After 3

Chapter 256.

Songs for this chapter are:

Endlessly- The Cab

 Mine- Taylor Swift (Sue me:)

I'm yours- The Script

Hardin's POV.

The cold water blasts from the faucet onto my torn flesh. I stare  down at the drain, watching as the red stained water laps around the metal. 

Again, this shit happened again? Of course it did, it was only a matter of time.

The bathroom door is left open so I can easily access the room across the hall if I hear any screaming. I have no fucking idea what I was thinking when I called that bitch. I shouldn't call her that.. but she is one so..bitch it is. At least I'm not saying it in front of Tessa. When I called her, I could only think of Tessa's void expression and naïve remarks, "He's not doing drugs," she tried to convince herself. I knew she would come undone at any hour, and for some stupid fucking reason I thought her mum being here could possibly help her.

This is precisely why I don't try to help people, I have no experience in it. I'm pretty damn excellent at fucking shit up, but I'm no savior.

A flash of movement catches my eye in the mirror and I look up to see Richard's reflection staring back at me. He's leaning against the narrow door frame, his expression wary.

"What? Did you come to try and lunge at me again?" I flatly remark.

He sighs and runs his hands over his shaven face, "No, not this time."

I scoff, half wishing that he would try and come at me. I'm certainly wound up enough for a brawl, or two.

"Why didn't either of you tell me?" Richard asks. Is he fucking serious?

"Why would I tell you? And you sure as hell aren't stupid enough to believe Tessa would tell her father some shit like that," I turn the faucet off and grab a towel to apply pressure to my knuckles, they have stopped bleeding for the most part. I should learn to switch hands, punch with my right from now on.

"I don't know.. I feel blindsided, I thought you two were just opposites attracting but now.."

"I'm not asking for your approval, nor do I need it." I walk past his body in the doorway and hurry down the hallway. Landon's shoes are no longer next to the door and the bag of burnt popcorn still rests on the floor.

"Let hers be the only voice in your head," Landon's voice echoes through my mind. I wish it were that easy, maybe it will be one day.. I sure as hell hope so.

"I know you don't, I just want to understand all this shit. As her dad, I feel obligated to beat your ass," he shakes his head.

"Right," I huff, bending down to pick the bag up off of the floor. I want to remind him that he hasn't been her father for over nine years.

"Carol was a lot like Tessa when she was young," he says. I recoil, the bag nearly slips from my fingers.

"No, she wasn't." There is no way in hell that could be true. Honestly, I used to think Tessa was just like the prudish, bitchy, woman but now that I actually know Tess, that couldn't be further from the truth. Her struggle to appear perfect stems from the woman but Tessa is nothing like her.

"It's true. She wasn't quite as nice, but she wasn't always.." he trials off, grabbing a bottled water from my fridge.

"A bitch?" I answer for him. His eyes dart down the empty hallway as if he's afraid she will appear and toss him around again. I'd like to see that happen actually..