty’s room. As much as he wanted to confront his son and praise him for his work, he couldn’t let him know that he’d been snooping in his room. If it was something that he was serious about, Ty would approach him when he was ready.

Still, those unnerving words continued to haunt him.

33

Later that afternoon, Scott caught up with Grace in the hall between classes.

“Aye Grace….can I talk to you?”

Grace smiled at him lovingly. As much as her heart belonged to Ty, something about Scott always made it flip a bit. Probably listening to all the girls in her class sighing about him all the time.

“Sure Scott. What’s up?

Scott put his hands in his pockets and looked down at the floor. “Um, I know you and Ty are going to the dance. I was um…..well, my mum happened to mention that your mum was gonna take you to the shop for a dress. Did…did you go yet?”

Grace cocked her head a bit at his question, seeing how it wasn’t normal for lads to be concerned with girls shopping.

“Well, no. We’re gonna go this Saturday. Why?”

“Well, you know Chelsea Stewart. She’s in our class.”

“Oh yeah. We’re not overly close, not like I am with Allison and Beth, but we’re very friendly. Why?”

“Well, she um….she asked me to the dance, so we’re gonna be going along with you guys.”

Grace felt a bit of excitement mixed with a twinge of envy. A lot of the girls in her class had eyes for Scott, but knew that he was shy. Everyone was always wondering if he’d ever get the nerve to chat up a girl and ask her out. Seems it had to take a girl to chat him up and ask him! She always knew that whoever Scott chose would be lucky because he was so sweet.

“Oh Scott, that’s great!”

“Yeah, I know. But listen, I was wondering if you would consider something.”

“What?”

“Well, Chelsea’s been having some problems at home. Her mum hasn’t been…..well, and fights a lot with her dad. Her dad gave her permission to go to the dance with me and told her she could buy a dress for it, but, because her mum isn’t, um…well, she doesn’t want to go dress shopping with her dad. I was wondering if maybe you could invite her to go shopping with you and your mum.”

If Grace ever had any doubts about Scott’s sweetness, they were dashed right then and there. She couldn’t believe the concern and consideration he had for Chelsea. She must be very special to him for him to worry about her so. All the more reason Chelsea would be the envy of every sophomore lass.

Grace also vaguely knew about Chelsea’s mum’s ‘problem’ and the fights she had with her dad. She understood completely.

“Of course, Scott. I’ll ask her. As a matter of fact, I have her in my Algebra class next so I’ll do it then. I won’t mention that you asked. I’ll just casually say that I found out from your mum that she asked you and see if she wants to go shopping.”

A glorious smile lit up Scott’s face which caused Grace to warm a bit. “Thanks Grace. Thanks so much.”

He then looked around the hall a bit before quickly leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek before sprinting off down the hall to his next class.

Grace stood there a bit holding her cheek with a silly smirk on her face.

“You okay luv?”

Grace turned around to see Ty come up behind her and put his arm around her.

“Oh..oh yeah, I’m fine.”

“Wasn’t that Scott talking to you?”

“Oh, yeah. He wanted to ask me if I’d ask Chelsea to go shopping for a dress for the dance with my mum and I. I..I guess you know about her parents.”

“Yeah, I just found out this morning a bit. I guess her parents had a row last night and she wound up over our house. She was too upset to stay home listening to them fight.”

“Do you know what it was about?”

“Nah, I was in my room most of the night. I didn’t find out until this morning that she was over last night.”

Grace turned into him and put her arms around his waist, careful to see that no teachers were about.

“Oh? And just what were you so wrapped up in last night? University stuff?”

“Well, no. I should’ve been, but I wasn’t. I know I’ve got to pick a school, but I was just a bit overwhelmed. I wound up playing the guitar for about three hours.”

“Wow! I never remember you playing that much.”

“I know. I don’t know what came over me, but all of a sudden all these words starting coming to me. I wrote them down and put them to music.”

Grace was wide eyed. “You did? Anything you can play for me?”

“Well, no…not really,” Scott said a bit shyly. “Its just personal stuff. Who knows, maybe I’ll write a song about us someday!”

Grace thought she would melt. “Would you?”

“Sure. But first, I gotta work on choosing a school.”

“Have you at least narrowed it down?”

“Well, I have it down to three. I was thinking about Canterbury which is several hours away. I’d live on campus during the week and maybe come home for the weekends. The other two were University College in Cork and Trinity in Dublin.”

Grace paled. “You…you mean Ireland? You really want to go that far?”

“Its only a plane ride away. Besides, we lived there most our lives before we moved back to Sheffield.”

“Yeah I know, but…..its….its so far.”

Ty looked at Grace’s dejected face. “Luv, I haven’t made a decision yet. I may choose Canterbury. We’ll see.”

“What will you do? I mean, what do you want to major in?”

“That I’m not sure about. I..I just want to do something meaningful. I want to make dad proud too.”

“Ty, you’ve got to do it for yourself, not your father. You know he’ll support you in whatever you choose. He just wants you to be happy. What makes you happy?”

Ty wasn’t sure if he wanted to confide in Grace what his heart was really leaning towards. He just wanted to make sure that it wasn’t a phase first.

He tightened his hold around her and flashed her a brilliant smile and twinkling blue eyes.

“You, luv. You make me happy. I’m kinda looking forward to the dance.”

“Me too. It’ll be exciting.”

“Oh yeah? In what way?”

Grace leaned up and whispered against his lips. “Oh, you’ll find out,” she teased before kissing him.

Suddenly, the sound of a throat clearing behind them startled them apart. Ty turned to see one of the teachers giving them a warning look.

“None of that in the hall, you two,” the teacher warned. “Shouldn’t you be in your classes by now.”

Ty and Grace looked up at the clock on the wall and realized that all their talking and snogging made them five minutes late for class.

“Crikey!” they both exclaimed before taking off, leaving the teacher behind to shake her head.

“Ah, to be that age again!”

34

The night of the harvest dance arrived on a brisk November night. Since Sav was renting the limo for everyone, all the couples met at his house after taking pictures elsewhere first.

Joe and Abby brought Grace over while Chelsea had her dad bring her down, not wanting to take a chance with her mum.

Chelsea arrived with her father first. She removed her velvet coat to reveal a black, above the knee dress with tiny spaghetti straps. The criss crosses in the back were dotted with tiny little rhinestones. The sides of her shiny dark blonde hair were pulled up and held together with a single rhinestone barrette.

Scott took one look at her and thought his eyes would fall out. So did Sav.

“Crikey, I wish girls dressed like that when I was fifteen.” His comment earned a well deserved nudge from Paige.

“Behave yourself old man,” she teased him.

As Paige and Chelsea’s dad took pictures of young couple, Sav went to go answer the doorbell. Joe and Abby came in with Grace.

“Party’s this way,” Sav mused just as he saw Chad and Jack pull up with their dates.”

Grace walked in wearing a beautiful winter white coat with faux fur trim around the collar and wrists. Ty saw her and went up to her.

“Aye luv, let me take your coat off.”

Ty removed her coat to reveal an emerald green dress that contrasted her blonde hair, porcelain skin and complimented her green eyes. It was an ankle length halter style with a tiny cut out on each side of her waist. Her skin sparkled from a shimmering body lotion and her french twist was adorned with tiny faux emeralds dotted throughout her hair.

“Wow! God, Grace. You look gorgeous!”

She ran her hand down the arm of his black suit. “Looking very dashing yourself, Ty.”

Sav stood back with Joe and nudged him. “I’m proud of you mate. You’re graduating as to what you’re allowing your daughter to wear.”

Joe gritted his teeth. “Well, her giving me bloody puppy dog eyes over how its her first dance and she wants something special helped a bit. Crikey, Sav. She doesn’t look fifteen. She looks like….like……”

“Like a woman?”

Joe covered his face with his hand. “Ugh, I’m not ready for this.”

“Joe, it’s an innocent high school dance, not their flippin’ wedding night.”

Joe turned to Sav. “Don’t you remember what you used to try with lasses at school dances?”

Sav cocked his head a bit in remembrance, then grimaced. Then gulped. “Point taken!”

After Chad and Jack arrived with Beth and Allison, everyone took group pictures before sending the youngsters off on their merry way – but not before getting the final warning.

“Um….the limo has my specific instructions to have you back here by midnight,” Sav said to Ty.

“Midnight! Crikey, dad….how about one?”

“Midnight, Ty. Uncle Joe doesn’t want Grace out past that. Neither does Chelsea’s dad.”

“Okay.”

“One more thing?”

“What?”

“Behave yourself!”

Ty rolled his eyes. “Aye, how come Scott doesn’t get the third degree.”

“Because you’re older, that’s why. Now…one more thing.”

“Yeah?”

“Have a good time!”

Sav clapped him on the back as he took Grace by the hand and followed the rest of the couples out to the limo. As the limo pulled away, Sav, Paige, Joe and Abby stared out the window until it was out of sight.

“I think I’m gonna cry,” Abby said to Paige.

“I think I need a beer,” Joe said to Sav.

35

The harvest dance was a fun affair and the evening went smoothly. Everyone was having a good time, even the lads!

Ty looked up at the clock and saw that it was almost 11:00pm. They only had an hour left and he still had yet to have some alone time with Grace before they all piled in the limo to go back home.

He took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it. “C’mon, luv. Lets go for a walk out in the hall.”

Grace smiled and stood up, following him out into the school hall. It was dimly lit and had a few couples scattered here and there who wanted to get away from the crowded auditorium.

