After Forever & Ever

After Never Chapter 22

Tessa- Present

"Good morning." Easton says to me as I open my eyes.

"Morning." I reply in a groggy tone.

"How did you sleep?" He asks.

"I think good. What about you?" I reply.

"Always good when I fall asleep and wake up next to you." He replies.

Which forces a smile. But then I'm brought back to the fact that I saw Hardin last night.

I saw Hardin, and it ended with him telling me he will leave me alone. Which I really believe he will.

And the thing is...I don't know if I want that.

I have this amazing, wonderful guy lying next to me. But at the end of the day. He's not Hardin. We don't have what Hardin and I had.

Our souls aren't one....Like mine and Hardin's....were. Like mine and Hardin's were. I have to keep reminding myself of that were...

And maybe one day mine and Easton's will be and I need to let Hardin leave me alone. And I need to leave him alone. And I need to listen to myself and move on. Fully move on. Let him go.

I need to let him go. I have to. Or I'll always feel like a part of me is missing and I'll never be able to fully give myself to someone else. When a piece of me is always with him.

"Do you want to go out for breakfast?" Easton asks me.

"I need to get ready for Kim's shower." I tell him.

"Oh yea...I forgot that was today." He replies.

"Do you have time for a little recap of last night?" He asks me...and I'm reminded of the fact that we did more than kiss for the first time.

"I wanted to curl my hair today, and..." I reply.

"Fineeee, maybe later." He replies giving me a frowny face and rolling out of my bed.

I get out of bed, go into the bathroom, brush my teeth, comb my hair, try to look like a human.

When I get out of the bathroom I'm surprised to see Alex is home.

And I can say with certainty I'm not exactly thrilled to see her. I never told Easton anything about last night, especially the part about Hardin picking me up. Which I don't think he would be too thrilled about either...

"Morning." Alex says to me.

"Morning." I simply reply back not wanting to hint at anything being wrong between us to avoid us having any sort of conversation about last night while Easton is still here.

Luckily she goes to her room.

Easton is putting his shoes on to head out. Before he leaves he walks over to me and pushes a piece of hair behind my ear, and grabs behind my neck and kisses me.

"I'll text you later." He tells me, and walks out.

As I'm closing the door and turn around, I notice Alex is standing there.

"Tess...I'm so sorry." She tells me.

"I had no idea where you went...you left me alone...at a bar..." I begin to say.

"I know. I know. I'm a horrible friend, please forgive me. It will never happen again." She says pleadingly.

We just moved in together...and I don't want it to be awkward between us. I don't want to stay mad at her...but truly that can't happen again.

Mind you...it wasn't all bad. But it could have been...

I pause for a while to make her suffer a little.