Elysian Dawn

ELYSIAN DAWN:

Chapter Four

Hardin dragged Tessa toward the swimming pool, his entourage trailing behind him like a pack of wolves.

"What do you think you're doing?" Tessa scowled, trying to pull away.

"I can do whatever I want with you," Hardin replied, a smirk playing on his lips.

With a rough shove, he sent her crashing to the floor.

"Oops... my bad," he said sarcastically, pulling out his phone and squatting beside her. He played a video of her and Mooney from the previous day.

"...I'm supposed to keep an eye on you, remember?" Mooney's voice echoed from the recording.

"—That's only at school! You don't have to follow me everywhere!" Tessa's voice rang out, filled with frustration.

"How did you get that footage?" Tessa shot back, her eyes narrowing.

"It was easy," Hardin shrugged. "You were too busy chatting with Mooney to notice the CCTV camera above your heads."

Tessa smirked defiantly. "So?"

"I warned you about the consequences of ignoring me. I said you'd hate me more—"

"—I already hate you so much," she interrupted.

Hardin laughed, pointing at her while Zedd and Niko joined in, but Khalil wore a serious expression, leaving Tessa puzzled about what was so amusing.

"That's nice," Hardin said, his tone shifting abruptly. "But I want you to hate me even more." He pulled her to her feet.

"No CCTV here... and Mooney doesn't even know where you are. He's probably searching for you like a madman right now. You just can't help getting involved with me, can you?"

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll apologize... just let me go."

"Time's up," Hardin replied, a sly smile creeping across his face. "Now I want you to do something else for me." He stepped closer, brushing his fingers through her hair.

Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, "Swim."

"F**k you, I can't swi—" Her protest was cut short as Hardin shoved her into the pool.

Splash! She plunged into the water.

"Hey Hardin! What the f**k are you doing, bruh? She's gonna drown!" Khalil exclaimed, panic flashing across his face as he watched Tessa struggle beneath the surface.

"Calm down, man... it's not like he's going to let her die," Niko said, placing a hand on Khalil's shoulder, but Khalil shrugged it off angrily.

"Whoa, she's soaked... looks kinda sexy," Zedd mocked. "But she's got small titties." He and Niko laughed derisively.

Hardin squatted by the edge of the pool, observing Tessa's frantic movements. "She's one persistent bitch... really strong," he noted, tilting his head. "Hey, why don't you just call your bodyguard? I wonder what's taking him so long."

"Hardin, stop this! You're gonna kill her, you bloody son of a bitch!" Khalil shouted.

Hardin scoffed and stood up, turning his cold gaze on Khalil. "What did you just call me?" he asked menacingly, stepping closer.

Khalil clenched his fists but held his ground. "What? You gonna hit me?"

Hardin merely scoffed in response.

"You want to go to jail for murder? I guess you're used to getting arrested," Khalil shot back.

"What did you just say?" Hardin's fists tightened.

"You heard me, you d*ckhead," Khalil snapped.

Without hesitation, Hardin threw a punch that landed squarely on Khalil's cheek.

Khalil staggered back, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Hey! You guys should stop that!" Zedd yelled, trying to intervene as chaos erupted.

Khalil retaliated with a punch that connected with Hardin's nose. Hardin staggered backward, clutching his face in shock.

Just as tensions escalated further, Niko shouted, "Guys! She's drowning!"

Hardin rushed toward the pool but stopped abruptly, hesitating at the edge as if paralyzed by fear.

Khalil shoved him aside and dove into the water, emerging moments later with Tessa in his arms. She was unconscious.

The laughter and bravado evaporated in an instant as they realized the gravity of the situation.

Niko and Zedd hovered anxiously around Khalil and Tessa, watching as Khalil pressed on her chest rhythmically. After what felt like an eternity, Tessa coughed up a significant amount of water, but she remained unconscious.

Khalil shot Hardin a furious glare. "Damn it, man," he muttered, lifting Tessa into his arms and carrying her away from the chaos.

"Thank God she didn't die, Hardin," Zedd remarked, shaking his head as he followed Niko out of the pool area.

"F**k," Hardin cursed under his breath, sinking to the floor. His gaze was locked on the pool, fingers tangled in his hair as a wave of fear and regret washed over him. He couldn't shake the image of Tessa's lifeless body from his mind.

"She's definitely going to hate me more... that's what I wanted, after all," he mumbled, closing his eyes against the weight of his thoughts.

The sound of the door creaking open broke his reverie, followed by quick, determined footsteps. Hardin opened his eyes to see Mooney striding toward him, fury etched across his face.

"You arrived late, bodyguard!" Hardin said with a mocking tone.

"I'm not wasting any time," Mooney retorted, shoving Hardin into the pool.

"Hey! I can't swim, you know that!" Hardin yelled as he flailed in the water.

"That's exactly what she said before you tossed her in!" Mooney shouted back. "How does it feel to struggle like that?"

"I swear, if I get out of here, I'm going to kill you!" Hardin shouted.

"F**k you!" Mooney shot back before walking away, leaving Hardin to fight against the water.

---

Hilary stood at the infirmary door, watching nervously as the nurse tended to Tessa.

"Hey," Khalil said as he exited the room.

"What did you guys do to her? What happened to my friend?" Hilary demanded, pressing her palm against Khalil's chest in frustration.