********************************

Meanwhile, Chelsea had wound up cajoling Scott onto the dance floor for a slow song. They stood there with their arms around one another, their bodies barely touching, swaying to the music among several other couples.

At one point during the song, Chelsea lifted her head from where it was resting comfortably on Scott’s shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

Scott returned her stare, starting to become overwrought with feelings from it. She had the most mesmerizing shade of golden brown eyes and right now they spoke something that made Scott’s mouth go dry – and his lower half begin to stir.

Chelsea gulped nervously, their eye contacting speaking louder than their words. She looked up over at their table and saw that Ty and Grace had taken off. She then looked at the clock and saw that it was a little after 11:00pm. They had less than an hour and she didn’t want this night to end.

Scott had become so important to her these last few weeks, helping her to come out of her shell and deal with her problems at home. She didn’t know what she’d do without his support and friendship. And she felt so good being here with him, knowing how so many girls in her class had eyes for him. Their talks, their computer chats, their walks home all helped her to get the nerve up to ask him to the dance. And, even though he blushed, he had said yes.

As much as she knew she had to go home, not knowing what to expect when she got there, she wanted to make the rest of the evening as special as she could.

“Scott, do you want to go for a walk? Get out of here a bit?”

Scott looked at the glint in her eyes and shyly smiled. Ever since their kiss a couple of weeks ago, he had been wanting to kiss her again. Badly. He was starting to get feelings that he wasn’t ready for. Was unsure about. Was a little scared of. His body was well ahead of his brain in that department!

“Yeah, sure. We won’t get in trouble for leaving, will we?”

“Nah, I don’t think so. They can’t expect us to stay cooped up in here all night. Anyway, I saw your brother and Grace take off towards the hall.”

Scott looked in the direction of the door, knowing full well that Ty probably wanted to get alone with Grace a bit. He couldn’t blame him. But, right now, he wanted to concentrate on this lovely lass who was turning him into an unprepared mass of emotions.

“Where do you want to go? Prolly too cold to go outside.”

She stepped back from him and took his hand. “Well, I know somewhere. Its quiet and, um….private. If..if you want.”

Scott’s heart started to pound. He wanted to be alone with her and kiss her so bad he could die.

“Okay, luv. Lead the way.”

Chelsea walked over to their empty table to grab her purse before leading Scott over to a side door that led to the school’s main corridor. She quickly glanced around to see that the chaperone’s were not looking before opening the door and pulling him inside.

36

“Follow me, luv,” Ty said, pulling Grace around the corner.

“Ty, we really shouldn’t be out here. What if the chaperones come lurking about?”

“Its okay luv. We won’t be here long. We’ll be leaving in about 45 minutes and I just wanted to be alone with you a bit. Anything wrong with that?”

Grace smiled up and him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Not at all. I’ve been wanting to be alone with you too.”

“So you hinted in school last week,” Ty whispered. “What have you been thinking about?”

She leaned up and kissed his neck below his ear, causing him to shiver. “Oh, I’ve just been thinking about the last time we were, you know….together. And….what you um….promised.”

Ty remembered. Oh Lord, did he remember! “Grace, what are you saying? Do you want me to…..”

She cut off his speech by giving him a deep, lusty kiss and lightly pulling on his hair.

“Grace!” he groaned into her mouth.

“Ty,” she responded breathlessly. “Please!”

“Please, what?”

“Please…….touch me.”

Ty let his hands wander down to her firm little bum and gently kneaded it, all the while grinding himself lightly against her thigh. She responded by wiggling back.

“Grace….you sure?”

“Yes! Oh yes.”

Ty kept his hands on her bum as his fingers grabbed the material of her dress, inching it up. When it was high enough that his hands came into contact with her smooth, bare thigh, he moaned in her mouth and wildly invaded it with his tongue.

“Oh Ty…..yes!”

He was so excited he could barely think. He moved his right hand to where it came into contact with her silky panties. He cautiously slid his hand inside until he felt her bare bum, before sliding it in front. Grace slowly moved her legs apart in an effort to give him better access.

“Oh yeah, Grace,” he huskily murmured in her mouth as his fingers touched soft hair. Grace took one of her legs and hooked it against his hip, giving him even better access. Ty thought he died and went to heaven!

He had to ask her one more time. “Grace, are you sure?”

She answered by nodded her head, her face buried in his neck, her lips nibbling on his earlobe.

Ty took a deep breath and slid his fingers down. He thought his knees would give out when they came into contact with a lass’ warm, silky wetness.

“Bloody hell!” he muttered.

“Oh!” Grace managed to let escape from her lips.

He continued to move his fingers around as he captured Grace’s whimpers with his mouth. It was only when his middle finger found her magic opening and he easily slid inside that caused the biggest response from them both.

“OH GOD!” Grace shuddered.

“Oh hell!” Ty equally stammered.

Grace buried her face in the crook of his neck and began to move against the delicious feeling, so new and strange to her. Ty was teetering on the verge of losing it in his trousers if he didn’t concentrate hard enough. The feel of Grace, her leg erotically hooked around him, the softness of her skin, her tiny whimpers of pleasure were really getting to be too much.

He remembered all that he had read about and overheard in his seventeen years and decided to help her along by moving his thumb down to find what lads referred to as the ‘magic button’. He wasn’t sure exactly where it was, but as soon as he felt something small, round and hard that caused Grace to buck against him, he knew he found it.

“Ty! I….I….oh, God, what’s that? I….oh….Ty, y..y..yes!”

Grace’s cries of pleasure only encourages Ty further. He continued to rub her faster and faster as he pushed her harder up against the wall, kissing her wildly. Only when Grace’s hands came up to tangle themselves in his softly curled hair and pull did he know that her time had come.

“Tyler! Tyler! Oh my God!!”

Ty felt Grace’s insides pulse all around his finger as she clung to his hair and cried out against his neck. He wasn’t exactly sure what happened with her, but he assumed that she felt something truly incredible.

“Grace,” he whispered in her ear. “Luv….you okay?”

Grace released her leg from around his hip and lowered it, causing Ty to remove his hand. She let her dress fall back down to her ankles and looked at up at Ty with glistening emerald green eyes.

“Grace? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Grace covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head ‘no’, suddenly feeling awkward to have him look at her. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

“Oh Ty! That was…..was…..I..I can’t describe it!”

“Prolly what I felt when you touched me. C’mon luv…lets go back inside. We’ve got to get ready to go soon.”

Grace stood back and shyly took his hand, letting him lead the way back inside the dance. Ty looked over at their table, then scanned around the room for a bit.

“Hmmm, now where did that little brother of mine go off to?”

37

“C’mon, I know a place we can go,” Chelsea whispered as she and Scott made their way down the dimly lit hall. She led him around the pin drop quiet hall until she got to a door. She quietly turned the knob and opened it.

“Chels….what are you doing? Isn’t this one of the private lounges for the teachers?”

“Yeah, but I’m told they never use this one because it doesn’t have a fridge or a sink. They use the main one on the other side. However, for some reason, they keep this unlocked.”

They walked inside the teachers lounge that boasted a round table with about 6 chairs, a counter top, cabinets and a large beige sofa. Two windows with vertical blinds allowed the light from the bright harvest moon outside filter in for light.

Chelsea walked over to the couch. “C’mon, sit down. Its so much more comfortable than those bloody metal folding chairs.”

Scott plopped down next to her. “Yeah, that’s for sure,” he replied. Seeing that the dance was almost over, Scott began to undo the top button of his white collarless shirt. Chelsea kicked off her black shoes before tucking both her legs underneath her on the couch.

“This is nice,” she said, snuggling next to him. “Quiet too. I love the quiet.”

Her somber tone alerted Scott that she was referring to her ‘noisy’ homelife. He put a comforting arm around her.

“I know, luv. It’ll be okay, trust me.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder. “I do trust you, Scott. You have no idea how much. You’ve helped me a lot these past few weeks. You don’t know how thankful I am for that. I feel so lucky to be with you.”

Scott was thoroughly humbled by her words, brought on by being nothing more than what came naturally to him – a sweet lad.

He turned to Chelsea and lifted her head. “Well, I’m a pretty lucky bloke too, you know?”

They both just smiled at each other until they didn’t need any more excuses. They leaned into each other and kissed. First slow and cautious, until their tongues slowly crept into each others mouths.

Chelsea’s arms went around his neck as Scott wrapped his around her waist. Before he knew what was happening, Chelsea had leaned back a bit, causing Scott to go with her. The dip in the soft, fluffy couch caused her to lose her balance and fall flat on her back, and Scott to lay right on top of her.

He broke the kiss and looked down at her, his first instinct being to get off her. But she held onto him for dear life and didn’t want him to move.

“Kiss me, Scott,” she whispered as she pulled his head back down. Their mouths met again and their young bodies were pressed tight up against each other. Scott felt her soft young curves through her short black dress and Chelsea was beginning to feel him get hard behind the fly of his trousers.

Scott knew he should probably stop before it got out of control, or even before someone walked in on them! But he couldn’t. He just couldn’t.

When it got to a point that Scott couldn’t help grinding his lower body against his leg, Chelsea wound up breaking the kiss, pushing on his shoulders a bit to sit up.

“Chels, I’m…I’m sorry,” he said all flustered and aroused. “I didn’t mean to…I mean…..”

“Scott?” she whispered as she tenderly touched his face with one hand and going for her purse with the other.

“Yeah?” he rasped back.

