After 3

Chapter 285.

Songs for this chapter are:

Follow you down- Gin Blossoms

 look at where we are- Danny Perez

Distance- Christina Perri ft Jason Mraz

Look after you- The Fray

Tessa's POV.

The tension in the air is so thick, that I swear Kimberly opened the window for that reason alone.

"It's not that hard to answer the phone or at least respond with a text. I drove all the way here and you just got back to me an hour ago." Hardin scolds Christian. I sigh, along with Kimberly and we both wonder just how many times Hardin is going to repeat that same sentence.

"I said I was sorry, we were downtown and I didn't have service." Christian wheels his chair past Hardin and I can almost hear Hardin's thoughts and I see his foot jut out a little while contemplating whether to trip the wheel.

He slides his foot back and gives Christian a nice glare before rounding the island and standing next to me.

"I think he gets it." I whisper to Hardin.

"Yeah, well he better." He repeats the same glare to Christian, earning an annoyed grimace from his biological father.

"You're in a mood today, considering what we just did." I tease him, hoping to ease his anger.

"What time do you want to leave for dinner?" He leans into me, hope taking place of the anger in his eyes.

"Dinner?" Kimberly interrupts.

I turn to her, knowing exactly what she's thinking. "It's not like that." I assure her.

"Yes, it is." Hardin says. Between her nosiness and his smug grin, I want to slap the both of them. In all honestly, of course I want to go to dinner with Hardin. Since the day I met him, I have wanted to be near him.

Well, well, that didn't take long. That annoying part of me chimes in.

I'm not giving into Hardin, I'm not throwing myself back into the cycle of our destructive relationship. We need to talk, really talk, about everything that has happened and my plans for the future. The future as in, New York in a week and a half with Landon.

There have been too many secrets between us, too many avoidable blow-outs when said secrets are revealed in the worst way and I don't want this to be one of those situations. It's time to be mature, get a backbone and tell Hardin what I plan to do.

It's my life, my choice. He doesn't have to approve, no one does, but I owe it to him to at least tell him the truth before he finds out from someone else.

"We can go whenever you want." I quietly respond, ignoring Kimberly's smirk.

"You're wearing that right?" He smiles down at my wrinkled t-shirt and loose sweats. I didn't have time to pay attention to what I was covering myself with, I was too occupied with the idea of Kimberly knocking on my door and catching us with no clothes on.

"Hush," I roll my eyes and walk away from him. I can hear him following me but I close the bathroom door behind me, locking it. He tries with the handle and I hear him laugh before a quiet thud sounds against the wood. The image of him hitting his head against the door makes me smile.

Without a word to him from the other side of the door, I turn the shower on and remove my clothes, and step in before the water has a chance to heat.