So I really loved how things turned out in Season 2 Episode 4 Blind Dates but I couldn't help but think of an alternate storyline and ending...Don't I always think this way?
So this is mine where the truth behind the double date is actually Lucas and Caleb conspiring together to make things work in their favor even if a few tracks get shaken in the process.
Enjoy…& please leave a review. :)
Scraping the last of the cuttings off the ground, Caleb shoved them into the garbage bag and began carrying them out back.
Tossing them into the bin he walked back through the gate to find a panic and sickened looking Lucas bolting for the front door with his hand over his mouth.
Worried, Caleb hurried toward him but Lucas already stepped inside and was rushing into the bathroom. Following the noise Caleb knocked on the door and waited for Lucas to respond, all that he could hear thought was the sound of more bodily fluids exiting Lucas.
" You alright in there?" Caleb asked.
Another hurl echoed from the room, Lucas wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Opening the bathroom door Caleb took a step back into the hall.
" Last class bit rough..." Caleb joked.
Lucas pushed past him Caleb & went into their room, throwing his bag down on the floor Lucas placed his hands on his hips and spun around to find Caleb with his arms crossed over his chest.
" She...said yes...she wants to have coffee...sometime..." He sat down on the small black chair in the corner of the room.
" Who?...Hanna..." Caleb guessed.
" No you imbecile...Danielle. Hanna told her I was into her and now she wants to go for coffee. What am I going to do this is a disaster...complete and utter epic proportion style disaster." He threw his body into the back of the chair covering his face with his palms.
Caleb had to laugh, never had he ever seen anyone so literally sick about the prospect of a date with a beautiful girl.
" Year book Danielle?...she's cute." He shrugged. " Why's that such a bad thing again?" He wondered.
" Because guys like me don't get to date girls like her " He looked at Caleb with those puppy dog eyes, Caleb figured of late Lucas is always much harder on himself then he should be.
Like his own worst enemy.
" Why not? guys like me didn't date Hanna Marin and yet..." He sat down on the floor against the frame of the bunk bed.
" And yet it ended in disaster didn't it?...Exactly what's going to happen with Danielle...K-boom it'll be over before it even gets started." He spun himself on the chair staring up at the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.
Caleb rolled his eyes. This was a bit dramatic wasn't it? Calling failure before it even had a chance.
Maybe this was Lucas at breaking point or the beginning of a social breakdown. To be honest Lucas was barely even a blip on the radar for anyone...except if you were working on the year book.
" Its just coffee... what's the worst that could happen?" Tucking his leg underneath him resting his arm on the edge of the bed.
Lucas spun around again landing his feet on the floor, hanging his wrists on his knees he stared back to Caleb.
" What's the worst? the worst case...let me think...Oh yeah some jock sees me with someone like Danielle and knocks my coffee all over me and I'm standing there looking like a damned fool whilst she attempts to help me clean it up and oh god...I'm hyperventilating." He began short shallow breaths in to a brown paper bag sitting on his desk.
This time Caleb couldn't suppress a laugh, it came out so naturally and yet so unexpectedly.
" Lucas you need to chill and stop worrying about what people think...screw 'em I say...It's your life not theirs." He gestured his middle finger in the air.
" Easy for you to say...you have one thing I never collected...Confidence! " he slouched down in the chair again.
" Look I don't judge the rich kids with their fancy cars and their designer handbags or high heels or what team they play for or their fat massive houses... their life. their business. No one else's " Caleb said.
Lucas looked at Caleb wondering if he was still talking about people in general or just one person in particular.
" I need a back up plan." Lucas began pacing the room, brushing his hands through his hair continuously and mumbling to himself.
" I need...what do I need." Lucas rubbed his chin.
" You need to chill...can't you like go on a double date with one of Danielle's friends?...Girls have always got a friend who'll double up."
" That's it!..." Lucas pointed at Caleb. " Double date. Ask Hanna and we'll double date." Lucas stopped dead in front of Caleb.
Pushing himself from the floor Caleb put his hands up in defense and backed himself away from Lucas.
