Page 18 of Forbidden

Chapter Six

Hannah

It was Sunday. After a big party, no one was usually up, so Sunday mornings were the most peaceful times at home. The clubhouse still had people drinking in it, for those few that hadn’t got enough during the night.

I was becoming a hermit. Well, not a hermit that lived at home. A hermit that hid at her friend’s house. I didn’t have to put up a front at Layla’s. I didn’t have to pretend like everything was okay. I felt safe there. She didn’t question me. When the tears came when I thought about it, she was there for me.

I had never met anyone as loyal as her.

She held my hand the whole time through the biopsy. I was shaking with nerves when I laid down to have it done and it was her squeezing my hand that got me to stay still for it.

I knew she went to the party last night. It was the only reason I stayed home. I assumed she’d soon find out who my parents were and I hoped she wouldn’t cut me off, because her friendship was the only thing getting me out of bed for school at the moment.

I flipped over the page of my math book. I wanted to be by myself. I didn’t want to study at home. Not when Eve was annoying me about doing her assignments. I couldn’t study in the clubhouse because people were still partying. So, I’d hidden in the garage.

I cleared a small space on the workbench and pulled up a stool. I might have my book open and pen in hand but my mind was somewhere else. It was on the approaching Thursday when I would find out my results.

“Well, if it isn’t Hannah.”

That voice. I smiled immediately and turned around to see Brad standing there with a grin on his face like I had just made his day by being here.

It was unhealthy. I knew that. It was unhealthy how I felt about him. I knew the age difference and I knew he respected my dad way too much to even look at me in that way. The way I wanted him to look at me.

“Hey Brad,” I smiled.

“You’ve been keeping a low profile. Lower than normal.” He studied me. “I haven’t seen you around in weeks.” He said that like he’d noticed I had been missing and living somewhere else. Well, he would be the only one.

“I’m around.” I wasn’t really and if I could have it my way, I wouldn’t be here now. It was harder to put up a front here. I found myself being pulled back to it. What if it is cancer? What do I do?

Breast cancer. I could have breast cancer. I swallowed and fought back tears as that fact rolled through my mind again. I tore my eyes off Brad and looked back at my textbook. I didn’t want him to see I was upset.

For some reason, and I didn’t know why, Brad took notice of me. He knew when I was upset. He knew when I was lying. He and I shared the understanding that he never called me out on it either.

“So, studying in my garage, hey?”

I nodded my head.

“Not very talkative today.”

I shrugged.

“Want to tell me what’s wrong?”

I froze. Our normal understanding meant he never asked that question. I slowly turned around on my stool. He was standing there, his eyes locked on me and he was wearing a firm expression. He wasn’t going to back down unless I gave him something.

“Just stressed.” It was the truth. I was stressed.

Brad walked toward me till he was standing next to me. “Up.” His hands landed on my hips, and when I didn’t get up automatically he lifted me off the stool, putting me on my feet.

“You haven’t been eating, have you?” His hands clenched my hips, my bones digging into his skin. “Hannah. Why haven’t you been eating?”

I looked at the ground. Why did he even care? “I’ve been stressed.”

“Is that why I haven’t seen you?” His words were gentle, soft, and when I didn’t answer he took one hand off me and lifted my face up. “Come on sweetheart, tell me what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just school.” I lied and he knew it. I don’t know why I even bothered lying to him. He could always tell when I was speaking the truth or not.

His hand cupped my cheek. And he was holding me like he really cared about me. More than just out of respect for my father.