After 3

Hessa Valentine's Day

"Yes it is." I stand up and take the bear from him before he rips the thing's head off or something.

"Why would you get my girlfriend a gift for Valentine's day?" He raises his voice and glares at me.

"Because she is my best friend, it clearly says, 'thanks for being a bear-y great friend' right here," I point to the small heart on the chest of the stuffed animal. I know that won't help much because when it comes to Tessa, Hardin is the most territorial person on the planet.

"You aren't giving this to her," he snatches the bear back from me. I want to tell him that he's acting like a spoiled five year old but I figure now isn't the time for unwarranted brotherly advice.

"You don't need to be so possessive. I'm her best friend and she will get mad at you if I tell her you tore the head off of a teddy bear that was meant for her." I point out.

"You're so obnoxious, I'm not being possessive." he rolls his eyes and tosses the bear onto my bed. I find it amusing that he claims I'm obnoxious but here he is hanging out with me while Tessa bakes with my mom. I'm growing on him, I know I am.

"You're not being possessive?" I burst into laughter. "You're always possessive!" I know Hardin is good at denying things but it just isn't possible that he doesn't see how possessive he is of her.

"Well you don't know how it feels to finally have something of my own. She's all I have, okay? So fuck you and anyone else who has a problem with me being possessive. Come talk to me when you spend your life alone and miserable then you finally find someone who loves you, then you can complain to me about being possessive."

I don't argue with him because in his own weird way, it makes sense and I'm pleased with his answer. Except the whole calling Tessa "something" because she's not an object, she's a beautiful person who deserves the best of everything in life, but I'll let it slide for now because I know he means well.

"Now I have to get her something because you had to go and buy her a stupid teddy bear."

"And candy," I add, just to annoy him.

"And god damn candy," he groans and I laugh.

"It's not funny asshole. This is your fault," he sits down at the end of my bed again.

"Well I'm happy to take the blame if I have caused you to do something that would make Tessa happy." My words seem to stir something in him, he looks thoughtful now, instead of his usual irritation.

"I guess you're right, sort of." He agrees, in his Hardin-way. "I still don't have a fucking clue what to get her but if it would make her happy, I will try to figure out something."

His response is exactly why I try my best to support Tessa when it comes to Hardin. I know he isn't perfect, far from it really, but he does try. He really does. I see it in his eyes, I hear it in his voice. There is no way Hardin couldn't be a better person for Tessa, when someone loves you and believes in you as much as she does him, there is no way he could fail.

Hardin's POV.

Two hours.

That's the amount of time I just wasted walking through the mall with Landon in hopes to leave with some perfect Valentine's Day gift for Tessa. It didn't happen though. The mall was packed, full of assholes like me waiting until the last minute to get their girl's gift and I couldn't find anything that was worthy of Tessa.

Buying Tess some gigantic teddy bear or stuffed monkey just seems insulting. She is too good for cheesy, meaningless shit like that and I know she likes salty snacks more than sweets so why buy her a box of chocolates when I know damn well I will be eating most of it anyway?