2.16

Hannah has been there for more than two hours now. She is still waiting for her friends, who are running late. The girl circles around the hotel, exploring every corner of it and waiting for any message from the person who gets there first. Through her thoughts run idiotic scenarios in which her friends decided to make fun of her. She doesn't understand why she ponders such foolishness, but she considers that Bella has been pestering her too much about this trip.

What if they all decided to play a prank on her?

She walks outside, admiring the wonderful landscape that surrounds the castle hotel. The weather is beautiful and sunny. You can see clouds of snow rolling between the rocks. The view is truly astonishing. Everywhere is white, but this whiteness looks different on the branches of tall spruce trees and different on the peaks of mighty mountains.

One can feel as if one is in a fairy tale here.

Hannah is about to write a message on the shared chat room they created just to communicate about the trip, but she is forestalled by Jin, who announces that he has just arrived at the place. Hannah breathes a sigh of relief when she notices the boy walking toward her.

— I was already afraid you had set me up.

— We were going to give up our vacation in such an incredible place? Come on. — Jin smiles serenely at her. — Shall we wait for them inside?

They enter the hotel and sit down on a leather couch in the lobby. It's no secret that they both feel uncomfortable in each other's company since Jin has secrets from her.

— I heard about what happened before Christmas. Is it true that the boy who attacked you mistook you for Danielle?

— Yes — the girl replies sadly, playing with the thread she is pulling off her sweater. — He attacked me in the parking lot, and he was so angry that I thought he was going to kill me. He must have hated my sister very much.

Jin crinkles his eyebrows.

— Did he say anything more? Maybe, who is he? — The boy looks concerned. — Danielle had many enemies, so I can't guess who did this to you.

— What did she do that so many people hate her?

— At school they considered her their queen because she was pretty and, above all, she could be bossy. — The boy smiles sourly. — Everyone wanted to be friends with her, even though she oppressed people who didn't match her looks or her behavior. She was popular at school, and you know how it is among peers...

— I understand that she was the female version of Joseph? — He shakes his head in response. — After all, she behaved exactly like him in high school.

— No, Hannah. Joseph may have had power at school, but he, however, had no enemies. Danielle was worse than he. She could be evil to the marrow of her bones.

The girl doesn't understand any of this anymore. Joseph in high school also acted like a moron. Despite this, people ran after him like dogs, trying to please him, so why did Danielle make enemies with similar behavior?

— What do you mean when you say that she was evil to the marrow of her bones? I got to know her. Maybe not as well as you, although I know that she was selfish, and also had crazy ideas, but I would never say that she could be cruel in some way....

— She bullied the weaker ones. She would choose poor, shy girls from among her students who were afraid to say anything. She gave them hell at school, and everyone kept quiet.

Hannah can't believe it. She is sure that Danielle was not like that. She met her, the two became friends in a fairly short time.

— How then could you love such a girl?

Jin lowers his head and looks at his winter boots for a long moment.

— I fell in love with her before I knew what she was really up to at school. For me, she was entirely different, which is why can't I say a bad word about our relationship. I never praised her behavior, although I very often helped her get out of trouble in hiding from our parents. I was the only one she trusted and the only one she could count on was me.

Now Hannah understands what Jin means. She is in the same situation. After all, she also fell in love with the devil. Maybe he's not as cruel as Danielle and doesn't behave as despicably as he did in high school, but she still lost her head for him.

The girl closes her eyelids as a thought invades her.

— I know how much you loved her. Jin, answer me honestly... is there a possibility that the person you are protecting is my sister?

The boy opens his eyes wider, clearly surprised by her words. He wants to say something, but right next to them are the animated voices of friends.

Hannah forgives him for the moment.

— When we go skating, I won't let go of your hand, lest you accidentally bump into some pretty girl. — Bella is hanging on Tom's arm.

At first glance they look like they are in love.

— It's nice that you're already there. — The boys greet each other by nailing a turtle. — Have you seen Joseph somewhere?

— For you, Mr. Joseph — replies Hannah as he walks up to his friends and greets them. — Have you waited long?

