TessaAs I lay in bed, Leah's words echoed in my mind, "Liam's going away to a board conference." It sound more than a good news. I recalled the mix of emotions that crossed Leah's voice when she told me. She was sad to see him go, but also proud of his achievement.But why did I feel relieved?Was it because Liam's absence would mean less drama, less tension?I can go a day without being bothered by him and I can hang out with Leah without a pry eyes, it sound more than a good news. I inhaled loudly, pushing the thoughts aside, focusing on my current state.I felt disgusting, like a mess. Tears had stained my clothes, and my face felt puffy.I needed to clean up and change to something neat and casual. I tossed off the covers and headed to the bathroom.As I turned on the shower, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.My eyes looked sunken, my skin pale. I sighed, feeling drained. Why did I have to be so complicated? Huh? Just why? I rolled my eyes before stepping into the s
CarterI stepped away from Mila just in time to see Tessa walk in. Her eyes flicked between me and her mother, and I could tell she was pretending everything was fine. But I knew better; Tessa was putting on a brave face. She was more than hurt in seeing me kiss her mother."Hey, Tessa," I said, trying to sound casual.She didn't respond. Instead, she grabbed some food from the counter and walked past me, her shoulders tense. I felt a knot form in my stomach. I hadn't meant for any of this to happen. It was supposed to be a simple evening, but everything felt off now. I was not expecting to kiss Mila, but I had to, and the fact that Mila initiated it made me not refuse it and went along kissing her. I felt guilty and gnawed at my deepest heart as I watched Tessa take her food without replying to my greeting and go to her room with it, putting on that strong face when I knew that she was hurting deep down in her heart. I had to force myself away from Mila seeing that Tessa walked in an
TessaI managed to eat a little after he left my room, but it felt like a chore like when being forced to do a whole lot of laundry. Afterward, I locked my room and lay on my bed, crying silently into my pillow. I felt so lost and confused, and the tears wouldn't stop; they kept on steaming down my cheeks, cascading down and even staining the pillow.The next morning, I woke up feeling heavy and tired. I couldn't face Carter or anyone else, so I slipped out of the house early without saying a word. I didn't want to deal with the awkwardness, the hurt, or the guilt. I needed space.School dragged on. I tried to focus on my classes, but my mind kept drifting back to the night before. Carter's words echoed in my head: "You're important to me." It felt comforting but also made the ache in my chest worse.After school, I spotted Leah in the parking lot. "Hey, want to go to a party?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement."Sure," I said, hoping it would help me forget everything, at
TessaI didn't see Carter at all that morning. It was like he had vanished into thin air. I felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment. Part of me was grateful for the space, but I couldn't shake off the nagging feeling in my chest.I could not help but wonder if he decided to stay away from me because of what happened the previous night. Could he have decided he was tired of my attitude, or could he still be angry at seeing me in a club nearly taken out by a guy other than him? Or could he be mad that I went off to sleep as soon as we got home and after the make-out in his car? I didn't even spare him a chance to talk to me about Mom's incident; I just locked him off and slept.Even when I got to school, there were no traces of him; it was as if his presence somehow got cloaked out, and he suddenly became invisible to my eyes; I didn't see him anywhere around the school.I found Leah chatting with some friends. As I approached her, she noticed me and broke into a smile. "Hey, T
TessaI was lying down gently on the bed when I suddenly heard the creak of the door. It was Mum, walking inside the room. I'm still awkward around her because of the scene I witnessed last time; I don't want to talk to her."Daughter," she called, stepping inside the room, "Can you get me some groceries to prepare dinner at the nearest store?" She asked, but I didn't give her a reply."I'm asking you a question," she stated after a long quiet moment between us."You can go by yourself; I'm not in the mood to step out," I replied without looking at her. I knew she'd be surprised."Are you saying no to me now?" she asked, and that made me feel bad for a second."I don't mean it that way; I just want to be alone," I replied, not giving her my attention."That's the same as saying no to me, Tessa," she said, her voice cold, making me feel more bad for saying no to her, she have way of manipulating me."You have your way of gaslighting people," I stood up from the bed, walking toward her.
