Tess ~2

Tess was putting the final touches on her makeup, carefully blending the smoky eyeshadow around her eyelids. The soft, dark hues made her eyes pop, and she smiled faintly in the mirror, satisfied with the result. She adjusted the straps of her short black dress, the lace details on the chest area adding a touch of elegance to the otherwise simple cut.

She slapped her hair into a quick half up half down before turning away from the mirror and heading downstairs. As she walked into the living room, the familiar chatter of her sister's friends filled the air—Maxxie, Anwar and Cassie were already there. The atmosphere was comfortable, but still, Tess felt that familiar pang of nostalgia. She used to see them all the time but now, it was different. Time had passed, things had changed, but they were still the same in a way.

"Hey Tess," Maxxie greeted her excitedly

Tess smirked, happy to see a familiar face. "Maxxie! Good to see you" she replied, he was always one of her favourites "How's your dancing going then?"

Maxxie beamed "Oh it's great London is amazing much cooler than this place"

Tess took a seat at the bench next to him

"And?," Maxxie began, leaning forward, his voice eager. "How's college treating you, Tess? Yo u surviving out there?"

Tess shrugged nonchalantly. "Barley I think I hate everyone in Bristol, especially at that school"

Cassie, who had been quietly staring off into space, suddenly perked up. "New York... you wouldn't hate everyone there"

Tess nodded, "Right New York, you just got back right, How was it?"

Cassie's eyes went wide, as if the question had startled her, but she smiled vaguely. "Oh, it's... It's kind of like... like the city is just... floating around me, you know?" She let out a dreamy laugh. "Like, everyone's just... there, but they're not. It's... nice." 

Tess blinked and exchanged an amused glance with Maxxie. Cassie's way of talking was always a little out there.

Tess raised an eyebrow at her, half-amused, half-baffled. "Well maybe I'll have to give it a try one day" her tone uncertain 

Anwar leaned back, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "This is why I love her," he said, gesturing to Cassie, whose head was now tilted back, eyes glazed over.

Tess smirked, turning her attention to Anwar. "Hey Anwar I forgot to mention," she said casually. "A couple of months ago, a friend of mine saw you busking. You had this sign—'Anwar the Magnificent'—and he tried to join you."

Anwar's eyes widened in recognition. "Wait, that was your friend? The one who made fun of the 'Buddha Buddha Cheese routine'? Man, I remember that guy—total nightmare." He shook his head. "I'm just trying to make a few quid, not deal with some guy off his face"

Tess let out a sigh "Sounds like Cook"

Maxxie, who had been listening intently, chuckled and leaned back in his seat, "is this Cook the tosser you're always hanging around with?

Tess froze, her heart skipping a beat. How had he even known? She didn't want to talk about Cook, didn't want to explain their complicated mess of a relationship.

"Chelle!" Tess said, glaring at her sister. "What did you say?"

"Well I was worried about you!" She said defensively

Tess' face scrunched up "What does that have to do with it?"

Maxxie cut in, in frustration, "Come on Tess, spill it!"

Tess hesitated, feeling the weight of their stares on her. She didn't want to say too much, but eventually, her walls came down just enough. "Well, he's just this guy... It's complicated. He's a bit of an idiot, can't figure shit out, and can't stop fucking every moving thing—anyway."

Cassie, however, had to chime in, her voice like a whisper as she leaned toward Tess. "You never know if he's gonna wreck everything in his path or just leave a mess behind and disappear, fuck you up and then fuck off" she hissed

Tess blinked, caught off guard by accuracy. She glanced at Michelle, who was clearly enjoying the spectacle. "That's unnervingly accurate," Tess muttered. "Are you speaking from experience Cass?"

Cassie's expression suddenly changed "Oh no! Sids lovely.... Apart from when he fucked my best friend thats all" She laughed, her voice high-pitched and innocent, leaving Tess stunned. She definitely shouldn't have asked.

"But we're over that now aren't we Michelle?" She said almost too sweetly

Tess scoffed and Anwar looked like he was about to burst out laughing. Luckily The door opened and slammed shut, everyone snapping out of the uncomfortableness as Tony strolled in. Effy followed behind, her presence immediately quieting the room.

As the old friends greeted each other Tess made her way over to Effy, who had been standing behind Tony. "Hey," she said softly, her voice almost drowned out by the chatter in the kitchen.

