Chapter 1
 
 

She smiled as she puffed in her small cigar letting the warm air hit her face. This was her rebellion , and she knew it would be the first of many. Charity laughed as she saw Miguel walk by, his eyes
gazing toward her as she put the cigar back to her mouth. She liked the sweet taste of the tiny little thing, the smoke its self didn’t do much for her, but she did love the smell. She brought it toward her face and looked at it. She personally found the shape to be ‘cute’. Shaped just like a cigarette, though that was one thing she’d never try, the smell was just too much for her. She saw Miguel turn and look back again before he finally walked up to his new girlfriend and kissed her cheek.
"I hope you’re happy Kay. You won." She sighed as Kay and Miguel walked off toward a park bench hand in hand.
"Now what’s the point in that thing?" A voice behind Charity questioned. Turning around she saw Chad Harris looking at her, a confused look on his face. "Girl just what are you doing?" He asked again.
Charity grinned, "Smoking." She answered bluntly.
"Since when?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Couple of weeks ago. It’s just a little cigar." She reasoned.
"They are worse that cigarettes I hear." He shot back.
Charity nodded and looked back toward Miguel and Kay, who were now sitting on a bench not far away. Miguel’s face worried.
"It got to him." She smiled.
Chad looked in the direction of Miguel and Kay and shook his head. "So that’s the point of it huh? Getting to Miguel?"
"You got it." Charity said putting what was left of the sweet cigar back to her mouth. ."
"So you’re going to kill yourself to get back at him? Way to go Charity." Chad spoke looking at Charity with eyes of worry.
"Chad it’s nothing really. I’ve had the same pack for two weeks and I’ve only smoked three, chill." Charity said throwing down the cigar and stepping on it.
Chad threw his hand’s up. "Fine have it your way."
"Thank you." Charity smiled in victory. "Now what are you doing here anyway? I heard you had left to find your lady love." She said moving her blonde hair behind her ear.
"She ran again." He sighed. " She wants nothing to do with anyone in Harmony." He frowned and looked down at the ground.
"You’ll get her back. I mean You already lost Whitney to tennis, loosing another woman in the same year, that’d be almost as bad as my life." She said chewing her lip.
"She was just hurt so bad by that low life. I hate that man." Chad growled.
"Julian Crane?" Charity questioned?
Chad nodded. "And then Ethan up and ran off with Gwen. I guess after our fight she just can’t trust anymore."
"Theresa is a strong person, give the girl time. She has to be smarter than Miguel." Charity laughed, trying her best to hide the hurt she was feeling.
" I love that woman. Why can’t she just see that? " Chad questioned more so to himself instead of Charity.
Charity shook her head. She knew Theresa and Chad had been dating, for around 5 months she thought, and from what she had heard before Miguel left her, Chad and Theresa had gotten into a horrible fight over Theresa’s fear of commitment. After Julian Crane had attempted to drug her and marry her she was afraid. But Charity knew Theresa’s fear also stemmed from Ethan running off with Gwen. What woman in her right mind wouldn’t be scared to death of men after that Charity shuddered.
"Look don’t give up on her. If you love her, give her time." Charity said letting her voice sink back into sweet Charity mode.
Chad smiled. "That’s what I plan on doing. But I’ve gotta find out where’s she at. No one’s talking, her mother, Luis, no one." Chad frowned.
Charity looked over at the bench that held her once loving boyfriend, and her back stabbing cousin. "What if I can find out where she’s at?" Charity said a smile lighting up her face.
Chad let out a grim laugh. "Miguel isn’t your boyfriend anymore, you really think he’ll talk?" Chad asked.
"He want’s to be my friend. Say’s it’s important. Let me try Chad." Charity asked again.
Chad stood silent for a moment then nodded his head slowly, "Go for it." He finally said sighing.
Charity gave him a small grin, "Thank you." She said as she turned away from Chad to head toward her Ex and her cousin.
She took a deep breath as the got closer to the pair, who we’re gazing into each other’s eyes.
"Miguel." Charity said sweetly, but his attention was still focused on Kay. "Hey Miguel." Charity suddenly yelled.
"Huh what? " He asked looking up at her.
"I need to talk to you" She said pausing looking toward Kay. "Alone." She finished.
Kay looked up at Charity and rolled her eyes. "Can’t give up Charity?" She asked.
Charity held back the urge to slap Kay and forced a smile, a very small smile. " I just need to talk with him. It’s very important. It’s about Theresa." She finally added.
Miguel stood up as he heard his sister’s name. "Let’s walk over by the tree." He said looking down at Kay he frowned. "It will just take a moment Kay." He said as she nodded in a huff.
Charity looked at Miguel and swallowed. "Do you know where Theresa is?" She questioned.
"Yes. But I can’t tell anyone." He told her.
Charity lowered her head and then looked back up, "Miguel please, it’s very important."
Miguel looked over at Chad who was pacing. " You want to tell him, don’t you? Chad wants to know."
Charity bit her lip, "No, I want to warn her. Tell her that he’s trying to find her." Charity lied.
"I’ll do that." Miguel said firmly.
"Miguel, I am the one that talked to him. Just give me her address, I’ll writer her a letter and tell her what he said. Look its the least you can do for me."
"Since when do you care about my sister?" He questioned.
Charity sighed, What now? What did she say to him now. "Well, I have a message for her. And Chad trusts only me with it. " She lied again. She knew her excuses made no sense, but she was hoping since this was Miguel she was talking to, she could get Theresa’s address out of him.
"I don’t know." Miguel said frowning.
"Oh please. It means a lot to Chad. And he’s been really nice to me. I promise I won’t tell him where she’s at Miguel. And you know I’d never lie." She smiled sweetly batting her eyes at him.
"Well OK." Miguel smiled. "You have a pen and paper on you?" He questioned.
Charity grabbed her purse from her shoulder and handed him paper and pen. " Thank you Miguel." She cooed.
After jotting down the information Miguel smiled. "Here ya go."
Charity let out a smile laugh. "Thanks Miguel." She said as she turned and ran back to Chad.
Chad looked at her carefully as she came back. "So?" He questioned.
"I got it." She chirped.
"Really? So where is she? Where’s my girl?" Chad asked smiling, his eyes shining.
"Not so fast. There’s one thing you need to know first." She laughed.
"What?"
"Well, I’ll give you the address, but I’m going with you." She grinned.
"You’re what? Charity are you crazy?" Chad gasped.
Charity let out a laugh. "No. I’m getting out of this place Chad. I’m starting over somewhere new."
"Fine. Just tell me where Resa is." Chad said giving up without a fight.
"I haven’t even looked at the paper." She laughed looking down her eyes got large then she smiled. "Pack your bags Chad. Looks like we’re heading to Texas." She told him as he gasped.