Page 72 of Loved By The Bad Boy

“Here.”

The heavy sigh from the other end of the phone settles over my shoulders. This will be difficult. I prop the chair against the wall and massage my forehead to stop the brewing headache. Ben can’t hear this conversation. He thinks they are cool with me staying back another week because I lied.

“Where is here? Why aren’t you heading to the airport or on a plane?”

“Well… I’m not coming home today.” Creaks from outside the door force me to my feet. I tuck the phone between my ear and shoulder and reach for the knob. There’s no one there. I shut the door and return to my seat. Dad’s breathing from the other end makes me say, “I’m sorry, but something came up.”

“Young woman, do you understand you have school tomorrow?” screams a female voice in the background at the same time Dad asks, “When will you be back, Tessa? This wasn’t the plan.”

“I don’t know. Next week?”

The background voice grows louder. Mom. A chill runs down my spine at her scream. “Theresa Grace Mower.” Her voice is muffled but loud enough to convey her message. “I need you to book a flight for tomorrow morning and get back here. Do you hear me? Tomorrow morning.”

“No,” I say to whoever is listening. I should be on speaker. I’m not a kid anymore, and they can’t force me to do their will. Crossing my legs under me, I adjust my weight on the chair. “Benny needs me.”

“Ben is a grown man. He can take care of himself. He doesn’t need you to babysit him.”

I end the call while Mom is still talking and toss the phone to the bed. My fingers sink into my hair. My chest rises and falls. I cut the call on my mother. Will Ben stand up to his parents on my behalf? I try not to imagine that scenario. I am doing the right thing. Classes might not resume tomorrow. I can catch up on missed classes. I’m smart. Ben is also smart. We will study together.

Minutes later, my phone rings, and I drag myself to my feet. A weight sinks to my belly at the new caller. Hayden. I don’t hesitate to answer. He’s more reasonable. My parents are, too, but sometimes, they don’t listen. They think they are doing what’s best for me, but Ben needs me now.

“Hey,” he says once I pick up. “What’s going on?”

The urge to say something nasty is strong. I roll my eyes so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t lodge inside my head. I have half an idea what this call is about. He’s not here to support my decision.

“Nothing?” I say.

Falling flat on the bed, I raise my feet and rotate my ankles. He must be calling because my parents informed him about my decision to stay back. He wants to say something, but I don’t want to hear it.

“Are you sure you’re doing the right thing?” he asks.

“Yeah. I am.” I am not sure. If he senses my reluctance, he will capitalize on it, and I don’t want that. “Benny has stuff going on in his life right now, and he needs me to be there. I can’t leave.”

“He has his parents for that, Tessa.”

“His parents are not his soulmate,” I say, and a grunt escapes him. I shake my head, though he is not here to see it. Not everyone gets it. They think we are too young and gullible, but love knows no age or boundaries. As his soulmate, I must be here for him. “See, when you find your soulmate, you will know. Benny is my soulmate, and he needs me. This isn’t something his parents can help with.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t tell you,” I reply.

“We could get him arrested for kidnapping you. Your parents don’t want you there.”

Hayden thinks he can throw legal jargon at his baby sister because he’s studying law.

“How’s it a case of kidnapping if I went willingly with him? And our parents knew. Both Mom and Dad.”

“And they want you back in the house,” he counters. “You have school, Tessa.”

Crescent High offers an option for online classes. We can switch to that until we return home. Tessa was denied bail. Josef promised we would have a court date this week because Ben has no intention of returning here to pursue this case once we leave. A long silence ensues. I can’t tell Hayden what has happened with Ben, but I need him in my corner, even if my parents disagree.

“Don’t you think you’re too young for that soulmate stuff? You have your whole life ahead of you.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. But Benny needs me now.”

“One week, okay? They are worried. I am too.” I get that, but convincing them without letting them in on the full story is hard. “Try to round up everything this week. And for the love of God, don’t end the call on Mom again. She is trying her best. They both are. Besides, that was rude.”

It’s no surprise she reported me to my brother. If she can’t get to me, she will tell Dad. If Dad can’t get to me, Hayden is next. I’m fighting people I love for a boy who isn’t legally mine.

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