Before He Lied

Hardin Chapter 82

While we drive Sam home everyone in the car stays quiet, it's really fucking awkward. The only noise are the mumbling voices coming from the radio.

Tessa attempts to lighten the mood.

"How long have you been practicing this dance Sam?" She asks.

She looks up from her phone.

"Like two months, we've been working really hard. I was a little nervous to dance with Jackson but we work well together."

"Why nervous?" Tessa asks.

I look in the rear view mirror and see Sam turn a light shade of pink.

"I've never touched a boy before, I was just nervous about having sweaty hands. Doing some of the lifts was scary, I didn't wanna hurt him or fall."

"We're you excited to be the lead?" Tess asks.

"Kinda, I don't like to draw attention so I was hesitant when I got the part. I almost turned it down but Jackson talked me into taking it, I'm happy he did."

Tessa looks at me and smiles.

"Sam, was that your first kiss?" Tessa teases.

"Yeah, in rehearsal we just blocked it. Tonight was the first time we actually kissed, luckily Jackson did most of the work."

"That's cute."

"I hope it was a good kiss, that his first kiss too." She whispers.

"I'm sure it was fine, you can't really mess up a kiss." Tessa says.

Sam starts giggling.

"Kissing is weird, it made me feel funny."

"What did you mean weird?"

She picks at her fingers just like Tessa does.

"I don't know, my stomach felt like I swallowed a bunch of butterflies and my heart was racing so fast I thought I was gonna explode. And when Jackson looked into my eyes it was like everyone else disappeared and it was just us, I swear I stopped breathing for a second."

"Sam that's good, if you don't feel that when you kiss someone then you shouldn't be kissing them."

"Is that how you feel when you kiss Hardin?"

"Of course I do, kissing Hardin is the best feeling in the world."

I turn and look at her, she smiles at me.

I love her.

...

After driving for a while we finally make it to Sam's house.

"Is anyone home?" I ask.

"Yeah, Kelly."

"Kelly? From the office?" Tessa questions.

"Yeah, she's been around a lot lately. She barely goes back to her house anymore."

We look at each other.

"Are you gonna be ok in there kid?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's not like she actually cares that I'm home." She says sadly.

"Thanks again for coming guys, it meant a lot to me."

"Of course."

She grabs her dance bag before she opens the door and hops out, she runs up to the door and uses her keys before she walks inside and closes the door behind her.

I sigh.

"Why the hell is Kelly staying at the house with Steve?" Tessa questions.

"Sex, why else. Kelly is.................very friendly with the men in the office. She's just trying to fuck her way to the top."