“I…I really do like you. A lot. The last few weeks that you’ve been there for me has made me feel so special. You make me feel special. That’s why I want to do this.”

With that, Chelsea opened her tiny black purse and withdrew something and placed it in the palm of Scott’s hand. He looked down with astonished eyes to see that it was a condom.

“Ch..Chelsea…..w..w..what…..?”

“Oh…oh, Scott, I’m sorry. I thought that….that..you know…you’d want to. I know I do. I know we’re almost sixteen, but you have no idea what having you in my life these past few weeks has done to me. You’re the sweetest lad I’ve ever known and you’re so special. I thought long and hard about this. There may come a day where we go our separate ways after school and never see each other again. There’s a chance that I may never again meet someone like you. That’s why, now that you’re here – we’re here – I’d like to remember my first time being with someone I care about and means the world to me. You!”

Scott was absolutely dumbfounded – and humbled to the max. Sure his dad had ‘the talk’ with him a few years ago and told him about respecting girls and never pushing them to do things they didn’t want to do. But..this lass was suggesting it!

But at the same time he was a bit scared – not of doing it, but of the feelings and emotions that accompanied it. He was already starting to feel them for Chelsea, the past several weeks having an effect on him as well. He knew he was young and was unsure if he was ready. But, then again, he was also a fifteen year old lad, with fifteen year old hormones and, right now, a very hard fifteen year old erection and a pretty girl lying beneath him willing to give him her greatest gift.

“Cheslea. Oh God luv, you make me feel so good. Its just….I don’t know. I know I’m gonna be 16 next month, but….is this the right thing to do? I….I just don’t know.”

Chelsea suddenly became a little withdrawn and mortified. “Oh God! Oh, no…you don’t want to, do you? I thought that maybe……oh, I don’t know what I thought. You probably think I’m some little trollop. I’m sorry, Scott. I never should’ve suggested……”

Scott shut her up by laying back down on top of her and kissing her. “Its okay, luv,” he whispered in her mouth. “I don’t think badly of you. God, I want you too. Its just….I’m…a little……you know….”

“Scared?”

“Yeah. I guess that makes me a sissy, huh?”

“No Scott. That makes you human. Lets just kiss.”

She pulled him down and they began to get all worked up again from their kissing. Scott couldn’t help his hands from traveling down her sides, down her dress until he got to the hem. There he was met with the smoothness of her thigh.

He groaned into her mouth as the wicked sensations came over him again, and his resolve was beginning to weaken.

Chelsea threw herself into their kiss by parting her legs and wrapping them around his waist. Scott answered by grinding himself down on her, unable to take the torture anymore.

Chelsea broke the kiss and looked up at his face, a look so much different from before.

“Scott…..please…..”

He was out of his mind and forgot all about his sensible speech earlier. Breathing heavily and about to explode, he took the condom in his hand and ripped it open. While he did that, Chelsea undid his belt and unfastened his trousers.

Not having any experiencing, and with only the moon to light the room, Scott awkwardly fumbled slipping the condom on him as Chelsea hitched her dress up and slid her panties down. When he was sufficiently protected, he looked down at her with uncertainty and fear, though his body was in control right now.

Chelsea put her arms around him and pulled him down as her legs came back up to wrap around his waist. They kissed again as he moved his lower body to come into contact with hers. When Chelsea felt him where he needed to be, she thrust up as he thrust down, embedding himself deep inside of her.

“Oh God!” she blurted out.

“Bloody hell,” he shouted.

“Oh….oh…oh Scott, I….oh.”

“Chels….did I hurt you?”

“Its okay. I knew it would hurt, but its okay, it…it doesn’t hurt anymore. Kiss me, it’ll feel better.”

As they began to kiss, Scott instinctively began move. Because of the condom, the sensation wasn’t nearly as powerful, but as he continued to thrust in and out of Chelsea, the pressure building up became incredibly intense. So much so, that the build up began to frighten him, wondering what kind of feeling it would lead to. Oh, he knew what it was like, but only by his own hand as the urges came over him when he turned fourteen. But, even his own hand couldn’t compare to this. The tightness, the wetness, the heat…..it was causing a pressure so unbearable that…..

“Chelsea! Chelsea! Oh….dammit! I..I’m…..oh God!”

“Oh Scott! Yes! Oh, yes. That feels so wonderful. So wonderful!”

Scott’s first sexual orgasm slammed into him like a freight train as he felt the fluid shoot out of his body and into the condom. The throbbing sensation was way too much for him and his body began to tremble.

Chelsea was shaking as well, having experienced a series of contractions down below and deep inside that were new and foreign. And so very delicious.

They laid there for a few moments catching their breath and calming themselves down. Still, Scott couldn’t stop shaking.

“Scott? Are you okay?”

Scott’s lower lip trembled as he felt tears prick his eyes. The feeling was more intense than he was able to handle. And the emotions soaring through him because of this wonderful lass were scaring the hell out of him. But, he wouldn’t let on.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” he lied. “I..I let me pull out and get rid of this thing.”

Chelsea lowered her legs as Scott left her body. He got up, rolled the condom off, wrapped it in a paper towel from the counter and threw it in the trash. He then refastened his trousers and his belt. He walked back over to Chelsea who had slid her panties back on before standing up and adjusting her dress. They looked at each other almost guiltily, almost embarrassedly, not knowing what to say, though Scott’s mind was swimming with words and feelings he couldn’t reveal.

He looked up at the clock on the wall that read 11:40. He then held out his hand for Chelsea who nervously took it.

“C’mon, luv. We gotta get back. The limo will be here in a few minutes to take us home.”

Chelsea nodded as she took his hand, leaving the room in silence.

38

One by one, the limousine dropped the couples off. Since all the kids lived in the same vicinity, it was pretty convenient. When it was down to just Ty and Grace and Scott and Chelsea, the mood of each couple varied differently.

On one side of the limo, Ty and Grace were cuddled up, gazing dreamily at each other, grinning ear to ear as if they shared some wicked secret. Across from them, Scott and Chelsea sat in silence, their index fingers curled around one anothers, occasionally stealing awkward glimpses.

Grace was the first to get dropped off. After giving Ty a lingering kiss goodnight outside, Ty got back in the limo to head on down to drop off Chelsea. Ty noticed the tense air between Scott and Chelsea, even though they were holding hands. When the limo came to the front of Chelsea’s house, Scott opened the door and got out so she could.

Chelsea turned to him and gave him a shy, unsure smile. Scott reassured her that everything would be okay by giving her an affectionate hug.

“IM me tomorrow if you’re on, okay?” Chelsea said. “I mean….if you want to that is.”

Scott took her hand and squeezed it. “I will. Goodnight, luv,” he said as he kissed her on the cheek, afraid to kiss her anywhere else that may stir up the emotions he’d been trying to keep at bay.

When she was safely in the house, Scott got back in the limo and it took off. Ty sat across from him, his arms arrogantly spread across the back of the seat, a smug look of male satisfaction up on his face.

“Have a good time, little bro?”

Scott stared out the window, not wanting to make eye contact. “Yeah. I had a good time.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet. Just where did the two of you sneak off to?”

Scott looked at him nervously. “Wh…what do you mean?”

Ty chuckled. “Ha. So, who’s the one stuttering now, eh? C’mon, fess up ‘sweet Scott’.

“I have nothing to tell,” Scott lied. “We just went for a walk to get away from the noise and the crowd, that’s all. Just like you and Grace.”

Just then the limo pulled in front of the house and Ty unrolled the window to punch in the gate code so it could go up the driveway. When he leaned back inside, Ty looked at Scott and smiled wide.

“Well, Grace and I didn’t go for a walk to actually ‘talk’, know what I mean? Couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”

Scott continued to stare out the window and offered Ty a little sarcastic smirk. “Yeah, whatever.”

“Oh, what do you know,” Ty ribbed him. “Give yourself a few more years and you will.”

That was it. That was all Scott needed to hear from his swaggering brother.

“You know, Ty, you’re nothing but an obnoxious bloody wanker! You think because you do it with some girl or feel your girlfriend up makes you a man? You’re far from being that, ‘big bro’. You may be older, but right now you’re nothing but an immature arse!”

With that, Scott opened the door, got out of the limo and ran to the front door. Ty got out, banged on the drives door and yelled “thanks mate” before running after his brother.

The driver backed down the driveway shaking his head. “Spoiled, bratty rich kids!”

Scott had used his key to get in the house first, followed by Ty.

“What the bloody hell’s your problem, Scott? Got your knickers in a twist because you didn’t get any action tonight?”

Scott came after Ty full force and shoved at his shoulders. “Screw you Ty!” he seethed before charging up the stairs.

Just then, Sav came in from the family room downstairs just as Paige came out of their bedroom upstairs, not being able to sleep until his sons were home.

“What are you two fighting about?” Sav demanded from Ty as Paige went to go knock on Scott’s door.

“Scott? Scott, open up.”

“Mum, just go away. Everyone just leave me alone. Especially my moron brother!”

Sav heard his comment through the door and looked at Ty. “What did you do to him?”

Ty pointed to his chest and widened his eyes. “I didn’t do anything. He was quiet and moody on the ride home. I just started joking with him, you know guy stuff, and he went bonkers on me.”

Sav folded his arms and regarded Ty warily. “That’s all?”

“Dad, ask him. I don’t know what his problem. Guess the little angel’s halo got wedged up his arse.”

