Tesha was rigid and tight-lipped as Kenneth raged at her. She took the verbal assault without a single word. The expression on her face was hard and cold, but internally she was reeling a little. Friends for years, Kenneth was generally a quiet, sweet, soft-spoken man. It wasn't typical to see him genuinely angry, and she felt horrible because she was the one that had made him this upset. She'd hurt her friend because she was a hateful, bitter bitch, was the general consensus from her internal dialog.
Something he said hurt her too, though, and she felt tears sting at her eyes. Did he really think that there was nobody that gave a damn what happened to him? Tesha could think of several people that would be devastated if something happened to him. Herself chief among them, but her parents would be upset too, she knew that for sure. Constance was in the habit of mothering anyone and everyone that would let her, but her mother did have a particular soft spot for Kenneth. Tershal was a rather aloof and distant man, but she knew her father loved her very much, and he was fond of Kenneth, for being her friend and just because he thought he was a good man.
Did he not think his aunt gave a damn? Sure, nobody could ever claim that Rowan was an overly emotional woman, but like Tershal, that didn't mean she didn't care. Tesha couldn't claim to know for sure what went on in Rowan's mind or heart, but she was willing to take a guess that the woman must have some love for her nephew, after all, she'd went through the trouble of bringing him to the Clockwork City.
Kenneth finished his tirade, pulled up his hood, and stormed ahead of her. Part of Tesha wanted to stop him. She wanted to apologize, to hug him fiercely and call him an idiot for not seeing how much she cared, but she held herself back. He obviously wanted to be away from her, and she couldn't blame him. Hanging her head in shame she cried softly, putting her face in her hands before disappearing. She teleported as far as she could, then did it again. And again. And again.
She didn't care if she was getting closer or further from the city, she just wanted to hide her shame. The idea of Kenneth seeing her cry was unappealing, and if he wanted away from her then that was what he would get. No wonder he didn't notice the way she looked at him. Why would he want to? Tesha might have had a pretty face, she though dryly, but she was pretty damn ugly when you looked beyond the outside.