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Previously in After,
It begins to snow as soon as I pull onto the freeway so it takes me over thirty minutes to get to the dorms. They look the same as I remember, of course they do it has only been a week sine I left them. It seems so much longer. I ignore the rude stare from the bleach blonde across the hall who once yelled at Hardin for spilling vodka outside her door. That first night that Hardin stayed in my dorm with me seems so distant, time hasn't made sense since I have met Hardin. There is no answer when I knock on my old door. Of course she isn't here, she is never here. She spends majority of her time at Tristan and Nate's apartment and I have no idea where that is. Even if I did would I go there?
Just as I am about to give up on my radical decision to practically stalk my old roommate, I pass Blind Bob's, the biker bar I went to with Steph. As soon as I recognize Nate's car in the lot, I pull in. I take a deep breath before getting out of my car, the cold air burns my nostrils. The woman at the front smiles at me when I enter and I am relieved when I spot Steph's red hair from across the room. If only I had known what was to come.
................
Nervousness overcomes me as I walk through the smoky bar. Why did I think this was a good idea? Hardin is going to be furious with me and Steph may just think I am insane.
"Tessa what the heck are you doing here?" Steph asks and pulls me into a hug.
"I.. well I was looking for you." I say.
"Is everything okay? Or did you just miss me?" She laughs.
"I just missed you." I decide to go with that for now.
"I haven't seen you in ages Tessa, where has Hardin been hiding you?" Nate teases and hugs me.
Tristan appears behind Steph and wraps his arms around her waist. By the way she leans back against him, I know they have worked through the fight over Molly.
"Come sit with us, it's just us for now." She smiles and I follow the three of them to the booth. For now? I wonder if she means that Hardin will be here soon?
I choose not to ask and order and burger and fries instead. I haven't eaten all day and it's past three in the afternoon.
"I will make sure there is no ketchup." The waitress laughs and walks back to the kitchen. She must remember me from the last time I was here when Hardin made a scene about ketchup being on my burger.
I pick at my manicured fingers as I wait for the waitress to bring me my coke.
"You missed one hell of a party last night Tessa." Nate says. He lifts his glass and gulps down the remainder of his beer.
"Yea?" I smile. The most frustrating part of my relationship with Hardin is that I never know what I am allowed to tell people. If I were in a normal relationship I would respond with "Oh yea, we had a great time last night at his father's wedding." but since my relationship is far from normal, I stay quiet.
"Yea, it was wild. We went out to the docks instead of the frat house. We get away with more at the docks and we don't have to clean up after." He laughs.
"Oh, does Jace live at the docks?" I try to keep my tone neutral.
"What? No, the docks are boat docks." He laughs and continues, "He works there during the day though, he lives close by them."
"Oh.." I chew on my straw.
"It was freezing and Tristan here was plastered and jumped into the cold ass water." Steph snorts and Tristan flips her off playfully.
"It wasn't too bad, my body was numb the second I hit the water." He laughs.
My food appears along with Tristan's wings and a round of beer's for the three of them.
"You sure you don't want a beer? She won't card you." Nate tells me.
"Oh, no I have to drive. Thanks though."
"So how is your new dorm?" Steph asks and steals a fry from my plate.
"My what?"
"Your new dorm?" She repeats slowly.
"I don't have a new dorm." Did Hardin tell her I moved into another dorm?
"Uh.. yea you do because you don't live in mine anymore. All of your stuff was gone and Hardin said you changed dorms, that your mom flipped out on you or something." She laughs.
"Hardin and I moved into an apartment." I tell them. I don't care how pissed he gets at me I am not going to lie. I am infuriated and embarrassed that he is still hiding our relationship.
"What?" Steph, Nate, and Tristan say at the same time.
"Yea, last week. We moved in together about twenty minutes off of campus." I explain.
All three of them are looking at me as I have grown a second head.
"What?" I ask harshly.
"Nothing.. it's just... wow.. I don't know. That is just a really huge surprise." Steph says.
"Why?" I snap. I know it isn't fair to direct my anger towards Steph when it is meant for Hardin but I can't help it.
"I don't know, I just can't picture Hardin living with someone, that's all. I didn't know you two were that serious. I wish you would have told me." She frowns.
