TO HAVE AND TO HATE

CHAPTER 15

We get to Nico’s house an hour later and when he steps out of the car, I do too. When Tessa gets out of the car, she doesn’t move but instead stands next to my car. Knowing how stubborn my friend is, she might not even want to enter the house.

‘You will go in there; get your car keys and I will be right here waiting for you.’

‘You will not even come into the house? Come on Tessa, I am hungry and I need to eat something before we leave. Leon obviously cooked because he came home earlier, he cooks very good food.’

‘I am not hungry and if you are, we can still order something when we get to your place or I will cook while helping you with the assignment. It’s not that complicated, let’s just leave this place.’

‘Come on, I won’t be inside for long, I can’t leave you here all by yourself.’

‘I don’t even know why we had to come here in the first place. You know how I feel about being here,’ she whines, I grab her hand and practically drag her into the house. Once inside, I offer her a seat, she hesitates before she takes it. She looks so irritated, anyone can tell she doesn’t want to be here but she will get over it, I don’t plan on leaving this place any time soon.

‘Get your keys so we can leave.’

‘Chill,’ I drop my bag and head to Nico’s bedroom. He is sitting on his bed, typing away on his phone, I desperately want to bring up the perfume issue but I don’t want to ruin the moment we have today with Tessa.

‘Your friend agreed to enter the house?’

‘She did, where is Leon?’

‘He is taking a bath; I think he just finished cooking us a meal. He wanted to impress your silly friend.’

‘How is she silly?’

‘She thinks she is all that. I know her type, you know I only tolerate her for you and Leon’s sake, my friend really likes her, I hope she behaves around him. I wouldn’t want my boy to start nursing a broken heart.’

I laugh, ‘You think Tessa can hurt Leon? That manwhore?’

‘Babe, Leon is not that bad, besides he has changed and he wants to be a better man for Tessa.’

‘You know T can’t date until she is eighteen?’

‘She will be eighteen in a few weeks, I guess Leon can wait.’

‘Okay. Come on, let's go and get the ball rolling before Tessa gets upset and leaves.’

‘Okay.’

We both change into comfortable clothing and head out into the living room.

Tessa stands up when we walk in, ‘are you ready to leave?’

‘Leon cooked, I want to taste his food.’

She shoots me daggers with his eyes, ‘You know I don’t like this? I am not comfortable being here.’

‘Who is making you uncomfortable, my lady?’ Nico teasingly asks.

She doesn’t respond.

I walk into the kitchen and dish up for us. When I walk back into the living room with plates of food, Leon is sitting on the couch next to Tessa. They actually make a cute couple if you ask me, I hope he has really changed because I will be the one to murder him if he dares hurt Tessa. Tessa is such a sweet girl and she deserves a soft kind of life.

‘Let’s eat up,’ I hand her a plate but she refuses to get it.

‘I am not hungry, eat so we can leave already.’

‘I cooked this specifically for you Tessa, it will break my heart if you don’t have a taste of it.’

‘I didn’t ask you to Leon.’

‘Why are you so uptight?’ he asks her.

‘Uptight? You and I are not friends, you are just friends with the man that my best friend is dating and that doesn’t make us friends so please, know your lane and stick to it.’

‘Tessa, be kind.’

‘Did you even have plans of us studying or you just wanted us to come here and hang out with your men?’

‘Don’t be like that.’

‘Like what? You know I don’t like it here; can you eat so we can leave.’

‘Okay.’

While Nico, Leon and I eat, Tessa just awkwardly sits there, pressing her phone. I don’t even know how we can get her to loosen up a bit because this isn’t working according to plan.

‘So, Tessa, how was school?’ Leon asks.

‘Fine.’

‘It should be exciting to be a lawyer, right?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Can I get you something to drink since you refused to eat the food?’

‘I am fine. I just want to leave this place.’

‘Why?’

‘I know you are trying to have a conversation with me Leon but it’s not working. Please let it go.’

She stands up, ‘You will find me outside when you are ready to leave.’

And with that she heads out.

‘Such a brat,’ Nico says. ‘She thinks so highly of herself.’

‘I will not lose hope. I will get her.’

‘You must.’

‘I think I should leave guys, babe, I might come back later. Let me just drop this girl off.’

‘Okay.’

*

EllaB

The August Girl

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