𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬

Chapter 4

They hear Lizzie, Isaac, and Abigail come crashing through the woods to meet them. The three of them look scared to death.

" What's wrong?" Sarah asks. When no one answers her, she raises her voice. " What's wrong!?"

" They've found us, Sarah." Lizzie tells her.

Sarah and Hannah's eyes widen with fear.

" What shall we do?" Hannah asks with a panicked tone.

Voices are heard from the other side of the wood. The snapping of branches and leaves. There's not just one or two men there. It's a whole mob.

" Come on!" Isaac whisper-shouts and begins to run, dimmed lantern shaking in his hand.

The girls take off after him, trying their best to not make too much noise.

" If we're caught," Sarah thinks to herself over the sound of her thundering heartbeat. " Our families will bring hell down upon us."

She glances over at Hannah and thinks about how especially bad it would be for her. As the pastor's daughter, she was expected to be holy and well-mannered. And holy and well-mannered did not include sneaking off into the woods after dark to party with friends.

And it definitely did not include kissing another girl.

Sarah grabs her lover's hand as they run. It's the only way she can make sure she doesn't lose her.

" I think I can see the village!" Abigail says as they near the edge of the woods.

By the time they get there, their hearts feel like they are about to explode out of their chests. Their legs ache and burn from never having run this far for this long.

Sarah feels a tug on her arm as Hannah stops in her tracks. The blonde girl drops to her knees, her legs finally giving out on her. Sarah rushes down to her side to make sure she is okay.

" We must keep going." she tells her.

" I can't." Hannah says in between breaths.

Sarah tries to stand her up, and she succeeds at first. But then Hannah collapses in her arms.

" Isaac!" she shouts and the boy immediately rushes to help her carry Hannah.

Lizzie and Abigail try to help but there is not much they can do. Once they reach the back of Sarah's house, they lay Hannah gently on the ground and catch their breath.

" You aren't going to take her home like this, are you?" Isaac asks.

" Of course not," Sarah replies. " She shall stay the night with me."

" Her mother will have a fit if she finds out that she's with you!" Abigail tells her and Sarah knows it's the truth.

" And she'll have an even bigger one if we take her home like this." she gestures at Hannah passed out on the ground.

" I suppose you're right..."

" You all better hurry home before they come back."

" But how are you going to get her in without your father knowing?" Lizzie asks.

" I'll find a way." Sarah responds as she picks up Hannah and drapes the girl's right arm over her shoulders.

              ****

Somehow, she made it. She had broken out in a cold sweat multiple times when she thought she heard someone getting out of bed, but it just turned out to be her mind playing tricks on her.

Now as she lays Hannah down in her bed and tucks the covers over her, Sarah can't help but smile. She pushes a strand of blonde hair behind the girl's ear so she can get a better look at her. How is it possible she could be this beautiful even when she is asleep? But then she reminds herself that it is Hannah, who never ceases to amaze her.

Sarah slips under the covers as carefully as she can. When she is finally settled in, with Hannah beside her, for the first time in a while she feels at peace. The girl she loves more than anything in the world is right there next to her, and once more a grin comes across her face as she thinks about how wonderful that is.

With all the gentleness she can muster, she slides an arm over Hannah and snuggles closer to her, until the two figures in the dark become one. Soon, their breathing begins to synchronize and Sarah has never felt anything this right in her whole life.

She leans over and kisses the back of the other girl's neck and whispers, " I love you, Hannah."

Falling asleep has never felt so good before.

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A/N: I apologize if this chapter seems a bit rushed. School is starting back for me and I wanted to make sure I wrote one in case I don't get to for a while. I think I have figured out where I want to go with the plot, so hopefully that will make writing easier. Thank you all so much for reading this story, it means the world to me!!!💜💜💜