Arka Mukhopadhyay
With Castille Landon spearheading, the young adult romantic movie ‘After We Fell’ is a mesmerizing and scintillating exploration of its flawed central protagonists. Based upon the eponymous novel by Anna Todd, the story revolves around the charged and passionate affair between Tessa and Hardin. Tessa seldom feels suffocated in the relationship, thanks to Hardin’s persistently volatile personality. However, Hardin makes it up to Tessa via steamy sex sessions. Hardin rarely forgets to use protection – barring one time amidst heightened heat. So, does Tessa get pregnant, and if not, why? Let us take a closer look at Tessa’s secret. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Does Tessa Get Pregnant? Did She Get An Abortion?
The movie is tied together by a string of sexual liaisons between Tessa and Hardin. The sex scenes add much zeal to the narrative to entice the audiences, complete with suggestive camerawork and a chill lo-fi score. However, although Hardin is a solid masculine lead character whose charisma is enough to sway you, he is rarely the show’s star. The story almost always follows the perspective of Tessa, as we see the story unfolding through her eyes.
We only come to know some of the secrets of Hardin’s life when Tessa knows them — like Hardin’s mother’s marriage and his rejection of the job offer from Vance. Hardin is also often jealous – like with the restaurant waiter Robert, although Tessa does not overlook Hardin’s friend Lillian. When Tessa confronts Hardin about her knowledge, Hardin promises to make it up to her. He flies from New York to Seattle to catch Tessa at Vance’s house with the resolution.
Hardin has read Tessa’s diary while going through her stuff, and he feels sorry that he hurt her. Hardin also encourages Tessa by expressing how good a writer he thinks she is. Sparks are bound to follow, but in the presence of older couple Vance and Kimberley, they are both a bit reserved. The floodgate breaks when Tessa goes to find Hardin at the gym after the bonfire. After beating up some random guy at the bar, Hardin joined the gym to manage his anger constructively.
Tessa is happy that Hardin is working towards his betterment. As she goes down on her knees, we get an idea about what is to come. Tessa and Hardin make love all night, and the following morning, the lovebirds are glistening at the breakfast table. Vance comments about how Hardin looks spirited in the morning, and Hardin slyly replies that he needed a good night’s sleep. However, Vance and Kimberley leave the house shortly after, and the couple seems to have the day for them. Hardin did not use protection the previous night, and he reminds Tessa of the need to buy contraceptive pills.
Tessa buys the pills and visits the doctor the next day for a long-term solution. However, the doctor does not think Tessa needs contraceptives to manage pregnancy. He speaks of some complications regarding her cervix, the lowermost part of the uterus. We fear that it’s cervical cancer, as the doctor seems to be indicating, but he states that they need to perform more tests to know the real reason behind Tessa’s ailment. Long story short, Tessa is not pregnant because she cannot conceive due to her ailment.
Read More: Who Did Hardin Think His Dad Was in After We Fell?
