Crossroads

Chapter 01

= That Hanna girl =

"Hey Hanna, could you give us five copies of these and then I promise we'll get out of here." her co worker handed her a pile of paper as he approached her desk.

"It's quite alright Kevin." Hanna smiled meekly accepting the small pile of papers from Kevin and gave him a brief look. She wasn't surprised to meet his his hopeful gaze as he tried to keep her gaze a bit too long. But just as always, she was the first one to break it.

"I'll come and drop them off in a moment Kevin, you can go back to your meeting." She offered him kindly yet firm.

"Nah that's okay, I'll hang out here for a bit." He leaned against the counter that separated her tiny openoffice and relaxed against it. Watching her as she made her way to the copier where she dumped the papers and sat back down at her desk, typing away, doing anything to look busy even though she had finished work quite a while ago.

"You still busy even with all that overtime you're doing today?" Kevin remarked when she didn't give him the attention he would have liked to receive.

"A secretary's job is never really finished, just doing some prep work for tomorrow. Fridays are always busiest with everyone rushing to get home to celebrate the weekend." She chuckled and finally looked at him as the copier whirred behind them.

"Will you be rushing tomorrow? Any plans with that girlfriend of yours?" He chuckled when she sent him a death glare.

"Having a gay friend, does not make you gay."

"Just making a joke Hanna, you look so tense."

"I'm not tense." She shrugged, standing up to grab the papers for Kevin and handed him the pile. He glanced down to her wrist, but she managed to pull back before he had a change to take a look, especially after the last time.

"Thanks." He took the papers from her, but didn't make an attempt to leave. "If you need someone, I can walk you home Hanna. I'll be happy to, it's getting quite late and there have been some scary people hanging around this building for a while now."

"I'll be fine" she snapped and it came out harsher than she meant. Although she was getting sick of Kevin never giving up on his never ending crush on her. She had been very clear the feeling wasn't mutual and eventually he stopped asking her out and making passes at her. More admirable, he remained friendly towards her, even when she kept dismissing him. She felt bad for snapping at him now. She was certain he had meant well. "I'm sorry Kevin, the offer is very sweet, but I'll be fine."

"I know, you're always fine aren't you Hanna?" He shook his head and turned around back to the meeting room.

This girl, this Hanna girl.

He never quite understood what it was about her that made him keep going back to her. It wasn't so much that he fancied her, which with the way she looked wasn't that surprising. He wasn't the only male in the office that would jump at the chance to go to the reception desk whenever it was needed.

It was more than that.

It was her energy, the way she looked, the way her eyes remained sad even when she forced herself to smile the brightest of smiles that would make her dimples appear.

She was mysterious, guarded and something else he couldn't quite put into words. It was like the sadness so evident in her eyes when she thought nobody was watching her, surrounded her, became her and emanated from her.

He had made many attempts in the past to get to know her better. First he tried with his charm that never really failed before, but Hanna had seemed unaffected. Him however, was all the more affected as she brushed him off like it was second nature to her.

He had come to understand it was second nature to her. He wasn't the first nor last that tried and failed hard.

His next attempt was to hang out at her office desk some times and telling her bits about himself in the hope that she would open up about herself. All that he had managed to find out about her in the past 18 months so far was that she originally came from Rosewood some small town near Philadelphia. That she was 27 and that she shared an apartment with her friend whom she knew from high school and that she was gay. Apparently the latter was an important fact to Hanna, or her friend. He never did manage to find out why she decided to share that particular piece of information.

He had invited her to numerous office events but she always declined. Informing him she still had a lot of "things" to do, whatever those things might be.

Therefore he did not believe his eyes when she walked in 3 months ago for the New Years party, her friend in tow as her plus one who was very easy on the eyes. Kevin didn't miss how this friend, who he later found out was called Emily was a complete contrast to Hanna. Sparkly, alive, energetic and confident. Only when they stood together side by side did he realise how much Hanna cowered whenever anyone approached her and how she hardly made actual eye contact with anyone. He observed them closely when Emily hugged her tightly after they had been greeted jovially by Brent and Brian who had been intoxicated before the party even started.

He had gone over to have a brief talk with them and to introduce himself to her friend, the only thing Hanna actually had talked about. He could tell with her friend next to her, Hanna seemed more relaxed. Her smile even seemed real. She had even taken it upon herself to introduce them and he had looked down ever so briefly to make sure he wouldn't miss Emily's hand due to the copious amount of alcohol he himself had, which always seemed to affect his coordination more than anything.

