Tides of grace

New complications

Despite the heart-to-heart with Kiara, Grace could feel the dynamic with the guys growing even more complicated. They had all been more attentive, more protective, and though Grace appreciated it, she couldn't help but wonder if it was because of the underlying tension that had been building since the beginning. Every one of the guys had their own way of showing care for her, but it wasn't the kind of care she wanted. She just wanted things to go back to being normal. The friendships she'd formed with them-especially with JJ-felt authentic, but there was a new weight in the air.

That evening, they all gathered at the Boneyard once again. The usual evening routine of jokes, teasing, and laughter was slightly stilted, as everyone was walking on eggshells. Grace tried to lighten the mood with some casual jokes, but it was clear that the tension hadn't fully dissipated.

JJ, as usual, was the first to make a joke, his signature grin plastered on his face. "So, when are you all going to stop pretending like you're not just waiting for me to make something explode?"

The group laughed, but there was a nervous edge to the chuckles. Grace caught John B.'s eye for a split second, and his smile seemed a little too forced.

"Seriously, though," JJ continued, leaning back on his hands, "we all need to chill. Things are... weird right now, I get it. But we're the Pogues, okay? Nothing can break us."

Grace didn't want to admit it, but she wasn't entirely convinced. Not yet. There were still so many things unsaid, and she could feel it weighing on her.

After a while, everyone started to drift off, some heading to their cars, others just walking down to the beach. Grace lingered for a moment, unsure of what to do. As she turned to leave, she felt a hand on her arm.

She turned to see Pope standing beside her, his face serious. "Grace, we need to talk."

Her heart skipped a beat. "About what?"

Pope glanced around, ensuring no one else was close. "I don't know how to say this, but... we've all been acting weird, haven't we?"

Grace nodded, feeling a rush of relief that someone else was finally acknowledging it. "Yeah, it's been... off. But I don't know how to fix it, Pope. I don't want to cause more problems."

Pope's brow furrowed, and he sighed. "It's not just you, Grace. It's all of us. I've been thinking a lot lately, and I feel like we've all been treating you differently. And I don't want you to feel like you have to carry everything on your shoulders. We all need to be honest about how we feel. Not just you."

Grace blinked, surprised by Pope's words. She hadn't expected him to be the one to say it out loud. "So, what do we do?"

Pope gave a half-smile. "We start by talking. We don't have to fix everything tonight, but we need to be open. No more pretending like everything is fine when it's not."

Grace nodded, feeling something stir in her chest. For the first time in a while, it felt like they might actually get through this-if they were willing to be honest with each other.

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