Chad covered her mouth with his, and convinced her not to leave. They were deep into making love and didn’t hear the knock on the door. They only stopped when they heard the scream.

“ OH MY GOD”

Chad and Theresa looked to see Whitney standing in the doorway.

The silence between them was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Theresa’s first instinct was to pull the sheet up to fully cover her. Whitney looked from one to the other..

“ How….why…..”

“ The how should be obvious. Why? Because a man can only be unappreciated and rebuffed for so long, Whitney. Did you REALLY think that I would be alone forever?”, Chad said, with a iciness in his voice.

Theresa looked at Chad, shocked to see this side of him.  Chad continued on.

“ A man can only deal with an Ice Princess for awhile. After that, he needs a woman. A REAL woman – open, unafraid, giving.”

” So, you fuck my best friend.”

” I can’t expect for you to understand my relationship with Theresa.”

” Your relationship? What relationship? How long has this been going on?”

Whitney went up to Theresa, looking for answers.

” Whitney, I…I can explain..”

Theresa didn’t get the chance to get anything else out, because Whitney had slapped her hard.

” You know, I should have known. I should have known. I thought that your love for Ethan was true. But, I should have known. You didn’t love ETHAN Crane…you loved Ethan CRANE. And, since he’s not a Crane, you’ve decided to sleep your way up the food chain. Chad CRANE will fit the bill.”

” That’s not true!”

” The HELL it isn’t, Theresa! You are a golddigging, lying bitch! I should have known better. I saw you take an axe to Gwen’s life. Why would I think it would be different for me, since you wanted what I had.”

” You never had Chad!”, Theresa let slip, the brutal sting of Whitney’s truths ringing in her ears.

” Theresa’s right, Whitney. You never had me. If you REALLY had me, we would have had an open relationship. Instead, it was me chasing after you like a lost puppy. Well, I’ve had enough. I was tired of groveling and I wanted to be with someone that didn’t have to get their arm twisted to be with me!”

” We..we had complications!”

” No. The bottom line is that when the chips were down, you NEVER supported me if it wasn’t convenient. I don’t need anyone that sees me that way. I gave you way more slack than you deserved. “

” Chad, I…”

” Whitney. We’re through. Finished. There’s nothing here for you. You have nothing that I want. “

” You’re going to tell me that you THINK you’re getting what you need from HER? She’s only using you. If your last name weren’t CRANE..”

“ But, I am a CRANE. You’re accusing Theresa of so much, are you here to tell me that you want to be with me. In the open, in front of everyone – INCLUDING YOUR FATHER?!”

Whitney looked down at the floor. “ See, I thought not. Whitney, we weren’t right for one another. You need Daddy’s approval too much. And, I need a woman, not a little girl.”

” But…but, I love you!”

“ You don’t know what the word means. You don’t. You want convenience, Whitney. Love isn’t convenient. It’s hard, harsh, dark more often than not, and it’s tough as hell. You’re not ready for that. Go back to your tennis racket. It’s the only thing you need to keep you warm at night.”

” I….I can’t believe you’re being like this.”

” Like what? I have my own problems. I need people I can depend on. You’re not one of them. It’s over. Goodbye.”

Chad went over to his door and opened it. Whitney walked out, dejected. He slammed the door after her.

Chad let out a sigh of relief when Theresa came over to him and slapped him.

” What was that for?”

” You USED me! You KNEW Whitney was coming, that’s why you ‘distracted’ me. How could you do that to me?”

” Oh come on, Theresa. Grow up.”

” What the fuck do you mean, grow up!”

” You slept with ME, remember? How did you think this was going to turn out? How do you think Whitney was going to feel? Did you think that there was a ‘nice way’ to tell Whitney that her best friend was fucking her boyfriend.”

” Admit it, you USED me!”

” You want me to admit it, I’ll admit it. Yeah, Baby, I used you. I used you to make my point with Whitney. But, let’s get a little quid pro quo here – you used me too.”

” What the..”

” Theresa, I’m not Ethan. You may have loved HIM, but he loved what he THOUGHT you were. He didn’t have a clue as to who you REALLY are. I do. And, that’s ok. Because, bottom line, I know who you are, and I want you anyway. I understand your hunger, Theresa. I understand your fight. I understand the darkness in you. I’m not Ethan. I’m not afraid of it. I can see the truth and take it for what it is. The truth of the matter, is that I had the same blinders on when it came to Whitney. I was as delusional about her as you were about Ethan. “

Theresa felt the tears come down her cheeks. “ So, what, I’m good for you as a Crane fucking buddy. Am I the first in your long line of notches like Daddy Julian has?”

Chad grabbed Theresa and held onto her arms, so fiercely that the sheet fell down from her. She tried to reach down to grab it, but Chad wouldn’t let her.

“ Don’t. Don’t cover yourself.” Chad pulled her into a strong kiss, which she resisted. “You are NOBODY’S notch.  Don’t you get it?! I need you. I’m ashamed of myself. I knew I was using you, yet a part of me said it was the expedient thing, so I did it. I didn’t think I had it in me. But, I did. That ruthlessness. I deliberately planned to hurt Whitney and used you to do it. You were part of my ‘plan’. I guess I am a ‘Crane’. “

” You hurt me.”, Theresa said in a small voice.

” I know. I won’t do it again. I need you, Baby. Almost as much as air.” Chad leaned in and kissed her once more, with passion. This time she didn’t resist. She pulled his robe off of him, and they made love once again, with wild abandon, on the floor. With every kiss and moan, drawing each other deep into a space and time where they surrendered to what overcame them.