By Chance

Chapter 4 - The fight

Tessa didn’t sleep well that night. She tossed and turned and when she still hadn’t managed to fall asleep at almost 4 am, she grabbed her computer and headed downstairs. On her way down to the kitchen Tessa walked by Harry’s room. The door was open and the lights off - nobody was in there. Apparently you should listen to the gossip sometimes, because if she had believed what she had been reading, then Tessa would already have thought of Harry Styles as a man whore before she got to know him - but Tessa didn’t judge, so of course she hadn’t believed them. Now it seemed as it, they were all telling the truth. She warmed a cup of chocolate in the microwave and turned on her computer. At least she could use her time wisely and perhaps even get some work done. She had already discussed the next cover with her new boss Anna - and Tessa’s suggestion about using Kendall Jenner as their cover-girl had been well received. Now Tessa just had to contact Kendall’s manager and mom Kris Jenner, former Kardashian, and to create a draft for the cover. She worked through the night and was so focused, that she didn’t even notice when everybody came down to get their breakfast.

„Is she in some sort of trance?” Niall asked while chewing his food. Liam just shook his head confused. „Why is she not answering us?” Louis asked and looked at Zayn and Perrie. Perrie was just about to open here mouth when Harry entered the kitchen - in yesterday’s outfit. „What are you all staring at?” He asked, sounding completely hung over. Niall just pointed towards Tessa, how still didn’t notice her audience. Her headset blasted the remix with Kanye West of Drunk in Love by the ultimate it-couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z - and she typed relentless on her keyboard. She was working on a new post for her blog concerning the most recently red-carpet event. Harry snapped his fingers right in front of her face, which finally caught her attention. She took out her headset and looked surprised to see all of the staring faces. „Sorry I guess I was just, well concentrated,” she said looking around at her friends. „Have you been down here working all night love?” Perrie asked concerned. She knew Tessa had a tendency to bury herself in work when she was troubled about something. Tessa tried to avoid her gaze but still nodded slightly. The boys could all clearly tell something was going on right now - something they knew nothing about. „How come you didn’t wake me?” Perrie asked again, and this time she took a step forward and finally got Tessa’s attention.  Tessa took a second before answering. It made her nervous that all eyes were on her. „You know it’s just..” she started. Perrie nodded her head, as if she was telling her to go on. „I think all of the memories kind of got to me. I’ll be going home soon and suddenly it seems so real. All of it is coming back, and I guess I don’t really know how to deal with all of it,” Tessa replied shrugging her shoulders but not taking her eyes of Perrie. Her voice was shaking a bit but she still kept a neutral facial expression. Her mascara was smudged and her cheekbone was swollen and slightly discolored.

The boys were still observing Perrie and Tessa conversation, and most of them were defiantly confused. Zayn on the other hand knew everything that was going on. He had been visiting Perrie and her family, when a broken girl had knocked on the door. He had been playing Xbox with Perrie’s little sister Caitlin, when he heard his girlfriend’s voice full of concern and despair. „What did that prick do this time?” She practically yelled loud enough for the entire household to hear. Zayn hadn’t been able to make anything out of the answer that was mumbled, but minutes later when Tessa had walked through the door, he had sensed that something was completely wrong. He just caught the few words Tessa whispered to Perrie, before he was introduced to this strong girl: „Don’t worry Perrie - I’m never going back to that again”. Perrie didn’t talk much about Tessa’s past with him, but since him and Tessa had come close, Tessa herself had opened up to him about it. He knew about the fear she felt, when she was around angered intoxicate people, and he knew she would rather avoid her family than face them alone.

Niall, Louis and Liam had no clue what was going on, but the felt bad for their friend, who they clearly could tell was affected by this conversation. They didn’t really know where to look or what to do with them, because they felt like they were eavesdropping on a private conversation. Then there was Harry. Harry was still not sobered up from last night, and he didn’t even remember the name of the girl he slept with - but this wasn’t what he had expected to come home to. Harry just wanted to go upstairs and sleep it of but apparently all the attention was on Tessa right now - or Tess as he called her. Harry hadn’t meant to talk - he just wanted to get out - but when the first words left his lips his drunken self didn’t seem able to stop. „Boohoo little Tess can’t sleep because she misses her family. Well that’s probably how it feels like when you have been pampered your entire life;” he started and if looks could kill, right know Harry Styles had been dead. „You don’t know anything about my life Styles,” Tessa spat, suddenly feeling the anger, „You have probably had everything served without even working for it, and then you come here and whine about some insignificant family problems you are having,” he continued. „Well at least I deal with me problems, I don’t just drink and sleep around with random sluts,” Tessa then yelled - she regretted the words the moment they slipped out between her lips. She had no right to judge, but then again nether did Harry. This had suddenly gotten personal, and the tension in the room was anything but comfortable. She felt his green emerald eyes burn in hers and she knew he, in his still drunken state, was not going to let this go. „So that’s what this is about love?” He said sarcastic, when he confused her worry for him with anger towards his actions. „You are angry because I sleep around? Don’t worry all the girls know, they aren’t the love of my life. I’m not cheating on anybody - just because you…” Harry didn’t get to finish his sentence, because suddenly Zayn had stepped in between them. „Don’t you dare Harry,” as he clenched his first and tried to control his anger. He had seen Tessa at her lowest, and she didn’t need to be reminded right before being forced to visit her family. „Calm down Zayn, she just has to grow up and learn that life isn’t a fucking fairytale. She just…” „Shut the fuck up Harry! You have no idea what you are talking about,” Zayn now roared. Silence fell upon the room, and Tessa dropped her gaze and focused on her fingers. She then looked back up when she heard a door slam, and Harry Styles had left the building. Niall, Louis and Liam just stood there awkwardly - but then they turned on the TV which luckily caught their attention. That just left Zayn and Perrie, who both watched her with concern in their eyes. „It’s okay. I just shouldn’t have snapped back at him,” she said. Perrie was about to object when Tessa stopped her. „I think I’ll just go and take a nap babe- I’m really exhausted,” she said and got up. Perrie just nodded and wished her sweet dreams. Sadly Tessa wasn’t that lucky. She dreamt about those green emerald eyes burning in hers, while shouting insults and invectives at her.