"Calm down. It was Hardin's doing, not mine. She'll be fine," he replied, turning to leave.

Hilary sighed, watching her brother walk away with a heavy heart. "Tessa," she called softly, stepping into the infirmary and rushing to her friend's side.

---

CARTER MANSION

Hilary sat at the dining table, pushing her food around on her plate, unable to shake thoughts of Tessa from her mind.

Is she okay now?

"Hilary!" Her father's voice jolted her back to reality.

"Huh?" she replied absently.

"Why aren't you eating?" Will asked, concern etched on his face.

Khalil glanced over at her.

"N-Nothing... I'm eating," she stammered uneasily, forcing a spoonful of pasta into her mouth.

"How's school these days?" Will inquired.

She managed an uneasy smile. "Cool," she said stiffly, stealing a glance at Khalil.

*No it's not... your son's bully friend hurt my best friend,* a voice echoed in Hilary's mind.

"I hope you haven't slacked off in your studies," Ashley, her mother, interjected.

Hilary rolled her eyes slightly, ignoring her mother's comment.

*All she cares about is grades!* her mind screamed in frustration.

"Mmm... Mom, this pasta is delicious—" she began, hoping to redirect the conversation.

"Hilary Carter!" Ashley thundered, cutting her off. Hilary's smile evaporated instantly.

"You changed the subject. Does that mean you haven't been studying?" Ashley pressed.

Khalil's eyes darted between their mother and sister. Fed up with the escalating tension, he dropped his cutlery and stood up.

"Thanks for the meal... I'm going to my room," he said before walking out of the dining area.

"Hey! You need to eat to stay healthy!" Will called after him, but Khalil was already out of sight.

Hilary scoffed tearfully. "That's all you care about—study, study, study!" she snapped before standing up. "Cut me some slack, Mom! Khalil is your child too." She stormed out of the room.

"Hilary! No matter what you do, you must study hard and go to college!" Ashley shouted after her.

"I'm not going to college!" Hilary shot back as she ran upstairs.

Once in her room, she slammed the door shut and leaned against it, tears streaming down her face.

"...I think you should cut her some slack. Why do you keep forcing her to study all the time?" Will argued gently.

"You're spoiling her, William! That's why she thinks she can defy me!" Ashley retorted sharply.

She overheard her parents arguing in the dining room. With a heavy heart, she walked to her bedroom and collapsed onto her bed, covering her ears with her headphones. She picked up her phone to check for any messages from Tessa, but to her dismay, there were none.

Letting out a deep sigh, she pressed play on a song, retreating into a world of music that offered her solace from reality.

THREE DAYS LATER, AT THE LOCKWOOD MANSION.

Joyce sat at the dining table, observing Tessa as she sluggishly picked at her breakfast. Tessa had been absent from school since the incident, but today marked her return.

"Mom, why is there ketchup on the toast? You know I don't like ketchup," Tessa complained, pushing the plate away. "I'll just have the milk," she added, gulping down the glass.

"Why would you jump into the pool when you can't swim?" Joyce asked, concern lacing her voice.

Tessa had lied, claiming they were playing a truth-or-dare game and she was dared to jump in.

"But I've already explained—it was a truth-or-dare game," Tessa insisted.

Joyce sighed. "Regardless, focus on your studies. Your SAT is coming up. Go to school, study hard, and cut back on distractions. I don't want your grades to slip, okay?" She stood up from the table.

"If you want something else to eat, I made waffles," Joyce offered.

"No, I'm fine," Tessa replied curtly.

"You need to eat to gain weight; you're looking so thin—" Joyce began.

"—Mom! Is there something wrong with how I look? Don't you like me this way?" Tessa shot back.

"No, it's not that—"

"—When I was chubby, you said I ate too much instead of studying. Now that I've lost weight, you say I'm too skinny," Tessa said, hurt evident in her voice. She stood up from the table, flung her school bag over her shoulder, and grabbed her phone and headphones.

"I'm just eighteen, Mom. Don't you think you're expecting too much from me?" she said before storming out of the house.

Joyce sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That girl didn't even finish her milk," she muttered as she began clearing the table.

Perry Thomas High School

Mooney settled into his favorite spot by the window in the twelfth-grade classroom, headphones on and spinning his pen absentmindedly on the desk as he looked out the window.

Hardin rested his head on his arms, napping quietly—an unspoken agreement hung in the air that no one would disturb their peace.

Hilary sat at her desk, glancing at Tessa's empty seat beside her where her bag lay. She kept checking her phone, hoping for a message from Tessa.

"Shit!" Hardin exclaimed suddenly as he heard footsteps echoing in the hallway. Mariette burst into the room, beaming with excitement.

"Guys!" she squealed.

"Who the hell is that?" Hardin mumbled, still half-asleep.

Hilary sprang up, a look of excitement on her face as she rushed out of the classroom.

"The almighty Tessa Lockwood is back!" she shouted joyfully.

Hardin lifted his head in surprise while Mooney removed his headphones and turned to Hardin.

"So?" Hardin shrugged. "Is that why you interrupted my nap?"

"Be grateful she's okay, Hardin," Mooney replied calmly, though his eyes conveyed a different story.

To be continued...

Elysian Dawn.