A few days later, we sat at the lunch table with Ethan and his friend’s. Today is the day Gracie is going to tell Ethan about her Stomach Cancer. At least….that’s what she said.

“Hey Ethan,” Gracie said, looking nervous.

“Yeah,” Ethan said, turning to face Gracie with a smile on his face.

“Can I please talk to you? Alone?” Gracie asked.

“Of course,” Ethan said, getting up out of his seat.

Ethan and Gracie then walked behind the pillar.

“I hope everything goes well,” I said.

“What do you mean?” Adrien asked, his arm around my sister, Jolene’s shoulder.

Jolene wore her dirty blonde curly hair down with gold earrings. She wore a dark pink sweater with a gold locket and jeans.

Jolene is my oldest sister and the one who hates me the most out of my siblings. She basically tries everything she can to make my life miserable at home. One time, she set my alarm to the wrong time and it woke me up three hours late for school! That day I had to ride my bike ten miles to school. She’s done even worse stuff.

“Gracie’s going to tell Ethan about her having…,” I started. “Um…I can’t really tell you guys that information. You’d have to ask Gracie.”

“Oh. Ok,” Adrien said.

“Here she comes,” Riley whispered.

Gracie then walked over to the table and quickly grabbed her lunchbox and walked away.

“Gracie?” Riley and I called out in unison. We both then turned to Ethan.

“What happened?” Riley and I asked in unison.

“Gracie told me she has Stomach Cancer. I didn’t know what to say…so I broke up with her,” Ethan said, having a hard time saying the last few words.

“You broke up with her?” Adrien said, shocked.

Jolene gave a small smirk, which quickly faded.

“Why?” Jolene asked, stupidly.

Riley then got up and ran off to go find Gracie.

I stayed, shocked.

“Geez. I knew you hated me, but not that much,” I said, angrily.

Everyone gave a shocked look, except for Ethan and Jolene.

“I can’t believe you did that. You have no idea how long it took for her to tell you. She was so afraid this would happen. It did anyway. Did you know how much she’s gone through? She’s my best friend. The fact that you broke up with her just because she has cancer. I can’t believe you. You’re doing the exact same thing that you do to me, but to her,” I said, hot tears running down my face. “Just because I have heterochromia and vitiligo, it doesn’t mean I’m any different from you or Jolene. Same thing for Gracie. Why, Gracie? She’s so sweet. And kind. I don’t understand, but maybe I never will. I’m done trying to fix myself to be just like you and Jolene. I don’t have to be like you. I’m happy the way I am. So is Gracie. If you can’t see how amazing we are, then you’re missing out. And I feel sorry for you.”

I then got up and walked as fast as I could towards the bathroom. I entered and saw Riley comforting Gracie.

“I’m so sorry, Gracie,” I said, joining the hug. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s ok. It wasn’t your fault,” Gracie said. “Why are you crying?”

“I finally stood up for myself,” I said, still crying. “It felt great.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Gracie said.

“Me too,” Riley said with a smile. “You know what we need?”

“What?” Gracie and I asked in unison.

“A girl’s night out,” Riley said. “I’m thinking a little bit of shopping at Loads of Books, eating at our favorite restaurant, and a movie night with a sleepover.”

“Sounds great to me,” I said with a smile.

“Me too,” Gracie said.

After our girl’s day, Gracie, Riley and I headed to Riley’s house.

“I asked my brother, specifically not to invite any of his friends over today. So we should be pretty much boy free,” Riley said, inserting her key into her house’s door. She then opened the door.

A small black and white English Bulldog then ran to greet us. He jumped around and around our feet.

“Hi, Dino,” I said, giggling as the dog licked my hand as I pet him.

Dino was Riley and Jackson’s dog. They have had him since they were little.

“Let’s play some games in the living room and then watch a movie,” Riley said, walking into the living room. She then stopped.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

I then looked in the living room to see Ethan, Jackson, Rowan, and Adrien sitting on the couch.

“Oh,” I whispered.

I looked over at Gracie. She had her head pointed at the ground.

“Jackson, I thought I told you that I was having a sleepover tonight and that you couldn’t have your friends over,” Riley said, sounding agitated.