" Oh no...no no no no and no that's suicide...you do realize Hanna wears heels…Heels that no guy wants toward any body parts right?" Tripping over the chair Lucas was just sitting in Caleb got back up again and made sure Lucas knew his answer.
" No!...I want to live to see next week. No! " He shook his head. No Lucas...I wont..." He defended himself, what an absurd idea this was.
" Cant or wont?..." Lucas asked.
" Both. Listen I'm happy and all for you moving on but I cant go there again...at least not yet." Caleb crossed his hands over his chest.
" Caleb...Come on you owe me this much. I bought you back from that crappy bus station where you were crashing...Please." He pleaded with Caleb.
Caleb leant his upper body toward Lucas and said.
" Owe you? I owe you? I thought jail breaking your phone was paying you back...or doing all your chores around the house was me paying you back."
" Don't be stupid you'll never pay me back" He joked.
" Isn't that the truth...you'll always have that over me. I hate it " Caleb scowled, he could see Lucas was desperate.
He needed a fresh start, someone new. Some one who was actually interested in him. Year book Danielle could be that someone. Lucas stomach was twisting. Everyone would think Danielle was only going on a date with him because she felt sorry for him. But he had to try at least.
" Fine. I'll try but you know Hanna wont go for this" Caleb shook his head not believing for a second that Hanna would want to go on a date with him again.
" I know. That's why I'm going to casually suggest it when I see her next ". Caleb could see Lucas was getting ahead of himself. " And then just for safe measure I'll make a scene and that's when you'll come in." Lucas thought out loud.
Caleb began laughing and rocked back on his feet.
" And yet they say we ought to watch the rich kids and the bimbos." said Caleb.
" We'll she wont accept it if its coming from you she'll think your just trying to get back with her again." Lucas began pacing the room again thinking of all possible ways this insane idea could happen.
" But I am trying to win her back. I cant help it if she's stubborn or that she wont take my calls or even talk to me in the halls."
" That's just Hanna's defence...you gotta work around it. Find her weakness and use it against her...of course without her knowing " Lucas threw out advice.
Caleb walked back over and sat on the lower bed as did Lucas, hanging his head low Caleb's voice began to break when he said.
" I screwed up big time with Hanna. Its the only regret in my life... I'd take back almost everything & do it all over ".
" Yeah...You did mess up...She was, still is really hurt. If you really want her back you need to be persistent with her otherwise...you'll lose her for good." Lucas honestly said to Caleb.
Ever since Lucas bought Caleb back to Rosewood they made a deal to be honest with each other since far too many people in Rosewood keep lies & secrets.
Friends, parents siblings, grandmothers and fathers if there was one thing the people of Rosewood was good at it was lying and keeping secrets under wraps. Just like the old bullying days of Alison DeLaurentis.
Lucas would tell Caleb what he didn't want to admit to and Caleb tried over and over to get Lucas to forget about the jocks and the beauties and just be confident within himself.
" I know... I just wish it weren't so damn hard."
" Its Hanna of course its going to be hard " Lucas laughed, Caleb looked at Lucas and began laughing as well, he too knew Hanna was not an easy person to get around.
The next day at school Lucas suggested to Hanna that He, Danielle, Caleb & her should go on a double date. When Hanna refused Lucas insisted. " You got me into this mess now you're going to have to help me deal with it ". He quickly walked toward the library making sure Hanna wasn't following him & searched the rows of bookshelves until he finally saw Caleb in the back falsely flicking the pages of a book.
Caleb could tell immediately Lucas was freaking out.
" Ok I did it. I put it out there & she flat out said No...This is where you come in. Hanna is heading to the cafeteria right now so go & I'll make a scene...and then you do your part and suggest the double date again. Lay it on thick. You've got charm. Use it " He said.
Caleb threw the book into his bag and headed for the cafeteria chatting with someone along the way until he seen Hanna standing still. She watched as Lucas walked past Danielle, afraid to sit with her friends. Caleb walked up behind her to find her shaking her head at Lucas rushing past Danielle.
Caleb surprised her from behind.
