More Than Friends

Part 20 (Hardin)

I wake up after having the most incredible dream about Tessa. Holding her, touching her, feeling her and kissing her felt like Heaven. I'm anxious about seeing her, but I'm sure she already left for school because I overslept and now I'm late.

I quickly take a shower, get dressed and head for school.

I already missed Literature, so I won't get to see Tessa all day. I miss her. Fuck, the control that woman has over me and I wouldn't change a thing.

I stroll through the halls on my way to the next class I can actually make it to on time and there's something weird going on. I've never seen so many people gossiping and whispering. They're all acting like a bunch of catty girls in high school. I roll my eyes at the immature girls and keep walking.

I take my seat in class and the professor is late. I take my phone out to text Tessa, but I'm distracted by the douchebags behind me talking about some chick.

"Yeah, dude, you know the girl I'm talking about," the brown haired douchebag says.

"No, what's she look like again?" the dumb blonde douchebag asks.

"She has the blonde, wavy hair, the incredible rack and always sits in the front row with her nose in a book."

I laugh to myself because it almost sounds like they are describing my Tessa, but there's no way they are talking about her with what they are saying. I continue to eavesdrop.

"Her? There's no way that's true! She's such a nerd and goody-goody!"

"I swear. My friend heard it from his friend. She loves to get down and dirty. Hell, I bet she'd even give you a go," the brown haired douchebag laughs.

"Well, I might have to let her. Despite being a grade grubber, she's fucking hot," the blonde says.

"You might have to get in line. She gets around and from what I heard it's a long line," he cackles.

I can't listen to this anymore. The way they are talking about that girl...  If that were Tessa they were talking about I'd have to snap their necks. Thankfully, the professor walks in and they shut their mouths.

I'm heading to my last class and stop to get a snack from the vending machine. I was running late this morning, so I didn't have time for breakfast and now I'm starving. There's another group of asshole guys talking about this same chick.

"Man, I'd love to bury myself into that chick. She's fine," a dick with an unkempt beard says.

"There's no way she'd even look at you!"

"Yeah, well, I'll be looking at her. There's videos of her."

"What? I've got to see those. What's her name again?" a third asshole joins the conversation.

"Um, I think my friend said it was... Tessa... Tessa Young! That's it!"

"Well, Tessa Young, get ready to be my next conquest."

I drop the miniature bag of chips I just purchased to the floor, whip around and grab the bearded asshole by his collar. "What did you just say?" I snarl.

"Dude, what's your problem?" he gasps.

"What did you just say about Tessa?" I demand.

"Oh, that slut? We're just messing around." He shrugs.

"Don't you fucking call her that! Tell me about the videos! Now!"

"Relax! I haven't seen them yet. I just heard there were sex tapes of her from some guy."

"Who?" I ask with bared teeth.

"I don't know..."

"Name!" I demand tightening my grip on his shirt collar.

"It was Zed... Zed Evans!" he chokes. Zed! I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!

I release my grip on the bearded asshole and shove him against the wall, hard. I look at him and then move my gaze to the other two assholes. "I better not hear any of you speak of Tessa ever again. Never say her name or even think about her again or I'll find out and come back to beat the shit out of each one of you," I threaten and mean every word of it. I begin to walk away, but turn around and add, "And pass that message along to all your pervert friends, too, because I won't hesitate to beat their asses, too."

Zed is a dead man. I walk around the whole campus searching for him, but I can't find him. I ask everyone I see where he is, but no one knows a damn thing! If I knew where he was living now I would go there, but I don't.

This is a lost cause. I can't find him anywhere. I'm still going to kill him, but now I shift my focus to Tessa. I have to find her and warn her.

By the time I finish my unsuccessful search for Zed, I realize Tessa's yoga class is over. She must be at home. I rush off campus and head to my car, but not before bumping into Molly.

"Hey, Hardin, why are you in such a hurry?" she mocks.

"You know why," I growl.

"I really don't." She plays dumb.

"If I find out you had anything to do with what they are saying about Tessa, I will destroy you," I threaten.

"Maybe it's all true and you don't know your little Mother Theresa as well as you thought you did."

"Shut the fuck up about her! Where's Zed?"

"I don't know." She shrugs.

"Tell me! Now! "

"I really don't know, but when you find him I hope he shows you the videos," she cackles as she leaves.

All I've felt is rage since I heard those fuckers talking about Tessa like that, but now I'm feeling emotional. I feel like tears are going to spill out from my eyes and never stop. The thought of anyone seeing Tessa in those videos, in a moment she thought was private, it kills me. She trusted Zed enough to give her body to him and this is what he did with that trust? He made sex tapes of her?

I rush to my car and sit in the almost empty parking lot while I silently let tears spill from my eyes, knowing there isn't a damn thing I can do to protect Tessa from everyone seeing her in such an intimate position. I finally calm myself and head home to my Tessa.