All There Is

Chapter 9-Hardin

         "Okay Hardin I am warning you right now,I am about to tell you some really deep shit about Tessa and you better not judge her because I will beat your ass,Hardin."He says seriously as we sit on my bed.I don't know what's going to go on in this conversation but I highly doubt I could ever judge or hate her.

"I got it Landon."I pause for a moment trying to find the right way to compose the next words."Are you guys like a thing or whatever?I mean I'm just asking cause you seem pretty protective over her."

He laughs really hard, causing him to hunch over.What's so funny?"Me and Tessa?Oh my god no.Your funny dude."He pats my shoulder."I'm more into guys."He winks.Oh.

"So then why are you so protective over her?"

"Tessa and I have been hurt so many times that we know what it's like and love each other to much to let that happen to either of us again.My shit doesn't concern you but you seem to genuinely care for my best friend,even though she finds you kind of weird."

"I got that from her."I pick at my nails.

"She told me about what happened,with her like telling you that she didn't date and shit."The second the words leave his mouth,my face flushed,a bright red color.She told him?

"Don't be embarrassed Scott.Tessa is just like that and this might sound really bad but if she was here right now she would tell you 'it's not you,it's me'.If you ever wanna get anywhere with her,take it slow."

"Why is she like that though?What is she so afraid of?"

"Getting hurt.Also might I remind you Hardin you met here literally like yesterday.I think anyone would think taking it slow is a good route."He smirks."I can tell you care about her, more than you would want to admit and way more than she could ever take."He sighs.

"Take?What's so wrong about being loved?"

"Tessa has a fear of commitment because she thinks she's gonna get hurt.She builds up walls and tries to protect herself so she never gets hurt.Another thing would be just she doesn't feel like she's good enough."

"Why?She's perfect."

"She's not.But that's what makes her Tessa.If she was perfect like you, she wouldn't be my best friend.She would be some other clone that isn't real.No offense."

"None taken."I mutter under my breathe.I'm not boring.I just like school and want to get an education.I may where very formal clothing and may not have much experience in sex but I'm not boring.I care about people, mostly her, but other people too.

"The long explanation is hard to explain."He sighs."But I'm gonna do it anyway, you seem like a decent-enough human besides the fact that you look like your made of cardigans and could burst into flames at any second, you decent.I just hope your smart enough not to hurt Tessa."

"I am."

"Good."He rubs his hands on his knees with a sigh, Jesus this guy sighs a lot."Tessa was so happy growing up and I was too.But for when certain situations happy we became not so happy.Tessa was left by her parents when she was really young, her grandparents took care of her.She was closet with her grandpa."

"The guy in the picture."I mutter.

"What?"Landon asks, confused at my sudden words.

"Nothing just...keep going."

"Okay."He pauses for a moment."Like I was saying,Tessa and her grandfather we're really close.They did absolutely everything together and Tessa loved it.She loved riding motor cycles with him, in the woods, and going to some lake that he always took her too.It was there thing and I knew not to interfere."He laughs lightly at the thought."Tessa then started high school and met a boy named,Derek.He seemed so sweet that we literally all thought he was so good.Turns out he wasn't perfect at all, he made Tessa feel like shit about herself everyday and..."

"Did he touch her?"I feel myself getting angry in a way I have never seen.Of course I have gotten angry,but not how I am feeling now this rage...this anger,its all consuming and all director whoever the fucker that did this to her is.Fucker?I just realized I have never cursed in my life.

"No.God of course not.He doesn't have the balls."He laughs but then quickly returns to his serious demeanor."He just talked a lot of shit to her.Basically told her how she meant nothing which couldn't be further from the truth.It started getting to her and it was like everyday they would be fighting and even if she wasn't wrong, she would be apologizing.No matter what I did or what I said, she didn't listen.It was normal to her.After a year of her taking his bull shit,she lost someone really important to her and that was it.She wasn't Tessa.Thank god, she is now some sort of Tessa but early on in her lost, she was not my best friend.Tessa literally almost killed him, she was sent away and now she's back.She lived with her parents and found out something else, the rest needs to be told by her.I have told you enough."

"I understand."I immiedetly get up and head towards the door.

"Where are you going?"Landon voice stops me.

"To find her."

"You know she doesn't need that right?"

"She's lost and I'm gonna be the one to find her."