A/N: I really should be updating some of my other stories, but I got this idea and had to write it down before I forgot. My friend introduced me to this song. I love it. I was listening to it today when I thought it reflected this couple a little. OK, a lot more than a little. This might be a one-shot, but I can make it longer. If you have a song idea, let me know what it is and whether or not you want me to make a different fic or put it into this one.
I have a new goal for this summer: write a fic for all of my favorite couples. The only problem is coming up with ideas. I have a list of my couples on my profile. If you have an idea, let me know.
Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from the show doesn't belong to me. The song is "Stuttering" by FeFe Dobson. It's a great song. Check it out! Oh, look. I'm advertising now!
There's a whole lotta things that I will forgive
But I just can't take a liar
I was by your side 'till the very end
'Till you pushed me in the fire
It had only two days since Caleb had come back and talked to her. After she had confronted Mona (and seen her with Noel Kahn), she felt better. She wasn't going to be talking to her anytime soon. What really sucked was she wasn't allowed to see the girls, unless it was in secret. So basically the only person she could talk to was her mother, something she wasn't going to be doing. Her mom would push her to forgiver Caleb, because 1) she had no idea why they had broken up and he had left (and she never would know) and 2) her mother had 'seen herself' in Caleb.
For the past few days, Hanna had been lucky. She hadn't run into him since he left her house after his big confession. But, at the same time, she wasn't. She did want to talk to him. About what, she still wasn't sure. Things had gotten so complicated. Sometimes she really wished Ali hadn't died. No, scratch that. Sometimes she really wished she wasn't friends with Ali. She wouldn't have been so upset over her death; she wouldn't be getting stalked by someone that only went by a letter. Jenna would've had no reason to have someone spy on her; she wouldn't have been a part of The Jenna Thing. She wouldn't be wonder what she should believe, or have to see a therapist, or watch her every move to make sure she didn't tick this A person off. She wouldn't have had her heart broken and right when it was on the verge of repairing, the person to have come back and make her remember what she tried so hard to forget. Everything would be simpler- easier.
But, if she hadn't befriended Ali, if Ali had befriended her, she would still be Hefty Hanna who was steadily getting fatter because she didn't know how to deal with her problems. She wouldn't have such good friends who were ready to help her or cover for her or defend her at a moment's notice. If Jenna hadn't been blinded, she wouldn't have had a grudge against them, even though she had asked Ali to do it. She wouldn't have had Caleb spy on her. And she never would've gotten to know him. She never would've been able to fall in love. She never would've known Caleb was in love with her.
Deep in her thoughts, she didn't watch where she was going, narrowly avoiding running into someone. She also didn't notice Caleb with his nose buried in a textbook sitting at the table he was at when she had asked him questions about Jenna paying him to become a spy. She froze; he never looked up. She was going to just walk by, but something had been bugging her since he returned – since he had left without saying goodbye, at least she had thought up until a while ago. She confidently walked over to the table and sat, successfully announcing her presence. He looked up, and upon seeing her, looked shocked. Before he had the chance to say anything, Hanna spoke.
"What you said yesterday, did you mean it?"
"I-" He broke off, staring off into space.
I tried to believe you, but something is wrong
You won't look in my eyes, tell me what's going on
It really worried her when he wouldn't meet her eyes. He could've easily been lying to her yesterday. Maybe A was paying him to spy on her now. That wouldn't be too shocking. She looked him straight in the eyes, even though his were glued to the book opened in front of him.
"Caleb?"
He took in a deep breath. "I-I… W-what I m-mean is…" And he trailed off yet again. What was wrong with him?
Oh. Of course. He had to have been lying and wasn't man enough to admit it. She ran a hand through her hair, waiting. Another minute, she decided. I'll give him another minute and then I'm leaving.
She kept staring at him, waiting expectantly for an answer she wasn't sure was coming or wasn't sure she'd like.
It's you and me against the world
That's what you said, that's what you said
If you can't be honest with me
Then I'm afraid this is the end
She sat there longer than she had intended to. When five minutes had passed, she stood. Every time Caleb opened his mouth to talk, he would start stuttering and then stop talking, not finishing what he was going to say. She looked at him frostily. Not that he would know. He was still staring at a bunch of science facts. She slung her bag back over her shoulder and straightened her spine.
"Goodbye, Caleb." She said curtly before walking off of the school campus, fully intending on going straight home and locking herself in her bedroom. If he didn't want to talk to her, then she wouldn't bother him anymore.
