I woke up the next morning in a funk, and knew it was not going to be my day at all. I had come home last night and convinced my parents I was exhausted from the weekend, and immediately went up to my room to try and sleep. Of course, I had hardly slept at all, and my back was killing me from sitting up with my laptop most of the night.
I tried to Internet-stalk Tessa, after crying and pitying myself, but quickly realized I didn't even know her last name. There was no evidence of any relationship, or even knowledge of her existence on Danny's F******k, and she and Rhys weren't even friends. I slammed my laptop shut after an hour or two of digging, and tried to sleep it off, to no avail.Tony had been sleeping soundly (at least one of us was) underneath the covers at my feet, and as soon as he sensed that I was awake, he ruffled the covers and tried to shake the comforter off himself. I took a moment to breathe before getting out of bed to get some breakfast and coffee. I was going to need liquid strength to get through this day, I didn't even know what I was going to say to Danny.I'd managed to avoid him all night, even after he texted me asking if I wanted to grab donuts before school. I went offline on all social media, hoping he'd think I was sleeping, but he hardly checked it anyway. Unsure of what to say to him, I just ignored him all together, and spent my night spiraling into madness.I had convinced myself that if I didn't talk to Danny, my life would continue as normal. I didn't know where to begin, if I were to even bring it up. Getting in his truck when he picked me up for school didn't seem like the most appropriate time, neither did lunch, or driving home after school. Truthfully, I didn't want to confirm anything that had been said last night. I was happy in my life with Danny, and I didn't know why the universe would have done something like this to us.I pulled my phone off the charger, and realized Danny would be here in less than forty minutes to pick me up. I felt a lump forming in my throat again, and tried my best to surpress it so I could go downstairs and act normal in front of my parents.Tony was running in circles, knowing breakfast was coming after he went potty. I let him out of my room, and he raced to the kitchen. I looked in the mirror and attempted to look a little better, so my mom didn't ask me if I was sick. I wiped at the dried eye crust from crying, and pulled my hair out of its bun. Walking down the stairs, I braced myself for her liveliness, and turned into the kitchen.My dad was standing at the island with his back to me, and he was talking to my mom who was sitting at the dinette set by the back door. She was reading through a news article on her tablet, and her face lit up when she saw me walk in."Good morning, hon. Your dad made toast and eggs for you." She said, and my dad turned around to see me."Morning." I said to both of them, and hugged my dad. He handed me a plate that was already made up, and I set it down at the table across from my mom. Tony was still waiting patiently to go out, so I opened the back door and let him roam the fenced-in yard.Monday mornings were one of the few times we got to eat breakfast together, because my dad didn't have to be at work until later in the morning. He always made breakfast, even if it was just a bowl of cereal with a chopped banana. I normally loved all of my time together with my parents, but today just felt forced."Sweetie, are you okay?" My mom quizzed, and I nodded my head instantly."Yeah, I just didn't sleep well." A half-truth."This is why you shouldn't have access to N*****x after ten. You never sleep right." My mom said, and I laughed quietly, a quick exhale through my nose. If only she knew what really had me up.My parents continued their discussion from before I walked in; some mild banter about the upcoming election. My parents were active in politics and extremely liberally-minded, which was mostly the effect of my dad being a nurse and wanting universal healthcare. I never put too much thought into who I would vote for when I turned eighteen, but I also knew Danny's family was extremely conservative.I thought about Tessa again, something I'd done more times than I could count last night. I hated that I couldn't get my mind off the thought of her and Danny together. Had they gone on dates together? Did they sleep together? Did Danny tell her he loved her? I was uneasy at the thought, and tried to eat my breakfast as quickly as I could. I wanted to go back up to my room and go back to sleep, hoping I'd wake up to all of this being nothing but a bad dream."I'm going to go get ready for school. Thanks for breakfast, Dad." I said abruptly, and