" That date is going to be a disaster." It was the first time he'd approached Hanna since he told her he loved her. Much to his surprise she was civil toward him.
" Well you're his bro-mate...help him out." She retorted taking her seat on the table in front of them.
Caleb threw his bag down and sat on the seat opposite her.
" I tried...but he gets nauseous just talking about it." He turned her way. " And I'm on the bottom bunk." He expressed the complications of their living arrangements.
" He has bunk beds?" She asked. Laughing on the inside at how childish that seemed. A teenager who's an only child would still have bunk beds and not some double or queen sized bed like Hanna or her friends did.
" And like toys...in little boxes." He continued teasing about Lucas's bedroom.
" They're collectibles..." She defended his love for the rarer things in life. Smiling back at Caleb she realized how much fun the back and forth banter was with him. Truth be told though Caleb was nervous. He was suppose to be confident in order to get her to go along with their plain but he was treading new water. He'd never been friends with an ex before after a break up.
Looking away for a brief second he thought now was the time. Just throw it out there. What's the worst that could happen. What could be worst then telling Hanna you love her and then being told to leave without as much as a goodbye.
" You know he wants us to go with him? " He asked keeping a straight face as he tried to coerce her into their plan.
" I know...its pretty lame huh? " But she really didn't believe it one bit.. She didn't think it was lame, she thought it sweet. The fact she couldn't even look Caleb right in the eyes when she said it, meant she wasn't completely against it. And what better way to reunite with Caleb then with a safety net or an easy distraction should things not go her way.
" Yeah..." He rubbed his thumb across his lip. He knew her well enough to know she didn't mean what she just said. Just like she could see he didn't think it was lame either.
" Should we? " He suggested. Now...ready to be shot he thought.
" No." She firmly stated.
Lucas timed it perfectly to walk back into the cafeteria just as Hanna had refused Caleb's offer. Time for plan B to be executed.
Lucas took one look at Danielle, then at Hanna and Caleb looking back at him. He couldn't do it, he couldn't approach Danielle in front of all her friends, nor could he face a pep talk from Hanna and Caleb.
When he walked back out Caleb kept a straight face. Lucas had performed that perfectly. It was working. The plan was actually working.
" Unless..." She sympathized with his lack of confidence remembering that she was once this way.
" Seriously..." He was shocked she was starting to agree with the need to attend this double date. Success was possibly on his side.
" The kids going to swallow his own tongue if we don't do something." She said.
" No seriously you're going to go out with me? " He asked rather smug.
" I'm not going out with you...I'm accompanying Lucas and Danielle and...you happen to be doing the same thing." She defended her decision separating any romantic feelings.
Caleb looked down at the table. Damn she hadn't forgiven him that much.
" We'll be his wing men...or wing people... that's it. You got it? " She asked making sure he understood this was helping Lucas not any indication they were going to get back together.
The plan hadn't gone as well as he expected but at least she was agreeing so he gave the only answer he could.
" Got it."
" Good." She confirmed getting up from her seat she took her lunch elsewhere to eat.
When she walked away Caleb had smiled to himself. Success at last. The plan had worked. He'd managed to deliver it well enough to convince her Lucas needed their help and yet kept it cool enough that she believed his intentions were of that to, to help Lucas.
Later that evening after their so called double date was backfiring horribly, Lucas thanked Hanna & Caleb for trying to achieve the unachievable in getting a girl like Danielle to notice a guy like him.
Hanna forced Caleb into wrapping his arm around her waist to convince Danielle she was over Lucas and had genuinely moved on with Caleb.
Caleb whispered into Hanna's ear.
" You planned that all along...admit it you cant resist me."
Hanna laughed it off , turning her body into Caleb she wriggled her heel playfully, seeing they were trying to convince Danielle they she was truly interested in Caleb and not Lucas.
She tugged his shirt into her fingers something he used to love her doing, pulling him closer to her, she grazed his stomach with the tips of her fingers. He wrapped his arm around her entire body resting his fingers just short of her breast.
When Danielle took one look at Hanna and Caleb's public display of affection she entwined her hands with Lucas and gave him hope that maybe tonight might not end as bad as it he thought it would.
