A Twisted Love

Chapter 49

Two days later, Tessa found that she could not put it off any longer.

It had been mid-afternoon and she had been sitting with the three girls, and Tessa had jumped up and told them that she needed to go somewhere. Isabelle had asked where she was going, but Tessa refrained from telling them.

"It's just somewhere that I used to go when I lived here." She told them.

Tessa could tell that they wanted to press her for information a little bit more, but they had stopped. Isabelle had given Tessa the keys to her car and had said to take as long as she needed. She had thanked her and then was on her way. Tessa had told herself that she was going to save this for the last day of her visit here in England, but she found that she just could not wait any longer. She thought about this place often, when she was back home, and she was yet to find another place that held so much emotional value.

Tessa thanked God that she somehow remebered the way and pulled over and parked on the side of the road when she recognized the familiar forest. She got out of the car and began to walk towards it. She couldn't help but remember all of the times she had come here, and with who. She had been a completely different person back then. Tessa then reached the clearing that Will had shown her all of those years ago, and stopped to take it all in. It looked exactly as it had five years ago and Tessa was hit with insane amounts of nostalgia. She walked onto the dock and sat down. This was where Will had professed his love for her. She could almost see him sitting there, his magnificent blue eyes filled with softness as he had told her what she had only dreamt he would say.

Tessa also recalled the way Will had made love to her right there on that very dock she was sitting on and blushed. If she thought very hard about it, she could almost feel the way he had touched her and what it felt like to kiss him. Tessa sat there for about half an hour, just reflecting on what her life had been like when she had lived here. It was almost as if it hadn't been real. It was so odd for her to think that she had actually lived here at one point in time. It was as if--

"Tessa?"

Every fibre in her being froze as she heard the voice from behind her. The voice brought memories of I love you's and the feeling of walking on air. It brought feelings and words she had tried for so long to forget. It brought crying and laughing and the belief that life could really be perfect. All of these words and emotions swirled around in Tessa's mind and her lips formed one word: Will.

Tessa turned around and laid eyes on Will Herondale for the first time in five years. He looked exactly the same - the same dark black hair and electrifying blue eyes that she loved so much. But she could sense that there was also something different in the way he carried himself. He seemed happier, almost, that broken glint in his eyes was gone. He looked more beautiful than ever and Tessa was lost for words for a moment. He was looking at her with wonder in his eyes.

"Will," Tessa breathed out."I - what are you doing here? Cecily said that you were in Paris."

"I caught the first flight back to London once Cecy told me you were here visiting." Will replied while taking a seat next to her. "I wanted to see you."

Tessa felt his cheeks redden at his words." How did you know I was here? I didn't tell the girls where I was going."

"Isabelle told me that you said you were going to a place that you always used to go to. I knew right away that it was here." Will grinned at her and her heart stuttered at the memories it brought back.

"Well, you always did seem to know me better than I knew myself." She smiled down at the water.

They then spoke of what their life had been like since they had seen each other last. Will was opening his own publishing company, which Tessa was thrilled to hear, and he was writing a novel as well. Tessa then told Will of what she had been up to for all of these years.

"And yeah," Tessa finished. "That's everything that's happened to me since I left."

Will was silent for a few seconds and he looked out onto the water. "I sat here for hours on the day you left, Tess. Every time I missed you, I would come here. I came here quite often."

Tessa's heart melted at his words and especially at the nickname. No one had called her Tess in the past five years, and it was refreshing to hear Will call her that again.

"I missed you, too. All of the time. I wanted to call you but-" Will cut her off.

"But you didn't know how." He finished, smiling at her."I know. I was the same way."

"The letter you left for me was the sweetest thing I had ever read in my life." Tessa said to him gently. "It meant so much to me."

Will only smiled at her and they both just sat there smiling at each other. A part of her couldn't believe that they were there, talking to each other. For so long, Will had been out of her reach and now here he was in front of her. Tessa thought back to the first time he had brought her here and the way he had told her about his father. That was the first time he had ever opened up to her. Suddenly, Will's eyes widened in shock.

"You're still wearing the ring I gave you." Surprise laced his voice.

Tessa blushed and looked away from him. "I always wear it. It - it made me feel close to you when I would miss you."

She looked up at Will again to see that he was already looking down at her. She could not read the look in his eyes and she was reminded of the old times and how he could always wipe what he was feeling right off of his face.

"I know that you might not to hear this, but I just have to tell you, Tess." Will then started suddenly. "I still feel the same way about you. I told you that I would always love you and I've never stopped. After you left, I realized a lot of things and I think I've grown up a lot and changed. And if you will have me again, I will be completely yours."

She felt shock and warmth pass through her at his confession. The words from his letter then passed through her head: Maybe one day, we will meet again and I'll be different and so will you and things will work out this time. He couldn't have been more right.

"I love you, too, Will, and I want this." Tessa replied and his blue eyes lit up. "But I think we should get to know each other again, first. You and I are such different people now."

Will looked at her thoughtfully for a moment and then stuck out his hand. "I'm Will Herondale."

She grinned widely and shook his hand. "I'm Tessa Gray."

Will then smirked at her which sent shivers down her body. "Nice to meet you, Princess."

Tessa could only throw her head back and laugh.

-The End-