Nemesis: A Love Story

TESSA

Her eyes have trouble opening at first. Her head is swimming. In many ways she feels like she's been hit by a truck. Her vision is blurry at first and slowly they come into focus.
She looks around and realizes she doesn't recognize the space she's in.
She immediately sits up.
Her head swims.
Shes dizzy.
"Tessa"
She hears the male voice and panics.
A hand touches her arm.
She recoils at first.
"It's ok. You're safe."
Looks to the voice.
It's him.
How?
What?
Where is she?
She doesn't realize she's spoken out loud.
He sits on the edge of the bed.
He's shirtless. His golden brown hair going every which way.
"My sister found you last night."
Sister?
"I don't remember" she tells him confused.
"You took a lot of drugs." He explains carefully.
She looks down at herself. She's the large t-shirt.
"Where are my clothes? Did you??? Did we???" She looks at him frantically.
"No." He reassures her. "No. I wouldn't do that."
Their eyes meet and she believes him.
He points to the floor beside her. And she looks down to see his makeshift bed.
"I don't understand what's happening."
Hugh looks at her calmly.
"Claire!" He yells.
Wait what?
Claire?
"Claire is your sister???"
He sees the irritation flash across her eyes. Hugh shrugs exasperated.
"Claire I need you" he shouts to the closed door.
"Explain?" She orders him.
Just then the door swoops open and Claire comes in looking relieved.
"You scared the shit out of me!!! Out of us!!" She says her hands on her hips.
Tessa looks apologetically over at her and is about to voice it to her when Claire is suddenly there hugging her in a tight bear hug.
Claire pulls back and looks at them both.
"So I see you already know my brother"
Tessa looks back and forth between them.
Now she sees it.
Now she understands why Claire seemed so familiar to her.
She has the same eyes as her brother.
The same  smile.
"I don't remember what happened. How did I even get here? Where is my stuff?"
Hugh gets up then and starts to head out of the room.
"I'm going to go make you something to eat."
Tessa looks at his retreating back
"I'm not a fucking child. I can feed myself. Besides I'm not hungry"
He doesn't look at her as he opens the door
"We'll tough shit. I'm making it for you anyway".
He closes the door behind him.
Tessa huffs annoyed he uses her own words back at her.
Claire sighs.
"I see the irritable bit has started or is this how you and my brother always are?" She takes Tessas hand in hers "I don't know the dynamic between you two, and believe me I know what a bastard he can be but I also know that I've never seen him fight so hard to keep someone alive before. And let me be real clear, without him you wouldn't be alive right now, Tessa. I held you in my arms and I didn't know what to do and he showed up. He didn't even know it was you at that point. He just took over. He held you and talked to you. Through all of it. And it was bad, Tess. It was bad. "
Tessa sees the tears running down Claire's face and reaches out to wipe them away.
"I'm sorry I scared you"
Claire looks at her pointedly.
"I don't want you to be sorry. I want you to stop. I know that's not fair of me to ask as we haven't really been friends that long, but Tessa, you matter to me. You matter to him. You're not alone in this anymore. You need to accept that. Promise me."
Tessa looks at her. Sees the seriousness in her young eyes. Eyes that have seen too much. Just like her.
She usually never promises anyone anything. She usually doesn't let anyone close enough to ask this of her.
But here it is.
That moment.
"I'll try." Is all she can offer. She's crying herself now.
Claire nods.
"It's a start"
They hug tightly.
"I don't know how to ask this so I just am...feel free to tell me to fuck off...I saw the scars. Last night when I changed you. I saw them. "
Tessa stiffens at the knowledge.
"Didn't he tell you?"
"No." Claire informs her "he wouldn't. He said it was your story to tell. Not anyone else's and by the way, I'm going to kick Megan's ass for what she did to you"
It takes her a moment to find the courage to tell her the story, in all the gory details but she does it.
They hug for a long time and Claire does something no one else ever has. She doesn't call her brother a monster. She's doesn't ask morbid questions. She just holds her.
"Looks like we're both orphans huh"
Tessa looks at her in surprise.
"Long story. I'll let Hugh tell you that one."
"Hugh tell her what?"
They both look to see him enter the room. Two plates in one hand and a two mugs in the other. Claire jumps up to help him.
"Wow breakfast in bed. I've never gotten this treatment. Must be the company." She smiles.
"Don't you have class today."
"I'm not going"
"Yes you are" both Hugh and Tessa day in unison.
Claire smirks and then gets calm.
"I don't want to leave her alone."
"She's not alone I'm here."
"Fine but you need to text me throughout the day and give me updates or I'm ditching, Hugh, I'm not kidding."
Tessa watches the siblings banter back and forth about her.
"Wait!" She shouts out to get their attention.
"I'm not staying here. I'm going home"
"No you aren't" both Navarre siblings inform her.
Claire comes to her side.
"You aren't well enough yet to be on your own. Plus do you want me to end up leaving class and following you? Do you?"
Oh she's good.
"I don't have anything here" she tells her.
"I'll take you to your place. You can grab some stuff. If that's ok with you." He offers.
Tessa looks at him. He looks tired and drained.
~Without him you wouldn't be alive right now, Tessa~
She nods to him.
"Ok."