Lucas himself was slightly shocked, he wasn't expecting that at least from those two, he couldn't tell if they had re-connected or whether it was just for show too.
When they left go out the door Hanna retreated from Caleb stating clearly that she was no easy girl.
Hanna grabbed her jacket and began heading out the door with Caleb following her.
Lucas and Danielle waited in the car for Hanna and Caleb, once they climbed in the back of his car, an awkward silence filled the cabin. Lucas could have cut the tension with a knife. Hanna and Caleb were convincing enough for Danielle but Lucas knew better. He knew that moment inside her house was difficult given their recent history. Arriving at the movies a short while later Lucas, like a gentleman he was paid for Danielle's ticket as well as any snacks she wanted.
When Hanna went to pull her wallet out Caleb placed his hand over hers.
" No. Fake date requires fake tradition and that means I pay ". He looked at her as she placed her wallet back into her bag.
" Fine...Then I'll have the biggest box of popcorn extra butter and a large soda too" . She turned toward him letting him know that a fake date with her would cost him too.
Caleb laughed and purchased their tickets and her snacks, even if it were for a movie he had no interest in. This was a fake date and fake dates must keep up fake pretenses.
As they walked inside the movie they seen Lucas & Danielle sitting in the middle row of seats.
Hanna smiled as did Lucas and Danielle. Caleb wrapped his arm around Hanna and pulled her to the other side of the cinema.
" What are you doing? " She asked.
" Not cramping their style...and...keeping up the fake date. Now keep walking ". Hanna shook free of Caleb's grip and walked to the very back row of seats in the corner.
She didn't appreciate been man handled but he was right. What good would it do if she were sitting right next to Danielle and Lucas and making them feel awkward.
During the movie Hanna & Caleb kept their distance for the most part but the way he slouched down into the seat, his leg kept rubbing against hers.
She ate half the bucket of popcorn before she handed it to him but he only placed it on the seat next to him. He didn't care for popcorn or the movie or any one else he was just happy to be in the dark with Hanna where no one could really see them.
Hanna could see him watching her, she tried her best to not let it annoy her but when she seen a smile from the side of her eye she had to say something to him.
" What?... you're suppose to be watching the movie." She pointed to the screen.
" Don't care about the movie..." He said back to her. " Plus its almost over anyways."
He reached for her hand but he retreated. He sat back in his seat and waited till she put her arm back on the rest again. When she did he placed his hand firmly over hers and kept it there.
" Caleb!...let go of my hand or so help me..."
" Or you'll do what? " He stared back at her face. " Hanna, how much do I have to prove I'm a good guy before you'll let me back in...its been a month already."
" Maybe a month isn't long enough... you just don't get it." She looked back at the screen.
" Then make me get it." He said turning her face back to him with the edge of his index finger.
She wasn't ready for this. Not here. Not now but he was persistent.
" Fine! " She snapped. " You really hurt me. The whole time we were...you abused my trust " She whispered. " And I'm not ready to forgive you for that."
" I've said I was sorry for that a million times. Aren't I proving anything to you, I'm back in school, I'm not in contact with Jenna anymore, and I'm not lying to you " He pleaded with her.
" I cant tell anymore. You did such a bang up job before but I guess that's what guys do they lie! " She turned her body back to the screen.
A loud shush came from in front of them from a fellow movie goer, Hanna shushed them back telling them to mind their own business when Caleb said.
" Everyone lies... you're lying right now about not enjoying this night " He sat back in his seat.
Hanna turned back to face him, her hair flicking away from her face she said.
" I'm doing this for Lucas not for us...and just so we're clear...there isn't any us ".
" Fine I get it. Fake date fake ruined ". Angrily he pushed his feet against the seats in front of him.
" You cant ruin something that isn't real " She snapped back, once again being shushed by the person in front of them.
Caleb shook his head at how stubborn and pig headed she could be, Why couldn't she just admit that she wanted to be with him? He needed her as much as she needed him.