But then his eyes fell on something else. Hanna's wrists. Without thinking he reached for her arm and held it in his strong hand to take a closer look. He felt Hanna's tug almost instantly but he was stronger.

Lines, raised white lines one after the other. Scars more than lines. Some healed, some still red raw.

Hanna successfully yanked herself away from him and disappeared from view in an instant. Emily remained where she was, staring at him.

He knew what he had done when he met her blazing look of anger.

"What did you do that for?" She yelled at him before disappearing as well, no doubt to find Hanna.

Hanna wrapped her coat around herself a bit tighter as soon as she stepped outside. For late March it was surprisingly chilly, the hard wind that blew in between the buildings in lower Manhattan sending chills to her bones.

She turned to her right as soon as she let the doors behind her fall to a close. She stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes fell on a group of young men. Or at least as young as her.

Her instincts kicked in and she was compelled to turn the other way, walk around the block. Those extra minutes meant nothing if she could keep herself safe. She shook her head and chuckled despite herself.

Instincts. More like her past telling herself everyone was a danger to her and nobody was to be trusted. She raised her head with determination and proceeded the way she was supposed to go. But the closer she got the more she regretted her choice. She could tell by the way they had noticed her already, the way they moved together and their body language that they were up to no good.

The idea to pull out her phone swam through her mind but then Hanna decided against it. She was certain pulling out her new Iphone would get her robbed for sure. She pulled up her hood over her head, shielding herself somewhat from view.

Hanna could feel her heart hammering in her chest as she approached them. She glanced at the group briefly. They were all staring at her. Challenging them now by staring back seemed like an even worse idea so she looked straight ahead holding her breath and silently praying that they wouldn't say, or worse, do anything.

She clenched her teeth as soon as the catcalling started.

"Hey blondie."

"Hey baby, you can work this corner girl, we've got money."

"Bitch."

"I bet she likes it hard."

"Girl, come over here, I need to tap that ass."

"Slut."

Hanna balled her fists inside of the pocket of her coat. She knew she could deal with this. This was New York after all and hardly the worst she ever had to deal with.

She kept walking not showing any sign that she could hear them. She tried not to speed up, swallow or show any sign of fear that they might catch up on. She was nearly there, she nearly passed them now.

"Hey bitch, don't you ignore me!" One of the raspier and angriest of voices called out. The way he spat out the words scared Hanna and made her blood run cold. She knew this wasn't just a threat.

Hanna didn't have a second to prepare for what came next. She felt something grip her by her arm and yank her backwards. Two hands now held onto her in a vice like grip. She could no longer move, she couldn't scream due to shock. In one quick motion the guy pulled his hood over his face under the dim light of the street lamp hiding his face from her successfully. The tip of his large and rather pointy nose still visible as were his thin lips pressed together in undoubtable anger.

Hanna felt herself go limp in his grip, her body stumbling backwards as he pushed her into the nearest alleyway, away from prying eyes on the street.

Fear overcame Hanna as she saw the street and any chance of being saved disappearing from view. The way he purposefully pushed her into the alleyway told her he meant business and he wasn't one to back down from his feelings of righteousness. The last rays of light shining into the alleyway where soon blocked as two more guys from the group that had been standing on the corner came into the alleyway. Making any attempt to escape futile. Hanna tried to concentrate on the guy in front of her. She could tell he was watching her for signs of what to do next.

"Gimme your purse."

Hanna kept a straight face, masking the utter desperation and panic she felt on the inside. She knew it would only fuel the situation and all she cared about was getting out as unscathed as possible.

The guy yanked the purse from her arm when she didn't move fast enough. She looked down and swallowed as he quickly rummaged through her handbag. He pulled out her wallet which he pocketed. He threw the bag over her shoulder further down the alleyway with considerable force. She heard the contents scatter on the floor as the bag finally landed with a loud thud. Still, she kept stoic.

She knew he wasn't done. She could feel his anger.

"Phone." He demanded in a dangerous voice.

Hanna tried hard to keep herself together but everything she was, she owned was on that phone.

"NOW." He suddenly screamed in her face, Hanna could smell the stench of weed and strong liquor on his breath now.

