Who We Are (A Zodiac Story)

POV: Pisces (Part 2)

"Oh my stars," Virgo says, her brow furrowed as she takes in my sorry state.

"You can laugh, I know I look ridiculous," I say, resigned to the fact that I must appear utterly foolish in this moment.

But to my surprise, Virgo's response is one of genuine empathy. "Why would I laugh?" she asks, and without waiting for an answer, she reaches into the handbag slung over her shoulder, producing a pack of soothing makeup remover wipes.

"Here, let me help," she offers, her tone gentle and reassuring.

I begin to protest, "No, I'm fine-" but Virgo cuts me off firmly.

"I can't let you go out there like that," she insists, and I reluctantly yield, allowing her nimble fingers to gently wipe away the smeared and ruined makeup that has defaced my features.

As she works, I find myself curious about her preparedness. "Why do you have those on you?" I ask.

Virgo flashes me a faint smile. "I thought I might want to take my makeup off," she explains, a hint of self-consciousness in her voice. "I'm not a huge fan of it, but Gemini insisted it was necessary for this kind of event."

"I just wish I would've thought to bring my makeup," I lament, feeling deeply self-conscious about my now bare face.

"You're prettier without it, anyway," Virgo says softly, and I can't help but scoff, assuming she's simply mocking me in my moment of vulnerability.

"I know you're making fun of me," I retort, my defensive walls quickly rising up.

But Virgo is quick to reassure me, her expression earnest and sincere. "What? I would never do something like that," she insists, and to my utter surprise, she begins to remove her own meticulously applied makeup as well. "Here, I'll take mine off too," she says, her gesture catching me completely off guard.

"You didn't have to do that," I stammer, unsure of how to react to this unexpected display of solidarity.

"It's okay, I wanted to," Virgo replies, her warm gaze meeting mine as she expertly wipes away the carefully crafted cosmetics, revealing her natural, untainted beauty. Her delicate features shined through even without the layers of makeup.

"I've never seen you anywhere without Cancer before," she remarks, and I find myself hesitant to respond, unwilling to delve into the complexities of my strained relationships.

"I don't exactly associate myself with her or Libra anymore," I finally admit, the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Is that so?" Virgo muses, a hint of something unreadable in her expression. "I guess that leaves you with no one then," she adds, the bluntness of her statement catching me off guard.

"That was shady..." I murmur, unsure of how to interpret the underlying meaning behind her words.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just going to suggest that we become friends," Virgo says, her tone shifting to one of genuine warmth and sincerity.

I'm utterly taken aback by her unexpected offer, my eyes widening in surprise. "You want to be my friend?" I mumble, scarcely able to believe what I'm hearing.

"Yeah, why not?" Virgo giggles, her phone suddenly ringing. "I have to go, Leo's looking for me," she says, glancing at the screen. "But you're okay in here, right?" she asks, pausing at the door.

"Yeah," I say, mustering a small, hesitant smile. "Thanks."

As Virgo leaves, I turn back to the mirror, contemplating the unexpected encounter and Virgo's gesture of friendship.