New Beginnings: A Hessa Story (2)

Chapter 57: Tessa

"Okay, we should probably go out there." I laugh to Hardin. We've been in here for a while, and numerous people have been pounding on the door to use the bathroom.

"You're right. Landon is probably so confused right now." Hardin says as he helps me down off the changing table. I look quickly into the dirty mirror to fix my dress and hair.

"How do I look?" I turn around back to Hardin. I already know what he's gonna say. The huge grin on his face gives it away.

"Freshly fucked." He whispers, and I shove at his shoulder.

"Let's just go." Hardin opens the door, and we are startled by a man standing there.

"Jesus Christ! It's about fucking time, man!" He complains to Hardin, throwing his arms around. I assume this is the man that's been banging on the door for the past ten minutes. "What the fuck took so-" He stops when he notices me walk out beside him. He looks me up and down with a scowl.

"Oh, I see. Well, next time, go fuck your bitch somewhere else."

There is nothing more in this world that I hate more than being called a 'bitch' just for being a woman, and Hardin knows that.

"Watch it." He says, and steps closer to this man, but I grab Hardin's shoulder. The last way I would want to start the New Year is with Hardin fighting some random asshole at a bar.

"All I said was to take her, and go fuck her somewhere else. Some of us actually use bathrooms to pee and shit, not to fuck whores."

Damn, this guy is really pulling out every derogatory word in the book.

"Don't you fucking dare speak about her that way." Hardin steps even closer, but I pull him back.

"Hardin, don't. It's not worth it." He turns his head back towards me, and I can see the internal debate in his eyes. "Let's just go. It's not worth it." I say again, and thankfully, Hardin takes a step back.

"Yeah, that's right. Listen to your little bitch."

I physically pull Hardin away now because I can feel the tension radiating off him in waves.

"Hope she was at least tight, bro!" He yells behind us. I stop dead in my tracks. I don't want Hardin to get in a physical altercation with this jackass, but that doesn't mean that I can't do something about it. I leave Hardin in the middle of the bar, and walk back over to the guy who feels like it's okay to degrade women.

"Who hurt you?" I say as he's laughing with his friends.

He looks at me, surprised that I came back to defend myself. "Excuse me?"

"Did someone hurt you?" I ask again.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He steps towards me, but I can feel Hardin behind me, so I'm not scared.

"Did your Mom not love you enough? Did a girlfriend dump you? Did you get bullied? Did you peak in high school? Let me know when I'm getting warm..."

"The fuck? Of course not! Not that it's any of your goddamn business." He yells in my face.

"Then what do you think gives you the right to talk about women that way? Because from where I'm standing, I'm the woman who just had amazing sex in that bathroom with my husband while you're the lonely drunk asshole who probably hasn't gotten any in months and finds joy in bringing others down. You're sure as hell not getting any woman with that attitude. So the next time you speak that way about a woman, look in the goddamn mirror and check yourself. "

His face pales as his friends around him laugh.

"It's a New Year. Why don't you try fixing whatever is broken inside of you before it's too late. You don't want to spend the rest of your life coming to the same bar, getting blackout drunk with the same friends, and degrading the same women, do you? I would think about that. Have a nice night, and Happy New Year." I grab Hardin's hand and pull him away from the asshole who still has his mouth wide open.