by Mj Fields
“What?” she yelled.
They walked out a few minutes later and they had set breakfast on the coffee table. Jade came out first and Tessa hobbled out on her crutches.
Alex looked at her, “What did Mom do to you Tessa?” burst out of his lips.
“Alex,” Tessa said and tears formed in her eyes, “Not now.”
“Hi Luke, hi Tommy,” she said and sat down, they stared at her, “It’s not as bad as it looks, most people don’t even know they have a fracture when it’s this small, but the bruising hurts and I have really good pain meds.” It was still quiet, “So breakfast looks wonderful,” she said. “How about we eat,” Jade went and grabbed plates and napkins. She started laughing. “It is far too quiet,” her head started to wobble. “You guys should try one of those pills, they make you feel funky.” She ate half of the bagel and drank the juice.
Tessa started to lie down and Luke grabbed her pillow and put it behind her. He sat on the couch and lifted her legs and sat them on his lap, he cringed when he say the purple and yellow bruise that went from the top of her foot up to almost her knee.
“I am so sorry baby,” he said and kissed her leg from toe to knee.
“Luke you didn’t beat me with a hockey stick, and there are other places that,” she started.
“Tessa go to sleep,” he interrupted and threw a blanket over her face and she giggled as her eyes closed and she fell asleep.
“Alex, don’t you dare talk to your mom about what you heard until you have talked to Tessa, she didn’t think you guys were out here. God willing she won’t remember,” Jade said to him. “And that goes for both of you too, she was sharing that with me in confidence got it!”
“Yes dear,” Tommy said. She smiled at him.
“So would you like to know about your wonderful Kate yesterday?” Jade asked.
“Jade I never said she was wonderful, I did break up with her you know, she wasn’t perfect like you pretty girl,” he said.
“Well she was downright rude,’” Jade said putting her hands on her hips.
“I’m sorry,” Tommy said and took her hand.
“At least she didn’t beat you with sticks,” Luke said quietly as he stared at Tessa.
“So what happened,” Alex asked.
“Blonde one hit her in the ankle, blonde two hit her in the same ankle, about the same spot, then Phoebe went flying across the field and pounced on her, blonde three tried but Tessa leaped over her stick and took the ball down and then blonde three got her from behind across the back,” Jade gave the play by play.
“Who the hell where these girls Luke, ex-girlfriends?” Alex asked.
“No not girlfriends per say, just girls I use to, well you know,” he said.
“So four girls have gone after my sister because of you?” Alex said his voice angry.
“I think it is because there freaken crazy, it’s not Luke’s fault,” Jade snapped at Alex.
Alex sat and thought about it, “Phoebe went after one of them?” he smirked.
“Yep she got red carded,” Jade said.
“Nice, I like Phoebe,” Alex smiled. “When did hockey become more dangerous than football?”
~
Alex and Tommy went to school, Luke refused to leave. Jade was staying for a couple more hours. After an hour Tessa sat up. She stood and whimpered, she hunched over grabbing her belly. Jade was in the bathroom getting ready for school, Luke grabbed her waist and steadied her. “Good morning sleepy head,” he whispered in her ear.
At first she was confused and then she remembered the earlier events. She took a deep breath and smiled, “Hi Luke,” she said and looked at the ground.
He lifted her chin up and looked at her eyes, “You okay Tessa.”
“Yes I am fine thank you,” she smiled at him, “I do however need to go the bathroom.”
He let her lean on him while he walked her to the door. She knocked and Jade opened it. “Tessa you look, um, better,” Jade said.
“You have never been a good liar,” Jade smiled as she came in. Jade shut the door and Tessa went to the bathroom, she was still bleeding but not as bad. She took care of her mess and washed her hands. She brushed her teeth as Jade did her hair. Tessa threw her wet hair up in a messy bun on top of her head.
“You guys should go to school, I am fine and do not plan on taking any of those pills again, they are horrible,” she said and laughed.
