Carrie stood there in total shock. Her eyes were wide. Her mouth hung open. Noah had just told her that he was in love with Theresa. "You are? Theresa?" she asked, stuttering.
"Hopelessly," he said. "And to complicate things, she's with my brother who I've only known for a few hours."
Carrie could say much, but when she saw his pain, she hugged. "Oh, Noah. I'm so sorry. I feel bad for you. I know what it's like to love someone you can't have."
Noah returned his dear friend's embrace. "Thanks, Carrie. You're the greatest."
"I know," she joked.
Laughed as he released her. "Come on, I'll take you home." She smiled and followed him.
Noah walked Carrie home and sent her off with a hug and a wink. She winked back. It had been their symbol of friendship. She waved good bye and disappeared into the Hotchkiss Mansion.
Noah walked home with his feelings hanging heavily in his heart. Theresa, he thought, do you remember when we were kids?
****1992****
It was a sunny day and ten year-old Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald sat on the bank of the river, crying.
"Resa," came a boy's voice from behind her.
She tried to clear her face and eyes of tears and turned to him with a faked smile. "Noah!"
Twelve year-old Noah came running up and sat down beside her. He saw immediately that she'd been crying. "Resa, what's wrong?"
She spilled everything. "It's Mama and Papa's wedding anniversary today and tomorrow is the day he disappeared. Everything's a wreck. Mama's crying all the time. Luis is all emotionless and Miguel's angry all the time. It's all so confusing, I just want it all to go away."
"It's okay, Resa." He hugged her and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad I have you, Noah. I'd go crazy without you."
"I'll never let that happen, I promise."
****September, 1998****
Eighteen year-old Noah Bennet sat in the airport, waiting for his flight to be called. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked behind him and smiled at the sight of his best friend, Theresa. "Resa," he said.
"I just came to see you off," she said, trying to smile. "I'll miss you, Noah."
He hugged her. "I'll miss you, too, Resa." He felt moisture on his T-shirt. She was crying. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Resa. I'll be back soon, I promise." He kissed her forehead. "Remember what I promised you six years ago. You'll never have to be without me. I promise I'll call every chance I get."
"Okay," she said. She hugged him again.
Noah's plane was called. "Resa, I have to go. I'll call you."
"Alright. Good bye, Noah."
"So long, Resa." He disappeared into the crowd.
****Present****
Noah finished his thoughts as he passed the Lopez-Fitzgerald house. She saw in the living room window, too shadows, dancing and moving as one. The room was lit by candles only. The shadows kissed and slowly moved down until the dropped out of sight.
He continued to walk home, his totally blank. He opened the door and put on a smile. "I'm home."
"Noah!" came squeals of joy from his sisters and mother.
Everyone ran up to embrace him. After all the talking and catching up was done, he was shown to his room. He laid his head down and feel asleep, praying for the sweetest dreams of Theresa.
"Hopelessly," he said. "And to complicate things, she's with my brother who I've only known for a few hours."
Carrie could say much, but when she saw his pain, she hugged. "Oh, Noah. I'm so sorry. I feel bad for you. I know what it's like to love someone you can't have."
Noah returned his dear friend's embrace. "Thanks, Carrie. You're the greatest."
"I know," she joked.
Laughed as he released her. "Come on, I'll take you home." She smiled and followed him.
Noah walked Carrie home and sent her off with a hug and a wink. She winked back. It had been their symbol of friendship. She waved good bye and disappeared into the Hotchkiss Mansion.
Noah walked home with his feelings hanging heavily in his heart. Theresa, he thought, do you remember when we were kids?
****1992****
It was a sunny day and ten year-old Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald sat on the bank of the river, crying.
"Resa," came a boy's voice from behind her.
She tried to clear her face and eyes of tears and turned to him with a faked smile. "Noah!"
Twelve year-old Noah came running up and sat down beside her. He saw immediately that she'd been crying. "Resa, what's wrong?"
She spilled everything. "It's Mama and Papa's wedding anniversary today and tomorrow is the day he disappeared. Everything's a wreck. Mama's crying all the time. Luis is all emotionless and Miguel's angry all the time. It's all so confusing, I just want it all to go away."
"It's okay, Resa." He hugged her and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad I have you, Noah. I'd go crazy without you."
"I'll never let that happen, I promise."
****September, 1998****
Eighteen year-old Noah Bennet sat in the airport, waiting for his flight to be called. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked behind him and smiled at the sight of his best friend, Theresa. "Resa," he said.
"I just came to see you off," she said, trying to smile. "I'll miss you, Noah."
He hugged her. "I'll miss you, too, Resa." He felt moisture on his T-shirt. She was crying. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Oh, Resa. I'll be back soon, I promise." He kissed her forehead. "Remember what I promised you six years ago. You'll never have to be without me. I promise I'll call every chance I get."
"Okay," she said. She hugged him again.
Noah's plane was called. "Resa, I have to go. I'll call you."
"Alright. Good bye, Noah."
"So long, Resa." He disappeared into the crowd.
****Present****
Noah finished his thoughts as he passed the Lopez-Fitzgerald house. She saw in the living room window, too shadows, dancing and moving as one. The room was lit by candles only. The shadows kissed and slowly moved down until the dropped out of sight.
He continued to walk home, his totally blank. He opened the door and put on a smile. "I'm home."
"Noah!" came squeals of joy from his sisters and mother.
Everyone ran up to embrace him. After all the talking and catching up was done, he was shown to his room. He laid his head down and feel asleep, praying for the sweetest dreams of Theresa.