Nemesis: A Love Story

TESSA

Nothing.
He wants nothing from her.
Those words cut her more than she's willing to admit.
He wants nothing from her but he clearly wants, her.
Tessas eyes drift to where Megan has just entered the room.
Their therapist looks back and forth between them.
"You'd better go." She tells Lucifer. Her voice even. Any emotion she had a moment ago was silenced by his uttered Nothing.
She is so stupid.
So stupid to think for one second....
No...stupid for letting her guard down.
For letting the stupid fairytale beaten into every little girls head, to take root in hers.
She knows better.
She knows nothing good stays.
She knows it's a mistake to depend on anyone but yourself and she was an idiot for thinking, no matter how briefly, that this person was any different. That she was any different.
"I don't want to go" he tells her matter of factly.
"Well tough shit. I'm done talking to you and your fuck buddys claws are showing. "
She knows she's being cruel.
She doesn't give a fuck.
Not about her.
Not about him.
Nothing.
"Tessa" there's something in his voice. She sees his hands slowly moving towards hers.
"Don't."
They're both so involved in this fucking dance of theirs that they don't notice that Toothless and his flunky, Slim Shady, have joined them at the coffee table.
"Jesus that's quite a scar you've got there" Toothless interjects.
Tessa stills.
She'd forgotten to cover it.
She'd been so distracted with her brothers picture and The Sun, she'd left herself exposed.
Toothless reaches out touching it and her jerks back, right into his chest.
"Don't fucking touch her!"
His voice booms into the space of the large room.
He's moved her behind him before she even realizes what has happened.  One arm stretched back protectively over her.
Putting himself between her and Toothless.
"Woah calm the fuck down, Navarre! I didn't know she was one of your special friends" he laughs over his shoulder at his buddy.
"Shut the fuck up" he warns on the brink.
She tightens her grip on his hand. Trying to calm him.
Wait when had they clasped hands???
Tessa sees Megan heading over break it up.
The security guard appears through the door.
Toothless looks over his shoulder at her. Licking his lips. Eager. She grimaces at him.
"Hey honey, how about when you're done slummin' with this one, you give me a call and learn what it feels like to ride a real man"
All hell breaks loose as Lucifer, pushes her safely back and then shoves Toothless, hard away from her.
Away from them.
Toothless flies back into the arms of his friend. Saved by Slim Shady.
"Say that to her again you fucker. I dare you!" His is terrifying when he's angry. Still angelic looking but terrifying.
The guard is suddenly between them.
Holding Hugh back and keeping the others at bay.
"Jesus man it was just a joke." Toothless grumbles. "I'm not a fan of the marked up kind anyway"
Tessa closes her eyes at that.
Hugh lunges at him again but she reaches out and touches his arm.
He immediately stops and looks back at her.
She shakes her head.
Megan's dark eyes grow darker as she watches them. She and Hugh...
She's using his real name in her head now?
Megan and Hugh exchange a look.
Wait, that's right.
They're  fuck friends
And she's nothing.
She'd almost forgotten.
She steps away from him purposefully and he notices. He looks from her to Megan and back to rest on her.
She won't look at him.
She can't. 
She needs to go.
She needs to catch her breath.
She needs to forget.
She needs drugs.
Megan clears her throat gaining everyone's attention.
"I think we all need to take a few minutes to calm down and then we should, as a group, talk about what just happened here. This is supposed to be a safe place."
"Clearly it isnt"
Everyone turns to look at her. This is the most she has spoken.
"Do you have some feelings you'd like to finally share with the group?" Megan gives her a look. It feels like a challenge.
"I'd like to leave."
They lock eyes.
"I think it's time we talk about it, Tessa. Don't you agree?"
"Megan" she hears him say from beside her. It's a warning. Of what she can't be certain.
The others move closer to watch the exchange play out.
Megan's dark eyes look at him, anger and jealousy flare in them.
She looks back at Tessa.
"About what?"
Megan takes a step closer. Her hands clasped behind her back.
"The fact that your brother killed your parents and tried to kill you?"
There's a gasp in the room from the two girls.
"Megan! Shut up!" he shouts angry.
Tessa nods her head at her...
"Wow. There's so many confidentially violations broken here I don't know even where to start" her voice is ice cold and she steps closer to her therapist.
She feels him touch her arm and jerks away from his touch. She comes right into Megan's face and she sees fear run across them.
Good.
She should be scared.
"Let me make something absolutely clear...so there's no confusion.  My brother did not kill my parents or try to kill me."
Megan looks at her confused.  Tessa continues. "An undiagnosed mental illness, that went untreated and unchecked by so called professionals, like you, that's what killed my parents. Are we clear?"
Megan won't look at her. She leans over to whisper in her ear.
"Are we clear!" she shouts instead.
Megan jumps.
Everyone jumps.
Tessa looks at the group.
"Are we all happy now?! You all want to take a good look at it. It looks awful I know. It hurt a lot more. Trust me." she says pulling down the shoulder of her dress to expose the whole scar for everyone to see. " You want all the gory details. Google it. Riggs family massacre!"
No one says a word.
Rita looks angrily at the back of Megan's head.
Kat is crying softly.
The two assholes are looking at the floor.
And him.
She can't look at him.
She grabs her coat from the back of her chair and starts to leave.
"Tessa" he's beside her. "Let me come with you"
She stops and finally looks at him.
"I don't need or want your pity"
She walks away before he can say anymore.