Breaking the Grid

Bar

When I stepped out of my psychologist's office, I felt lighter than I had in weeks. We'd been making real progress, and today she told me something I'd been hoping to hear for a while—that we could scale back to one appointment every two weeks. It was a small step, but it felt huge.

I glanced at my phone as I walked toward my car, unlocking it. A string of messages from Kyra filled my notifications:

Hey, love, what are you doing tonight?
We're at the bar with the girls, come join us?
It'll be fun, I promise. Text me if you're coming.

I stared at the screen for a moment, hesitating. The idea of sitting in a bar with Leah made my stomach twist uncomfortably. Things between us were still... fragile, even if we were trying to act like everything was normal.

I started typing out a polite "No, I'll pass," but stopped. I sighed, leaning back against my car for a moment. If Kyra could put the effort into bridging the gap between Leah and me, I owed it to both of us to try. And after the conversation I had with my psychologist, maybe I needed this too—to stop avoiding, to do something for our friendship, not just for us but for me.

"On my way," I texted back.

I had enough time to go home, shower, and change before heading to the bar. I kept it simple—black jeans and a fitted top, with my favorite leather jacket thrown over it. Nothing flashy, but comfortable enough that I felt good walking out the door.

When I stepped through the bar's door, the atmosphere wrapped around me instantly. Warm and alive, the space was packed with people—the music loud, the laughter louder. It felt like the kind of night where anything could happen, and for a moment, I was glad I came.

I scanned the room, my eyes darting over the bar, the tables, the dance floor, until I found them.

Kyra was sitting on a couch in the far corner, surrounded by her teammates. Alessia was practically doubled over in laughter at something Beth said, while Lia sipped her drink next to Caitlin, who was leaning casually against the arm of the couch. Katie stood behind them, gesturing wildly as she told some kind of story.

And then there was Kyra.

She was half-listening to Katie, her lips curved into a soft smile, her dark hair loose over her shoulders. My heart did that familiar skip when her eyes caught mine across the room, her expression brightening instantly.

Her smile widened as she tilted her head slightly, as if to say, You're finally here.

I wove through the crowd, the laughter and chatter around me fading into background noise as I made my way toward her. Katie was the first to notice me, her voice cutting through the group's banter.

"Blair Becks in the house!" she called, holding up her drink like she was toasting my arrival.

That was enough to draw the others' attention. Alessia jumped up first, throwing her arms around me in a quick hug. "You made it!"

"Of course," I said with a grin, patting her shoulder. "I couldn't leave you all unsupervised."

Beth smirked from her spot on the couch, leaning back with a drink in hand. "Yeah, because we're the ones who need supervision."

"Obviously," I shot back, giving her a playful smile before turning to greet the others. Katie pulled me into a side hug, Caitlin handed me a drink she insisted I try, and Lia gave me a warm hello.

But the whole time, I was aware of Kyra watching me.

When I finally got to her, she stood up, her smile soft but steady. I expected a quick "hi" or maybe a lighthearted tease, but instead, she pulled me into a hug.