Pretty Wings (Paul Walker)

Ch. 12

                  

"So let me get this straight you saw Hanna for the first time in what... ten years and you still haven't called her?"

Paul took a sip of his beer and eyed his brother Cody.

"Yes Cody."

"My question to you is what are you waiting for?"

"For one she's seventeen and I'm with Kori."

Caleb and Cody shared a look before smirking at Paul.

"Well if she's as developed as you calm she is, can I take her out?"

Paul put his beer down and eyed Cody with such fury it was a wonder how Cody hadn't turned into a pillar of salt.

"Try and I'll kill you," he said with a cold tone.

"Well damn if you don't want anyone else to scoop her up you need to make a move now. Maybe there is a reason that the two of you crossed paths again," Caleb tried to reason.

Paul shook his head and sighed. He didn't know what to do, but he felt like he was running out of time with Hanna.

***

Hanna looked at her phone went it started to ring. Once again her heart sank when it was just Sal. She didn't get it, Paul had almost kissed her and then hadn't called her and it was going on three months. Rolling her eyes, she picked up before the call could go to voicemail.

"Hello," she asked.

"Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?"

"Nobody. I'm just stressed is all."

"Don't tell me that you're still stuck on this Paul guy."

Hanna bit her lip and tried to keep from lashing out at Sal.

"No, I have to go."

Before Sal could say anything else, she hung up the phone. Sliding her phone into her back pocket she picked up another box before tapping it up.

"Babygirl?"

She turned around and hugged her father as he entered her room.

"How's it going?"

"All packed and ready to go," she said taking a look around her room.

She was all set to move in with Sal in California. She'd gotten a full ride to USC and she couldn't have been more excited for her future.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing."

"Yes it is."

"Nothing that I can't handle dad."

Chris looked at his daughter before sighing and helping her carry her things downstairs.

"You know I'm here for you if you want to talk. I know that I'm not a woman but I can help if you need me too."

Hanna smiled and kissed her dad's cheek.

"I know daddy and that's why I love you," she said getting into the passenger's side of the car.

***

Paul let his finger hover over Hanna's contact before he heard Kori's voice.

"Hi baby," she said placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Hi."

Kori put her hands on either side of Paul's face and leaned in for a kiss.

"Whose Hanna," she asked looking down at his phone.

"An old friend."

"Why haven't I met this friend before," she asked getting a bit defensive.

"Because we just reunited."

"Are you cheating on me," she asked folding her arms over her chest.

"No I'm not."

"Prove it."

"How am I supposed to prove it," he asked getting annoyed.

"Delete the number."

Paul looked down at his phone and bit his number before delating the number and showing it to Kori.

"Happy now," he asked.

"Ecstatic," she smiled before turning on her heel and walking off.

When Paul was sure that she was out of hearing distance. He went back to Hanna's contact. Kori had to be on something to think that Paul had really deleted Hanna's number. Taking a deep breath, he hit the call button and heard the phone ring before someone picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hanna?"

There was a long pause and Paul was about to hang up until he heard someone moving around on the other end.

"Sorry about that," he heard Hanna say into the phone. "What's going on?"

"Nothing much. I just wanted to see where your head was after... you know."

"I'm still trying to figure it out honestly. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Would you have kissed me if Sal didn't show up?

"Yes,"Paul said not hesitating to answer her question.

"What about Kori?"

"You let me figure that out."

Paul heard what he thought was Sal's voice in the background call and he clinched his jaw.

"I have to go Paul."

"Can I text you?"

"Sure," she said before hanging up.

***

Hanna opened her eyes and rubbed her growing belly. Kori hadn't liked her from jump and she was starting to think that maybe, just maybe she'd had a hand in Paul's death. Like the old saying goes if I can't have him, no one will.