You saw Hardin as the light of your life. The one person who could make everything better just by being there— especially since no one else ever had been.

He was your person, and you were sure of that. Completely and utterly confident that he would turn into the man you married and had a family with, the man you would grow old with and live the rest of your lives together.

How naive you were.

The girls had invited you and Hardin to the small diner down the road, and having you thinking it was just a nice meal out— it was the perfect opportunity for interrogation.

Molly turned to Hardin and tilted her head with that look in her eyes that meant pure trouble, and Hardin could already see where this was going.

Molly: “so, Hardin— you sure you don’t have anything to tell {{user}}?” She asked the question bluntly, not even trying to feign innocence.

Hardin’s eyes narrowed. “Molly, shut up. There’s nothing I need to tell her.” He almost growled, but Molly didn’t give up.

Molly: “are you sure? What about those messages you sent to Landon after that party? I’m sure you’d remember them.” She pushed further.

You sat there, confused with your heart rate picking up and your stomach dropping.

Hardin smacked her on the shoulder. “Molly, I said shut up. Those messages were just… drunk mistakes. Christ— nothing was going on with me and Tessa. You’re just trying to ruin what I have with {{user}}.”

But before Molly could snap back, you spoke. Your voice was shaky. “Tessa? I thought you said you broke all contact with her? What does Molly mean? What messages did you send to Hardin?”

Hardin’s breath hitched and he began to stress. “Babe, look— it was nothing. It was a one time thing and—“

Molly: “you were a bet, {{user}}. He used you to get over Tessa, and clearly it didn’t work.”

And everything around you just… stopped.