Miss nobody strikes back

Soft breaths

Chapter Thirty-Six

Hanna

I walked into the house with Dana by my side, my eyes widening at the sight before me. I wasn’t expecting a full house. There they were: Mrs. Donovan, Dominic, Judy, Sophia, and a woman I didn’t recognize. Sophia’s gaze immediately locked onto me, her eyes filled with daggers.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice dripping with disgust.

“Who’s she?” the unfamiliar woman echoed, her tone just as cold.

Samantha, with a warm smile, stepped in. “Hanna, dear, why don’t you go wait upstairs in Dom’s room? He’ll join you shortly,” she said while gently fixing a stray strand of my hair. I nodded and smiled back at her.

“Let’s go,” Dana urged, tugging at my hand.

“Hey, come finish your food!” Judy called out quickly, trying to intervene.

“Nope,” Dana refused, shaking her head.

Judy pouted playfully, her voice adopting a childish tone. “Are you replacing me with Hanna? That’s not fair.”

Dana smirked. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Let’s go to my room,” she whispered the last part into my ear, causing me to chuckle. We made our way upstairs to her room.

Her room was enormous and painted in shades of pink, with white walls that only made the pink accents pop even more. The bedspread, wardrobe, and almost every decoration were pink—it was like stepping into the cutest room on the planet.

“Wow, your room is adorable!” I exclaimed, taking in the scene. Dana beamed, clearly proud of her space. She sat on the bed, and I followed suit, surprised at how soft it was.

“What about your room?” she asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

“Well, it’s just normal,” I replied, shrugging. I couldn’t imagine my room ever comparing to hers.

“Wanna see my toys?” she offered excitedly, and I nodded. She led me to a large cabinet filled with toys, and beside it, a whole section dedicated to shoes and dresses. Her walk-in closet looked more like a mini-boutique than anything else. I couldn’t help but be amazed.

“Wow,” I muttered. “How can a little girl have so many clothes?”

We played with her toys for a while before returning to sit on the bed. After some time, Dana broke the silence with a thoughtful expression. “You know, this is the first time my brother has brought someone over, besides Sarah. Honestly, you’re very nice, and I like you.”

Her words warmed my heart, and I smiled back at her. “That’s so sweet of you to say. What about Sarah?”

Dana wrinkled her nose. “She’s so full of herself. She doesn’t like to play, and sometimes she says mean things to Judy that make her sad. She always calls my stuff ‘childish.’ She’s not nice at all, and she’s always glued to my brother.”

Hearing her say that, I felt a pang of sympathy for Judy and Dana. It was hard to imagine a girl who didn’t like playing at all, especially with someone as sweet as Dana.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “She doesn’t seem very nice, even at school.”

Dana nodded, her expression serious for a five-year-old. “Brother Dominic doesn’t like her either. He’s just tolerating her because of Mom.”

Her candidness surprised me. It was clear that Dana was an observant little girl, even if she was still young. I listened quietly, reflecting on what she had said. Whenever I saw Sarah with Dominic, it made me feel uncomfortable, like a knot tightening in my stomach. I wasn’t supposed to feel this way after all, I didn’t really understand the rush of emotions that seemed to surface whenever Dominic was near.

Judy soon joined us, her usual, and of course, it wasn’t long before she started taking pictures. It was impossible to hang out with Judy without being caught in one of her  photo sessions, she was just like a mini Jenny. Time passed quickly as we talked and laughed, but I realized I needed to get back to Dominic’s room to continue working on our project. Even though he wasn’t there, I busied myself with research and took notes.

Hours slipped by, and still, Dominic hadn’t shown up. I assumed he must have been busy with Sarah. Feeling a bit frustrated, I continued working and eventually fell asleep at the desk, my notes spread out in front of me.

Dominic

Sarah had been talking non-stop, and I was struggling to stay focused. All she ever talked about were her nails, hair, makeup, and shopping. it was the same dull routine every time.

“Sarah, I need to go. I have a project to finish,” I said, trying to sound polite but firm.

“Okay,” she replied, but before we could leave, Martha appeared, her eyes lighting up at the sight of us.

“Oh, look at this cute couple!” she exclaimed, gesturing for us to sit. “Come on, sit down for a bit.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Anderson, but I really have to....” I began, but she interrupted me.

“I know, I know, but just have a coffee with me and your mother. We have a lot to catch up on,” she insisted. I sighed internally, wondering when this day would finally end.

Minutes stretched into hours, and the boredom gnawed at me. I checked the time, and to my horror, it was already past six. I had left Hanna alone in the room for hours.

“Excuse me,” I said abruptly, standing up.

Martha called after me, but I didn’t stop. I heard my mother trying to explain my sudden departure, something about my project needing attention.

I rushed upstairs, feeling guilty. As soon as I entered the room, I felt an immediate sense of relief to be away from Sarah. I spotted Hanna slumped over the desk, fast asleep. I approached quietly, noticing the notes she had written.

I sat down beside her, reviewing the work she had done. A soft smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I glanced over at her peaceful face, her soft breaths the only sound in the room.