February 3, 2015

Tessa's Story

by Zahra Barnes

The second Grant flickered to life on my laptop screen, it was like nothing had changed.

Light spread across his face, moving from his grin up to his eyes like a cracked golden egg yolk.

Tessa. Wow. Hi.

Wow, hi yourself.

You look great.

I smiled modestly, as if I hadnt Googled video chat makeup to look perfect step by step instructions help!! and spent a significant amount of time following them.

So do you. He really did. His hair had grown out from what I liked to call the Loin Igniter Buzzcut of 2014 and fell into his eyes. Even though they didnt have the same startling effect as Jacks hazel and blue pair, they were pretty nonetheless.

I realized we were just staring at each other, settling under the silence like it was a cozy blanket that held all of the closeness and secrets wed shared over the years. I suddenly felt as uncomfortable as I did the day I realized I found Nick Jonas kind of hot, so I rushed to get us talking.

So! You said you had things to tell me? Im all ears. Hows it going over there?

Grant obliged, taking me through his day-to-day life of working on graphic design for blossoming companies in Abu Dhabi. His days were long, he said, but he was having the experience of a lifetime giving it his all at work, exploring the city on weekends, and bonding with his coworkers when they could escape the office.

Sounds like everything is going pretty perfectly, then?

Yeah, it is. Especially work, he said.

Thats so good to hear! It was such a risk to go over there, so Im glad its coming together.

Well, thats actually why I wanted to talk to you. He paused for long enough to make me feel nervous. My bosses are so happy with what Im doing that they want me to stay here for at least a year.

My mouth dropped open. Of course Id known this type of thing was possible, and happiness and pride rose in me. Right on their heels, though, was something much uglier that I couldnt quite name. I wasnt even sure I wanted to. I knew I wouldnt like what it said about me.

I was going to wait to tell you, but I couldnt really help it. An opportunity like this doesnt come along every day, you know?

Of course! I rushed to cover up my rattled response. Of course, how exciting! Im so proud of you. Youre really creating something amazing for yourself. I bit my lip and stopped gushing, knowing that if I overdid it Id just be making it clear that I was a little shaken.

Even though we havent talked in a while, I wanted you to be one of the first people I told, said Grant.

That makes total sense. My pragmatic side edged its way past my shock to remind me of a few key things, the main one being that I was very happy with where things were going with Jack. Sure, it was normal to feel a twinge of sadness that this officially closed the door to any possibility of me and Grant ending up together, but hadnt I decided I didnt want that anyway? I had, but that didnt mean the certainty that it wouldnt happen, which I never realized I even cared about, wasnt like a punch to the gut. I realized Id tuned Grant out for a second and he was talking.

Sorry, what?

Abu Dhabi is a city of expats, so its actually a pretty fun place to be because you can meet people so easily. And you actually get used to the heat!

My intuition perked up at his mention of meeting people. Sorry, did I say perked up? What I meant is my intuition roared to life and rang every alarm possible to alert me to the fact that Grant was trying to tell me something. I couldnt avoid temptation in the form of pizza, but I could when it came to looking at any of Grants social media accounts that would give me proof hed moved on. I just knew it would send me into a tailspin that even the most secure people could fall victim to, so for all I knew he could have started dating someone and I wouldnt have the slightest clue.

Really? Have you met anyone interesting?

He shifted in his seat and glanced down for a spell. Yeah, actually. Theres this big group of us and Ive gotten close to a few people.

A few people? I got flashbacks to when I found out about Sophie and had to drag details out of him. Even when we werent together and he was completely allowed to date someone else, it was hard for him to vocalize what was going on. He reached up to toggle the top button on his shirt, and that was as much confirmation as I needed.

Grant. Are you trying to tell me youre seeing someone? I didnt even choke on the laugh that came out of me. Navigating this was new territory for us, we were totally fumbling it, and it was funny.

Was it that obvious? He looked worried, and the part of me that would always care for him bruised like a peach.

Yes, but its totally fine. Were both moving on. Its normal.

Wait, youre moving on? With who? His eyebrows shot up and disappeared behind the locks of hair that obscured his forehead.

