I had been home for only about 30 minutes when I had recieved a phone call from Cheri. I was shocked at first that she was calling me, but then it turned to worry when I answered and her voice sounded rough, as if holding back anger, or maybe tears.

She didn’t say much, just that I needed to come back to their apartment. She said it was urgent and that was how I found myself pulling up outside. Cheri was sitting on the side walk, looking like she’d been crying. She stood and made her way to me as I got out of the car. She bombarded me with questions as soon as I shut the door to my car.

"I need to know how you expect things to be with Spencer. I need to know why she thinks that she should help you when you weren’t there to help her. I want to know why you think you should get off so easy . . . "

"Hold up a damn minute. Where is all this coming from?" I held out my hand, motioning for her to shut up.

"Spencer and I got into it. About you. It’s the biggest fight we’ve ever had. So I need to know. Everything." she stated and she looked torn up about what went on between her and Spencer. She glanced back toward the front door.

"What happened after I left?" I demanded. Everything had been fine.

"I went to talk to Spencer, because to be honest with you, I don’t like you and I wanted to let her know that I thought she was making things to easy for you."

"I agree with you there. She is and I wish she wouldn’t. And you have every right to hate me. I’d hate anyone who treated Spencer the way I did. I guess that’s why I hate myself." I said, not knowing why I was so ready to open up to Cheri of all people. Especially after her tyrade that had obviously hurt Spencer.

"Thank you. I knew you didn’t want it this way. Spencer can’t see it."

"Look, Spencer will do what Spencer wants to do. I can’t stop her. That’s why, since she won’t be tough, I have to be. I’m always going to regret what I did, and I guess being hard on myself is my way of evening things out, because I know I’m always harder on myself than Spencer would ever think of being. But things will never be even, no matter what I put myself through. In my eyes, I’ll never be enough for her. She deserves so much better than me."