The brunette wrinkles her nose. Sporadically, she feels like punching him for his silly remarks.

— It was funny. — Bella giggles under her breath the whole time, covering her mouth. — And tell me... you're going to sleep in the same room with him?

Hannah shrugs her shoulders.

— Hola, my grown-up beavers! — Everyone turns around as if on command when they hear Jimmy's voice.

The entire set has been missing for a long time.

— Where is Mariah?

— On a trip with her family, that's why I came alone. I got permission from her.

— But you are a tiger.

Hannah sees that her roommate is measuring Jimmy with appreciation.

— I understand that this is the missing block? He's cool.

— He's not cool, he has a girlfriend, and you have a boyfriend, so get over it — Hannah answers her, forcibly turning her in the opposite direction. — We go to pick up the keys to the room.

— Hannah, where are you going? Won't you say hello to me?

The brunette rolls her eyes. She watches as Jimmy walks up to her and takes her in his arms.

— I've never liked you, but rumors have reached me that you are forming a relationship with my best friend.

— What kind of relationship? — they ask simultaneously.

They both look at each other for a long moment, which the others find amusing.

— Isn't that the case? Joseph would rather have a room with you than with me. — Jimmy looks offended as he watches his best friend. — You have to create some kind of relationship, unless you play open cards. — He sticks his hands out in front of him, not intending to speak negatively on the subject.

— Maybe you're right, too. — Hannah is surprised that Joseph confirms his words. — After all, a relationship is the only war in which you sleep with the enemy.

The girl opens her mouth in indignation.

— Jimmy, you want to share a room with your buddy? Great. — Hannah is furious and feels like spraying Joseph on a sour apple. — In that case, let's do a swap. I'm going to Jin's. Lately, our relationship doesn't look good. We need to explain a lot to each other. Evenings will be perfect for talking.

Joseph forces a crooked smile, yet the middle is boiling all over with anger.

— I feel sorry for my friend that he will have to deal with you — he burbles under his breath as he walks past her. Hannah feels like slamming him in the back of the head, but her hand hovers in the air, and she quickly corrects her hair to make sure no one sees what she intended to do just now.

*

She sits on the bed and silently looks at the older boy, hoping that he will understand what is on her mind. She waits for Jin himself to speak and explain to her if there is a possibility that the person she is protecting is her sister, or is she already completely paranoid?

— Do you want an answer to that question? — The boy sighs heavily as he sits down on his bed. He looks at Hannah for a long moment, wondering what he should do now. — I would rather not hurt you anymore with these lies. In December, I told you that I've had enough of all these secrets, and one day I'll crack.... I think it will happen today.

Her eyes begin to shine.

— Do you want to tell me about everything? To remind me of the memories that I got rid of from my head?

— The memories of that day will make you realize what a cruel and merciless person your sister could be. There's a reason you wanted to forget it.

The girl nervously plays with her toes, not taking her eyes off him. She is incredibly curious about what happened that day, but equally terrified, as she will eventually find out what made her erase all that memory from her mind.

— You know... when we were at the club, I accidentally overheard your conversation in the bathroom. — Jin pulls his eyebrows together, trying to remember that night and what he was talking about at the time. — You were talking to someone on the phone. You mentioned a dead girl. All this time I thought it was about my sister, but when I was attacked by that boy in the parking lot, he also mentioned it. He stated that some girl close to him was dead because of Danielle. Recently, I started to put it all together. — Hannah sees that every word she says makes Jin more and more uneasy. — You wouldn't protect someone you didn't love. The other night, you mentioned on the phone that everyone around you had been cheated, and it's going to come out of quite a mess. Why is the first person I think of is Danielle?

Jin swallows his saliva harder from nerves. As much as he wants to talk about it, he's panicky about her reaction. He doesn't know where he should start.

— Danielle, she... — The boy closes his eyelids and is about to finish his sentence, but their conversation is interrupted by a disruptive knock on the door.

— Open up, damn it! What are you doing there? — Hannah rolls her eyes when she hears the devil's voice.

