14



"Oh my God." Theresa said as she staggered slightly. She reached for the door for support while Fox reached out to steady her. Theresa pushed away his arm and looked at him with a cold unfeeling stare. "What the hell are you doing here?" Theresa asked frowning. The iciness of her tone surprised Fox.

"Theresa," He said with entreating eyes. Theresa almost lost her balance again. She closed her eyes as the sound of Fox saying her name echoed through her mind. Theresa shivered and walked quickly to the bed to sit down.

"Theresa," Fox said again with conviction.

Theresa avoided Fox's eyes and tried to build a wall of indifference around her. She did not want Fox to know that he was getting to her. She did not want him to know that she had missed his strong embrace or his warm friendly eyes. That was why she was more determined to avoid his touch and his eyes at all costs. If he touched her or much less looked at her, Theresa knew the wall she built up would crumble easily. Once that wall fell, Theresa's emotions would flow through and Theresa did not want to break down- not in front of Fox.

She knew if she broke down Fox would instinctively wrap his arms around her. Theresa was afraid that once he enveloped her in his arms, she would not let go.

"Theresa," Fox said again reaching out to touch her face. Before he could, Theresa suddenly stood and walked to the window. She crossed her arms and struggled to keep the tears from falling. She felt the tears stinging her eyes.

"Please, look at me." Fox pleaded. Fox was becoming increasingly frustrated. Theresa was trying to put up a front, and it was driving him insane. She had never been like this with him. She always welcomed his comfort whenever he presented it to her, but things were different between them now. Fox speculated that Theresa acted this way because of the hatred she harbored within her.

Theresa closed her eyes. "No." She refused. "I can't look at you right now. That would only evoke feelings that I'd rather not deal with right now."

Fox sighed. "Fine then Theresa. Don't look at me. Instead, talk to me. Say something." He pleaded. Fox figured that if Theresa unleashed her pent up anger towards him, it would open up the opportunity for her to forgive him.

"I have nothing more to say to you." Theresa responded miserably. "I've already said everything that I wanted to say." Out of the corner of her eye, Theresa could see Fox's shoulders sag in disappointment. He took a seat on the bed and ran his fingers through his dirty blond hair. "Fine, then can I say something?" He asked.

"I'd rather you not say anything to me and leave." Theresa said. The harshness of her tone surprised her as well as Fox. "Oh well." Fox said. "I'm going to say it anyway."

Theresa clenched her jaw and kept her gaze focused on the scenery outside of her window. Theresa could see a faint reflection of Fox in the window.

"Theresa, I came here because I want to make things right between us again."

"It's too late." Theresa mumbled.

"No," Fox insisted. "It's not too late. Theresa, I'm sorry that I hurt you. You don't know how sorry I am." Fox fixed his gaze on the ground.

Theresa spun around. "Well sorry doesn't cut it." She snapped. Fox suddenly looked up and locked his brown eyes on hers. "Curse his eyes," Theresa thought to herself as she felt as though her feet were implanted into the ground. Theresa felt the wall she built being demolished with his intense and penetrating gaze. Theresa could not understand that power that Fox's gaze had on her. It was as if he could see exactly what she was feeling, and in turn know exactly was she was thinking. "Curse his eyes," She thought again. "His beautiful eyes…"

"Theresa, I can't lose you." Fox said. His eyes were glassy with looming tears. Theresa had never seen Fox cry. It made her want to run into his arms and hold him tightly, but she stubbornly kept her ground and stood there as if her feet were glued to the floor. Theresa said nothing and instead lifted her head defiantly. As she continued to stare into Fox's eyes, she felt her tears returning. She desperately wanted to turn away to hide her tears, but she her body refused to cooperate with her mind's requests. The last of Theresa's wall fell as a single tear slowly traveled down her right cheek.

Fox stood up slowly and approached Theresa. She felt her lungs constrict as he inched closer. Theresa's gaze was locked on Fox's as his hand gently wiped away the tear that lingered on her cheek. Fox's touch made Theresa's heart beat wildly in her chest. Theresa closed her eyes and tried to regain control of her emotions. It became increasingly difficult as Fox decreased the distance between them. Fox held Theresa's chin. She dropped her gaze.

"Theresa, look at me," Fox said in a firm but gentle manner.

Theresa looked up and felt more tears filling her eyes. "I can't lose you." Fox said quietly. "You are probably one of the most important people in my life." He admitted shakily. "I have never opened up to anyone like I have to you."

Theresa swallowed and felt as though something was lodged in her throat. She said nothing and instead found herself yearning to hear the rest of what Fox had to say. "We have a genuine relationship Theresa. We're such good friends, and we can't just throw away what we have. I know I hid the identity of my mystery woman to you. I know I shouldn't have. I know that you feel betrayed and hurt, and like I've said before, I hurt just knowing that I added to your pain."

Theresa pressed her lips together in an attempt to keep tears pooling in her eyes from falling. She sniffed and blinked rapidly.

"You're special to me, and I care about you." Fox admitted. "That's why I'm here. That's why I want to salvage our friendship. I'm not asking you to forget about what I've done. I'm just asking you to not throw our friendship away as if it was nothing. I'm asking you to give me a chance."

Theresa stepped back and wiped her eyes. "What friendship?" She whispered. "Our friendship was a farce. You were my friend only because you wanted to be with Whitney." She said with quiet bitterness.

"No," Fox shook his head. "No," He said again. "That isn't true, Theresa. I'm your friend because I truly wanted to be your friend. Not because of Whitney."

Theresa sighed. Deep down she knew he was telling the truth.

"I met you first," Fox said walking closer to Theresa. "I didn't even know Whitney existed when I met you. We bonded before I met Whitney. We became closer friends before I thought I~"

"Loved Whitney?" Theresa finished.

Fox nodded. "I didn't use you Theresa. I didn't become friends with you because I wanted to be with Whitney. I became friends with you because I wanted to. I became friends with you because I liked being around you. I liked talking to you, laughing with you- comforting you." Fox said quietly.

"Oh Fox," Theresa said as she allowed the dam of tears to escape. She ran to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. Theresa cried freely as Fox held her close to him.

The familiarity of Fox's embrace comforted Theresa greatly, and the broken shards of their friendship were slowly beginning to be reassembled.