CHOICES (Completed)

TICK (TOCK)

The talking goes on and Brit decides to ditch this time. She thinks she should take more time before she goes out with someone again.

I decide to go find Hardin once before leaving. I exit the cafeteria and spot Trevor reshuffling some papers. I remember his earlier remark and a sudden anger builds inside of me as I stride up to him and push him against the wall.

He, caught off guard, lands on the wall with a thud his arms stretched wide and I hold down his biceps forcefully.

“You didn’t think I’d miss the taunt, did you?” I stare down his shocked blue ones with my own ardent ones.

“Considering your 4.0 of a GPA, I was sure you’d catch it.”

“So I take it, it was intentional, right?”

“Every taunt is, Theresa.”

“I don’t get what you’re so mad about. It’s not like we had sex or anything.” He turns us around holding my arms firmly, pushing me against the wall now.

“I didn’t think it was too much to expect to just see you when I woke up, Tessa. I bared out my heart and soul to the first person ever, and she just happened to leave?

I opened out my whole life and lay it out in front of you and you just walked away, like that? Without even waking me or telling me?

Do you have any idea how hurtful it was to have the one person I talked my heart out to, steal away like that? Not be there in the morning? It was almost like you had felt sorry for me and done me a grand favour.”

His loud and angered voice cuts though me like a knife. I feel a pang of guilt rush through me. It’s true I had left without telling him, but that had been because I was confused and panicked. And I had almost thought nothing about what he would assume out of it.

“I had-“

“Important stuff to do? Why don’t we keep it simple and say you had a boyfriend to tend to.” I blink and look at him disbelievingly. I had felt that I had betrayed both of them. Because neither if them, knew about the other. But since Trevor already knew where Hardin and I stood, I guess he’s equally to be blamed.

If that’s how he wants to keep it, then I suppose it’s indeed for the best.

“If you know, why ask?” I whisper timidly.

He leans in a bit closer to me and my breath hitches. His fragrance clouds me yet again and I part my lips to breathe. He releases a deep breath and gazes at me with an unreadable expression.

“I thought this meant at least something to you, Theresa.” He whispers, low and accusing.

“What even is this, Trevor?”

“At least you know it’s there.” He smiles tiredly and leaves me after a minute, walking away.

I stand, still leaning on the wall and take a deep breath with my eyes closed. All I try is to not hurt people. And that’s exactly what I end up doing.

*

“Hey, I was just heading to Collins. Are you done?”

Hardin just sits down after his lap, in his grey vest, wiping off his sweat with the towel almost as if he didn’t hear me. I walk around to stand in front of him as I sense something wrong with him.