Afterwards: An "After" Fanfiction

Chapter 18: Tell Me A Lie

"I'm sorry."

The jovial chittering of the birds outside Tessa's window were an unwelcome commotion compared to the noiselessness inside. After Hardin's casual apology, Tessa couldn't bring herself to do anything but stare in disappointment.

He sat slumped across from her at her modest kitchen table, eyes heavy and hair in disarray. He held a once-hot cup of coffee that had now gone cold. In an ordinary circumstance, Tessa would have found it amusing to see Hardin's athletic form squeezed into her fuzzy pink bathrobe, but bitterness clouded her sense of humor.

Eventually, she rubbed at her temples and let out a yawn. Neither of them had gotten any sleep last night.

Landon had assisted her in loading his still-delirious brother into an Uber, but Tessa had been completely on her own after they arrived at her apartment. She had struggled to walk him up the stairs, and had an even tougher time peeling his puke-stained clothing off. He had made a fuss as she tried to help, kicking and mumbling like a sleepy infant. Although a shower was much needed, she had decided it would have been impossible. The best she could do on her own was slip the pink robe on and lie him down in her small bed as she threw his clothes into the wash.

When he had finally woken up that morning, Tessa was already finished with her own breakfast. She made him a coffee without a word, and he had been too embarrassed to mutter anything but a quiet "thank you."

Now, as the ghost of his apology still hung awkwardly in the air unanswered, Tessa decided that the silence couldn't go on forever. "Is that all you have to say?" Her brows knit together on her furrowed forehead, and she swiped the cold cup from her counterpart and began washing it furiously in the sink.

"Wait, I wasn't done yet." Realizing that his efforts were in vain, Hardin decided to drop it in favor of expressing his remorse. "Look, Tessa. I'm gutted you had to see me like that last night. I haven't been that bad since well before I met you, and I can't thank you enough for helping me last night. God knows why you had to bring me to fucking Landon's house though."

Tessa whipped her head around, her mouth pursed and hands still dripping wet with soap suds. "You don't get to complain about that! You're lucky he had that Narcan, he saved your life last night."

Hardin swiped a hand across his chin in exhaustion. "I guess you're right. It's just such a complicated situation with Ken and Karen...I just try to erase every bit of them from my memory but for some reason, Landon sticks by me like a damn leech." The displeasure on Tessa's face made him reconsider his words. "Alright, alright. A helpful, life-saving leech."

Throwing her hands up in the air, the girl turned back around and began scrubbing the mug once more. "One day, there will be no one left to put up with your shit. Why did you have to almost overdose anyways?" Her hands ached from brushing the mug so hard. "You know my history with my father."

The lump left in Hardin's throat was difficult to swallow. "I do know. I wish there was something more powerful to say than sorry. But I was spiraling, Tess. I thought I'd lost you for good." He allowed himself to stand, making his way hesitantly towards her. His hands automatically reached for her stiff shoulders, but he lowered them in fear of upsetting her further. "That glass is way past clean, love. Don't you think?"

Again, Tessa faced him, ready to lecture and berate Hardin with questions. But when she saw how truly drained and regretful he was, she couldn't do it. Instead, she did quite the opposite.

An audible gasp left his throat when he felt her small arms encircling his waist. His own hands remained in the air while the shock settled in. This was the last thing he expected.