“Carmen!” Shane yelled, practically jumping out of the jeep. Carmen looked away, trying to hide the pain in her eyes, quite unsuccessfully. She flung open her car door and tried to get in when she felt strong arms wrap around her waist. The tears were in her eyes immediately. The only problem was she didn’t know if they were tears from hurt or anger. So she froze, not knowing how to handle the situation. She felt Shane bury her face in her neck, and the tears fell. The memories of their closeness, of seeing Shane as just Shane: a living, breathing, wall-less entity that just happened to be trapped in the most gorgeous body in the world.

“Get off of me.” She whispered softly, her voice with an obvious edge despite it’s volume. Shane didn’t move, she just hugged her tighter.

“I thought I told you to get off!” She said sharply, pushing Shane off of her. Carmen turned to look at her former lover and saw the tears streaming down her cheeks, and she softened slightly.

“Please, baby.” Shane whispered, wanting to get everything off her chest, get it all out in the open so that maybe, just maybe the healing could begin and she could have her Carmen, and her life, back. But the words worked adversely for Shane. Carmen stiffened at the word “baby”.

“You’re not my girlfriend anymore, Shane!” Carmen yelled, suddenly unaware that people were walking and driving down the street and could hear all of their business. All of a sudden, she wanted them to hear. Because maybe if everyone heard and saw it happen, they’d finally believe that it was true. Maybe she’d finally realize it was real.

“You remember what I said to you that time when Veronica called you? About me not kissing your ass forever? Well, it’s happened. I’m not kissing your ass anymore. You hurt me! Badly! And, I’m pissed because I should have seen it coming. I mean, you asked me, and I knew I knew you didn’t really want it, that you were still just freaked out by all the cheating, and you were scared of losing me because you didn’t pop the question! I knew it!!! But I realized that with all the shit going on the cheating, the breaking of trust, all that shit, I realized that you were slowly building up all the walls I knocked down when we were together, and I was losing you. I mean, it was even getting to the point where we couldn’t have sex, Shane! The last time you touched me was the night after I told you and even then you barely let me touch you! Do you know how frustrating that was? And I just thought that maybe if we got married, I could salvage our relationship, but you threw away my last scrap of hope, and now… I’m done.” She turned and got into her car, the tires squealing as she pulled away, leaving Shane standing in the middle of the street crying with half of West Hollywood staring at her.