“You did, but I ignored it. Also, mom’s not home tonight she has to work late,” Jackson said.

“Ugh,” Riley groaned. “Fine. Can we at least have the living room?”

“Nope. We were here first,” Jackson said.

“Jackson,” Riley said, her patience running thin. “Gracie and Dahlia really need this night to themselves. Otherwise, I wouldn’t mind if you were in the living room, but please…just tonight.”

Jackson stared at Riley for a second and then said, “Fine.”

“Thank you,” Riley said.

“But after your girl talk we get the living room again,” Jackson said, standing up.

“Fine,” Riley said.

Jackson and all his friends quickly walked out of the living room and into his room.

Riley then plopped down on the couch and sighed. Gracie and I then sat down next to her.

“Sorry guys, I really thought that Jackson would be nice just this once,” Riley said, annoyed.

“It’s ok. I understand. It’s Jackson we’re talking about,” I said.

“It’s ok,” Gracie said.

“Now Gracie, what did you say you wanted to do now that you and Ethan are no longer together?” Riley asked.

“Oh right,” Gracie said, looking slightly sad. “I need help deleting photos and getting rid of stuff that he got me.”

Gracie then pulled out her phone and began showing us the pictures.

“Maybe it’s best not to look at the pictures and just delete them,” Riley said.

I nodded.

Gracie then deleted a picture of them sharing ice cream, looking at a bunch of fish at an aquarium, fishing, making a sand castle, and swimming. She then stopped on a picture of them roller skating, hand in hand.

I remembered that day. That day was the day Gracie told Ethan that she liked him. He said that he felt the same way and then asked her out. They then spent the rest of the night skating together.

Suddenly a tear fell onto Gracie’s screen. Then another one. And another. Gracie started crying.

“I can’t do it,” Gracie said, crying. “It hurts too much.”

Riley and I then took Gracie into a group hug.

“I know,” Riley said. “I know the feeling. It took forever for me to delete Jack’s photos.”

“Really? But, you always said that it was easy,” Gracie said. “Since he cheated on you.”

“I lied. It wasn’t. It hurt. A lot,” Riley explained.

“I didn’t have to delete photos of Adrien, but I did have to listen to Jolene talking about him all the time. That still hurt like crazy,” I said.

“Aw. I’m sorry, Dahlia,” Gracie said.

“Don’t be,” I said. “I’ll get over him with time.”

Suddenly, something fell on the ground making a loud “thud.”

“Who’s there?” Riley asked.

“Shoot,” Someone said.

“Jackson?” Riley said, sounding annoyed.

Jackson, Ethan, Rowan, and Adrien then walked into the living room with guilty looks on their faces.

“Were you all listening to our conversation?” Riley asked.

They all looked at the ground.

“Wow. Talk about privacy in this house,” Riley said.

“I wanted to make sure you guys were ok. I heard crying,” Jackson said. “The boys were worried too.”

“That’s sweet of you, but we’re fine,” Riley said.

“Gracie,” Ethan said. “Can I talk to you, please? Alone?”

I then glared at Ethan.

“It’s ok, Dahlia. I’ll be fine,” Gracie said, getting up and wiping her tears away. She then followed Ethan into the dining room.

“Riley, can I talk to you, please?” Rowan asked.

“Uh. Sure,” Riley said, confused. She then followed Rowan into the kitchen.

“Jackson, can I please talk to Dahlia? Alone?” Adrien asked.

“Sure,” Jackson said, heading back to his room.

Adrien then walked over and sat down next to me, putting his face in his hands, his shaggy hair falling down into his face.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but you said something about me,” Adrien said.

“Rrriiiiiiight,” I said, nervously.

“You said that you couldn’t stand hearing Jolene talk about me. Do you hate me?” Adrien asked.

“Aw, Adrien,” I said, putting my hand on his back. “I don’t hate you.”

“You don’t?” Adrien said, looking up.

“I don’t,” I repeated.

“Then why did you say that?” Adrien asked.

I took my hand away. My heart suddenly beat faster and faster.

“Um…I probably shouldn’t be saying this…since you have a…girlfriend. But I….I…,” I said, stuttering.

Adrien straightened his back and looked at me.

