They like to chat about the dresses they will wear tonight
They chew the fat about their tresses and the neighbor's fight;
Inconsequential things that men don't really care to know
Become essential things that women find so apropos
But that's a dame, they're all the same it's just a game they call it
Girl talk, girl talk
"Okay well, if you miss me like crazy, then why don't you come home...and back to me?" Hanna asked Caleb in response to his previous statement.
"It's hard to explain. I'd love to, but...there's complications."
"Complications? Like what?"
"Miranda's uncle...he's weird...you told me to help her find him, and she did, but-"
"So there you go! You're done! If her uncle's so weird, then call the cops."
"No, not that kind of weird...he's a mortician, and he talks about dead bodies, and it creeps her out. She thinks he might kill her."
"Then bring Miranda here, it's...safer," Hanna muttered, thinking of Ella, the only one who knew what was wrong with her.
"She can't leave her town."
"Why not?"
He sighed. "There's rumors going around that Ravenswood is cursed."
She narrowed her eyes and scoffed. "Cut the bullshit, Caleb! Seriously, what are you on...drugs or something? When did you start believing in unrealistic stuff, because last time I checked, you were my boyfriend and...you love her, don't you? That's why you want to stay with her! That's why you haven't been calling me..." She trailed off, crying her heart out. "You keep saying you're busy, or it's difficult to talk about...I trust you to help another girl, who is very pretty, and you...damn you!" she yelled.
She hung up on him before he could answer and laid down on the swing with her phone still in her hands. She fell asleep with tears leaking out of her eyes.
"Hello, Hanna," a voice said behind her, and she jumped. She glanced over her shoulder and kept walking, almost sprinting, towards the gym, but Detective Wilden grabbed her and went to an empty classroom. She started to feel very nervous when a creepy smile spread across his face.
"Leave me alone," she snapped angrily. "My mom said-"
"Aww, you think your mommy can protect you," he mocked her. "She can't do shit! You're all alone...nobody cares about you right now...and I get to do what I always wanted to do to you." He backed her against a desk and laid her on top of it. "I wasn't even remotely into your mommy. You're way hotter!" She struggled as he held her down and stripped her of her dress.
"Get off of me, you bastard!" she said through gasps of air. "Stop it! No!"
His moans as he went inside her drowned out her crying. He forced his stick further into her and then came his fingers. He flipped her over and rammed into her butt crack. Hanna was choking on her sobs and she was now unable to try to fight him off. He pushed her off the desk. He kicked her and she felt blood everywhere.
"You don't fucking shoplift and get away with it ever again, you dumb little bitch! You're a whore, aren't you? That's why you were such a naughty, bad girl for me, huh? Your body was like a slice of heaven!" He slapped her butt and squeezed it. She squirmed away from his grasp, but he kept touching her and biting her in her most sacred areas. "Be a good girl and don't move, do you understand me?"
When he was finished after an agonizing five minutes or so, Hanna spied his gun on his belt. She wrapped her arms around his waist to fake loving him back, but she wrestled the gun off of his belt and pointed it at his ugly face. Her chin quivered as she stared at him hard.
"I swear to God I'll kill you!" she said through her tears. "See how you can't mess with me? My mother turned out to be right, didn't she?"
He put his hands up. "Now Hanna, you don't want to be arrested for murder on top of shoplifting, do you?" A stupid laugh came out of his mouth. "You can't hurt me even if you tried!"
"Nobody will find out. Like Alison said, two can keep a secret if one of them is dead!" With shaking hands, she pointed the gun at Wilden and pressed the trigger. The bullet missed his head, so she tried again. This time, she got him in the crotch so he would fall down and not try to get away. She had tears running down her cheeks as she kept shooting the sick animal. Finally, she shot him in the chest, but he ran off and drove away.
Hanna screamed and cried so much from her nightmare that she threw up. That was the same one she always had now. When she got home from the incident, Ashley sent Pastor Ted home and took care of Hanna. She insisted she had to go to bed because someone slipped something in her drink and she was klutzy so she toppled into broken glass. Ashley said that was strange, but she believed her daughter.
