Greyscale [✓]

Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Hannah was nervous – that much was obvious, even to herself. Her fingers trembled as she carefully smoothed down her hair, her dark eyes flickering over her reflection.

It was the following day and she was almost finished getting ready to attend Tyler's birthday party with her cousin, her stomach churning at the thought of meeting the boy again, now knowing who he really was. Cameron's boyfriend.

"Having second thoughts?" Cam's voice called out from where he lay down on her bed, one hand running through his thick locks.

Hannah suppressed a grin at the familiarity of the sentence; it didn't matter what party it was, Cam would always give her an out if she needed it. He knew she didn't like being around so many people, somewhat claustrophobic by the many bodies surrounding her. She vaguely remembered him saying the exact words as she got ready for the first party of the year, the back to school party hosted by Matt, one of Ashlyn's flings.

It had only been a handful of months but already Hannah felt a million miles away from who she was on that day. So much had shaken her world in such a short space of time, so much had changed. She had changed.

"Of course not," she mumbled in return to her cousin, nodding at her reflection in satisfaction be turning to face him. Even though she was a little unsure about going, she wouldn't back out, especially as she knew how much it meant to Cameron. And this was completely different, it wasn't a Premrose Private School party; hopefully not many people would recognise her.

"Are you sniffing my pillow, you bloody creep?" Her voice rose loud, somewhere between outrage and amusement as she caught sight of her cousin in the mirrors reflection.

The edges of his ears ringing red, Cam rolled his eyes and sat up slightly. "It smells of boy," he replied, chin up as though nothing she could say would convince him otherwise.

Slipping her ankle boots on, she grabbed hold of his jacket and pulled him along out of the room. "Smelled many of them?"

Cameron laughed as they got in the car, the genuine amusement spreading across his face as he looked over at his cousin. With a flick of the gear, he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Duh," he answered, ignoring the way she snorted in reply. "I was just checking since Rayne was over, eh? In case you two were up to anything."

Hannah pretended she hadn't heard that last bit, instead pulling down the mirror and using her fingers to carefully separate some lashes that had decided to clump together. Cameron's annoying comments had reminded her of what had actually transpired the previous day, Rayne's offer swirling around her thoughts.

Hannah bit down on her lip, realising a second too late that she was wearing violet lipstick, matching her velvet skater dress. With a groan she neatened it out with her fingernail before whispering the one thing she couldn't stop thinking about.

"Rayne offered to help me find my dad."

Cameron pressed down on the breaks harshly, flinging them both forward. "What?!"

Clutching tight onto her seatbelt, she peered behind her to make sure he didn't cause any damage to the other drivers but thankfully, there wasn't anyone around them on the barely-lit street. "Can you try not to kill us!"

He just shook his head, as though he was trying to shake her words out and focused on his driving. With a careful three point turn, the tyres slowed to a standstill on a road lit up with the familiar sound of pounding music.

"We're here," he muttered as he parallel parked in the only available spot, turning to face her as he turned the engine off. "Rewind."

With a nervous chuckle, Hannah began to recount what had happened, mentally thinking how it always happened that their deepest conversations were always in the car.