Chapter 13
I am not sure how long I have been sitting at the door crying, but it feels like hours. I can hear footsteps coming up the stairs in the building, and I just pray that it is Rayanne. I hear keys jangling at the door, and I know that it is Rayanne. I hop up and check the peephole…just in case it isn’t her. I swing the door open and jump into her arms. We fall backwards and hit the wall in the hallway.
“Hannah, honey, what is wrong? Why are you crying?”
“Rayanne, Jason…”
“Jason what Hannah. Did he hurt you?”
Before I could answer, Rayanne helped me back into the apartment. She led me to the couch and sat down with me.
“Did he hurt you? Please tell me.”
I looked at her and saw that she was really afraid for me. I could see past all the stupid bullshit that has gone on between us the last month or so, because it didn’t mean anything. This girl loves me. She is my sister. It is weird, that in this moment of being totally messed up because of what Jason did, I can feel the love Rayanne has for me. I am loved, and I knew I would be okay.
“He didn’t hurt me that much. He tried to, but I think I broke his nose.”
“What? He tried to and you think you broke his nose? What the hell happened Hannah?”
For the next 20 minutes I explained everything. I explained how the asshole tried to force himself on me, and how, amazingly, I was able to fight him off.
When I was done I sat there staring at her, waiting for her to say something. It felt like forever before she said anything, but I am pretty sure it was only a few minutes.
“Hannah, are you sure you are okay?”
“Yes, I am physically fine, but I am pretty sure I just made my therapist’s job a lot harder,” I told, her half joking and truthful.
“Don’t joke around about this Hannah. This is a serious thing that happened to you.”
“I know that Ray, but if I don’t try to laugh a little I may crumble underneath it all. I can’t do that. I will not let some asshole take away everything that I have been trying to overcome. I will not let Jason take away the person I am starting to become.”
“I understand and respect that Hannah, but do you think that maybe you should report it to the police?”
“I don’t know what I can report Ray. I mean, he didn’t hurt me that much and I am the one who hit him. What if I get in trouble and not him?”
“That can’t happen…can it Hannah? I mean he put his hands on you. I can see bruises starting to form on your arms.”
“Honestly, I would just rather forget about it.”
Rayanne bolted off the couch and started raising her voice to me. “You can’t Hannah! What if he tries this with someone else and they don’t get the chance to hit him like you did?”
I am shocked for a moment that this never crossed my mind. How would I feel if he succeeded in his attempt next time? I know how I would feel. I would feel horrible.
“Oh my God. I never thought of that. I can’t let that happen. We have to go to campus police now. I will not let him do this again.”
Rayanne grabbed me and hugged me so tight I couldn’t breathe.
“I am so fucking proud of you Hannah. The girl you are now is so different than the girl I grew up with. You have changed so much in this last month. I feel like I am finally getting to know the real you. Who you truly are is finally coming through. And let me tell you, who you really are is a brave, smart, creative, loving, and free person. Thank you for letting me be a part of all of this. Thank you for finally letting me in.”
I stand there, listening to all she is telling me, and I am overcome with emotion. I start to cry hysterically.
“Hannah, I didn’t mean to upset you. Please stop crying honey.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong Ray. Just all those things that you just said are all the things that I want to be. Thank you for telling me all of that.” I take a deep breath, gather myself and tell her, “Now let’s go before I chicken out.”
As we start to walk towards our door, we hear a knock. We both look at each other and I know we are thinking the same thing. What if it’s Jason again? Then I hear the best sound in the world…Zane.
“Hannah Banana Split please let me in.”
“Zane?” I say as more of a question than a statement.
“Yes, please let me in.”
I grab the handle of the door, open it and I throw myself straight into his arms. I hear a grunt and a moan come from Zane. I pull back to see if I hurt him some how.
When I look at him I can see that he has been in a fight, and I can’t tell who won this fight. His lip is split open and his left eye is starting to swell and bruise.
“Oh my God Zane! What the hell happened to you?”
“If you let me in, then I can tell you.”
“I’m sorry. Please come in. Hurry.”
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End Game
ChickLitThis is the story of Hannah Finley. All she has ever wanted is to feel like she belongs. A girl who is trying to learn to love herself after finally leaving an abusive household. Leaving for the first time, to go to away to college, she runs into...