The bell rang for lunch. Hanna met her friends at their usual hangout spot. They waved at her and grinned happily. She plastered on a fake smile and gave them hugs. She enjoyed seeing them, but she didn't want to bring them down with her lame attitude. They bought lunch together and the conversation was mostly between Aria, Emily, and Spencer. Hanna was staring into space and picking at her food. She put pieces of pasta in her mouth with her fingers since the fork felt too heavy.
"So, Hanna, what do you think?" Aria asked.
"What do I think about what?"
"What we were just talking about...should I date Jake or Ezra?"
"Oh, um, that's not up to me...whoever won't get you in trouble with the law or your parents, I guess...whoever is nicer...maybe?"
They gave her funny looks.
"What are you smoking?" Emily wondered out loud.
"Since when did you become a non-rebellious girl?" Spencer asked.
"Why do you care what the law or my parents think?" Aria wanted to know.
"Well, um...I just don't want Ezra to get in jail-"
"My parents like him now," Aria reminded her. "They wouldn't dare call the police. It's just, technically, I'm with Jake...but I still love Ezra. Did you know that bitch Maggie lied to him? Malcolm is not his kid!"
"Wow," the others said with disdain.
"I'm sorry for not seeming like a great friend...you can go out with who you want." Hanna sat her chin in her hands. "It's just...don't cheat on Jake if you really love Ezra," she advised her friend.
"Oh, I won't...I don't want to be like my dad. I just...I don't know how to break up with Jake."
"Not by text message," Emily said.
"Or a phone call," Spencer added.
"How about in person?" Hanna asked.
"Good idea...but the words to say, I'm not sure."
"Me neither. I haven't dumped anyone," Hanna said.
"Yeah, same," Spencer said.
"Hanna, can we talk...in private?" Emily asked.
Hanna nodded. "Sure." They got up and left the group to go outside.
"What's going on with you?"
"I'm sick of school and I miss Caleb a lot, that's all...and I wasn't feeling well this weekend, I told you guys-"
"You're acting like someone died, Hanna. The last time Aria's mom was that nice to a student was when Maya died and I was in such a dark place. Did something happen to your mom or Caleb?"
Hanna shook her head fiercely. "No! They're fine...it's just...look, Em, don't worry about me. I'm okay...honest. Can we please go back to lunch?" she begged.
Emily looked at her curiously. "All right."
They returned to their table to find that Paige and Toby had joined them. Aria was talking to Paige while Spencer and Toby were making out.
"Okay, I can't watch that," Hanna decided aloud.
"Yeah, neither could we, so we just had our own private conversation," Paige said. She got up and kissed Emily. "Hey, sweetie."
"Hey, babe."
"Come on, Hanna, you and I can both wallow in pity that our boyfriends don't go here." Aria slipped her arm through Hanna's. They went to another part of the school.
"So...how's Caleb?" Aria asked.
"Last time we talked, he sounded like he was doing just fine over in Nowheresville...excuse me, Ravenswood."
"Would you want to visit him when you get a chance?"
"Of course I would, but he said it's dangerous there. Besides, I'm really behind in school."
"Oh yeah...my mom's always happy to help."
"That reminds me! I have to set up a meeting place with her after school."
"Hanna, looking good!" a boy catcalled at her. She cringed and put her arms around herself.
"She's off limits. She has a boyfriend, you know!" Aria shouted at him, but he'd already left. "Men can be so dumb!"
"That was not a man. That was a hormonal teenage boy."
"No different than a lot of boys at this school...that's why I date older guys. They're more mature."
They're no better, Hanna thought. Perverts can be any age.
"Hm." The bell rang. Saved by the bell.
"Aren't you coming?" Aria wondered aloud as Hanna plopped down on a bench.
"Nope, you go ahead. I'm tired. See you tomorrow!"
"Umm...okay. Bye!"
"Bye."
Each hour that passed was painful for her. She felt like she was trudging through quicksand and losing all her energy. She curled into a ball on the bench and took shaky breaths.
She closed her eyes and didn't wake up until she felt someone lightly tap her on the shoulder. Her eyes opened halfway and she could barely make out the person in front of her. The warm smile, the long brown hair, it couldn't have been anyone but Ella Montgomery.
"Still up for our tutoring session?"
"Yeah. I'll go."
