Tessa Atwood.

tessa mae atwood. twenty-five years old. artificial intelligence designer based in the pearl district. var sc_project=11746582; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_security="55dd526c";

[tess-atwood]

sofiadiiaz‌:

Sofia was trying to keep this meeting she had for her boss but it wasn’t going as she had hoped. She knew it was late but this needed to be done or she could get in trouble. “Come on, i need this for Ms. Lindel. I know it’s late but i’ve tried everything to get this set in for tomorrow. Wait, wait don’t han-” she said but heard the line go dead on the other end. “maldito seas hijo de puta.” She curse at the phone in Spanish, putting her phone into her purse and sat down frustrated.

Tessa had never been that great at languages -- apart from programming languages -- but she figured that the words the other spoke weren’t the kindest. She’d caught part of the conversation after she’d heard a familiar surname, though she wasn’t exactly sure if this was the same Ms. Lindel as her friend. “ You okay? ” Tessa asked carefully as she glanced at the other.

[tess-atwood]

scarredlindel‌:

With a slight frown Scar hoped wasn’t visible in the dim lighting, she set her glass down and scooted closer to the blonde. “Tess,” she began in a gentle voice. “I know for a fact you’re a great listener. Why is it so hard to believe someone cares about you as much as you care about them?” Asked Scar but she was holding out a Twizzler for Tessa to take too, to distract her from the fact their conversation had taken a more serious turn. Basically, she was bribing her with candy. Her eyes fluttered closed then and she leaned her head against the blonde’s knee. “That’s what I keep telling myself, yes,” she breathed out, squeezing her eyes shut. Soon after, once she’d put her fairytale back into the little decorated box with its name on it, as Tessa would call it, she grabbed her glass again and her expression lit up. The brunette always liked to listen to stories about Tessa’s family, because it was so different from hers. While her parents did love her, their unique, non-traditional methods of upbringing made them stand out and at the same time made Scarlett believe her parents were crazy. “Really? Like what?”

Tessa watched her friend carefully, calculating every second ahead. She was at a crossroads. Either she’d open up and change everything, or she’d move on, keep going like she’d had for the past years. The blonde took the Twizzler the other handed her, and started playing with it. She didn’t really know what to say or how to even start this, but for some reason she felt like she couldn’t really go back now. “ Back in college -- I was nineteen and I had this crazy crush on a guy there. He was one of the popular ones, you know, the kind of guy girls fought over. For some reason he actually knew who I was and after just small chats here and there on campus, we met again at a frat party. ” Tessa started. She couldn’t bring herself to actually look at Scarlett, so she stared at the piece of candy in her hands. “ I eh -- he came up to me and asked if I wanted to talk in private, and well, obviously I did. ” A soft humourless chuckle slipped her lips as she thought back. It was so stupid how naive she’d been. “ It didn’t take him long to -- eh -- ” Tessa wrinkled here nose and pressed her lips together as she tried to shake the thoughts, the memories from that night. “ Yeah -- eh, he didn’t want to talk. He -- ” She couldn’t bring herself to actually speak the words, but she figured Scarlett was smart enough to figure it out. “ So after, he left and I told my best friend. She laughed, practically high-fived me for the whole thing. After all, I did have a crush on him. ” Tessa shrugged, still not meeting her friend’s eyes. “ So I didn’t say a word after. I guess I was ready to tell my brother about it, but then the call about my dad being sick came and it was best to just ignore it. ” The blonde shrugged, letting out a quiet sigh. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling. The bricks in her stomach did feel lighter, but she felt nauseous -- maybe it was the combination of wine and candy? She was glad to twist the conversation a little and smiled a small, watery smile at her friend’s question. “ Oh, my parents are both the best and the worst people alive. They love each other so much and know each other so well that they can literally do anything to each other. It leads to funny situations, like where my dad keeps pranking my mom to the point where now she’s planning the ultimate revenge. ”

[tess-atwood]

carson-atwood‌:

“Some really hot fish,” Carson answered with a laugh. He wasn’t sure how much detail he wanted to give. “Oh, man. You know Mom. She’s ready to have grandkids, and I’m totally letting her down on that front.” He shook his head slowly. “She probably thought I’d be married with a kid or two at this point.” He shrugged, continuing to walk side by side his sister. “Hmmm, where should I even start? There’s this girl I’m sort of seeing slash sleeping with. We don’t really go on dates. We just occasionally run into each other around town. She’s just fun to be around, great to talk to, and hot, of course.”

