Isiah walked around his office, his hands stuffed in his pockets while looking for Grace.

He knew she was still here because her car was in the parking lot, he just didn't know exactly where she was.

She'd become withdrawn again over the past two weeks, and he figured it had something to do with Celina since Grace wouldn't even look at her, let alone talk to her.

His search continued until he found her in a room furiously typing on her laptop.

Grace looked up when he came in, pausing her work, "Hey."

"Why are you in here?" Isiah asked, though he already knew.

She shrugged, "It's more peaceful."

The truth was that the other interns didn't like her. It didn't take long for it to make rounds that she was the reason Daphne had gotten her spot taken for what she'd done.

That made them not want to talk to her for fear they'd say something she didn't like and tell her dad, resulting in them also not getting kept on.

Grace thought it was stupid really, but would rather just stay in here so she wouldn't have to ignore the fact that they excluded her.

Sighing under his breath, Isiah tried to think of how to approach the situation. He could just fire all of the interns but that would be counter productive since he'd have to find new ones immediately.

"You can come in my office if you'd like."

Her response was quick, "Okay."

Collecting her things, Grace followed her dad to the top floor and towards his assistant who stopped them, "Mr. Simmons Ms. Stokes is in your office."

She looked to her father questingly, wondering why Haiden would be there.

Isiah continued his walk, opening the door for Grace to walk ahead of him, and closing it behind himself, "How are you Haiden?"

Haiden's focus was on her friend, wondering why she hadn't returned her calls even after she found out about Josiah.

She was the one who told Isiah that Josiah was a felon, in the hopes that he'd do something to make her stop going around him, and start back talking to her.

Of course that didn't work.

"I'm fine. It's good to know you're not dead Grace."

"Why would I be dead?"

Haiden scoffed, "Because you haven't spoken to me in weeks."

Though the timing was perfect, Isiah genuinely didn't know Haiden would be waiting for them in his office.

In fact, he'd specifically told her to never come to his office.

Grace didn't want to argue with Haiden at all, let alone in front of her dad, "I'll call you when I leave." She lied.

After being around Neriah and Hassan for a few weeks, Grace noticed that the only thing she had in common with Haiden was time.

It seemed like they were only friends because they'd always been friends. Sure they talked a lot, but it was mostly at someone else's expense, gossip really.

"I found out about him from Joey." Haiden stated matter-of-factly, switching the subject, and observing her friend who didn't seem interested in talking to her.

"I'm really not in the mood to have this conversation. Goodbye."

Isiah had approached his desk, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he sat down, "I agree with Grace. This is neither the time nor place."

"I tried telling you." She continued as if she hadn't heard him, "It's not that surprising really. I just think it's disgusting he was in the car with a 17 year old, like how desperate can you be?"

Haiden was beginning to piss Grace off, "He didn't know her age." She defended Josiah, "And I don't exactly remember asking you what you found disgusting."

It didn't matter if she and Josiah weren't speaking right now, he still didn't deserve to have his name degraded by someone who didn't even have all of the facts.

"You know how people just kind of... grow apart?" Grace began slowly, "I think that's what happening to us."

"No I don't know how people grow apart. I know how people grow together, help build each other up."

Why does this feel like a breakup? Grace thought.

It felt even more awkward because her dad wasn't even pretending to not be paying attention, watching intently to see how she would respond to Haiden's 'confrontation'

"We're not building each other up though. We Ju-"

Grace's words were cut off by Haiden who'd begun to look dejected, "I was trying to be a friend to you. I love you, and was worried about you."

Haiden truly did value Grace as one of the most important people in her life. Whereas Grace might've felt like they had nothing in common, Haiden thought they were two peas in a pod.

Soulmates.

Isiah saw Grace's resolve waiver, and he sighed under his breath.

She'd be terrible at owning a company.

It's either take, or get taken. One sob story from a small company and he could see her rallying to 'help' them rather than take it.

He sat there disappointed as he watched Grace give in to Haiden's wishes to come over later.

• • •

Josiah wasn't expecting anything to come of the job Grace mentioned after what happened, but to his surprise, the manager of Breezy's, a popular sporting goods location, called him that next afternoon.

He'd been working in the warehouse for 2 weeks now and actually liked it. it paid more than his last job, he didn't have to talk to rude ass people, and it came with benefits.

So he was relatively happy, except for the fact Grace wouldn't talk to him.

She still talked to Hassan, Faelyn, and Neriah, but she wouldn't talk to him.

Josiah had apologized multiple times but Grace didn't seem interested in hearing it, not returning his messages, and he thought it'd be weird to just show up to her house.

She did show up to my house, Josiah thought, Maybe it won't be so weird.

That thought process was how he ended up at Grace's gate, putting in the code he'd learned by heart and driving around the familiar loop to end up in front of her house.

As he rang the doorbell, he realized the difference was that his family, save for his mama, liked Grace. It wouldn't be awkward if they opened the door for her.

The only person he actually knew in this house, was Celina, and she was probably already gone home.

Samantha didn't seem that bad, but if Grace told her what happened, she probably wouldn't be welcoming.

She was the one to open the door, looking like she'd just woken up, "Hi Josiah."

Her smile was fake, and he didn't know if it was because of him, or the depression Brielle had told him about.

"Hey Mrs. Simmons. I was looking for Grace."

Much like last time, Josiah couldn't look her in the eye. Her gaze was wandering, unfocused as if she were in another dimension.

"She may be upstairs." Samantha told him, turning to make her way towards the stairs, "You're welcome to go check."

While she stopped on the second floor, Josiah kept climbing until he reached Grace's room, stopping in front of the open door which was occupied by her and another girl.

Both of them looked up at him, Grace with a facial expression he couldn't exactly place, and the other girl with.... disgust?

It wasn't like he was ugly or no shit like that, so he was tryna figure out why, when the girl smiled, "I'm Haiden."

The girl Grace said she wasn't talking to.

"Josiah." He mumbled out, not really wanting to talk to her anyway.

His eyes went to Grace as Haiden spoke again, nudging Grace slightly, "He's cute for a felon."

_______

haiden said soulmates 🌚 i wonder does she mean friendship wise or does she want my sis in an intimate way?

thanks for reading 💕