I take out my notes and textbooks and dive into my studies. I am working on next weeks assignments, I like to stay ahead one week at least so there is no chance I fall behind. I still can't believe that Hardin dropped Literature just so he doesn't have to see me. I should have asked him about that but I was too flustered and annoyed to think about it. Nothing that he does makes any type of sense to me, he drops a class to avoid me then practically forces me to let him drive me home? He gives me a headache. I know I am not paying attention to the essay I am supposed to be writing, I might as well find a movie and lay in bed until I fall asleep. It has only been two hours since I got off the phone with Noah, it seems like four.
I decide on watching a romance movie about a woman who loses her memory, despite the fact that I have seen it numerous times. Less than ten minutes into the movie I hear someone cursing outside in the hall. I turn the volume up on my laptop but ignore it. It's Friday so I know there will be drunk people all over the dorms tonight. A few minutes later I hear the cursing again, it's a male voice then a female joins in. The male voice shouts louder and I recognize the accent. It's Hardin. I jump off my bed and swing open the door to find him sitting on the floor with his back against the wall outside my room. An angry girl with bleach blonde hair is standing over him scowling at him with her hands on her hips.
"Hardin?" I say and he looks up. A huge grins slides over his face.
"Theresa?' He says and begins to stand.
"Can you please tell your boyfriend to get away from my door, he spilled vodka all over the floor and I will have to clean it up!" She yells and I look at Hardin.
"He's not my.." I start to say but Hardin grabs my hand and pulls me towards my door.
"Sorry for the spill" he says and rolls his eyes at the blonde. She huffs and storms into her room.
"What are you doing here Hardin?" I ask him. He tries to walk past me and into my room but I block the entrance.
"Why can't I come in Tessa? I will be nice to your grandpa" he laughs and I roll my eyes. I know he is making fun of Noah.
"He isn't here"
"Why not? Okay so let me in" he slurs.
"No, are you drunk?" My eyes scan his face. His eyes are red and his smirk gives it all away. He takes his lip in between his teeth and puts his hands into his pockets.
"I thought you didn't drink, now you have been drinking a lot"
"It's only been twice, chill out" he says and pushes past me. "So why didn't Noah come" he sits down on my bed.
"I don't know" I lie and he laughs.
"Sure. The gap probably had a sale on cardigans so he cancelled on you" he laughs and I can't help but join him.
"So where is Molly? At a skanks-r-us sale?" I laugh and Hardin stops for a second and then laughs harder.
"That was a terrible attempt at a comeback Theresa" he jokes and I kick my foot at him.
"Either way, you can't stay here. Noah and I are back together, officially"
I notice his smile fade and he rubs his hands against his knees. "Nice pajamas" he says and I look down. Why is he trying to be so playful? We haven't resolved anything and the last time I checked we were both staying away from each other.
"Hardin, you have to go"
"Let me guess, one of Noah's conditions was that you have to stay away from me?" His tone is more serious now.
"Yea, and the last time I checked you and I weren't friends or even speaking. Why did you drop Literature and why did you hit Landon?"
"Why do you always ask so many questions?" He whines. "I don't want to talk about any of that! What were you and your cool pajamas doing before I came and why is your light off?" he smiles. Hardin is much more playful when he has been drinking but I am beginning to wonder why he keeps drinking when he didn't before.
"I was watching a movie" I tell him, maybe if I am nice to him he will answer some of my questions.
"What movie?"
"The Vow" I answer and look at him. I expect him to laugh at me and after a few seconds he does.
"You would like that sappy movie. That is so unrealistic"
"It's based off a true story" I correct him.
"It still seems stupid"
"Have you even seen it?" I ask him and he shakes his head.
"I don't have to see it to know it is stupid, I can tell you how it ends right now, she gets her memory back and they live happily ever after" he says in a high pitched voice.
"No, actually that isn't how it ends" I laugh. Hardin makes me insane most of the time, but its the rare occasions like this where he makes me forget how terrible he can be. I forget that I am supposed to hate him and find myself tossing one of Steph's pillows at him. He lets it hit him even though he could easily block it, he yells as if he is actually wounded and then we both laugh again.
"Let me stay and watch it with you" he half asks, half demands.
"I don't think that is a good idea" I tell him and he shrugs.
"The worst ideas are the best ideas. Besides you wouldn't want me to drive back drunk would you? " he smiles and I can't resist even though I know I should.
"Fine, but you are sitting on the floor or Steph's bed"
He pouts but I hold my ground, god knows what will happen if we are both on my small bed. I flush at the possibilities and then scold myself for thinking that way when I just promised Noah I would stay away from Hardin. It sounds like such a simple promise to make but somehow I always find my way to Hardin. Or like tonight he found his way to me.
Hardin slides down to the floor and I finally take the time to admire how hot he looks in a plain white t-shirt. The contrast of his black ink and white shirt is perfect and I love the way his tattoos peak out from under the neck and sleeves.
"Got any popcorn?" He asks as soon as I press play.
"No, you should have brought your own" I tease and turn the screen so he can see it better from the floor.
"I could always go for another type of snack" he says and I smack his head playfully.
"Watch the movie, and no more talking or I'll kick you out" Hardin pretends to zip his lips and hand me an invisible key which makes me giggle as I pretend to toss it behind me. As Hardin lays his head back against the bed, I feel more calm and at peace than I have all week.
Hardin watches me more than the movie but I don't care, I notice the way he smiles when I laugh at a funny line, the way he frowns when I sob after she loses her memory and the way he too sighs with relief when they end up together again in the end.
"So what did you think?" I ask him as I scroll through to find another movie.
"It was crap" he smiles and I ruffle my hand through his hair before I realize what I am doing. I sit myself up and he turns around to look towards the wall. Way to make it awkward Tessa.
"Let me choose the next movie" he says and reaches for my laptop.
"Who said you could stay for another?" I ask and he rolls his eyes.
"I can't drive, I am still drunk" he tells me. I know he is lying, I can tell he has mostly sobered up, but he's right. He should stay. I will deal with whatever Hardin decided to do to me tomorrow, just to be able to spend time with him. I really am pathetic, just like he said. At the moment, I don't care. I want to ask him why he came here and why he isn't at his own frat party, but I will wait until the movie over because I know he will turn sour once I begin to question him.
Hardin chooses some Batman movie that I haven't seen and swears it is the best movie of all time. I laugh at his enthusiasm as he tries to explain the previous movies in the trilogy but I have no idea what he is talking about. Noah and I always watch movies together but I have never enjoyed it as much as I am with Hardin.
"My ass is numb from your hard floor" Hardin complains as soon as the movie begins.
"Steph's bed isn't" I tell him and he frowns.
"I won't be able to see the screen from over there. Come on Tessa, I will keep my hands to myself"
"Fine" I groan and scoot over. He smiles and lays next to me on his stomach and mimics me by bending his knees and putting his feet in the air. I can practically see the tension between us as he lays two feet from me but I force myself to ignore it. Hardin lays his head on his folded hands and he looks adorable. The movie is much better than I expected, I must be more into than Hardin because when I look over he is fast asleep. He looks so perfect, I want to reach over and touch his face but I don't. Despite the fact that I should wake him and make him leave, I cover him with my blanket and lock my door before laying on Steph's bed. I have spent the night with Hardin multiple times now, and never with Noah. I have done a lot of things with Hardin that I have never done with Noah.