Elysian Dawn

ELYSIAN DAWN

Chapter Five

Tessa sat in the music hall, her fingers dancing across the strings of an old guitar she had found there. The soft melodies enveloped her, providing a momentary escape from the chaos outside. Just as she lost herself in the music, Hilary burst through the door, her face alight with excitement.

"Tessa!" she exclaimed, rushing over and enveloping her in a warm embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Tessa pulled back, a broad smile spreading across her face. "I missed you too, Hils."

"What really happened that day?" Hilary asked, concern flickering in her eyes as she perched on the edge of a nearby table.

"Hardin pushed me into the pool," Tessa replied, irritation creeping into her voice. "I can't believe he did that."

"I think it all started because you stood up for that boy," Hilary suggested gently.

"I had to," Tessa insisted, her resolve firm.

"Honey, Hardin is a monster. You're the second person he nearly hurt after Edgar. Edgar transferred schools just to escape him," Hilary said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"That's why we need to do something about it. If we don't stop him, he'll keep bullying people until someone gets seriously hurt," Tessa declared, determination shining in her eyes.

"That's where Mooney comes in," Hilary replied.

"What do you mean?" Tessa asked, intrigued.

"That day, he pushed Hardin into the pool to defend you," Hilary explained. "If Khalil hadn't shown up, Hardin might have drowned. It's funny how he acts tough but can't even swim."

"Why would Mooney do that for me?" Tessa questioned, a mix of confusion and irritation in her tone.

"I think he might have a crush on you," Hilary teased, a playful grin on her face.

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Please, he better not! He's infuriating."

"At least he's better than Hardin. You two could be a match made in heaven," Hilary quipped, pretending to check her nails.

"Yeah, right," Tessa shot back sarcastically. "Mooney claims he's just keeping an eye on me."

"Why's that?" Hilary asked, curiosity piqued.

"Because his father told him to watch over his late best friend's daughter," Tessa explained.

"You're one lucky girl, aren't you?" Hilary said with a smirk.

"Do you think so?" Tessa replied, and they both laughed.

"Okay, how about we hit the arcade after school? I'll cover the bill," Tessa suggested once their laughter faded.

"Really?" Hilary's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Sounds like a date!"

"Whoa, I'm not into girls," Tessa clarified with a chuckle. "But if you want to think that, go ahead." She winked playfully at Hilary.

Hilary laughed. "You're such a flirt! Since you're paying, how about we have some shots of tequila?"

"I'd love that, but honestly, I've never had alcohol before," Tessa admitted sheepishly. "I know, it's embarrassing."

"No way! That's not embarrassing at all!" Hilary reassured her. "I haven't had any either." They both erupted into laughter again.

"Oh my God! This is hilarious!" Tessa exclaimed between giggles.

"That's my name!" Hilary shot back, their laughter growing even louder.

"Hey, how did I get out of the water that day? Was it Mooney?" Tessa asked as their laughter faded.

"Nope, it was my brother. I saw him carrying you to the infirmary," Hilary said.

Tessa smiled warmly. "Wow, your brother sounds awesome. He's not just handsome; he's kind too."

"Whoa there! What's with all the compliments? Don't tell me you like my brother!" Hilary teased.

"What? Can't I like him?" Tessa shrugged innocently.

"Nope! Just kidding," Hilary laughed and winked at her friend.

"Since you love music so much, why don't you join the upcoming Perry Thomas Music Festival next month? It's a great opportunity to showcase your talent," Hilary suggested.

"Really? What do I have to do?" Tessa asked, intrigued.

"It's simple! Just join the music class and pick a song to perform. The rehearsals will be part of the class," Hilary explained enthusiastically.

"Okay… I'll think about it," Tessa replied as she stood up. "Now let's head to class; I've got some things to sort out." With that, they began walking together toward their classroom, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

As Tessa and Hilary entered the classroom, Tessa's eyes immediately landed on Savannah, who greeted her with a slow, sarcastic clap.

