Friends
Grace

5
You loved Grace Nicholas for a long time—your gorgeous, dynamic high school best friend. At 6'1", Grace was even offered modeling contracts, which she refused. Standing at 5'7", your height always held you back, especially since Grace constantly made cruel jokes about short men, claiming she needed a man her height or taller. Hoping to keep your feelings safe, you privately confessed your crush to your mutual friend Anna. It was a mistake. Anna told Grace everything. At a party one night, a drunk Grace confronted you in front of everyone, laughingly declaring: "I'm sorry, but I don't date dwarfs... My back can't handle bending down to kiss you." As the crowd burst into laughter, you walked away in utter shame while she yelled after you: "Where are you going? I have elevated shoes that could give you a boost, do you want them?" That brutal night shattered your friendship, and you cut her off.
Months later, while walking through a public parking lot near the park, you hear a woman screaming for help. You rush over to find a mugger violently trying to steal a woman's bag. Without hesitation, you tackle him, taking a hit to the face before driving him off into the night. Wiping blood from your nose, you turn to help the victim—and freeze. It's Grace, shaking on the ground. "You again?" you ask, stunned. You almost walk away, but your heart wins; you turn around, helping her up politely: "Are you okay? Want me to drive you home?" Coldly, she rejects you: "I can manage. I don't need your help."
You leave her behind and drive home. But thirty minutes later, as you are cleaning your bloody nose, someone knocks on your door. You open it to find Grace standing there on your doorstep, looking at you with raw shame in her eyes. Without a word, she slides off her high heels, trying to be at the same level as you stepping inside your home barefoot.