"Hey," Tess replied, offering a smile. "Weird seeing everyone together like this again."

Effy's eyes glanced around the room. "Yeah... makes me feel like I'm 14 again" she let out a soft chuckle "Everything's changing, isn't it?"

Tess nodded, her gaze lingering on the group, her stomach tightening. "Yeah, it is."

Tess raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing Effy's mood. "You okay?"

Effy managed a shrug, though it didn't feel convincing. "Im fine, just everyones too much you know"

Tess tilted her head, her eyes studying Effy for a moment longer than usual in this uncommon moment of vulnerability. "I get that. Is it about Freddie" Effy just nodded giving Tess all the answers she needed. 

----

Soon after more and more people came streaming into the house. Katie strolled in, drinks in hand before striding over to Effy and Tess.

"Hey babes" She squealed "Effy," Katie said coldly but Effy didn't respond

"Ok....." Tess said awkwardly trying to ease the tension but failing "Drinks anyone?"

Effy walked off without a word, heading toward Naomi, leaving Tess and Katie standing there.

Katie, eyes narrowed, muttered, "Fucking hell, what's her problem?"

"I wonder," Tess replied dryly, rolling her eyes.

Katie completely ignoring her started on some other tangent "Ok so now that wanker Dannys gone I need to find a new man, get some action you know? I'm bored"

Tess raised an eyebrow mischievously "What about him?" She said pointing to a lanky looking guy in the corner, this was clearly his first night out.

Katie shrugged "I could fix him up"

Tess scoffed "Katie there's no way you think that's even mildly attractive"

But her attention had already shifted "No but he's definitely more than mildly attractive" Katies eyes were fixated on none other than Maxxie

Tess grinned, knowing full well that Maxxie wasn't interested in girls, but she kept that to herself. "That's Maxxie."

"He's fit girl" Katie was very obviously staring "Do you know him?" but Maxxie had very clearly seen Katies wandering eyes

He gave Tess a confused, slightly concerned look but she waved him off "Yeah he's Chelles friend... and he's gay" Tess said casually

Katie snapped out of her trance "What?! Thanks for telling me... bitch" she said jokingly "Maybe he'll get along with Emily then" which warranted a slap from Tess

"Tess! Katie!" Pandora exclaimed as she bounced towards them

Tess chuckled, "Hey Panda"

Pandora lazily poured herself a drink "What are you two up to?"

Tess giggled "Where trying to find Katie a new guy, preferably not gay"

Pandora grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Can I join? I'm great at spotting well gorgeous guys"

Katie raised an eyebrow like it was a challenge "Oh yeah? Lets see your best pick then"

Tess left the lovesick girls when she spotted Freddie lingering in a corner as per usual.

"Hey Freds!" Tess shouted over the music

"Alright, Tess?" he asked. "Nice house by the way, only ever seen your bedroom" he chuckled awkwardly

"Uhm thanks?" She laughed "but i'm not sure if it will be looking so nice after this is over"

Freddie's eyes scanned the room "I thought this was supposed to be a small thing anyways?"

Tess rolled her eyes "It was supposed to be but Katie managed to mention it to everyone, so."

Freddie nodded "Ahh makes sense" he cleared his throat, slightly aggressively "Tess, what happened with Theo after... you know after he saw us talking outside, he seemed pretty angry?"

Tess stiffened, her smile faltering before she managed to keep it in place. She didn't want to talk about it—especially not here, not with everyone around. But Freddie was persistent, his gaze steady.

"I don't know," she said, her voice softer. "It's... complicated. It was a mess, Freddie. He came at me with all this stuff about how I'm a stuck up bitch because I was annoyed at him for flirting with other girls, then went off on me for not being fun enough"

Freddie raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised by his actions. "Seriously? What a dick"

Tess nodded stiffly, feeling the weight of those words hanging between them. But before the conversation could go any further, the door opened again, and Cook burst through the door, JJ closely behind.

Tess's heart skipped a beat. She froze. The last- and first time he had been here was not something Tess ever wanted to acknowledge happened

"Great" she muttered, her voice dry as she turned slightly away, pretending to fiddle with her phone.

Freddie caught her eye. "You okay, Tess?"

She nodded stiffly, but inside, her stomach was doing flips. Cook's presence always threw her off. He had this way of stirring things up, even when he wasn't trying.

Michelle tapped her on the shoulder, snapping her out of it. "Alright, Tess, we're heading out in a bit so be responsible and all that," she said.