stood up from the table to give my mom a quick peck on the forehead. I picked up my plate and let Tony in on my trek to the dishwasher."I'll let Danny in when he gets here." My dad said, and I grimaced as I put my plate in for the wash cycle. I was glad he couldn't see the look on my face. It wasn't abnormal for Danny to come in before school, my parents loved him. He normally sat down for a quick cup of coffee with my dad while I finished getting ready."Okay, thanks." I managed to say, and called for Tony to follow me as I headed back up to my room.Once I was in the safety of my room, I closed my door behind me and almost instantly broke down. I didn't know how I was going to get through riding to school with Danny, or even get through this day. I grabbed my phone from my desk and drafted a text to Stacy, asking her if she'd meet me during our free period. I needed my best friend, I needed some good advice.While I waited for her to respond, I picked an outfit out of my dresser and grabbed my towel. I'd already wasted fifteen minutes, I was going to have to get the fastest shower possible and put my hair in some sort of bun.I thought about what Tessa asked me before I left yesterday, how she wanted me to hold off on talking to Danny. I still didn't know what I wanted to do, I just didn't want this to be real. Unfortunately, the more I thought about it, the more real it became.If I asked Danny about Tessa, he would have to confirm or deny it. I knew, if it was true, my life would change. Was I really ready for that? For my relationship to end? I let out a quiet sob as I lathered my hair in shampoo. I let the steam of the hot shower run over my face, hoping my eyes would look less irritated once I used some cleanser.I couldn't ask Danny, not yet. As much as it pained me to do what Tessa asked, I knew I wouldn't be able to have a rational conversation with him; I'd absolutely lose it.I shut the water off, and wrung my hair out until it wasn't dripping. I stepped out of the shower and dried my body off, and let the sounds of my pop playlist fill the room. I needed something upbeat to hopefully get my mind onto something, anything else, and Lizzo would have to do the trick.Once my blow dryer was off, and my frizzy hair was packed into a bun, I slid into my clothes. I heard Danny ring the doorbell, and my heart pounded in my chest. Act normal, Abby. I gripped onto the sink counter and worked through my anxiety, trying to steady my breathing. I looked at myself in the steamed-up mirror and hoped for the best. I dotted a little concealer under my eyes and put some mascara on my lashes, hoping to brighten my green eyes up.I opened the bathroom door and came face to face with my mother, who was carrying a load of folded clothing into my room. I mumbled an apology after almost knocking into her, and opened my bedroom door for her."Abby, is everything alright?" My mom asked again once we were both in my room. "You seem off." She set the pile of clothing down on my desk, and opened a few of the drawers to my dresser."Trust me, Mom. I'm fine." I fibbed. "I've just got a little headache from my lack of sleep." She seemed to take that answer, while putting my t-shirts in their designated drawer. My mom was one of the most genuine people I'd ever met, and she was always doing things for others. I gave her an appreciative smile and grabbed my backpack from beside my desk. "I'm going to go down and see Danny. I love you."I gripped onto the railing of the stairs to support myself as I walked down to the kitchen. I heard Danny and my dad's voices, discussing the upcoming playoffs, like any normal morning. I entered the kitchen and Danny beamed brightly when he saw me. I smiled warmly at him, or tried to, and felt my chest tighten. I needed water, or something to distract me.Danny looked good, especially good today. He had on a maroon sweater that his mom had bought him for Christmas last year, with a pair of distressed jeans. Normally, when he wore sweaters, it was because he had a big day ahead of him, or an important interview with the local paper or someone from an admissions board.I couldn't disregard that fact that seeing him dressed up made me want to be as close to him as intimately possible, but mentally, I didn't want to be anywhere near him. I was so scared I would fuck up and say something about Tessa today, I didn't want it to be real. I wanted to go back to last week, when I didn't have to think about him being with someone else."Hey, Abs." Danny greeted me. He took a sip from his travel mug, which I knew was filled with pre-workout. He had a weight-lifting session with some of his teammates first thing in the morning, it was his gym