Uncommon (BWWM)

Chapter 19

"Just talk to her Arthur." Elina says into her phone, frustrated.

She's in her kitchen, peering into the living room where her best friend is sat curled up in soft blankets watching a slasher film. Most people, when heartbroken, watch something soppy, like a romance. But not Grace Roberts. Grace Roberts doesn't like to be reminded of how tragic her love life is. Instead, she likes to watch people getting torn to shreds.

("You do know this is just a fight, right?" Elina told her as she watched Grace pull the ice cream from her fridge, "You haven't actually broken up."

"Shut up," the shorter girl grumbles, flopping onto the sofa, "Let me wallow.")

Arthur lets out a sigh from the other end of the line, "I don't know what to say to her."

Elina rolls her eyes, "Maybe start with an apology?"

"It's bigger than that."

"Pray tell?" She prompts him to elaborate.

"There are more issues involved than just me hurting her feelings." Arthur confesses, "She doesn't believe in us."

"What?! What the hell are you on about?" Elina hisses, mindful of her friend hearing their conversation, "She bloody loves you."

"I know!" Arthur hisses right back, "But it's as if she's willing this to fail. I want us to get married one day but she's just waiting for it all to crash down on us!"

"Can you blame her, Arthur?" Elina sighs sympathetically, "It's an impossible situation. She probably feels like it's not enough for you to love her."

"Well it damn well should be." He snaps.

"Hey! Don't you start taking this out on me." Elina warns him. Then she huffs forcefully, "Look, Arthur, just... come over here and talk to her. Grace is the sort of person that needs to be reassured. I know it's tough, and frustrating, but give her time and she'll learn her worth. And when that happens, only then will she accept that you're in it for the long haul."

~~~~

The doorbell sounds loudly, cutting through the tense atmosphere created by the horror flick Grace and Elina had been engrossed in. Elina sighs and untangles herself from her best friend. Grace whines pathetically, tugging the blanket tighter around herself.

Elina stumbles off of the sofa, and heads toward the front door. Yanking it open, she cocks a hip and shoots a knowing smile at the man at the door.

"Come to join the pity-fest?" She asks teasingly.

"I brought popcorn." Will holds his hands up and sure enough they are filled with four bags of delicious sweet and salted popcorn.

Grace, the greedy fucker, straightens up and strains to look over her shoulder at the source of the crinkling noise. She hums, eyes rolling to the back of her head momentarily.

"Why couldn't I have just fallen for you?"

Will smirks, "Because you're not my type, pet. I would have let you fall flat on your face."

Grace rolls her eyes and turns to face the screen again. Will grins and flops next to her, gathering her up in his arms and nuzzling into her shoulder affectionately.

"No, no." She sighs dramatically, "You've wounded me." She frees a hand from the confines of the blanket to rest it on her forehead, acting faint.

"You're both children." Elina laughs, but even so, she makes a show of jumping into their puppy pile enthusiastically.

"Um..." A voice interrupts their laughter causing them all to swivel their heads toward the door, "Should I leave you to it?"