It wasn't at first sight

Chapter 13

Monday.

After having spent the whole weekend with Jordan, now that he's gone, Hanna is meeting up with her friends. They are getting together at Spencer's.

She drives past Caleb's house before she parks in front of Spencer's and she sees a few men working on the outside of the house, but she doesn't get to see Caleb.

Hanna and Caleb haven't heard from each other during all weekend long. Caleb has focused his energy on the house and has been working hard on it, forcing himself not to talk to Hanna or even text her, trying to slow things down just like he told Toby he would. Even if that meant that he wouldn't see Chocolate during the weekend either. Seeing Hanna with Jordan has only made him fall into reality, all those days that they spent together weren't real, it was just a fantasy. She won't stay in Rosewood for much longer, and the only reason why she spent that much of time with him was probably because everyone else was busy with their lives and the only one available twenty-four seven was him, not that they didn't have great times together, that part was real, but Caleb knows it won't be like that forever and he doesn't want to keep fooling himself. If he wants to stay friends with Hanna and keep her in his life, he needs to try having a realistic friendship with her, instead of sticking around her all the time.

All the effort he made during the weekend to cool things off with Hanna goes out the window the second he sees her stepping into his house.

Hanna "Hey" she greets him while taking her sunglasses off. "You didn't show up during all weekend long, how are you doing?"

Caleb can't help smiling. He lays the screwdriver that he is holding in his hand on a ladder and approaches her. "Hey... I'm well, you?"

Hanna "I'm pretty good" she smiles. "I'm getting together with the girls at Spencer's, but I saw the door open and I had to come say hi to you... I've missed you, why didn't you even come pick Chocolate up?"

Caleb "I didn't want to bother you, you were busy" he says and shrugs. He reminds himself to keep his distance, he ignores that I-have-missed-you part and takes it just as a set phrase.

Hanna "Oh, please... you should have texted me"

Caleb "I've been working hard on the house anyway... I didn't have the time" he says and goes take a duct tape from the toolbox on the floor next to him, sticking back to his plan to keep some distance from her. "I'm planning to move back in here tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, the ground floor is almost ready, and I can stay here until I finish the first floor, which will take another week, or two..." he climbs on the ladder and gets back to fixing an electrical connection.

Hanna "Oh... Okay, then..." she says and stands there for a while before she realizes that Caleb is too focused on his duty to pay attention to her. "Well... I'll be here next, at Spencer's... I didn't bring Chocolate with me, but let me know if you want to see him sometime"

Caleb "Yeah, I will... I don't want to bring him here, there's a lot of stuff all over the house, I don't want him to get hurt, but I guess I can take him out for a walk tomorrow" he tells her, still focused on what he's doing.

Hanna "As you like" she just says and leaves.

/

Hanna rings the doorbell at Spencer's and Emily answers the door.

Emily "Guess what?" she says amused.

Hanna "What?"

Emily "You are the last one to arrive again"

Hanna rolls her eyes at her and makes her way to the living room where the rest of her friends are hanging.

Hanna "Hey, guys" she greets them and they greet her back as she goes have seat on the couch. "How are you feeling, Spence?"