credit."Hi, babe." I said, attempting to not sound like I'd spent all night thinking about my boyfriend going down on another girl."Well, Mr. Reynolds, we'd better get going. It was nice chatting with you." Danny was always respectful with my parents, he never called them by their first names. I could tell my dad appreciated it, even though he always told him to call him Jake.I grabbed a glass from the cupboard, to fill with filtered water. As I was filling my glass from the fridge, Danny scooped his arms around my waist and placed a kiss on my forehead. My body wanted to melt with the touch, and I leaned my head back to rest on his chest briefly. I wanted to stay just like this, wrap Danny up in my little bubble, so we didn't have to worry about anything else."You look handsome today." I turned around and ran a hand down his arm, feeling the soft fabric underneath my fingers. I quickly chugged my water, putting the glass in the sink. Danny followed me out of the kitchen, and grabbed my backpack off my shoulder."My mom dressed me today." He chuckled, and I imagined the sensible woman trying to swindle her son into wearing cashmere.It was raining when Danny opened the door. I rolled my eyes and heaved my shoulders with an exhale. I absolutely hated rain, and I lived in one of the wettest places in the world. I snatched my raincoat off the hanger next to the door, and Danny slid into his. "It was dry five minutes ago." He laughed.I was thankful he left his truck unlocked this morning, and hopped in to get away from rainfall. He started the ignition, and pulled off the curb. His hands slid into their usual place, his left on the wheel, his right on the cupholder to keep his drink steady. I instinctively placed my hand on top of his, and intertwined our fingers. I loved him, I loved every bit of him. Being in his truck with him, something so normal, so mundane, I knew I needed time to think of what I was going to say. Or, what would happen if he admitted the truth.What even was the full truth? I only knew part of Tessa's story, I couldn't just go off her words. I'd known Danny half of my life, I had to let him tell me his side. But today wasn't the day.*Sixth period was the only time of day I got to see Stacy before practice. She'd texted me all throughout the day, and I told her I needed her advice. I was dreading walking into study hall and unleashing this news on her, because she was my best friend, and she never held back on me.I sat in our normal seats in the cafeteria, waiting for the blonde to come strolling in mere seconds before the bell. She came from the other end of the building before this, and had tried to debate the school board several times to get extended breaks between classes. Of course, to no avail, but it didn't stop her from making a grand entrance to every class as the bell rang."So, what's the emergency?" Stacy plopped down excitedly next to me, putting her lollipop back in her mouth. She had an earbud in one ear, and it looked like she had just reapplied her cherry red Colourpop lipstick on her way here."McMahon, drop the pop." The study hall instructor, and JV cheer coach, cleared his throat from the front of the room. Stacy stood up, pulled a wrapper out of her skirt pocket, and wrapped the lollipop back up. She grinned as she threw it into her unzipped backpack. "Thank you, Stacy." Mr. Fritz rolled his eyes and he pulled out his attendance clipboard.Stacy sat back down, and we both fell into a fit of semi-quiet laughter. "You're such a freak.""You love me." She shrugged her shoulders and I shook my head."Always.""Anyways, what's got you so bugged?" She asked me after a moment. I looked around the cafeteria to make sure Mr. Fritz wasn't paying attention to us, and pulled out a notebook for my next class, AP Us Goverment."It's about Danny." I said, and it was as if saying his name instantly made my heart race again. Just thinking about it, admitting it to someone made me afraid."Did he get you-?" She started about his promise ring, and I cut her off by holding a finger up."Stacy, he might be cheating on me."In the time that I had known her, I had never seen Stacy get angry. When the words left my mouth, her jaw dropped and she froze. When I didn't say anything else, she put a hand over her mouth and her brow curled up in confusion."You're not joking." A statement, not a question. I hung my head and sighed. Stacy let out an audible "Oh." I nodded my head slightly, and sat back up. She had taken her earbud out and was turning off her Spotify playlist to pay full attention to me."When I went to Brew Brothers yesterday, it wasn't to study." I admitted. "Remember those texts I'd been getting about staying away