After 3

Chapter 233.

(This is a short chapter just to warn you before you read!)

Hardin's POV.

"Don't be a dick," I push the door open and he steps back.

"Why are you here?" He asks, his face etched in a deep scowl. I should be asking him why the fuck he is here, we haven't been separated for three days and this asshole is here with her.

"To drop her car off. Is she here?" I look behind him but I can't see shit. I told myself the entire way here that I didn't want her to see me or remember that I was here at all last night, but I know I was just bullshitting myself.

"Maybe, does she know you are coming?" Noah crosses his arms and it takes every bit of self control I have not to knock him to the ground, step over him.. no on him.. and find her.

"No, I just want to make sure that she's okay. What did she tell you?" I ask him, backing back off of the porch.

"Nothing, she didn't have to. She doesn't have to tell me anything, I know she wouldn't come all the way here if you hadn't done something to her."

"You're wrong actually, it wasn't me... this time." I frown and he looks surprised by my small admission.

"Look, I know you hate me and you have every reason to but I will see her one way or another so you can either move out of my way or I will.."

"Hardin?" Tessa's voice is a small whisper, nearly lost in the breeze, as she appears behind him.

"Hey," my feet carry me up the few concrete stairs of the porch to her and Noah moves out of my way. "Are you okay?" I ask, cupping her cheeks in my cold hands. She jerks away, from the cold, I force myself to believe, and steps away from me.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I lie.

"Are you sure? How are you feeling? Did you sleep? Does your head ache?" Questions tumble out of my mouth and she nods.

"Yes, okay, some, yes." She answers my questions but I already forgot what I asked her in the first place.

"Who told you?" She asks me, her cheeks a deep red.

"Molly,"

"Molly?"

"Yeah, she called when you were.. uhm, in my old room," I can't keep the unresolved panic from my voice.

"Oh," she looks past me, focusing on the empty space,  her eyebrows drawn together in concentration.

Does she remember that I was here?

Do I want her to?

Yes, I do because I'm a self-loathing asshole.

"You're okay though?"

"Yes,"

"What exactly happened?" Noah asks and I look directly at Tessa. I can tell by her expression that she hasn't told him and doesn't want him to know. I like the idea of that more than I should.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." I answer him so she doesn't have to.

"Was it serious?" He presses.

"I said don't worry about it." I growl and he gulps. I turn back to Tessa, "I brought your car," I tell her.

"You did?" She asks.

"Yeah, it was just parked in front of the dorms and it has all your shit inside,"

"Thanks, I thought Steph would have busted the windshield or something," she sighs, her shoulders slouching further with every word.

"Why did you go to her anyway? Out of all people, why her?" I ask her. She looks at Noah, then back to me.

"Can you give us a minute?" She sweetly requests. He nods and gives me what I assume is supposed to be some kind of warning glare before leaving us alone in the small living room.

"Why her? Tell me," I repeat.

"I don't know, I didn't have anywhere else to go, Hardin."

"You could have went to Landon, you practically have your own bedroom at that house,"

"I don't want to keep dragging them into it, I've done it enough and it's not fair to them."

"And you knew I would go there?" I add and she looks down at her hands.

"I wouldn't have,"

"Okay,"

Fuck, that's not what I meant.

"I didn't mean it like that, I meant I was going to give you space." I admit.

"Oh," she whispers while picking at her fingernails.

"You're being really quite."

"I'm just.. I don't know. It's been a long night and morning." She frowns. I want to walk over and smooth the line between her brows and kiss her memories away.

"No Hardin, Zed." She called out in her unconscious state.

"I know, do you remember it?" I ask her, not sure if I can bear to listen to her response.

I expect her to tell me to go away or cuss me out even, but she doesn't. Instead she nods and sits down on the couch, gesturing me to sit on the other side.

(I know it's soo short and I'm sorry! But its an extra chapter for the day! I'm so tired and I don't want to write a bad chapter so I'm going to go to bed and I'll update another chapter (a normal length one) tomorrow! Ily all! )