"Good, are you okay with The Brew?"
"Uh huh."
"Alright then."
Hanna followed Ella to the older woman's car and they got inside. She wanted to talk about Caleb with someone and tell them the truth. Her friends would understand, but she didn't want to bring them down. She didn't want to bring Ella down either, but since her husband cheated on her, she'd know exactly what Hanna was going through.
"More nightmares today?"
Hanna nodded. "I keep seeing him. I constantly freak out when guys flirt with me. When would we have time to go to the police station?"
"You don't have to go. I will...I just need to get my thoughts together. I'm going to tell them that I caught someone raping a student at the Rosewood High dance, but the perp got away before I could see him."
"Well...what if he's dead? It could all lead back to me being the killer." Hanna shivered at the thought of holding his gun. The cold feeling was always there.
"I'll tell the police he shot himself."
"You're changing the story, first, you're saying you didn't catch him because he escaped...now...I don't know."
"If he is alive...I'll say I didn't see him. If he's dead, I'll say he committed suicide. I threw away the evidence so you wouldn't get in jail, Hanna. No matter how you see it, I am a witness to a crime. I will report him, but I won't say you murdered him."
"I'm a cold hearted killer," Hanna mumbled. "I took someone's life away. I was so scared...and I wasn't thinking...all I could do was shoot."
Ella squeezed Hanna's shoulder. "When people are under stress, they react quickly and defend themselves as best they can. He would not stop, and the only way to save yourself was to get rid of him."
"Why are you being so...forgiving...after what I've done?" Hanna asked weakly. "God, I am so stupid...I deserved it."
"You didn't do it out of hate-"
"Yes, I did! I hated him! I didn't want him dead, I just wanted him to move out of Rosewood or something!"
"Exactly. You only wanted him out of your life. What do you think you deserved? Not the rape, that's for sure."
"Nothing."
"You know, if you're having any other problems-"
"I told you, it's nothing!" Hanna said furiously. "I'm sorry," she apologized in a softer voice.
Ella pulled into The Brew's entrance. "That's okay. You can tell me whenever you feel like it."
Hanna was quiet as they went into the coffee shop. Ella carried a book and some pieces of paper inside. They sat down.
"So...why The Brew?"
"No reason. It just...puts me in a calm and happy mood."
"Hello, ladies, can I get you anything?" The owner's nametag read Zack.
"Oh...maybe I'll have a blueberry scone and a caramel latte, decaf, please...Hanna, what would you like?"
"Um...I didn't bring any money, so nothing for me, thanks. I forgot my wallet at home."
"Don't worry about it. It's on me."
"Ella..."
"Oh, hush, you, it's not a big deal."
Hanna sighed. "Peppermint mocha and a blueberry scone, please."
"Coming right up!"
"You didn't have to-" Hanna started.
"Well, I did. I really don't mind."
"Okay...um...before we start...can I tell you something? I...I think I need to say this."
"Of course you can."
Hanna wrung her hands nervously and fiddled with a strand of her hair. "Caleb and I broke up. Not officially...but...it seems like he's seeing someone...behind my back...and he doesn't want me anymore...do you think he's cheating on me?"
"Why would he do that to a girl as sweet as you are?"
"I can't believe that I thought what we had was love...I gave her to him, though...I trusted him to help her find her uncle...and he did...but he doesn't want to leave...her..." She suddenly stopped talking and started hyperventilating. She felt Ella wrap her hands around her arms.
"I remember how heartbroken I was when Byron cheated on me. It crushes you...tears you apart on the inside...but I'll say one thing. You're stronger than I am."
"What?"
"I didn't tell anyone for a very long time. I was ashamed...and doubtful he would do such a thing...and when I see his mistress...I want to literally rip her throat out. Seeing them in this town...knowing that she was my friend...it's like a kick in the gut. Of course Byron denied it when I confronted him, he said he loved me, I stupidly went back to him after a while...but we separated again."
"Yeah...I know...Aria told me...about how you liked Ezra and Byron didn't."
"Not right away...but I handled it better than Byron. What I was trying to say earlier...the pain will never go away...but time heals. Pretty soon, you can open your heart to love again. I've told Aria this, and I'll tell you too...not every relationship is meant to last forever...especially when you're young. It's okay to be single, but sometimes, you get lonely."