“Watch your mouth lad! Alright, look…its late. Got to bed and we’ll talk about it tomororw. Something’s bothering your brother. Just leave him alone until we find out what it is.”

“Fine by me,” Ty said as he climed the stairs, kissed his mum goodnight, made a face at his brothers bedroom door then went into his own.

Sav and Paige were left to stare at one another with perplexed looks on their faces.

39

The next day Scott stayed barricaded in his room, not wanting to see or talk to anyone. He especially wanted to avoid Ty, if only to hold back the urge to push him down the stairs!

Sav and Paige each knocked on his door to which Scott just said he didn’t feel good and wanted to be left alone and not talk to anyone.

Paige went to attend a bridal shower for the daughter of a good friend which left Sav alone at home with one son sprawled on the couch watching the telly, grinning like the cheshire cat, and one upstairs brooding in his room. He thought he’d question Ty again, but he knew it would be no use. He knew that any kind of answer he hoped to get would be from Scott. But, for at least today, he’d leave him alone.

If Sav knew anything about his youngest son, it was that he was someone who’d rather think things through on his own rather than go to someone to help him. He had to give him the space he needed.

Up in his room, Scott laid across his bed with hid CD player on, flipping through a magazine. He basically ignored his mother and father’s pleas to come in and talk, not wanting to be around anyone yet.

He was still affected by what happened between him and Chelsea last night. He was fifteen years old, sixteen next month, and he just had sex for the first time. Sure, he knew that any lad would be out of his mind to pass up a willing lass just to experience it, but to Scott it turned out to be more than just an ‘act’. He wasn’t prepared for all the emotions that accompanied it – emotions that an almost-sixteen year old lad couldn’t handle.

“What happened last night?” he thought to himself. “Why do I feel this way? I…I can’t be in love! I like Chelsea….I like her a lot. I care about her and what she’s going through. I’m too young to feel this. Crikey, I’m scared. Maybe I made a mistake giving in. I wish now that I didn’t, but I couldn’t help it. God, it felt so good. Hell, it felt bloody fantastic! But…there was something else. It was almost as if Chelsea and I could see right through each other. This is too much. I’m…I’m not ready for all this. God, I hope she doesn’t hate me.”

Scott closed his magazine and got up to turn his computer on. He had to get this off his chest to Chelsea while he had the nerve. As soon as he was booted up, he signed onto his Yahoo account. He saw that Chelsea was on. He waited a few moments to see if she’d IM her first. When she didn’t, he remembered that she left it up to him. He made the first move.

SctSav: Chels?

Chels2018: Hi. I was hoping you’d sign on sometime today.

SctSav: Have you been online long?

Chels2018: About an hour or so.

SctSav: Um…hows your mum?

Chels2018: She’s resting. She was upset about not being able to see me off to the dance last night. She understands why. I think her and my dad had a talk last night.

SctSav: I hope about something good.

Chels2018: Me too.

There was silence for a few moments before Scott began to type again.

SctSav: Chels?

Chels2018: Yeah?

SctSav: About last night?

Chels2018: Yeah?

SctSav: Um…I…I think we made a mistake. I know we couldn’t help it, but it was more than I expected. I’ve been feeling weird ever since.

Chels2018: So have I, Scott. I didn’t think it would be so……..

SctSav: Intense?

Chels2018: Yeah, that’s it. I thought it would be, you know, sweet and nice. And close. It was much more than that. I was scared at what I felt.

SctSav: Me too. Maybe that’s a sign that maybe we shouldn’t have done it. Not that I didn’t want to. I guess now I know why your parents tell you to wait.

Chels2018: Yeah, maybe they know something after all (LOL!)

SctSav: Guess you’re right (smirking). So….do you agree it was a mistake?

Chels2018: For wanting it or doing it?

SctSav: Its not a mistake to want it. Of course I wanted it. Especially with you. I just think that we shouldn’t, you know…do it again. At least, maybe, not for a while.

Chels2018: If we’re still together by then.

SctSav: I’m not going anywhere.

Chels2018: I may be.

SctSav: ?????

Chels2018: Oh Scott! I overheard my mum and dad talking this morning. My dad….his company may transfer him so he doesn’t have to travel so much. That’ll also help my mum a lot with her problem.

SctSav: Transfer? Where?

Chels2018: The States.

SctSav: W..when?

Chels2018: I don’t know. Its not definite yet, but it might happen. Oh Scott. I want my mum and dad to be happy and my mum to be well. But….I don’t want to move away from you!

Little did Chelsea know, Scott was feeling the same way. He stomach was in a knot and so was his heart. But, he had to be strong.

SctSav: Well, then lets not worry about it till it happens, K?

Chels2018: K. Scott, are you mad at me for last night?

SctSav: No, of course not. I still want you to be….you know…my girl. If you want.

Chels2018: Of course I want to. I’ll try to forget about last night, but it won’t be easy.

“I know,” Scott thought to himself. “Its gonna be bloody torture!”

Just then, a soft knock came on his door. “Scott. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“Just a minute,” Scott called out before typing one last time.

SctSav: Chels, my dad’s at the door. I had a fight with my brother last night and I’ve been in my room all day. I think he wants to talk to me about it.

Chels2018: Are you gonna tell him?

SctSav: God no!

Chels2018: Okay, I’ll let you go. See you in school tomorrow. Bye.

SctSav: Bye.

Scott minimized his Yahoo Messenger and called out. “Come in dad.”

40

Sav opened Scott’s bedroom door, surprised that his son was ready to talk.

“Just want to make sure you’re okay lad,” Sav said. “I figured somethings bothering you and wanted to give you some time to work it out yourself.”

“Thanks dad. I’m trying to.”

Sav folded his arms and took a chance. “Wanna tell me?”

Scott looked down and blushed a bit. “Um, no. Not really.”

Sav saw the blush and wondered if it had anything to do with Chelsea. His smirked a bit that his baby son was experiencing ‘girl problems’. What they were, he had no idea.

“Scott, did you have a good time at the dance last night?”

Scott continued to look down to hide his pinkening cheeks. “Yeah, I did.”

“Scott, its obvious you don’t want to talk about what’s bothering you and I understand. I just want to make sure you’re alright. But, tell me, did you have some kind of a fight with Chelsea?”

Scott shook his head. “No, not at all. We…we had a…….really good time last night. I like her a lot. She’s um…..I guess you can say she’s my girl.”

Sav rolled his eyes. “Oh Lord,” he thought. “Two teenage lads with girlfriends in the house! Talk about hormone hell!”

“Well, she couldn’t have picked a better lad,” Scott said. “She seems like a sweet lass. Her dad’s a fine chap as well. I just hope they can work things out with her mum.”

Scott suddenly thought about the possibility of Chelsea moving away and never seeing her again. “Yeah, me too.”

“So, the two of you didn’t fight?”

“No, we’re fine. As a matter of fact, we were just IMing each other before you came in. Um, her parents did some talking last night. I guess they’re working on things.”

“That’s good to hear,” Sav said. “Now, what about this business with your brother? I know he can be a teasing little twit sometimes, but I never saw you lose your temper like that. Its not like you, Scott.”

“I know dad. I guess….I guess he just pushed my buttons too hard, that’s all. I’m just not ready to be around him right now.”

“Well, he just took off with Chad and Jack to the movies. Why don’t you come downstairs and get yourself something to eat. You’ve been in here all day.”

Scott hopped off the bed. “Yeah, I’m kinda starved,” he said walking out of the room. Sav tussled the hair on his head as he walked by. Scott was halfway down the stairs before Sav turned to walk out of his room when he heard a bell go off on his computer.

Sav walked over and saw that his Yahoo Instant Messenger window open up from where it was minimized, displaying his chat he had with Chelsea. It was Chelsea trying to IM him again.

Chels2018: Scott? Are you still talking to your dad?

Sav knew better than to answer for him. Chelsea would get the hint that he wasn’t around. However, Sav couldn’t help but wander his eyes up and scan the contents of his chat. He knew he shouldn’t, but the parent in him, especially the parent of a lad that has something troubling him, took over.

As he read the conversation, his face began to pale and his mouth dropped open. It was as plain as the sun on a bright summer day that Scott and Chelsea had sex last night. And….he was regretting it.

Sav put his elbows on the desk and cradled his head. “Oh God! Oh my God! This is something I expected from Ty, not from my shy, innocent Scott! The kid probably didn’t know what to expect. Crikey, I can’t believe it! He’s too young – way too young for this.”

Sav quickly got up and left Scott’s room before he returned. He kept what he found out to himself, dealing with his parental worry in private.

41

The rest of the school week went by pretty error free. Scott and Ty mumbled apologies to each other for the night of the dance, but Scott still remained a little withdrawn. Ty and Paige didn’t know why he was still acting this way. However, Sav did. He still kept it to himself, not wanting to share something like this with Paige. His only relief was that Scott admitted that he and Chelsea made a ‘mistake’ and that they agreed not to do it again.

How long an almost sixteen year old could keep that kind of promise, he wasn’t sure!

In the meantime, Ty was going through his own set of hormonal ups and downs. He and Grace had already got to third base and was dying for a home run! He knew he couldn’t pressure her – wouldn’t pressure her, but the anticipation of ‘when’ was killing him. He decided that he would just be satisfied with what little gropes and snogs they could sneak in here and there.

On a much more studious note, Ty was leaning heavily towards choosing Canterbury for university. His grades were fine enough so far to know he’d be accepted and Canterbury had a pretty good soccer program as well. As far as what he wanted to do, he still didn’t know. The only thing he did know, was that he was enjoying playing the guitar more and more and he even churned out a few more songs, which were really just about stuff he was going through.

