Paper Heart Goodbyes

Ch. 29

And just like that Tess' world came crashing down. Her worst fear - something terrible happening to the love of her life. And she wasn't even there to be with him, make sure he's okay with her own eyes, hold his hands, comfort him. She frantically tried calling Alex, her mom, even Chris although she knew there was little chance that call would go through. No one was picking up.

Tess started to cry again. It was automatic and she couldn't help it. She has never been a very emotional person and now she has cried more in the past 24 hours than she had in probably a whole year.

Lena walked over with two mugs in her hands and looked alarmed, unsure what to do.

"Uh...are you alright?"

"No...I just looked...at...my...messages," she said in between sobs, she took a deep breath to calm herself down, lips quivering the whole time, "I just found out that someone tried to run Chris over when he was jogging this morning. I'm trying to get ahold of someone, anyone, to see if he's okay, but no one's answering. I can't believe I slept through all of the phone calls and texts."

"Oh my god," Lena put the mugs down on the coffee table. "What was the last thing you heard? Did it sound serious?"

Tess shook her head, "The last message I got said he was at the hospital, but he didn't have any serious injuries."

"Well, that's good news that he wasn't seriously injured, right?"

"But I don't know if there are any updates or if something changed. What if this is like in the movies when you think the person isn't badly injured and then they die from internal bleeding or something?" Tess panicked, a host of bad scenarios running through her head.

Lena sat down next to Tess on the couch but left enough space between the two of them to keep some distance. She seemed unsure how comforting to be towards a girl she barely knows.

"Hey, think positive thoughts. Someone has to pick up eventually. Just try again in a little bit."

Tess sniffled, finally not sobbing anymore. "Thanks," she tried to give a smile.

Lena handed her the tissue box. After Tess was done wiping her wet face and blowing her nose, she picked up her tea from the coffee table. "Sorry I haven't gotten to know you better while I've been here. I feel kind of bad now that you've had to watch me cry two days in a row that I don't know that much about you."

"It's no big deal. I probably could've been friendlier too. You did invite me out a few times."

"Yeah but there have been times when we were both here in the apartment and I could've tried to make more conversation with you."

Lena grabbed one of the throw pillows to place on her lap as she sat criss cross on the couch, sipping her tea. She toyed with the tassels of the green pillow when she said cautiously, "I could've struck up conversation with you too. I probably came off as so standoffish or like a cold bitch," she chuckled.

Tess laughed, "I wouldn't put it that way."

"Well, I would. I just don't get along that well with Becky so it felt weird to be all chummy with you since you're here visiting her." Lena glanced around behind her, almost like Becky could hear her even though she wasn't home.

"Yeah...Becky told me you guys aren't close. She, um, actually told me that you go through moods? Like sometimes you're really outgoing and want to hang with her and sometimes you're a loner and prefer not to talk to anyone. So when you didn't want to go out to dinner or sightseeing with us or even eat with us here I figured you were going through a phase of wanting to be alone."