Her Side
Topanga was sitting on her bed when her roommate came in.
"What's the matter, Angela?" She put her arms around her friend. "Did someone hurt you?"
"Shawn slept with another girl," Angela said. "She's having his baby."
Topanga looked at Angela carefully. "Our Shawn?"
"Yep," Angela replied, wiping off her face. "I should have known he's just like every other guy."
"But he's not," Topanga protested. "He'd never try to hurt you."
"Well, it's too late for that," she added, laughing off the insanity of the situation. "You know, I was sitting on his couch when she called. I should have known. God, I can't believe I didn't realize it then." Angela's eyes began to well up with tears again.
"Don't blame yourself, for any of this," Topanga said softly.
Angela nodded, but right now she was so desperate for advice, that she would have agreed to anything the girl said.
"What did Shawn say? About everything, I mean." Topanga walked over to her bedside table, and retrieved a box of tissues. She handed them to Angela.
"Said it meant nothing, of course," Angela replied, blowing gently into the tissue. "Told me he loved me."
"Did he mean it?"
"I don't know," Angela answered, falling back onto the bed. "I would have believe him once. He said he'd never lie to me. But he kept the truth about his visit from me, and I don't know if I could ever trust him again."
"What did you say to him, when he told you?"
Angela sighed. "I don't remember. I ran away so quickly..." Her voice trailed off as she stared intently at the ceiling.
"It sounds to me like you haven't finished talking," Topanga concluded.
Angela shot up. "What else is there to talk about, Topanga? Our relationship is over, and you know it. How could you possibly even suggest that?"
"Listen, when Cory went behind my back with Lauren, I thought at first I could never forgive him. It took me a long time to get over."
"Topanga, staying up the whole night talking is forgivable. Even a kiss is forgivable. But sex, it's not just something I can erase from my head."
"Angela, if this helps at all, we both know that Shawn is far more..." She paused, searching for the word. "physical than Cory. Perhaps he was just conveying his emotions in a different way."
"What was he trying to 'convey', do you think? Because I know it has nothing positive to do with me." Angela threw the tissue down on the floor.
Topanga did not respond.
"Why did you decide to go back to Cory?" Angela asked more calmly, reaching down and stuffing the tissue in her pocket.
"I had to decide which was more important- Cory's mistake or our love. Ultimately, that's what you'll have to do." Topanga got up and left the apartment.
