Since their sleepover, Xavier had become very possessive about Tessa, ensuring to keep his arm wrapped around her waist whenever they were together, placing kisses on her cheek or temple every time he caught someone looking for a minute too long, and then being adamant on her spending more time with him at his place.

She had initially found it very amusing and left him to be, but now two weeks had gone by and his behavior hadn't let up.

"Xavier, I have to go," She laughed at him before their apartment complexes after their fifth consecutive date. "Daniel is getting worried,"

"No, why don't you come back to my place for a bit?"

"Because I want to go home," She laughed at his words.

"But why?"

"Because its home, Xavier, I'm tired and I want to rest, come on,"

"You can rest at my place,"

"It's not the same," Tessa shook her head with a soft chuckle.

"Why? Because Daniel isn't there?" He asked her bitterly, his hand wrapped around hers and instantly her smile dropped from her face.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She pulled away from him, crossing her arms over her chest and taking a step back. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, you and Daniel seem very close,"

"That's because we're roommates,"

"You're closer than roommates!"

"What the hell has gotten into you? He's my best friend!"

"You two are so close!"

"So?!"

"God, Tessa!" Xavier groaned in frustration, taking a step away from her.

"If you have a problem with Daniel then this is the end of it," Tessa swallowed the pungent taste in her mouth. "He is my best friend and my roommate and if you feel threatened by him then that's your problem," She shook her head and walked into her apartment building, leaving him to stand stunned for a minute.

Daniel jumped in fright when Tessa entered and shut the door with a bang.

"Whoa! What the fuck?" He spoke with a startled jump, looking up to see Tessa throw her bag onto the couch followed by her coat and scarf. "Hey, what's wrong?" He made his way across the kitchen counter and towards her.

"How dare he?" She demanded from him in anger once he was standing before her.

"Who?"

"Who the hell does he think he is to go and act like that?!"

"Xavier?" Daniel looked at her in confusion, seeing her fuming in rage.

"He has the bloody audacity to insinuate that there is something between you and me just because of the fact that we're roommates and best friends! Ha! The gall of this guy! Am I not allowed to be close to you? Should I end every friendship I have with any guy just because he feels insecure?"

"Oh," He realized what was going on, Xavier was threatened, and maybe even on to Daniel's true feelings. "He's just a kid, Bambi, he likes you a lot and is bound to get a little jealous every now and again,"

"Yeah, I get that, but he is possessiveness is suffocating and he is constantly trying to keep me next to him and taking me away from people, and it just, it makes me feel like..." She trailed as a lump grew in her throat and she rested her hands against her hips, shuffling on her feet.

"It feels like what your parents did," Daniel put the pieces together.

"Yeah," Tessa exhaled shakily as her fingers began to tremble. "It does," She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

He didn't say anything as he held open his arms for her, Tessa instantly running into his hold and burying her face into his chest, relishing in the way his musky scent wafted around her and made her feel safe, made her feel at home.

"Why can't guys be more like you?" She sniffled, petulantly rubbing her eyes. "More understanding and caring, and less imposing?"

"Gentlemen truly are a rare breed," Daniel stated in seriousness, cracking a smile to hear her chuckle.

"More like extinct,"

"Hey! I can name four gentlemen!" He spoke in indignation as Tessa laughed out loud and hugged him tighter, content to be just held by him and feel the safety he provided.

"What would I do without you, Daniel?" She murmured into his chest as he gently swayed from side-to-side.

"Try and find me," He grinned cockily as she rolled her eyes at him. "Although, in all seriousness, Tessa, just give him three days. Wait three days, no texts, no calls, no nothing, then see if he comes back,"

"What if I can't wait three days?"

"You see the thing is, you can't keep running back to him when you feel like he's not doing things right by you, because he's going to get off on it. He's gonna know that that you're going to come back to him. So, why not give him three days and make him realize 'oh, shit, its serious, I'm losing her!'"

"And what if he doesn't come back?"

"Then why would you want to be with someone that doesn't want you? Why would you want to be with someone like that?"

Tessa avoided Xavier for the next three days, and when her friends asked her why she was doing that, she told them how he had to decide if he wanted to feel insecure about her relationship with Daniel or deal with it himself. Her friends had given each other looks but decided to remain quiet, knowing that they were the ones who had planted this insecurity in him and now could ultimately be the end of their relationship.

Today was the third day, and Tessa had just entered the apartment, glad it was a Friday and that she could spend the weekend with Daniel.

"Hey, Casanova," She called as she entered the apartment, closing the door behind her. "Can I call-" Her words trailed as she turned around, momentarily taken aback to find Xavier sitting on the couch with Daniel in another, smoking a cigarette in silence.

"What are you doing here?" Tessa demanded from him, putting her bag down by the counter and watched him stand up from his place on the couch and stuff his hands inside his hood. "What do you want?"

"I-uh...I wanted to talk to you,"

"About what?" She raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Calm down, Bambi, he just wants to talk," Daniel stood up from his place as well, extinguishing the cigarette in the ashtray before him. "It wouldn't hurt to listen,"

Tessa looked back at him, opening her mouth to say something when he cut her off before she could.

"Please, Bambi? For me, just 5 minutes,"

She sighed before relenting with a nod.

"5 minutes," Tessa walked over to the couch and sat down on the armrest of Daniel's chair with Xavier across from them.

"I'll leave you two," Daniel began to walk away before Tessa grabbed hold of his wrist.

"No, stay,"

Sighing, he retook his seat, Xavier squirming under their gaze.

"I...uh...well, I wanted to apologize," He swallowed thickly. "I realize I was wrong in trying to take you away from Daniel because I figured that if you had to choose between Daniel or the world, you'd choose him,"

"And I guess...I just have to come to terms with the fact that I would always come after him,"

"You could have been on level with him if you hadn't deliberately tried and keep me away from him," Tessa shook her head. "I don't like being restricted from things, and I don't want you dictating my life for me. I am a person and I have every right to choose the people I want to spend time with, and Daniel here has helped me through hell, okay? He has been there for me when I didn't have anyone, and you can't just waltz up in here and try and keep me away from him because you felt threatened,"

Tessa looked at him in seriousness and Daniel stared at her in astonishment, his heart leaping in his chest to hear her say those words, knowing that he held such a high place in her heart. But then a bitter smile overcame his face at realizing that even if she feels like this for him, she only feels it in the capacity of a friend and would never be able to love him.

"And you're right," She stood from her place on the armrest. "If I had to choose between the world and him, I'd choose him,"