After 2

Chapter 119.

When Hardin and I enter the living room, his mother is sitting on the couch with her wet hair pulled into a bun.

"So what do you two usually do all day?" She asks and I look at Hardin.

"Well.. we just watch television." He shrugs.

This couldn't possibly be more awkward.

"We should rent some movies and I will make dinner for all of us. Don't you miss my cooking?" She smiles at Hardin and he rolls his eyes.

"Sure. Best cook ever." He remarks sarcastically.

"Hey! I am not that bad." She laughs and I shift uncomfortably.

I don't know how to behave around Hardin unless we are together or fighting. This is an odd place for us, for me to be friendly but pay enough attention to him that his mother gets the impression that we are still dating. This is obviously a pattern of ours, Karen and Ken had been under the impression that Hardin and I were dating before we actually were.

"Can you cook Tessa? Or does Hardin do all of the cooking?" Anne asks me.

"Uhm, we both do." I answer. My chest burns thinking about the few times we prepared meals for one another.

"I am glad to hear that you are taking care of my boy, and this apartment is so nice you too. I suspect Tessa does the cleaning." She teases.

"Yea.. he is a slob." I answer and Hardin looks down at me with a small smile playing on his lips. I am not 'taking care of her boy' but I would have if he wouldn't have hurt me the way he did.

"I am not a slob, she is just too clean." He remarks and I roll my eyes.

"He's a slob." Anne and I say in unison.

"Are we going to watch a movie or pick on me all night?" Hardin pouts.

I walk to the couch and sit down before Hardin so I don't have to make the uncomfortable decision on where to sit. I can see him eying the couch and me, silently deciding how close to sit. He sits down next to me, right next to me and I feel the familiar heat from his close proximity.

"What do you want to watch?" His mother asks us.

"It doesn't matter." Hardin answers.

"You can choose." I try to soften his answer.

She smiles at me before choosing 'Fifty First Dates' a movie I am sure Hardin will hate.

"This movie is old as shit." Hardin groans as it begins.

"Shhh." I say and he huffs but stays quiet.

I catch him staring at me multiple times during the movie while Anne and I laugh and sigh along with the movie. I am actually enjoying myself and there are even a few times when I almost forget everything that has happened between us. It is hard to not lean on him, not touch his hands, not move his hair when it falls onto his forehead.

"I'm hungry." Hardin says when the movie ends.

"Why don't you and Tessa cook since I had such a long flight?" She smiles.

"You are really milking this long flight thing aren't you?" He says and she nods.

"I can cook, it's okay." I offer and stand up.

I walk into the kitchen and lean against the counter. I grip the edges of the marble countertop  harder than necessary,  trying to catch my breath. I don't know how long I can do this, pretend that Hardin and I are together, pretend that he didn't destroy everything, pretend that I love him. I do love him, I am miserably in love with him. The problem is not my lack of feelings towards this moody, egotistical boy. The problem is that I have given him so many chances, always dismissing the hateful things that he says and does but this time it's too much. Especially him sleeping with Molly.