— I guessed it would be like this — mutters Jin.

The girl opens the stubborn friend, who has no intention of leaving until they let him inside. He pushes past Hannah, ignoring her fulminating stare. The brunette is angry with him for coming just when Jin began to open up to her about her sister's accident.

— Something happened here... — Joseph squints as he looks at his best friend's face. — I know you. I can see by your face that you are confused. I disturbed you in something...

— Maybe it's good because I don't know what to do myself anymore.

— Not good at all! — Hannah raises her voice, not caring that she has just shouted at a boy older than herself. — Why did you come here!

Joseph walks up to her and squeezes her chin.

— Be quiet.

— I will not be quiet! You are disturbing us. Get lost! — The nineteen-year-old points her hand to the door, telling him to get out, to which he snorts under his breath. — Can you listen to me for once?

— Of course not.

There's no point in arguing with him, so he gives up.

— Did you come here out of curiosity, or do you want to tell us something? — Jin gets up from the bed and looks meaningfully at Hannah, letting her know that they will talk in the evening.

— There is an ice rink at the back of the hotel. We're all going to have fun. Get together. Quickly — he notifies them as he leaves the room. She looks over her shoulder and sees that they are still standing. — Quickly — he repeats. He takes a few steps back and grabs Hannah's hand. — Let's go.

*

Tom is the perfect teacher for Bella, who can't skate. He not only teaches her the technique, but also eagerly catches her in his arms. They form the most adorable couple on the rink, but it is not they who catch the attention of others, but Hannah and Joseph, who especially tease each other.

The girl is furious when she runs past him, and he pats her on the back causing her to lose her balance and fall on her butt. She's not about to let it go, so she sets off in pursuit of him, which amuses the friends watching them.

— Don't you think Joseph is hounding her for going to the room with you? — Jimmy glances out of the corner of his eye at his friend standing next to him. They are both leaning against the railing.

— I am convinced of the fact that Hannah will not have peace until the end of the trip. He will poison her life until she changes rooms. By the way, so will I. — Jin croaks at the thought of constant visits.

— All the time, I can't understand how something was born between them, since they weren't fond of each other in high school. Joseph was never interested in younger girls.

— This is true, and yet he was the one who helped her the most to get through a difficult period, and through this, they became closer. Everyone in the dorm already knows that they are crazy about each other. Unfortunately, they are both stubborn and run away from the truth. — Jin shrugs his shoulders. — And how is your relationship with Mariah? Brag about how many breakups you've had.

Jimmy rolls his eyes.

— There are days when I feel like handing her a broom and throwing her out the window. She's become a terrible witch since we started college. She is jealous of every girl. I can't have girlfriends because she gives me hell.

— Mariah? Really?

— We've had a few crises, but apparently our love is strong since we're still together.

Hannah yells at Joseph to finally stop and take a punch from her like a real man, so he unexpectedly turns around and spreads his arms to catch her. The girl is too close to him and falls right into his arms.

— Let me go — she demands as she is stuck in a bear hug. — Can't you hear what I'm saying to you?

— I can't hear.

The girl gets the impression that she is starting to run out of air.

— You will strangle me shortly.

— That's what I mean. I'll have holy peace. — She tries to jerk away from him, which makes him laugh. — Small, but how brave.

Although the 19-year-old pretends to be angry with him, deep down she is happy. So much so that she has the impression that he can feel how hard her heart is beating.

— Have you fallen asleep? — he asks when the girl is quiet for a long time. She seizes the moment when he loosens his grip and gives him a flick on the forehead.

She intends to run away, but Joseph is faster and grabs her hand. He pulls her back to him and they both lose their balance. Hannah falls on top of him and opens her eyes wide when she realizes how close his face is.

She lies on top of him and hastily blinks her eyelids as she realizes that this time she won't last. If she is to simply ignore the feeling, she would rather die, so she takes a deep breath, then embraces his face and kisses him on the lips.

What will be, will be. At most, he'll kill me, she thinks.