Tess waved her off, an automatic "See ya" slipping from her mouth as Michelle and the others made their exit.

Tess was left standing amidst the growing crowd of familiar faces. More and more people kept trickling in, and the noise in the room started to ramp up. She could barely hear herself think over the chatter, the laughter, and the thumping music. Things were getting out of hand.

Just when she thought things couldn't feel more chaotic, she saw him. Theo. He appeared at the door, a darker look on his face than she had seen before.

Tess's heart sank. She stood frozen for a moment, watching as Theo glanced around the room, his eyes sweeping over the crowd before landing on her. His face was unreadable, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Tess turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, making her way to the back garden in a blur of frustration. When she reached the patio, she saw Katie standing near the door, sipping a drink and chatting with some people

Tess didn't hesitate. She marched straight up to her, her voice sharp with anger. "What the hell, Katie?"

Katie blinked, taken aback by Tess's sudden outburst. "What?"

"You invited way too many, which by the way wasn't your job to do alright? Now Theo's somehow here?!" Tess snapped, her voice rising in frustration. "This was supposed to be a small thing, not some fucked party that you always seem to get me into."

Katie opened her mouth to respond, but Tess cut her off. " And don't act like this isn't partly your fault. You invited all these people, and now it's out of control."

Katie stood there stunned for a moment but she was clearly too drunk to comprehend anything "I didn't know Theo was gonna show up, Tess."

Tess's anger only grew, her frustration spilling over. "It's not just about Theo," she said, her voice strained. "It's about how you invite people and then act like it's no big deal when everything gets... messy."

Katie laughed it off "Tess, I didn't mean for it to go this way. But, you know, word gets around. People talk."

Tess sighed in exasperation. "Yeah but it did. Somehow I'm not surprised, this isn't the first time this has happened"

Tess's lips pressed into a tight line, still fuming, but she didn't want to keep yelling. So, she turned away, heading back inside, her mind too overwhelmed to process anything further.

As she stepped back inside, she collided with someone—Theo. He was standing in the doorway, as if he'd been waiting for her.

Without a word, he reached out, trying to grab her arm, but Tess, heart pounding, jerked away. "Fuck off, Theo!" she shouted, her voice breaking, panic flooding through her.

—-

Tess stormed into the kitchen, her mind racing. She hadn't meant to come in here, but the noise, the chaos of everything outside—it was too much. She needed space, a place where she could think without feeling suffocated by people. She'd hoped for a moment of calm, but as soon as she stepped inside, she saw him.

Cook.

He was rummaging through her fridge like he owned the place, pulling out a sandwich and casually taking a bite as if nothing was wrong. Tess stopped dead in her tracks, her frustration bubbling up again.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, her voice sharp, trying to suppress the anger that rose in her chest.

Cook didn't even look at her, just shrugged, taking another bite. "I'm hungry," 

Tess stood there, glaring at him, but it wasn't even about him anymore. She could feel her chest tightening, the weight of everything crashing in on her. "You've got some nerve coming here," she spat, her voice trembling with a mix of irritation and something deeper. "You can't just rummage through my fridge like it's yours."

Finally, Cook looked up at her, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "I'm not going anywhere," he said, unconcerned. He bit into the sandwich again, as if he couldn't care less 

She paced the kitchen, back and forth, trying to shake the frustration out of her.

Cook watched her with a bemused look, his eyes narrowed. "What the fuck's up with you, then?" His voice was low, but there was a hint of concern underneath the taunting. This was the first time they had talked properly in months, and he was looking at her like she was crazy.

Tess stopped, her hands curling into fists, her head spinning. She swallowed hard, trying to control the emotions that where threatening to spill out. "Katie invited way too many people and now i'm fucked and I hate the way she gets away with everything, gets away with being a bitch to everyone. And then Theo—he showed up, like some fucking asshole—and now it's just a mess. Everything is a mess. And I don't even know what he wants anymore. I don't want to ever see him again but apparently he doesn't understand what he did wrong." her heart was racing, "Maybe you were right about Theo... about everything"

Her voice cracked, and she hated how weak it sounded, how everything she had been holding back seemed to tumble out of her all at once. She felt the tears threatening to spill, but she wiped them away quickly, her face flushing with embarrassment. "I just—he messed me up, and I can't-"

"Stop babe," Cook interrupted, his voice softer than she had ever heard it. He stepped closer, his eyes searching hers. "I told you Tessy" he said almost smugly

She groaned in frustration "And it's not like you're helping either I don't even understand why we're still not talking. You just kept fucking everything up cause your a fucking tosser and-"

"Woah woah, why is this suddenly all about me for fucks sake?" He protested

Tess opened her mouth to respond but shut it quickly, even she didn't know. She was so tired of fighting this. So tired of holding everything in. She didn't understand why things had gotten so complicated between her and Cook.