"My mom felt that way before she met Ted."
"I know."
Zack set their coffees and scones in front of them. "Enjoy!"
"Thank you, Zack." Ella smiled brightly at him.
"Anytime. Hi, I think I've seen you here before...you're Emily's friend, right?"
"Yeah, my name is Hanna. Nice to meet you."
"You too."
Ella chuckled lightly as he walked away and she sipped her coffee. Hanna saw her blush and where her stare was headed.
"Crushing on the muffin man, huh?" Hanna smirked.
Ella jumped and giggled nervously. "What...what are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the way you were checking him out. I don't blame you...he does have a cute butt."
"Hanna, stop it!" Ella whispered, slightly amused.
"Hot Mama and the Muffin Man. What do you think?"
"I think we should get to work," Ella said quickly. Her face was growing redder by the minute, and Hanna couldn't resist a laugh.
"Sorry, I was just teasing you."
"I know, sweetie."
"It's...how I'd tease a friend...and I realize you're my teacher..."
"That doesn't matter. Both inside and outside the classroom, you're my daughter's friend, which is as close to a friend as you can get...you're one of my younger friends, that's all."
Hanna smiled into her coffee cup. "Thanks. You're my mom's best friend...and my best friend's mom...as confusing as that sounds, you're my older friend."
"Then feel free to tease me any time you like...as long as I get to tease you right back...when it's appropriate."
"Oh, okay, that's fine."
The Brew's door swung open and Hanna's face fell when she saw the person saunter inside as if he owned the place.
"What's wrong?" Ella asked gently.
"Downton Grabby," Hanna muttered, using Spencer's nickname for Rosewood's not-so-professional doctor. "Wren Kingston...and he's coming this way."
"Hanna! Fancy seeing you here. Still interested in a date?"
"Um...no. I'm unavailable." She anxiously looked down at the table.
"Come on, my accent isn't alluring? Spencer said it was...and she kissed me."
"Yeah, like two years ago, and she was drunk."
"You kissed me too," he rattled on.
"It was a mistake," she said harshly. "I was just...excited...that you...helped me with Mona."
"See, you should be grateful for that...I gave you something, so you need to give me something in return."
"I hugged you. I never meant to go further."
"Hanna, I really like you, but I hate that you led me on. I wish Mrs. Montgomery wasn't here." His hand crept along her arm and dangerously close to her chest. She wriggled away until Ella pushed him aside.
"Leave her alone, you creep! Why don't you ask out someone who is not in high school? You are a doctor. Should I tell your boss that you are a pedophile as well? Hanna is seventeen, and even if she was older, she does not want you. You need to leave, unless you only want something to eat or drink, and in that case, you can talk to Zack."
Hanna shook a little while holding herself. Wren finally left the coffee shop, and Ella hugged her.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, now I am."
They ate their scones and drank their coffees as they looked over the reading material together. Within two hours, Hanna had read the assignment and she was going to take the test the next day.
"Thank you so much for this, Ella," Hanna said as she was dropped off at her house.
"You're very welcome."
She ran up her porch steps and then watched Ella drive away. She rang the doorbell and her mom answered it.
"Oh, there you are!"
"Sorry I forgot to text you and tell you where I was."
"It's okay, Aria told me you were with her mom...but if she didn't, I would have called the police! Something could happen to you!"
Hanna's heart stopped at the ironic statement. "I know, Mom. Next time, I'll...I'll tell you. I-I promise."
"I love you, baby." Ashley pulled her in for a hug.
"I love you too, Mom. I have to, um, I have to study. Ella...I mean Mrs. Montgomery, was extremely helpful, and I'm not really failing anymore."
"Oh, that's excellent! I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks. So, um...I need to...go." Hanna left her mom's arms and took the stairs two at a time.
Instead of doing her homework, though, she sat on her bed with her arms around her knees. She listened to breakup songs and cried into her pillow. She heard Ashley coming upstairs, so she scrambled to get her books out. It was too late, though, because her mom had already come into her room. Hanna sniffled and backed into a corner of her room.
"Mom, please...you don't need to..."