Jade turned and hugged her. “Jade I am fine, the momster told me that it is something women have to do once a year when they are sexually active.”
“Then I am never having sex,” Jade said.
“If it was as horrible as that then we probably would never have been born Jade,” she said.
They came out of the bathroom and Luke had cleaned up the mess on the coffee table. He walked in the living room. She sat on the couch and put a pillow on the coffee table and set her leg on it. She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, “You guys go to school my Dad will be here in a couple hours and I am going to sit here and veg, I will be fine”.
“Alright, I will get your schoolwork for you and bring it to you after school,” Jade said. “Do you need anything else?”
“Just one thing, find out when we play them again,” Tessa said through her teeth.
“Will do,” Jade said “see you at lunch Luke,” she walked out the door.
~
Luke sat next to Tessa and pulled her gently into him. They sat quietly for a few minutes, “You can go now Luke, I will be fine,” she said rubbing his leg.
“I’m not leaving, as many times as you tell me it’s not my fault I know it is, I am staying here,” he said.
“Okay, again, it’s not,” she said and smiled up at him.
“Tessa there is a lot you don’t know and I want you to, I want you to know everything,” he said looking down at her sadly and quickly looked away.
She grabbed his face, “Tell me then and please look at me when you do,” Tessa said smiling.
“Okay, the girls from yesterday, well I have known them for years, two to be exact. I have slept with them on and off for that long. They know about each other and each has gotten jealous at one point or another, but they continue coming back, until about six months ago,” he said.
“Why would you do that to them?” she asked.
He looked at her and was shocked that she was not disgusted but curious. “I would get drunk and one of the three was always around. When we had sex it wasn’t nice sex it was rough, kinky, nasty, with toys sex. We fucked Tessa never made love. At one point the three decided that we should all join in together, I considered it and thought it would be cool,” she gasped, “My mom was away one night and they all came over with a bong and well, it was every man’s fantasy.”
“How often did this happen?” she asked.
He couldn’t believe she was still asking questions, she was calm and relaxed. “Well from the fall of sophomore year I think, ya Mom takes a break and goes to dry up for Christmas, most of the time it’s in the fall.”
“Who do you stay with?” she interrupted.
He laughed, “I stay by myself, I can handle it.”
“Apparently not,” she said and laughed.
“Tessa I just told you that I had sex with the three girls who beat you black and blue with a hockey stick yesterday and you’re laughing. You are not like anyone else I have ever been with, you are amazing. I enjoy spending time with you and I feel like for the first time I can be honest with someone, not just can be but want to be. I swear that’s why I fell in love with you,” his eyes widened and he looked down.
“Why Lucas Links I think you should look at me when you’re talking to me,” she said grinning. He sat there looking at the ground, she grabbed his face and turned it to hers, “If you want to take it back you can,” she said smiling, “maybe you love me like a sister or a friend it’s okay.”
“I wish I could,” he said. “But I can’t Tessa, I don’t think I ever will b
e able to. You are so much different than most girls I have met, you are special, you are perfect, and I Love You Tessa Ross,” he said looking into her eyes.
She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips, she rested her forehead against his, “Lucas Links, as much as I am scared out of my mind, I think I’m in love with you too… can you breathe now because I want some lip action.”
He breathed and they kissed deeply yet softly, his tongue entered her mouth and she accepted. She pulled away and gently kissed his face and back to his lips. He opened his mouth and her tongue entered it, she kissed his cheek and then to his ear, she gently came back to his lips and he moved to her ear, “Thank you Tessa,” he whispered.
“For what,” she asked.
“For loving me anyways,” he said and she felt wetness on her face. She hugged him and he hugged her, his head lay on her shoulder, her lips kissing his head.
