Before

Chapter 15.

                 

Songs for this chapter are:

No One's Here To Sleep- Naughty Boy (i know, i know, just ignore this part) and Bastille.

Waiting Game- Banks

Cherry Wine - Hozier

Hardin's POV.

When I walk into class Tessa isn't sitting in her seat. It's empty, along with Landon's. I sit down and pull my phone out. One text from Logan inviting me to a drink during lunch hour. I decline and push my phone back into the pocket of my black jeans. They're a little snug, but it works.

My legs are too long to wear loose fitting pants without looking like a clown. I do have a pen stain, or perhaps it's some sort of makeup that won't wash out, on the sleeve of my white t-shirt. I didn't want to do laundry and some of the shit women put on their faces has to be bio-hazardous at best.

I'm distracted from the disgusting truth about my hygiene when Tessa walks through the door. I stare straight at her, willing her eyes to meet mine as she walks toward the front row. I'm surprised that she didn't pick a new seat. I do believe her hatred toward me is that strong right now.

"Tess?" I whisper across the small space between our seats. She ignores me but I saw her shoulders flinch when I said her name.

"Tess?" She swallows and her chest is moving at an incredibly slow pace. The tension is clear between us, I can feel it buzzing, radiating from us.

"Do not speak to me, Hardin," she squares her shoulders to let me know she means business.

"Oh come on," I try to convince her with a smile but she's not having it.

She licks her lips and says, "I mean it, Hardin, leave me alone."

"Fine, have it your way." If she wants to be difficult, I can be difficult. Oh, I'm the fucking King of difficult.

..

The week passes with sleepless nights and calls from dusty bottles under the sink. It's becoming harder and harder to ignore the siren. By Friday I'm fucking exhausted. I look and feel like shit. When I get to Literature Landon is sitting in his desk, his eyes meet mine immediately.

"I need to talk to you," he insists. I glance around to see who else he could possibly be talking to. No way it' me.

"Yes you." He looks annoyed. I sit down in my seat, ignoring him. I cross my legs under the desk and lean my back against the hard plastic chair.

"I wanted to extend an invite for dinner in a few days. Our parents have something to tell you," he must pick up on his own stupidity because he corrects himself, "my mom and your dad."

Our parents? Is he fucking demented?

"Don't ever say some shit like that again, you prick."

In a move to stand up, Landon pushes his hands against the top of his desk. I fucking dare him.

"Leave him alone, Hardin!" Tessa yells and grabs ahold of my arms to get me off of Landon. She really doesn't know how to mind her own damn business. I drop my arms. Fuck this. Why did she have to walk up.

"You need to mind your own business, Theresa."

Tessa leans into her bestie and whispers something to him. Bestie is such a stupid word but I bet these two dweebs use it. "He is just an asshole. That pretty much sums it up," Landon announces with his most charming grin.

Tessa's giggling peeves me in the deepest way.

"I have some good news!" Tessa turns to Landon. She's making a show for me but think I'm too oblivious to catch onto her childish display.

"Really? What's that?"

"Noah's coming to visit today, and he'll be here all week- end!" The slow burn of jealousy is making its way through me, stopping to fray each edge on it's way. With each clap of Tessa's hands my smoldering gaze heats her skin and each watt of brightness growing in her smile, my hands twitch on my desk.

"Really? That is great news!" Landon sucks up to Tessa and neither of them pay any attention to me when I pretend to gag.

I knock at Tessa's door once before I turn the handle and walk in. It's not locked, which makes it obvious that Tessa and her boyfriend aren't planning anything too wild. When Tessa's eyes move to the door. Her and Noah are sitting on the bed in the dark and Tessa jumps a little, making a space between them.

"What are you doing here?" Tessa immediately raises her voice the moment she who it is that has just arrived. "You can't just barge in here!" I give the adorable couple a smile.

"I'm meeting Steph," I sit down on the edge of Steph's bed, knowing that I'm lying. Through my teeth. I turn to Noah, wanting to gage his annoyance level. Is he easy going or uptight like Tessa?  Tessa's probably going to piss herself the moment I say his name. "Hey, Noah, nice to see you again." I think about shaking his hand. I'm sure he's used to it at the country-club he's a member of.

"She's with Tristan, probably already at your house," she really pushes those words as if she's trying to tell me to leave. Not yet, blondie.

"Oh?" I play with Tessa's nerves. "Are you two coming to the party?" That would make it much more fun. I can imagine the boy fitting in well at the frat house, bro-dudes with matching blond hair would have him doing a key stand within minutes of arrival. His pure soul would be tainted and Theresa would have to find herself another blond Abercrombie model. Tough life.

"No . . . we aren't. We're trying to watch a movie," Tessa answers me. Noah moves his hand in the dark and I cringe as he rests it on Tessa's. I can see her discomfort even in the darkness.

"That's too bad. I better go . . ." I turn on my boot, and some of the pressure disappears from my chest. "Oh, and, Noah," I take a break between words and watch Tessa squirm.  "That's a nice cardigan you're wearing."

Tessa looks relieved when she realizes that I'm not going to cause  a scene.

"Thanks. It's from the Gap," he answers me, oblivious that I'm making fun of him.

"I can see that. You two have fun," I say as I leave the room. My chest burns as I leave the room. He's a tool. What does she even see in him? Why does it bother me so much?

(Authors note: If you plan on buying the paperback version of Before during release week (december 8-15) tag a selfie (on Instagram) with the book under #beforerelease because I'll be creeping and giving away lots of nice things :) I'll update again Friday!