Here's yet another chapter. I'm not waiting until June to write again, so here's where the story becomes all my own (with a bit from the spoilers I found…not so much spoilers as admitting the obvious). Also I would like to thank everyone who reviews so quickly, your reviews make me bring up a new word document and start typing every time I see them. So thank you thank you thank you. Anyway, hopefully this chapter is more of a happy chapter…or at least can start us back towards the happy ending.
"I'm going home. I'm sorry. I can't just sit around here. We can get together tomorrow," Hanna said looking up from her phone in panic mode.
"I'll drive you home," Emily said as she and Hanna walked to tell their moms what they were doing. After offering Aria a ride too but being rejected, the two walked towards Emily's car and rode home in silence. But it was comforting. They didn't need to talk through everything that had just happened. They just needed some time together then some time alone. It was how they worked.
"Thanks Em," Hanna said as Emily pulled into Hanna's driveway.
"Anytime," Emily smiled while Hanna ran to the door and fumbled with her keys. Once she swung the door open she waved Emily on and stepped inside.
"Hanna?" she heard when she put her purse down on the stairs.
"Lucas? What are you doing here?" she asked backing up out of habit.
"Calm down. Your mom knows I'm here. I've been waiting for awhile to surprise you. And then when I heard about what happened at the church I thought you might need a friend so I kept waiting," Lucas said as Hanna stepped down from panic mode but still wasn't too welcoming.
"Ok…that's sweet but I kina want to be alone. Emily said you found my phone, thanks for that too. But if you don't mind, can I just be alone?" Hanna asked letting herself ease down from all the hype that she had just been through.
"Oh well maybe I didn't do the right thing then," Lucas said to himself as he debated whether or not to tell her.
"What do you mean?" Hanna asked curiously. Sure, she might be tired and just want to go up to her room but that doesn't mean she's going to miss out on anything important.
"Why don't you see for yourself? I'm gonna go now. But before you go to bed, check the guest room," Lucas said with a smile before walking out the front door, leaving a confused Hanna to stand alone in the foyer. What on Earth did he mean by check the guest room? All she knew was that if she didn't go check the guest room right then, it would drive her insane all night.
So she found herself bounding up the steps and letting her curiosity take control. She honestly had no idea what Lucas had been talking about. Within seconds she was standing outside the guest bedroom door pondering what may be inside. She gently turned the golden knob and pushed the door open.
"Hanna," a voice said jumping from the bed.
"Caleb…" she responded unsure of what to do. He took a step towards her and she took a step back.
"I made a mistake. I'm sorry," Caleb said as he tried to grab her arm to pull her to him.
"Don't touch me," she spat pulling away.
"What…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left. But I still love you. I made a mistake by leaving," he said as continued his effort of pulling her to him in vain.
"That wasn't your only mistake," she scoffed and took a step towards him.
"I don't know what to do here. Tell me what you want from me," Caleb said throwing his arms out in a wild gesture that displayed his aggravation.
"You broke my trust. Then you left without even telling me. I probably wouldn't have even known if I didn't see you board the bus. I don't know what you expected from coming back," Hanna argued taking another step closer to him. She didn't know what she would do when she was in his arms. She would either wrap up in his warmth and cry uncontrollably or attack him viciously getting all her anger towards him out of her system.
"I don't know what I expected from coming back. But I knew I didn't do the right thing and I wanted to fix that," Caleb said letting her take the steps toward him, afraid that one unwanted motion would send her running to her bedroom and locking the door behind her. Not that a lock could stop him if he really wanted to get in, but he couldn't risk breaking into her room. It would only cause more problems for them.
"You wanted to fix things. What exactly do you think can be fixed?" Hanna exclaimed. She knew everything was shattered beyond repair and it would take a whole lot more than a cliché movie reunion before they would be jumping into each other's arms again.
"I don't know. But I thought I would give it a try. I couldn't just leave for Arizona when everyone kept telling me I belonged here with you. Hell even your mom said she wanted me to stay for you. Its kinda hard to leave a girl without saying goodbye especially when everyone has to keep reminding me of how much you love me," Caleb growled. This was not going how he had hoped it would. It was going exactly how he knew it would though.
"Ha! You think I still love you after all you've done!" Hanna said taking her last step toward him. They were merely inches apart. Now she had to pick her next action carefully.
"I didn't expect you would," Caleb said picking up the bags he hadn't bothered unpacking.
"Caleb Rivers…you…ugh…how could you! I loved you! You broke my heart…but I still loved you for some stupid…stupid reason. Then you left…you just left me. I…I…I hate you!" Hanna yelled pounding her fists against his chest with each broken phrase. Her small balled up hands beat against him over and over until she was shaking with tears. He stood there and let her hit him because her actions meant nothing; it didn't really hurt as bad as the words that flew out of her mouth. But he lost it when she started crying.
"Hanna. Please stop," he said pulling her into his chest to comfort her.
"No," she cried but relaxed in Caleb's arms as she continued to sob.
"Hanna. Look at me. I still love you," Caleb said once she had calmed down enough to think clearly.
"Well. I don't still love you. Not now. I can't. You can stay here and we can work on it. But we are not picking up where we left off," Hanna said as she spun to face him.
"Just promise me that you'll give me a chance," Caleb said as she pulled away from his chest.
"I can't make that promise," Hanna said as she stormed off to her room to continue her crying.
Caleb followed her and stood outside her door debating whether or not to go in. Finally he decided to sit and listen until she fell asleep. Once her cries stopped, he went back to the guest room to unpack.
Hanna sat on her bed and stared at the mirror. She had stopped sobbing but tears were still running down her face. After everything that had happened that night, people were going to talk. It was only a matter of time before she became labeled a liar, a psychopath, mentally unstable. People would find out Caleb was living with her and rumors would spread. Whether A showed them or they made it up, odds were her actions with him would be publicized. It was clear to her that her position of Queen of Rosewood was slipping. But if she wasn't Head Bitch anymore, who was she anymore? She didn't know the answer to that question. Looking in the mirror, she saw Hefty Hanna making her return. She didn't want to go back to that. She had been vulnerable and pathetic. She couldn't go back to that.
"Good night Hanna. Thank you. –C"
At least she had Caleb and the girls. Well, maybe she didn't really have Caleb but they could work towards it. She was only trying to protect them both from the rumors that would spread (and keep her heart from getting crushed again). But he wouldn't care about the rumors. He would walk with her through the halls and ignore any whispers on the sides. He was like that. He didn't give a damn and if there was one thing Hanna wanted him to teach her it was how to not care what people thought.
"Just because you let him out of the dungeons doesn't mean you're any safer. But he can't protect you from gossip. Sleep tight in the castle tonight because tomorrow you lose your crown. –A"