12pm
Bea's POV
Long story short. She kicked everyone out but Jess and I.
Melanie's emotions were laid bare, her vulnerability shining through her tears. Jess and I exchanged a glance, feeling a deep sympathy for our friend who had just bared her soul.
Jess spoke up first, her voice gentle and reassuring. "Melanie, sometimes people need time to process their feelings. Maybe Theo is just scared, but that doesn't mean he doesn't love you back."
Melanie wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and looked at us with a mix of frustration and sadness. "But why didn't he say it then? Why did he just sit there, not saying a word?"
I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to comfort Melanie. "Melanie, love can be complicated. Maybe he's trying to figure out what he truly feels. It doesn't mean he doesn't care about you deeply."
Melanie shook her head, her long hair cascading around her shoulders. "I'm tired of playing games, of pretending like I'm okay with not knowing where we stand. I've always been the one who keeps her feelings hidden, who never let anyone in. But with Theo, it's different. I've let him in, and I can't go back."
Jess reached out to squeeze Melanie's hand. "That's a big step, Melanie, and it's okay to be scared. Love can be messy, but it can also be beautiful."
Melanie sniffled, trying to regain her composure. "I know, it's just... I've never felt this way before. And now that I've admitted it to myself, I can't pretend otherwise."
Jess smiled warmly at Melanie. "Then embrace it, Melanie. Embrace the love you feel, and don't be afraid to communicate your feelings to Theo. Sometimes, all it takes is a conversation."
Melanie nodded, her tears slowing down. "You're right. I need to talk to him, to let him know how I feel. I just hope he's willing to open up too."
I patted Melanie's back, offering her a supportive smile. "We'll be here for you every step of the way, Melanie. You're not alone in this."
We were all gathered in Melanie's room, brainstorming ways to navigate her complex situation with Theo.
Melanie had just confessed her feelings for him, and now she was determined to make him realise the depth of her emotions. Jess had suggested making Theo jealous, and Melanie seemed eager to give it a try.
Melanie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. I should post some stories on Instagram, make him see what he's missing."
But then, Jess hesitated. She wore a worried expression as she looked down at her phone. "You know, I can't help but feel bad for Grace."
Her words hung in the air, carrying a weight of guilt and empathy. Grace had been entangled in a web of emotions, caught between her feelings for Theo and the realisation that he was with Melanie.
I couldn't help but chime in, my tone tinged with a touch of humor. "Well, Grace didn't exactly feel bad when she swooped in and took Theo away from Melanie, did she?"
Melanie shook her head, a determined glint in her eyes. "I know it might seem a bit petty, but I have to do something. I can't just sit here and wait for Theo to figure things out."
Jess and I both nodded in understanding. Sometimes, a little push was needed to steer matters of the heart in the right direction. As Melanie scrolled through her wardrobe, contemplating which outfit would make the most impact, it was clear that she was ready to take matters into her own hands.
Melanie's Instagram stories had been posted, and they were nothing short of stunning.
Her confident and alluring photos had certainly caught Theo's attention. We gathered around in Melanie's room, huddled together on her bed, eagerly awaiting Theo's response.
As if on cue, a notification popped up on Melanie's phone. It was Theo, swiping up on her story. He wasted no time and complimented her with a simple but effective, "You look hot."
Our collective excitement bubbled over, and we couldn't contain our giddy squeals. It was a promising start to Melanie's plan, and we were all silently cheering her on.
But then, the moment of truth arrived. Theo FaceTimed Melanie, and the room fell silent. All eyes were on her as she answered the call, her heart undoubtedly racing.
Theo's voice filled the room as he asked, "Hey, where are you off to looking so nice?"
We exchanged quick glances, silently urging Melanie to respond confidently. She looked to us for guidance, and I couldn't help but mouth the words, "Just go with it."
Melanie took a deep breath and replied, "Oh, I'm heading out tonight."
Theo's playful tone came through the screen as he responded, "Without me?"
Melanie played along, nodding as if he could see her. "Duh, because you're with Grace, remember?"
There was a moment of silence on the call, and we held our breath, waiting for Theo's response.
——————————————————————————
Grace's POV
As I stepped into Theo's room, I immediately noticed he was engrossed in a phone call with Melanie. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of triumph. After all, Melanie had snatched Theo away from me in the first place.
