After 3

Chapter 222.

The songs for this chapter are:

Beautiful Disaster (piano version)- Kelly Clarkson

Turning Tables - Adele

Why- Jason Aldean

Tessa's POV.

"So that's basically the story of my life," Robert grins. His smile is warm and honest, almost child-like but in the most endearing way.

"That was..interesting." I reach for the wine bottle on the table and lift it to fill my glass. Nothing comes out.

"Liar," he teases and I burst into wine induced giggles. His life story was short and sweet. Not plain really, not exciting, just normal. He grew up with both parents, his mother is a school teacher, his father is the sheriff. After graduating from the community college two towns away, he decided to go to medical school. He's only working here now because he's on the waitlist to get into the medical program at University of Washington, that and he makes pretty good money working at the most expensive restaurant around.

"You should have went to WSU instead," I tell him and he shakes his head. He stands up from the table and puts his index finger in the air to pause our conversation. I sit back in the chair while I wait for him to return, I rest my head against the wooden chair and look up at the ceiling. The ceiling in this small section is painted with clouds, castles, and cherubs. The image directly above me is sleeping, pink stained cheeks, blonde curly hair atop her head.  Her small white wings lay almost flat in slumber. Next to her, a boy, I assume at least, stares at her, watching her with his black wings spread behind him.

Hardin.

"No way, even if I wanted to they don't offer the program I need. Plus the medical program is part of the main campus in Seattle, at WSU your Seattle campus is much smaller." Robert returns with a new bottle of wine in his hands.

"Have you been there? To the campus?" I ask him, eager to learn more about my new location. I'm even more eager to stop staring at creepy images of baby angels on the ceiling.

"Yeah only once, it's small but it's nice."

"I'm supposed to be there on Monday and I have no where to live," I laugh. I know my poor planning shouldn't be funny but right now it feels that way.

"This Monday? As in today is Thursday and Monday is in a few days?"

"Yep," I nod.

"What about the dorms?" He recommends. Living in the dorms never crossed my mind, not even once. I had assumed, well hoped that Hardin would be accompanying me so living in the dorms wasn't on my radar.

"I don't want to live on campus, especially now that I know how it feels to live on my own,"

"True, once you get a taste of freedom you can't go back,"

"So true, if Hardin went to Seattle.." I stop myself. "Never mind,"

"So were you guys planning on trying the long distance thing?"

"No, it would never work. The short distance thing doesn't even work for us," my chest begins to ache. I need to change the subject before I end up a blubbering mess. Blubbering, what a strange word.

"Blubbering," I repeat while pinching my lips between my thumb and index finger. 

"Entertaining yourself?" Robert smiles and I nod, still laughing. "I have to say, this is the most fun I've had at work in a while,"

"Me too," I agree. "Well if I worked here," I'm making no sense at all. "I don't drink often, well more now than I ever did before but not enough to have built a tolerance so I get drunk pret-ty fast," I sing, lifting my cup in front of my face.