Arka Mukhopadhyay
Director Castille Landon weaves a steamy and hormone-charged ambiance in the young adult romance drama ‘After We Fell.’ The story, a continuation of ‘After We Collided‘ and built upon the book of the same name by Anna Todd, revolves around the seemingly doomed relationship between Hardin and Tessa. As a character in the movie unwittingly puts it, love is quite often complicated.
It’s all about tough love for Tessa and Hardin. Although their love for each other seems airtight, the story gradually lets the stormy wind enter their equation. After meeting waiter Robert, Tessa starts having second thoughts, and the outbursts of Hardin do not make the situation any better. So, is Tessa cheating on Hardin? Let us find out! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Does Tessa Cheat on Hardin?
Hardin comes off as the demanding, jealous, and possessive boyfriend in Hardin and Tessa’s equation. He also fails to communicate with Tessa on several occasions, which jeopardizes the transparency of their relationship. Although Hardin comes off as a reasonably selfless person, he cannot let go of his fragile masculine ego. Tessa feels suffocated in the relationship, as is evident from her diary entry chronicling the harm and abuse from Hardin’s side.
While Hardin is a faithful representation of a bad-boy hipster type, his negative traits are also transparent in his personality. Moreover, he works on his negative traits by joining the boxing classes with his half-brother Landon and tries to be more mindful of Tessa’s qualms. Although he initially does not agree to move to Seattle with Tessa, he later makes up his mind on the contrary. When Tessa feels left out since Hardin has not told her about his estranged mother’s coming marriage, Hardin decides to attend the ceremony and bring Tessa along.
However, while Hardin has a visibly nasty side to his personality, Tessa is not without flaws altogether. When Hardin meets his friend Lillian while dining with Ken and the family, he excuses himself to strike up a conversation with the friend. Tessa feels jealous and effortlessly flirts with the waiter Robert. Robert is a clear-cut foil to Hardin’s hardcore persona – he is caring, attentive, and keeps a straight face while responding to Tessa’s flirtations. When Tessa meets Robert for the third time outside the lake house and offers her his coat, we wonder whether this is the beginning of a new chapter in ‘After We Fell.’
As it turns out, Robert is also brilliant – he is preparing for the medical examination while working part-time as a waiter. As opposed to Hardin’s nonchalance, Robert is ambitious like Tessa. They click pretty well, and the night ends with Robert giving Tessa his number. However, Robert stresses that he would not pressure Tessa to call him. Tessa does not call him, although she probably ponders upon the decision. But when Hardin finds the number in Tessa’s purse, he is eager to throw a fit. But as Tessa’s love for Hardin seems steadfast till the end, we conclude that Tessa does not cheat on Hardin.
Read More: Does Tessa Get Pregnant in After We Fell? Did She Get an Abortion?
