In class on Monday, Landon shares that his mom is dating Hardin’s dad, with whom Hardin doesn’t have a good relationship. Hardin and Landon don’t get along either; even though his dad lives near the college, Hardin never visits. While alone in her dorm that afternoon, Tessa thinks about the way Noah has always been there for her, and she feels guilty for kissing Hardin. She’s been friends with Noah since childhood, and he comforted her amid her father’s alcoholism and absence. Just as Tessa decides to take a nap, Hardin comes in looking for Steph. He makes fun of her organized lifestyle, dropping her perfectly ordered class notes on the floor. She shoves him away, and he grabs her wrists and pins her against the wall. Face to face, Hardin’s expression softens, and they kiss passionately until Steph comes through the door. Hardin quickly leaves, and Steph warns Tessa not to develop feelings for Hardin; he messes around with girls all the time, but he never has actual dating relationships.

In British Literature the next day, Tessa and Hardin end up arguing during the class discussion of Pride and Prejudice. Hardin claims Elizabeth’s character throws herself at Mr. Darcy, while Tessa yells back that Darcy treated Elizabeth with cruelty and manipulation. After class, they confront one another; Tessa acts like she isn’t affected by making out with Hardin, but he tells her he knows she wants him, and he isn’t wrong. Her sexual attraction to him is strong, despite her hatred for his character. Hardin tells her he wants to be friends. He invites her to hang out with him the next day after class, as friends, and Tessa tries to convince herself his intentions are genuine. 

In class the next day, Hardin asks Tessa in front of Landon if she’s ready for their “date” later (101). Tessa clarifies to Landon that they are hanging out as friends and tells Hardin to be nice to Landon since they are “practically brothers” (101). Hardin is angry at Landon for telling Tessa about their parents’ relationship, and he cancels plans with Tessa for the afternoon. Steph and her friends Tristan and Zed are in the dorm when Tessa gets back, and before long, Hardin turns up. When Zed invites Tessa to the movies, Hardin says he and Tessa have plans. In the car, he says that he doesn’t think Zed has good intentions. They argue about the music and volume in the car and confirm how opposite they are by discussing their differing taste in music. 

Hardin takes her to a wooded area, and they go on foot to a stream. He undresses and jumps in to swim, but Tessa stays out of the water until Hardin agrees to answer one question of her choice. He tells her she can wear his shirt to cover up, and he helps her into the water. They have a good time playfully splashing, and before long, Tessa wraps her legs around his waist. He tenderly kisses her face and neck, and Tessa agrees to let him do what he wants to her. Beside the stream, he fingers her, giving her the first orgasm she has ever experienced. During the car ride back, Tessa experiences a roller coaster of emotions as she goes from feeling used by Hardin, to hurt, to soothed by his touch. Her feelings for him are complex, but she loves the way he makes her feel alive.

Hardin drives Tessa to a diner, and on the way, he asks what she wants to do after college. When she tells him she wants to work at a publishing house, he offers to talk to a connection he has at Vance Publishing to help her get an internship. They eat dinner together, and when Hardin drops her off at her dorm, they make out in the car, only stopping when Tessa gets a call from Noah. Hardin’s demeanor immediately changes, and Tessa tells him she’s going to break up with Noah. However, Hardin reminds her that he doesn’t date, and he tells her not to break up with Noah on his account. Tessa leaves the car angry and hurt, since it seems Hardin only wants to have a sexual relationship. 

All the next day, Tessa pushes thoughts of Hardin from her mind. In Literature class, she asks Hardin to leave her alone when he tries to talk to her. As the week passes, Tessa and Hardin continue to ignore each other, and after receiving several invitations to the weekend frat party from various people in Steph’s circle of friends, Tessa calls Noah and convinces him to come for the weekend to keep her occupied. Noah is surprised to see that Tessa is wearing more makeup than usual, a new habit she’s adopted since hanging out with Hardin. They watch a movie together in Tessa’s dorm room, and Tessa finally feels like her old self. Hardin comes in looking for Steph, and he only stays long enough to make fun of Noah’s sweater before leaving.

