a/n: after forever, chapter 12.

Song I listened to while writing: "I Caught Myself" by Paramore. Take a listen.

C H A P T E R T W E L V E

Tess didn't dare look back at the cabin as she walked away swiftly. Yet again, Nate Black had humiliated her; socially beheaded her in front of her empire. Tess wiped her eyes, and mascara rubbed off on her hand.

Why could fuckin' Nate knock her off her pedestal, just like that? And who was he to say she was 'unprofessional'? No one! Just some teenager who thinks he has authority?

Tess' breath quickened and she broke into a cold sweat. There was time before classes ended, and Tess was alone on the grounds, but she was still embarrassed to cry. It meant she was defeated.

Why did Nate have such an effect on her, anyway? What made him different than any other person she didn't care about? Before Tess could stop, she answered her own question:

Because he cared about you. He wanted you to be happy, and you were, with him. But you went and fucked it up with him because he saw what no one else did-

"Stop – " Tess whispered breathlessly. "Stop it." The woodchips, trees and cabins in front of her eyes blurred and spun. She lowered herself to the ground to keep from falling. The air didn't travel fast enough. Tess gulped as fast as she could, shaking under the sheet of cold sweat that had developed over her.

"I wrote a song for you."

"Really?" Tess' bright smile glinted in the setting sun.

"Yeah," Nate nodded. He strummed his acoustic guitar, and started to sing:

"The day is ending.

I'm looking for a shining star

In a dark gray sky

I'm waiting for you

And in a blink of an eye

My world lights up

I know that you're near

Because you, you, you

Shine brighter

Than anyone else

You, you, you

Are brighter

Than anyone could be –"

Tess cried out, trying to force the image of her and Nate on the dock out of her mind. It was a memory that she had neglected for some time, and now, when her mind was out of control, it was coming out. She put her hands to her head, tearing the hair out of her scalp.

Tess sobbed loudly. She sobbed for Nate, for everything she had done to him, for everything he had done for her, and for every stupid, stupid thing she had ever done to herself.

"Holy shit!" Nate dropped the box he was carrying, as Andy and the campers who had agreed to help stopped short in their tracks.

All of a sudden, Tess felt light. As if she wasn't on the ground. It started in her toes, and the feeling rose throughout her body. Unaware of the others, she was going to faint, she had never cried so much in her life. Her vision turned white just as she felt a tight grip on her shoulders.

"Tess!" He wrapped his arms tightly around her, and she buried her face in his neck. "Stop please, I'm here. You're going to be okay…" Tess gulped for air, as the tears and snot streamed down her face. "Don't…" Nate said softly.

Tess put her arms around him, and she felt secure as he slowly rocked her back to comfort.

A/N; I'm so sorry this chapter took forever. I wrote that song myself, and I am NOT a song writer.

Please tell me what you think! I don't think this chapter is my absolute best work. You kind of had to imagine all the drama in your head…sorry about that.