After 4 | ✓

Chapter 9

Tessa's POV:

"Mom, I should restore the greenhouse, what you say?" I ask. It will keep me busy and prevent my mind wondering about Hardin all the time.

"Yeah, you should do that. And maybe Heather can help, right Heather?" My mother ask the little girl. She's the daughter of, who's she dating, David. She's here to spend sometime with me and my mother, because her father is busy in his bakery.

"Yes, I'll" she say in her sweet voice. "But first, Tessa would you braid my hair, I like when you do it? Please. It's looks pretty on me." She sweetly requests. How can I say no to her.

"Yes, of course. Let's go to my room then." I take her hand in me and we goes to my room.

While I do it, braiding her hair, she say, "My mom used to do this, when I goes to my school." My heart aches for this little girl.
"But after she get sick, my dad does it sometime. He's not very good at this, but he tries."

"Am I good at this?" I ask.

"Yes, more than my dad, atleast." She chuckle.

"There it's done." I say finishing it up, tying with a elastic.

"Thanks, is looks pretty." She say, touches her hair and looking at the mirror.

"Now, let's go to a nursery, for buying some seeds and flowers." I said to her and she clasps her hands.

Hardin POV:
One week later...

"Hi, I am Luke." Luke says giving me his hand to shake. He looks few years older than me not much.

"I'm Hardin." I say, and shake our hands. I think for not to shake his hand but we're the only one in here, in this room surrounded by chairs, for our group-therapy session. People are never going to come on time, not even that blad fuck doctor.

Or is it me, who came early. It's only Tessa's influence, coming early, even in this nonsense.

"I'm here because of me and girlfriend issue, by the way." He say, even though I didn't ask. "And you?" He asks me. Nosy fucker.

"Same" I say, not giving him any information. I'm not here for my girlfriends issues, but my own. He doesn't need to know anything, it's not like we're going to be friends. We're only here, to listen others peoples problem and speak ours, and get on with our life, that's it.

After few minutes passes, the shining head under the light doctor, walked in the room and sit down on one of the chairs. I've to keep my eyes close because of the light reflects in my eyes from his smooth, shining surface. He could've wore a cap, hat or something, it would look good on him. He doesn't look more than thirty-five at least.

What the fuck, am I thinking? How my therapist looks and his age. Fuck.

And after few more years later the patients walks in, taking their seats. They all look way older than me, I wonder how I get to this point at such a young age, but I'm thankful for Tessa. If not for her, I would still be hiding in the darkness, left to rot.

The doctor begins the session, with introducing me "So guys, this is Hardin, our new friend."
Friend? Really, Tran?

"Hey Hardin" everybody says in unison. No emotion whatsoever in their faces and voice, like someone snuck up their souls and tossed it into the fire. It's not like I've, thought about or wanted a warmed welcomed, but still.

"Hey" I say with no emotion too.

"So Hardin, do you have something to share about you, to all of us?" Doctor say looking at my binder in my hand.

He suggested me to do this in front of all these peoples, but now I'm a little nervous. Not about these emotionless people, and their judgements, but knowing about my problems in my life, it's none of their business.

"No, don't." I say and look down at my binder and gripping it hard.

Tessa gave me this binder on my birthday, she said this is stupid, and yes it was. But now I love this shit so much, that tossed my old one in trash, the moment I started writing again. Where I left on before the London shit happened.

"I think he needs a little time. Let's we share some things about ourselves, so he get to know us. Right guys? So Luke why don't you start." Doctor said to Luke.

"Yeah, sure" and he started about his and his girlfriend topic. I didn't pay more attention on that but I'm listening much to know what's their issues all about.

After everyone's done telling their shits, it's my turn. "Hardin now you" doctor said me to begin.

You can do it, Hardin. It's not that of a big deal. Who are these people, they don't know you, so their judgemental words wouldn't be affect you anyway. I try to talk myself out.

"It's my life story, that I've written as a therapy to me, as I loved to write my thoughts. I'm not going to read it all, but some of the bits, so don't worry about that session gonna be long." I said.

Imagine Hardin that Tessa is here, sitting across you, smiling and proud of you, to share this, in front of all these peoples. "Go on Hardin, say it." She'd have said with a warm, comforting smile, if she would've been in here.

I take a breathe, opening my binder and start to read, as if she is here and listening to me.
I start with my first time, I saw my one and only love, how I met her. Picturing Tessa as she is laughing at me, on my first rude behavior towards her, even thought I didn't even said anything to her, when I saw her.

And my bet with my so called friends, now she's scrunchies her nose in disgust. It was very much and one and only fucking disgusting thing that I ever did to her. Not one and only, but yeah.

And my drunk girl beaten up Molly's ass New year eve party, now she is proud of herself, but slightly feel bad doing it as she did helped her not to get violated, by fucking Steph and Dan.

And at last burning down my mum's house, in my intoxicated state. I didn't notice anyone's reaction throughout my read, but now they're all laughing. I was to busy picturing Tessa's reactions.
And this fucking session ends. Everyone stands and appreciate of my fucked up writing and head out to the door. I thanks them. Weird of me, I know.

That went well. I turn around and reach down to grab my binder from the chair. I panic for second as the binder is not there, but when I look over at Luke, he has my binder in his hands.

"What is all this?" he ask, looking over a page.

"If you would have met me a month ago, you would be
swallowing your fucking teeth right now." I glare at him, grabbing the binder from his grasp.

"Sorry, man, I'm not good at social etiquette." His smile is uncomfortable, and for some reason it made me feel as if
I could trust him.

"Clearly." I roll my eyes, shoving all the loose pages back into the binder.

He laugh. "Will you tell me what it is if I buy you a root
beer from next door?"

"How sad are we? A couple of recovering alcoholics,
negotiating to read a life story." I shake my head.

"Well, root beer won't make you burn any houses down,
and it won't make me say hurtful things to Kaci." he convincing me.

"Fine. Root beer is fine." I agrees.