TessaAfter taking a cold bath and lying down on the bed, my eyes fixed on the ceiling, torn between the desire to go home and pick up some clothes and the urge to stay here. This was the best time to go home since neither Leah nor Liam was around to question me about my whereabouts. I knew Mom would have gone to work, and Mr. Carter would have gone to school. I inhaled deeply before standing up, my eyes scanning the room.I didn't know which clothes to wear, but if Leah were around, I would have asked her for cloth. Luckily, I had bought a dress the other day. I made my way to Leah's room, which looked like a disaster zone. It seemed she had thrown every cloth on the floor while searching for what to wear earlier. I grabbed the dress I had bought yesterday, which was also on the floor, and put it on before leaving the room. I simply adjusted my hair to the back, not bothering with any elaborate styling.I walked out of the house, slamming the door shut, only to realize I didn't kno
CarterI descended the stairs, adjusting my shirt and taking a deep breath to compose myself. Tessa's mother, stood in the kitchen, unpacking groceries."Hey," I said, forcing a smile. "How was your day?"She turned, eyeing me with concern. "You're sweating. Are you okay?" she asked worriedly. How did I forget she'd catch on to something. I have to come up with a better way to play it cool. I chuckled, trying to play it off. "Just did some exercises inside. Getting a little rusty, I guess." I lied. She nodded, accepting the explanation. "Well, I'm glad you're taking care of yourself. I was thinking of making something special for dinner tonight, since it's just us."My gut twisted with guilt. I had just been with Tessa, and now Mila was being kind and considerate, unaware of my betrayal."That sounds wonderful, Thank you," I said, trying to sound sincere. She smiled, her eyes sparkling. "I want to make sure you feel at home here. You've been so good to us, especially Tessa."I fel
TessaMy ears pressed against the wall, absorbing every conversation between Mum and Mr. Carter. Not a single word escaped my attention. Each of their conversations stirred a mix of emotions within me, but his last statement aroused nothing but fear.My eyes widened in surprise, and my body began shaking uncontrollably. I wondered if Mum had any idea what was happening. It was hard for her to even think about it, and the thought sent a chill down my spine.I peered through the door, my eyes fixed on Mr. Carter, whose reaction mirrored mine. However, he tried to play it cool, masking his surprise with a sly smile as he held Mum's shoulder and gently massaged it."Did you think I'm going to do that?" he asked, his voice sounding casual, almost nonchalant. But I knew better. He had already done it, hadn't he? I rolled my eyes at Mum's smile, which only seemed to annoy me further."Can you?" Mum pressed on, her tone laced with curiosity as if she had received information from someone. Tha
TessaThe next day, I walked into school, my thoughts reeling with endless possibilities. Yesterday's close call still lingered in my mind, if Mr. Carter wasn't such a skilled liar, and my mom didn't trust him completely, she would have caught us red-handed.As I entered the library, my eyes scanned the quiet surroundings, but my mind was a chaotic marketplace. I walked to sit down at a corner, and my eyes gazed down at the biology textbook in front of me, usually, I'd solve problems effortlessly, but now I was torn between my turbulent thoughts and desires.For the past few days, I'd felt like a completely transformed person since I started defying my mom's orders and leaving the house. Yesterday, despite her desperate attempts to stop me, I acted stubborn and left, fueling my desire for independence.I wondered if this newfound assertiveness was fighting for my freedom or simply going against my mom's wishes. Mr. Carter, had tried to stop me, but I was too persistent to listen, my
CarterReality hit me like a stone as I scanned the blog on the school portal. This wasn't supposed to be. I clicked on the comments, my eyes scanned each word that stood for the love my students had for me. They kept asking why Mr. Cater was leaving the school. I was glad. But who could have posted this? I was supposed to resume work on Monday, but I guess I won't be spending all of the leave they've granted me at home. I can't sit here idly while someone is trying to make the school sack me or probably just sabotage my career.I stared at the screen again, thinking of who I could call to confirm what had happened. Rebecca was the first person that came to mind. I searched through my call log, found her number, and dialed it, putting it on speaker. Soon, her voice filled the room, shocking me."Hello, Rebecca," I said, my heart racing faster, not because of anything, but because I was scared to know the situation at school."Hello, Mr. Cater. How are you doing?" she asked."That's n
TessaThe news was so unreal, and I knew for sure Mr. Cater couldn't think of leaving the school, not when that's his way of making a living.I stared at the boy, whose intense gaze was fixed on his phone. "Wake up, wake up!" I drummed on the desk, snatching his attention.He looked up at me with a slim, bright smile spreading across his lips. "Can you drop your phone and focus now?" I smirked, wearing a stern face, and he scoffed."You sound like my real teacher," he said, smiling, and dropped his phone, giving me his undivided attention."For now, I'm your teacher, so better listen to my instructions," I replied with a smile.I took the textbook from him, staring at it, but his voice jolted back my attention."But aren't you worried about Mr. Cater leaving the school?" he asked, concern etched on his face.I breathed deeply, closing the textbook while my hands separated it in the middle. "Did you believe the news? Do you think it's real?" I asked.He looked confused, as if thinking
TessaWe departed from each other, and Leah walked in with a bag full of stuff. I thought that was the end until Alex walked behind her, also holding some bags. His piercing gaze lingered on my face, as if reading my thoughts. I wondered why. I don't know why all the guys like staring at me as if I was some piece of meat for them to devour."Guess what, baby girl?" Leah exclaimed, her smile radiating across her face as she walked toward me. She dropped the bag in her hand and gently guided me to sit on the couch, my mouth wide open and my heart beating rapidly.As I looked up, my eyes met Alex's, and I quickly looked away, feeling an awkward tension. His intense stare seemed to bore into my soul. I don't know why. "I got you some hot dresses; I know you'll love them," Leah said, starting to open the bag and dropping different clothes on the couch.I wished to admire the clothes, but my body remained tense, unsure why. Perhaps it was the unresolved tension between Liam and me."See?"