Tessa chuckled as she watched Archie play in the grass, suddenly cautious as another -- much bigger dog approached. Obviously the dog had no common sense whatsoever, since he approached the other dog, suddenly as confident as ever, as if he were the bigger dog. A soft snort escaped as Tess watched the scene. When her brother mentioned how their mother wanted grandkids soon, she nodded. “ You’re not the only one. At least you’re actually seeing people. ” Tessa chuckled. She listened carefully when he told her of the girl he’d been -- casually -- seeing. “ So it’s just a casual thing? Not someone I’ll have to meet and approve anytime soon? ”  

[tess-atwood]

scarredlindel‌

“No, it wasn’t easy but it was my own choice, you know? To hold it all in,” she absently fiddled with the tassels on the cushion as her gaze bounced back-and-forth between the crimson liquid in the glass and the blonde. “I have a feeling you’re the same,” the brunette confessed, now holding Tessa’s gaze. “I think you suppress your feelings too. I just don’t know if it’s because you’re a masochist or you ‘just’ like to belittle your feelings and don’t believe anyone would care.” Scarlett’s own negativity caused some long-term side effects, turned her into somewhat of a skeptic when it came to romance which was why she, as much as she appreciated Tessa’s advice, felt her defense mechanism kicking in. Love, the most powerful force on Earth? Maybe. Not in her case though. “It’s too soon to be talking about love and right fits-- I don’t even know him well. I suppose I just like how he makes me feel,” the woman looked off into the distance and briefly recalling their moments, brushed a finger along her own jaw before she took a deep breath and brought the glass to her lips, fighting off a blush. It was no secret Scarlett loved physical affection and he had somehow figured it out. “I just think love is supposed to be selfless and I am very selfish with him,” a laugh escaped her but she shook her head. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this when it’s so silly and strange,”

Tessa did know. So all she did was nod and hope that her friend wouldn’t catch on too much. Although -- was it such a bad thing to talk about it? For some reason she’d been told to believe that it was, forced to believe that it wasn’t something worth talking about. Scarlett’s observation made the blonde glance down. She definitely wasn’t a masochist, but belittling her feelings, not believe anyone would care -- maybe. She was sure Carson would care. And her parents. But they’d care too much. “ I guess you’re right. Not about the masochist part -- definitely not. But yeah -- I do tend to put things in little boxes and hide them away. Not wanting to bother others with it. ” Tessa shrugged. It was almost scary how far this conversation had turned -- even scarier how far it came to a truth that hadn’t been spoken in about five or six years. Tessa listened to her friend and smiled at her comment. “ It’s okay to be selfish every once in a while. ” She wasn’t sure where the advice came from. She definitely didn’t follow it very often, afraid to be a bother to someone else. “ Girl, I’m here for the silly, the strange, the good, bad, the ugly. That’s why you have me. I can handle it. ” Tessa chuckled. “ Besides, growing up in my family -- you see some strange stuff. ” 

[tess-atwood]

professor-miles-sander‌:

“I am doing the meal between 1pm and 3pm if that helps. You still get to see you’re family at night. The offer is there if you ever need it. Its a open invite so bring a friend too.”

