Tessa and Hardin attend Hardin’s father’s wedding together, where they seem happier and closer than ever before.

The two have an intense argument, but they eventually make up when Hardin is vulnerable with Tessa, telling her about a traumatic moment from his childhood. He shows up drunk later the next day having clearly been in a fight, but he refuses to tell Tessa where he’s been. Not long after they move in together, Hardin stays out all night without telling Tessa where he is. She begins working at Vance Publishing as an intern, and soon after, moves into an off-campus apartment with Hardin. They spend most nights together, and Tessa loses her virginity to Hardin. Over the next few weeks, the dynamic between Tessa and Hardin seems to stabilize. The night of the campus bonfire, Hardin and Tessa confess that they love each other. Tessa kisses Zed in front of Hardin and agrees to go on a date with him. When Tessa sees Hardin with Molly, a girl he used to fool around with, at a party, she uses Zed, one of Hardin’s friends, to make Hardin jealous. However, Hardin and Tessa’s new dating relationship only perpetuates their up-and-down pattern of arguments and sexual activity. Even though Tessa resolves to stop seeing Hardin, she can’t resist him, and she eventually breaks up with Noah when Hardin tells her he “needs” her (269).Īs they grow closer, Hardin’s behavior gradually changes, and he becomes more willing to spend time at his father’s house because of Tessa, something he never did before because of a strained relationship with his father since childhood. Noah finds out about her relationship with Hardin, yet he gives her a second chance. They argue, make amends, agree to hang out as friends, and then end up unable to resist their sexual attraction for each other.ĭespite her ongoing relationship with Noah, Tessa comes to Hardin’s rescue one night when he’s angry and drunk at his father’s house. Tessa surprises herself by kissing Hardin one night at a party, which sets in motion a pattern between them. Even though Tessa’s prim and modest personality is completely opposite Steph and her friends, Tessa feels intrigued by them, especially Hardin. Tessa goes to a few of their parties, where she drinks, plays Truth or Dare, and admits to the group that she’s a virgin.

Tessa is eager to make friends, so she starts hanging out with her roommate, Steph, and Steph’s friend group, including Hardin. He’s rude and condescending towards her, nothing like her boyfriend Noah, yet Tessa feels drawn to him. Tessa meets Hardin on her first day of college.

And After by Sarah Lyons Fleming