TessaI shook my head softly, trying to clear my mind and focus my head on what was on the ground; my heart race wouldn't help matters as it kept on pounding against my chest like a heavy hammer slamming through a hard object, trying to break it by all means."I am sorry, Alex, I didn't catch the question." I lied, wondering if it would make him see I had no idea of what he was talking about and let me be.But if I thought he would give up, shake his head at me in disbelief or pure disappointment, and walk away, then I was mistaken because Alex's expression further deepened as he stared down at me."Pretty way to play deaf and dumb," he eyed me. "I said what is going on between you and Liam?" Alex drew closer and screamed in my ear."Geez!" I exclaimed, tingling my ear from the repeated echoing. "Seriously, you went to that extent," I sighed, palming my forehead."I will go to any extent for you to reply to my questions and stop ignoring them," He answered."To be honest with you, you
Tessa Epilogue. Two years had passed. I could hardly believe it, but here I was, standing in my cozy living room, arranging the last of the decorations for Jasper's 5th birthday party. The house smelled of freshly baked cookies, the faint scent of balloons, and the light hum of excitement in the air.I was nervously running through the checklist in my head as I put the finishing touches on the birthday setup. Balloons? Check. Cake? Check. Presents? Check. Family and friends? A little of both. I glanced at the clock, realizing the guests would be arriving soon. Everything was in order. Well, as much as it could be. Jasper had been babbling all morning, excited for his big day, even though he had no full idea what was truly happening. To him, it was just another day of love and laughter.My mind wandered for a moment, drifting back to the years that had passed. Life had changed so much, and yet, some things remained constant. Jasper's little laugh, his giggles as he played with his to
Tessa The past week has been a blur. After everything that happened, life has felt like one long, surreal dream, a strange mixture of relief, reconciliation, and nervous anticipation. I still can't quite believe it's real.Jasmine had come to me almost the day after I reconnected with Carter. I hadn't been sure how I'd react, but the moment she started to apologize, I could feel my defenses starting to crack. She poured her heart out, tears in her eyes, confessing all the things I'd never known she felt. She admitted her insecurities, her jealousy, her regrets. And for the first time, I saw the human underneath all that bitterness. It was hard, but I forgave her. I didn't want to carry that anger anymore.Then there was my mom. She hadn't just given Carter her blessing, she insisted I finish my education, too. I'd always wondered if she'd think I was weak for leaving, for not holding myself together. But her love and support had been unwavering. She understood me in ways I didn't ev
CarterI glanced out the car window at the small, quiet town as we pulled in. It was the kind of place I'd never imagine myself setting foot in, a town so small it was almost hidden on the map, tucked away like an afterthought. But here I was, waiting for Mila, parked outside a diner that looked like it hadn't changed since the seventies. It didn't make any sense why we were here, and frankly, I was too tired to argue."You're still not going to tell me why we're here, are you?" I said as Mila climbed out of the driver's seat.She shot me a look over her shoulder, her lips pursed in disapproval. "You don't get to complain," she said bluntly. "Not after everything."I felt a pang of guilt, one I'd been feeling more often than I liked lately. I knew she was still angry with me, but I was trying to make up for my mistakes. "I'm sorry," I murmured, not for the first time. "I just... I thought maybe this was about Tessa. I thought you'd heard something."Her expression softened just a litt
TessaMy mum didn't waste a second. Her expression hardened, and before I could open my mouth, she stepped forward and, with a sharp crack, slapped me across the face. My cheek stung, but the shock was worse than the pain. I could barely comprehend what was happening before, in the next breath, her arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a fierce embrace. She held me so tightly, and it felt like she was holding onto all the lost years, all the words we'd never said.I felt the weight of it all pressing down on me, and I couldn't stop the tears that came. They poured down my face as I buried myself in her shoulder. Her breath hitched as she sobbed against me. It was strange, to feel her strength and her sorrow all at once. "I'm sorry," I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible. I didn't even know where to start. There was so much between us, so much hurt and misunderstanding.She pulled back just enough to look at me, her face streaked with tears. "Why didn't you come to me, Tes
