Hardin Scott has been madly in love with Tessa Young since the moment he first laid eyes on her, but there's no way she could ever see him as anything more than a friend. After all, he's a bad boy with a promiscuous past and she's a sweet and innoce...
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"Tessa, please tell me you're joking," Hardin begs. He looks like he's seen a ghost.
"Nope."
"That's your mother?"
"That's my mother."
"Well, that's just fucking great. She already hates my guts!" he says as he throws his arms up.
"It doesn't matter, Hardin. She hates anyone who doesn't fit into her perfect little world."
"Tess, are you okay?"
"Let's just get out of here before she sees us."
"Tess, I really think you should—"
"No, Hardin! Come on!" I say desperately as I tug on his arm.
"Theresa? Theresa!" my mother calls out.
I slowly turn around. "H-hello, mother."
"It's so good to see you!" she says as she pulls me into a hug that I don't return.
"Y-you, too," I stutter unconvincingly.
"Are you here with someone? Can I meet him?"
"Actually, I am."
"Well, where is he?"
"He's right over—"
"Excuse me! Do you mind? I'm trying to have a private conversation with my daughter. Do you have any manners at all? How about you stop eavesdropping?" my mother says to a stunned Hardin.
"Actually, mother..." I say through clenched teeth. "This is Hardin. We're dating."
My mother lets out a laugh. "You've got to be kidding! Please, Theresa, tell me you're kidding."
"No, I'm not!" I say, trying to stand my ground.
"Theresa, can I talk to you for a minute?" My mother asks in a stern voice and I look back at Hardin for a moment.
"Tess..."
"I'll be okay," I assure him before going with my mother.
"What is going on with you? Noah was a nice boy. And now you're with this... this... hoodlum?" she says as she waves her hand in the air.
"Don't call him that! You don't even know him."
"Now it all makes sense..."
"What are you talking about?"
"I read about how you were attacked in the newspaper. If this is the kind of people you insist on hanging out with, no wonder that happened to you."
"How could you even say that to me?" I ask while trying to hold back my tears.
"How can you be so sure it wasn't one of his friends?" she asks while gesturing towards Hardin.
"Just stop! Hardin was the only one here for me when I was crying myself to sleep every night, wishing I could make it all stop. You were no where to be found. You didn't even call to make sure I was okay!"
"That's no reason to ruin your life by being with him. You still have time to fix this and find a nice boy, like Noah."
"It's already too late. I'm completely and irrevocably in love with him. In fact... we're engaged!" The words slip out of my mouth.
"You're engaged?!"
"Yes, mother." The words come out more confident than I actually feel.
"Oh, Theresa..." She shakes her head in disapproval. "Please tell me you're not pregnant with his baby! I mean, I have noticed you gained weight, but I never considered—"
"I'm not pregnant!" I shout way too loudly.
"Good, then we can still fix this. With a little bit of effort on your part, we can find you a nice boy, someone who comes from a nice family, without any tattoos all over his body."
"Mother—"
"A makeover should do wonders for you— a little bit of makeup and a nice new haircut..."
"Mother—"
"And we definitely need to do something about these clothes. You look like you've been entertaining gentlemen callers all weekend."
"Mother! I don't need to find anyone else. I'm with Hardin."
"Be serious, Theresa! This is just your way of rebelling. You can't possibly think you have a future with him. You need to get out before he takes you down with him."
"Hardin is an amazing person! He's intelligent, caring, selfless, generous and loving. I've never felt safer or more loved than I do when I'm with him."
"Please," she scoffs.
"I don't know why I even bothered trying to talk to you. You haven't changed one bit. I don't even know why you're spending Valentine's weekend here. You're not capable of loving anyone but yourself."
"How dare you speak to me this way!"
"No! How dare you speak to me this way. I'm not hanging out with the wrong people, I didn't deserve to be attacked, I'm not fat, I don't dress like a slut, I don't need a makeover and I'm not ruining my life! Hardin would never say or even think these things about me. That's why he has a spot in my life. But you... I never want to see or speak to you again!" I manage to say before turning around and crying as I make my way back to Hardin.
"Tess..." Hardin says sadly.
"Can we please just go?" I beg before watching as Hardin walks over to my mother.
"What do you want?" my mother spits at Hardin.
"It's because of your holier-than-thou attitude and your judgemental ways that you will never have your daughter in your life. You'll never get to know the wonderful, sweet, loving, giving and all around beautiful woman she's become, despite having you for a mother. And for that, I pity you."
Despite the fact my heart is broken knowing my mother will never be able to give me the love I deserve, Hardin has put it back together with a few simple words.
Hardin walks back over to me. "I love you, Tessa. Everything is going to be alright, as long as we have each other," he promises before wrapping his arms around me, kissing the top of my head and walking me to the car.
