Previously: Unwanted shared shower.
—
Samantha: Tessa follows Hardin to his room, where he’s slammed the door, because she has no sense of self preservation. She asks if he’s okay and he responds by THROWING A LAMP AGAINST THE WALL. Tessa shrieks because that is scary AF. Not content to just destroy ice cream parlors and his step-mother’s dishes, Hardin also wants to destroy his own stuff. He’s an equal opportunity destroyer.
Marines: That means you too, Tessa. Please, run.
Samantha: Tessa begs him stop breaking shit, and he thinks its fine because Daddy can afford to buy more stuff. Oh, the privilege. It hurts. Tessa buys into this logic and starts to help him by stomping on a computer keyboard. Hardin is all about this behavior and caresses Tessa’s cheek and asks if she’s mad at him for yelling. She’s not because he has a right to express himself, which sounds like every shitty guy on the internet’s defense of his shitty behavior/opinions.
They start making out on the desk and Tessa admires his… collarbones? Idfk. Hardin is amazed she’s not yelling at him and Tessa is amazing he’s not yelling at her and oh these two crazy kids. (M: All they had to do was funnel their anger on inanimate objects! Romance.) They decide to watch The Vow, which apparently they also did in a previous chapter but I have wiped that from my memory. Tessa falls asleep marveling at how nice Hardin is being.
Mari: Tell that to the lamp.
Samantha: Tessa wakes up and Hardin is being “distant” and cold and all emotionally shut off, and Tessa gets a stomachache. I do too because DAMN does this hot and cold and the anxiety surrounding it remind me of an ex. Yuck.
They start to head out, and Tessa stops to tell Karen and Ken about the broken stuff and that Hardin will still be at the wedding. Hardin asks if she’s mad, she says no, and internal monologues that she’s nervous and I shudder. She explains that he feels distant and different and Hardin says, “You’re upset because I have things to do today?”
Tessa realizes she’s being crazy and obsessive and I fume. I HATE when people make you doubt your own instincts and feelings. HATE. Tessa’s anxiety is valid because either
a. He IS being weird and distant and now he’s trying to get out of dealing with her feelings
OR
b. He isn’t being weird but his past behavior has caused her to feel insecure and nervous that his mood will change on a dime.
BOTH ARE VALID AND HE’S MAKING HER THINK IT’S NOT CAUSE HE DOESN’T WANT TO HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OR DEAL.
Blah blah blah he tells her that nothing is going to change, and he’s just not used to having to consider other people, whatever. (M: Literally why this, “I’ve never ever loved anyone ever!” thing is bullshit and not romantic…) Tessa drops him off and he heads into the “damned house.” I guess the fraternity really is a Hellmouth.
Next time on After: Tessa has to spend a day alone in After Chapter 73.
I'm a 28 year old graduated English major and almost librarian. I can often be found singing too loudly (poorly) in the car or spending some time (hours) on Tumblr. I am a lover of Harry Potter, the Spice Girls, and too many other things.
I'm a 30-something south Floridan who loves the beach but cannot swim. Such is my life, full of small contradictions and little trivialities. My main life goals are never to take life too seriously, but to do everything I attempt seriously well. After that, my life goals devolve into things like not wearing pants and eating all of the Zebra Cakes in the world. THE WORLD.
