After 2

Chapter 101.

"I second that, go on Hardin tell her." Jace smiles and takes a drink of beer.

"I.. I will tell you outside." Hardin says. His voice low.

Everything is happening too fast for me to comprehend the look in his eyes. I don't know what is going on but I do know I don't want to go anywhere with him.

"No, you tell me here. In front of them so you can't lie." I spit. My heart is already aching and I know that I am not prepared for whatever he is getting ready to tell me.

"I'm sorry." He blurts and holds his hands out in front of him.

"Tessa, you have to remember that this was way before I even knew you." He says. His eyes begging for mercy.

"Tell me." I say, barely opening my mouth. I don't trust my voice.

"That night.. that second night.. the second party you came to when we played truth or dare.. and Nate asked if you were a virgin.." He stammers and closes his eyes as if to gather his thoughts.

Oh no. If it was possible for my heart to sink even lower it would have. This isn't happening. This can't be happening. Not right now. Not to me.

"Go on." Jace says. Hardin shoots him daggers and I know that if Hardin wasn't in the middle of single handedly destroying our relationship, he would kill him on the spot.

"You said you were.. and that gave someone an idea.."

"Gave who the idea?" Molly interrupts.

"Me, gave me the idea." He says. His eyes never leaving mine. He only answered her question for my sake.

"That.. it could be fun to make .. to make a bet." His head falls and tears pour from my eyes.

"No." I choke and take a step backwards.

I am heartbroken and completely destroyed. All of the memories flooding through me pile and piece together.

 

"Stay away from him." 

"Be careful."

"Sometimes you think you know people but you don't."

"But Tessa, I need to tell you something."

All of the small remarks that were made by Molly, Jace, and even Hardin himself play over and over. There was always something in the back of my mind, a feeling that I was missing something.

All of the air seems to be sucked out of the small room and I find myself almost gasping for air as the reality of all of this sets in. There were so many clues, I just was too blinded by Hardin to see them.

Why would he take it this far? To have me live with him?

"You knew?" I turn to Steph, I can't manage to look at Hardin any longer.

"I..I was going to tell you so many times Tess." She says, her eyes brimming with guilty tears.

"I didn't believe it when he claimed he won even with the condom." Jace snickers, obviously enjoying the show.

"Right! Me either, the sheets though I mean how can you deny blood on the sheets." She laughs.

The sheets. That's why they were still in his car. I know I should be saying something, anything, but I can't find my voice, everything is still moving around me, people in the bar are eating and drinking, not noticing the naïve girl ten feet away from them having her heart shattered in front of a crowd. How is it possible that time still moves as I stand here watching Tristan bow his head, watch Steph cry, and most of all watch Hardin watch me.