Chapter Nine: I Love You Hannah Monroe

She was breathless her day had been hell. Her lungs were on fire, her brain was a nothing but mush, and she couldn't feel her legs beneath her.

"Breath Hannah, it's okay," Pete hooked his arms under her armpits, supporting her failing body. "Just take a deep breath and tell me what happened." She closed her eyes trying to hold back her tears as she held on to Petey's shoulders.

"Well… she begain pulling herself away from Petey so she could look into his face, "It all started this morning…"

She had gotten up early that morning to take some left over Halloween candy to Gary. He had told her in one of her previous visits that he loved Halloween. She hoped the orderlies wouldn't take the candy away from him.

"Hello Gary," she said bouncing into his cell. She was still hyped from the night before. "How are you today?"

"Mad as hell," he barked, "those write clad freak shows wouldn't let us do anything for Halloween. No candy, no costumes, I think I wore a hole in the floor from all my pacing."

He was jittery; his entire body seemed to be shacking. "Well than I'm glad I brought this," she said holding out the bag of candy. Gary about ripped off her arm to get at the sugary goodness inside. Hannah couldn't help but laugh.

"You are the greatest," mumbled, mouth full of candy. "So what did you do for Halloween?"

"Went out with Ivy and B, took B's cousin trick or treating, went to the movies… oh and we dressed Petey up in drag," She smiled, "want to see?" She walked over to his bed and sat down next to him, pulling the pictures from the day before out of her bag. "He looks good doesn't he sorry she, Ivy would kill me if I didn't get the terminology right."

Gary laughed at the sight of Petey in the unicorn dress and cotton candy hair. "That's better than the bunny suit!"

"Gary, we're trying to boost his confidence. He told me… never mind, you can keep that one," she said handing him the picture. In truth she kind of hoped it would warm Gary up to the idea of Petey as a love interest and not just a victim of his bullying.

"Yeah thanks," Gary said stuffing another handful of candy in his mouth.

"Your going to get sick and I'm going to get in trouble. Take it easy will ya." Hannah gave Gary a light punch on the arm. Gary smiled shyly at the touch. "What?"

"Nothing, what you dress up as?"

"B and I dressed up as The Doctor and Rose from Doctor Who see," Hannah thumbed though her pictures and found the one of the group together. "Ivy was Magenta from Rocky Horror. We were quite the scene at the movies."

"Mind if I keep that one instead," Gary asked shifting nervously next to her. Hannah blinked in surprise, "yeah… sure." She handed Gary the picture only to have him crush his lips to hers. She pushed him away, jumping up from the bed and backing across the room. "What on earth was that?!"

"I can't help it," he responded, "You're the only person every to show me any kindness or understanding. I'm going crazier locked up in here than I every was stuck at Bullworth or just anywhere but here. Then you show up and it's like… all the clouds just went away. You're amazing… I think I love you."

"No no no no no," Hannah said moving toward the door, "You're an… interesting guy and all, but I kind of have my sights set on someone else."

"Like who… Jimmy!"

"No not Jimmy we've had this conversation."

"Then who," Gary pined her to the door demanding an answer. Hannah managed to pull herself free and stumbled out the door, "Bye Gary," she cried running down the hall. What had just happened? She had never meant to lead Gary on, if that's what she was doing. All she wanted now was to get back to her room, but her bad day was just getting started.

As she made her way back to her bike she was meet with two unfriendly pairs of eyes.

"Really Hannah… REALLY," Ivy exclaimed. "I thought you said this was just a pet project, a chat with the kids at school, what where you thinking visiting that jerk?"

"I was part of my project," Hannah tried to explain, but her voice betrayed her. The nervousness was practically pouring out of every pore.

"Never mind, after everything we told you you still… UGH!" Ivy threw up her hands in defeat and stomped way, leaving Hannah alone with Zoe.

