"Thank you for saying something Faelyn." Grace voiced while looking out of the window, "I hate it came between you and Hassan though."

"He'll get over it. Not to be rude Jo, but your mama is mean as fuck."

He shrugged, keeping his eyes on the road and trying to hurry and get her home so he could ask Grace to stay with him.

It was times like this he wished he had an actual job, one to support him moving out on his own. The adjustment to going from staying basically by himself, since his roommate was always gone, to staying in a house full of people was insane.

Grace and Faelyn continued to make small talk until they dropped her off, at which point Josiah turned his attention to Grace, "What you doing tomorrow?"

"Didn't you hear your mom? I'm not doing anything for the rest of my life."

She didn't think she was being petty. Even if they were just friends, she felt like Josiah should've defended her in some way against his mom.

Instead he just sat there and ate his food.

"You just took it wrong. She really ain't mean no harm."

"Josiah she went on a rant about how your sister isn't afforded the 'luxury' of having time to decide what she wants to do. How would you suppose I take that?"

He remained quiet, not wanting to tell her that he understood what his mama meant since she was already upset.

Lia had spoken facts, Grace just was too offended to see that.

They weren't offered the same opportunities as she was, that's not saying his mama was right in saying that to her since she couldn't help that she was given a better life, but still.

"Sorry for what she said then." He apologized on his mother's behalf, hoping to restore the normal balance between them.

Grace didn't respond, so he sighed under his breath, throwing the thought of asking her to stay out of the window.

When they stopped in front of her house, she didn't reach for the door, she just sat there, twisting the ring on her right finger.

Josiah put the car in park, waiting patiently for her to say something.

Eventually she asked, "What time do you work tomorrow?"

"8."

Thankfully a later start than what he'd grown use to.

"Did you wanna come in?"

As soon as he told her yes, headlights washed over them, the car barely being parking correctly in the driveway, and out stepped Mason, singing loudly.

Grace looked at her brother, who stumbled to the front door as if he didn't have a care in the world, then back to Josiah who was watching the display.

Trying to be polite, he retracted his first answer, "Actually, 8 comes quick as hell so I'll just go home."

She never said goodbye as she climbed out of the car, walking unhurriedly to the front door.

• • •

Samantha walked alongside Grace in the mall, listening to her daughter tell her about things ranging from what she intended to wear to some party, to how sad Haiden was when her boyfriend broke up with her.

It was Samantha's suggestion that they come here, wanting to spend time with Grace after connecting with her the other week.

They had been at the mall for going on 2 hours, Grace never running out of conversation the entire time.

"-And she was really upset, but I didn't understand why since she'd never even talked about having a boyfriend." Grace told her, explaining what led to her losing her phone.

"Sometimes you keep the things that make you happiest to yourself, so you can protect that happiness."

"Yeah but Haiden isn't one of those people. She has to tell everybody everything."

Something about Haiden threw Samantha off. She wasn't sure what it was, but she wished Grace would find another friend.

She used to be a sweet girl, but after her parents divorce she just changed. Again, she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"Enough about her." Samantha asserted, finally about to switch the conversation to what she'd hoped Grace would bring up on her own, "How's Josiah?"

Grace shrugged, "Josiah is Josiah. I keep telling you we're just friends."

Samantha didn't believe that. No matter what either of them said, there was something more there.

"Besides," Grace continued, "His mom doesn't like me. Doesn't that automatically disqualify me from that running?"

"Oh please. Isiah's mother hated me until the day she had that heart attack. May she rest in hell."

She was startled by the way Grace grabbed her as she leaned on her mother to laugh, "Hell mom? I don't remember grandma being that bad."

"The point is." Samantha laughed, "Your father still married me."

Grace was quiet for a moment, "She thinks I don't do anything. She pretty much called me entitled in her own way."

Though Samantha didn't want to ruin the moment between them, she wanted to tell her daughter the truth, "You are entitled Grace."

Their eyes met as she continued talking, "You got into Columbia, only to not go. People cry because they can't get in and you just decided it wasn't worth it."

Grace's tone was irritable, "So that's supposed to invalidate my decision? Because I got in and they didn't I have to go?"

"But reason do you have to not go?"

"You know my reason." Grace responded harshly.

This was hardly the conversation that needed to be had in the center of the mall, but they rarely ever talked so Samantha was taking this opportunity.

"Who cares what he thinks?" She asked quietly.

"You care mom. It's why we never left."

"Then be better than me Grace." Samantha insisted. "Stronger than I was, than I am."

Though the mall was loud and filled with people, that moment it seemed to be only the two of them.

And she hoped her daughter would leave while she still could.

_______

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