“ Well, family night is basically family day -- but I can definitely see if I can manage to make it. It definitely sounds like a lot of fun. ” Tessa smiled as she crossed her arms. “ What do you plan on doing for the late lunch-meals? ” 

[tess-atwood]

professor-miles-sander‌:

“ I’m not going to lie, I love fall. I love the gingerbread or pumpkin flavoured lattes at Starbucks and the fact I can just curl up with a good book as the rain falls outside. I think I might actually start doing Sunday dinners for friends every Sunday. If I did that would you come? I’ll make food to suit everyone”

“ I love the fall -- don’t love the pumpkin. ” Tessa smiled. " And as tempting as the Sunday dinners sound, I can’t. Sunday night is family night. I think my parents would actually kill me if I stopped showing up. ”   

[tess-atwood]

scarredlindel‌:

“Aww,” she gushed and her expression showed how honored she was to have made the cut. “Thank you my lovely and also please, don’t apologize.” Said she quickly. Admittedly she felt bad about making Tessa believe she’d done something wrong when the problem  clearly was Scarlett’s inability to make peace with her past. “I shouldn’t be overreacting, not after all those years but…” she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, thinking out loud. “I suppose I never got closure everyone needs, you know? I didn’t see him after the night we broke up, I didn’t let myself think about him.” The woman concluded with a sigh, now remembering how exhausting it was to deal with that certain aspect of her past– so the only logical thing to do was to take a gulp of wine and wash away the bitter taste. Scarlett took another sip as she, in mild wonder, stared down at the picture of her. Studied her pensive expression, to be exact. Wondering what’d caused it. Or did she always look pensive in public? “I, uh…” she frowned slightly, unsure where to start. “We talked and danced and had fun. He made me realize it was alright to let go and…. Enjoy life, y’know. What I’ve seen of him since then is breathtaking. It… It feels a bit like a fairytale, Tess.” The brunette whispered, lifting her gaze. “Which isn’t necessarily a good thing, since, as we know, fairytales aren’t real.”

Tessa nodded quietly. For some reason everything her friend mentioned hit a little too close to home. It wasn’t like something like that had happened to her, yet she did share that pain. A pain she hadn’t talked about in years. In fact -- she hadn’t really talked about it ever. The fact that she wasn’t the only one who still walked around with pain hidden away from years ago was a relief. Especially having Scarlett confide in her about it. “ That sounds -- I’m sorry you had to deal with that, that couldn’t have been easy. ” At least her friend seemed happy now. Especially when the brunette changed the topic to the man she’d met at the fancy event. A smile formed on her own lips when she saw the glow of excitement en happiness covering her friend’s features. Tessa knew all too well that fairytales weren’t real, but that didn’t mean dreams were off limits. It was good to be optimistic. “ There’s one thing fairy tales get right though. In every single story, folk tale and modern movie, love has always been the most powerful force on Earth. Whoever this mystery man is, I’m sure that if it’s the right fit, you’ll know it. ” She’d always believed in love. Her parents were the prime example of it. Even with all the setbacks in life the two of them made it work. They would still share the little looks between them, little inside jokes, it was the perfect romance. She hadn’t been so lucky so far. In fact, she’d been very unlucky. That didn’t stop her from hoping for the right fit for herself some time soon.

[tess-atwood]

gabby-hess‌:

“Pretty ridiculous, huh?” Gabby herself had to do a double take when she first spotted the product, but leave it Durex to tarnish the pumpkin and incorporate it into their product. “I wonder if people actually buy these. I mean, I guess they do; otherwise, they wouldn’t still be making them.” She shrugged, putting the box back on the shelf. “And that’s enough adventure for today.”