Well, remember that Jack guy I told you about? There was potential for this to blow up since Id made the faux pas of telling Grant about my run-in with Jack when wed still been trying to work things out. First he looked confused, then the realization dawned on his face.

That naked model guy you flirted with?

Were not officially together or anything, I rushed to explain. Were just hanging out a lot right now. It all happened after you left.

Right. Grant nodded slowly, absorbing the information. Are you sure about that?

Yeah, I am. Once you were in Abu Dhabi, Marley went into my phone and invited him to Grey & Boehm. The silence descended again as Grant processed what I was saying.

OK, well, as long as youre happy, he finally said. There was some dejection lying just under the surface, but what could I really do?

Like I said, were not together. The memory of Jacks body on top of mine sprang to the forefront of my mind at the most inopportune moment. But its, you know, its, um, nice. What about you? Whos this new person youre so vaguely referring to?

Her names Tori. Shes here on a Fulbright studying the history of pearls. A freaking Fulbright? Jealousy shot through me, a white-hot streak that made my fingers tingle, then settled into the pit of my stomach like an uncomfortably warm lump of coal. Tori was apparently brilliant. I somehow knew her hair also didnt expand to the size of a small continent in the Abu Dhabi heat like mine certainly would. Some girls have all the luck.

Is this weird? Grant asked. For us to be talking about this?

I shook my head with vigor. No. I mean, if we want to be friends, it isnt weird. Do we even want to be friends? Because this is what friends talk about, and I think we can handle it.

I do too.

OK, so the weirdness will go away. Too bad were not in the same place, or we could double date, I said.

Grant laughed uncomfortably. OK, too much. I moved on to telling him what had happened at Grey & Boehm, which made him livid on my behalf.

I always knew Marian would do something like this! And you devoted so much of your life to her to the point that it screwed up our relationship.

I winced. You know what they say about hindsight, I said.

To calm him down, I switched gears and we spent the rest of our talk going over much more trivial issues. I explained what was going on in The Bachelor, which had been one of his guilty pleasures when we were together, and he took me through all the new foods hed tried and promptly made my mouth water.

Oh, and Ive been eating the most unreal shawarma, Grant was saying when I heard my front door creak open. Celine was finally home. I hadnt seen her since my watch had gone missing, and now it was time to find out whether she had anything to do with it.

Grant, Im so sorry. Celines home, and I really need to talk to her about something before she hightails it again. Ill explain later.

Oh, sure. OK. It was good talking to you. Lets do it again soon.

Definitely. Ill email you. I was thankful that I had something to preoccupy me enough that I wouldnt have to sort through my emotions about Grant just yet. I knew they were the usual ones that come along with someone you love getting over you and you doing the same, but they still stung.

We said a quick goodbye and I steeled myself for what was probably going to be a mess of a conversation. I did a quick sweep over my dresser and in my closet to make sure I hadnt somehow overlooked the watch in all of my searching. After coming up empty-handed, I headed into the living room. A wall of music slammed into me; Celine had turned on some insane EDM music that I pictured as the soundtrack to the kind of festival my soul was too old to withstand.

Different scenarios ran through my mind. What if Id accidentally thrown away the box that held the watch, neglected and alone under a flap of cardboard? What if it had somehow fallen out of the back of the moving truck like that poor Budweiser puppy? Even though there were both outlandish and understandable reasons my watch could be gone, I couldnt shake the feeling that Celine was involved.

I knocked on her door and waited for a moment, hearing only pounding bass and the trills of electronic beats in response.

Celine? Im coming in, OK? I shouted over the music.

No reply.

I wrapped my hand around the doorknob and pushed. The door drifted open without much effort, and my brain took in the scene in snippets. It was fogging over with disbelief, so it took a few beats for me to realize that what I was seeing was real.

There Celine sat on her bed, just in a bra and pants, the contents of the huge bucket bag Id bought at H&M on sale around her. After running some errands, Id stupidly left it on the couch in a rush to get my coat off and be on time for my talk with Grant. Celine didn't look up at my entrance because she was too busy rifling through my purse, her petite body hunched over with grotesque determination. She scrabbled at the bottom of the bag, the muscles in her gaunt arm standing out in stark relief until she found what she was looking for.

