A Beginners Guide To Falling In Love

20

Music
1.Figure 8 - Fka twigs
2.Strange love - Halsey
3.Ultraviolence - Lana del rey
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Just as Brad disappears Chloe appears in the doorway this time and looks back to watch Brad storm off, then raises an eyebrow at me.

"What happened here?" She asks looking between me and James.

"Don't worry," I say awkwardly.

"Anyway I need you downstairs, it's revenge time!" She exclaims and grabs my hand leading me out of the room.

"Hannah?" James says loudly and I turn back to face him, while being dragged out the room. "I'm sorry."

"Me too," I reply before finding myself back in the hall.

Chloe grabs a microphone off the dj and makes a small clearing at the front of the hall, she pulls me into the clearing and people look around confused, she then leads me onto the stage where the dj is and he stops the music. Everyone looks up at me and Chloe as we stand on the stage trying to turn the microphone on.

"Right, okay we are now going to have some words from our very own birthday girl Hannah!" She says excitedly, Chloe couldn't get anymore cheesy American film if she tried.

Everyone went silent and Chloe then handed the microphone to me, I was so lost in the moment. I felt my heart beat in my throat, and all the emotions that came with Brad and James. I wanted to cry, scream and try to act as normal as possible in front of everyone.

"Erm, as you can tell it's my birthday and one of my best friends set up this party for me which I'm really thankful of. I don't really know what I'm supposed to say, but I was told this would be a good idea so I'll just carry on." I say, I can't believe how weird and awkward this is right now.

As I begin to open my mouth again my eyes fall on another pair of eyes, brads. Part of me is shocked that he stayed and another part is thankful as it now gives me something to talk about. But before I can begin another voice comes through the speaker.

"I guess you not knowing what to say makes this part much easier, huh?" Sean's voice comes through and he walks onto the stage, I then hear cheers from all of Sean's friends.

"I know that I haven't seen you in a while, but I haven't been able to get over you since you left, and as soon as I was invited to this. Well, I've never been happier, because I knew I was going to see my girl again." He begins then pulls a box out of his pocket, a look back to Chloe like a lost puppy and she also has the same expression as me. "I guess that what I'm really trying to say is that I love you, and I've always loved you since the first day I met you, and I know we're only young but this seems like the right thing to do." He says then gets down onto one knee, and by that point I've completely lost it.

How am I supposed to say no, and tell everyone what he did to me, everyone will think I'm horrible. I can't say yes though I'll be stuck with someone I don't love and it will be harder to get out of that. I catch Brad watching us, and James at the other side of the watching me as well, but he looks away as soon as my eyes meet his.

"Will you marry me?" He says looking up at me hopefully.

I look back over at Chloe again and she's no longer there, well she's a great friend. Chloe also promised me he wasn't proposing, and well look what he's doing.

"Erm, I'm so sorry but I can't." I mumble quietly holding the microphone by my side so no one can hear.

Suddenly Sean does the last thing I thought he would do, he throws his microphone on the floor off the stage followed by the box.

"Are you fucking joking?" He shouts angrily and frustrated.

"I know this is hard for you, but I have my reasons." I try to tell him nicely and attempt to place my hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have any I reasons, I gave you everything, I brought you the most expensive ring." He continues to shout then lowers his voice. "Fuck, I've just missed you so much, have you even thought about me?"

"I suggest you don't answer that question, unless of course you want him to know." Chloe appears out of nowhere shouting.

"Want me to know what?" He raises his voice, staring at me.

"Don't worry." I reply quietly.

"Is this your pathetic excuse huh? Come on enlighten me," he shouts in my face aggressively and Chloe moves in front of me defending me.

"Because you fucking raped her!" She shouts back, and in that moment I want the ground to swallow me up.

"Oh, great one, pull the rape card. Well done you," he continues to shout and adds sarcasm while clapping his hands loudly. "Why don't you say that for yourself Hannah, or did your friend just make that up for you?"

I've never felt so weak before in my life, and the fact that Brad and James are watching me right now makes it ten times worse. I can't bring myself to speak and if it wasn't for Chloe I'd probably be a pile of dust on the floor.

"We're done listening to your bullshit Sean, why don't you take a hint and fucking leave." Chloe retorts and leads me off the stage.

I feel his hand roughly grab my arm and pull me back hard, I try to pull back but his hold is too strong.

"Do I make little Brad jealous?" He shouts cruelly and laughs.

"Don't bring him into this," I say weakly and yank my arm away.

"See, I don't go a day without thinking about you, and I come here to find out that you've been screwing around with some fuckboy the moment you got here." He shouts in my face and shoves me.

I stumble back and I'm filled with rage, I know me and Brad aren't okay, but he didn't need to say that.

"Fuck you, brads not a fuckboy he has a heart of gold and he was always there for me to talk to unlike you!" I almost scream charging toward him. "We also haven't even had sex." Before I can even take control of myself, I find my hand strike his face leaving a red mark behind.

Shit, I think to myself as I realise what I've done, Sean's face is lit with rage as soon as my hand leaves his face. I quickly try to move from him and trip on my heels, but Chloe grabs me and moves me behind her and pushes me in the direction of the steps to get off the stage. We practically run out of the hall and into the hallway, the crowd and Sean chases us out there.

"Don't run away from me, we're far from finished." I hear him yell.

I turn to see how far behind he is and he stands in front of me, he then yells something else so loud I don't even understand. I am then hit in the face with his fist and my cheek throbs and my gum starts to bleed. I hold my face shocked from his sudden action.

"Hannah." James then appears in the circle formed around us and he runs to me, I look to James's left and Brad stands beside him, what's he doing?

"Are you okay?" Brad asks looking concerned. "You better fucking go, before I call the police." He shouts turning to Sean who is already starting on James.

"Fucking around with two boys are you?" Sean shouts at me cruelly and then adds. "Whore."

How does he know? Tears fill my eyes from the pain in my face and what I did before and in the speech. I find myself being held by Chloe, how long have I been leaning back on her? I burst into fits of tears as for once in my life I have wished that I no longer existed. The whole crowd blurs around us and all of James, Chloe's and Brad's cries fade and a blanket of darkness takes me away.