Part I Chapter IV: Runaway Hannah

She heard a loud knock on the door. "Who would knock this loudly?" she wondered. She straightened the yellow summer frock she was wearing and put on her slippers. The knocking grew louder and louder. Running her fingers through her lush wavy brown hair, she walked towards the door. As soon as she unlocked it, the door was forcefully pushed.

"Where is she? Where is that bitch?" Lori screamed.

"What are you doing here Lorraine?" she said calmly.

She looked at June in hatred. "I'm not here for you, I'm here for your whore of a roommate Hannah!"

"You can't just barge into people's homes, call them names, and expect to get answers to your questions. I'm sorry to inform you that there is neither a whore nor bitch here. Try searching somewhere else, your home would be a good start." She said mockingly.

She went into a rage. "How dare you use that tone with me? You shouldn't forget where your place is! And that is under my feet! Just because Adrian's got the heart for you doesn't give you the right to talk to me like that! You're just like Hannah, you stole Adrian from poor Ronda…"

"I didn't steal anyone. It was never going to work out between them anyway. He decided to stay with me, not with your bratty sister…" She said in her defense.

She laughed hysterically and said, "You think you're so perfect! You're nothing but a scavenger, living on what my sister left behind. He'll break your heart, just like he did to Ronda."

She tossed her long brown hair across her shoulders. Grinning, she said, "You know what you are? Plain jealous. You're jealous of Adrian and I. You wish you had the same relationship with your boyfriend Julian but you don't…"

"Shut up!" she screamed, stomping her white heels on the floor.

"Why should I? Afraid of the truth? I know the truth hurts but you have to accept it. If he felt anything for you, why would he sleep with Hannah? He doesn't love you, so stop building castles in the air that he does! When you're done acting crazy, let yourself out, and don't come here again." She said, walking away.

Hearing those words, she snapped. "You ingrate pig! Gold-digger!"

She turned back and stared at Lori, her dazzling green eyes darkening. "What did you just call me?" she said in a low tone.

She smirked and said, "I said you're a gold…"

She shoved Lori, making her floor to the ground. She threw a vase in her direction. She ducked and it hit the cream-colored wall. Lori tried to scratch her face with her nails, but June was too strong for her. She pushed Lori once more, staining her white halter-neck dress. She got up and tried to scratch her again, but was shoved once more. After many attempts, she gave up. She got up, straightened her stained gown, and said, "Mark my words, June Winthrop. You and Hannah are going to pay for all the pain you've caused me…"

She picked up her bag that lay on the floor and walked out of the apartment. June sighed and walked into Hannah's room, where she heard soft sobbing. She shook her head and stepped into the room.

"Don't cry, she's gone."

'How long will this go on? How long will I hide in the shadows, running away like a coward? I can't sleep properly, or eat properly. I can't…'

Suddenly, she felt nauseated. She ran into the bathroom and threw up in the toilet. When she was done, she flushed it after which, she washed her face. She slowly walked out of the bathroom, as she stepped into her room.

"Still feeling sick?" She said concernedly.

"I've been like this all day! I don't get it." She said, feeling worried.

"You could be…forget about it." She said changing the topic.

"Tell me." She said, not wanting to be in suspense.

"You could be pregnant…" She said, dropping the bombshell.

Her face fell as she slowly placed her hands on her hands. "I can't be pregnant!", she cried, "I'd be ruined!"

"It was just an assumption. To be on the safe side, you should take a PT…" She suggested.

"Pregnancy test?" She said, trying to confirm what June said.

She nodded her head. She went into the bathroom to take the test. When she was done, she staggered out of the bathroom, her face crestfallen.

"What's wrong? Are you pregnant?" She asked.

She slowly nodded her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. She could picture her parents' disappointed faces. She closed her eyes as she wished that the earth would open up and swallow her.

Noticing the change in her mood, she pulled her in for a hug, running her hands over her thick brown cornrows.

"It'll be fine, we'll get through this…" She said, trying to lift her spirit.

"How?"

"I don't know but…"

"My parents went through a lot to ensure I completed my studies in the States! I'm so stupid, dumb, black, inconsiderate, and stupid…" She cried.

She pursed her lips and said, "Do you want to know a secret?"

She looked up and stared at her with her wet reddened brown eyes, slowly nodding her head. She smiled and said, "Wipe your tears off."

She cleaned her face with the red sweater she was wearing. June paused and said, "Do you know I was once like you?"

"What do you mean?" she said, looking confused.

"I got pregnant in high school…"

"Are you serious?" She said, surprised by the information June had shared with her.

She nodded her head and said, "I was so confused and lost. I wanted to kill myself. Luckily, my parents supported me through my darkest times, and the father of my child, my boyfriend, didn't dump me like other boys would. I gave birth to my dear baby boy, happy and fulfilled. As for my boyfriend, we're getting married after college."

"You have everything going so smoothly for you. How old is he?" She curiously asked.

"Two. He stays with my parents. Wanna see a picture?" She asked.

She nodded her head bashfully. Unlocking her phone, she showed her a picture of a boy having emerald green eyes and long locks of black hair. He was wearing a tracksuit in the photo. She felt her heart burst. She sighed and said, "You've been through a lot June. How do you manage to stay positive?"

"I don't let my mistakes alter my future." She said confidently.

Her eyes fell. "What's wrong?" June asked.

"You had family and friends who cared for you during your dark times. I have nobody…" she sobbed.

She frowned and said, "Who says you've got nobody? I'm here for you and no matter how disappointed your parents will be, they'll always be there for you too…"

She smiled, her tears still running down her cheeks. "You're a true friend June. You're like the sister I never had."

"I'll always be there for you. But as a sister, I advise that you attend class. You need to prove to Lori that you're tougher than she thinks." She requested.

She nodded as she lay her head on June's lap. Closing her eyes, she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

She slowly walked into the academic block. She could feel the stares people were throwing at her but she ignored them. She walked into her classroom. With every step she took, she could hear their murmurs and whispers and with every step, they grew louder and louder. She took her seat at the end of the class. Laying her head on the desk, she softly cried. Suddenly, she was dragged out of the class by her hair. She struggled but to no avail. She looked up and saw the attacker was Lori. She cried and pleaded but she didn't stop pulling until they reached the back of the building where she threw her on the floor.

"You've got some nerve Hannah banana. I should give it to you, I never thought you'd be so gutsy as to return here." Lori said mocking her.

She felt a surge of energy and said, "Leave me alone Lori! Besides, if anyone is responsible for what happened, it's you. You drugged me and you foolishly trusted Candy to complete the task properly. Even I know she's an idiot! If anyone's to blame, it's you!" 

Lori said nothing but instead, moved towards the bushes and retrieved a baseball bat. When she saw it, she took to her heels. Running through the thorns and bushes, blood and dirt stained the yellow shirt she put on. Lori was on her tail but she kept on running. Suddenly, she tripped on a rock. Lori smirked and flung the baseball bat.

"What are you doing Lorraine?"

She turned and saw her fiancé. Enraged, she screamed, "Why do you care? You've never cared about what I do until now! Is it because of your new girlfriend?"

"You're crazy! Drop the bat!"

She laughed and flung the baseball bat once more. He grabbed it and threw it deep into the woods. "What's wrong with you?" he screamed. She laughed and said, "You've seen nothing yet Julian…"

She flung her strawberry-blonde hair and dusted the dirt of the white flower-patterned dress she was wearing as she walked away. As for Hannah, she felt dizzy. She felt the heat of the sun as it slowly engulfed her. Finally, she let go.