Fearless ♛ Daniel Sharman

11.

T E S S A

Tessa bit her lip and looked at her phone again.

Go die, read the first comment.
Honey, don't cheat is the first rule of dating. Don't cheat. Don't cheat. It's not that hard! That was the second.

They carried on. And on. And on.

Die. You're worthless. Why did you cheat? Slut. Whore.

Tessa knew she wasn't any of those things. She knew she didn't cheat. But looking at the comments was making her start to doubt that.

She was starting to believe what they were saying.

She'd just texted Daniel, and he was due any second now, but suddenly she didn't want him to see her like this, she didn't want him to see her crying and feeling like she was worth nothing.

Her eyes were puffy, she was in pyjamas, and her hair was in a messy bun. In short, she looked awful, and Tessa imagined Daniel turning up and seeing her like that...

She felt even worse.

'Tessa?' Said a soft voice from the trailer door. 'Tess? It's me, Daniel.'

Tessa attempted a smile as Daniel stepped inside, but it quickly fell as Daniel saw her face and instantly ran over. 'Oh, Tess,' he mumbled, hugging her tightly. 'Oh, honey. It's not true, what they're saying isn't true.'

Tessa gripped him tightly. Of course he was happy to see her. He was her rock, and she loved him for it.

She just wasn't sure when her feelings had stopped being platonic and started being romantic. She wasn't sure when she'd started to think what it would be like to kiss him... outside of work, of course.

'It's silly,' Tessa mumbled into his shirt. 'It's just they think I would do that... why? Have I ever given off a vibe that says 'I'm a cheater?''

'No,' Daniel said, sitting next to her on the bed and letting her lean comfortably against him. 'Of course you haven't, Tess.'

'I just-' She gulped, and then rubbed her eyes. 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm just crying all over you, I'm sorry-'

'Tess.' Daniel looked down at her, his eyes- those eyes she loved so much- large and serious. 'Oh, Tess, you have nothing to be sorry for. I'd do anything for you, don't you know that?'

Tessa looked up at him. Daniel.

Her world. Her everything.

What would she do without him? Where would she be?

They were so close. If either of them moved an inch closer, their lips would be touching....

'Tess,' Daniel breathed, and then he pulled away slightly, his breathing slightly fast. 'Tess. I won't- I won't kiss you when you're like this. It isn't fair. It isn't-'

He sighed, turned away, rubbed his cheek uncomfortably. 'I- I shouldn't... I... I...'

Tessa couldn't breathe. He hates me. He thinks I'm silly for even imagining that we could be together, for even considering the possibility....

'Tess,' Daniel said again, and that seemed to be the only word he could manage to speak.

Tessa didn't think there was anything else to say.

She closed her eyes and rested her head on the sofa, trying to untangle her knotted thoughts.