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...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
As we walk into the apartment, Tessa starts playing with her new charm bracelet and shaking her wrist, making the seahorse charm swing from side to side. "I love this bracelet so much! It's the best gift anyone's ever given me," she beams.
"That can't be true. It's just a piece of jewelry."
"It is true! And it's not just jewelry to me. It's such a thoughtful gift and it has a special meaning to us." She smiles as she takes the charm between her fingers.
"I'm just so happy to see that breathtaking smile of yours again, Tess."
"That's only because of you," she says as she kisses my cheek.
"So, what do you want to do for the rest of the night?" I ask.
"Can we watch some television?"
"Sure. What should we watch?"
"I know!" she exclaims as she goes to the television stand and pulls out a DVD case.
I sit on the couch as Tessa puts a DVD into the player. She snuggles up beside me and hooks her arm around mine as the Friends theme starts to play.
"Why are we watching this show for the hundredth time?" I groan.
"Oh shush! You'll see." She grins.
As we're watching the episode, we finally get to the part when Phoebe explains to Ross how Rachel is his lobster.
"Tess, you're so cute," I say as I kiss the top of her head.
At the end of the episode, Tessa gets so excited as Ross and Rachel finally kiss and become a couple.
"I love that part! See? He's her lobster," Tessa says along with Phoebe.
"I love you so much, baby," I chuckle.
"Thanks for watching that episode with me. You still want to be my seahorse, right?" she asks as she smiles up at me.
"Forever." I smile back.
Tessa insists we keep watching a few more episodes of Friends and somewhere in the middle of the fourth episode of the night we fall asleep on the couch together.
"Tess?" I call out as I walk down the sidewalk. I swear she came this way, but I don't see her anywhere.
I continue walking until I come to an alley. I search for Tessa and I see her at the end. It's dark, she's all alone and looks terrified."Tess! I'll be right there!" I shout and try to go to her, but I can't move. I'm frozen in place.
I watch as a dark figure comes up behind her and puts one hand across her mouth so she can't scream and grips her arm tightly with the other.
"Tessa! No!" I shout and try to move again, but all I can do is stand there and watch.
The dark figure comes into focus and I realize it's Neil. I have to save Tessa. I can't let him hurt her, but I still can't move.Neil slams Tessa against the brick wall and rips her blouse open, exposing her chest as she begs for him to stop. Then he undoes her pants and throws her to the dirty, cement ground. He then finishes removing her pants until she's lying on the ground in only her underwear.
As I continue to watch, tears spill from my eyes as I stand there helpless.
"Hardin! Please, stop him from doing this!" she begs.
I can't even speak now. My voice is gone. I can't comfort Tessa. I can't help her. I can't save her. All I can do is cry for her as I watch Neil violate her.
When Neil's done with Tessa, he disappears and leaves Tessa a bruised and shivering mess. I can finally move, so I run to be with her."I'm so sorry, Tess. I'm so sorry!" I cry out.
"Hardin! You have to wake up! You're having a nightmare," Tessa says as she tries to shake me awake.
"Tessa? You're here? You're okay? He didn't hurt you?" I ask, confused about what's happening.
"Hardin, you're not making any sense. You were having another nightmare."
"Oh."
"Are you okay?"
"No." I frown. "It was about you and Neil again."
"Oh, Hardin... I'm so sorry for being the cause of your nightmares," she says as she wipes the tears from my cheeks.
"They feel so real, Tess. It's the worst feeling in the world being trapped in that nightmare, just watching Neil..."
"I know. You've helped me heal, I just wish I could do the same for you."
"You do, Tess. You do so much for me."
"Let's go to bed and we'll fall asleep in each other's arms, okay?"
"Yes. I need to hold you close to me."
Tessa and I get up from the couch. She takes my hand and leads me to our bedroom. We crawl into bed and she snuggles up against me as I wrap my arms around her.
"Hardin? You're holding me a little too tight."
"Sorry." I frown as I loosen my grip a little.
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
"No. I just want to hold you. I want to know you're safe," I say as I nervously play with her hair.
"I am safe. You are, too. I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Hardin," she says as she hugs me a little tighter.
"I love you, Tess."
We eventually fall asleep, safe in each other's arms.