TessaMy heart beat repeatedly, not knowing what to do. What if Liam really tells Carter about our relationship? How will he react? My mind was racing with worst-case scenarios.My fingers flew across the keyboard as I pleaded with Liam desperately."Please don't tell him anything, I promise to do whatever you want when you're back, please" I typed and sent. My fingers sucked on my lips as I waited anxiously for his reply.Even though I knew Mr. Carter had heard about my relationship with Liam, he had never met him in person. My eyes glued to the phone, waiting for his response. Only God knew why it took minutes for him to reply; I just hoped he hadn't told Carter yet.Maybe I should message him again? I thought, but just as I was about to type another message, his reply popped in."If you want that, you have to seal your lips and make sure you don't tell Leah about our relationship, or else you will face my wrath" his message read. A relieved sigh escaped my lips.I wanted to reply,
Tessa"I would like to talk to both of you girls." Her words rang in my head again. Neither I nor Jasmine could say a word; we both looked shocked that she would call us together to talk to us."The thing is that I want you both to act as sisters and be each other best friends." Mom released the bombshell.My heart skipped a beat as I stared at Mom surprised by what she had just said. I couldn't believe it. Mom wanted Jasmine and me to act like sisters. The idea felt strange and almost impossible. I looked at Jasmine, and I could see she was just as shocked. We both stood there, unsure of what to say next.Mom smiled at us, her eyes shining with hope. "I just think it would be wonderful for you two to be close. You'll have each other's backs, just like sisters do." She sounded so convinced, but I felt a knot tightening in my stomach.Jasmine, always quick to speak her mind, laughed sharply. "Over my dead body would I be a sister or best friend to Tessa!" Her voice was filled with sarc
CarterI was at the conference, but my mind isn't here. I keep thinking about Tessa, about everything I want to tell her. I can't help but smile when I remember her laughter and the way her eyes light up when she talks about her dreams. But I know I shouldn't be thinking about her like this, especially with everything going on.Suddenly, I notice a man walking toward me. He looks confident, maybe a little too confident. Something about him makes me feel uneasy, but I try to shake it off. Maybe I just don't know him well enough to judge."Hi, I'm Liam," he says, extending his hand. Nice to meet you, Carter," he says, and his tone is oddly familiar as if he knows more than he should. I feel a chill run down my spine.I take his hand but feel a strange tension in the air. "Nice to meet you," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady.I'm still trying to process who he is when he leans in closer and adds, "You know, it's interesting how small the world is, especially when you're involved
CarterI was anxious as I stepped into the hospital with Samuel by my side. The atmosphere was heavy with worry, the kind that clings to you like a shadow. Tessa has been through so much of lately."Let's go to the security room," Samuel said, his voice steady but his eyes revealed his own concern. I nodded, feeling the weight of the moment. We made our way through the busy hallways, past doctors and nurses who moved quickly, their faces focused and serious. Each step felt like it took forever, and the sounds of the hospital echoed in my mind, amplifying my anxiety.When we reached the security room, I took a deep breath. The room was small and dimly lit, filled with screens showing different angles of the hospital. I felt a mix of hope and fear as I wondered what we would find in the footage. The security guard looked up from his monitor, noticing us."What can I help you with?" he asked, his tone professional but kind."We need to see the footage of when Leah was brought in for some
TessaI sat on the cold, hard bench in my prison cell, tears streaming down my cheeks. I never thought a simple favor would land me here, but life had a funny way of twisting things. I felt the weight of my choices, heavy and suffocating. All I wanted was to help someone, but now I was paying the price.The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, and my heart raced. I looked up to see my mother, Mila, Carter, and Samuel approaching. Relief washed over me at the sight of them, but it was quickly overshadowed by sadness. I wanted to be strong, but the tears wouldn't stop.Mila rushed to me, her arms wrapping around me tightly. I could feel her warmth, her love, and it made my heart ache even more. I hugged her back, trying to find comfort in her embrace. "I'm okay, really, Mom, I am fine," I said, but my voice wavered. "This is just what my help got me into."Mila pulled back, her eyes searching my face. "Tessa, I'm so sorry. I didn't want this for you." Her voice was soft, filled wit
CarterI felt a rush of confusion and anger as I paced the living room, my phone still buzzing in my hand. Mila had just told me that Tessa was arrested. "Why would they arrest Tessa?" I shouted, my voice echoing off the walls. My heart raced. Tessa was my friend; she was kind and caring. It made no sense to me.When I finally got home, the weight of the news sat heavy in my stomach. Mila was waiting for me, her face serious. My heart was racing. Mila was sitting on the couch, her eyes wide with worry and she looked concerned, and that only made my heart beat faster. I needed answers. I wanted to know why this was happening."Carter, you need to sit down. I have something to tell you," she said. I felt a knot form in my stomach. The tone in her voice told me it wasn't good news."Mila," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "What happened? Why was Tessa arrested?" I asked, already treading the answer.She took a deep breath, her eyes searching mine as if she were trying to gauge how
