They felt the bus jerk to a stop and broke apart, both of them had wide eyes, but in Resa's, there was shock. She never thought D wanted her like that. They had been friends for so long, actually best friends. But, as she stared into his eyes, she realized that shock wasn't in his. And that could really only mean a few things. None, of course, that she wanted to dwell on right now. Without thought, Resa grabbed her purse and ran off the bus, not glancing back to see if anyone followed.
After that, she really needed to get away and clear her head. She had told D she was leaving, and she really couldn't think of any good reason to stay. Her mind was actually running over the same things. And…that damn kiss only made things so much worse.
"Theresa!" She swiped at her tears, ignoring the voice behind her. She wanted nothing to do with any of them. She cried out and swung out at the chest that was before her.
"Let me go!"
"No, stop!" His arms encircled her and he pulled her against him. Her anger slowly left, her heart all of a sudden getting poured out and onto his white shirt. "Shhh sweetie." He ran his hand over her hair, resting his head on hers. He knew she needed this, hell, she needed so much more. And that's when he knew he had to betray every code of man rule and friendship rule and bro rule; he had to tell her; or that was if she asked.
He, like all the other guys, had been lying to her. It was time, past time, she learned the truth. It didn't take a mind reader to see what happened on the bus. It was written on D's face, and by Resa's action, well, yeah, he guessed. And as she quieted down, he lifted his head; saw the busses were nowhere in sight and that he had chased her pretty far. He waved Q off and finally glanced down at his friend.
"Thank you." She pulled back a bit and wiped her eyes, staring at his now brown and black shirt, thanks to her makeup.
"No need for thanks. It was crazy to run off like that. You know better than that Resa."
"I know. But I had to get away. I still do." He kept his arm around her waist and started walking her down the street.
"I figured that time was coming up."
"Why do you say that?"
"I've been watching you. You're…not the same. I mean from the previous tours. This isn't the Resa that we all know." She paused and stared at him, a slow smile creeping up.
"One day Nick, you're gonna meet the right woman, and she's gonna tie you down. And you, you're gonna love it, and her, so much, that you will treat her like the queen she is." He cracked up at that and took her hand.
"Yeah, well, who's gonna wanna deal with me and all my issues?"
"Wait, that's a good point." He laughed all the more and opened the door to a small little bar for her. "I don't want to get drunk."
"Who said anything about getting drunk? You just seem on edge and I thought one drink might help. And besides, you might open up a little to me." He sat down and glanced at her as she sat down across from him.
"Open up about what?" She glanced up as the waitress walked over. "Um, how about a Jack on the rocks?"
"A Corona for me." Once she left, Nick looked at Resa. "Jack huh?"
"Let's just say Alex got me hooked." Nick nodded, leaning back against the bench back.
"Resa?" She licked her lips and looked up at him. "What do you know about Kris?" Theresa gave a smart ass chuckle at that.
"Honestly, it would appear, not much of anything."
"What's that mean?"
"Well, like Alex." Nick flinched at the biting tone in her voice. "She never once told me that she was friends with him. Even way back when. She has never told me about her near accidents or the times she been in the hospital. She never told me she grew up in Orlando." Nick nodded his head, rather amazed, for those were some simple facts that he thought best friends should know.
"Was that it?"
"Oh no. I found out a whole lot more crap the day that I had lunch with Denise and her. And that's part of why I left. That and the fact that I felt very much like a third wheel."
"I figured. You were gone for quite some time and had quite a few people worried." She waved it off and shrugged, then took a sip of her drink, her fingers playing with the glass.
"Nick?" He took a swig of his drink, feeling like she was on the brink of asking him.
"Yeah?"
"Did Alex tell you what happened in Hawaii? Better yet, did he tell everyone? Am I the laughing stock of the group because I'm the only one who doesn't know?"
"First of all, you are not the laughing stock. The only one who we laugh at is Alex."
"You laugh at him, why?"
"Because of how he is; how much of a fool he is being." Resa took another sip of her drink.
"You didn't answer my first question, though." Nick sighed and took another deep swig and then leaned forward on the table.
"Yes, he did tell us what happened. And yes, everyone knows." Resa nodded, her stomach twisting at the thoughts rolling through her mind. She had been asking this question plenty of times and yet no one had opened up. Yet, this was different. It really seemed like Nick wanted to open up. So, she took a breath and he could see the question in her eyes.
"Nick, what really happened? And please, don't you dare bull shit me. I really can't take that anymore."
"I wasn't going to. I'm only sorry that it's me telling you and not the man that's your fiancé." Nick took another breath and finally looked deep into her eyes, his heart breaking for her, and he knew there was no way to sugar coat this or make this easy to hear. "When Alex came back, and we all went to lunch, he told us he was confused. And that he really wanted our advice on this matter. See, he had run into an old friend, his very first love in fact, and some of those old feelings came back." Nick paused and took her hands, seeing the pain in her eyes, and he hadn't even gotten to the painful part yet. "What he said next, he made us promise not to tell you, that he would, when he felt he could. He told us that he had slept with Kris and that being with her was feeling like he was home. But no matter what happened, he still loved you."
"Loved me? No, that Alex never loved me."
"Theresa, that's not true…"
"No Nick, THAT Alex never loved me. The star that is Alex might have loved me, but her Alex and my Alex are not the same man. Alex has always wanted to be free. And he did find freedom with her and in her arms." Nick sat back again, finally understanding why this was so confusing for Alwx, she was right.
The silence stretched on for a few minutes, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Granted, those thoughts were pretty much the same. Nick finally cleared his throat and Resa took the final swig of her drink.
"I'm gonna leave Nick. I need to think, to clear my head and my heart. I…I don't know what to do. But I'm begging you; don't say a word that I know. Or that we talked about this."
"Where are you going?" Resa got up and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you, for everything."
"Resa, wait, where are you going?" Nick quickly got up and raced after her, but all he saw was the darkness. He glanced both ways and then shook his head. Resa really wanted no one to know where she was going.