When the time was right for him and Grace, he decided to surprise her with a song about her.

On a cold, rainy Saturday, Scott was on the computer IMing Chelsea.

SctSav: Hey.

Chels2018: Hey yourself.

SctSav: Listen, wanna come over and watch some telly with me today? My dad’s going to my uncle’s for the day and taking Ty with him so he could see Grace. My mum will be home, so it’ll be okay.

Chels2018: Sounds great. Let me go ask.

Scott waited a few minutes until Chelsea came back.

Chels2018: Scott? He said its okay, but he wants to call your mum first just to check.

SctSav: No problem.

Chels2018: K. After he talks to your mum, I’ll have him drive me over.

SctSav: K. See you soon.

Chels2018: K.

Scott turned his computer off and bounded down the stairs practically knocking Paige over.

“Mum,” he breathlessly said. “Um, you’re gonna be home all day, right?”

“Yes, why?”

“Um, I invited Chelsea over to watch some telly with me. Dad’s going to Uncle Joe’s and taking Ty with him so it’ll be pretty quiet here. Is it okay?”

“Of course its okay Scott,” Paige said just as the phone rang.

“Um, that’s Chelsea’s dad,” Scott said. “He wanted to call to check with you that its okay and that….well….we won’t be all alone in the house before he brought her over.”

Paige smiled and went to answer the phone. After speaking with Chelsea’s dad, giving the okay, Scott was relieved. Just then Sav and Ty came downstairs together.

“What are you grinning about?” Ty asked Scott.

“None of your business! Aren’t you supposed to be leaving?”

“Scott!” Sav warned. “I thought you lads apologized and forgot that mess?”

Scott frowned. “Yeah, whatever.”

Just then, Paige came up to Scott. “Everything’s okay with Chelsea’s dad. He’s bringing her over now.”

Ty looked at Scott with a twinkle in his eye. “Ooooh, a rainy afternoon telly date, eh? Guess you won’t be trying anything with mum in the house”

Sav saw Scott stiffen and squashed this before it got worse. “Tyler, shut up!”

Instead of giving into anger like he did the night of the dance, Scott just regarded his brother smugly.

“I don’t plan on ‘trying anything’ you twit! ‘I’ happen to respect her. And….’myself’.

With that, Scott brushed past Ty and went to the family room. Ty was looking a bit sheepish at his comment to which Sav noticed.

“What did he mean by that?”

Ty brushed it off by shrugging. “I don’t know. He’s just being a little wanker. Ready to go, dad?”

“Bye you two,” Paige said as he kissed the two oldest men in the house.

As Sav and Ty headed for the garage, Sav stopped, paused a moment and thought a bit before reaching in his pocket and throwing the keys to Ty.

“Here ya go, sport.”

Ty looked in his hands at the keys to Sav’s Porsche and his eyes almost fell out.

“Bloody finally!” Ty shouted as he raced out into the garage to start it up. Ty rolled his eyes and looked up to the heavens before calling into his wife.

“Paige! Make sure you know where the life insurance policies are. I may need it!”

42

Sav and Ty arrived at Joe’s house. Sav and Joe had to go over some scheduling for the London studio and was also having a three way conference call with the New York studio to get an update on how things were going.

After their meeting, Joe noticed that Sav was ansty about going downstairs to check on Ty and Grace. He immediately went down to the entertainment room to find Grace cuddled on the couch next to Ty, their arms around each other .

“Aye you two, behave yourself,” Sav called out from halfway down the stairs, startling them.

“Crikey, dad,” Ty exclaimed. “What are you doing sneaking up on us like that?”

“It was the only way I could catch you doing anything, that’s what?”

Grace rolled her eyes. This was behavior she’d expect from her father. “Uncle Sav stop! What are we gonna do with the two of you right upstairs?”

“That doesn’t stop you from trying,” Sav said.

“Trying what?”

Sav looked up to see Joe coming down the stairs.

“You know, stuff that teenagers try with their parents in the house,” Sav said with a smirk.

Ty and Grace were mortified by their dads talking about them like this.

“Dad, stop saying stuff like that to us,” Ty fumed. “God, you’re so embarrassing.”

“And don’t you start either daddy,” Grace warned him.

“Me?” Joe said with feigned ignorance. “I don’t have to say a thing. Ty already knows that he’d be missing a very important part if he did?”

Grace buried her face in her hands. “Oh my God! Go back upstairs please.”

Ty sat there as well, shaking his head at his father and uncle were having fun at his expense.

“Don’t sit too close together,” Joe mused before going upstairs, followed by Sav.

Grace just sat there, feeling totally embarrassed.

“I hate when they do that. I just hate it! My dad I understand, but what’s up with yours? Why is he so worried all of a sudden?”

“I don’t know. Probably getting back at me because I practically screamed the Porsche all the way over here. He was hanging onto the dashboard for dear life!”

“Yeah well still, I bet they wouldn’t like it if we embarrassed them.”

“I don’t think there’s anything that could embarrass them,” Ty said.

All of a sudden, Grace got a wicked gleam in her eye. She went over to the telly cabinet and opened it up. After rifling through it, she pulled out a VCR tape and held it up to Scott.

“Wanna bet? Lets have some fun at ‘their’ expense!”

Scott grinned. “Put it in and crank it up!”

******************************

Upstairs, Sav and Joe sat at the kitchen table.

“Whats up with you?” Joe asked.

“What do yo mean?”

“Well, you’re awfully concerned about Ty and Grace being alone together. You almost sounded as bad as me. Whats the matter, beginning not to trust that randy son of yours with my little girl?”

Sav dropped his head a bit. “I don’t know. I guess I just overracted a bit.”

“Yeah a little, even for you,” Joe said. “Too bad she’s not dating Scott, then you’d never have a worry, eh?”

Sav smirked to himself. “Don’t be too sure, Joe.”

He immediately bit his tongue for letting that out. Especially in front of the biggest mouth he’s known in his life.

“And just what does that mean?” Joe asked.

“Nothing,” Sav lied. “Just……nothing?”

“Spill it Savage,” Joe demanded.

“Why? So you can run your mouth to everyone?”

“Ooooh, something is up. Something with Scott. Talk to me.”

“Its..its nothing. I’m just worried about him, is all.”

“No, that’s not all. You ‘never’ had to worry about that lad. He’s more sensible and level-headed than some adults I know.”

“Yeah, well even a sensible, level-headed person can lose their wits, especially when he’s a teenager.”

Joe’s mouth dropped a bit. “Oh crikey! What happened?”

Sav fidgeted in his chair a bit. “Well, seems that he and Chelsea did a little …..um……experimenting.”

Joe raised his eyebrows and twinkled his eyes. “Yeah? Little Scott beginning to feel his oats already, eh?”

“Joe….please….”

“Okay, sorry. So, what did they do? Some snogging and some touchy-feely?”

Sav blew a long breath out. “Um…..a little more than that. Waaaay more than that.”

Joe’s mouth dropped. “Sav…….no?”

“Yep!”

“Oh God,” Joe muttered. “Don’t tell me your baby boy is a man now?”

“Only in the biblical sense,” Sav replied.

“Holy crap! Did he tell you?”

“No, but I found out. He and Chelsea were chatting about it on the computer. Fortunately, my ‘sensible, level-headed son’ realized it was a mistake. They both did. He left the chat up on his computer and, well, I was in his room and I, well read it.”

“Sav…I’m impressed. You’re getting almost as sneaky as I am!”

“I didn’t mean to, Joe. But, well, I was worried about Scott. He’d been isolating himself ever since the night of the dance, which is when it happened. He wouldn’t talk so, when I saw the chat I…I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t anything serious. Not that this isn’t. I never expected this from him, especially so soon. If it were Ty, I’d understand.”

“If it were Ty, he’d be strung up by his ballocks, especially since he’s dating my daughter,” Joe reminded him. “Is that why you were checking up on him? Afraid that he’s next?”

“I’m afraid he’s close,” Sav said. “I know that’s the last thing you want to hear, Joe. But, I know he wouldn’t push Grace into anything.”

“Yeah, well I hope not. Then again, it takes two, ya know. These lasses today, damn, the way they dress and act. Being the parent of a teenager is harder than it looks.”

“Ha! Try being the parent of two teenage boys!”

“Yeah,” Joe said. “Poor Paige must be choking on all the testosterone flying around your house.”

“Ha, ha, very funny mate,” Sav snided. “You’re such a…….hey…whats that?”

“Whats what?”

“Downstairs?”

“The kids are watching the telly. A little too loud.”

“No, but….it…it sounds like…..” Sav got up and opened the basement door and listened downstairs.”

“Is that….?” Joe asked.

“It’s the live version of Pour Some Sugar On Me,” Sav finished as he went downstairs to investigate, followed by Joe.

43

Sav and Joe got to the bottom of the stairs to find Grace and Ty on the couch, hooting and laughing hysterically as they watched the ‘In The Round And In Your Face’ video. When their heard their fathers come down, they turned around.

“Just getting a little nostalgic, daddy,” Grace mused with sarcasm. “Boy, you guys really knew how to shake it.”

Sav and Joe stood there watching their 20-something selves prance and preen on stage during their double show in Denver back in 1988. When Sav saw himself bouncing all over the stage in his tight black jeans, open jacket and no shirt, he groaned while Grace whistled.

