Grace

Chapter 35

I was going to sneak up to my room and go to bed early, but when five to eight rolled around Clara was already at the bottom of the stairs leaning on the banister with her arms folded across her chest and ankles crossed. She looked really effortlessly casual stood there in her own clothes – skinny jeans that hugged her curves, a turtle neck that she didn't care showed her slightly rounded belly, and slippers.

"Hey, Clara," I smiled and tried to sneak by.

"Oh no you don't," she said and grabbed my arm as I passed. "House activity, remember?"

"I'm just going to get something."

"Your butt stuck to a chair? Nope," she popped the 'p' and began to drag me back to the big lounge where the rest of my house was gathered already. "Let's see what Grace Bennett gets up to in the holidays and what her new house looks like."

"But I already know, Clara. I don't need to watch it. And you can't use the excuse of watching Jack's half. He's not in this one."

We got into the lounge and everyone was already sat around. I resigned myself to it. As always I was placed front and centre. Chi sat to my right and Ben to my left. Clara perched behind on a stool and the guys sat on the floor in front. I scowled at Chi when she grinned at me and curled my legs up beneath me. Jessica, Tony and David were sat side on to the TV so that they could both watch and take photos of the reactions we had to it.

I banged my head against Ben's shoulder. He put one of his hands on mine.

"Oh my god, when will you two get together already?" Tarq asked loudly.

"Shut up and watch," Ben said a little gruffly and pressed the play button on the remote.

Everyone settled down and an excited, expectant hush fell upon the room. Ben and I gave each other steadying looks and then turned to the TV. The show started with sweeping footage of the house, the surrounding mountains and a close up on some wild dear that were more or less at the bottom of my garden. There was tranquil music, the narrator's voice was soft and soothing and around the room people were quietly commenting how nice it all looked.

"All is nice and peaceful in the Bennett house hold," the narrator was saying.

And then picture changed from idyllic snowy landscapes to Jessica going inside the house and then to Ben sitting on me and telling her that I was being annoying.

"So that's where you went for the holidays," Will who was in our block said. "Dad said he didn't see you at either Buckingham or St. James's." His dad was a Grenadier.

And just a few moments later everyone was laughing as I screamed down the drive on a death trap, cheering as my mother defied death and snowboarded down the drive on a plank of wood. Then they cheered as Ben and I did it. Then they all asked me how I could possibly have so much music, they watched us dancing and then I was painting and I knew exactly what that meant. Ben squeezed my hand again.

I looked away from the screen, but I knew what it happened. It wasn't even a proper kiss that was on TV, just a kiss to the side of the head and him holding me from behind, but it still got a cheer, girls going 'awwwwww' and Tarq throwing his hands up in the air with an exasperated exclamation of "Finally!" which was much the same as what the presenter said.

"Give her a smooch!" one of the E blockers called. People cheered him.

I groaned and buried my face in Ben's shoulder just knowing that I was bright red.

"Settle down!" Master Clarke called. I'd have to remember to thank him before I went to bed.

The teasing continued a little longer, but when Ben resumed the programme people settled down to watch. Everyone thought my art homework dilemma was hilarious – even me when I saw my reaction - and not too long after that it was the end of the programme.