Hanna's POV:

I must have VICTIM tattooed on my forehead. Because if I had a nickel from all the stares I've been getting today..well we could say good-bye to my mother's money troubles and maybe my dad would

come home. But at any rate I am here, in school. And to be honest-I am regretting getting up this morning.

If I walk up to one more teacher who gives me the 'oh my gosh I am so sorry you just got shot by the school shooter, yet live to tell the tail to your grandchildren.' Look one more time, I promise I will cut-

"Hey." I jump back when I hear a voice coming from behind me, "Hey yourself." I smile at him. "Ready for English?" I take a deep breath, close my locker, and follow in step-with one leg with him. When

we get to the door way of the room we stop. The day replays in my head over again, my cries for help. The laughter releasing the tension between Caleb and I. And then up ahead the other end of the

hallway where Toby shot himself, and I tried to stop him. Caleb's hand brings a shiver to my skin, "Hanna you alright?" I snap back into reality. "I….I'm sorry." I hand back my books and hop away from

him as far as my crutches will carry me, I hear him calling me from behind me. He was wise enough not to follow.

The school bell rings indicating lunch has started, I sit outside underneath this big tree. I skipped 4 classes; English, Biology, US HistoryI and Independent Study. I haven't moved from the tree-it's the

most perfect spring day and all I can think about is how Toby is no longer hear seeing it. My phone buzz's and I roll my eyes thinking it's my mom. Instead it's an unknown number.

They say a hero could save us, I'm not gonna stand here and wait. Heard you tried to be a hero last week. Did you really think he needed to be saved Hanna? I think the only person

that needs to be saved is you, from your daddy issues. Doesn't bad boy know about those? Might want to start letting him in or he's gonna know things you thought we took to the grave.

Well I did-just say they word and I can bring them back. ;) Have fun at school & welcome back piggy. xoxo ~A

"Stupid bitch." I mumbled to myself out loud. "Nope just Aria with a peace offering." I jump at the sound of another voice. "Hey sorry I didn't think anyone else was here." She smiles and sits down next

to me. "How are you holding up?" I rolled my eyes. "Sorry you must get asked that more than enough times." I laugh with her, "I'm fine. Just tired more than usual-trying to get through the day.

Without: people posting stuff on my locker, looking at me like I am an abandon puppy. Or wanting to talk about the accident." As if on cue someone walks by looking at me. "WHAT DO YOU WANT!"

I shout and they speed walk away. "Okay Hans maybe you should go home, I mean your mom should be proud you made it through this much of the day?" I sit back against the tree. "No. I have to

finish out the day, I wont be in tomorrow because of physical therapy." Aria nodded in agreement. We went silent for a while, eating lunch and looking out at the nature around us. Then she broke the

silence, "So you and Caleb? Friends again? Dating? What?" I looked down at my sandwich. "Umm.." I cleared my throat and noticed I was blushing. "We aren't really putting a label on it at the moment.

I'm not sure." Aria kinked an eyebrow at me, "What? You have that look." She laughed, "What look?" "Nope not telling you what look it is, because once I do that. You're gonna get all self-conscious

and ask me all the time if you're making that look and I wont want to deal with it." We started laughing and Aria gave me a shove. "Now out with it Aria what are you going to say." "Okay. We've been

friends for what..9 years?" I nodded. "Right. And in that time I am sure you remember when we were in 4th grade and I pretended to go out with Erik Johnson.." I laughed at the memory, "Yeah he was

a ginger but you really wanted him to give you his 64 pack of crayons with the sharpener in the back." Aria wacked me in the arm. "UM OUCH!" "The 64 pack was epic okay, don't judge it." We started

laughing more. "Okay Aria where are you going with this?" "Well are you sure Caleb isn't just paying attention to you all the sudden because of what happened? I know that seems really harsh but it's

just odd you know. One day you guys are just neighbors the next he is carrying you out of schools." I looked down at my sandwich. "You're right and I have thought about it. But you know we weren't

just neighbors he was my best friend until middle school. When his mom died. So it's not like he was a new kid at school or anything." Aria took a breath, "You're right. But you wanted to know what I

was thinking and that's what I was thinking, sorry if I crossed a line." "You can't cross something that was never drawn."

Aria nodded and then we went on laughing about that day back in 4th grade.

The bell for lunch goes off and Aria helps me up. "So want to hangout tonight?" I try to gain balance on my crutches. "Um I am not sure if I can tonight. I will text you though." "Okay." Aria starts to

walk away,"Hey Aria!" She turns around, "Yeah?" "Thanks for lunch. It meant a lot to me." She smiles and walks away. I throw my trash away and notice my shoe's untied-as I'm tying it I see worn out

chuck taylor's standing in front of me. I finish tying it and get on my feet, "Hey. I was just on my way to meet you." Caleb smirked at me. "You alright." I give him an evil look. "You know feel free to pick

other questions to ask." "I'm sorry. I've got your homework though, teachers say you can take your time on it." I start to walk away from him, I'm not mad at him-just frustrated in general. "Hanna did I

do something?" He asks speeding up to catch me, "Nope." Caleb stops and I continue on with my back to him. "Want to tell me what's wrong then? Hanna!" I whip around at him. "YES! Yes Caleb

something is wrong. I am frustrated with everyone staring at me like I am a forbidden fruit, I am tired of teachers treating me like an adopted puppy they rescued from the animal shelter but just found

out it has STD's. AND to top it all off If you or anyone else ask me if I'm alright I swear to god I will shove this crutch so far up your-" Caleb puts a kiss over my lips, at first it scares the crap out of me

and the next thing I know I drop both crutches and wrap my arms around his neck pulling him closer deepening the kiss. We pull away and I avoid eye contact. "If that's all it takes to shut you up then

I should have thought of that when we were 9." I blush. He puts a finger on my chin and lifts it lightly so I look at his big brown eyes, "Hanna I am sorry if I seemed to smuther you with always asking

how you're doing. I was more nervous for you today then for myself. I was wondering when you were going to crack and listening to you do it, made me feel worse. But you are strong and you don't

need to let the stress of what everyone else thinks about you bring you down further. You went through something not a lot of us go through, and you're one of the lucky ones." "But I don't feel lucky.

I feel like he should have shot me. How can a person miss out on a day like today, everything is perfect outside. The sun is out, flowers are blooming. And yet everyone just acts like it's another day.

Like Toby was just another person." Tears start to fill my eyes and Caleb pulls me in gently for a hug, I inhale his sent and I start to drift to another place in my mind. I pull away though and look up

at him."I'm gonna go home." "You want me to take you?" I shake my head. No I will be fine. I will call you have physical therapy." With that I pick up my crutches and start down the street to my house.