She pulled a wad of cash out from the inner pocket of my purse, then hurriedly unrolled it to count how much shed stumbled upon. She stuffed it into the waistband of her jeans and I stood still, my mind trying to come up with a rational explanation for what I was seeing.

Celines head snapped up and our eyes locked together. She froze like a doe who had been innocently grazing on shrubbery until she heard the telltale snap of twigs underneath a hunters feet. The thing was, I felt like I was the one who was being hunted. What was I doing to attract this kind of insanity into my life? Between Liv and Celine, I felt like I was starring a lifetime movie. Betrayal Around Every Corner: Tessas Story had a nice ring to it.

What the fuck are you doing? I clenched my fists at my sides until my knuckles turned white. I immediately heard my mom in my head, urging me to call the police. But it felt like such a drastic step that I wasnt ready to take. Not until I had all the facts, anyway. After that, though, Celine could very well be finding herself in handcuffs.

II was trying to make the change. I had a $50 and needed smaller bills, Celine stammered.

I eyed the items surrounding her: my birth control pills, drivers license, lip gloss. My wallet, tellingly lying open in her lap. I knew it was stripped of cash without having to check.

Why didnt you just ask me?

I thought you were busy. I didnt want to bother you. Celine glanced up and to the left. As if I hadnt watched enough Discovery ID to know that was the sure sign of a liar.

Celine, do you think Im an idiot? You just put my money in your freaking pants and I didnt see you put any in my wallet to replace it. I took a deep breath before adding more fuel to the fire. And I know you took my watch.

What watch? Instead of cocking her head or furrowing her brow in confusion, Celine straightened with indignation.

The really sparkly Bulova that suddenly happens to be missing from my dresser. I know you took it.

She folded her arms in defiance. Im offended that you would think that, Tessa. Maybe you lost it.

With that, something broke in me. Besides Marley, Liv and Celine had been the friends Id trusted the most in the past few months. I was getting bitten in the ass for it, and I was tired of both of them treating me like I was too much of an idiot to notice.

Really? Then why is my watch gone, Celine?

Her eyes darted around wildly, like she was a cornered animal. You know, I forgot to mention. While you were gone for that trip with Jack, I spent the weekend with some friends. I came back and some of my stuff was missing too. I left my window open, maybe someone came in through the fire escape? How you say, a cat burglar? I can even tell you everything they took!

It was a good thing she was a designer and not an actress, because she was a dismal liar. I slammed my hand against my thigh. Im done. Im done with this. Youve been acting weird for too long now. I never see you. You leave our fucking apartment door open so anyone can wander in, and now my watch is gone. Youre the only person who could have taken it, but youre just making excuse after pathetic excuse. I cant live like this. I pulled out my phone and started looking up locksmiths. I couldnt just up and move since Id signed onto Celines lease, but I wasnt going to leave myself unprotected. I was going to get an industrial-strength lock put on my door until I could get the hell out.

What are you doing? She leaned over worriedly, so far that she almost fell off the bed before she caught herself.

Im calling someone to put a lock on my door. And give me my money! Whats wrong with you?

No! Celine looked alarmed and snatched the money from her waistband then threw it in my bag. You dont need to do that! Nothing more will happen, I promise you.

Nothing more? I shrieked. Tell me one reason I shouldnt move out, Celine. Because right now, I cant think of any.

Celine stammered, sputtering like an old car engine in desperate need of repair. I shook my head, dialed a 24-hour locksmith, and kept my eyes trained on Celines foxlike face the entire time.


19 comments:

  1. Nick Jonas IS hot now... Who cares if he's 22. I'm only 6 years older... IT'S COMPLETELY FINE.

    That part made me laugh.

    Also Celine is cray. Move out now.

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  2. A locksmith? How about the cops?? Get your stuff and move out! You want to live with someone who makes you feel the need to lock your stuff up? Am I missing something? mum

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    1. Plus if she gets arrested and convicted I'm sure it voids her lease! Two birds, one stone. That watch alone is probably enough for felony theft.