“ Pretty ridiculous is definitely an understatement. ” Tessa chuckled. The blonde wasn’t sure how someone could be that obsessed with pumpkin. “ I’d say most just buy them to try it out? I mean, I guess it’s interesting to try new things, but honestly -- if they’d suddenly disappear, I wouldn’t be mourning. ” Tessa laughed softly as she watched the shelf with a slightly raised brow. “ Yeah -- I’m with you on that one. ”

[tess-atwood]

scarredlindel‌:

“Yes, I’d want you there.” Tessa was one of the few people who were genuinely happy for her and at the same time cared little about her social status. In Tessa’s eyes she was just Scarlett and that was enough. The two of them made for a great combination (not because one was blonde and the other brunette) but because they shared the same values, yet had different interests which made it all more fun. “Who would you take to Paris if you could? –And what about everything he’s stolen from me?” she suddenly turned to the blonde, visibly aggravated– it wasn’t Tess’ fault, Scarlett always had some mild rage saved up in the pit of her stomach, in case the ex ever came up in a conversation. The whole time she held a Twizzler in her hand, waving around with it. “My patience? My heart?” The brunette kept staring at her blonde friend, blinking before softening her gaze and saying. “Get used to it, you’re a beautiful, brilliant ray of sunshine,” she mused. “And now we know you’re hot too,” her smile turned into a smirk as she tossed a Twizzler at her teasingly. “Stay tuned, World! Who knows what else Tessa Atwood has to offer,” to be honest, she considered Tessa the most precious of her friends and she couldn’t stand seeing her down. Even the thought of it. Or someone messing with her confidence. “It’s a beautiful dress,” a second later, she looked into Tessa’s eyes and for some reason her mind went straight to the night she wore the dress. “Y’know,” she murmured. “I met someone that night,” she voiced her thoughts as she touched the photo, recalling how the material felt under her fingers.

Tessa smiled and took a big sip from her glass of wine. She wasn’t really sure how to answer the other’s question. Who would she take to Paris if she could? The was the very obvious answer, and another obvious answer, but Tessa honestly couldn’t think past the two people who played such a big part of her life. “ I’m either going to have to go with my brother, or obviously you. ” Tessa smiled as she took another sip -- rather unsure of how to reply to the next part of the other’s words. She figured the brunette’s ex wasn’t her favourite topic, something Tessa could understand more than anyone. It wasn’t really officially her ex -- she’d never officially dated someone -- but she figured she might as well put him in the same category. “ I’m sorry. ” Tessa let out, her voice audibly smaller than before. “ I won’t bring it up again. ” Tessa promised. Not unless the other wanted to speak about it. Also something Tessa got more than most, probably. “ Oh my God, Scarlett. ” Tessa let out, putting her free hand over her face as chuckled left her lips. “ You are the worst. ” The blonde picked up the Twizzler the other had thrown at her and bit into it with a smile. “ It’s definitely a beautiful dress. ” Tessa agreed. She hadn’t expected the confession, even though she shouldn’t have been surprised. After all, Scarlett was absolutely stunning. Any sane person would try to date her. “ Tell me all about it. ” Tessa let out as she turned more towards her friend. “ All the details. ” 

[tess-atwood]

where do you see yourself in 10 years?

ask me anything.

“ Don’t really know, to be honest. I’m pretty sure AI will still be relevant, so I’ll probably still have a good job in that field. As for anything else, I don’t really think about my future that much. ”

[tess-atwood]

Have you ever hurt anyone? (Oscar)

ask me anything.

“ Sure -- I’ve hit my brother a bunch of times growing up, but that’s what little sisters are for right? Also I’m pretty sure I punched some asshole in the face once in college. ”

[tess-atwood]

what bad habits drive you mad? ( davis)

ask me anything.

“ My own bad habits? I bite my nails when I get nervous... That habit definitely sucks. Especially in a career that is as stressful as mine. ”

[tess-atwood]

carson-atwood‌:

It was no secret to anyone who knew Carson that he loved being outdoors. Whether it was simply for a short walk or if it was for a long hike, he rarely ever refused an invitation, so when Tessa asked him if he wanted to accompany her, he enthusiastically said yes. With Archie taking the lead, Carson followed the energetic dog down the path, matching his sister stride for stride. “They’re going,” he answered. “No second date with blonde Maggie to report, but there are plenty of other fish in the sea.” He shrugged. “How about you? Anyone I need to chase away?”

