The Girl With No Name // the 100 Wattys 2018!!

Fifteen

Her cheeks were stained with tears. She was in a state of hopelessness. Her grandfather was dying and the doctors wouldn't do anything to help him. They said she didn't have enough credits, and that meant she couldn't get any more antibiotics.

She sat in the observation deck where her, Jasper, and Monty always ran to when they were trying to hide. She hugged her knees and held them close to her chest. All you could hear was the ship's engine and her muffled cries. The only thing she wanted was to be able to help her grandfather.

"T?" Jasper called out. He had been trying to find her all day.

Theresa shrank down, trying to hide behind a piece of junk. Jasper's footsteps moved closer and closer towards her; she knew she had been found. Jasper stopped and took a seat next to her. He didn't say anything.

Jasper wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in close. She leaned her head onto his shoulder. He pulled her face up and looked at her with a small smile on his face. He wiped a tear off of her cheek.

"I hate when you cry," he said.

She sniffles again and wipes her cheeks. "I hate having to just sit back and watch him get worse, J. I don't want to do it anymore," she replied sadly.

He rubbed up and down her clothed arm and leaned into her. "I'm sure you'll be able to figure something out."

She shook her head. "Not this time. The only option I've got could get me locked up in confinement. I can't afford to get locked up, Jasper!" The tears fell and she cried harder.

"I can help you. Monty can help. He works in the botanical gardens. There has to be something in there. I can try to get my hands on some antibiotics!"

"No, Jasper. I'm not going to get you two involved."

"I heard my name," Monty said from the other side of the room. He walked towards Theresa and Jasper. Theresa pushed away from Jasper, and stood up quickly. She rushed for the door, but Monty grabbed her arm.

She wouldn't look at Monty. She refused to let him see her so vulnerable and so distraught. Jasper was different because he was her best friend, she had known him since they were young. Monty meant something else to her.

She didn't care what Jasper thought about her, but all she wanted was Monty's approval. Theresa stared at the floor, attempting to escape Monty's grip. He wrapped his arm around the small of Theresa's back. "Theresa," he said softly, "please look at me."

He only ever called her Theresa when it was serious. Anytime he was angry, or upset, or vice versa, her actual name was used. She stopped trying to get away from him and looked up at him. He frowned; there was no need to ask what the issue was.

All he did was wrap her up in his arms. She clung to him, sobbing into his shoulder. She felt so weak. She hated it.

Monty stood there with her, and Jasper still sat on the ground. Monty broke the hug, but kept hold of her. Wiping her tears, he smiled at her.

"Don't let me catch you crying again. Pretty face like yours doesn't need to cry," he said.

She tried her best to smile.

Monty embraced her again. She felt his lips against her cheek. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

There was no fake smile on Theresa's face now. She backed away. She then leaned in and pressed her lips to Monty's. Monty held her tighter and kissed her back.