As I am about to ask her what she means by that Nate and Tristan's eyes dart to the door then to me. When I turn around Molly, Hardin and Jace are standing in the doorway. Hardin shakes the snow from his hair and wipes his boots on the straw mat. I turn around quickly with my heart beating out of my chest. There are too many things going on at once, Molly is with Hardin which honestly pisses me off beyond words, Jace is with Hardin which confuses the hell out of me, and I just told Hardin's friends that we moved in together.
"Tessa." Hardin's voice is angry from behind me.
I look up at him and his face twisted in anger. He is trying to control it, I can tell but it's about to boil over.
"I need to talk to you." Hardin says through clenched teeth.
"Right now?" I squeak.
"Yes. Now." He answers and reaches out to grab my arm.
I quickly climb out of the booth and follow him to the corner of the small bar.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He says quietly, his face inches from mine.
"I came to hang out with Steph." That's not exactly a lie, but not the truth either.
"Bullshit." He calls me out, he is struggling to keep his voice down and we have drawn the attention of more than a few patrons.
"Well you need to go." He tells me.
"Excuse me?" I steal one of his famous lines.
"You need to go home."
"Home where? Back to my new dorm?" I challenge.
The color drains from his face.
"I told them. I told them that we live together, how could you not tell them? Do you know how stupid that makes me look? I thought we were past you trying to keep me a secret."
"I wasn't." He lies.
"I am sick of the lies and the secrets Hardin. Every time I think we are doing so great.."
"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to keep it a secret, I was just waiting.." Hardin's thoughts seem jumbled. I can almost see an internal battle waging behind his green eyes. His eyes frantically scan the room and his panic worries me.
"I can't keep doing this you know that don't you?" I tell him.
"Yea.. I know." He sighs and pulls his lip ring between his teeth and runs his hand through his damp hair.
"Can we go home and talk about this?" Hardin asks and I nod.
I follow Hardin back to the booths where everyone is seated.
"We are going to go." Hardin announces.
"So soon?" Jace smirks. I notice Hardin's shoulders tense.
"Yea." Hardin answers.
"Back to your apartment?" Steph asks and I shoot a glare at her. Not now, I silently scream at her.
"Your what?" Molly cackles. I could have went the rest of my life without seeing her and I would have been content.
"Their apartment, they live together." Steph says in a sing song voice. I know she is only trying to shove it down Molly's throat and usually I would applaud her for it, but I am too angry at Hardin to focus on Molly.
"Well..well..well.." Molly taps her long crimson nails on the table.
"That's very interesting." She says and looks at Hardin.
"Molly.." He warns. I swear I see panic flash across his face.
"You're really taking this whole thing a little far aren't you?" She raises an eyebrow.
"Molly I swear to god if you don't shut the fuck up.." Hardin threatens her.
"What thing? What is he taking too far?" I can't help but ask.
"Tessa, go outside." He commands but I ignore him.
"No, what is he taking too far? Tell me!" I yell.
"Wait.. you're in on it aren't you?" She laughs and continues, "I knew it! I told Jace you knew but he wouldn't believe me. Hardin you owe Zed some big bucks for this." She throws her head back and stands up.
Hardin's face is completely pale, all the blood seems to be drawn from his entire body. My head is swimming and I am so confused. I briefly glance and Nate, Tristan and Steph but they are all focused on Hardin.
"Knew what?" My voice is shaky. Hardin grabs my arm and tries to pull me away but I jerk out of his grip and stand in front of Molly.
"Don't play stupid with me, I know you know. What did he do? Split the money with you?" She asks.
"Tessa.." Hardin reaches for my hand and his fingers are ice cold. I jerk away.
"Tell me! What is she talking about!" I yell to him. Tears threaten my eyes and I struggle to swallow down all the emotions running through me.
Hardin astounds me by opening his mouth and then closing it again.
"Oh my god, you really don't know? Oh this grand. Everyone pull up a seat!" She mocks.
"Molly, don't." Steph says.
"You sure you wanna know princess?" Molly gives me an evil smile. I can literally hear the blood pounding behind my ears and I wonder if everyone else can too.
"Tell me." I demand and she tilts her head slightly.
"I think Hardin should tell her." She giggles and slides her tongue ring between her teeth making the most horrendous rattling, worse than nails on a chalkboard.