Even after Hardin leaves, Tessa keeps thinking about him and how he makes her body feel. She starts kissing Noah and climbs on his lap, hoping to feel the same passion as she does with Hardin, but Noah is cautious and stops her attempts to take their kissing to the next level. As Tessa falls asleep during the movie, Noah leaves to find a hotel. The next day, they go to a park together and come to a stream. Tessa asks Noah if he wants to swim, but he says no, and Tessa can’t help but compare him to Hardin. Later that night, Tessa gets a call from Landon: something is wrong with Hardin. Leaving Noah at her dorm, Tessa borrows his car keys and drives to the address Landon gives her.

Tessa reaches the address—a huge house in a nice neighborhood that belongs to Hardin’s dad and Landon’s mom. After hearing that his dad is going to marry Landon’s mom, Hardin showed up drunk at the house and started breaking things. He’s been calling out for Tessa, which is why Landon called her. When Tessa goes to talk to Hardin, he expresses anger over his father’s wealthy lifestyle while his mother lives in a tiny apartment in England. His dad left when he was 10, just like Tessa’s dad, and he had an alcohol problem. Tessa shows Hardin kindness, but he throws it back in her face, calling her pathetic. A moment later, Hardin comes inside to find Tessa helping Landon clean up broken glass, and he suddenly becomes protective of her when he sees she’s bleeding from a cut. He bandages her hand, then he asks to talk to her outside.

Outside, Hardin apologizes to Tessa, but they end up arguing again, and Hardin’s demeanor bounces between aggressive and gentle. His drunken state adds to Tessa’s confusion, and Hardin says before tonight, he hadn’t drunk in six months. While they’re arguing, Hardin kisses Tessa, but she resists him until he says, “I need you” (147). Tessa explains that she doesn’t like who she is when she’s around Hardin; she cries all the time and cheats on her boyfriend, which is completely out of character for her. Hardin replies that he thinks the person she is with him is her true self, and he tells her, “you make me want to be good, for you” (148). 

Reminding Hardin that he doesn’t date, Tessa probes to figure out whether Hardin has feelings for her. He suggests they be friends with benefits, since he doesn’t want a dating relationship, but Tessa refuses. He comes close and touches her arms, and Tessa is powerless against her immense physical attraction for him. She wants to resist him and leave, but he begs her to stay with him, and she relents. 

Hardin has his own room upstairs in his dad’s house, but he’s never slept there before until tonight. At first, Tessa says she will sleep in her clothes—a loose top and long skirt. Eventually, she strips down to her underwear and Hardin’s t-shirt, and Hardin watches her change, telling her she’s sexy and shouldn’t hide her body under baggy clothes.

Tessa comes to the bed, and Hardin pulls her on top of him. Tessa resolves that tonight will be her last time around Hardin; in the morning she will tell him to stay away, so tonight she will let herself do whatever she wants with him. She loves the electric feeling he gives her, and she wonders if Hardin could be right—maybe she is truly herself when she’s with him. She lets him take off her bra and makes him come by touching him over his boxers. 

Tessa recognizes that her feelings for Noah are fading in comparison with how Hardin makes her feel. Tessa expresses worry about all the other girls Hardin has been with, feeling jealous. Hardin says he wants to please her and starts to kiss and touch her legs. He demands that she tell him in exact words what she wants him to do to her, wielding power over her. Tessa gets embarrassed, refusing to say the words he wants to hear, and goes to sleep.

In the morning, Tessa wakes up, and although she doesn’t want to leave a sleeping Hardin, she knows she has to get back to Noah. She sees Landon on the way out of the house and avoids explaining things to him, leaving him thinking that she came last night to be with Hardin as a friend. When Tessa gets back to the dorms, Noah tells her how worried he’s been. He’s upset that she’s been spending time with Hardin when she promised she would stay away from Steph and her whole group of friends. Noah isn’t angry, but sad, saying that the people she’s spending time with are changing her. Just then, Hardin enters the room. 

Hardin yells angrily at Tessa for leaving while he was asleep. He says he will tell Noah if she doesn’t, forcing Tessa to come clean about fooling around with Hardin. She apologizes to Noah, who leaves, saying, “I don’t even know you anymore” (177). Tessa pushes Hardin aside and runs after Noah, begging for his forgiveness. Noah is kind, saying he needs some time to think, and he tells her he loves her.