SINS (Completed)

KNOCK ON THE DOOR

Light. Dark. Light. Dark. Light. Dark. Light. Dark.

I switch the lamp on my table on and off continuously as I sit absentmindedly, my face resting on my other free hand.

"I'm a jerk Tessa, I'm not a criminal."

His words scrape against my conscience and a pang of guilt erupts because I had believed him to be that, even though temporarily.

I whimper against his face with my eyes closed, and slowly raise my hand to his cheek. The moment my fingertips brush against his skin, I sense him frowning in agony, and he pushes himself off the wall.

Through the darkness of my closed eyes, I feel his hands trailing against my waist as they detach and as he moves away, a deadly coldness hits me.

I hear his rushed footsteps and the banging of the door is the only thing that tells me that he is gone.

It feels as if his hold was the only thing keeping me together, because as soon as he leaves, I break down in a fit of sobs. My knees buckle under me and my back slides against the wall as I hit the floor.

I have no idea what this is anymore, relief or just- more pain.

"There you are, I've- Tessa?" I hear a voice, and seconds after, I feel arms around me, pulling me up.

I finally open my eyes and Sean stands in front of me with a confused, concerned face.

"Hardin." I whisper through my tears, his name making them multiply.

My head falls dead on Sean's chest, and he holds it gently, rubbing my hair, fortunately without asking questions.

It has been two days since Hardin barged into my office, and dropped that bomb on me. Sean suggested that I take a day off, so I called in sick the following day, because I personally felt that if I don't get sleep for any longer, I will be; especially after this.

I couldn't get myself to talk to anyone as of yet about it, not even Lily. Now that it seems that she's finally happy with Josh. I can't always just break into her bubble with something or the other and have her running back to handle me. At least one of us should get that peace, and Josh is giving her that.

Hardin and mine's photo frame came back repaired from the shop yesterday, and it is ever since lying on the table.

Lily tried to tag me along to the party Josh was having at his place tonight because of some game they had won, but a party where Hardin could be present being literally the last place I wanted to be at, I stayed back.

My phone goes off in a deep vibration, and I blink out of my daze. I see that it's Celia.

I debate over if I should pick up, because there's a fair chance that she'll make out something's wrong, but then looking at her name, suddenly makes me want to hear her voice and cut this screeching silence.

"Ceely?" I pick up with a sad smile, and a breathless, excited voice hits me back.

"What happened, is everything-" I ask her nervously, when she cuts me in.

"Aiden proposed." She gushes out and my mouth drops in surprise and delight and disbelief and every other emotion that doesn't have a word.

"What?" I ask her excitedly through a wide smile, giving way into a giddy laugh, and I can sense her happiness through the device.

"Yeah, today itself. I can't- I can't believe it, Tessaaaaa." She says and her voice breaks towards the end and I can sense that she's almost into tears.