AFTER THERE'S YOU // ZESSA

Chapter 6: Begin Again

"Tessa?" I hear a man's voice say into the phone. Who is this? I re-check the number on my screen again. Nope, still don't know who it is.

I sit up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes with my free hand.

"Yes, this is Tessa. May I ask who's calling?" Whoever it is, he sounds older.

"Hi, this is Todd Johnson from Johnson Publishing. Christian Vance passed along your contact info and resume. After I saw you applied online to our internship yesterday, I just had to give you a call. Christian speaks highly of you," he says.

My eyes go wide, and I shoot out of the bed, practically falling in the process.

"Um, yes. I mean thank you! Mr. Johnson. For the call." I sound like a babbling idiot.

"Well, how about you stop by Friday afternoon around 3pm for an interview? I'd love to hear your thoughts on our intern position" he says coolly.

I feel my jaw drop. Johnson Publishing is a smaller company than Vance's, but still well known. And they're located on campus.

"Um...hello?" Mr. Johnson says.

"Sorry!" I blurt out, "I mean yes! Yes. That would be great." Ugh, way to sound like an idiot Tessa!

I continue, "Thank you so much for the opportunity and for calling me personally, Mr. Johnson."

"The pleasure is all mine," he says, "After the way Christian went on about you, I felt I had to. Well, I'll have my assistant shoot you an email with the time and location. See you tomorrow. Oh, and please call me Todd," he says. He sounds like a nice guy. And if he's anything like Vance, I'd really enjoy working for him.

"Okay, Todd. Thank you again and I'll see you Friday!"

We hang up and I throw myself backwards onto my bed.

Staring at the ceiling, arms spread like a star fish, I yell, "Thank you God!"

Finally, some good news. I have no idea if this internship is paid or what exactly it entails – I'm just happy to have anything at this point. It's a position that will benefit my future as a writer or publisher, and for right now, it's something to keep my mind off Hardin.

I roll out of bed, get myself ready for the day, and head off to class. I have a smile on my face for the first time in what feels like a lifetime.

After a long day of classes and a few well enjoyed hours at the library, I return to my – well Steph's – dorm building. I'm still high on life from this morning's phone call, practically skipping up the stairs.

However, as soon as I turn down my floor's hallway, my high comes to a crashing halt.

It's Zed. Outside of my door.

I blink hard, ensuring I'm not seeing things. No, it's real. Zed is looking right at me and walking this way. I swallow hard and meet him halfway.

"Hi uh, Tessa," he says once he's a few feet away from me.

Zed looks horrible. Was it only yesterday I saw him in the hospital? It feels more like weeks. His nose is in some sort of bandage or brace. The sockets of his eyes are a deep purple. The left side of his face is slightly swollen, with a cut above his eyebrow. And the corner of his lip is puffy and scabbed over.

"Hi, Zed," I say back, grief evident in my voice.

"Can we talk for a minute?" he asks, wincing and grabbing his side in pain.

I look around, uncertain, but decide it's the least I owe him.

"Sure. We can talk in my – Steph's room."

I hadn't had a chance to make it to Target yet, so I feel slightly embarrassed leading him to my barren side of the room.

"Nice place," he says jokingly.

I give him a small smile, sitting on my mattress. He joins me, our knees almost touching as he turns to face me.

He let's out a deep breath.

"Listen Tessa, I came here to apologize. I feel terrible about how I spoke to you. I was just mad and frustrated and in pain and..." He looks away from me, closing his eyes and rubbing small circles into his temples.

Dropping his hands, he looks back, his face apologetic.

"I know those aren't excuses for screaming at you the way I did. So, I'm sorry. I'd like us to be friends. Actual friends. Not two people who sometimes talk at parties only to have some guy's dramatic tendencies get in the way," he says, a touch of a smile forming on his face.

I nod, looking down at my hands, my thumbs circling around one another in the way they always do when I'm not quite sure what to say.

"I'm serious," he says, barely touching the bottom of my chin, raising it ever so slightly, before bringing his hand back to his lap. It's quick, but the touch has me smiling back.

"Now that I can pretty much guarantee Hardin won't be coming around me, we can have a normal, pleasant friendship." This time I see an actual smile spread across his face.

"I'd like that," I say back. "And I'm sorry too, Zed. I'm sorry for putting you in the middle of this. And mostly, I'm sorry for always running to you when I knew it would make Hardin upset. I shouldn't have done that to you," I say lowering my head to look away, my shoulders trembling. Ugh, I'm going to cry.

"Oh Tessa, please don't cry," Zed says, obviously aware of my feeble attempt to hide my tears. He moves closer and brings me into his chest. His arms wrap around my body and I lean into him, keeping most the weight off his tender ribs and bruises.

"I'm so, sorry, Zed," I say into his shirt, my voice cracking. He smells like of cedar cologne and fabric softener, and I find the smell soothing. There's something about the right amount of cologne on a man that makes it so...

I feel Zed pull back and I look up at him, our faces inches apart. My heart races and I feel a warmth flow from my chest to the pit of my stomach. He looks back, brown eyes shining. How have I never noticed his eyes? Even encased by unsightly bruises, I find them beautiful.

For a moment, we just stare. The only sound in the room the slow breath from my chest, rising and falling.

Zed breaks our gaze first, pulling  away from me and looking at the floor. I clear my throat and sit up, smoothing down my hair.

"I'm glad we can be friends, Tessa. Just friends... And I hope to see you around. Maybe even enjoy a party together," he says, giving me a courteous smile.

I feel my cheeks redden, embarrassed for staring at him like that. What is wrong with me?

"Me too, Zed," I say smiling back, and stand up to show him out.

I hold the door wide open and he leaves. Leaning out the doorway to watch him walk away, I yell, "Bye Zed!"

He turns his head back and shoots me that distinctive, dazzling Zed smile.

"I mean it, don't be a stranger Tess!" he says, disappearing around the corner.

I close the door behind me. Leaning up against it and staring out the window, I feel my heart flutter and the high from earlier returns. Only this time, it isn't from the phone call about the internship.

I just hope I don't regret this.

Author's Note:  Hello all! If you've made it this far, comment and vote and tell me how you feel about Zessa! Is it too weird? Still a Hessa stan? Maybe you're starting to feel the Zessa vibe?? I'd love to hear any of the above =]