"This is all about you Cook, don't you get it?" Tess admitted although she regretted it seconds later. The tears were coming faster now, and she didn't know how to stop them.

Cook's expression softened, and for a moment, Tess thought he might say something—something that would fix it, that would make everything feel okay again. But instead, he reached forward, his hand gently brushing the tear off her cheek.

Tess froze, her breath catching in her throat. She could feel the heat of his skin against hers, the closeness of him, and it sent a shiver through her.

 his eyes locked with hers. And then, almost without thinking, he leaned in. His lips brushed against hers—a gentle, tentative, longing kiss that took Tess by surprise. For a moment, everything else faded away, and it was just them. 

But before she could process anything, before she could make sense of what was happening, the moment was over. Tess pulled back, her chest heaving as she looked at Cook, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and fear.

What the hell was that? What did it mean? Where did it come from?

Without thinking, she turned and bolted, running out of the kitchen and into the living room, her heart pounding in her ears. She couldn't do this. Not now. She was already overwhelmed, already on the edge, and the kiss—it had felt too real, too much.

She wanted to get out, get away from everyone but she couldn't, they were all in her house. 

Tess bolted to her room, her heart racing and her mind spinning from the kiss with Cook. She didn't even bother turning on the light as she shut the door behind her, leaning against it for support. The silence pressed down on her, but it was a welcome change from the chaos outside.

Luckily, no one was in there. She paced the room, running her hands through her hair. She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to think. It felt so right-so natural. But that only made it worse.

It terrified her.

It made her feel exposed, vulnerable in a way she hadn't allowed herself to be in ages.

She heard a creak behind her. Her heart jumped, thinking it might be Cook, but when she turned, it was Theo. His scowl was sharp, and the flush in his face told her he was drunk.

He stepped inside and shut the door behind him, his movements unsteady but purposeful. "So, I guess that's how it is now," he said, his voice low and biting.

Tess froze, her chest tightening. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw you," Theo spat, his eyes narrowing. "With him."

Her stomach dropped, but she forced herself to hold his gaze. "So what if you did?"

Theo scoffed, taking a step closer. "What the hell is wrong with you, Tess? You go from me to him? I feel sorry for you"

Tess's patience snapped, the weight of everything crashing down on her. "Well sorry you didn't get the very clear message but I never wanna see you again," she said, her voice trembling but fierce. "You don't get to act like some victim here, after everything you've done.

Theo sneered, his expression darkening. "Everything? You mean you ignoring me? Picking fights every chance you get? Oh, but Cook swoops in for one night, and suddenly he's the hero?"

"You left me at that party, Theo. You were too busy flirting with every girl in sight. So don't come in here acting like you're some saint."

His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "I had my reasons. You've been cold and distant for weeks. What was I supposed to do? Beg for your attention?"

Tess laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "You always twist it, don't you? Make it about you. You didn't care if I was okay. Cook—" She stopped, catching her breath. "He was the only one who noticed. He got me home. He looked out for me. And you can't stand that, can you?"

Theo stepped closer, his voice dropping. "Oh, I bet he loved playing the knight in shining armour. Don't kid yourself, Tess. You think he cares about you? He's just waiting for his turn."

"Shut up" Tess snapped, her voice trembling now.

"He just wants a good, mindless fuck and you know it" He scoffed

Tess bit her lip, "That's not true! Just stop acting like this!"

But Theo didn't stop. He moved closer, backing her up until her shoulders hit the wall. His breath was hot and bitter with alcohol, and his tone was cold, cutting. "You think he's better than me?" he hissed. "I'll show you what you're missing out on. I'm better than that guy."

Her heart hammered in her chest, a mix of anger and fear surging through her, she could smell the alcohol in his breath. "You're drunk, Theo. Just—just stop."

He smirked, leaning in closer. "Am I? Or maybe you're just scared to admit I'm right. You always act like you're so strong, Tess, but you're just scared, aren't you? Running to anyone who'll make you feel better for five minutes."

