𝐾 𝐴 𝐿 𝐸 𝑁

Chapter |10| Tainted Hope

T E S S A ' S   P. O. V

"Are you okay?" Hastily, I brush away my tears but it was pointless. He saw them anyway.

Kalen sits besides me, resting his warm hand on my shaking one. He squeezes it tight, the pressure grounding me back down to the present.

I wasn't the one who should be comforted right now. It was his sister lying in the hospital bed, yet part of me felt like I was slowly dying.

Kiara had always been there for me and through the most difficult time of her life, I wasn't there.

I didn't even fucking know until I practically forced myself into the Romano house. Then Kiara called me about needing a place to stay. I offered her my house, my parents had left to go on some cruise and I had been busy getting everything ready for college in the fall.

Uh I feel sick. College should be the last thing on my mind, especially as my best friend is lying in a hospital bed.

"Are you still mad?" There's no contempt in Kalen's voice, just concern and worry. He should be worried about me, I shouldn't be a burden.

We had a huge fight when I found out he kept it all from me. That Mr Romano had kicked her out, that she left to stay with Aaron...I thought that was it for us. The love I share for the both of them is powerful but that means it conflicts too.

How can I choose between my boyfriend and my best friend? I can't. It's physically impossible.

It almost destroyed us. Yet the fact we're still here, together, proves we're stronger than I thought. Kalen wouldn't let me go, even after I begged him too. I was weak, and he lifted me up in that moment.

"I'm fine." I offer up a smile but it falls flat as more tears burst free.

"Tess, she'll be okay. It's my little sister we're talking about, nothing can touch her." Yet the fear in his voice was evident. We were both terrified.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see the two men responsible for her pain, shifting restlessly on the corner. My jaw clenches, but I glance at the rest of the family first.

Kieron and Kai are talking quietly in the corner, Mr and Mrs Romano are almost dozed off. It's been 15 hours in the hospital and still no update.

I pull away from Kalen slowly. He follows my eye line. "Tessa no," I've wanted to comfort them since the start but he's reigned in my anger. The problem it's bound to explode
at some point, I can't hold it in forever.

"I need too, Kalen." I was the only one who knew everything about their twisted love triangle. Who witnessed Kiara suffer because of their suffocating love for her.

He sees the resilience in my eyes, and also the pain underneath it. Reluctantly, he lets me go and I storm towards them. Tristan nudges Aaron awake and both sets of eyes fix on me with their natural dominance. I don't shy away from it though, I match it instead.

"We need to talk now."

"I'm not leaving Kiara." Aaron snaps. I stand a little taller even though I'm nowhere close to matching his height.

"She has her family. I only need five minutes."

He restrains his anger, the same way I do and they both follow me outside. Aaron reaches into his jacket for a cigarette but I slap it away immediately.

"What the fuck?" He looks like hell, which is difficult for a guy who is naturally so attractive.

"Kiara wouldn't want you to smoke."