Chapter 254

Tessa’s POV

I was a lot more nervous about seeing Ruby than I thought I would be. I had so many worries racing through my mind that I hadn’t really thought about it until we were almost at her apartment.

I hadn’t been able to speak to Ruby in about 3 weeks and I worried she was going to be furious with me. There was no doubt in my mind that she was worried and probably losing her mind, not being able to reach me. This was the longest I’ve been without speaking with her and the fact that I didn’t tell her I was disappearing was a huge factor in how this was going to go down.

I knew she wasn’t going to be happy with me and I wasn’t sure I was ready to face the wrath.

“You’re nervous.”

Joseph’s voice startled me, and I blinked a few times, bringing myself back to the present moment as I peeked over at him.

He had one hand on the steering wheel and the other on my lap.

It wasn’t a question, but an observation. I was about to ask him how he knew with such certainty that I was nervous, but then I looked down at my hand and saw that my nails were digging into his forearm.

I gasped and released my hold on him, revealing crescent shaped markings on his flesh.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, rubbing his tender flesh. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” he said with a small smile on his lips.

He glanced at me briefly before turning his attention back onto the road.

“What is making you nervous?” He asked and he sounded genuinely curious about my answer.

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I gazed out the window. We were passing the small park that was only around the corner from Ruby’s apartment. Within seconds we were going to be pulling into the parking lot and I was going to have to face the wrath of Ruby.

“What if she hates me?” I found myself asking out loud.

“Who?” Joseph asked.

I looked over at him, tears filling my eyes.

“Ruby,” I answered. “What if she wants nothing to do with me.”

Joseph’s brows furrowed.

“She could never hate you, Tessa. She’s your best friend.”

“I haven’t spoken to her in three weeks, Joseph,” I told him, biting my lower lip to keep the tears from spilling out of my eyes. “She’s going to be so mad at me.”

“It’s nothing you won’t be able to work through,” he assured me.

“How am I even going to explain it?” I asked, my voice cracking as I spoke. “What do I say to her? I haven’t thought of a story, and I somehow doubt that telling her I was kidnapped by a coven of witches is going to fly over well.”

“She already knew you went to your father’s farm. I called her earlier to tell her that I brought you home. She knows you are okay. Just tell her that you broke your phone and wasn’t able to reach out to her.”

My frown deepened.

“You called her?” I asked, startled.

He nodded.

“Yes,” he answered. “I wanted her to know that you were okay. I didn’t tell her anything more and she didn’t ask. I didn’t want to blindside her by having you show up on her doorstep.”

I kept quiet until Joseph parked the car and Ruby’s apartment stood tall in front of us.

“Do you want me to come with you?” He offered.

I shook my head and gave him a small smile.

“No, I think it’s better if I spoke to her alone,” I admitted.

He nodded and leaned closer to me. I closed my eyes and met him the rest of the way, pressing my lips to his. I wanted to just stay in this moment with him forever. I didn’t want us to part ways, even if it was only for a few minutes.

He brushed his fingers across my cheek and tucked a strand of fallen hair behind my ear. A spark of electricity followed his touch, and I felt the hairs on my arms and back of my neck standing tall. He was so warm and inviting and my heart was in complete turmoil over it.

“I’ll be here when you’re done,” he whispered against my lips before closing the gap between us and kissing me again.

When the kiss ended, it was too soon.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my rapid beating heart and then I got out of the car.

My body trembled with each step I took toward the front entrance of the apartment complex. I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that this wasn’t going to be a good conversation. I wasn’t sure how I knew it… but I did.

By the time I reached Ruby’s door, I raised my fist to knock, my hand trembling and my teeth chattering. I had to do this. It was Ruby after all. I couldn’t stay away for too long. I couldn’t avoid this.

I took another deep and very shaky breath and knocked on her door.

I heard some footsteps on the other side of the door and then something falling along with Ruby cursing. I flinched from the sharp tone in her voice; she was in a bad mood.

I bit my lip to keep the tears from spilling out of my eyes and then the doorknob turned, and it swung open.

Ruby stood in her pajamas, her eyes were wild and red, like she had been crying for days. Her hair was thrown into a messy bun at the top of her head and her brows were pinched together as she stared at me.

“Hey…” I lamely said, trying to break the ice.

“Hey?” She mimicked in a questioning tone. “That’s all you have to say?”

“I know you must be upset with me…”

“Upset?” She scoffed. “My best friend disappears for 3 weeks without a single phone call, and you think I’m just upset?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but she held up her hand to silence me.

“I have been scared shitless for 3 weeks, Tessa. I thought you were dead. I have been literally sick over it. I’ve been throwing up and crying… I haven’t gotten out of bed. What the actual fuck is wrong with you?”

My heart shattered in my chest from her words and like a dam that broke inside of me, the tears began to fall before I could stop them.

“Joseph said he spoke to you…” I said, trying to keep my breathing in check.

She rolled her eyes, which was another stab in the chest. She stepped into the hallway, closer to me, sniffling as an uncontrolled wave of tears left her.

“The day you went missing he called me and asked where you went. I told him you went to your father’s farm. He sounded extremely worried and when he hung up, I tried to call you, but your phone went to voicemail. So, I called your father, and he told me that you were sleeping and that you were safe,” she explained, folding her arms across her chest. “I tried to call you every day for 2 weeks and it still went to voicemail. Your father kept giving me lame excuses as to why you weren’t answering and why you couldn’t talk to me. After 2 weeks, he told me to stop calling and he turned his own phone off too. I had no idea what was going on and I was freaking the fuck out. So, I tried calling Joseph and guess what? His phone was off too…”

She let out a sob as tears ran down her pale cheeks. I fought the urge to pull her into my arms and hug her. I wasn’t sure if she wanted me close or wanted me to stay away. Not knowing where her mind was at was killing me though.

I hurt my best friend. I broke her heart and her trust.

“Ruby—”

“Joseph called me earlier like nothing had happened and told me you were home,” she muttered, her lips forming a thin line. “As if that makes everything okay again. As if I wasn’t terrified out of my mind. I didn’t even know what to say to him.”

“I’m so sorry…” my voice cracked.

“My sister is dead,” she whimpered through her tears. “My parents barely talk to me because of the choices I’ve made. The first guy I’ve truly liked and felt connected to in years ghosted me… and now my best friend did the same thing. Everyone is leaving me and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“I’m not leaving you, Ruby…” I tried to say, my voice coming out weak.

She shook her head and took a step away from me.

“You already left me, Tessa,” she murmured, angrily wiping the tears off her face. “I don’t think I could ever trust you again.”

My heart shattered again in my chest, and it felt like she had just punched me in the stomach. I took an unsteady step away from her as her eyes searched my face.

“I can’t be friends with someone who would hurt me like this…” she whispered, more tears spilling out of her eyes.

“Ruby…” I whispered, trying to get her to calm down and not say anything more that she was going to regret.

She shook her head and turned away from me, stepping back into her apartment.

“Just go home, Tessa. I never want to see you again.”

With those words left in the air, Ruby slammed the door in my face.