TessaThe warm, familiar scent of coffee and freshly baked pastries filled the air as I poured a hot cup for the man at the counter, a regular who'd become a comforting presence in my little world. "Here you go, Mr. Davis. Extra sugar, just the way you like it.""Thank you, Tessa." He gave me a smile, his eyes crinkling in that friendly way that made me forget, if only for a moment, about the mountain of worries I kept carefully tucked behind my smile. "Can't find coffee like this anywhere else, you know."I chuckled softly, appreciating his words. "Glad to hear it. Keeps me in business, anyway."He laughed, but as he turned and left, the cheerful facade slipped just a bit. In the quiet that followed, I let out a sigh. Keeping this place running had been harder than I'd ever imagined.When I first arrived in this town, I was barely holding on. Lost, alone, and with no idea how I was going to make it on my own, I'd been saved by the kindness of a woman I'd met by chance. She'd offered
Carter POV It had been 3 years. An entire 3 years, and still, nothing.I set the phone down, and exhaled, forcing the frustration from my chest, but it was no use. It never seemed to leave me. Jasmine's concerned eyes met mine, asking me for answers I didn't have."Was that...?" she started, her voice quiet, uncertain. She didn't need to finish the question. I knew what she wanted to hear, even if I'd stopped letting myself hope for that answer."No," I replied, managing a small, empty smile. "Nothing yet. Still no word on Tessa. They're following up on the last few leads, but..." I trailed off, feeling the weight of the words I couldn't say.The police had already declared her a runaway. As if it were that simple as if it explained why she'd vanished without a trace. They had ruled it a voluntary disappearance, a choice she had every right to make as an adult. I'd used every bit of influence I had to keep it out of the press, to keep her name clean, to make sure her image remained
Carter The weight of what I'm seeing settles like lead in my chest. The grainy video plays on the screen in front of me, though every word feels like a scream. Tessa, slipping through my office door, alone. I look up at the board members. Their faces are impassive, judging, waiting for me to explain. But the truth is simple, and I refuse to give them the satisfaction of seeing me squirm."What you're implying," I say, my voice rougher than I intended, "is absurd. Nothing inappropriate happened between Tessa and me. She came to talk to me about her grades, and her future. I was offering her advice, mentorship."They exchange skeptical glances as if the word "mentorship" was just another excuse, another way to cover my tracks. The bitter reality of it sinks in, I've already been tried and convicted in their minds."Mr. Carter," the chairman finally says, voice laced with condescension, "regardless of your intentions, it's clear that certain boundaries were crossed. Even the appearanc
TessaThe sharp, sterile light stings my eyes as I blink myself awake. Everything feels hazy, muffled, as if my senses are wrapped in cotton. My head throbs, and when I try to sit up, a wave of dizziness forces me to sink back onto the stiff hospital bed."You're awake. Good." A voice cuts through the haze, gentle but firm.I turn my head to find a nurse standing at my bedside, clipboard in hand and an expression that's equal parts concern and disapproval. I try to speak, but my throat is so dry that only a croak comes out. She hands me a cup of water, and I sip it gratefully, letting the cool liquid soothe my throat."Where...?" I manage to mumble, but she's already anticipating the question."You're in the hospital," she says, matter-of-factly. "Some good Samaritans brought you in. You were unconscious on the sidewalk."The memory floods back, a blur of exhaustion, of pushing myself until I couldn't anymore, the ache in my chest from everything that's happened recently, everything t
Carter I've barely had a moment to breathe since Tessa laid everything out for me, I think of everything I might have done for her but was unable to lay hands on a particular reason. It all felt like a nightmare. I walk through the corridor leading to my office my mind raising with the thought of Tessa, what I can do to change her perspective? No matter how hard I tried to reason it nothing seemed to come up, if only I knew what I did in offending her maybe I would apologize but nothing, the last I remember, we were on good terms and everything was going perfectly well. I raised my head only to find that the Students were smirking as I passed them, something that usually wouldn't bother me, but today it feels different. Something's off. A couple of the professors cast me looks that are anything but neutral. Disapproval, disdain. I don't know what they are looking at that made them press their gaze on me but I know it's nothing worthy of my time. I brushed them off thinking I had