"And just what did I do to you," Hannah sighed trying not to make eye contacted with Zoe's heated gaze. They stood there for a moment silent before Zoe's fist made contact with Hannah's face. Hannah fell to the ground as Zoe followed after Ivy. "Oh come on," Hannah cried. She lay there for a moment trying to hold back tears. 'Don't say it,' she thought, 'just don't.'

Hannah lifted herself up slowly and crawled over to her bike, using it to pull herself onto her feet. She started to walk slowly away from the asylum when it started to rain. "And that's why," she sighed.

She made no effort to pick up her pace, staggering through Blue Skies. She let the tears stream down her face hopping the rain would hide them from any onlooker when a familiar face came into view.

"Go ahead Jimmy," she sighed, "add your two cents. I doubt anything could surprise me now." She quickly realized she couldn't have been more wrong as Jimmy slid one hand around her waist while the other gently caressed her face. "Not you too," she cried pushing him away.

"What, I'm just trying to be a nice guy. Besides you're a beautiful girl, what guy wouldn't consider himself lucky to be with you."

"But I don't like you. You're annoying and obnoxious and a bully. And I don't appreciate surprise attacks, especially from jealous girlfriends!"

"So that's where you got the black eye," Jimmy responded, "Don't worry about Zoe she get over it. Now where were we?"

"I was going back to the dorms," Hannah growled pushing Jimmy away again. "I could care less were you go." With that she turned her back on Jimmy. Leaving her bike she started running. 'No more,' she thought, 'just let me get back to the school please.'

But her preys fell on deaf ears as she ran strait into Lola by the bridge in New Coventry. "Dear God Why," she yelled regaining her balance.

"Well if it isn't the little tramp trying to steel my Johnny from me."

"Go on then Lola, I'm right here swing away," Hannah exclaimed holding her arms out. She stood there for a moment with her eyes closed awaiting the blow.

"Don't be silly," Lola laughed, "I'm more of 'embarrass you in public' kind of girl."

"Could have guessed that," Hannah mumbled.

"What was that?!"

"Nothing, just… you may as well add to my day. Go on do your worst, make Johnny think I'm so washed up wreck so he'll go crawling back to you so you can turn around a break his heart again. I find it funny you call me the tramp, but you can't keep your hands to yourself to safe your own life."

Lola stomped away fuming, mumbling under her breath. Hannah sighed, she knew this was going to be one of those days that no matter how hard she tried the filter just wasn't going to work and anyone in the line of fire was going to get an ear full.

Hannah continued her rain filled journey back to the school, sulking more and more with every step. When she finally arrived at the gates to the school it stopped raining. "Oh now your just fucking with me," she yelled at the sky.

"Wow… you must be having a really bad day. I've never heard you cuss before."

"State the obvious B," Hannah sighed walking past Beatrice toward the girls' dorm. "Sorry, it's just… I'm a fly in a spider web and the damn spiders ready to bite my face off."

"Ew gross… but I get what you're saying I think."

"So what rumors been going around while I've been trying to catch a cold," Hannah asked making her way up the steps to the dorm.

"Just that you've been seeing Gary… and Jimmy… and Johnny."

"Great no wonder I've been Gods laughing stock all day."

"So no of it's true?"

Hannah stared at her friend in disbelief. "B, Gary was a psychological pet project, I hate Jimmy's guts and despite my crush on Johnny I can't spend two seconds alone with the guy without studring like an idiot or Lola breaking up the party."

"I'm sorry Hannah just calm down." The two girls stood in silence for what felt like an eternity before Beatrice spoke up. "You should go talk to Petey, he's kind of shaking up."

"Great, one more person I've hurt with my trampedness."

Beatrice couldn't help but laugh as Hannah made her way back down the steps to find her dearest friend.

"And that's been my day," Hannah ended her story and looked over at Petey. "Your crush likes me, Jimmy likes me, Zoe and Lola hate me and I'm too in my head to just look Johnny in the eye and say 'forget Lola, I'm the girl for you.'"

"Could be worse," Petey said putting his arm around Hannah shoulder.

"Don't say that Pete."

"It could still be raining."