I casually greeted Theo with a simple "hi" as I approached. Melanie's voice crackled through the phone, laced with accusation, and she uttered the cryptic words, "Exactly."
Confused by her statement, I asked, "What do you mean?" I was genuinely curious to hear Melanie's perspective.
Melanie's response was heavy with frustration, her anger clearly audible. "You're the reason why me and Theo can't be together," she claimed, her tone accusing.
I couldn't let that accusation stand unchallenged. I retorted with confidence, "That's not true. He loves me, not you. He just doesn't love you."
Without hesitation, I leaned in, capturing Theo's lips in a passionate kiss while he remained on FaceTime with Melanie. The room seemed to vibrate with the intensity of the moment as Melanie abruptly ended the call, leaving Theo and me alone once again.
——————————————————————————
Bea's POV
Melanie's frustration boiled over as she hurled her phone across the room in irritation . "Do you see what I mean?" she practically shouted, her voice tinged with anger.
Jess, trying to offer some perspective, "Who cares if Grace is with him?"
But Melanie's response was swift and unwavering. "I care because I love him," she declared, her voice heavy with emotion.
Unable to ignore the intensity of Melanie's feelings, I chimed in, "Yeah, we know." It was clear to all of us that Melanie's heart was deeply entangled with Theo's, and there was no denying her love for him.
Still, Melanie's emotional outburst had us all concerned. Jess, always the voice of reason, gently offered some advice. "Melanie," she began, "you don't need a new boyfriend. What you need is Theo."
Melanie's eyes flashed with a mix of frustration and hope as she considered Jess's words. Sensing an opportunity to help, I suggested, "Maybe you should start talking to him every day. You know, just to reconnect and rebuild that connection. Who knows, maybe over time, he could fall in love with you."
-7.15pm
"Why is he leaving me on delivered?"
Each of us had our own theories about why guys sometimes left messages on 'delivered without responding. Melanie seemed desperate for an answer, and we were more than willing to offer our insights.
Jess, always one to lean towards optimism, chimed in, "Maybe it's because boys don't think properly."
I couldn't help but interject with my own perspective. "I think it's because of their ego," I mused.
In my experience, guys often loved their pride, and admitting they were eager for a girl's attention was challenging for some.
Melanie, growing increasingly agitated, muttered, "It's so fucking annoying."
Jess, little miss delulu , had a different take on the situation. "You know," she ventured, "maybe he's trying to get your attention, Melanie. He's playing hard to get."
Jess's theory prompted an eye roll from Melanie, but she couldn't entirely discount the possibility. In matters of love and attraction, it seemed anything was possible.
——————————————————————————
Josh's POV
Theo's call caught me off guard, and I could tell he called with something important. As soon as I answered, he blurted out, "I need help."
Concerned, I asked, "What's wrong?"
Theo's voice sounded uncertain as he began to explain his predicament. "I've left Melanie on delivered, but I don't want her to get the wrong idea."
I frowned, trying to make sense of the situation. "Wait a minute," I interjected, "I thought you wanted Grace."
Theo hesitated for a moment before responding, "No, man, I'm just deciding between the two of them. That's why I left her on delivered."
My eyebrows shot up in realization. I couldn't help but shake my head as I said, "You left Melanie on delivered because you're scared of falling in love, bro."
Theo's silence on the other end of the line spoke volumes.
Theo let out a long sigh, his voice heavy with the weight of his emotions. "Josh, it's not that simple," he admitted. "I enjoy being around Melanie. It's fun, it's easy. But with Grace, it's different. It's like she taught me how to love, and it's hard to just walk away from that."
I leaned back in my chair, understanding the struggle he was facing all too well. Love was often complicated, and the heart didn't always follow a straightforward path. "Look, man," I began, "relationships are never easy. Bea and I, we went through so many ups and downs before we found our way to happiness. It took time, patience, and a lot of retakes."
Theo chuckled softly, appreciating my theory. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he continued . "But I don't want to hurt anyone in the process."
I nodded in agreement. "That's the thing about love, Theo. It's messy, and sometimes, people do get hurt. But it's also one of the most beautiful things in life. If you care about both of them, you owe it to yourself and to them to figure out what you truly want."
