Chapter Two

Charity popped a piece of bubble gum in her mouth and looked at Chad. "You look nervous." She said sitting back in the rental car. He nodded at her. They hadn’t talked much on the plane ride, partly because Chad was so nervous and because Charity had read the whole time. This was a new life for her. And she was going to make the best of it.
"So what did you tell Grace and Sam?" Chad asked gazing toward her as she popped a bubble.
"That I needed a change. Didn’t really say much, didn’t have to. I think they understand." She explained reaching to get the CD case that was sitting near her.
"I figured Grace would be upset." Chad stated watching as Charity looked at her CD’s.
"She hugged me and cried. But she knows I hate Kay now, and it’s best if I’m far away from Kay or Miguel. So she didn’t argue. " Charity shrugged.
"And you’re not going to miss them? Your aunt and Sam?" He asked.
Charity frowned. "Yeah. But I can’t stay in Harmony. I don’t belong there. It’s Kay and Miguel’s home. Not mine. All I asked was that they not say anything to Kay and Miguel until Miguel read the letter I left him And they agreed." She finished.
Chad nodded, "So you have any good music in that thing?" He asked peering at her CD’s.
She smiled. "Yeah. But I’m not sure you’ll like it. "
"Try me." He laughed.
"I’ve got Journey, REO Speedwagon, Oh and Chicago. Well among other’s." She finished.
"Classic Rock? You’re into Classic Rock?" Chad asked shaking his head.
"Yeah. Well I have a few country CD’s and some pop. Nothing you’d be into I’m sure. " She grinned.
"Pop? " He questioned. "Girl tell me you’re not into all those boy bands." He laughed.
"Don’t mess with my O-Town, Chad. Don’t ever mess with them." Charity said looking down at a CD in her hand.
Chad just laughed at her, "If you say so. You like what you like. We’re all different."
Charity popped a CD in the car’s CD player and smiled as a song began to play.

Words like love and happiness
Never see to stand up baby
When you put them
To the test, yeah
You say that you’re a poet
That your love’s a work of art
But you can’t play love
By numbers baby
You gotta play it all by heart

Chad looked at Charity who was happily singing along while chewing her bubble gum. He didn’t want to admit that he liked this song. But the beat was good, and it was more rock than pop.

"So?" Charity laughed as she mouthed the word’s smiling. "baby baby baby baby. It happens all the time."
She sung wanting for him to answer her.
"It’s not too bad." He grinned words of the song flowing all in the car. He was listening to a boy band, and he almost liked it.

Charity turned it up as the middle of the song hit. "I love this." She laughed.

Honesty
Bites the dust
Every time I hear you saying
Love is never lust yeah
Did you read it in a book
Did you see it in a magazine

Do you think that I'm
Some new age fool?
Do you think I'm so naive

Charity almost yelled the last part. Almost as if she was singing to Miguel. ‘Do you think I’m so Naive Miguel?’ She thought repeating the words of the song in her head. No she wasn’t Naive, and soon everyone would see that.

Chad laughed. "Girl you hit that one high." He smiled understanding just where her anger was coming from. The girl had just been hurt. Lost the man she loved. She had reason to sing song’s like this in a yell. In fact she had good reason to go back to Harmony and let Miguel have it. Who could blame her anyway. He thought looking over at Charity as she moved her head with the song. She was still singing, happy just to be far away from Harmony. By now Chad was hoping the song would just end. Sure it had beat, and the voice’s were good, but it had been on long enough for him

Charity laughed and looked at Chad. "It’s almost over. Here’s my part." She said singing...

And if you
Call that love
Then all it was
Was a pocketful of nothing
But a suicidal love
If you call that love
Then love
Should be a crime

Charity finished with the song, totally hostile at the end then she sat back looked at Chad and laughed. "That was refreshing." She stated as Chad stopped the car.
"We’re at the hotel." He said smiling.
"It’s about time." She said taking out her CD.
"So you’re really starting over here?" He asked.
"Yeah. And you’re going to find Theresa and work things out." She said slapping him on the arm.
"I hope so anyway." Chad frowned.
"You will. Stop worrying or I’ll make you listen to more boy band music. I have Nsync. " She smiled.
Chad jumped out of the car and laughed. "Fine, you win. Everything is going to be OK." He said slamming the car door.
Charity smiled as she opened her door. "Yeah everything’s going to be just fine." She sighed.
~*~*~*~

Theresa tossed on the couch as another nightmare flooded her sleep.
"Theresa my little tulip, don’t you want to be my bride." A drunk Julian slurred.
"No. Please stay away from me." She yelled.
"Come now my dear, Ethan has left you, you have only me." Julian laughed grabbing at her.
"No! I hate you. I told you I hate you." She screamed trying to run.
"It’s just us now Theresa. You WILL marry me." Julian told her as she ran toward a door.
"No one can save you. Just give in." He said his laughing echoing in her mind.
Theresa began to sob, " I will never marry you. Ever." She said turning around as a image of Ethan and Gwen appeared.
"Marry him Theresa. He’s all you have left." Gwen sighed looking up at Ethan.
"Yeah I don’t want you." Ethan laughed.
"Please no!" Theresa yelled.
Suddenly she bolted from the couch still feeling the fear of her dream . "Oh God make them stop." She cried as the phone rang.
"Hello?" She said weakly into the phone.
"Resa you all right?" Miguel’s voice questioned.
Theresa took a deep breath . "Yeah just woke up. What’s going on?"
"Chad wants to find you. I thought you should know."
Theresa felt her heart beat harder. "He can’t Miguel You didn’t tell him where I was did you." She asked.
"No of course not. I’m not stupid. But he is looking for you. The guy seems to love you."
Theresa gulped." Look tell him I don’t want to see him Miguel. It’s over." She said.
"Sure listen I’ve got to go. Mama said Charity left me a letter and I need to go read it." Miguel said hanging up the phone.
Theresa sat up on her couch and pulled her legs to her body. "Chad you can’t find me. You deserve better than loving someone like me" She cried rocking herself back and forth.

~*~*~*~

Back in Harmony

Miguel opened the letter that Charity had left him. He had no idea why Charity would write him a letter unless she wanted him back.

Miguel,
This is goodbye. I’m leaving town for good. I don’t know what to say to you but I knew I had to say something. I always thought I knew you, but I guess I didn’t. Funny how you figure things like that out at the end. I did love you Miguel but that doesn’t matter does it? Anyway I’m starting over, I’m going to become someone I can be proud of. One day I’ll be back, just so you can see the real me, and when I do come back, remember you can’t change what you’ve done. It’ll be to late then Miguel. I hope you and Kay get EVERYTHING you two deserve. And I do mean EVERYTHING!!! You two really are perfect for each other Miguel, I don’t know why I didn’t see that before. Anyway my quest for a new life has begun. I guess I should wish you well Miguel, but I can’t. Not after what you’ve done to me. See, sometimes in life you can’t go back and fix your mistakes, and Miguel I now see you as a mistake. I can’t fix it, but I can make sure it never happens again. You taught me a lesson Miguel. On love and heartache. Well Miguel, I hope you get taught that same lesson someday, and knowing my cousin like I do, I really believe she’ll teach it to you. Anyway thanks for the memories Miguel.

Charity

Miguel finished reading the letter and sighed. "I hope she didn’t leave town because of me." He muttered as he raked in hand into his hair. " I still wanted to be friends."