Chapter 3: Breaking The News

Mandy tried hard not to laugh. Keshia was totally shocked.

"You mean, the house, this house, is all yours for a year? "

"Yes it is, Keshia, weren’t you listening? Graham needs a backbone. I’m with you on this one, Victoria! Enjoy it, a year goes by fast. You don’t want to have to get back to him because you couldn’t find a suitable replacement. "

Victoria and Mandy both laughed, Keshia didn’t. Her best friends couldn’t be more different. Well, she couldn’t be. She was basically the group’s brain, the grounded one. Sure she had a wild side or else she’d never be able to keep up with the girls, but she was generally nice and well intentioned.

"I can’t bad-mouth Graham, he’s always been nice to you, Victoria. I still don’t understand why you’d break up with him. Let alone take advantage of him like that."

"Listen, Keshia, you are such a nice girl. Unfortunately, like I’ve been telling you forever, nice people get walked on. I will not be walked over and certainly don’t want a man who will be. I am NOT interested in wearing the pants in a relationship. This is how it felt with Graham.

You know I like man with power, to me, Graham was barely a man. The same furious energy he puts in his work when negotiating, he doesn’t apply in life. What attracted me to him: his energy and power, so sexy. But instead of dating a “real man”, one with raw and vibrant masculinity, I was dating a teddy bear. Graham is a lot of things but definitely not the guy for me. "

"I still think you should have given this more thought. I’m sure he’s so nice for fear of losing you. His mother left when he was very young, a part of him probably feels that he’s responsible and that’s why he acts like that, I’m pretty sure he believes that in order to keep a woman around, he has to be nice, dedicated, patient and whatever other qualities he demonstrated while he was with you. Vicky, he’s perfect! "

Victoria and Mandy exchanged a look before bursting out in laughs.

"Wow, Keshy, honey, maybe you should start dating him. Vicky had her reasons to leave him and we should respect that. Of course she totally lacks class and dumped him like a pile of shit, but she won’t change. I’m with her on this one, maybe you think Graham is perfect, but he is not in her eyes, not in mine either. An angry man, can be so sexy, I totally feel for Vicky. Too nice equals not so sexy. "

"Speaking of sexy men, I could use one drooling over me right now. Graham rejecting me kind of hurt my ego. Especially when, for a second, I actually got a glimpse of the kind of man he could be. So get the phones girls, I wanna party with some sexy men tonight. "

" Vicky, you’ll never change. "

Saying that, Keshia hoped for maybe the millionth time, she’d be wrong. Sure Graham was always accommodating, never got mad in three years of relationship. Even when he caught Victoria in what totally seemed like a situation where she cheated. Always calm and rational, nice and patient. That was the only way to be if you wanted to deal with Victoria anyways.

" I just hope you won’t live to regret it. "

" Regret what? "

" Leaving Graham. "

" Ok, enough of this Keshy! Girls, grab your phones and start dialing! "

Mandy hated wasting time; she was a girl of action. She couldn’t understand why Keshia wouldn’t let go. Sure, she liked Graham; they all did but why dwell on Vicky leaving him? She also wanted to avoid Vicky getting pissed, which might have happened if she hadn’t cut Keshia’s non-sense. Another crazy night of dance and booze should fix it all. In a flash, she had sent out a dozen SMS, and made a few phone calls. They definitely wouldn’t be partying alone. Especially now that they were all single.

" Let’s make a toast, girls: To us being hot and single. "

Now that was a toast! Mandy’s style. The night would be great, a thought they all shared.

Fourth chapter: November 27th---More Like A Man

Introduction of Gary, Graham's best friend
Graham's point of view...