from Danny, and this and that?" She didn't reply, but nodded her head, letting me continue. I quickly scanned the room to make sure no one was focused on us before talking again. "Anyway, I met up with Rhys. He brought a girl with him, and they were the people that have been texting me.""Oh, my God." Stacy slipped out. "Rhys? Abby, Rhys wouldn't lie about his best friend.""Which is why I think it's at least somewhat true." I told her about Tessa, her meeting with Danny, how he'd been supposedly sneaking around my back for the latter half of the year. "I just don't know what to believe anymore."Stacy got a weird look on her face for a moment, and then she quickly pulled out her phone. She opened up F******k, and started a search. "What's her last name?""She's not on there, I already tried.""Is this her?" Stacy flipped her phone over for me to see, and I felt my stomach drop. It was her, Tessa Oliver."How did you find her?" I asked, my head spinning. I'd spent hours scouring through the few dozen Tessas that lived anywhere in the county."She was friends with Rhys." Stacy shrugged her shoulders.I thought about what Tessa said at the coffee shop, how Danny had blocked her, and my mind started racing. I pulled out my phone, dreading what I already knew to be true, and went through my settings. I laid my phone down in shock, and felt my blood go cold. I'd never blocked anyone in my life, but I had one account blocked in my settings.Tessa Oliver.I'd been standing in front of Rhys's car with Stacy for what felt like two hours. In retrospect, it was more than likely only five minutes. In study hall, Stacy had told me I needed to confront Rhys and ask him for details, and advice. I wanted to know more about Tessa, about why Danny had even approached someone else. Practice had ended for cheer in the gym just half an hour ago, and the guys had finished up on the field around the same time. I had texted Danny that I was hanging around after practice with Stacy to do some project for one of our coaches, and I waited for him to leave the parking lot before staking out for Rhys.I had brought Stacy along with me, because I needed some sort of emotional support. There was no way I was going to confront this head on without my best friend. She wanted to interrogate Danny as soon as I told her, but I explained to her that I just needed time. Of course, it didn't stop her from wanting to murder Danny, but she knew I would be upset. "The
I couldn't believe I was doing this, it had to be insane for at least thirty different reasons. I'd let Stacy talk me into agreeing with Tessa's plan to meet up again, which is why I was sitting in my car, trying to control my breathing as I plugged in Tessa's pinned location. Stacy wouldn't let me talk her into coming along with me, she claimed it was something the two of us needed to talk about ourselves. I held my breath as my phone searched for the address, and let it out slowly when I saw she was only sixteen minutes away from the Barton parking lot. Did she really live that close? I wondered where she and Danny met up, and felt a wave of nausea crawl over my body. I shook my head and arms, and tried to clear my thoughts as I buckled my seatbelt. I turned on my Bluetooth, letting my phone sync up before moving my car. I was grateful for the extra minute of peace, but it was gone too soon, and I put my car in reverse. Stacy was calling me as soon as I pulled out of the parking l
Friday mornings had been my favorite part of the school week since the seventh grade. There was nothing more refreshing than waking up on a game day, knowing I didn't have to think about AP Literature for two days, and that I got to cheer my boyfriend on. Except, this Friday was the polar opposite, and I woke up completely out of my element. We didn't have a game for the next two weeks, and I was plotting revenge against my boyfriend with his other girlfriend. Tessa and I agreed the only way we could get revenge on him was if we both kept up the charade. After all, one scorned girlfriend would be the prime suspect, while two would be like pleading guilty instantly. I'd done my best to act normal around Danny, and it was easy, as long I didn't think about Tessa. But to be honest, that was almost always. I couldn't get her face out of my head, every time I looked at him. It was 2:15, and I was waiting on Danny to get out of his last class so he could take me home. He had physics last,