“ Oh, what kind of fish? ” Tessa asked as she raised her brows slightly as a smirk graced her lips. Teasing her brother about anything and everything was definitely something she loved most about having him around. “ Again, dude, my love life is very non-existent. Mom’s been bugging me about it all the time. ” Tessa let out as she shook her head. “ That woman really wants some sons and daughters in law. ”  The blonde chuckled as she glanced ahead to see if Archie was still doing okay. “ Either way -- back to you. Tell me all about all the fish you’ve been seeing. ”

[tess-atwood]

scarredlindel‌:

“I’m not joking, imagine how great it would be to have a gallery in Paris, being a part of its art culture. –A dream come true, really. Besides, you’d be a perfect date. I love you and I trust you so I wouldn’t have to worry about you leaving me hanging.” Scarlett explained, flashing Tessa a smile. The woman always liked to invite old friends to important events, rather than someone she’d just met or a crush. The first category was a liability in itself and Scarlett herself was unable to keep her cool when around someone she had a crush on. While the brunette understood the appeal of comfortable clothes– she always painted in her old sweats and paint-stained shirts– she was required to be dolled up on every other occasion. “I have a UCLA hoodie. It’s a billion years old, and I might’ve stolen it from an ex. … I’m a terrible girlfriend, what can I say.” Not a complete lie, her last relationship before marriage was a complete disaster, toxic and horrible, but Scarlett wasn’t the only one to blame. However, instead of taking a break from relationships, she entered a more serious commitment. Smart move. The brunette stretched her neck to check out the picture before an approving grin appeared. “Wow, Tess, look at you! Look at that bod! Sundresses look good on you,” she chuckled. “I have a few, there’s one high waisted skirt I adore, a big hat I bought in Italy, a dark red bow blouse, my painting overalls and oh! A dress I recently wore, I think the picture’s in this issue… Here it is,” she mused. “And me in it.”

“ It would be absolutely amazing. ” Tessa chuckled as she took another bite of her Twizzler. Honestly, having a friend like Scarlett who could afford to dream that big was definitely eye-opening. She’d always been someone who was realistic and restricted herself to stay realistic in her dreams as well. Being accepted into MIT had definitely been a dream come true, but with that it had also been her biggest dream. With Tessa’s intelligence it was definitely a realistic dream. Perhaps it was her way of not getting her heart broken. “ Well, if you really want me there, of course I’ll be there. ” The blonde smiled. She chuckled at the other’s comment on the stolen hoodie. “ Wait -- you stole someone’s campus hoodie? That’s practically blasphemy. ” Tessa pretended to be shocked, lips formed an ‘o’ as her right hand rested on her chest. She quickly broke out in chuckles as she fell back on the couch slightly. When her friend commented her on her body and the way the dress looked on her, she rolled her eyes and let her head fall back even further while she laughed. “ Don’t do that. ” Tessa chuckled. “ You know I’m horrible with compliments. ” The blonde laughed as she got back up to watch the photograph her friend had taken out. “ My God, Scarlett. ” Tessa’s mouth opened, this time in genuine awe of the other. “ I can see why you like it. It’s absolutely gorgeous. I’d say you’re one of the very few people in this world who can pull this off and look even more gorgeous than the dress. ”

[tess-atwood]

what is your biggest fear?

ask me anything.

“ I came pretty close to my biggest fear once. Nearly lost someone I love very much. I don’t know if I could handle it, to be honest. I’m terrified that one day I’ll get a phone call saying someone like my dad, mom, or my brother wasn’t there anymore... ”

[tess-atwood]

do you want to have kids someday?

ask me anything.

“ Absolutely. ”

[tess-atwood]

WHICH MAN FROM PORTLAND WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET YOUR HANDS ON?

ask me anything.

“ No need to yell at me... Not a clue. It’s not really something I’ve been thinking about to be honest. ”