Chapter 3
 

Charity waited on Chad as she gathered her bags, spitting her gum in the trash can she laughed. "Three Points" She said looking up at Chad’s amused face.
"What?" She asked with a huge grin.
"Nothing. Didn’t say a word." He shrugged.
"Let me take care of the room’s. Why don’t you have a seat." Chad suggested.
"Sure whatever." She agreed as she looking around the huge hotel. She was finally free, but she had no clue what to do next. Get a job? That would be a good idea. And new clothes. She thought looking at her simple jeans and dull white shirt. Yes she’d spice things up a bit.
"Charity, we have a slight problem." Chad sighed walking over to her.
"What’s wrong?" She questioned.
"There are no room’s left here. Something about a convention of some kind." He frowned.
"So what now?" Charity asked.
Chad grinned. "Well I happen to have a friend who lives here."
"In town? How do you know people in Texas?" Charity asked confused.
Chad smiled, "Well I knew him back in L.A . He moved here last year. Anyway I called him up and he said we could stay with him." Chad explained.
Charity frowned, "I don’t know him."
"So? Girl, we were good friends, he’s harmless." Chad explained.
"I know. I guess this is all so weird to me. I mean I wanted to be all big and leave home, but now it’s just strange."
"And scary?" Chad questioned.
"Yeah that too." Charity nodded.
"Anyway, since I have no idea where he lives, He said he’d come here and let us follow him."
Charity looked at him and smiled. "Makes sense."
"I think you’ll like Bray. He’s a cool guy. " Chad smiled. "You two should get along great."
Charity laughed. "You think so huh? Well we’ll see." She shrugged.
Chad looked at the girl for a second. Her once perky glow was gone, and her smile was missing that sweetness it once gave out. Her eyes had lost all twinkle, this wasn’t the Charity of Harmony anymore.
"Charity, you’ve changed haven’t you?" Chad asked.
"Gee what gave you that idea?" She asked rolling her eyes.
"You let Miguel do all this to you?" He questioned.
Charity gave him a quick smile then her face went serious. "Oh you mean did he make sweet Charity disappear? Well, it was time Chad. Time for me to figure out who I am. "
"What was wrong with sweet Charity? We all love you like that."
"But look how dumb I was. I let Kay come right in and steal Miguel. Of course he wanted to be stolen or he wouldn’t have went, but still I was clue-less. " Charity shook her head. "No, I’ve got to be stronger, make it on my own."
"Well, just don’t forget who you really are. You’re a sweet person, don’t let that slip away."
"Yes sir." Charity teased.
"I’m going to head to the bathroom. Bray should be here soon." Chad told her.
"Well I’m going to walk outside and wait on you there." Charity said as Chad nodded and walked past her.
Charity smiled and picked up her bag. Things would be different now, she’d forget all about Miguel, and what he had done. New state, new life. That was going to be her new motto. She thought as she suddenly felt a thud and found herself falling to the floor.
"Way to watch where you’re going." She heard a voice say as she looked up.
Hovering over her was a pale skinned, black headed guy with eyes that sparkled blue.
Charity quickly stood up. "Excuse me? You’re the one that ran into me." She said picking her bag back up.
"If you would have been watching where you were going, I wouldn’t have rammed you." He shot back.
"You knew how to move. " She shouted.
"Oh sure blame it on me." He said gazing at her.
"Brayden man you made it." Chad’s voice called out.
Shoving past Charity Brayden walked over to Chad. "Hey man, yeah I just got here." He said smiling.
"This is your friend?" Charity gasped.
"Yeah. So Ya’ll have done met." Chad asked looking back in forth between Charity and Brayden.
Brayden looked at Charity and frowned. "This is the girl you brought with you?" He asked Chad.
"Yeah this is Charity." Chad smiled.
Charity and Brayden looked at each other and at the same time gasped. "No way!"
~*~*~*~*

Theresa looked at the older woman sitting next to her. "I’m glad you came over to watch TV with me." She smiled.
"Well, when your TV goes out just before your favorite soap what choice do you have?" She smiled back.
"Mrs. Hayes you can come watch with me anytime." Theresa told her.
"Thank you dear. I just love this soap opera. Though I must admit it moves at such a slow pace." She frowned.
"Yes, I’ve noticed that. It’s a shame isn’t it?" Theresa said.
"Oh yes. I’ve watched so many soap operas over the years it isn’t funny, but they all seem to move so slow."
Theresa smiled. "But I love the story line here, A young girl falling in love with a rich young man and winning his heart." She sighed.
"But what about all the terrible things she did to win him?" The woman questioned.
Theresa nodded. "She made mistakes, but don’t we all? In the end I think she deserves to win her prince."
"He does love her, but she went about his love all wrong." The woman sighed. "Then again one of my favorite couples on my soaps, has the woman coming from being a stripper into a strong woman and ending up with a rich man who owns his own company. Of course they are broke up now, and she’s working in a different company." She laughed.
Theresa laughed with her, she had wanted company so badly, and just talking to Mrs. Hayes made her feel better. She smiled as the show came on, and it showed the young woman crying after her lies had came out. She missed Chad, and watching any show at all always brought her back to the way he made her feel.
"Dear are you OK?": Mrs. Hayes questioned.
Theresa nodded. "Yes, I’m fine."
"Are you sure?" She questioned.
"Yes, I was just thinking about someone."
"A young man?" Mrs. Hayes questioned.
"Yes. A very special man." Theresa admitted, as a commerical came on her TV.
"I figured that much. Would you mind if I flipped the channel to my other soap opera for a moment?"
"No. Go ahead." Theresa smiled.
Taking the remote Mrs. Hayes flipped over and a image of a young girl and guy came on. Theresa smiled, these must be the teens on the show she sighed. Watching as the young blonde boy talked to the girl about his feelings. The boy was explaining how he didn’t know a lot about relationships, and the girl sat smiling sweetly.
"This is a lovely couple. If the show doesn’t mess them up. I just love watching them. His mom’s a cop, and his father used to be." Mrs.Hayes explained.
Theresa nodded not really listening, her mind was on Chad, and the fact that he still wanted her. But she knew in her heart she was all wrong for him. Messed up from what Ethan and Julian had done to her. Chad deserved someone who wasn’t confused or scared.
"Dear this man, you love him right?" Mrs. Hayes asked.
"Yes of course." Theresa smiled.
"Then what is stopping you from being with him?"
Theresa laughed. "Unlike these show’s on TV, my life is way to real, and confusing. He should be with someone happy and deserving of him. Not with me."
"Theresa, if this man loves you, he’ll love you no matter what. Let him help you. Don’t run away from him. Run to him." Mrs. Hayes smiled.
Theresa wiped a tear. "It just isn’t that simple." She said as she looked at her TV set to see a woman running into a man’s arms. "It’s not that simple." She frowned.