Chapter 10
The next two weeks were perfect, every morning he met her at her locker and walked her to first period class. They ate lunch together every day. And when he was at practice she was sitting on the bench watching her team become stronger. One Saturday they took the kids to the zoo and out to lunch, the other they had dinner at his house. His mother seemed to be doing well; he hadn’t seen her drink in almost a month. She attended football games and sat with Tessa. They watched him and cheered him on together. On Sundays she went back to church and the four girls started a junior’s choir, Kendall loved the stage and Jake was getting used to the idea of it. After church Luke would join them for dinner. He always helped her clean up and it normally ended in a water fight. After dinner her dad and Alex were teaching him to shoot and he was an awesome shot, he would more than likely be hunting with them in November. They would occasionally go out to dinner with Jade and Tommy. They laughed all the time and kissed often.
-Hey baby, homecoming is Saturday and I don’t have a date, been so busy forgot to ask anyone, you free? LYA...Luke.
-I don’t know so many suitors let me see what I can do…hmmm, OF COURSE…LYA Tessa.
- Thank God because I left a present in your closet, hope you like it…LYA Luke
She ran upstairs and opened her closet, she saw a beautiful floor length light blue gown. Kendall was asleep in bed so she silently had a happy dance party.
-I have fallen in love with this beautiful gift…Thank you! I LOVE YOU ANYWAYS…Tessa
-Thank you Tessa for making me happy, my life has been perfect since you have been in it…LYA Luke
~
Tessa had butterflies in her belly on Tuesday, her game was home and it was against the three B’s. She knew she was ready. He walked her to class in the morning, “You nervous Tessa?” he asked.
“I am,” she admitted.
“Then don’t play,” he said very seriously.
“What’s the worst that can happen?” she asked and smiled at him.
“Tessa,” he said holding her face in his hand, “I can’t see them hurt you again and know that it has something to do with shit in my past.”
“You better be there to support me Luke, I am not afraid of them, I am only afraid of you not being there,” Tessa said.
“See you at lunch,” he said as he kissed her deeply and groaned, “I love you Tessa.”
At lunch she was pushing her food around the plate when he sat down, he took her fork and loaded it with as much pasta as he could “Open Tessa,” she did and laughed as he loaded her mouth with food. “Now bite it,” her eyes got wide and he laughed.
She chewed and swallowed; he loaded the fork again and put it in her mouth.
Sadi walked by, “Good God first her ankle what now are her hands broke,” she barked.
Tessa stood up and pushed her chair backwards, “Walk with me Sadi, if you don’t I will drag you ass out of here,” Tessa said to her.
“Tessa let it go,” Luke said.
“I’m not afraid of you bitch let’s walk,” Sadi said storming out of the cafeteria. They walked into the locker room.
~
“What the fuck is your problem with me?” Tessa yelled.
“Isn’t it obvious you whore?” Sadi yelled back.
Tessa sat on the bench, “I guess it is, but tell me something is this making it any better for you? Does this help you get through your day?”
“Don’t try to shrink me Tessa, the minute you stop fucking him he will be crawling back to me, he always does!” she yelled.
“Sadi, I haven’t slept with him,” Tessa said.
“Whatever now you’re a lying whore,” she said, this time in a calmer voice.
Tessa sat and looked at her, “No Sadi, I’m not.”
“So is that your game, you’re stringing him along so he pants after you like a little puppy?” she said and was very angry.
“No, Sadi, I love him and he loves me, it’s not like that,” Tessa said cautiously.
“He loves you? What makes you think that, you delusional bitch,” Sadi asked.
“Do you really want to know the answer to that question?” Tessa asked.
“Among others,” she said.
“Then ask away Sadi,” Tessa said.
“Why do you think he loves you,” she yelled.
“Because he tells me he does,” Tessa answered.
“Have you met his Mother,” she asked.
“You’ve seen me at games with her Sadi,” Tessa answered softly.
“Has he told you about us?” she asked.
“Sadi, that’s not my business,” Tessa answered.
Sadi sat on the bench facing her, “Do you know about the girls who beat your ass at the hockey game?”
“I do,” she said.
“Did he tell you he told me he loved me,” Sadi asked.