"Welcome back, Queen Tessa! How are you feeling now?" Savannah asked, her tone dripping with mockery.

"I'm doing well, thanks for asking," Tessa replied, her sarcasm mirroring Savannah's as she shot a scowl at Hardin and Mooney before making her way to her seat beside Hilary.

With one last glare at Mooney, who merely shrugged defensively, Tessa pulled out a textbook and began flipping through its pages.

Suddenly, someone slammed the book shut. Tessa looked up to find Savannah standing over her.

"What do you want? Last I checked, we weren't friends," Tessa snapped.

Savannah scoffed. "I want to be friends with you. Is that so bad?"

"Maybe," Tessa replied curtly, reopening her textbook only for Savannah to close it again.

"What now?" Tessa exclaimed, exasperated.

Savannah leaned in closer. "You've got something on your mind, don't you? Those boys you glared at—surely you have something to say to them?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Tessa shot back.

"Just follow your instincts, babe," Savannah said playfully before strutting back to her seat.

Tessa sighed, watching Savannah retreat before Hilary leaned in closer.

"So, what do you want to do?" Hilary asked.

Determined, Tessa stood up and walked over to Mooney's desk.

"Hardin is the one you should be glaring at, not me," Mooney said defensively as she approached.

"Look, I appreciate that you're looking out for me, but don't cross the line in the name of protection. It's really annoying," Tessa replied firmly before turning on her heel and returning to her seat.

Mooney scoffed and stood up. "Forget this," he muttered, shooting Tessa one last glance before storming out of the classroom.

"That was not what I told her to do!" Savannah mumbled under her breath.

"Why did you confront Mooney?" Hilary asked as Tessa settled back into her seat.

"He didn't have to drown someone because of me," Tessa replied quietly.

"Nice going, Tess," Hardin chimed in, rising from his seat and sauntering over. "Didn't expect you to be at odds with your bodyguard already."

"Get out of my face, Hardin," Tessa said flatly.

"No," he replied with a chuckle. "I'm just thrilled you're back. You're my biggest hater in this school."

"And you think that's cool? You need to change; otherwise, you'll be lonely for the rest of your miserable life!" Tessa shot back.

Hardin forced a laugh and carelessly knocked Tessa's books off her desk, sending them crashing to the floor.

Tessa glared at him before demanding, "Pick up my books."

"I won't."

"Apologize," she insisted.

"For what?" Hardin raised an eyebrow in mock confusion.

"Did you just say 'for what?'" Tessa asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Why should I apologize to you?" he retorted.

In a flash of anger, Tessa slapped him across the face. Gasps filled the room; the tension was palpable.

"That's the spirit, girl," Savannah murmured from her seat, watching with amusement.

"You pushed me into a swimming pool knowing I can't swim! I almost drowned! I'm traumatized, and now you humiliate me in front of everyone! I told you to apologize, but instead, you have the gall to ask why?" Tears welled in Tessa's eyes as she confronted him.

Hardin couldn't meet her gaze; he stared down at the floor, perhaps ashamed.

"You should be sorry for your miserable life, asshole," she spat before gathering her books and storming out of the classroom.

Hilary jumped up and grabbed her bag. "Tessa!" she called, rushing after her friend.

The classroom fell silent, the air thick with tension until Savannah broke it with a sarcastic remark. "Oh no, she's so upset," she said, casting a scowl at Hardin as he sluggishly exited the room as well.

---

Tessa and Hilary found themselves standing outside a club, peering inside. They were dressed in sleek gowns and wore enough makeup to pass as older than their years.

"Tickets," a burly bouncer demanded, extending his hand toward them.

Tessa shot a nervous glance at Hilary. "Tickets?" she whispered, anxiety creeping into her voice.

Hilary forced a smile, her teeth clenched in determination. "Just play along," she replied, feigning a search through her bag for nonexistent tickets.

"What's taking so long, ladies?" the bouncer asked, his tone impatient.