“Ooooh, Uncle Sav,” she cooed. “You were quite a hot number back then. Look at that hair!”

“Nevermind the hair,” Ty mused. “Look at those white boots! Don’t tell me those drove the ladies wild, dad?”

Sav stood there in the back, crinkling his face and blushing profusely. Joe was laughing hysterically.

“Yeah, you’re dad was quite the poser,” Joe said to Ty, giving Sav a little shove in the arm.

“Oh, speaking of posing, here comes the best part,” Ty said.

Just then, on the video, the part where Sav does his little ‘peering out at the crowd’ stance came up. As he did it on the video, Ty stood up, jumped on the couch, spread his legs apart, shook his hips back and forth and shaded his eyes, imitating his father.

Joe thought he’d collapse from laughter, but Sav just stood there, covering his face.

“Oh, wait,” Ty said. “I really should get the full effect of that signature move,” to which Ty popped open the top button of his jeans.

“You think you’re funny, huh lad?” Sav finally said.

“Why Uncle Sav,” Grace said. “I do believe you’re turning pink!”

“Pink!” Joe exclaimed. “Mate, you’re so red they could serve you on a plate with butter and lemon!”

“I wouldn’t talk daddy,” Grace said. “I recall you could be quite the poser too. Hmm, what was that move you used to do….?”

Just then, Grace got up on the easy chair and balanced her feet on each of the arms. She then propelled herself up into a spread eagle, touching her fingers to her toes as she did before she landed on the floor. She was imitating the move her father made famous in the Photograph video.

She then went over to the snooker table and grabbed a cue, using it as a mic stand and began to prace and twirl the way her father did on stage.

Now it was Sav’s turn to laugh. “Now who’s the poser, mate?”

“Aye, it wound the ladies up, didn’t it?” Joe retorted.

“I can’t believe girls fell for that stuff,” Ty said. “You loved flipping that hair of yours around, didn’t you dad? Wait…wait…what was that other little move you did? Oh yeah!”

Ty began to strut and sing…..”sometime, anytime, sugar me sweet…” to which he flipped his bangs out of his eyes, just like his father did.

“Oooh, Ty stop it,” Grace joked. “You’re getting me allll worked up.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Sav finally said.

“Whats the matter Uncle Sav? Don’t like being embarrassed?”

Sav looked at Joe. “Aren’t you gonna reprimand your daughter for that?”

“No. You know I love watching you get all flustered.”

“Hey daddy, wanna see something really embarrasing?” Grace said as she pulled out the Historia video. “How about lets watch ‘Hello America’?”

Joe looked sick. “No! Crikey, anything but that!”

“Hmm, maybe I’ll just pop it in for a minute,” Grace teased. “I know how much you loooooove that video, daddy.”

“Oh God,” Joe groaned.

“Whatsa matter daddy…..embarrassed?”

“And I know how much ‘my’ dad loooooves those three live videos,” Ty said with a grin. “You know dad…the ones where you’re wearing those tight red pants?”

“Oooh, I love those,” Grace purred. “Bet all the girls in the front row got quite an…um…eyeful!”

Sav was about to die. “Grace!”

“Yeah, I agree,” Joe said. “That’s enough young lady.”

“Alright,” Grace conceded. “Hmm, how about Visualize then.”

“Yeah,” Ty said. “I love when you’re doing Ziggy Stardust on the accoustics. Dad was so drunk he couldn’t remember the words!”

“I was NOT drunk!” Sav said adamantly.

“No, just bloody forgetful,” Joe joked.

“Oh…the way you forgot the words to Rock of Ages in that Storytellers show, daddy?”

Now it was Sav’s turn to laugh at Joe’s expense. “Yep. Your dad was having a senior moment back then!”

“Yeah Grace, put Visualize in,” Ty said. “I want to see our dads in makeup during that Glam Slam concert.”

“Yeah, I think I will,” Grace said, popping out one video and putting in another. “I just love when your dad does the little ‘blue screen’ demonstration.”

“Alright, stop, stop!” Sav said, not being able to control his embarrassment. You made your point.”

“Oh, we’ve only just begun dad,” Ty warned.

“Do you want to drive that Porsche home, son?”

Ty shut up quick. “Oh alright. Crikey, you’re no fun. You can dish it out but you can’t take it.”

“Well, I’m a parent and I have reasons to be concerned,” Sav said.

“So do I,” Joe added.

“Daddy, nothings gonna happen with you two spying from upstairs,” Grace said.

“But alone…..that’s a different story,” Ty joked. “What was that infamous saying of yours, dad? Oh yeah……’the possibilities are endless’!”

“Get upstairs now before I possibly knock your head off,” Sav threatened. “We’re leaving.”

Ty ran up the stairs, followed by Grace. Sav turned to leave as well, but turned to Joe first.

“Will you burn those bloody tapes please?” he sputtered before going upstairs as well.

Joe looked at the video that was playing. It was Make Love Like A Man and he was grinning.

“I don’t want to burn them,” he said to himself. “Its my only reminder of how young and gorgeous I was!”

He then turned and looked in the mirror.

“Who am I kidding? I’m ‘still’ gorgeous!”

44

The month of December started off with Sav greeting his 57^th birthday. Paige woke up the day of his birthday to find him staring in the mirror.

“And just what are you looking for?” she asked him.

Sav shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, nothing. Just another year older. At least I’m not bald or fat!”

“You look fantastic, Rick. Pretty boys don’t grow up to be ugly men.”

Sav turned around and gave Paige a face, letting her know how much he hated that nickname.

“So, what do you want to do for your birthday? We can go to dinner with Joe and Abby?”

“Crikey, Paige! I think I’ve spent just about every birthday around Joe since I was 18. Can I at least get reprieve from that wanker for one year of my life?”

“Rick, you both lived in Sheffield for years. You lived in Ireland together for years. And now you live several blocks from each other. Do you really think you can escape him now.’

Sav shook his head and laughed. “You’re right. Hey, how about we sell the house, pack up the kids and move to Guam or something? Joe will never find me there.”

“Rick, he has a built-in sonar system. He’d find you in a heartbeat. I think if you were a woman, he’d marry you.”

“If we married, we’d kill each other!” Sav joked.

Paige sat up in bed. “So, birthday boy. Answer me. What do you want to do tonight?”

Sav flashed a wicked grin and crawled back into bed on top of his wife. “Well, I’ll tell you what I want to do ‘now’!”

Just as he was about to pin his wife under him, the phone rang. Rolling his eyes, he knew exactly who it would be this early on his birthday. Sav grabbed the receiver off the nightstand.

“Make it fast Joe,” he snarled into the phone.

“Whats the matter, old man?” Joe said on the other line. “Interrupting an early morning birthday bonk?”

“As a matter of fact, yes!”

“You mean it still works after 57 years?”

“Like a charm!”

“Well, I won’t keep you,” Joe mused. “You’ll need all the time you can get. At your age, it certainly won’t be a quickie.”

“I was never quick,” Sav adamantly said.

“Yeah, whatever, listen…Abby and I want to take you guys out tonight for dinner. I plan on jumping out of a cake for you.”

“Oh boy, I can’t wait,” Sav sarcastically said. “However, do me a favor, old man, and keep your clothes on. My eyesight’s bad enough, I don’t need to go blind!”

“Tee-hee,” Joe said. “Fine, go back to what you were doing. Don’t over exert yourself!”

Sav didn’t say a word – he just ceremoniously hung up on Joe, knowing he’d get over it soon.

“Well, so much for avoiding the unavoidable,” he grumbled to Paige. “I guess its dinner tonight with those two.”

“I figured as much,” Paige said. “Think we should make it a ‘family’ night?”

“Nah, the kids would rather stay home,” Sav said.

“Maybe we can drop the boys off at Joe’s,” Paige suggested. “Its Friday so it isn’t a school night. Maybe Scott can invite Chelsea over there. This way they can all be together, play some games, watch some telly….”

“And…..other things that teenagers like to try,” Sav added.

“Rick, what are they gonna try with J.T. hounding about them? He’s at that prime teasing age, not to mention a very good spy.”

“I guess. Maybe.”

“Hmmm, you’re getting awfully concerned there,” Paige said. “Ty I can understand, but not Scott. He’d be too shy to try anything, even if he wanted to.”

Sav inwardly groaned. He couldn’t tell Paige what he knew about Scott and Chelsea.”

“Yeah, well, you know what they say. It’s the quiet ones you’ve got to watch out for.”

Paige eyed him. “Like you?”

Sav grinned and growled, nuzzling her neck. “Exactly like me. Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?”

No sooner than Sav said that, there was a loud banging on the door.

“Aye…..you guys up?”

Sav hung his head as he heard Ty’s voice on the other side of the door.

“Yes I am, Ty,” Sav shouted back. “And, your mother is trying to take advantage of it by giving me an early morning birthday present.”

Paige gasped at Sav’s remark as she heard Ty’s response on the other end.

“Uggh, crikey! I’m outta here!”

Sav heard the sound of Ty tearing the the stairs at record speed then looked at Paige’s startled face.

“Rick! I can’t believe you said that!”

“Well, at least we know they won’t be bothering us. Now….one more time….where were we?”

45

The rest of December flew by as the kids prepared to break for Christmas. During this time, Ty sent out several college applications. However, uncertainty filled him as he dropped them in the mailbox. Even though he felt himself being pulled in another direction, he knew that attending university and preparing for his future was the right thing to do. He wondered how long it would be before his heart would win out over his head.

