Differences

part three - isolated

Tessa was... Well she was Tessa. She had the wild emotions of a Tasmanian devil and a heart that was either cold, or warm, never in between. She accepted some, was tolerant of many, and hated everyone else. She was short, and would've been described as short tempered by anyone who never got the chance to know her.

Those who did know her... Well they knew that she bided by the 'save the tears for your pillow' saying and was actually always concerned for others. She had her moments. She helped those in need and felt protective over people she was close to.

Whenever someone mentioned anything about Max that she didn't like, she spoke up. When they told her she was stupid for liking him, she told them to shut up. What was the difference between her and Max? He was a year older, he held charm and a certain air of tranquility around him. While she almost seemed like a nutcase with her bursts of anger and attitude.

She liked Max for who he was. And also enjoyed the fact that he accepted her and her ways, he was able to handle her mad mood swings and ease her deepest fears at times.

During those dark times where they wouldn't talk for months, she regretted every second. She regretted whatever nasty thoughts she would've said and was glad she kept everything to herself. He was an asshole at times. But he was hers. They were the typical on and off again relationship during Max's time in Highschool. Once he was gone. Nothing was the same during Tessa's senior year, everything was bland... And just... It wasn't the same. Her drive to come to school depleted, but once she accepted that he wouldn't be there. She decided to just finish school and get it out of the way. But everyday she thought of him.

When she passed her old locker, she saw him and she saw herself. She saw the time she gave him his birthday present and the days they'd sit together during lunch time in front of her locker. Just to get away from the rush of the rambunctious lunch crowd. The time he found her tickle spot to the time she fed him a bite of her key lime pie.

When she walked up the stairs, sometimes she'd pause mid step... Waiting for a ghost of a man to follow her up the stairs and tease and prod at her. Without even thinking she unconsciously had Max there. He was always there. And when she had made the mistake of dating another man, he was still always there.

She had made mistakes during that relationship, having calling the other man Max a few times in the beginning and it didn't take long for her to realize that she'd never find another Max and that was what she wanted. She checked out of her new relationship frequently, never in tune with it. At the end of it. She found that she never developed the same feelings for him as she had for Max. And that through it all, the other man had lied and cheated. Quite a bit. She wasn't devastated because of that, she was just hurt by the lying that went on.

From then. She wished for Max. She wished for their memories, to be able to relive them. He gave her life and a reason to wake up. It sounds probably ridiculous for a woman to be so dependent on a man... But Tessa's biggest fear was being alone. She feared having no one. And Max was her solution. The moment she felt most alone was when she began at Max's school.

For almost three weeks, she was cold, isolated, and always angry. But when she had found Max, she had changed completely. And for the better of course.