Chapter 6 – Mysteries Arise:

After I had convinced Regina of my faithfulness, things seemed to fly by.

I would get up in the morning, go to school, go home, do homework and hang out with my friends.

My schedule is hectic.

Yet all I can think about is Hannah.

Sometimes I catch her eye during class, and she looks wistful, but then she just looks frustrated, and looks elsewhere.

It’s really confusing.

People seem to be losing interest in her. When she first arrived she was beautiful, mysterious, sophisticated. Now she seems rude and stuck up.

She takes no interest in being friends and only hangs out with that weird girl, Casey.

Of course, this is only the opinions of most kids at school.

I still think she’s wonderful, despite the fact she ignores me. What I reckon is that she has something to hide. If only I knew.

Then again, it could be Regina. She’s enough to scare anyone away. I wish I could break up with her, but she would do one of two things:

1.      Find away to stay with me anyway

2.      Make my life miserable

And if I dumped her for Hannah, she’d make Hannah’s life miserable too. I can’t let that happen to her. Not in a million years.

Not ever.

***

It was one particularly rainy day that things started to turn around. Or so I thought it would've.

Thankfully I live quite close to school, so I made a mad dash for my house and made it without too much hassle.

I’m setting down my stuff when someone knocks at the door. I peek out through the window and see a girl drenched with rain. Hurriedly I open the door for her. She stands there, on the front porch, dripping wet, an angel. Hannah.

“Hey, you…” She trails off as she recognizes me.

“I’m so sorry,” we say in unison.

Quickly I grab her arm and lead her inside, out of the cold. She doesn’t protest.

Without a word she takes off her jacket and boots. Then we stare into each other’s eyes, having a telepathic conversation.

Okay, not really, but I can tell she wants me to say something to put her at ease.

“What are you doing here,” I ask kindly.

“Sorry, I just needed to use your phone to call my Auntie.”

“Absolutely, but…” I pause hesitantly, not wanting to sound rude. “Can’t you just use your mobile?”

“Oh, I don’t have a mobile. It’s not safe.”

“Actually, research has shown that mobiles do not injure humans in any way.” Hannah looks a little confused, then an expression of comprehension dawns.

“Well, I wasn’t talking about physical injuries. Just what they’d do if they found us…” She trails off, looking annoyed. Could this be connected to her mysterious past? No one seems to know anything about her.

“Umm… okay. Go ahead then,” I say, smiling broadly. “Here’s a phone.” I hand her our cordless and walk out of the room to give her some privacy.

Unfortunately, her conversation becomes louder and louder, and easier for me to hear.

“What do you mean? Why can’t you come get me? What? Who told you that? Do they really know where we are?” I try to create these words so that they make sense. I can’t. But now I know something for sure.

There is something mysterious about Hannah Miles.

***

Soon, Hannah hangs up and walks out into the hallway where I am waiting. She seems oblivious that I have heard anything.

“Sorry about that. It turns out my aunt can’t pick me up, and it doesn’t look like this rain is going to stop anytime soon. If it’s okay with your family, could I stay for dinner?” I’m thrilled. A chance to spend quality time with my heart’s desires.

“I’m sure my parents will be okay with that. So… why don’t you make yourself at home.”

Hannah smiles uneasily.

I lead us into the lounge room and sit down on one of the couches. Hannah sits down opposite me. This is it. My chance to find out more about Hannah and her mysterious past.

“So… Are you enjoying Kimberly?”

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Why didn’t I ask a more personal question?

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Nicer than my old school, I guess. Though that’s not hard,” she mutters. I watch curiously. Hannah smiles sheepishly at me.

“Say, Hannah, where do you come from.”

“Oh, umm, around,” she says innocently. I feel frustrated at her lack of response.

“From this country?”

“Umm… yeah, but the other end.”

“You mean like California? That’s pretty opposite DC.”

“Well, around that area, yes.” Hannah’s eyes dance around nervously.

I look at her inquiringly. She looks back, her eyes flashing with anger, but not really. More like she’s annoyed at being asked so many questions. Oh well, one more.

“So, why did you move?” Hannah takes a sharp intake of air, as if the question is hurting her. I frown at her in confusion.

“Oh, no reason in particular. Just wanted a change of pace. Oh look the rain’s stopped,” she jabbered. Indeed it had. Since she looked like she wanted to leave I said goodbye and watched her run from the house.

I watched her go sadly.

I have really screwed things up.

I don’t stand a chance.