"Get away from me," Tess said, her voice rising as she shoved at his chest.

"Why?" he sneered, grabbing her wrist as she pushed him. "You didn't seem so shy with him."

Tess couldn't stop the tears this time, "Please stop it just stop it" she cried out

He planted an angry kiss on her lips, feeling her body in ways she wanted to forget ever happened before but she couldn't get him off. He was too strong, too close to her.

Tess twisted her head, trying to pull away, but Theo's grip was firm, his weight pressing her into the wall. Her stomach churned, panic rising in her chest as his lips moved down her neck.

"N-no" she cried, her voice cracking, but her struggles only seemed to spur him on.

Her voice trembled with desperation, and she shoved harder against his chest, but he barely budged. The room felt smaller, suffocating, and Tess's breaths came in short, frantic gasps.

Then the door burst open.

"What the fuck's going on in here?" Cook's voice cut through the air like a knife, sharp and furious.

Theo barely had time to turn his head before Cook was on him, shoving him hard against the opposite wall. The impact rattled the room, and Theo stumbled, nearly losing his balance.

"Get your fucking hands off her!" Cook roared, his face twisted with rage. His fists clenched at his sides, trembling with barely restrained fury.

Theo straightened, his smirk returning despite his unsteady footing. He sneered, his words slurred. "This isn't your business, mate."

Cook didn't hesitate. He shoved Theo again, harder this time, forcing him back toward the door. "Oh it is now"

Even Theo knew it wasn't a good idea to mess with Cook

Before leaving, Theo paused in the doorway, his face twisting into a bitter sneer. "You're not worth the trouble, Tess," he spat. "You're just a fucking whore."

Tess collapsed onto the floor, her legs giving out as the weight of the moment crashed down on her. Her hands shook as she tried to steady herself, tears streaming down her face.

Cook turned, his chest heaving, his anger still palpable. "What the fuck was that?" he said, his voice loud and raw. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room like a caged animal. "I fucking hate that guy. Hated him the second I saw him."

Tess looked up at him, her face pale and tear-streaked. "Cook—"

But he wasn't listening. His anger was boiling over, his hands flexing and releasing as he stormed toward the door. "Nah, fuck this man. He doesn't get to walk away like that. Not after what he just—"

"Cook, don't—" Tess started, but her voice was small, and he was already halfway out the door.

She knew exactly what he was about to do, and her stomach twisted in fear. "Cook, please!" she shouted after him, but he didn't stop.

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Tess alone in the quiet, her chest heaving with sobs. As much as she didn't want to face anyone else right now she followed him out of the room stumbling down the stairs.

When she reached the bottom, the scene hit her like a slap to the face. Theo was by the door about to leave, looking far too relaxed after what he'd just done upstairs. She froze, her breath hitching, as Cook stormed toward him, his whole body radiating fury.

"Oi, Theo!" Cook's voice boomed, sharp and unforgiving. The room hushed immediately, all eyes snapping to the confrontation.

Theo turned, his smirk slipping when he saw Cook's face. Tess instinctively stepped back, her stomach twisting into knots.

"What do you want now?" Theo sneered, trying to sound unfazed, but Tess caught the slight shake in his voice.

Cook didn't stop until he was right in Theo's face. Tess could feel his anger from where she stood, her heart pounding in her chest. "What I want," Cook growled, his voice venomous, "is to see your fucking face smashed in." He jabbed Theo hard in the chest. "You don't touch her. You don't even fucking look at her. You hear me?"

Tess's breath hitched, her hands gripping the banister so tight her knuckles turned white.

Theo stumbled back, his cocky demeanour crumbling. "You're so full of shit," he muttered

And then Cook's fist flew.

The sound of the punch was sickening, the force sending Theo staggering. Tess flinched, her stomach churning, but she couldn't move. She couldn't look away as Cook shoved Theo into the wall, his voice booming over the stunned silence.

"Is that what you want, huh?" Cook shouted, his words laced with rage. "You think you can pull that shit and just walk away?"

Theo's mates looked like they might intervene, but Cook silenced them with a deadly glare. Tess's heart pounded as Theo managed a weak swing, only for Cook to dodge and land another brutal punch to his gut.

