A Twisted Love

Chapter 44

A week passed and Tessa did not see Will.

That Saturday when she been sitting with her friends at the sorority house, he had sent her a quick text saying that he was really sick and didn't feel like talking. She had offered to come see him, but Will had said that he would only get her sick and that he didn't want to see anyone. Tessa thought it was quite strange, but didn't read too much into it. She didn't think that Will would lie to her - he had changed so much in the past month and she was very proud of him. Currently, she was sitting on her bed speaking to Will on the phone.

"There's a party tonight." He was saying. "Are you going to go?"

"No, I'm not." Tessa replied. "I have so much homework to finish."

"I'm not going either." Will told her. "I'm still not feeling very well."

She frowned. "Have you gone to the doctor? You've been sick for almost a week now."

"Yeah, I'm going to go soon." He mumbled in an odd voice.

"I miss you." Tessa said lightly.

"I miss you, too." Will replied.

They spoke for a few more minutes and then they hung up. Tessa sat there on her bed for a moment, digesting her conversation with Will. Something was off with him, and Tessa didn't think it was only because he was sick. There was something in his voice that made her worry. Maybe there was something going on with him - but he would have told Tessa. The Will he had become now would have told her. She tried to brush off her worry as she walked downstairs and spotted Clary and Isabelle sitting in the kitchen.

"Hey," Isabelle smiled at her. "Are you going to come to the party, tonight?"

Tessa shook her head. "I have way too much homework to get done."

"Oh come on, just come." Clary said. "You can do your homework tomorrow."

She frowned. "I don't know, Clary, I have so much to do."

"She's right, Tessa, just do it tomorrow. Plus, you're going home in a week for the holidays so we won't see you for awhile." Isabelle persuaded.

Tessa sighed in defeat. "You're right. Okay fine I'll come."

Clary clapped her hands excitedly and Isabelle only smirked. Tessa laughed at both of them and realized how much she loved them - Cecily as well. She had moved here, knowing no one, and they had all been so friendly and had welcomed her into their group. If it were not for them, especially Clary, Tessa would have probably never dated Will or fallen in love with him. It was crazy, she thought to herself, how it only took one person to change your life.

"I'm going to have to borrow an outfit, though." Tessa looked at Isabelle.

She waved it away. "Don't worry, I have tons of clothes to go around. Clary, you can borrow an outfit if you want too."

Clary smiled at her and then they all began to talk about the upcoming holidays. Tessa realized that she still needed to get Will a gift and that she would have to go quickly, since she left in two weeks for New York. At around eight o'clock they all began to get ready for the party. Tessa ended up in high cut crop top and high waisted jeans, and thanked God that Isabelle's clothes always seemed to fit her perfectly. At nine o'clock, they all left for the party and they arrived in no time. Tessa trailed behind Cecily as they all walked into the mansion. The party had already started and Tessa found herself wishing that Will had been there. He would have made the party a million times better and she wished that-

Suddenly Isabelle was whirling around, looking back at all of them, horror written all over her face. Clary looked at what had spooked her, and then she looked at Tessa, alarm and sadness clouding her face.

"What? What is it?" Tessa shouted over the music, moving forward.

"No, Tessa, don't go-" Cecily called after her.

But it was too late. Tessa's eyes had already found what had caused Isabelle to whip around like that, and she felt her heart hit the floor. She froze up and all of the air left her lungs. Will was standing there, holding Tatiana tightly to him and kissing her passionately. Her arms were around his neck and Tessa felt as if she were trapped in a nightmare. Will then noticed her, and snapped away from Tatiana, looking shocked. Tessa could only stare at him, her feet unwilling to move. She thought he had been sick? Had he been? Or had that all been a lie? Tessa and Will only stood there, staring at each other.

"You're sick, Will. Really sick." Tessa then spat at him, tears welling in her eyes.

She then turned on her heel and stormed out of the mansion until she was outside in the front yard. She was just about to leave when she heard Will calling her name from behind her. Tessa whirled around, furiously, to see that he was behind her looking breathless.

"What? What could you possible want from me, Will?" Tessa shouted.

"I'm so sorry, Tessa, I - I have no idea what I was doing I-" Tessa cut him off.

"Were you actually sick?" She demanded, furious. "Don't you dare lie to me."

Will looked like he was searching for words. "I - no, I wasn't."

His words were like a blow in her stomach and she felt an overwhelming sadness overcome her.

"Why, Will? Why did you do this to me?" Tessa started loudly. "Why lie and say you love me and do all of these nice things for me, and then go off and do this?"

"I love you, Tessa, I never lied about that." Will spoke hurriedly, looking panicked.

"No, you don't." Tessa replied, feeling her heart shattering. "Because if you did, you wouldn't have been making out with Tatiana. You were with her the whole time when you were 'sick' weren't you?"

He looked more guilty than Tessa had ever seen him. "I was."

And that was the final blow. Tessa could feel all of her insides breaking and her knees were become weak. Everything had been a lie. Everything. Will didn't love her. The ring, taking her to the moors, it had been a sham. And Tessa knew that she should have seen through it.

"You don't love me. You never did." Tessa heard herself saying. "I was stupid enough to believe that you did. Why - why did you do this to me, Will? Do you really take that much pleasure in making me miserable?"

Will looked more lost than ever. "No! No, Tessa, I love you. I always have. Please, please just listen to me and I swear I'll explain everything."

But Tessa wasn't listening to him anymore, she was walking back into the mansion and finding one of her friends to drive her home. She found Isabelle first, and asked her to drive her home to which she did. When she walked back outside, Will was at her side at once.

"Please, Tessa, don't go. I'll explain everything to you. Please." He begged her.

Isabelle then said something to Will that shut him up, but Tessa had no clue what it was. She was numb to everything. She got into Isabelle's car and she began to drive away, but Tessa would never forget the way Will looked at her as she did.

Heartbreak and regret was written all over his face.