“I…I…I…I like…you,” I finally got out.

“You what?” Adrien asked, confused.

“I like you. As more than a friend Adrien. I know you like my sister, so that’s why I never said anything,” I said. “Well…until now.”

Adrien stared at me for a moment.

Our eyes seemed lost in each other's eyes. Time seemed to slow down as we slowly leaned closer to each other.

Our lips then touched. They touched again and again. Over and over.

Suddenly, my arms slowly flowed over his shoulders. My hands slowly flowed into his hair as his arms slowly grabbed a hold of my waist.

We both then stopped kissing and stared at each for a minute. We both pulled away quickly realizing what we just did.

Adrien ran his hands through his hair with a worried look on his face.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I know you’re dating Jolene. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m really sorry,” I apologized.

He turned to me and said, “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I have a girlfriend.”

“I know and I’m really sorry,” I apologized again.

“Again, it’s not your fault. I just got caught in the moment,” Adrien said, looking stressed out.

The room went quiet for a moment. The silence ringing in my ears.

“I can’t believe I cheated. Jolene is my girlfriend. I didn’t think that I still…,” Adrien said, looking angry. “What is she going to say? She’s probably gonna dump me. If I were her, I would.”

I just sat there feeling guilty for kissing my sister’s boyfriend. I know she hates me and tries to make my life miserable, but I can’t believe I went as far as kissing her boyfriend!

“Also, you said something about Jolene and Ethan treating you terribly,” Adrien said, changing the subject. “What’s that about?”

“You heard the part where I said I had vitiligo and heterochromia, right?” I asked.

“Yes,” Adrien said with a nodd.

“Well, my parents shame me for it. They have my whole life. Ethan and Jolene do it too. I don’t blame them though. They just got taught it by my parents,” I said. “I hated it for a while and wished I was different, but now I don’t care. I love myself just the way I am.”

“That’s awesome. I’m happy for you,” Adrien said with a smile.

Realization seemed to wash over Adrien’s face and his smile dropped.

“Wait…so Jolene practically bullied you about the way you were born?” Adrien asked, trying to grasp what I just said.

“I guess. Yeah,” I said. “Also going back to the whole thing where we kissed, can we both tell my sister tell her about how it happened so she won’t think I came onto you?”

“Yes,” Adrien said.

“Awesome,” I said. “Wait…I didn’t come onto you, right?”

“Nope,” Adrien said, blushing. “I kissed you back.”

A wave of relief washed over me.

“Good,” I said. “Well…I mean it’s not good I kissed you, but it’s good I didn’t come onto you. That would be worse.”

Adrien chuckled as I rambled on trying to fix what I said.

“I understand,” Adrien said.

“Good,” I said, nodding.

“This may be a weird question, but how come I’ve never seen your heterochromia or your vitiligo?” Adrien asked.

“It’s not a weird question. I just cover up my face with the same color foundation and use eye contacts,” I said.

“Oh,” Adrien said.

“Here. Follow me,” I said, grabbing Adrien’s hand and bringing him to the bathroom.

As soon as we reached the bathroom, I let go of his hand and turned on the sink’s faucet. I grabbed the face wash on the counter and scrubbed my face and rinsed it off showing my different colored patches of skin on my face. I dried off my face with a towel and then turned to face Adrien and took out my baby blue eye contact, showing my light green eye.

“Wow,” Adrien said, shocked.

“Yeah,” I said, moving my arm back to my face to put my contact back in.

Adrien grabbed my arm. I stared at him, confused.

“You don’t need it. You’re already beautiful just the way you are,” Adrien said with a smile.

I suddenly started to cry. No one had called me beautiful, other than Riley and Gracie. The fact that someone else could find me beautiful made me so happy.

“Whoa,” Adrien said, looking concerned. “What’s wrong? Was it something I said? If so, I’m sorry.”

I sniffed and said, “It’s just…no one’s really called me…beautiful before. Well, other than Riley and Gracie.”

Adrien gave a sympathetic look and hugged me.

“You’re beautiful. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that,” Adrien whispered as he hugged me in his arms.

“Thank you,” I said, feeling loved in Adrien’s embrace.

“No thanks necessary. It’s merely a fact,” Adrien said.