A Deep-rooted Insecurity

"Hey, where is she?"

"Grace, thank god, you came!" Melissa stood up almost instantly as she saw Grace at the door. "She is in her room. Please talk to her."

"I will. Thanks for calling me. Let me quickly check up on her. And, don't worry." Grace passed a smile to Melissa before she headed toward Irene's room.

"Irene... It's me." Grace slapped her hand on the door until it was opened and she was met with red, puffy and swollen eyes of Irene. Her cheeks, though dry, still had the stains of the tears that she had shed.

"My gosh. You okay?" Grace stepped in as Irene moved aside, making space for her to enter.

"Hmm." Irene kept her gaze down.

Grace stayed silent. After a couple of moments that passed when neither of them spoke, Irene couldn't hold it anymore. She wrapped her arms around Grace as she hugged her, seeking the answers to all her insecurities in Grace.

"What happened, Irene?"

"Ayden and I… we broke up."

"Ayden and you what?"

Grace's reaction was exactly as expected by Irene. She broke the hug and led Grace to her bed. Once the duo sat down, Irene narrated everything that had happened.

"Gosh, I don't believe he did that." Grace shook her head, absolutely taken aback at what she had just heard.

By the time Irene finished, she was again in tears that she had somehow held back.

"I just… can't get it out of my mind, Grace. I can't. I can't accept that... Ayden - thought that I am... Do I really come across as someone who would ditch people for money, Grace? Do I?" Her desperate gaze was stuck at Grace, seeking validation of her soul.

Grace was lost, still in a daze, trying to absorb all that had just fallen in her ears.

An already insecure Irene couldn't handle her silence. "I do, right?"

Grace was back to the reality hearing her. "Oh, gosh, no. No. Of course, not." She took Irene's hand in hers while assuring her that she wasn't the money-minded girl and the gold digger that she had been just made to believe.

'You shouldn't have done this, Ayden. You shouldn't have.' Gritting her teeth, Grace couldn't help her furry Ayden had evoked.

"Stop crying, Irene." She circled her hands around Irene.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. Tell me, did you have dinner?" Grace knew it was a stupid question but she had to get Irene to speak something.

Shaking her head, Irene muttered, "I don't feel like eating."

"That doesn't matter. You wait here. I'll just bring you dinner." With that, Grace moved out, making her way to Melissa.

<>

"Would you mind waiting for ten minutes? I have to drop groceries at home and I have a bit of work as well. I will quickly finish and drop you home." Kiara smiled apologetically.

Ayden, lost in his thoughts, missed what she said.

"Also, you could have some tea at my place. You don't look well," Kiara added when Ayden didn't respond.

"Uh… I am sorry? I am fine." Ayden felt trapped. He wanted to see Irene and apologize to her until she forgave him but that was not possible. His mind could process nothing else. Nothing else could have his attention at that moment.

"Lying is a bad thing, Mr. Webley." Kiara laughed, leaving Ayden to wonder why Kiara seemed so different that day. They had been studying together for the past two years and interacted quite rarely. Their interactions were limited to the college work if they had any.

"Come, I'll treat you with tea today." Kiara took off her seat-belt after she brought her car to a halt in front of a lavish house.

"Is that your home?" Ayden asked.

Kiara nodded. "Yup. Come on, now."

He sighed before following her inside.

<>

"Come on, drink the soup, Irene." Grace pushed the bowl toward Irene.

Irene shifted uncomfortably in her place. She brought her knees closer to her and wrapped her arms around them.

Grace walked to Irene's side. Placing her palm on Irene's head, she lightly patted her. "I know, you don't feel like, honey, but you have to." She bent to pick up the bowl. When she tried to feed a spoonful of soup to Irene, she didn't struggle too hard. It took Grace just a couple of attempts and Irene quietly had it.

"Good. Now try and sleep."

"Grace."

"Hmm?"

"What am I to you? Do you think… it is… money over relationships for me?" Irene lifted her somber gaze at her, exposing how deep Ayden's move had hit her. Perhaps, it was also because it was not someone else but Ayden who had hinted at that. Ayden. The fact that it was Ayden… hurt the most.

"That's utter piffle. The problem lies with that idiot Ayden." Grace had to swallow the anger for the sake of an already broken Irene. Had Ayden been in front of her at that moment, it would have been her fist and his nose.

"Look, Irene. I am not telling you to just forget what has happened. No. I am not saying that because I know that you can't but know that, what Ayden has done… it has got nothing to do with you but him, okay?"

"You go home," Irene murmured.

"Nope. I am staying with you tonight. It has anyway been so long since I did last." Grace jumped on the bed with a grin.

"Some other day. Not tonight."

"No. No. No." Grace shook her head like a child, faking a frown but deep inside, she was just hoping that her antics would lighten Irene's mood but it didn't seem to be working.

"Grace, go home and... don't fight with him."

"Won't promise but will try." Grace let out a sigh, well familiar with that tone that put the end to the conversation. "Fine." She unwillingly got out of bed. "Sleep well. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll bake your favorite cupcakes tomorrow."

Irene nodded, struggling to bring a weak smile to her lips.

"Keep that smile, Sweetheart. It suits you."