After We Collided (After 2)

My imagination runs wild at the thoughts of all the things Hardin could show me—there are probably so many things I’ve never even heard of that he has done, and I want to learn them all.

He breaks the silence. “Let’s get you a shower, my star pupil.”

I lower my eyes at him. “You mean your only pupil?”

“Yeah, of course. Although maybe I should teach Landon next. He needs it just as bad as you,” he teases and moves to climb off the bed.

“Hardin!” I shriek, and he laughs, a real laugh, and it is such a beautiful sound.

WHEN MY ALARM GOES OFF early Monday morning, I fly out of bed and head to the bathroom to take a shower. The water gives me energy, and my thoughts begin to travel back to my first semester at WCU. I had no idea what to expect, but at the same time I felt very prepared. I had every detail down. I thought I’d make a few friends and focus on extracurriculars, maybe join the literary club and a few more. I would spend my time in my dorm or at the library studying and preparing for my future.

Little did I know that just a few months later I would be living in an apartment with my boyfriend, who was not Noah. I had no idea what was coming when my mother pulled into the parking lot at WCU—even less so when I met the rude boy with the curly hair. I wouldn’t have believed it if someone told me, and now I can’t imagine my life without that crabby guy. Butterflies begin to dance in my stomach as I remember the way it felt to catch a glimpse of him on campus, to try to glance around the room to look for him in Literature, the way I’d catch him looking at me while the professor was speaking, the way he’d eavesdrop on Landon and me. Those days seem so long ago, ancient really.

I’m startled from my nostalgic thoughts as the shower curtain is pulled back to reveal a shirtless Hardin, his hair messy and falling over his forehead as he rubs his eyes.

He smiles, his speech drawn out and thick from sleep. “What are you doing in here so long? Practicing your lessons from yesterday?”

“No!” I squeak, flushing as the image of Hardin coming pops into my mind.

He winks. “Sure, babe.”

“I wasn’t! I was just thinking,” I admit.

“About what?” He sits down on the toilet, and I close the curtain.

“Just about before . . .”

“Before what?” he asks, his tone full of worry.

“The first day of college and how you were so rude,” I tease.

“Rude? I didn’t even speak to you!”

I laugh. “Exactly.”

“You were so annoying with your dreadful skirt and your loafer-wearing boyfriend.” He claps with glee. “Your mum’s face was priceless when she saw us.”

My chest tenses at the mention of my mother. I miss her, but I refuse to take the blame for her mistakes. When she’s ready to stop judging Hardin and me, then I’ll talk to her, but if she doesn’t do that, then she doesn’t deserve my time.

“You were annoying with your . . . well . . . your attitude.” I can’t think of what to say, because he didn’t speak to me the first time I met him.

“Remember the second time I saw you? You were in a towel and you were carrying those wet clothes.”

“Yes, and you said you wouldn’t look at me,” I recall.

“I lied. I was certainly looking at you.”

“It seems so long ago, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, very long ago. It doesn’t seem like those things actually happened; now it seems like it’s always been us, you know what I mean?”

I pop my head around the curtain and smile. “I do, actually.” It’s true—but so odd to think about Noah being my boyfriend instead of Hardin. It doesn’t sit right. I care for Noah so much, but both of us wasted years of our lives dating each other. I turn off the shower and push him to the back of my mind.

“Can you . . .” I begin to ask, but before I finish, Hardin tosses a towel over the top of the curtain.

“Thanks,” I say while wrapping the cloth around my wet body.

Hardin follows me into our bedroom, and I get dressed as fast as possible while he lies on his stomach on our bed, his eyes never leaving me. I towel-dry my hair and get dressed. Hardin does a good job at distracting me with not so subtle gropes during the process.

“I’m driving you,” he says and climbs off the bed to get himself dressed.

“We already had that established, remember?” I remind him.

“Shut up, Tess.” He shakes his head playfully, and I smile a mock-innocent smile before heading back into the living room.

I decide to wear my hair straight for once. After I apply light makeup, I grab my bag and take another look inside to make sure everything I need is inside before meeting Hardin by the front door. Hardin carries my gym bag for yoga class, and I carry my bag full of everything else that I could possibly need.

“Go ahead,” he says as we step out.

“What?” I turn to look at him.

“Go ahead and spaz,” he says with a sigh.

I smile at him and tell him the intricate plans for the day, for the tenth time in twenty-four hours.

As he pretends to listen carefully, I promise him and myself that I’ll be much more relaxed tomorrow.

Chapter sixty-six

TESSA

Hardin parks as close to the coffeehouse as he can manage, but the campus is crowded since everyone has returned from Christmas break. He curses the entire time he circles each parking lot, and I try not to laugh at his annoyance. It’s quite adorable.

“Give me your bag,” Hardin says when I get out of the car.