Regret
1004 Words
Chapter 3
Tessa’s POV
The words rang in my head.
“I don’t do mates.”
I stared at him, trying to process what he meant. My heart pounded, a war raging inside me between rejection and confusion. “What do you mean by that?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended.
Tyler didn’t answer.
Instead, he smirked, that same arrogant, self-assured smirk that had already begun to imprint itself in my mind. Before I could react, before I could even think, his hand wrapped around my wrist, and he pulled me toward him.
Then, he kissed me.
It wasn’t soft. It wasn’t gentle. It was possessive, demanding, a kiss that had no right to be made but was still branded onto my lips.
I should have pushed him away. I should have fought against the haze of alcohol clouding my thoughts, but my body betrayed me. Whether it was the alcohol’s influence or the deep-rooted bond calling to me, I didn’t know.
All I knew was that I didn’t resist.
My fingers curled into his shirt as his hands roamed my body, his touch igniting something dangerous inside me. Every thought of right and wrong blurred into nothing.
One moment, we were in the bar.
The next, we were tangled in sheets, my body pressed against his.
The went in a heat that burned through the remnants of my rationality.
The Next Morning
A dull throbbing in my skull greeted me before my eyes even opened. My body ached, the weight of reality pressing down on me before I even had the chance to remember why.
Then it hit me.
Tyler.
I bolted upright, the sheets slipping off my bare skin, and my breath caught in my throat.
He was gone, everywhere was empty. My stomach twisted.
What had I done?
I swung my legs off the bed, my heart hammering as I scrambled to gather my clothes.
I needed to get out of here.
By the time I made it home, my mother was nowhere to be seen, which was a small blessing. I rushed to the bathroom, scrubbing at my skin as if I could wash away the regret clinging to me.
This was a mistake.
A stupid, irreversible mistake.
But I wouldn’t let it hold me back.
I had school. I had my future. I would push this night to the back of my mind and pretend it never happened.
I forced myself to move faster, throwing on my uniform and grabbing my bag. The headache from the alcohol hadn’t fully faded, but I didn’t care.
I had to get to school.
By the time I rushed into the building, the hallways were packed, students loitering before heading to class. Their voices buzzed around me, but something felt… off.
The moment they saw me, the whispers started.
Eyes turned in my direction, judgment heavy in their stares. Some smirked, others sneered, but the worst part was the amusement.
They were laughing at me, something twisted in my stomach.
My gaze raked around and then it landed on her.
Emily.
She leaned against the lockers, arms crossed, her expression practically glowing with satisfaction.
“Look who finally decided to show up,” she drawled, her voice carrying over the crowd.
I tried to ignore her, tried to walk past, but she stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
“Tell me, Tessa,” she said, tilting her head. “Is it true? Did you actually think you had a chance with Tyler?”
My body went rigid.
How did she know?
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Emily smirked. “Oh? Then let’s jog your memory.”
She pulled out her phone, tapped the screen, and then, the video played.
The breath rushed from my lungs.
It was me. On the bed. Sheets barely covering me. My face, unmistakable.
Tyler’s face wasn’t visible, but mine? Mine was clear as day.
My stomach twisted violently, my hands shaking at my sides.
This couldn’t be happening.
“Oops,” Emily said, her voice dripping with mock innocence. “Guess you’re famous now.”
I felt sick, I needed to leave.
I turned to run, but I didn’t get far.
Because suddenly, standing in front of me, was Tyler.
I froze on a spot.
He looked at me, and for a second, just a second, I thought I saw something unreadable in his gaze. But then, his lips curled into that familiar smirk, and my stomach dropped.
“You actually had high hopes for me, didn’t you?” he said, loud enough for everyone to hear.
The crowd burst into laughter.
Every last shred of dignity I had left shattered.
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of them.
I pushed past him, ignoring the way his scent still clung to me, ignoring the way my chest ached as if something had been ripped from it.
I ran.
The moment I stepped into the house, I knew something was wrong.
Suitcases and Boxes, was displayed on the floor.
My mother was packing.
My heart pounded as I walked further in, my voice weak. “What’s going on?”
She barely spared me a glance, stuffing clothes into a suitcase. “We’re leaving.”
“What?” My head spun. “Leaving where?”
“Out of the country.”
The words hit me like a slap. “What? Why?”
She finally looked at me, her face blank. Not concerned. Not sad. Just… indifferent. “Your father got himself into another mess. We have no choice.”
I stared at her, my throat tightening.
She had no idea what had happened to me today.
And she didn’t care.
But maybe… maybe this was a good thing.
Maybe leaving was the only way to escape everything.
To escape Tyler.
To escape my past.
Maybe this was my chance to start over.
- Writer
