No one who is hurt wants to show their broken insides...

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Cameroon raised her violet orbs that sparkled from the tears and out of impulse she hugged Theodore. Surprised by her actions, he remained motionless.

After moments of sniffling, she released him and mumbled, "I'm sorry. I'll just leave."

She was about to turn when Theodore stopped her mid-track, "You can't. It's probably almost midnight."

"Well, I don't know what to do."

"Let me drop you off," Theodore suggested, and with a weak smile, she nodded. Theodore was curious about how she got to that side of the campus, but he didn't want to get involved, so he remained quiet. She followed him to the door of his room and waited for him to come out.

He came out with the keys in his hands and headed for his car with Cameroon. She let herself into the passenger side and relaxed into the seat. She immediately perceived the smell of burnt tobacco and threw a glance at Theodore who was busy putting the keys into the ignition. She ignored the smell and shut the door. Theodore followed suit and relaxed on the seat.

He turned the keys and the engine tried to jerk to life. He tried again and it was fruitless. His eyes darted over to the fuel meter and the arrow was on 'E'.

"Sh*t! How the heck did I forget to put in gas?" He ran his hand through his hair and looked over at Cameroon. She remained quiet and let out a breath.

"What am I going to do now?"

He came out of the car and she did the same. As much as Theodore hated what he was about to suggest, he couldn't let her leave on her own.

"You can stay with me if you want. My roommate isn't around so you can stay on his bed."

She snapped her head to him with risen brows.

"No, thank you." She couldn't bring herself to trust a stranger even if he had saved her.

"Fine. But, you know you don't have many options."

He turned around and ambulated to his door. He knew she was going to agree, after all, she had no choice, but he had to show he didn't care.

In the end, he didn't.

"Wait!" She called out, just as Theodore had expected.

He turned around, blank-faced.

"I'll stay," she mumbled.

He kept an emotionless expression. "Then, follow me."

She stayed on his tail silently and walked into the room with him.

"You can stay on that bed." He pointed to the bed on the left side of the room.

"Thank you." She put her hair behind her ear and sat on the bed.

He nodded his head and threw himself on the bed.

He turned to the other side of his bed and faced the wall. The room remained silent until he heard light sniffles. He turned to the other side and saw Cameroon's head bowed and her hand covering her face. He was clueless on what to say and do, so he remained silent and watched her.

She looked up and wiped her face immediately. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

She stayed quiet and looked at him.

"Everything's alright now, Cameroon." Those were the only things he could say.

"Yeah, thanks to you."

"I think you should go to bed now, it's late," he suggested.

She laid down on the bed after removing her shoes and faced Theodore. She put her hands under her head and shut her eyes. She couldn't even dare to fall asleep; she was scared to relive that horrible moment again in dreamland.

Her eyes fluttered open and she watched Theodore release silent and slow breaths as he laid on his bed.

Then she realized she didn't even know the name of the person that had come to her aid. "What's your name?"

Theodore's eyes opened slowly. He let out a loud breath. He felt that if she had some kind of information about him; even if it was just his name, they could end up being friends or acquaintances at least, and that was the last thing he wanted. But he knew her name and a little voice inside him said it would be only fair if she knew his too.

"Theodore," he replied, blank-faced.

"Okay... Theodore, how can I repay the favor you've done for me?"

He knew that in a feat to 'repay the favor', they would meet again and it could lead to something and that was the last thing he wanted.

Another relationship.

"Don't. Just forget it. You don't need to do anything," he shut it down immediately.

"But I insist that-"

"I said you shouldn't bother," he cut her off in a slightly agitated tone.

"Okay. I'm sorry," she huffed and turned to the wall. Theodore did the same and the room was instantly filled with silence. They remained like that until they both drifted off to sleep.

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Cameroon woke up to the sound of violent tussling. Her eyes shot up and she instantly faced Theodore. She saw him moving violently on the bed with his eyes tightly shut. She stood up and walked over to his bed.

"Theodore." She shook him.

He shot up from the bed and yelled, "Mom!"

He looked around the place, taking loud heavy breaths. Wiping his sweat off, he stabilized his breath. Cameroon stood watching him with sympathy in her eyes and she attempted to place an arm on his shoulder but Theodore flinched it away.

He looked at her and saw the depths of pity she had for him in her eyes and that angered him. He hated being the object of pity and he always made sure he would not be one any time soon.

"Don't pity me. I'm fine. Now you can leave." He kept a scowl on his face as he watched her turn her back to the direction of the other bed.

Without saying a word, she wore back her shoes and picked up her purse, and made a beeline to the door. Just as she was about to turn the doorknob, Theodore's room-mate, Ben, opened the door and saw Cameroon giving him an awkward look. He glanced behind Cameroon and looked at Theodore's slightly sweaty form.

He instantly suspected the worse. "So you finally got laid. Thank God you took my advice."

Cameroon felt blood rushing to her cheeks, but Theodore kept an emotionless expression and responded, "Nothing happened, Ben. Stop saying nonsense and let her leave." He stepped to the side and she walked out, closing the door afterward.

"What was she doing here?" Ben asked.

"Some dude was trying to rape her last night and I saved her. I wanted to drop her off, but my car ran out of gas. So she decided to stay the night," Theodore summarized everything with an expressionless face, as he was getting up.

"Wait, so you're telling me you had a hot chick one step away from your bed and you did nothing?" He asked wide-eyed.

Theodore looked at him and averted his gaze from him by rolling his eyes.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're gay."

Ben plopped down on his bed and spread his body on it.

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