[cashewmanz]

Eric stood in shock for a moment before going back home. Several days later, he was sitting in the near empty theater watching Jane rehearse scenes over and over. He sat in silence at her talent ad the day went on.

[TheDyingDay]

On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him til morning...

Jane sang softly, she remembered the time when she sang to Eric, she paused, blinking back the tears as she remembered him laughing, however she continued to sing, nearing the end, her tears were streaming down her face.

I love him...
I love him...
But only on my own...

She bit her lip, she then decided to keep her act up and bowed on the stage.

[cashewmanz]

Eric clapped after her performance and lifted himself out of his seat to go find Jane once the rehearsal was over. Back in her dressing room again he knocked on the door.

"Hey Jane, great work out there today! You're getting better and better!" He groaned as he lowered himself into a seat.

[TheDyingDay]

"Los Tonto es el señorito no?" he heard a woman's voice, it was Richard and his girlfriend talking to Jane, she signed, "No, simplemente despitados so, señora." was the return, Richard chuckled "Él ni siquiera recuerda?", a short pause and a voice so hesitant replied, "Si....que no recuerda Ricardo." she mumbled as she blew her nose, the three were at the far back of the dressing room, Richard was letting Jane rest her head on his shoulder while his girlfriend sat near him.

Translation:
Los Tonto es el señorito no - The gentleman is stupid no?
No, simplemente despitados so, señora. - No, just so clueless ma'am.
Él ni siquiera recuerda? - He does not even remember?
Si....que no recuerda, Ricardo - Yes...he does not remember, Richard.

[cashewmanz]

"Heh...yeah!" Eric tried to act confident despite not knowing any language apart from English. "Hey, great work out there everyone" he said hoping they'd speak English if he engaged all of them.

[TheDyingDay]

Richard shot a look at Eric, "Oh...I'm sorry but Jane needs us right now." he said coldly, gently ruffling his friend's hair, Richard's girlfriend however stood up. "I'll talk with Hanson." she said getting up, she took Eric by the hand and pulled him outside. "Hanson, what the hell are you trying to pull?" she asked in a low voice.

[cashewmanz]

"Pull? What the hell are you talking about?" Eric looked in her eyes and could see he'd find no sympathy there, just as he had with Richard. Small wonder they were involved. "It's been years since college. Years! Is it hard to believe I've changed? That I was a drunken, immature son of a bitch as an undergrad? I'm different now and I want different things. And I'm trying to make amends. Why is that so suspicious?"

[TheDyingDay]

She rolled her eyes, "Because you made the same excuse and did a Carrie stunt on Jane at her twenty-first birthday, when she invited you." she said, "And besides, you said 'Heh, yeah.' at our conversation a while ago." she added before shoving him off and going back to Jane who was now kissing the hand of an elderly woman who was clearly blind, her mother, while a young man stood beside Jane, embracing her and whispering something to her enough to make her face redden.

[cashewmanz]

"I'm sorry I'm not bilingual like the rest of you!" Eric just sat back down and waited. He'd forgotten about that trick he played on Jane. "I'm an idiot. I'm dirt and scum and the lowest of the low," he muttered to himself. "And when I try to make amends I get shot down. Why not just let Jane hear me out and decide for herself?" He wondered, "it's her life, not their's."

[TheDyingDay]

"Because they worry for me." a voice said, it was Jane, "To be honest I don't mind is being friends." she said smiling, the young man was with her, his pal blue eyes shining curiously, "Richard and Maya...they don't trust my decisions, I'm too innocent." she said smiling, the young man cleared his throat, "So you're the Eric my Janie was talking about." he said smiling, "I'm Jean, you know I heard a great deal about you from my beloved's friends."

[cashewmanz]

"Beloved?" Eric repeated, taken aback by the choice of words. "And I'm sure you've heard plenty. And plenty of it is true, as unfortunate as that is but it was a long time ago, you see." He felt weird already defending himself to this character. "So you're Jane's...what, boyfriend?"

[TheDyingDay]

"You could say that, but she still won't say yes." he said as he kissed her cheek playfully making Jane laugh, "Don't worry, I trust you'd be more mature by now." Jean said, he paused, "Hey, me and Jane are wondering if you'd like to help us with something, of course it might not be your thing but you know, just hoping."

[cashewmanz]

"I see..." Eric trailed off, confused and a little let down by Jean's words. "Sure," he resolved to sound happy, "what could you use help with?"

[TheDyingDay]

Jane smiled, "Well, we were starting a charity for orphans and we were hoping if you could come with us, we, you know, Richard, Maya, Jean and me, were hoping if you'd like to help with this." she said hopefully.

[cashewmanz]

"Charity? I'd have to be heartless to say no, wouldn't I? I just hope you don't expect me to do much physical labor. I can't do much in my current condition," he said with a hint of disappointment.

[TheDyingDay]

Jane smiled and kissed Eric gently on the lips, she pulled back and giggled, "Thank you."

[cashewmanz]

Eric blushed obviously and looked at her, "you're...you're welcome!"

[TheDyingDay]

Jane smiled, "Fun fact, Jean is my brother." she said winking before running off, Jean laughed guiltily, "Took after dad and thought I'd try out my acting on you." he said shrugging and walking away.

[cashewmanz]

"Broth--what? Brother!?" Eric hadn't felt this embarrassed in years, but he followed them along just the same. "You certainly had me me fooled...guess you're a good actor!"

[TheDyingDay]

Jean laughed, "Yeah, I just act on small roles though. I am not fond of the limelight." he said shrugging as he followed Jane, he smiled, "Listen, Eric, I believe my sister, you're still good, but the others don't. How about you try to fix your wrongs?"