“Yes,” Tessa said.
“Does he still?” she said tearing up.
“I know he cared after you jumped me in the parking lot or he wouldn’t have gotten you out of there,” Tessa said softly.
“Does that bother you?” she asked.
“No, you two had a past Sadi,” she said softly.
“We did,” she said, “I was pregnant,” she said in a whisper. “I had an abortion, I aborted our baby,” she said and she started crying.
Tessa put her arm around Sadi and pulled her into her shoulder, Sadi cried.
“Don’t you want to know why?” she asked.
“It’s not any of my business Sadi, that’s between the two of you and God,” Tessa said.
“He slept with the girls who attacked you and I wanted his game to be over, I couldn’t handle it I was scared, I didn’t want to have his baby and be connected to him forever. He hates me because of it and I hate me too,” she said sobbing.
“Sadi, I cannot imagine what it must have been like to have to make that decision, I am so sorry,” Tessa said.
“I hate you,” she said “and I don’t know why.”
“I understand and I don’t know how,” Tessa said, “I do know that it’s hurting you to be so angry, you are stunning and young and although I have yet to see it, lovable.”
Sadi laughed and sat up. “How do you do it? How do you not give in to him?”
Tessa shook her head, “He told me he loves me and I love him, I want it to be right and have no regrets if it ends.”
“Can I still hate you?” she said.
“If you need to I guess but could you please stop trying to beat me up, that’s getting annoying!” Tessa said and smiled.
The bell rang, “Got to get to class,” Tessa stood.
“Good luck tonight,” Sadi yelled to her as she walked out the door.
They walked into the hall and smiled at each other. Jade, Becca, Phoebe, Tommy, and Luke stood there waiting. Sadi looked at Luke, “I forgive you,” she said and walked away.
Tessa looked at him and turned away; he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him, “Are you ok?” he asked.
“Yes I am,” Tessa replied.
“Are you p
issed at me?” he asked.
“A little, you left out the part about fucking the three blondes before she aborted the baby?” Tessa whispered.
“You told her you knew?” Luke snapped.
“No Luke she asked me if you told me what happened with the two of you. I told her it was none of my business and she cried and told me what she had done, and then she told me why,” Tessa said firmly.
“You hate me now?” he asked.
“I told you and now her that I was not involved with you then. That was your past, as long as it stays there we are fine. I will let it go,” she said, “But Luke you have to tell her you forgive her and make yourself forgive her, she made a horrible decision on her own that was brought on by the pain you caused her, no it was not right but who are you to judge her?”
“So I’m a piece of shit because of what she did?” he asked.
“No Luke, but you hurt her. Regardless of what she did, you need to take some ownership in it and forgive her. Starting with saying you’re sorry that your head was wherever the dark place it went to when this all went down,” Tessa said.
“Who are you?” he said and was angry. She looked at him confused, “Why do you think you get to tell me what to do?” Luke asked.
Tessa looked at him and shook her head, “The person who loves you anyways,” tears filled her eyes and she walked in her classroom.
~
This was not good, she thought and she felt sick to her stomach and went to the bathroom and threw up.
“You okay Tessa,” Jade asked as she pulled her hair back.
“No Jade I’m not,” she said and threw up again.
-Tessa just went in the bathroom and threw up after fighting with your asshole friend…J
-By asshole friend can I safely assume you’re talking about Luke?...T
-let him know he sucks and if anything happens because her head is up her ass at the game I am going to beat him with a hockey stick…J
-anything for you pretty girl…T
~
The bell rang and Tessa walked to the locker room to get changed. The girls were in there waiting. They made her eat some crackers and drink some juice.
“Head in the Game Ross,” Becca said.
“Attention ladies this is your captain Phoebe speaking, it is going to be a rough flight but we are in for a smooth landing. The penalty box is to your right” she pointed “and to your left,” she pointed again. “In case of emergency please feel free to utilize them, but make it count,” she said and everyone laughed.