Lost & Insecure

Nine - When the Roof Caves In

Can we talk?

Ashley stared at the text she just received. She hesitated to move. She felt she had to prepare herself for the conversation that was about to be had. She didn't know what the conversation was going to entail, but she prepared for the worst. When running headfirst into a problem, Ashley had to have an action plan. Her hand jolted as she took one last moment to read the text over.

Can we talk?

Ashley didn't know what to expect, but she had all her defenses up. She picked up the phone and dialed Grace's number. Ashley could hear Grace's upset breaths through the phone. "Grace?"

"I-I don't know what happened, Ashley." Grace struggled to speak.

"I'm on my way over." Ashley hung up the phone, grabbed her car keys, and rushed out of the door. She rang Grace's extravagant doorbell bouncing nervously on her heels with thoughts racing through her head. Grace answered the door slowly and began crying as soon as she saw Ashley standing there. Ashley pushed her way into the house, and pulled Grace into a hug to attempt to calm her down. Ashley eventually led Grace to the family room and sat beside her on the sofa. "Now," she started, handing Grace a full box of tissues, "you want to tell me what the hell is going on? Or do I just have to nod my head and pretend like I understand? Because I'm fine doing either, but you and I both know I prefer the former over the latter."

Grace sniffled and smiled at her friend. "Ashley," Grace could feel tears force themselves out again, "I did something terrible." She spoke through tears. Grace was known to always be the calm, cool, and collected friend. She was the spontaneous one who proposed crazy adventures and didn't care about what classmates said behind her back. Usually she was the one someone cried to. Ashley couldn't remember the last time Grace was the one crying.

"Oh my God, Grace." The worst thought possible ran through Ashley's head. "You didn't..." Grace just nodded regretfully, knowing that Ashley knew exactly what Grace had done. Ashley scooted closer to Grace and held her hands in her own. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Grace struggled to form words through her tears. "He was so great to me, and was always just so sweet, and I tried to keep myself away, but I couldn't. I made one mistake after another and ruined everything."

"I knew that you had a little crush on him, Grace, but I never thought you would ever act on it." Ashley couldn't help but come off disappointed.

"I know! I don't know how I let it get this far."

"How long?" Ashley didn't know why she asked, she just did.

"A year." Grace didn't want to believe her own answer.

Ashley didn't reply. She refused to believe Grace at first, but then she didn't know what to do. "You have to tell her." That was the only logical thing that Ashley could think of.

"Are you crazy?"

"Grace. A year? You have to tell her." Grace started balling again and Ashley wrapped her into a hug. "That's the only thing you can do now, Grace. You have to tell her." Ashley held a sobbing Grace in her arms for the rest of the night. She reassured her that everything would be okay, but only after she made right what she had done wrong. There was no excuse for what had been going on for the last year, but Ashley believed Grace still had a chance to fix things. There was no way everything would be perfect, but they could be better.