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TESS'S POV
"Tate! Go open the door!" I called out from the kitchen.
"I'm in the middle of something" Tatum called out. I groaned and walked out of the kitchen only to see Tatum on the game. "Brat" I muttered, hitting the back of his head. "Yo! Stop" Tatum hissed. I scoffed and walked up to the door, looking through the peephole before opening it.
What is she doing here?!
"Essie! Hey." I smiled. "Wow, you're not really sick?" She said. "What? No" I shook head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud. It's a long story" She says to me. I raised my brow and tilted my head.
Esme eyed up and down before she made eye contact with me. I chuckled. I was in sports bra and grey shorts since I had just left a the rooftop after hooping. "Hey..." Esme says. "Hey" We held eye contact for a moment before she spoke up again. "Can I?" Esme points behind me.
"Yeah... Yeah, come in!" I let her through as I shut the door and locked it.
"What are you— What are you doing here?" I asked. "I realized that I couldn't just avoid you forever and that we needed to talk" Esme answered. "Right. Uh, let's go in my room" I said. "Okay" Mae muttered, following behind me. We walked into my room and I shut the door behind us.
I grabbed a shirt and slipped it on while sitting on my bed.
Esme stood by the door. "You're not gonna sit down?" I asked. "Nope. I don't really plan on staying too long" She replied, coldly. "Seriously?" I questioned. "I can leave" Esme stated as grabs ahold of the doorknob.
"No! Don't go" I stood up, walking towards her.
Esme crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. "I noticed your sketchbook on the floor after you ran off" I stated. "I grabbed it and was planning to give it back right then and there but you were already gone". I told her everything. "And that's when you ran off... again" I sighed. "I'm sorry, Essie" I apologized.
"I swear, I never meant to hurt you or ruin the book that meant everything to you".
"And if I could take it back I would, instantly" I told her. "I know you would" Esme gave me a soft smile as her angry act seemed to fade. "I understand you were only trying to do the right thing, and I appreciate it" Esme said. "Nia told me everything that happened" She added. "God" I groaned, closing my eyes.
"Before you get upset, she told me that it was all her fault and that you had nothing to do with my sketchbook getting ruined" Esme quickly cleared up.
I looked at her in disbelief; "She... she did? Really?".
"Yeah" Mae chuckled. "In math. I was just as surprised as you were" Essie says. I nodded. "I actually wanted to talk to you sooner but I really needed to clear my head from everything" Esme said. "I'm glad you gave me time to do that, Tess".
"You're welcome. Wasn't a problem at all" I pressed my lips together. That was a complete and utter lie! Not talking to Essie for the past week had to be one of the most hardest things I've ever done. "So does this mean I'm forgiven?" I asked. "Yes! You're forgiven, Tess" Esme says.
"Sweet!" I held my arms out, wide; "Can I?".
"Come here!" Essie quickly pulled me into a hug. "I missed you, Mae" I whispered. "I did too, T" She responded. "Oh, by the way, I got an B on my sketch project!" Esme smiled as she pulled out the folded sketch from her purse, handing it to me. I unfolded it and saw a red B at the top of the paper.
"Wow" I said as I study the sketch.
She's so talented.
"It would have been a portrait of a hairless cat that I drew last minute but the butterfly was a better fit" Essie says.
I chuckled at her statement and handed the paper back. "Luckily, it was one of my most decent sketches" Essie stated. She folds the paper and places it in her purse. "I think it's beautiful" I told her. "Eh. It could've definitely been better" She shrugged.
"When will you ever stop doubting yourself?" I asked.
"I'll stop doubting myself when there's nothing else for me to doubt, but that'll never happen" She answers with a force lip tight smile.
I gave her a look and she sighed. "Other news is you also have a new cheerleader on the cheer team" Esme changed the topic. Seeing her huge smile, I quickly realized that she was talking about herself. "Seriously? No way!" I hugged her; "Congratulations, E!".
"Thank you. Nia helped me out... again. I don't know why but she did" Essie broke the hug and looked up at me as we were a few inches apart from each other. I hummed, simply staring into her brown eyes. "Esme? I wanted to see if you'd-" My question got cut off by the somewhat shorter girl before me. "Sorry, but I really gotta go" Esme says as she checks her phone.
"Sorry" She apologizes again.
"It's fine. Go ahead!" I waved her off. "I'll see you later?" Esme nodded and smiled. She walks off to leave the room but turns back around to come up to me. I didn't know why but I flinched. Great, this girl has me traumatized.
This time she didn't grab me my shirt. ...No matter how much I wanted her to. She looked confused before she brushed it off and kissed my cheek. Once her lips left my face, I immediately looked at her. "Walk me out, will you?" She says, batting her lashes.
"Mm-hmm!" A blushing mess, I walked her out of the apartment with Tatum still yelling at the game.
