AFTER THERE'S YOU // ZESSA

Chapter 16: Where Are You, Theresa

Text from Hardin: WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?

My eyes widen as I stare at the phone in my passenger seat. What does he mean? Is he looking for me?

Just then my phone goes black and starts vibrating. Hardin's name flashes up on the screen again - this time he's calling me.

I look around the parking lot, scared he might be here or coming to find me. It's only 5pm, so I can still see clearly enough around me as the sun sets. Nothing seems amiss as I glance at the mostly empty parking lot in front of me. Behind me, the road buzzes with cars heading home for the day. And no Hardin.

The ringing stops, and I get a notification that I have a new voicemail.

I swallow hard, unsure if I should listen to it or not. I wish he would just leave me alone. This is hard enough without him finding me and yelling at me every other week. Taking a few breaths before I pick up the phone, I decide to get it over with and dial my voicemail.

Listening closely, I hear: One new voicemail, to listen press one, to delete press 9.

I stare at the screen and let curiosity get the best of me, pressing one and listening for whatever it is Hardin has to tell me.

"Tessa! Where the fuck are you? Answer me! You better not be with him."

I hear a girl's voice in the background but can't make out what she's saying.

"Oh, shut up and move. I don't care who you call."

Did Hardin just tell her to shut up? Where is he? Who is she? Wait... is he at the dorms?

"You better not be with him, Theresa! I'll know if you are. You know I love you and yet you choose to run to fucking Zed every time I fuck up. I SWEAR IF I FIND YOU WITH HIM -"

"End of voicemail. To save, press one, to del-"

I end the call, practically cracking my phone under my grip. Hardin better have not gone to my dorms. If they find out I've been staying there, they'll throw me out - and I'll probably be in trouble with the university for staying there without paying. Why can't Hardin just leave me alone? And why does he always think I'm with Zed.

Crap. Zed!

I pick my phone up and frantically search through my contacts until I find Zed.

He picks up on the second ring. "Hey Tessa, I'm in the middle of something can I call you back?"

"Wait!" I scream into the phone.

"What? Are you alright?" He says, sounding both confused and concerned.

"I just got a call from Hardin. He's looking for me. And I think he's looking for you!" I shout.

"Are you at the dorms? I can come get you?" Suddenly, I hear wind in my ear and people. He must have gone outside wherever he was at.

"No, I'm at my work I'm fine. Don't come here. But he might be coming to your place. You need to leave or hide or call the police I don't know!" I say, my voice shaking. I look around to see if anyone's looking at this crazy girl yelling in her car, but no one's there.

"Tessa, he can't come by me. The door guy for my apartment building even has his name and picture. He won't let him in. And if he see's him he'll call the police," he says, trying to calm me down.

"I'm just, it's - it's Hardin. He finds a way to get to people when he's mad. I don't think he knows where I work so maybe I'll just stay here for a while. But you need to careful, Zed," I say quickly, my words coming out in a jumbled mess.