Why did she have to make things so hard? This wasn't the Hanna he knew...but then again maybe this is what shut down mode was for Hanna.
He stood up but leant down beside her enough for her to hear what he had to say.
" Whether you believe me or not...the one thing I have never lied about is my feelings for you " He whispered.
Caleb ended the conversation there and then. He walked down the aisle past Lucas & Danielle and stormed out the doors.
Lucas looked over his shoulder at Hanna but she had her eyes focused on the movie in front of her.
She knew what he said was true, she did believe he truly loved her but she couldn't bring herself to say it in return. She did love him too but at the same time she hated him for everything he did to her, even if his intentions were not the same at the end as they were in the beginning.
As the credits began to roll Hanna threw her jacket on and made a dash for the doors before any one else could. She wanted to find Caleb and apologize for being so harsh to him. It was the one thing she hated doing, admitting she was wrong. She didn't like feeling guilty, and that usually came after she'd hurt someone.
She experienced enough hurt in her short life but she'd given just as good as she got too. When the glass doors opened automatically she rushed outside to look for Caleb. She looked left to right and to the street directly in front of her. When Hanna seen Caleb cross the street quickly she started to follow him calling out his name.
" Caleb wait!...Caleb! " She called out.
But he didn't stop, he just kept walking with his hands tucked into his jacket, slipping his hat over his head he rounded yet another corner.
Hanna was determined to reach him and apologize for acting the way she was. The smoke had cleared, she could finally see he was just trying to be a good guy, trying to do the right thing in all the wrong ways.
Caleb kept walking along the long stretch of road back to Lucas's home when Hanna finally rounded the corner and called out.
" Caleb! I cant run anymore...not in these heels...Can you just stop! Please ". She pleaded trying to catch her breath.
She looked up to see Caleb stopped walking, but he didn't turn around. Instead he kept his back to her and made her catch up to him. Hanna waited for him to turn around but when she realized he wasn't she scoffed and started walking toward him. When Caleb heard her heels clicking on the pavement he turned around, but all Hanna seen was complete sadness in his eyes.
" I'm sorry..." She said before she even reached him.
" For what? " His hands still tucked in his pockets he shrugged his shoulders. " For being honest...don't apologize for who you are Hanna ".
" I'm not. I'm apologizing because I want to. I was horrible to you back there...I have been all night."
" Yeah you kind of have been. I'm trying to do the right thing here Hanna...doesn't that count for anything." He raised his voice at her.
" It does...and I know it doesn't seem that way but it does mean something that you're trying ". She crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him biting the corner of her lip.
" What do you want from me Hanna?...Do you want me to leave you alone...Or what " He pulled his hands out of his pockets, immediately becoming defensive.
" Because I try and I try and I try and I'm still stuck in square one. I'm sorry for hurting you, I'm sorry for screwing things up, I'm sorry for taking money from Jenna, I'm sorry I left without saying a proper goodbye and I'm sorry for ever making you feel this way but I'm not sorry for falling in love with you...and just for the record...you're the first and only person I've ever loved ".
Caleb took a step back, his chest rose and fell quickly. Hanna could see he was wound tight, last time she seen him this way was when he was with her at home telling her how he felt before she pushed him aside like he was nothing.
" I don't know Caleb! " She yelled back at him. " I want you back but the second I think about us being happy again...I just think..." She looked away from him to the people walking on the other side of the road.
" You see the lie..." He softly said back to her.
Hanna nodded her head ashamed of how she felt. She couldn't help it.
Of all the men to come & go in her life, this was the worst. He was paid to like her, paid to play games to find out information, paid to search through her belongings & her phone. Jenna paid him to fall in love with her, and eventually sleep with him. To her that is what hurt the most.
Her first time of being intimate with someone she really cared about and it was all a lie. He may have truly fallen for her as time went by...but his secret life behind her back was a deal breaker.
" It still really hurts Caleb...and...I don't know how to move past it ". She almost cried.
When she looked up at him he seen the sadness in her eyes and the pain he'd caused her, but she too could see in his eyes how remorseful he was. Caleb reached out pulling Hanna toward him, he rested her head against his chest and pulled her hair from her face.