On another good note, Chelsea’s mum started showing signs of improvement in her behavior. Her dad had requested a cut down in his travel time at work, which meant he was able to spend more time at home. She hadn’t touched any alcohol in weeks and she was well enough to where Chelsea felt comfortable inviting Scott over.

Chelsea’s mum instantly took to the shy, sweet, dark blonde, blue eyed lad. After proper introductions, Chelsea led Scott into the living room and turned on the telly. Since her mum was right in the kitchen, they had to be careful about what they said or did.

“I’m so glad you were finally able to come over, Scott. Mum’s been doing much better.”

“I’m happy to hear that, Chels. You look a little relieved by it.”

“I am. I really wanted my mum to meet you. I’ve told her so much about you and showed her the picture of us from the harvest dance.”

Just the mention of the dance, and what happened that night, caused Scott to blush a bit…….and harden a lot!

Chelsea noticed his reaction and took his hand. “Do you think about that night a lot?”

Scott had not choice but to tell the truth. “Yeah, I do. A lot! Even though I think it was, you know…soon, I can’t help……”

“I know, neither can I,” Chelsea finished for him. “If you ever decide, you know, that you want to….again..I mean….I..I think about it too, but I know we agreed to wait.”

Scott looked in the direction of the kitchen to make sure her mum wasn’t looking in or listening before turning back to Chelsea and whispering in her ear.

“I don’t want to wait either, Chels. But, its just…….its such a scary feeling, that’s all. Bloody fantastic, but scary.”

Chelsea lightly giggled and blushed herself. “Well, you’re gonna be 16 the end of the month. Maybe we can wait till then.”

“Hmm, maybe?” Scott said with a grin.

“You know, Scott, if you don’t want to do that, we can also….you know….fool around other ways. You know, kissing and touching and…….well, you know.”

Scott knew exactly what she was talking about and he thanked his denim jeans for disguising his growing reaction to it. However, the material was no match for when Chelsea innocently slid her hand up his thigh and lightly brushed it over his fly.

Scott jerked and sucked his breath in which caused Chelsea to pull her hand away instantly.

“I’m…I’m sorry,” she said. “I should’nt have done that. God, what you must think of me, making the first moves like this!”

Scott looked in the direction of the kitchen again before looking back at her. “Chels, for the last time, I do not think badly of you. You’re my girl. You just turned sixteen and I’ll be sixteen soon. Our curiosity is up, that’s all. Its perfectly normal.”

Chelsea looked a little embarrassed. “I know, but still,” she said, leaning forward and fiddling with something on the coffee table.

“Whats that?”

“Oh, it’s a bead set,” she said. “A friend of my mum’s came to visit her the other day with her eight year old daughter. She brought this with her and left it here. You make necklaces and bracelets with colored round beads and there’s square beads with letters on it for names and stuff. I was keeping her busy playing with her while our mum’s visited.”

“Chelsea? Scott? Do you two want some snacks and pop?”

Chelsea answered her mum who called in from the kitchen. “Um, sure mum. I’ll come in and help you.”

“I’ll be right back,” she said to Scott as she got up and went into the kitchen.

Scott sat forward watching the telly and found himself fiddling with the beads himself. Just then, his sweet nature took over.

He took a piece of the synthetic rope and tied a knot at one end. He then took some black and white beads and strung them on first. He then found the five white lettered blocks he wanted and strung those on as well. He finished it off with several more black and white beads before knotting off the other end, leaving two long pieces to be tied together on either end.

Chelsea came back in with pop and snacks and placed them on the table. Scott sat back with one hand behind his back. As she sat down, he quickly looked in the direction of the kitchen, then turned to Chelsea and kissed her.

Chelsea pulled back startled, worried her mum would see. But her countenance soon changed shen Scott held up what he was hiding behind his back. He then took her right hand and tied a beaded ID bracelet with the name ‘SCOTT’ on it around her wrist. Chelsea didn’t think anything more romantic could happen to her in her life.

“Just so you’ll never have any doubts how I feel about you,” Scott shyly said. “This will let everyone know you’re my girl – no questions.”

Chelsea had tears in her eyes as she threw her arms around him. “Oh Scott! I love it. I can’t believe you thought to do that! Wait till all the girls in class see. They’re gonna die with envy.”

Scott rolled his eyes, disbelieving his appeal to the girls in his class. But all he cared about was this one. And what the rest of the year would bring.

46

The end of the year came to a close with the celebration of Christmas and Scott’s sixteenth birthday.

Chelsea had tracked down Grace at school to get her thoughts on an appropriate gift for Scott. When she told Chelsea what she had in mind to get Ty for Christmas, Chelsea liked the idea and asked Grace if she would mind if she did the same for Scott.

Abby had taken both girls to a local jewelry store where Grace spent a good portion of her saved allowance on a gold chain with a custom made charm that said ‘TY’. Chelsea, in turn, took her birthday money and bought Scott a chain as well, with an ‘S’ charm. Since she spent all her money on it, it had to serve as his birthday and Christmas present, but decided to give it to him at his birthday party instead.

On December 31^st, the Savages hosted a combination New Years Eve party for the adults, and a birthday party for Scott and his friends. Joe and Abby, Chelsea’s parents along with a few very close, trusted friends they had made since moving back to Sheffield, completed the small, adult gathering upstairs while the kids cavorted downstairs in an entertainment room, complete with the same trappings that the Elliott’s had.

Ty and Grace sat on the couch watching MTV’s New Years Eve show, while Scott and Chelsea, Jack and Allison played a game of snooker.

As the older teenage couple watched the telly, Grace reached over and fingered the charm necklace around Ty’s necklace. The movement also caused the little heart dangling from a tiny gold bracelet that Ty gave her for Christmas to make a delicate tinkling sound.

“You like it?” Grace looked up with loving green eyes.

“Very much,” Ty replied, as he took her hand and kissed her wrist near her bracelet. “And you?”

“Its beautiful, Ty. I’ll never take it off.”

“Never’s a long time Grace.”

Grace was a bit alarmed. “Wh…what do you mean by that?”

“Oh, nothing. I guess I’m just thinking about going into my last semester and….and then off to university. It’ll be hard for us to see each other once I leave. Even if I get accepted to Canterbury, I’ll still live on campus.”

Grace looked down. “I..I know. I understand, Ty. But, you must go to university. Its important to your future. I want you to be happy.”

“What if I told you that going to university isn’t what makes me happy, Grace?”

“Then…..what will you do?”

“Well, and, please don’t tell anyone, but, I’ve been getting more and more serious about the guitar. And…I’ve written some songs too. It started out as a way to take my mind off the stress of making a decision, but now that I’ve got all that university stuff done, I find that I still want to play. I’m dreaming of…..oh, I don’t know.”

Ty hung his head as if embarrassed by his foolish thoughts.

“What do you dream of, Ty?”

“Well, I never gave any serious thought to this, but, do you remember the day I was over your house and we were watching those Def Leppard videos and making fun of our dads?”

Grace chuckled. “Oh yeah. I think daddy took all of them and hid them so they couldn’t be played for anyone ever again. We got ‘em good!”

“Yeah, well….watching them perform, especially the live ones, got me…I don’t know, it got me in the mood, you know?”

Grace turned so that she was sitting on her legs on the couch, facing him. “Ty, what are you saying? You want to be a musician? You want to be in a band?”

Ty shrugged. “I’ve thought about it. But, I don’t know if I have what it takes.”

“Of course you would! You’re the son of a rock star. Its in your blood.”

“Yeah, and I know what our dads went through in the beginning. I heard all the stories. All the rehearsing in that spoon factory, trying to find gigs to play, getting all that backlash. Its not as easy as it sounds.”

“Yeah, but Ty our dads didn’t have any connections, nor the money, back then. They do now. If you want it bad enough, your dad will help you and support you.”

“I know he would Grace, but I don’t know anyone to form a band with. Maybe playing and writing is something that I’m meant to keep to myself.”

“Well, you never know who you’ll meet in the future, especially at university.”

“Maybe,” Ty said dejectedly. “I don’t know.”

Grace put a hand on his face and turned him to her. “Ty?”

“Yeah?”

“Um, I’ve been doing some thinking. About us. And, well, I want you to know that I’m grateful that you’ve been…um…patient, you know?”

Ty smirked a bit. “Yeah, I know. Fortunately, we’ve explored, ‘other ways’,” he said with an evil grin that caused Grace to blush.

“Yeah, I know. I still feel like we’re doing something wrong. What am I saying? Of course its wrong!”

“But, it feels so right,” Ty added as he leaned into kiss her while his hand secretly fondled her breast. Grace both gasped and sighed at the forbidden feeling before pulling away.

“Crikey, Ty, someone may see us! Who knows, my dad just may be lurking about outside like he did at my party!”

“Nah, its too cold. My dad said your dad’s a big weenie in the cold weather.”

Grace smacked Ty in the arm for that remark before cuddling back up to him.

“You know, maybe once I get closer to my 16^th birthday, when school ends, maybe….maybe we could…..you know.”

Ty’s eyes widened. “Yeah? Grace, are you sure? I mean, you’re driving me mad as it is, but I don’t want to force you. I’ve been content with what we’ve been doing.”

“I’m sure, Ty. However, I’ll be surer as it gets closer. If you go to university, I want to…you know…..send you off with a smile. And…..I want nothing more than for us to be each other’s firsts.”