Tessa I stood there, my heart racing as I faced Liam. The anger in his eyes felt like a storm, and I could barely breathe. "I didn't poison Leah!" I shouted, my voice shaking. "She called me when she got sick! You can't seriously think I would do something like that!"Liam's face was cold, his disbelief cutting deep. "Prove it," he said, crossing his arms. "You were the last one with her. You need to show me that you didn't do this."I fumbled for my phone, my hands trembling as I pulled up the chat with Leah. "Look! She messaged me just before she got sick. She was asking for help!" I held the phone out to him, desperate for him to see the truth.Liam glanced at the screen but then shook his head. "This doesn't mean anything. You could have staged this. You could have poisoned her and then acted like you were trying to help.""Staged it? Are you serious?" I felt a surge of frustration. "I rushed her to the hospital because I was scared! I thought she was going to die!""Then why is
TessaI stood in the dimly lit room, my heart racing as I stared at the screen in my hands. His words was more of like present, echoed in my mind."You poisoned my sister, Leah." I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Leah was not just his sister; she was my best friend. The anger bubbled up inside me, mixing with confusion. How could he say something like that?"Why would you say something like that?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "You're joking, right? This isn't funny!"Liam's expression was serious, and that only made my fury grow. I had known him for years, but in this moment, I felt like I was looking at a stranger. "Tessa, I'm not joking," he said quietly, his eyes locking onto mine. "You did it. You poisoned her."I couldn't take it in. My mind raced, searching for answers. Leah was sweet, kind, and always there for me. How could Liam accuse me of this? I remembered all the times we laughed together, the secrets we shared, and the dreams we talked about. "Why would I hu
TessaI paced anxiously up and down in front of the emergency door, my mind racing with terrifying possibilities. What if Leah died? What would I do? The thought sent a chill down my spine, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread.Tears streamed down my face, and my heart pounded rapidly, threatening to burst out of my chest. My fingers hurt from clenching my fists, and I kept glaring at the emergency door, willing myself to see what was happening inside."Calm down, she'll be okay," the driver who had dropped me off earlier said, his eyes red-rimmed, filled with empathy.I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Thank you," I replied, genuinely thankful. If not for him, maybe, I might still be at home. Even though I told him to go so I wouldn't delay his work but he was proven too stubborn to heed. I wanted to tell him to be going but his phone rang, he contemplated for some minutes before he slid the green button and pressed the phone against his right ear. He went mute
TessaThe multiple calls and messages on my phone jolted me awake from my deep slumber, shattering the peaceful silence. I yawned countless times, my eyes puffy from sleeping all day. I rubbed my red eyes, trying to shake off the fatigue, before picking up the phone to check who the persistent caller was. Shockwaves ran through me as I saw all the calls and messages were from Leah.Why had she flooded my phone with calls and messages at the same time? Concern etched on my face, I clicked on her number and put her on speaker. The phone rang for what felt like an eternity before her voice chimed in, weak and uncharacteristic."What's up? I saw your missed calls and dozen messages," I said, trying to sound casual despite my growing unease."I'm good," she replied, but something about her tone sent alarm bells ringing in my mind. Her usual jovial demeanor was replaced by a frailty that unsettled me."Is everything okay with you?" I pressed, my brow furrowed with worry. Her labored breat
TessaI had already gone to bed, the warmth of my blanket wrapping around me like a cocoon. I was trying to forget the day and the picture of Carter with that woman. My heart was heavy, and sleep felt miles away. Just as I was starting to drift off, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I grabbed it, squinting at the screen.It was a message from Carter. My heart jumped into my throat. What now? Did he want to talk again? I opened the message, but my stomach twisted when I read it.Carter: "Do you know Liam? He's here at the meeting. I don't know who he is but he keeps on watching me like a magnet glued to a metal."Liam? My mind raced. Carter didn't know about Liam... unless Liam had done something. My breath caught in my chest. I had thought I could keep Liam a secret, but now it felt like everything was unraveling."Is there any possibility he was the one you sent to stalk me? I mean, your doctor friend?" I was still thinking about the first message when the second one popped in.I sa
CarterImmediately, Tessa ended the call even though she gave me no chance to explain myself and pacify her, which I badly wanted to do; I felt a strange feeling settled in my stomach. I looked around, feeling hyper-aware of my surroundings. It was as if someone was watching me, tracking my every move. The thought nagged at me. Had Tessa told a friend to keep an eye on me? Would she stoop so low to order a friend to monitor my every movement, the people I talk to and move with? I shook my head, trying to dismiss the idea. But doubt lingered.I glanced around, my heart racing. In the corner, I spotted a man who looked familiar. It was Liam—the same guy who had been at the conference and had sent Tessa that picture. He was drinking and chatting with another man, and I felt a wave of discomfort wash over me.I wondered if he was the one who had been watching me. Maybe he was reporting back to Tessa, telling her things that weren't true. The idea made my blood boil. Why would he want to c