" I'm so sorry for everything Hanna. I never intended on hurting you this way " He rubbed her back.
Hanna pulled back, her voice breaking all she wanted was to be happy again. " I know... I just want things to go back to the way they were before...You & I...we were happy weren't we? ".
Caleb nodded in an instant and took her hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of her palm.
" We can get back there...to the way we were ". He tried convincing her he was a good guy at heart.
Hanna smiled and took a step toward him wrapping her arm around him, showing him she was ready to start forgiving him. Caleb wrapped his arm around her shoulder and turned to walk toward her home.
" Let me start by walking you home...we'll work out the rest later " He smiled as they walked arm in arm to her home.
When they arrived at her home Hanna's hands left his body much to his disappointment.
He wanted to walk with her and hold her all night. He missed the affection, missed her, but mostly he missed how complete it made him feel.
Stopping at the gate Hanna smiled and turned her pointed toward her home.
" Well…. This is me…." She nervously rocked on her heels.
" Let me walk you to your door…. It's the next least thing I can do ". said Caleb.
Hanna smiled and turned to walk toward her front door, Caleb kept his hands in the back pocket of his pants when she stopped at her door he scanned her entire body from top to bottom.
He wanted to remember everything about her tonight, the way she smelt, the way she looked, he wished he was still a guest in their home, therefore he wouldn't have this awkward feeling.
" Thank you for tonight Caleb…." She half heartedly smiled.
" You're welcome…" He replied. " So…Can I give you a ring tomorrow? " He asked so innocently.
" Sure…. I'd like that ". She nodded her head. " Good night Caleb." She walked inside her home closing the door slowly.
" Good night Hanna " He said before she shut the door completely.
Caleb turned around and began walking home along the dimly lit street, a smile beaming across his face, he hoped that this was the start of a new beginning.
Arriving home exactly to Lucas's measurement, Caleb snuck inside as to not wake Lucas's parents and went straight to sleep, not even realizing Lucas was not home yet.
For the first time in a month he didn't go to sleep thinking about what Hanna was doing or how he was going to make right with her.
For the first time in what felt like such a long time Caleb had a peaceful sleep.
The next morning Lucas walked out into the kitchen to where Caleb was already having his morning coffee.
Sporting a open dark blue thick fluffy robe, Star Wars tee and stripy bottoms, Caleb couldn't help but laugh at him. Lucas really had no idea even behind closed doors about what was still cool and what was not.
" Aren't you a bit old for Star Wars? " Caleb joked.
Lucas barely even gave him a second look as he walked around the island rubbing his eyes and said.
" Well aren't you bright and sunny...so I take it things went well last night with Hanna? " He pulled down the near empty box of Lucky Charm cereal.
" Guess you could say that " He smirked.
" Well then our planned worked...You made good with Hanna & Danielle and I..." He smirked back.
Not wanting to know the details of exactly what happened between Lucas & Danielle, Caleb smiled & walked around the kitchen to where Lucas was eating from the box of cereal.
A solid coffee was all Caleb needed in the mornings to get on with the day, to do his housework and get back to making up for lost time with Hanna.
Caleb turned his attention to Lucas's father walking into the kitchen, he had to laugh into his cup when Lucas's father had similar pyjamas.
" Morning boys...ready to start cleaning out that garage today? " Lucas placed the box back in the cupboard and turned to his father shrugging his shoulders.
" Sorry Dad...I've got year book stuff to finish off before Mondays deadline...guess it'll just be you and Caleb...".
Caleb cocked his eyebrow at Lucas knowing he was lying. The only year book thing he had planned was spending time with Danielle.
" Well Caleb...I'll meet you out there in five ". He patted Caleb on the back as he walked past.
When Lucas's father left the room Caleb stepped toward Lucas.
" You do not have year book deadline...you finished that the other day."
Lucas shrugged one shoulder.
" I know that...but he doesn't...and you owe me remember? " He turned and walked toward his room.
From the kitchen Caleb shook his head and called out.
" And they say your harmless."