I Watched Them Love Her Chapter 03

I Watched Them Love Her Chapter 03

Mom looked up and saw me. She paused.

“Tessa, sit down. What are you just standing there for?”

I didn’t speak, just glanced at the occupied chair.

Chloe knew it was my seat.

But she didn’t move.

Not even a token offer to switch.

I walked to the table, put some salad and a piece of bread on a plate, and turned to go back upstairs.

“Stop,” Dad said, his voice low and dangerous. “What is the meaning of this?”

“There wasn’t a seat for me,” I said. “I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Mom frowned.

“Tessa, must you use that tone? It’s Chloe’s first day. Can’t you try to get along with her?”

“I *am* getting along with her,” I said. “I just want to eat in peace.”

Chloe’s eyes immediately welled with tears.

“I’m sorry.” She bit her lip. “Was I not supposed to sit here? I didn’t mean to upset Tessa.”

“This isn’t your fault, sweetheart.” Mom immediately wrapped an arm around her. “Don’t you worry about a thing.”

Nico put down his fork and looked at me.

“Tessa, what is with you today?”

I didn’t answer. I just carried my plate upstairs.

After dinner, Mom came to my room with a cup of hot cocoa.

“Tessa, you barely ate.” She set the mug on my desk. “I made your favorite.”

I glanced at the cocoa.

It had been my favorite when I was little.

But I knew this wasn’t about the cocoa.

“Just say what you came to say, Mom.”

She froze, then her smile turned stiff.

“It’s nothing major, really.”

She pulled a chair over and sat down.

“I wanted to talk to you about transferring out of the AP track and into the regular classes.”