AFTER THERE'S YOU // ZESSA

Chapter 8: Hardin's Whore

"So, I'm out of your life for good, am I?" he says, eyes brimming with rage.

"Hardin, I -"

"So, you just go running back to Noah? I get fucking arrested because of you, and you go back to that loafer-wearing pissant?" he says, taking a step towards me.

I mirror his step, moving closer to him.

"Do not call him names, Hardin!" I yell back. "And for your information, I didn't cause you to almost kill Zed!" I say, pushing past him and unlocking my door. I don't want to cause a scene in the hallway - especially since I'm not supposed to be here in the first place.

In natural Hardin fashion, he follows me in, catching the door before I slam it shut.

Closing the door behind him, he runs his hands through his hair, the way he always does when he's upset with me. I really don't need this fight right now.

"Oh, don't even say his name. I know you left me in that fucking excuse of a jail to go see him." He says, carefully spitting each word as he walks towards my bed.

I sit down on my baby blue sheets, tossing my work folder onto my desk.

Looking up, I say, "I went there for you. To beg Zed not to press charges against you. But after I saw what you did... I couldn't bring myself to press him on the issue any further. He looked awful, Hardin!" I throw my hands in the air, gesturing towards nothing, trying to get my point across.

"I knew if I didn't kick the shit out of him, he'd never fucking leave you alone, Theresa," he says, now pacing the room.

Then, in an instant, Hardin slams his fists on my desk.

"He said you fucking slept with him, Tessa!"

Hardin's jaw trembles, the hate radiating from his features.

"You know I wouldn't do that Hardin!" I say back, standing up from my bed, moving closer towards him and my desk. "I love you. And up until you went and got yourself arrested, I was committed to only you. I can't forgive what you did. And I shouldn't have forgiven all the other shit you did to me, too!" I scream back, tears dripping from my cheeks and onto the floor.

I see Hardin's face changing at a mile a minute. Is he angry? Sad? Elated? Hurt? I see every emotion as he stands there, only a couple feet away from me.

"So. You do love me. Despite everything I did -" he takes a step closer to me "- I just heard you say it. You love me."

I try to look away, but he grabs the back of my neck. When I turn, I see he's inches from my face. My heart is racing, the heat of our chemistry still very much there. But this time, I listen to the voice in my head telling me to not take it any further.

"Of course, I do. But I guess it really is true what they say, 'sometimes love isn't enough'. And this time, it's not enough. Not enough to forgive your drinking, your fighting, emotionally abusing me - "

"Oh, give me a break Tessa!" he says, releasing my neck from his grasp. He starts running his hands through his hair again, except this time much harder, almost as if he's ripping his hair out.

"It's true! You call me names, and tell me you never loved me, or that you slept with Molly when you didn't. It's manipulative and wrong! Plus, you get violent when you drink and I don't want to be a part of it anymore," I say, crossing my arms and sitting on the bed. My tears have begun to dry and now all I feel is resentment bubbling inside me.

"I'm sorry, Tessa," he says approaching me. "Please give me another chance. I promise it will be different this time," he says, standing over me.

"No," I whisper back, looking down at my feet.