It's not always Black and White

Back to School Shenanigans

Bea's POV

The end of summer break was upon us, and a feeling of familiarity settled back into our lives. Josh was back at my house full time, and everything seemed to be falling into place. The drama and chaos of the previous months had turned into something more manageable, even amusing.

As we gathered in the car, ready for our ride to school, the atmosphere was light. Josh had taken on the role of chauffeur, and we all piled in. Ryan and Jess were all smiles, officially an item now. Steph, ever the independent spirit, was relishing her single journey, much to our amusement. Grace surprised us all by embracing her newfound single status, determined to enjoy it.

The drive was filled with banter and laughter, a testament to how far we had all come. Ryan turned to Grace, mischief in his eyes. "So, Grace, any boys at school caught your eye yet?"

Grace smirked, her reply loaded with humor. "Oh, you know, just any boy who remotely looks like Theo."

Laughter erupted in the car, and even Theo, who had once been the center of so much drama, joined in with a chuckle. Jess chimed in, adding her own quip. "Yeah, and any tall, brunette guy seems to have potential for Grace."

Steph playfully rolled her eyes. "And here I thought you were embracing the single life, Grace."

Grace laughed, shaking her head. "Well, I am. But a girl can still appreciate the view, right?"

Ryan leaned forward, addressing Jess with a dramatic sigh. "Ah, young love. Isn't it just beautiful?"

Jess rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Yeah, yeah, don't get all sappy on me."

As we stepped out of the car and into the school grounds, I couldn't help but notice the change in atmosphere. The drama that had once consumed us seemed distant now, replaced by a sense of normalcy that was almost refreshing.

Grace turned to us with a playful grin. "You know what? I'm actually looking forward to being single for a while. No drama, no complications."

Steph raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. "Give it time, Grace. You'll see."

Ryan winked at Jess. "Who knows, maybe she'll find her man sooner than she thinks."

Josh, always quick with a quip, chimed in. "Yeah, Jess, better get used to saying 'I love you' before Grace."

Jess laughed, a hint of mock annoyance in her tone. "Hey, I'll say it when I'm ready."

Ryan chuckled. "Yeah, well, just remember, I love you."

Josh raised an eyebrow, a sly smile on his lips. "And Jess still isn't saying it back."

Chemistry class was always an adventure. The teacher had a tendency to pair us up with random partners, and today was no exception. As I settled into my seat, I glanced around to see who fate had chosen as my lab partner this time. Two girls, both blonde and bubbly, slid into the seats next to me.

One of them turned to Josh, who was conveniently seated in front of us. "So, do you really like Bea?"

Josh grinned, leaning back in his chair with an air of nonchalance. "Yeah, of course I do. Otherwise, why would I be with her?"

They exchanged knowing glances, clearly unimpressed by his straightforward answer. I stifled a laugh as I watched their expressions. Chemistry was about to get a lot more interesting than the periodic table.

Lunchtime rolled around, and our group gathered in the cafeteria, ready to catch up on the day's drama. Steph kicked it off with a triumphant smile. "Guess who I got seated next to in math class? The boy I've been crushing on since forever!"