After The Truth

Tessa Chapter 29

"It's a mess." I start to cry.

"Tess just take a deep breath, talk to me."

I sit on the edge of the couch and run my fingers through my hair.

"Before thanksgiving.........I was staying at a hotel and I was walking to school, one day when I was walking back it was snowing and I was freezing. Some guy from my class offered me a ride and I accepted it....Brian, he gave me his number on a piece of paper.........everything had just happened with Hardin and I wasn't thinking. I took the number and put it in my phone case, I was never gonna use it but.............Hardin found it today, we were talking and my phone fell on the floor and the phone case popped off and he found it."

I start to hyperventilate a bit.

"Oh my god, Tessa just breathe."

"And he's gone.......Kim he left............and I'm worried. If he goes there can you tell me so I know he's ok?"

"Of course, look I'm so sorry Tessa. I didn't know you guys had gotten back together.............and Brian? Hardin is so stubborn.........I mean...........why did you keep the number?"

I wish I knew.

"I don't know..................and now Hardin is gone and he........"

She stays silent over the phone for a few minutes, she hesitates.

"I'll call you if he stops by."

"Thank you...........I'm sorry I always get you involved in our drama, I'm just worried about him."

"It's ok Tessa, I'll let you know. I'm gonna go back to bed before Gavin comes to get me."

"Ok."

She hangs up the phone, I yank at my roots before I cover my face with my hands.

...

I sit on the couch and stare at the door waiting,
I had hoped that he would come back. I had hoped that he would come back to me.

...

Next Day.

...

I wake up on the couch, the apartment is freezing. I lift my head from the couch and look around, I'm suddenly reminded of what happened last night. I quickly jump to my feet.

"Hardin! HARDIN!"

I quickly run into our room, it's empty. I look in his office and all around the apartment, he's not here. I try his phone again, still blocked.

God, where is he. I thought he would be back.

I check my cracked phone again.

"FUCK!"

I'm late for work, god I hate my fucking life. I wish I was dead.

I run into the room and throw on whatever I find in my work clothes drawer, I don't even look in the mirror to see what I'm wearing. I run to the bathroom and brush my teeth, luckily my hair is still styled from yesterday. I don't bother putting on makeup, I run out of the bathroom and grab my purse and laptop before I slip on my doc martens and grab one of my coats from the closet. I grab my phone and look around the apartment for my keys, I left them on the table but Hardin and I never had a chance to talk about anything. I don't know where he put them.