The school was almost out of sight when she heard him calling her name, running to catch up to her speedy footfalls. She walked faster, almost breaking into a slight jog. She didn't, though. She was wearing really good shoes and she didn't want to break them. She had bought them the day he came back, so they were brand new and she wasn't buying yet another pair.
He caught up with her after a few more feet, reaching out to grab her arm firmly, causing electricity to shoot up her arm and stop her from going any further.
She faced him with a neutral expression, praying her eyes weren't showing anything. "What?" She barked.
"L-look, what I've b-been trying to s-say is… G-God this is d-difficult." He let go of her arm to start pacing. When he did, she stared at him for a minute before continuing her trek home. If he wasn't going to answer her, then she was going to go home and put on a sappy movie and hope her mother had to stay at the office late.
Hurry up, hurry up
If you ever really cared about me
Tell the truth, give it up
You sound guilty 'cause you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
He was even faster this time. She hadn't even rounded the corner when he caught her. He looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please," he begged, "Give me a minute to sort this all through."
Her face softened ever so slightly. Still, she yanked her arm out of his grip and glared at him with a look that held no power, since she was faking it. "When you do," she said, sounding icy but not really feeling it, "You know where to find me."
And she took off, with him staring at her as she ran.
Her house was thankfully void of life when she ran in and slammed the door. She went into the kitchen, where she collapsed onto one of the chairs tucked under the kitchen counter. She stood a little while later, walking over to the radio and turning it on, not really caring what was one. When she heard the music to an unfamiliar song, she relaxed. When she heard the words, she tensed. But she kept listening, letting the words roll over her like waves.
Now the seconds turn into minutes now
But you won't give me an answer
You can tell me this, you can tell me that
But don't say you don't remember
'Cause I know you better than you know yourself
So don't say I'm crazy, I know very well
The song was so true. Whoever this girl was, it seemed like she knew all about Hanna and Caleb. Who knows, Hanna thought with amusement, maybe she's A. She froze for a minute before dismissing the crazy idea that some strange person in who was probably in Hollywood could be stalking her and her friends and taunting them with their secrets. This whole fiasco was making her beyond paranoid.
With great difficulty, she stopped thinking; instead focusing on the words that were streaming out of the small, portable stereo's speakers.
It's you and me against the world
That's what you said, that's what you said
If you can't be honest with me
Then I'm afraid this is the end
Hurry up, hurry up
If you ever really cared about me
Tell the truth, give it up
You sound guilty 'cause you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
Loud rapping on the door made her stand. She knew who it was. So she brought the radio with her as she made her way to the door. Glancing out the curtains of the window nearest to the door, her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Caleb standing there looking nervous as hell.
There was one thing Hanna hoped. If he were lying, she didn't want to hear a lot of bull about him being "sorry." If he even tried to apologize for something like that, she was gonna slam the door in his face, possibly slamming it on his face if he were close enough.
Smiling and then frowning at the idea, she sat the radio by the door and turned the volume up as loud as she could without causing herself hearing damage. It was loud enough for Caleb to hear it through the inch thick wood door. She could only trust he got the message.
I-I-I don't, don't want to hear you're s-orry now
T-t-the best thing you can do for me is just spit it out
I-I-I don't, don't want to hear you're s-orry now
Stop, stop stuttering your words, it's only making you look worse
Hurry up, hurry up
If you ever really cared about me
Tell the truth, give it up
You sound guilty 'cause you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
Caleb knocked harder to be heard over the music. Sighing, Hanna unlocked and opened the door. She stepped out and stood with her back to the now closed door and stared at him. At least she was at home. If he couldn't speak, she could just turn around and go back inside.
"Well?" She prompted after yet another stretch of silence.
This time, he ran a hand through his own hair. "I'm not good at expressing my feelings or whatever; that much is obvious. And I guess I didn't do a good job yesterday if you had to ask me that. I did- do , mean it. I love you, Han."
He may have looked like he would've said more, but she didn't let him. She lurched forward and pressed her lips against his, pouring every emotion she had felt since meeting him into the kiss. When oxygen had become a problem, they broke apart, Hanna whispering, "I love you, too."
And they kissed again with the voice of FeFe Dobson faintly playing in the background.
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
(Keep on stuttering)
Yeah, you're stuttering
(Keep on stuttering)
Oh oh oh oh oh, ey ey ey ey ey, oh oh oh oh whoa
Yeah, you're stuttering
A/N: The ending could've been better. Actually, the whole thing could've been better. Like I said before, let me know if I should turn this into a Haleb playlist like thing. If you have any song ideas, let me know if you want them in this story or another one-shot. I seriously have too much time on my hands and I need a way to get rid some of it.