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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I wake up the next morning with red and swollen eyes from crying. I force myself to go to the bathroom to get ready for the day and make myself look presentable incase I need to go searching for Hardin today.
After I get ready for the day, I make myself a little breakfast, but I can't force myself to eat. I feel sick thinking of all the horrible things that could have happened to Hardin. I grab my phone to check for any messages from him, but there's none.
I keep myself busy by doing some chores and housework. Between washing the dishes and the laundry I find myself constantly checking my phone.
While I'm finishing the housework, I find my worry turning to anger. I can't believe Hardin hates me enough right now to leave me worried that something happened to him. He could at least let me know he's okay.
By the time I finish cleaning up all the messes Hardin has left around the house, it's already 6 in the evening. Hardin is still not home, so I decide to read for a few hours.
I find my mind wondering from my book and decide I can't read anymore. I look at the clock and it's already 8. I decide to go look for Hardin, so I put on my shoes and grab my car keys. Just as I'm heading toward the door, Hardin strolls in. "Hardin, you're home!" I gasp.
"I'm home," he says with little emotion as he throws his keys on the counter and walks by me.
"That's all you have to say to me?"
"No, Tessa, but it's probably best I don't say anything else right now."
"You know, you had me worried all last night and today. You could have called to let me know you were okay. What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I'm sorry you worried, but I figured it wouldn't matter if I let you know if I was alright or not because you'd be busy with Noah."
"You can't be serious. Didn't you get my message? I told you it was a misunderstanding. He kissed me, but I pushed him away!"
I watch as Hardin ignores me and goes to the bathroom to shower.
I sit on the couch waiting for him to finish his shower. When he does, I try to get him to let me explain. "Hardin, can you please come here so we can talk about this?"
He continues to ignore me and walks into the kitchen.
I realize I need to go about this another way, so I tell him, "You were right about Noah. He wanted me back. I'm sorry I didn't believe you."
Telling him he was right seems to do the trick and he finally walks over to me and sits next to me on the couch.
"Hardin, I'm sorry. Noah cornered me on the way into the store saying he had something to tell me. He told me he still had feelings for me and before I could leave he grabbed me and kissed me."
Hardin sits silently on the couch looking down at his fidgeting hands.
"Please, say something! Do you believe me?"
"Yes," he finally sighs.
"You do?"
"Yes, Tessa."
"If you believe me, then why didn't you come home last night?"
"I already told you that I trust you, but I don't trust him. I was angry that you didn't believe me when I told you he had feelings for you."
"I'm so sorry," I cry.
"I also needed to be alone. Seeing another man's lips on yours was too much for me."
"I'm sorry," I repeat. "I was so worried about you. Where did you go? Please tell me you didn't start drinking because of this," I plead.
"I didn't. I mean, I wanted to, but no matter how mad I was, I couldn't do that to you."
"Hardin..." I say as I rub my thumb against his cheek.
"I drove to our spot and slept in my car all night, then I just drove around aimlessly, until I started to feel guilty for letting you worry about me."
"Thank you for coming home," I sniffle.
"What did you do all night, Tess?"
"Sat on the couch with your shirt, sniffing it and crying until I fell asleep."
"Now I really feel guilty," he says as he tucks my hair behind my ear.
"Are we okay now?"
"As long as you never see Noah again."
"Believe me, I don't want to. The way he treated me, and Emma, disgusts me."
"I feel bad for Emma," Hardin says as he wraps his arm around me, bringing me closer to him. "What are you going to do about her and fucking Noah?"
"I'm going to have to tell her everything at school tomorrow. I really don't want to break her heart," I sniffle again.
"That's because you're a good person, Tess. And even though I was really hurt and mad at you, I am sorry for how I treated you. I love you."
