Chapter Eight: Raking Up The Past

"He REALLY stepped in front of you after that guy was harassing you?" asked an amazed Jamie Valentine.

"Yep." Caria said brightly.

"Oh, that's SO romantic!" Jamie said in awe.

Sitting in her hotel room, Caria and Jamie were talking with each other on the phone discussing about the night before.

Caria laughed at her best friend's remark. "Jamie he was just protecting me from an asshole that's all."

"Admit it, it was just a SMIGE cute." the Toronto native teased.

"Okay, hold on lemme think about that --- No." Caria said sarcastically. "Been down that road, don't want to go there again."

She looked back at her life when that horrible day dawned on her...

Flashback...

It was just another ordinary day, or that's what she thought it to be. The first week of summer in the city of Prescott and Caria started her new job, but it was extremely stressful. Though hopefully seeing her boyfriend would make her a little more happy.

The twenty one-year-old pulled her car into his driveway. Music played inside of the house and could be heard from a certain distance.

Caria rolled her eyes and giggled softly. Ryan always had his music pumped up. She turned the key off and let the engine die. She buried her heys into her pocket and got out.

Walking up, she figured that it would be fine if she would just walk in. Caria placed her hand on the knob and turned it. To her most fears, as she looked inside the house, she saw what she'd hope never would happen.

Blue eyes widened at the sight of his girlfriend standing at the door in shock. He grabbed the nearest blanket on the couch to cover up his exposed body.

In disgust, she ran outside to her car. Caria slammed the door in anger and hatred. She heard it opened up and Ryan's voice called after her. She just ignored it.

Caria's head shot in his direction, her eyes blazed with venom. She looked down at her hand and ripped the diamond ring that he gave her for her birthday off and tossed it to the ground.

"You mean nothing to me!"

End Flashback

"Caria...? Caria, you there?"

Jamie's voice zapped her back to reality.

"Sorry, where were we?" Caria caught back on.

"Talkin' about Jeff." Jamie told her.

"Oh yeah...I don't want to have another relationship with another guy. After my last one crashed, I've given up on love. I already had this talk with Amy." Caria said.

"When was your last relationship?" Jamie asked.

"Two years ago..." Caria muttered.

"And you don't think it's time to move on?" Jamie said.

"I'm just scared to put my heart on the line. I don't want to deal with another painful break-up." Caria said softly biting her lip.

"Hun, sometimes you got to take another chance after many blows. Take it from someone who's lived through it before." Jamie said. "Jeff's my best guy buddy. And he's not really a bad person."

"I know he's not, but I don't want to start anything with him. But right now, I just want to be friends. We are still just getting to know each other."

"You're right." Jamie said. "Give it time."

A/N: Well her friends are convincing her, but what will Caria do? Stay tuned and please review!

- Wicked