It's not always Black and White

Last night was...

Bea's POV

The night had grown late, and the remnants of the party had dispersed from my house, leaving me with Grace. It was past three in the morning, and there she was, still sobbing over Theo, who had essentially broken her heart.

I'd tried everything to console her. Water, pizza, even finishing off the champagne bottle, but nothing seemed to stop her tears. We stood in the kitchen, both of us at our wits' end.

"Grace, I'm so sorry about how Theo treated you," I said, my voice laden with sympathy. "You're beautiful, smart, funny, and kind. Any guy would be lucky to have you. But you don't have to endure this treatment. I can't even imagine how hurtful his words were. I wish I could do more to help, but right now, all I can offer is my support."

"You're right," Grace sobbed. "I know it's silly for me to be this upset, but he's just... UGH!" She groaned, frustration evident in her voice.

"It's not silly at all," I reassured her. "In fact, I cried the entire night after my first breakup with Josh when he was being a total jerk."

"Really?" she asked, a glimmer of curiosity breaking through her tears.

"Yes," I admitted with a sigh. "I'm not proud of it, but I did."

Josh, chimed in as he entered the kitchen with a grin. "Did you really cry all night, even in your sleep?"

"Yes," I confirmed, a hint of embarrassment in my voice. "It was not my finest moment."

"I'm not a total jerk," Josh whispered, standing behind me.

"No, you're not," I said, leaning back into his comforting presence.

Grace, still curious about our past, asked further. "What happened between you two, anyway?"

"Nothing," Josh and I answered in unison, sharing a secret smile.

Grace raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Instead, she expressed her gratitude. "I have a feeling there's more to that story, but I won't push. Thank you for listening, both of you. It means a lot to me."

"That's what friends are for," I replied, wrapping her in a comforting hug.

With the conversation settling, Grace asked if she could sleep on the couch, considering she hadn't packed any clothes.

"Of course," I assured her. "And Josh can lend you one of his shirts."

"Thanks for letting me stay here. You guys are great," she said, hugging me once more.

"It's truly no trouble at all," I said. "You can stay as long as you need."

Grace, still upset about Theo, poured her heart out. "I don't want to go back to the apartment. We'll be living with Theo. He'll be kissing Melanie right in front of me, and they might even have sex. It makes me sick. He made me sick. No wonder he wanted to break up. He didn't want me; he wanted her. He's always wanted her. He never liked me. No one does."

Tears welled up in her eyes once more. I couldn't stand seeing her like this, so I took her hand. "Come on," I said, leading her away. "We're going to paint your nails. It's been a while since we've had a girl's night."

Josh looked puzzled as we left. "Don't worry," I assured him. "We'll be right back. Why don't you order us a pizza?"

"Sounds like a plan," he said with a chuckle. "You're a lifesaver."

Grace and I settled on the living room floor, ready to paint her nails. She was worried about my skills, but I assured her it would be fine. "What color do you want?" I asked, pulling out an array of nail polish.