[color=forestgreen]"Thanks!  If Lily says so, it must be true!"[/color] Grace answered happily.  Lily always did know what to say to maintain her ego; without such a kind roommate, she wouldn't have half the confidence in her work she did.

That was why it stung all the more when she finally realized Lily was crying.  As the small girl darted back to her room, Grace couldn't do more than watch.  Reflecting on the conversation over the evening, she mentally berated herself for not realizing sooner how depressed Lily had been feeling.  Cutting all the heat and tossing on a lid to keep the half-cooked meal, Grace shed the apron and darted after her roommate.

[color=forestgreen]"Lily!"[/color] she called outside the door.  Carefully she tapped on the wooden barrier her friend had closed between them.  [color=forestgreen]"Please, please let me in.  I'm sorry I was being insensitive, I should have realized something was-"[/color] she called.  Tears began welling up in her eyes, too.