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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After walking a distraught Tessa to the car, I put our bags in the trunk as she climbs into the car, before getting in myself.
Tessa doesn't say anything to me and I don't want to push her. If anyone knows what it feels like to have a parent you wish you could pretend never existed, it's me.
After driving for ten minutes, I start to get worried. I'm usually the one repressing my feelings, not Tessa. I know I shouldn't, but I decide to try to get her to talk about what just happened. "Tess, are you okay?"
She doesn't answer me, and instead just sits there, fidgeting with the brooch Betty gave her.
"Tess, baby, I think you need to talk about what just happened."
Tessa continues to fidget with her brooch as she starts to speak. "Hardin..." she says before pausing. "Why do you think a perfect stranger can be so warm and loving toward me, but my own mother criticizes and belittles everything I do?"
"I wish I had an answer for you, Tessa."
"I've been trying to figure out the answer to that for almost nineteen years of my life."
"Tess, I'm so sorry for what happened today. I can only imagine what it's been like for you your whole life."
"Nothing was ever good enough, Hardin. I either wore too much makeup, or not enough to cover up my uneven skin tone. My clothes were either too revealing or didn't make me look attractive enough for anyone to want me."
"Tess—"
"The only thing I ever seemed to do right was date Noah. She loved Noah. It didn't matter how I really felt, she decided he was perfect for me."
"Fucking Noah," I mumble under my breath.
"The first day I truly felt happy was when I left for college. I was finally going to live my life the way I wanted to."
I continue to listen intently as Tessa pours out her heart to me.
"It was the hardest decision of my life, but I decided to cut my mother out of my life. I wanted to be happy, and I knew I was never going to be if I was constantly worrying what she might think of me and my choices."
"Oh, Tessa..."
"Hardin, she knew... she actually knew about what Neil did and she didn't even try to get in touch with me. She thought I deserved it."
"I know, Tess. I heard her. It took everything I had to keep myself from going over there and setting her straight."
"I'm such an idiot. For a split second I actually thought she might have changed. I thought she might have missed me."
"Tessa, you're not an idiot. Not everyone can be as loving and accepting as you are."
"I am, Hardin." Tessa sniffles before resting her head against the window.
We drive the rest of the way home in silence.
After we get home, Tessa heads straight for the bedroom, claiming she wants to go to bed early. I don't want her to be alone right now, but I decide to give her some space.
After an hour, I hear sobbing coming from the bedroom. I walk over and listen against the door. Tessa is crying. It's the worst sound in the world.
I pace around the living room for five minutes before I finally decide to walk into the bedroom. Screw giving her space. Tessa needs me. I push the door open, before asking in a gentle voice, "Tess, are you okay?"
"N-no, I'm really not," she sobs.
"What can I do for you, baby? Please, just tell me."
Tessa goes to speak, but stops herself.
"Fine, if you won't tell me, I'll just stay with you until you feel like talking," I say before rushing over and crawling into bed with her. I pull her tightly against my chest and hold her as her body shakes while she continues to cry.
After crying for what feels like an eternity, Tessa finally starts to calm down. "Hardin, seeing her again... it ruined everything."
"Shhh, baby, everything is okay," I promise as I rub her back.
"It just reminded me that I'll have no parents at our wedding— no father to walk me down the aisle and no mother to help me get ready." She sniffles.
"Shhh..." I try to calm her.
"Our children won't have any grandparents, other than your mom."
"Baby, it will all be okay."
"No... It feels like nothing will ever really be okay again."
"Tessa... promise me you're not thinking of trying to hurt yourself again."
She doesn't answer me and instead continues to cry into my chest.
I pull her back and look into her eyes. "Promise me, baby. Right now."
"I promise I'm not, Hardin... I'm just really sad."
"Things look bad tonight, Tess, but soon you'll see what a brave woman you really are for starting your life over, on your terms. You'll never be alone. I won't ever leave you. You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not."
"I-I love you." She sniffles. "I'm sorry our weekend ended this way."
"It was a perfect weekend, Tess, especially the part where I got to tell off your mother."
Tessa lets a small laugh escape her lips. "Thank you for everything you said about me. And for standing up for me."
"No need to thank me, baby," I say as I continue to rub her back. "But thank you for defending me to your mother."
"It's really too bad she won't ever get to see you for the wonderful, amazing man you are."
"I really am," I joke and get a small laugh from Tessa. "Do you want to skip school tomorrow, Tess?"
"No. I already missed Friday." She sighs. "Just hold me?"
"You never need to ask."
"And never let me go?"
"Never."
"I love you, Hardin."
"I love you, Tess," I say softly as I kiss her and wait for her to fall asleep in my arms before drifting off to sleep myself.