Theo was quiet for a moment, and I could practically hear the gears turning in his head. "I just wish I could make a decision without feeling like I'm betraying someone," he finally said.
I offered him some reassurance. "Listen, Theo, you can't control how you feel. What you can control is how you handle it. Be honest with both of them, communicate openly, and, most importantly, follow your heart. It might not be easy, but it's the right thing to do."
Theo seemed to take my words to heart, and I hoped that he would find his way through this tangled web of emotions.
As I hung up, Bea started calling
"Hey, can I come over?"
"As long as you don't mention the situation with Melanie, Grace and Theo."
-Bea arrives
"Melanie is in love with Theo."
I let out a sigh as Bea dropped that bombshell. It seemed like our little group was becoming more tangled in relationship drama by the day. "Melanie's in love with Theo?" I repeated, just to make sure I'd heard correctly.
Bea nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah, she admitted it to Jess and me. She's head over heels for him, Josh."
I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of the situation. "This is getting messier by the minute. First, Grace and Theo, and now Melanie's in love with him? What are we going to do?"
Bea shook her head, her brows furrowing in concern. "I don't know, but we can't keep ignoring it. These feelings are only going to get stronger, and it's going to blow up eventually."
I agreed with her assessment. Ignoring the problem wouldn't make it go away. "You're right. We need to talk to Melanie and Theo separately. Figure out what they want and what they're willing to do about it."
Bea gave me a small smile. "You always know how to handle these situations, don't you?"
I chuckled. "I wish it were that simple. But we'll do our best to help our friends get through this mess. It's what we do."
"Before we start fixing their relationship, can we at least have some action in ours?"
I couldn't help but laugh at Bea's comment. Her sense of humor had always been one of the things I loved most about her. "Well, we do have our own relationship to attend to, don't we?" I replied, a mischievous glint in my eye.
Bea smirked and playfully nudged me. "Don't get too distracted, Mr. Relationship Saviour. We've got work to do."
——————————————————————————
Jess's POV
I was at Ryan'a house and Ryan's laughter was like a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves. It had been quite a rollercoaster day at Melanie's house, and I was more than ready to unwind in the comforting company of my boyfriend.
Is he my boyfriend? I don't even know.
"Ryan, is there a problem in our relationship?"
"What has this crazy white girl said to you?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at his remark. "You have no idea how crazy she can be," I replied, shaking my head in mock irritation .
Ryan pulled me closer and gave me a quick kiss. "I trust you, Jess. Melanie's antics can't change our relationship ."
I sighed in relief. Trust was the foundation of any good relationship, and I was lucky to have Ryan's unwavering faith in me. "I just needed to hear that, you know. Things got pretty intense over there."
He nodded in understanding. "Tell me about it. I heard about the whole Melanie-Theo-Grace situation. Drama seems to follow that group like a shadow."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "You have no idea. It's like a never-ending show."
Ryan chuckled again, his warm brown eyes meeting mine. "Well, at least you always bring a little sunshine into my life."
His words made my heart swell with affection. "And you bring the calm after the storm. That's why I love you."
I couldn't believe my ears. Ryan had just dropped the L-word, and it sent my heart into a joyful frenzy. I needed to make absolutely sure I had heard him correctly.
"What did you just say?" I asked, a wide grin spreading across my face.
Ryan chuckled, a bashful smile on his lips. "I said I love you."
I let out a little shriek of delight and threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. "You love me! You really love me!"
He laughed and returned my embrace. "Yeah, I do."
My heart was doing somersaults as I pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. "So, does this mean we're officially boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Ryan nodded, his eyes filled with affection. "Yeah, Jess, we are."
I couldn't contain my excitement and started singing, "You love me, and we're official!" I added a playful dance for good measure.
Ryan laughed heartily, and it was the most beautiful sound in the world. "You're something else, Jess."
I beamed at him, feeling like the luckiest girl in the world. "And you love me like a queen, right?"
He kissed my forehead tenderly. "Absolutely, my queen."
In that moment I knew that I had found something truly special with Ryan. Love had a funny way of finding us when we least expected it, and I couldn't have been happier that it had found me in his arms.