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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The school week flies by and it's already Friday. I don't have to work this Friday, so we decided to have our double date tonight.
"Hardin! Hurry up! I don't want to be late."
"Calm down, Tessa. I'm ready."
"You're wearing that?"
"What's wrong with it?"
"You wear that all the time and this is a fancy restaurant."
"I'm not changing, so your friends are just going to have to live with it."
"I hope your attitude improves by the time we get to the restaurant," I huff.
"Let's just get going. I don't want to run into traffic."
"Okay, let me just grab my purse."
"By the way, you look beautiful." Hardin smiles at me.
"Sucking up?"
"No. Just stating the truth."
"Thank you." I blush.
We drive to the restaurant and thankfully we're not late. We actually arrive before Emma and her date, so the maître d' seats us at our table first.
"Remember, Hardin, you promised you'd be good."
"Don't forget what you promised." He winks.
"Shhh! Don't you dare even say that in a crowded restaurant," I warn and he laughs.
"Hey guys!" Emma greets us with a warm smile.
"Hi!" I chirp and kick Hardin under the table.
"Yeah, h-hi, Emma," Hardin stutters.
"Where's your date?" I ask.
"He'll be right in. I'm so excited for you to meet him!"
"Us, too, right?" I ask while glaring at Hardin.
"Uh, yeah. We're totally excited," Hardin says with little emotion.
"Here he comes!" Emma exclaims. "Guys, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend-"
"Noah?!" I gasp.
"Tessa? Wow. I had no idea Emma's Tessa was Tessa Young," Noah laughs.
I stand up from the table and Noah hugs me, while Emma and Hardin give each other confused looks. "Oh, um, Noah and I used to date," I explain as I sit back down.
"You what?" Hardin growls.
"Please, don't do this now," I whisper to Hardin.
"Yeah, it was a while ago now. It's so good to see you again, Tess," Noah says.
"Tessa," Hardin corrects him.
We order our food and I swear it's the most awkward dinner I've ever had. Noah keeps making conversation with me, while Hardin sits there glaring at him. And poor Emma looks so left out.
When the waiter asks us for our dessert orders and Noah orders a soufflé that's going to take thirty minutes I almost stab myself with a fork. I love Emma, but I want this uncomfortable dinner to end.
When Noah and Emma are talking amongst themselves, I take the opportunity to check in on Hardin. "Hardin? Hardin? Can you hear me?" I repeat as I watch him glaring at Noah. "Hardin, answer me!"
"What, Theresa?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"You know why. There's no need to be jealous, okay?"
"Who said I'm jealous?" he sneers.
"If you're not jealous, then why have you been shooting Noah death glares all night?"
"There's just something about the guy I don't like, okay?"
"Yeah, okay..."
The waiter finally arrives with our desserts and I cannot wait to finish and leave.
A torturous thirty minutes later we pay the bill and say our goodbyes. Emma hugs me goodbye and before I know what's happening, Noah's pulling me into a hug.
We go our separate ways and as we walk to our car, I can tell Hardin is about to explode. Once we're in the car I break the awkward silence. "Are you okay?"
"Not really, Tess."
"Talk to me, Hardin."
"Well, I just spent the entire evening watching your ex drool all over you and touch you every chance he got. I didn't even know there was a fucking Noah in your past."
"Hardin..." I sigh. "Let's talk about this when we get home," I beg.
"Damn straight we're talking about this when we get home," he growls as we pull out of the parking lot and head home.
