Chapter 5: Cracks in the Facade
Roxie refused to give up on Jerry. She saw the pain behind his eyes, the fear of being hurt again. She was determined to reach him, to show him that not everyone would leave.
She continued to work alongside him, her creativity and enthusiasm slowly chipping away at his defenses. Jerry found himself looking forward to their late-night work sessions, his heart racing when she smiled at him.
One night, as they packed up to leave, Roxie touched his arm, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jerry, can I ask you something?"
Jerry's instincts screamed at him to pull away, but he hesitated, his eyes locked on hers. "What is it?"
"Why do you push me away?" Roxie asked, her eyes searching his. "I just want to help, to be your friend."
Jerry's walls began to crack, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't do friends, Roxie. I don't do relationships. I just do design."
Roxie's hand lingered on his arm, her touch sending shivers down his spine. "Maybe that's because you haven't found the right person to design a life with."
Jerry's heart skipped a beat. No one had ever said anything like that to him before. No one had ever looked at him like that.
For a moment, he forgot to push her away. Forgot to be afraid.
Roxie's words hung in the air, a gentle challenge to Jerry's defenses. He felt a crack in his facade, a tiny fissure that threatened to spread.
"I...I don't know what you're talking about," Jerry stammered, trying to step back.
But Roxie's hand remained on his arm, her touch warm and gentle. "Yes, you do," she said softly. "You're afraid of getting hurt again. But I'm not going anywhere, Jerry. I'm here to help you design a life worth living."
Jerry's eyes met hers, his heart racing with a mix of fear and longing. He saw something in Roxie's gaze, something that made his walls tremble.
"Roxie, I..." he began, his voice barely above a whisper.
But before he could finish, his phone buzzed, shattering the moment. Jerry hesitated, then pulled away, his defenses slamming back into place.
"Sorry, I have to take this," he muttered, turning away from Roxie's disappointed gaze.
As he answered the call, Jerry couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just made a mistake. That he'd pushed away the one person who could help him heal.