"Cook, stop!" Emily's voice rang out, but it felt distant to Tess

The room had gone silent, all eyes on the fight. Tess could see Naomi and Effy frozen near the stairs, JJ cowering in horror, and Freddie desperately pushing his way through the crowd.

Theo crumpled to the ground, groaning, but Cook wasn't done. He advanced, grabbing Theo by the shirt, lifting him slightly before shoving him back down.

"Cook, what the fuck are you doing?" Freddie's voice cut through the chaos as he finally reached them, grabbing Cook's arm. "Stop it, man!"

Cook shrugged him off, his chest heaving, his eyes wild and unrelenting.

Theo scrambled back, blood dripping from his nose, his face twisted in pain. "You're fucking insane," he spat, his voice trembling.

Cook took a step forward, his tone low and deadly. "Yeah? I'm Cook"

Theo didn't answer, just staggered to his feet and stumbled toward the door. His mates followed, throwing glances at Cook like they thought he might snap again.

As soon as the door slammed shut, Freddie turned to the room, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "Right, everyone, fuck off!"

The crowd hesitated, murmurs rippling through them, but no one dared argue. Slowly, people began to filter out, casting Tess glances filled with pity or confusion.

Her friends rushed toward her—Emily, Naomi, Freddie—but Tess couldn't process their words. She didn't want their comfort or their questions. She wanted them gone. She wanted everyone gone.

She backed away until her legs hit the wall, sinking down to the floor. Her body shook with sobs, her hands covering her face as everything crashed down on her. The sounds around her blurred—the footsteps, the murmurs, the argument brewing between Cook and Freddie near the door.

"Cook, what the fuck were you thinking?" Freddie demanded, his voice sharp and cutting.

"I was thinking he deserved it!" Cook snapped back, his anger still boiling over.

Their voices grew louder, but Tess tuned them out, curling in on herself, her sobs wracking her body. She could feel Naomi's hesitant hand on her shoulder, hear Emily's soft voice trying to comfort her, but it all felt so far away.

She was trapped in her own head, replaying Theo's words, his actions, over and over. The room spun, her chest aching with every breath, and she wished more than anything for the night to just end.

—-

Tess was alone. She hadn't moved since everyone left, and she didn't plan on getting up anytime soon—she didn't think she could. Her mascara was smeared in dark streaks across her face, her eyes raw and burning from crying. She sat curled up against the wall in the lounge, knees drawn to her chest, staring blankly at the chaos around her.

The house was trashed. Empty bottles and cigarette buts littered the floor, the coffee table was overturned, and someone had smeared something sticky on the wall.

The sound of the front door creaking open broke the silence, and her heart jolted. Footsteps echoing in the hallway,

"What the fuck!" Michelle's voice cut through like a whip.

Tess didn't move, just kept staring at the mess in front of her.

Michelle stormed into the lounge, her eyes going wide as she took in the destruction. "Are you kidding me? What the fuck happened here?" Her voice was sharp, accusatory, the way it always got when she was angry. "I've been gone for like three hours and everything was perfectly fine before I left-"

But she suddenly stopped, Michelle's gaze shifted to her sister, and the irritation in her expression flickered with concern "Tess?" she asked, her voice softening.

Tess looked up slowly, her face pale and streaked with tears, her lip trembling.

Michelle stepped closer, her anger fading completely. "What happened?" she asked again, kneeling in front of Tess. "Why are you on the floor? Did someone—" Her words faltered as she looked Tess over, noticing the way her hands shook and the distant, broken look in her eyes.

Tess shook her head, swallowing hard. "It's nothing," she mumbled, her voice hoarse.

Michelle frowned, her brow furrowing. "Don't give me that. What's wrong? Did someone do something to you?"

"I said it's nothing!" Tess snapped, but the effort only made her voice crack. Her shoulders sagged as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

Michelle hesitated, hovering for a moment before sitting down beside her. "Tess... you're scaring me," she admitted, her tone uncharacteristically gentle.

Tess let out a shaky breath, her words coming in a whisper now. "I don't... I don't want to talk about it."

Michelle looked at her for a long moment, her lips pressing into a thin line. She nodded, as if deciding not to push, and reached out to pull Tess into her arms.

At first, Tess resisted, stiff and unresponsive. But as Michelle's arms tightened around her, something in her broke, and she collapsed against her sister, sobbing into her shoulder.

And as the house sat silent around them, Tess cried until there was nothing left, her tears soaking into Michelle's shirt as her sister held her on the floor.