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  3. YAY! Not for Tessa but I've been waiting for more Celine drama to unfold mainly since I had actually been through a similar situation with a crazy roommate. The way she's acting though and looking at her behaviour I'm guessing she has a drug/addiction problem. Explains the need for extra cash, the weird phone call Tessa overheard, and her behaviour at the event she ruined...just a thought!! Can't wait for next week
    Loving your blog :D

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    1. Yup. Klepto and/or drug addict would be my guesses!

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  4. Seriously. Move out. She's not right in the head for whatever reason, I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. She probably sold the watch.

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  5. Kind of a crushing day for Tessa, I'd imagine. And I think it's probably too soon for her and Grant to "be friends".

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  6. Chris - @nylonlover69 on IG/TwitterFebruary 3, 2015 at 2:40 PM

    Sneaky bitch!

    And you're creating your own drama with Grant... too soon to be friends and it's not like you're running in the same circle where you could hang out, so every bit of info on the other will be new news. Ya'll need to cut the cord for a while longer and see how things go some time in the future.

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  7. I definitely understand having roomates from hell. Moving out is not always easy and having crazy roomates is always super hard. The best thing she can do is put a lock on her door until she moves out.

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  8. Oof, I think the video chatting is probably a bit much right now. Being friends with an ex is one thing, being friends with an ex-fiancé who cheated and you got back together and had to break up because he moved, is QUITE another. An email to check up on here or there is one thing, at least you wouldn't have to look at each other when you finally reveal you're seeing someone...and maybe by the end of the year when Grant was back, you actually COULD double date!
    Ewwww Celine. It sucks Tessa signed a lease AND is currently unemployed, I doubt she can afford to buy out the contract/pay double rent...and would you really want to find a replacement room mate without warning them?
    Such a good post!

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  9. I think the amount of drama in her life is unrealistic but I get that it's a blog. I'd rather see something develop more though and less dramas adding up.
    The meeting with Grant was realistic I thought. They miss each other, they were lovers. It wasn't a smart move but smart isn't what most people do post break up, so I get it. I don't believe she'd be so into Jack if she still had feelings for Grant (which she seems too). I know it's possible, but if we're supposed to believe she hasn't gotten over Grant or that they still have some chance, then Jack shouldn't have entered so strongly. I enjoy the story but just feel like Tessa is all over the place. Also, not believable that she would stay living with Celine.

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  10. Umm I'm pretty sure if celine is stealing ur things and u CAUGHT her stealing ur money, that should be enough to void the lease. However, it would be crazy if she isn't the one who stold the watch. .....

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  11. Oh my gosh. I always knew Celine was shady af

    Livingonaprayerandmerlot.blogspot.com

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  12. I loved this post. Sometimes when you aren't peaceful, nothing around you is peaceful so I think that this could be a reality for some people. Or, everything seems turbulent. Good for Tessa for trying to be friends with Grant, I don't think I'd have it in me! I hope she finds that watch, and I hope we get to hear what the F Celine's deal is soon!

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  13. I don't get a good vibe about her and Jack it also feels unrealistic that they are so attached so quickly. I actually prefer her with Grant

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    1. Haha, my husband and I found ourselves living together within a month of meeting. I'm not saying these two are soul mates but its very possible to be completely comfortable and in sync with someone in a short time.

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    2. Let me clarify more, jack seems so attached not feeling it with tessa, he seems more like a rebound and kind of a jerk for trying to pursue her when he knew she had a boyfriend

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  14. For those wondering about the legality of Tessa breaking her lease. If Celine was Tessa's landlord then she would almost certainly have violated her covenant to provide Tessa with quiet enjoyment, which is essentially peaceful use of the apartment. In this case Tessa could break her lease.

    However, it sounds like Tessa is on a joint lease with Celine and there is a separate landlord. In that case the landlord may be liable for controlling other tenant's criminal behavior that impairs Tessa's quiet enjoyment, but because Tessa is on a lease with Celine I doubt that the landlord would be responsible for Celine's criminal behavior against Tessa. Therefore, if Tessa attempted to break her lease, the landlord would likely sue both Tessa and Celine and it looks doubtful Celine could pay so Tessa would be stuck paying damages for the breach.

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