First Love, Forever Love | 🥇 2023 Amby Winner

Chapter 9 * The Confession

The following day, I entered the school, still on cloud nine from my date with William. He seriously impressed me with how perfectly he planned our date.

As I remember the previous night, I didn't realize that Tessa was right before me.

She stops suddenly, resulting in me bumping into her. Her books fly across the slick surface of the lobby's tiled floor.

She turns around and sees that I'm the culprit of the mishap with her books; her reddened face scowls at me. "Watch where the fuck you're going, dumb ass!"

"I'm so sorry," I say, shocked at her outburst.

I quickly get down to help gather her things.

"Don't you think you've done enough?" Tessa seethes while piling up her strewn books. "I don't need or want your help."

I stop helping and move from kneeling to sitting back on my legs. Clenching my jaw, I snap, "What the hell is your problem?"

Tessa's eyes grow larger with surprise as if I had offended her. "You're my problem," she said as she gathered her belongings.

Releasing an exasperated sigh, I place my hands on the floor to help myself up. Then, I see my name on an envelope amongst Tessa's things.

Her eyes follow mine down to the envelope, and we reach for it simultaneously. Fortunately, I was quicker and snatched it from the floor.

"Why do you have an envelope addressed to me?" I inquire as I examine it and realize my name is in William's handwriting.

Tessa tries to grab it from my hands, but I swiftly move it out of her reach.

"What's going on here?"

William's voice grabs our attention, and we look up to see him staring at us with his forehead creased in confusion.

I immediately stand, extend my arm, and show the envelope to William.

His handsome face transforms from confusion to recognition as his eyes light up.

"You found it!"

"I did," I say, then move my hand toward Tessa. "Tessa had it."

Fear crosses Tessa's face. She knows I caught her with William's note to me.

William frowned as he turned back to Tessa. "Tessa, why do you have Nicole's note?"

The color drains from her face as she stutters, "I... Um, I found it on the floor in the hallway yesterday and was going to give it to Nicole this morning. I had no idea that the note was from you, William." she lied.

William crosses his arms, unfazed by Tessa's attempt to explain away the note. "If that's true, why didn't you give it to her before homeroom yesterday when you saw her in the courtyard?"

With her books in hand, she stands up, giving herself time for a reasonable response. She fails. "I didn't see her."

William raises his brow. "Lies," he says.

I giggle, and William gives me a sideways glance and winks, which pisses off Tessa.

"I'm not lying," Tessa retorts as she stomps her foot like a defiant child. "I was going to give it to her in the courtyard this morning."

"Is that so?"

Tessa defiantly tilts up her chin before replying, "Yes."

Relaxing his stance, William asks, "Why were you in Nicole's hallway yesterday?"

"I had a meeting with Mr. Hanson," she replies cooly.

William smirks because he knows that he has caught Tessa in her lie. "Before school?"