"Alright class, pencils down." Ms. Lively, my AP Literature teacher, announced. I looked up at the clock, noticing it was just two minutes until the bell rang, meaning it was lunchtime. "Exams on my desk on your way out." The young teacher finished. She was easily one of my favorite teachers I'd ever had, and I think it came with being in her mid-twenties. She'd graduated college early, and came back to Barton almost immediately. She didn't have the easiest curriculum, which I appreciated, but a lot of other students detested. I slipped my pencil back into my book bag, and stood up from my desk. I didn't hurry getting my bag like everyone else, knowing Danny was standing outside the door waiting for my class to finish. He'd missed school yesterday, claiming he had caught a stomach bug over the weekend, but I knew it was from the embarrassment of poking his friend mid-tackle with his unwarranted hard on. As the bell rang, I slung my bag over my shoulders and watched everyone else fil
"Okay, so remind me again why she and I are soul mates." It was just past six, and Stacy and I were pulling into the parking garage catty-corner from the venue. I'd driven over to her place since I was staying over after the show, and she been asking questions about Tessa all afternoon. Stacy loved meeting new people, and Tessa seemed to be the perfect challenge for her. I was so thankful my parents had agreed to let me out of the house, but the only condition was that Danny wouldn't be anywhere near me after ten. Which, didn't seem to be any sort of problem in our current situation."Because she was an emo kid just like us. Like, the warped tour kind of emo kid." I said, and Stacy placed her hand over her heart dramatically. "There was a picture on her wall of her and Mayday Parade together." "Oh my god, I'm in love with her." Stacy joked, making both of us laugh. "Okay, Romeo, let's go inside and find your Juliet." I pulled the keys out of the ignition, and Stacy swatted at me p
There was nothing I was currently more afraid of than talking to my boyfriend during church. I'd driven myself since my dad had to work - and my mom hated going without him - which meant I had almost nothing to blame a quick exit on. I was just finishing up the lesson for today, and Danny had been sitting quietly at the table next to the couch, half-heartedly scrolling through his phone. He had hardly spoken, but I could feel his anxiety from across the room. He was waiting for the class to end, so he could ask me a million questions about why I was where I was, and why I saw who I saw. "Okay, kiddos, pack up your Bibles and put your things in your cubbies." I reluctantly announced to the ten kids currently sprawled out across the room, playing with toys and coloring. I tried my best to keep my face free of any worry, and focused all of my attention on the kids packing up their stuff. "I think I hear someone's shoes in the hallway. Who do we think it is?" I said to the kids to hurry
I was spinning again, but not in a good way. My head had been spinning since Sunday afternoon, since Tessa kissed me. I hadn't answered a single one of her texts or calls, and I'd avoided Danny like the plague. He most likely still thought I was mad at him for being annoying on Sunday, which was fine. I couldn't talk to him, he was the reason any of this had happened."Come on, guys, let's pick it up!" It was now Wednesday, and I was leading practice on my own since Stacy was at the orthodontist, attempting to get my team spirit on. "Okay, Abby, we need a water break." One of our flyers, Ella, piped up from the middle of the floor. I looked at the clock and cursed under my breath as I realized what time it was."I actually think we'll call it for the afternoon, guys. With Coach out, there's not much more we can do today." Admittedly, there was so much work to be done before the playoffs game on Friday, but I selfishly wanted to go home and figure out a solution for my problems. Why
"So, she kissed you?" "At this point, I don't know if it even happened or not." I watched Rhys's eyes widen in shock as I caught him up to speed. Albeit, omitting the part about the weekend-long boner being our doing, of course. "So, let me get this straight." He paused to chuckle, which earned an eye roll from me. "You guys are essentially plotting revenge based off a teen movie, and somehow Tessa got you high," I held up a finger to interrupt, but he continued. "And then kissed you." I groaned and rolled my eyes so hard, I shook my head. "Yes, Rhys. Tessa kissed me. Right now, I'm wishing it was just a fever dream or something." "And you're telling me this because I'm your token queer friend." Rhys studied my face. I let out a stressed sigh and sat down on the bleachers. It was currently half past five, and we were out on the football field alone. After hearing Danny gloat with one of the other guys about someone other than me, I had texted him to tell him I couldn't do dinner