Tides of grace

Truth be told

That evening, after everyone had gathered at the Boneyard for one of their typical hangouts, Grace could feel the tension in the air again. But this time, it was different. It was more palpable, more intense. It felt like the universe itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to give.

Grace stood by the fire with the group, JJ on one side of her, John B. on the other. She could feel their proximity, the heat of the fire mingling with the heat of their gazes. She knew they were both waiting for something, and so was she.

It was Pope who finally broke the silence. "Grace, you've been acting weird lately. We all have. We can't pretend like things are okay when they're not. So... what's going on?"

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, Grace felt like she couldn't breathe. Everyone's eyes were on her-expectant, curious, maybe even a little nervous. But she knew what she had to do.

She cleared her throat, trying to steady herself. "I've been thinking a lot about everything. About all of us. And... I can't keep pretending like I don't feel things. I've been bottling it up, and I think it's time we all talk about it."

JJ raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a half-smile. "What do you mean, exactly?"

Grace's eyes flicked to John B., then to Pope, and finally to JJ. The intensity in their gazes made her heart pound harder. "I mean that I care about all of you. But it's more than just friendship. And I don't know what to do with that, because I don't want to hurt any of you. I don't want to cause any more problems than I already have. But I can't keep pretending like nothing's going on."

For a long moment, no one said anything. It was like the entire world had paused, waiting for someone to speak. Finally, John B. broke the silence, his voice calm but firm. "Grace, you don't have to apologize for how you feel. We've all been dancing around it for too long. And if I'm being honest, I think we all knew something was there. But I guess none of us knew how to handle it."

Pope nodded, his expression serious. "We've all been in this weird place, trying to figure things out. And I think it's time we stop avoiding the obvious."

JJ shifted closer, his gaze never leaving Grace. "Look, I don't know where this goes, but I don't want to lose what we have. Whatever happens, I just want us to be real with each other. No more games."

Grace felt a wave of relief wash over her. They weren't angry. They weren't shutting her out. They were *with* her, even in the midst of the uncertainty. She swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay. We'll figure it out, together."

The group stood in silence for a moment, each of them processing what had just been said. Grace could feel the air shift around them, lighter somehow, as though a weight had been lifted. There were still questions, still unspoken feelings, but they had taken the first step toward confronting them.

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