Do you remember?

Chapter Five

Theo sat in my room as I rambled on and on about my therapy session. Whenever I needed to vent I had to call Theo. There was no one else to call...

Although I was dumping all my problems on him, he had the slightest smile on his face. I sat down on my bed next to him, he put his arm around my shoulders.

"I have been trying to get you to open up to me since second grade. Did you know that?" Theo said almost laughing.

"I'm not sure why. I am not that interesting." I said picking the polish of my nails.

"You are to me..." he whispered.

I wasn't sure if he meant to say it loud enough for me to hear it or not so I ignored it. I got off the bed and began to pace my room. I always had this feeling that Theo liked me more than friends and I couldn't bare to tell him that I didn't feel the same back. We have disregarded the subject for eight years so we can ignore it for longer.

"I need you to look up this name on your dad's police laptop." I said handing him a slip of paper that read Nolan Sanford.

He read it and his expression turned to confusion.

"Please do not ask questions. Just look it up and don't get caught!" I said running my hands through my long brown hair.

"Val, are you doing something illegal!" he laughed.

I faked a smile and a little giggle. He stared at me knowing they were faked. I could tell he was worried about me, everyone was worried about me. I was so sick of crying. I was sick of people people giving me apologies. I was sick of the look that Theo was giving me right now.

"There will come a day when you don't have to fake a smile or a laugh." He said, " I'll look it up when I get home."

Theo was close with Rowan, not as close as Rowan and I were but they were still close. He wasn't showing grief and pain. He seemed almost completely fine and here I am feeling like death. I felt worse than death.

"You always know the right things to say." I said.

"I knew there was a reason you and Rowan kept me around." He said sarcastically.

I sighed, taking a deep breath.

"Do you realize we will never be the 'three musketeers' again." I said my voice cracking.

His head dropped to the floor. His hair covered his face and I couldn't tell if he was crying or not. My heart twisted in pain. I loved Theo, as a friend, and you never want to see your friends hurt. He looked up at me and there were a few tears that escaped his eyes. I hugged him, beginning to cry myself.

"People expect me to be strong..." he said quietly.

"I know... but you don't have to be here. Lord knows I haven't been." I whispered back.

Theo was always there for me. I mean ALWAYS there for me. He never missed a lacrosse or field hockey game even if it was freezing outside. He was always there to pick up the pieces after a fight. He was always there when I needed advice about boys, which was probably excruciating for him. Honestly, I have no idea why he has stuck around so long. All he did was give me his heart and I threw him back out when I no longer needed him for help. But this time, it would be different. I no longer had my soul sister and he is closest thing I have left to a best friend. I needed him more than I ever had before. I needed him to just be there, not as something I can discard after I'm done with but as my best friend. He was always there to help me in my breakdowns and it was nice to be there for him during one of his.