After

Chapter 55.

The car ride is awkward, I hold my clothes on my lap and stare out the window waiting to see if Hardin is going to break the silence that hangs between us. He makes no move to speak so I pull my phone out of my purse. It's off, it must have died last night. I try to turn it on anyway and the screen comes to life. I am relieved to find that I have no new voicemails or texts. The only noise in the car is the light drizzle of rain and the slow screech of the windshield wipers.

"Are you still mad?" He finally asks as he pulls onto campus.

"No" I lie. I am not exactly mad, just hurt.

"It sure seems like you are. Don't act like a child."

"Well I am not. I could care less if you want to drop me off so you can go hook up with Molly" the words tumble from my  mouth before I can stop them. I hate the way I feel about him and Molly. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of them together. What is it about her anyway? Her pink hair? Her tattoos?

"That's not what I am doing. Not that it is your business anyway." he scoffs.

"Yea, well you jumped to answer your phone when I was about to.. well you know" I mutter. I should have just stayed quiet. I don't want to fight with Hardin right now. Especially when I don't know when I will see him again. I really wish he wouldn't have dropped Literature. He just pushes my buttons, every single one.

"It isn't like that, Theresa." he defends. So we are back to Theresa?

"Really Hardin? It seems like it is to me. I don't really give a crap anyway. I knew it wouldn't last." I finally admit to him and myself. The reason I didn't want to leave his father's house is because I knew once it wasn't just Hardin and I, it would go back to this. It always does.

"What wouldn't last?"

"This.. us. You being decent to me for once." I don't dare to look at him, that's how he gets me to turn to putty every time.

"So what then? You're going to avoid me for another week? We both know that by this weekend you will be back in my bed." he snaps. My jaw drops open. He surely did not just say that?

"Excuse me?" I shout. I am at a loss for words. No one has ever talked to me the way he has, no one has ever been so disrespectful. Tears brim over my eyes as the car slows to park. Before he can respond, I open the door, grab my things and bolt towards my room. I cut across the soaking grass and curse at myself for not taking the sidewalk, I just need to get as far away from Hardin as I possibly can. When he said he wants me he meant sexually, I knew this but it hurts to let it soak in.

"Tessa!" I hear him call, followed by the sound of his car door slamming. One of Steph's heels drop and clamber to the ground but I keep running, I will get her a new pair.

"Damn it Tessa! Stop!" He yells again. I hadn't expected him to follow me. I push myself to run faster, finally I reach my building and run down the hall. By the time I reach my dorm room I am full on sobbing,  and yank the door open, slamming it shut behind me. My tears mix with the rain and I furiously wipe my face.

I am frozen in place when I see Noah sitting on my bed. Oh god, not now. Hardin will be crashing through the door any second. 

"Tessa, what is wrong? Where have you been?" He gets up and rushes towards me. He tires to cup my cheek in his hand but I turn my head. Pain flashes in his eyes as if he is asking why I am turning away from his touch.

"It's..I am so sorry Noah." I cry as Hardin yanks the door open, the hinges squeak and crack against his pull. Noah's eyes widen and narrow as his gaze meets Hardin's. He backs away from me with a horrified expression.