Another Tear Falls

[Ezra Cooper]

Ezra's forced smile dropped the moment Alex wasn't looking at him. For a second, he didn't know what he had done. In that second, he didn't know whether he had ruined or saved their friendship and he doubted himself. For once in his adolescent life, he questioned himself and his ability to be Alex's friend.

When she pulled away, the look on her face and consequently the excuse she used to get out of the room had Ezra's heart breaking. She was lying. She didn't want to make it awkward so she was lying. But Ezra couldn't not let her go. So he tacked on a smile and nodded as she promised to do something later.

"Of course. Anything for you, you know that." He went to the edge of the bed and stood up to open the door for Alex. "Hey, things are going to turn out fine, okay?" Ezra reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "He's going to be fine."

[Alexandra Lawson]

'Anything for you, you know that.'

The words resonated through Alex's mind. They'd been spoken before but something was different this time. There was such a weight and depth to them it almost rendered her speechless. She paused, turning slightly to look up at Ezra. She attempted to read his gaze, searching for something, though she didn't know what. What she could pick out was the usual. His adoration, the steadfast insistence that he would always be there for her. It was all there on display for Alex to see.

"Yeah." Was all Alex could respond with. The single word escaped in a hushed whisper as she nodded and turned away. There was too much going on for her to deal with. She needed a release, an escape but her usual source of solace and peace had just stirred something within her she couldn't explain. She nodded once more and lowered her gaze. She reached up to pat Ezra's hand on her shoulder lightly before pulling away and stepping through the open door and into the common area.

Quietly she crossed the room, arms wrapped around her torso. Once she reached her door, Alex cast a short, almost pained glance back to where Ezra had been before twisting the knob and slipping inside. Once she was safely behind the closed door, the tears began to fall again. Her mind was buzzing as it attempted to grasp the myriad of thoughts, emotions and sudden feelings she hadn't expected that blended with her current melancholic heartache.

Alex hurried into her bathroom and turned on the fan. She stifled a low sob and turned her attention to the shower. Within moments she was stepping under the warm stream of water, comforted by the cocoon of the curtain and isolation the steady hiss of the shower offered. Locked away where no one could see, Alex gave in and began to cry. Slowly she sunk to her knees, head bowed as the sobs wracked her body.