Chapter 21:
The alarm went off, I rolled over to hit the snooze button but instead I hit something that was far from an alarm clock. I opened my eyes slightly and saw brown eyes looking right at me, I knew who it was and quickly pulled the covers over my head, "Go away." I heard him chuckle and attempt to pull off my covers, I was a pro at this. "I will if you tell me why you ran out of the room last night, what's going on Hanna and don't try to cover it up with a song..it's not going to work a second time. Talk to me." I groaned, "Caleb at 8 in the morning is never the best time to discuss my mommy and daddy issues okay. You don't see me digging through your mommy issues."
I didn't even have to look him in the eye to regret what I said, I pulled down my covers and looked at his hurt face, "I am so sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He nodded with his jaw set. "Doesn't change that you said it." He got up and slammed my bed room door.
Today is off to a great day, and I haven't even had a coffee yet.
I say to myself, hop out of bed and get dressed to hope to find Caleb before starting the day. I dash down stairs to the kitchen "Cal-oh hi Patty I didn't know you were up." She had her back to me but laughed at the sink, "Honey I was up at 5..someone has to keep the house running. Were you looking for Caleb? Cause you just missed him." I blushed at how she knew that right away. "Well..umm. Where did he go?" She turned and wiped her hands on a towel sighing.
"There is a place he goes to clear his head, I am amazed you don't know about it because he found it a week after his mother died and always goes there to clear his head. I would know because I had to do the lunch runs out to him so he wouldn't starve. But don't tell him I told you he went there okay? Check the yard." I gave her an intense look and she nodded and tipped her head towards the backyard.
I walked out and saw a shadow moving in a tree house. I laughed to myself about how amazing it was that an 18 year old boy still sits on in a tree house, I looked around the yard and found a pebble and chucked it up to the side of the house until Caleb finally appeared through the window. "Is there a no girls allowed policy or can you make an exception just this once? I promise I wont tell Spankie and Alfalfa." He gave me a small smile and nodded me to come up. I climbed up and sat down on the floor of the tree house next to him.
"I didn't mean what I said this morning. I am extremely sorry." He nodded silently. "Caleb..will you talk to me please. What's going on?" He cleared his throat, "I should ask you the same question." With that he pulled out the picture A left me last night at his bedroom door. "Where…where did you get that?" "Does it matter?" I looked at him, gave a dry laugh then looked out the window.
Did he seriously just ask me that, what is he new in town? Of course it matters where he got it, it means he went through my stuff while I was in bed.
"You went through my clothes? Why are you going through my stuff." His jaw tightened, "Hanna don't turn this on me. Who is A? And why the hell is she stalking you like this. I thought no one knew about your personal life, you always told me you like to keep your personal life separate from school." I looked away to wipe a tear. "If I knew who A was I would have told you the second you pulled out the picture, but I honestly do not know who she is. She has been around since Alison's death and that's about all I am allowed to tell you.
My friends and I are taking care of it." Caleb gave a dry laugh, "How is A threating you about me exactly taken care of it Hanna? It's stalking and you have to go to the police about it. I mean what the hell how does she know what happened to you and your parents? I need answers Hanna." "Why? Why do you need to know now, why can't you just ever leave things be. Why do you always need to try and fix things for me. Doesn't anyone ever think I can do anything for myself?" I said shouting now because I am tired of everyone treating me like I am incapable to do anything. "Hanna I just want to help you." I stand up. "You want to help me Caleb? Respect my things and stay the hell out of things that you don't know anything about. Can you handle that?"
I got down the latter and ran. When I got half way to town I texted Aria and told her I was coming over. She didn't ask why and she didn't know what it was about she just said okay.
And that was what I needed right now, not questions jammed down my throat, not people watching over me in a house all day, I just needed someone to talk too. And I just ran to Aria's..this is my getting away from the world.