"My daughter is having a breakdown, do you think I would just ignore her? I've noticed something off about you ever since the dance. I don't know what's going on, but I know it's something much bigger than you crashing into something because you were drunk." Ashley led Hanna to her bed and sat her down. She put her arm around Hanna. "I need some answers. Remember when we agreed on no secrets?"
"Yeah...and I'm sorry...but that's all I can tell you. I bumped-"
"You might have, but you are upset, honey." Ashley plucked a tissue out of a box of Kleenex and wiped it across Hanna's eyes. "Physical pain goes away so much faster than emotional pain. Plus, I'm your mother, and I deserve to know."
"You do," Hanna agreed. "Um...I...I miss Caleb. He's over in Ravenswood...it's a really long and boring story."
"Why don't you call him instead of sitting here and crying about it?"
"I never hear from him. It's his turn. I don't want to pester him like some...annoying little girlfriend he can't get away from!" Hanna wailed into her hands and rocked back and forth while Ashley held her.
"Caleb loves you, sweetie, he doesn't think you're-"
"You're wrong, though! He's all googly-eyed for Miranda now!" The name tasted like acid on her tongue.
"No...that's not possible."
"Yes, it is! It hurts like hell!"
"I don't want to believe this."
"You have to. Face it, Mom, he dumped me...or better yet, I accused him of cheating and then hung up on him, and he never called me back to explain or beg me to come to Ravenswood...or come back here...I'm not wanted."
"Oh, my poor little girl." Ashley kissed the top of Hanna's head. "I'm so sorry."
"You don't have to be. I'm a pathetic freak, okay?"
"No, you're not. Now...what would make you feel better?"
"I don't know," Hanna mumbled. "I feel so dizzy...like I need to throw up." She rushed to the toilet and vomited. "Oh...I'm sick. That's great."
"Let me get you some water and saltine crackers."
"I have puke in my hair," Hanna groaned. "I...can't...move."
She was trying to take off her clothes for a shower, but she was too tired to do so. Ashley came in the bathroom and helped her. After her shower, she got dressed in her pajamas and stood at the top of the stairs to find Ashley letting Ted in through the front door. They were making out, and Hanna sank down the stair rail and held onto it. Remembering how she and Caleb used to be that way and weren't anymore, made her even more ill. She closed her eyes until their moans went away. She tiptoed down the stairs.
"Oh, howdy, Hanna!" Ted said cheerfully, and she jumped a mile. "How are ya?"
"Hey, Ted, I'm all right. How are you?" She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at 'howdy' and instead just smiled politely. He was like a dad to her, more of a real dad than her birth dad ever was.
"I'm good...great, actually." His voice went lower in volume. "I've been wondering...what do you think of me marrying your mother? She's in the other room, and she can't hear us."
"Wait, what?" she asked as a shock passed through her. "You're...asking...me?"
"I know, I should be asking her father instead of her daughter, right?"
Hanna chuckled. "Yeah...um...I have never given approval to anyone before...especially concerning my mom or my friends...you are a really nice guy and all, but let me think on that, okay?"
"I hope that turns into a yes, because I really love her and want to propose to her. I'm dying to be with her every second of every day."
"Wow. This is certainly...a surprise. I'm under the weather at the moment, but when my, um, head clears, and I get ahold of myself, you will get a response. I'm sorry, this is very awkward. If you have the ring in your pocket right now, though, I suggest you keep it there and do not mistakenly take it out!"
"Good advice, thank you." They both laughed.
"Hey, what are my two favorite people talking about now?" Ashley asked as she joined them.
"Oh...um, church," Hanna said quickly. Ted smiled at her. "He was explaining some things in the Bible to me."
"Sounds fun. Hanna, are you okay with water and saltine crackers for dinner? I know you have an upset stomach."
"Yeah, it's fine. I hope you two have a nice dinner to yourselves."
"Thank you."
The three of them watched a movie together and she couldn't help but grin at the way her mom and Ted were cuddling on the couch and feeding each other bites of pasta. She had mixed feelings about it, and she knew just who to discuss it with.
Thank you so much for reading and reviewing: Carlychristina8, CharmedAddict11, .ruby, and Britney! I appreciate the support :)