Ty frowned inside, desperately trying not to show it on his face. He immediately felt like the biggest, bloodiest wanker on the face of the earth. Here Grace thought she was going to be his first, when that conniving bitch Diane stole that from him. He knew he was just as much to blame, and he had felt guilt about it on and off since it happened. He even poured out that guilt in a song called ‘Regret’ about the entire incident, hoping that getting it off his chest would help him to forget. And it did…until now.

Ty tried to mask the resurfacing guilt by pulling her forward and kissing her on top of her head.

“I know, Grace. I’d love for that too. More than anything.” It wasn’t a lie. He did indeed want that. But he knew he’d never had it. Knowing that he’d be her first, didn’t help matters for he felt like he didn’t deserve her innocence. He could only hope that the past would stay dead and buried and keep his guilt with it.

47

Shortly before midnight, everyone gathered together to wait for the clock to strike midnight. The adults stayed upstairs, while the kids remained downstairs. Ty and Grace clung to each other on the couch while Scott and Chelsea put their snooker cues down to await midnight. When it struck, everyone up and downstairs made as much noise as they could as couples, both young and old, hugged and kissed each other.

Grace didn’t care if her father were standing right in front of her. It was New Years and she was gonna greet it with Ty by giving him a promising kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips to his, opening her mouth and giving him her tongue. Ty groaned in her mouth and offered his tongue as well, almost leaning her back on the couch.

“Oh…hello Mr.Elliott,” someone shouted.

Ty released Grace so fast that she rolled off the couch and onto the floor. The room erupted in laughter as Chad and Jack were off to the sides laughing hysterically.

“I knew that would make you guys jump,” Chad joked, at the expense of his mate.

“Chad, you’re a major wanker,” Ty retorted. “Shouldn’t you be snogging Beth instead of watching me?”

“We’ve been snogging for the last half hour,” Chad announced. “MY parents aren’t here!”

While Ty and Grace jested with their friends, Scott took Chelsea over to the corner out of everyone’s sight.

“Happy New Year, luv,” he shyly said to her.

“I sure hope it will be, Scott,” she replied. “I sure hope so.”

They wrapped their arms around one another and softly kissed, trying their best not to get it out of control. Only the announcement of his parents coming downstairs caused him to end the kiss – fast.

He pulled Chelsea out from the corner just as his mum and dad came down the stairs with Joe and Abby. Each set of parents sought out their children to wish Happy New Year.

Sav came up to Scott and gave him a hug. “Happy New Year, son. And….happy birthday. You enjoying yourself?”

Scott eyed Chelsea before answering. “Absolutely!”

Sav saw where his lovesick son was looking just in time for Chelsea to look away blushing. Regardless of what he found out about these two, he had to admit that they were totally smitten with one another. As much as Sav should be happy, it disturbed him a bit – especially since Chelsea’s dad was just telling him that there was a possibility that he still may be transferred to the States. If Chelsea were to leave, Scott would be heartbroken.

But, instead, he put on a smile and gave Chelsea a kiss on the cheek. “Happy New Year Chelsea.”

“Same to you Mr. Savage,” Chelsea said, blushing over the charm that her boyfriends father still exuded.

Meanwhile, Joe and Abby hugged and kissed their daughter before telling her that they were gonna get going. Grace gave Ty one more quick kiss before getting her coat. Chelsea’s parents also came to collect her, but asked if she could have a moment to give Scott his birthday present.

“Scott, my parents want to go, but I want to give you your birthday gift.”

Scott smiled. “Chels, you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I know I didn’t have to. I wanted to. Plus, you bought me that beautiful music box for Christmas. I couldn’t afford to get you a Christmas and a birthday gift. But, being sixteen, I thought your birthday would be more special. Here.”

She handed him a tiny wrapped box to which Scott opened to find a gold chain with a small, diamond cut ‘S’ dangling from it. Scott knew that she probably wiped out her allowance and birthday money buying this.

“Chels! Wow, this is nice! Real nice!”

“Really? Do you like it?”

“Yes, I do. I love it,” he said as he took it out of the box and put it on.

“It looks nice on you,” she said.

“Thank you,” he said, hugging her tight. Chelsea was feeling so much for this young lad that she couldn’t hold back anymore, no matter if she knew if he felt the same.

“Scott?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you,” she whispered softly in his ear.

Scott felt his heart pound and the blood rush through his veins at those three softly whispered words. He wasn’t sure if the strong feelings he had for Chelsea were love or not. He cared about her – a lot. He thought about her – a lot. He fell asleep at night, picturing her lips and hands on him, which drove him bonkers. He looked forward to seeing her at school and, well, all the time. It had to be. It just had to be.

“Chelsea?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you too.”

Just then, the sound of a throat clearing interrupted their tender declarations of love.

“C’mon lad,” Sav said. “Chelsea’s parents are waiting for her.”

Scott almost turned bright red at being caught in a clinch with his girlfriend by his dad. He quickly let her to, promised to IM her tomorrow and watchec her leave.

Sav watched her walk away before turning back to his youngest son. He immediately noticed the charm around his neck and lifted his hand to touch it.

“Chelsea gave that to you?”

“Yeah,” Scott replied with a starry look in his eye.

Sav’s outward smile did nothing to stop the ache in his heart over his son’s possibly breaking.

48

The new year began with the final semester at school. Things were going swimmingly between Scott and Chelsea, although it seemed as if something was bothering her, even though things were going well at home with her parents. He knew that, whatever it was, she would confide in him if she felt it were something serious. They still hadn’t brought up the subject of being together sexually again, nor had they had the opportunity to do so.

He really just loved talking and IMing her. He felt as if she were the only one he could trust his feelings with. They also loved sneaking wherever they could to kiss and caress each other in forbidden places.

As much as he was happy, his heart was slowly getting lost to her more and more, especially after their declarations of love on New Years Eve. Being the sensible lad that he was, he kept it to himself and just took it one day at a time.

Ty and Grace still carried on with each other. Every time together seemed to be a contest to see how much they could get of each other without being caught. Their snogging and groping sessions were about all the relief they could give, but it did nothing to assuage the desire to have sex with each other. As much as Grace was feeling the stirrings of lust, deep down, she felt she should wait until she was sixteen.

As winter turned into spring, the beginning of soccer season started. Ty was a starter for the team, while Scott was on the junior squad, though he did get relief playing time in games.

Grace attended each and every home game and most away games. Chelsea usually sat with her to cheer their Savage lads on. After a home game against a rival school, Westfield pulled out a heartstopping victory with a goal in the final minutes. Ironically, the goal was made by Ty on the assist from his brother.

Grace and Chelsea were beside themselves with elation, but that didn’t compare to the beaming pride across Sav’s face as he watched both his sons play with perfected teamwork. He had never been prouder of his lads than he was at that moment.

After the game, both lads showered and changes before meeting up with their significant lasses waiting for them outside the school. Grace didn’t care who was looking and ran to Ty and greeted him with a hug and a kiss.

“Oh Ty….that was a bloody fantastic game! I’m so proud of you. God, I was so exited watching you.”

Ty pulled back and looked at her. “Yeah? And um…just how excited were you?”

Grace scrunched up her face and gave him a wicked little look. “Well, maybe if we can see each other tonight, you know….alone, perhaps I can show you.”

Ty rolled his eyes and groaned. “Crikey, Grace! You keep throwing hints like that I’m gonna explode!”

‘Well, then do something about it, sport. Your dad just got you a car. I don’t think dad will let me car date yet, but maybe I can convince him to have you just take me for ice cream or something tonight. Then, on the way home, we can…um…stop off somewhere.”

“You…you think your dad’ll let you?”

“Let me ask then I’ll call you. If he does, it’ll have to be somewhere close by and I’ll have to be home by 9:00. Maybe we can stop by the park on the way home for a bit.”

Ty flashed a heartstopping grin. The nearby soccer park was a favorite spot for couples to go and snog and, well….whatever! He and Grace had gotten as far as two wound up teens could without going all the way. That is….except for…..

His heart pounded at what she might have in mind, which matched the throbbing behind the fly of his jeans. He bent down and whispered in her ear.

“Do what you got to do to let your dad come out tonight. I want to be alone with you!”

Meanwhile, Scott shyly went up to a beaming Chelsea. “Scott, I can’t believe it! Its not common that a member of the junior team gets to play in a win or lose situation like that, let alone gets to set up the winning goal. I was so proud watching you.”

Scott blushed under her praise, but it felt really good to hear. “Thanks luv. Guess Ty and I were in the right places at the right time.”

“Guess so. It won the game. Um…Scott, listen. Are you uh…busy tonight?”

“I don’t think so. I don’t have any homework. Why?”

“Well, my parents are going to dinner for a few hours with my dad’s boss and his wife. I was wondering if…..if you want to come over and keep my company. Watch a movie on cable or something.”

Scott began to flush inside at the prospect of being alone with her. It was arousing as it was frightening. This would be the first time that they were truly alone since the night of the dance.

“Um…do your parents know?”

“Actually, I asked my dad and he said yes. He was at the game today and I think he was so happy with the win, and that you set it up, that it didn’t take much to convince him. Anyway, he and my mum like you a lot and they um….trust you.”

Chelsea said that with a wicked look in her eye which Scott caught on to.

“Do you trust me, Chels?”

“Do I have reason not to?” she coyly asked.

Scott took a while before he answered. “Prolly.”

She then leaned up to whisper in his ear. “In that case, I definitely want you to come over tonight!”