Her facade broke, she boke. Hanna burst into tears, wales of desperation filled the confined space of the alleyway. She stopped abruptly when a large hand twisted around her throat and she was slammed hard against one of the walls. Her head hitting the concrete and a dull thumping pain started in Hanna's head.

"Shut up bitch." He sneered and tightened his grip around her throat even more as a warning. In a panic she grabbed at his hand trying to force him to let go.

"Troy! Hey man!" One of the guys behind him called.

The guy loosened his grip from her throat. But moved in closer. Pushing his body against Hanna's. Trapping her between himself and the wall. She could clearly feel the hard muscles underneath.

"Troy come on, stop. She's scared." Another guy called.

Hanna couldn't react or move. Shock was slowly taking over, the only thing she was experiencing was the pain in her head. She felt his hands run over her coat and reach into the pockets. He smirked and whistled as he looked at the phone he managed to retrieve from her pockets. He held it up high to he could look at it in the dull light.

"Nice." He said in a much calmer voice than the one he had been using.

Hanna remained standing, waiting for him to disappear but he stayed put, his body still pressed close against hers.

His eyes traveled over her, taking in the coat, her neck and her face. Her breathing sped up. Hanna could sense he was staring at her.

Her heart started to race in her chest as breathing became more and more difficult.

She knew that look.

She knew what was running through his mind and that he was weighing up his options.

She knew she knew she knew she knew dammit.

There was nothing she could do now.

His hands reached up to the top button of her coat and yanked her coat open with considerable force. She let out a loud shaky gasp in fright.

Hanna started to tremble, terror threatened to overtake her as he licked his lips and let a hand travel over her chest. His eyes undressing her as he grabbed her.

She could feel herself slipping. She was reliving everything as if she was 13 years old again. The memory came back to her as vividly as if it had happened yesterday. No amount of therapy and self medication had ever erased the horrors of that day.

His hand had pushed its way up and under her shirt despite her objections and grasped her breast. She hated how he frantically touched the skin with his rough hands and shoved his tongue in her mouth.

She had begged him to stop, pleaded for him to stop.

She had tried to push him off her but that only edged him on. His other hand found its way to her chest as well as she stared to cry.

"Stop! Please stop!"

"Hanna, I told you. I've been stuck at first base for too long, it's time for us to move to second base. I've waited long enough. Do your duty as my girlfriend."

"Please stop, stop, get off me please." She sobbed but all he did was hitch up her skirt and grabbed at her panties, she started to howl now. Horror filled her as she realised he wasn't stopping.

She closed her eyes and continued to beg him to stop.

He managed to yank down her cotton underwear enough to shove his hand in between her legs. "Stop the fucking crying Hanna, you're going to love this." He grunted as he forced two fingers inside of her.

The pain and scream that followed haunted Hanna from that day on.

The scream coming from Hanna could be heard clearly around the alleyway and well onto the street. More boys came running into the alleyway alerted by her panicked screaming.

"What the fuck is going on?" One guy asked, his face hidden by the balaclava he was wearing. Followed by 2 more guys sporting the same gear.

"Just having a fondle with these perky tits of hers and all of the sudden she loses her shit, stupid bitch." Troy spat and shoved Hanna who fell back against the wall.

"Idiot." The guy with the balaclava yelled and lunged forward, punching Troy in the face. "We don't ever touch women like that you dick!" The guy continued and Hanna found herself staring at the guy now throwing another anger filled punch at Troy. "You take the money and leave." He yelled.

She watched as the other guys made a beeline for it, disappearing from view. Leaving the masked guy and Troy alone with her in the alleyway.

Troy stood up and shoved the masked guy, but he just laughed at Troy. "Fuck off." He sneered. But the latter stepped forward and grabbed him by the collar.

"We need to leave." Troy hissed through his teeth and nodded in Hanna's direction. For the first time the masked guy became aware of the girl still standing there. He felt her gaze on him and for the first time that night he actually looked at her.

She held his gaze as soon as their eyes met. Her face fell and a flicker of recognition showed on her frightened heart shaped face before it disappeared again. Clearly she was imagining things, it must have been the darkness of the night or the way he had looked at her that felt familiar about his dark eyes.

Hanna was certain she didn't have anyone in her life that would rob people on the street.

Behind the balaclava he was freaking out. There was no doubt she had seen something familiar when they had looked at each other. He was just as shocked and if she could see his face behind his balaclava she would be able to see his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Hanna!" He whispered. But it was only Troy that heard him.

"20 years earlier."