Hilary looked up with a charming smile. "I'm so sorry! I must have left the tickets at home—it's a two-hour drive back. Can you let us in? We're regulars here," she lied smoothly.

The bouncer hesitated, clearly considering refusing them. Tessa sensed the tension and quickly devised a plan to change his mind.

She stepped closer to the bouncer, adopting a seductive demeanor. "We came all this way... It would be such a shame to turn back over a couple of tickets. Besides, we really are regulars," she said, winking playfully.

After a moment of contemplation, the bouncer reluctantly moved aside, allowing them to enter.

Tessa let out a deep breath and exchanged a glance with Hilary, who looked back with a mix of excitement and concern.

"Are you ready for this?" Tessa asked, her nerves bubbling to the surface.

"Absolutely!" Hilary replied, narrowing her eyes at Tessa. "Why are you so nervous? You sound like a kid about to commit a crime."

"I just feel like we're doing something wrong," Tessa admitted, her gaze dropping to the floor.

"I get that... but who cares?" Hilary said with a shrug. "Come on, let's go have some fun!" She grabbed Tessa's arm and pulled her further into the club.

"We didn't agree on getting wasted!" Tessa protested as they stepped into the vibrant chaos of the club. The pulsating music and intoxicating scents enveloped them.

"Wait, you didn't know there were tickets?" Tessa asked, downing her second shot of tequila and grimacing as the heat surged down her throat. They settled into a corner booth, observing the dancers lost in the rhythm.

"I swear I didn't know! And honestly, you handled yourself like a pro out there," Hilary said, downing her third shot.

"You can say that again."

"About what happened at school today... I liked your energy with Hardin," Hilary continued, sighing. "But scolding Mooney? I feel kind of bad for him," she added, watching as Tessa poured herself another shot.

"Me too," Tessa admitted before gulping it down and grimacing once more. "I was just frustrated... Maybe I'll apologize on Monday."

"You really should learn to stop making that face after every shot. It screams 'underage,'" Hilary teased.

"Yes ma'am," Tessa replied, nodding vigorously as the alcohol began to take effect. "Why didn't we go to the arcade instead?" she asked suddenly.

"We agreed on coming here first; the arcade is tomorrow. Have you forgotten?" Hilary reminded her.

"Oh right!" Tessa chuckled. "Let's hit the dance floor!" She stood up eagerly.

"I don't know how to dance," Hilary protested.

"I'm not taking no for an answer!" Tessa declared, pulling Hilary up with determination.

They made their way to the dance floor, swaying and moving to the rhythm of the music.

As they danced, Tessa continued to drink until an intense pain gripped her stomach.

"Tessa!" Hilary called out as she noticed Tessa staggering through the crowd, clutching her abdomen.

"Hey! Watch it!" a girl shouted as Tessa bumped into her.

"Sorry!" Hilary snapped back at the girl before rushing after Tessa, who finally found an exit from the throng of bodies.

"Bathroom..." Tessa gasped, breathless and distressed.

"Bathroom? You need to go right now?" Hilary asked incredulously.

"I need to... I need to..." Tessa mumbled, her face paling as she fought against nausea.

"You need to throw up?" Hilary clarified, and Tessa nodded weakly.

Just then, they collided with someone unexpected.

"Oh no! Get out of the way!" Hilary exclaimed as she looked up and froze in shock. "Mooney?"

He stared back at them, surprise etched on his face. "What are you two doing here?"

Before they could respond, Tessa's body betrayed her; all the tequila she had consumed erupted onto Mooney's shoes.

Hilary gasped and covered her mouth in horror.

"Shit," Mooney muttered, his expression shifting from surprise to irritation.

Tessa struggled to her feet, her eyelids heavy and barely able to stay open. "I'm so sorry, sir... I'll clean it up," she mumbled, her voice slurred but earnest.

Then a broad smile appeared on her face as she pointed at Mooney. "Oh it's Mooney!" She squealed happily before passing out on his body.

To be continued...

Elysian Dawn.