AUTHOR'S NOTE
I just want to remind all my readers that I do upload very slowly, probably once every 1-2
months. I do apologize for this, but I do have a lot to do on a daily-basis. I hope you enjoy this
chapter!
HANNA'S P. O. V
"Is this Alison?" Caleb asked me as we were looking through my pictures.
I looked around my attic; it was so stuffy and dark in here, but back when I was
still fat, I would come here and think about all the positives. It's so calm here, and
so welcoming, and listening to the birds sing in the spring made it even better.
"Uh, yes that's Ali. That was a long time ago." I said as I looked over my shoulder.
"Who's this beside her?" he asked again with a raised eyebrow.
"One of them is me, on the right. On the left is her cousin or something." I said.
"Her cousin? That girl looks nothing like Alison." Caleb replied quickly.
It was true as I thought about it. Alison had blond, bouncy & wavy hair, blue round
eyes, thin lips with perfect white teeth, no hints of acne and a heart-shaped face.
Her 'cousin', Jamie, had straight, brown hair that reached her shoulders. Jamie's
almond-shaped hazel eyes stared at the camera, and she had a lot of acne scars.
The only similarity was the thin lips that curled up into a sinister smile.
"Alison introduced Jamie as her cousin, from her dad's side." I told Caleb.
"That's strange because they look absolutely nothing alike." he murmured.
I sighed deeply, looking around the attic. Then my eyes met Caleb's, his gorgeous
brown eyes. He stood up and started walking towards me, our lips locking slowly.
"Hanna?" Caleb whispered under his breath.
"Yeah?" I whispered back.
"Can you make me a promise?" Caleb asked slowly.
"Yes." I replied.
"Never give up on me."
& Then my mind came back into reality. I was seated on a wooden bench in the
shade inside the Rosewood Park playground. It was a pretty cloudy day, although
sunshine did peak out from behind the clouds occasionally. Memories of Caleb
kept on haunting me, keeping me from being happy. Keeping me from being
normal. Losing so many people at once, gives me so much stress. Alison was the
very first one. Her insults always flickered back into my mind, but her friendship
was important. If not for her and our bond, I wouldn't be with my best friends
right now: Aria, Spencer and Emily. Alison isn't the only person that I lost. How
about my mother? Caleb? Myself? All of these losses gave me shivers and
depression. I fixed my tights from TNA, and looked up to the forest. It looked
gloomy and haunted, as if many people died in there before. I'm still not sure
whether Alison died in there, she was found buried in her backyard, not in the
forest. But I still feel her soul belongs there, because before her killer, she was
last seen here. In the mysterious shades of black and grey underneath a thick
line of willows. I stood up from the wooden bench, and made my way to
Spencer's house. Her house wasn't the closest, Emily's was, but I felt like I need
someone to talk to that can problem solve affectively. As I walked through the
quiet streets of Rosewood, the sun completely disappeared, making it easier to
walk. Since I have blue eyes they're sensitive when it comes to the sun, so I squint
which causes a headache. That's why I prefer cloudy days, but I still love summer.
The streets have been always peaceful and empty on Sundays, probably because
many people go to church in the late morning. The last time I remember going
to church alone was before Alison and I started getting along. Before we became
friends, she would always bully me. Fat, useless and worthless were her very
common ones. But honestly, I don't care anymore because I'm Hanna Marin. A
new, skinny and perfect one. But since she bullied me, I would run to church after
class and pray for this pain to stop. I guess all that hard work paid off. Once I
arrived at Spencer's house, I knocked forcefully and the door opened. But it
wasn't Spencer, it was Melissa, Spencer's older sister.
"Melissa? I thought you were in Philly." I told her with a raised eyebrow.
"I came back last night, why are you here?" asked Melissa with a smirk.
"Is Spencer home?" I asked her quickly and stubbornly.
"Uh, yes. Come in." she told me and opened the door wider.
The Hastings' house has always smelled like Apple Cinnamon candles that have
been mixed with fresh painted walls and brewed coffee. A couple years ago, I
highly enjoyed this smell. But in this time of year, it sometimes makes me want to
gag. But, I still come in and pretend it doesn't bother me, like Alison told me to.
Spencer came running down the hardwood staircase, her wavy brown hair
shining under the light. She was still in her pajamas that were made up of a petite
silk-white tank top and fairly short plaid shorts.
"Hey Hanna, what's up?" asked Spencer, as she landed on the main floor.
"I'm allowed in here right?" I asked quickly.
"Melissa is considered an adult, so I'm under supervision." Spencer answered.
"So, you needed to talk?"
I nodded and we made our way up the stairs and into Spencer's room. Her walls
were beige colored, with a hint of brown spice. She had a big queen bed with
a brown nature pattern on it, a huge wooden vanity and a long desk. Just the
way I remember it.
"I need help." I told Spencer as we sat down on her bed.
"What about?" Spencer asked, shifting here and there.
"About Caleb, I don't know what to do." I said, trailing off into space.
"Were there any hints about his disappearance?" asked Spencer.
"There was a note attached to Emily's car one time. It said something like: Dear
Hanna, Caleb isn't coming back. So just release your emotions and move on.
You can try but you all know that I always succeed. Karma is a bitch ladies, so stop
being liars. Love, -A. And then there was another time where Caleb's number
showed up on my phone and I answered. I just heard slow breathing. Then a
text came in from a blocked number." I said as I reached for my phone.
I pulled my phone out of my sweater pocket and showed Spencer the text that
said: 'Next time you'll hear screaming. –A'.
"Do you think A's messing with you, or that A captured Caleb?" Spencer asked.
"I hope A's messing. I don't want Caleb to disappear forever." I said quietly.
A teardrop dripped down my left cheek slowly, making it's way down to my chin.
"I can't do anything Hanna, when A decides to give more clues about Caleb then
there will be a chance. I think A is just trying to scare you." Spencer told me.
A few moments later, our cellphones made a text sound. I pulled my Blackberry
into my hand and opened up the new message:
'Oh Hanna, poor little Marin. I'm so sorry for making you feel this way. Running
to Spencer won't help in any way, because I know my tricks and I know my ways.
Hold on little bird, you'll know your way. Just give it some time, because Caleb's
still alive. Breathing underneath shadows. I'm watching you all. –A'.