Bradley
I got to school early, to wait for Hannah by her locker.
“Why are you wasting your time with her?” Someone asked. I turned and saw Sabrina Castillo; Hannah’s best friend. Well, I thought they were best friends.
“Aren’t you two friends?” I asked.
Sabrina laughed flirtatiously and put her hand on my chest. “Oh honey, I wouldn’t be seen dead with her.”
I scowled and removed Sabrina’s hand from my chest.
“But seriously,” Sabrina said. “You don’t want to be seen around her. Come find me at lunch today.”
Sabrina winked and walked away, swaying her hips in a way I think she thought was seductive. To me she just looked stupid.
I was getting impatient and when I looked at the clock there was only ten minutes left before home room. Where was Hannah?
I was about to leave and go to class when I saw Hannah enter the school. She struggled with the door and as she walked this way, I noticed she was limping.
“Are you ok?” I asked.
Hannah jumped in surprise and then hissed in pain.
“What happened?”
I’d never seen Hannah injured before. She used to fall off the top of the monkey bars and just get up and walk away like nothing ever happened.
I was seriously starting to think I was in an alternate universe.
“Nothing,” Hannah murmured. “I’m fine.”
She reached up to open her locker and I saw tears well in her eyes.
“Clearly you are not fine,” I growled. “What happened?”
I don’t know why, but the thought of her being hurt made me really angry. More angry than I’d been in a long time.
“It’s nothing. I just tripped and fell on the way to school.”
I could hear the lie in her voice and I wanted to press her for more information, but the warning bell rang and Hannah limped off to class. I had a different home room than her, but I skipped and waited outside hers instead.
When the bell rang, Hannah was the last person out the door. She was moving so slowly.
“Give me your bag,” I told her.
Hannah looked at me and then kept walking.
“Hannah,” I warned. She stopped suddenly and handed me the bag, avoiding eye contact.
We walked to Mrs. Morris’s class together and Hannah was clearly having an easier time without the extra weight from her backpack.
I put her bag down and she thanked me quietly before taking her seat.
Mrs. Morris took attendance and then started introducing the partners assignment. I was relieved when she said we got to pick our own partners; it would’ve been a bother to have to convince her to let me be with Hannah.
Once Mrs. Morris was done, I turned to Hannah.
“Partners?”
She looked at me for a moment and then blinked. “No.”
“What do you mean no?”
“I’m doing the project alone,” she said.
“It’s a partners project. I’m pretty sure you are going to need a partner.”
Hannah just rolled her eyes and limped up to Mrs. Morris.
I watched with a smirk on my face as Mrs. Morris told Hannah she had to work with a partner.
Hannah didn’t look at me when she sat back down. “I’ll do all the work,” she said. “You don’t have to do anything.”
“Now what kind of partner would I be if I left all the work to you?” I asked, the smirk still fixed to my face.
“I don’t care. Just let me do it,” Hannah begged.
“No. We’ll do it together. You can come to my house after school today.”
“I can’t!” Hannah said quickly. I was about to ask why when the bell rang. I reached to grab Hannah’s bag, but she beat me to it and ran out of the classroom.
I tried following her, but even injured, Hannah was fast.
At least that didn’t change. Hannah used to make bets with the other boys that they couldn’t beat her in a race. She won every time. She would’ve made bank if the teachers hadn’t found out and forced her to stop.
I don’t think she knew I knew about that, but I did. I saw every race and a surge of pride always went through me when she won.
___________________________________
Hannah
I just wanted Bradley to leave me the hell alone, but he wouldn’t. All throughout the day he kept questioning me about my limp.
He questioned me in the hall, during lunch, even in class! I don’t know why he cared, but I didn’t like it.
He needed to stop getting in my business before he got himself into trouble.
The final bell rang for the day and I rushed out of the classroom. I was almost to the front doors of the school when a hand grasped my wrist.
I pulled it back with so much force I went flying back and landed right on my ass. Again.
“Are you ok?” Bradley asked me for the second time today.
“I’m fine,” I said as I pushed myself up.
“I’m sorry Hannah, I didn’t mean to.”
Why did he sound so guilty?
Did he know something?
“It’s fine!” I shouted and ran out of the school. I ran and ran until I reached the park. I collapsed down on a bench as tears flooded my eyes.
He couldn’t know anything. He couldn’t!
My heart was racing and I thought it was going to pound right out of my chest. Part of me wished it would.
I hated feeling like this. Being filled with panic from the slightest touch.
I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my head in my hands as I cried.
Someone sat down next to me and wrapped their arm around me. I was too tired to care.
“Hey, it’s ok,” a voice whispered.
My body stiffened and I looked up. “Bradley?”
Did he follow me here?
I tried scooting away from him, but he wouldn’t let me.
“Please let me go,” I whispered.
Bradley moved his arm and I got up to go, but Bradley stopped me.
“Let me drive you home,” he offered.
“No.”
“Come on Hannah,” he pleaded.
“No.”
I walked away, not looking bothering to look back at the boy behind me.
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