Once Upon a Star

Chapter 8

“Since when do you bring packed lunch?” Debby asked Hanna. “Now,” Hanna seriously answered and started eating. Not long, Hanna’s eyes started to get teary. Tears were falling from her eyes as she ate. “Why are you crying?” Lyndon asked Hanna, the moment he saw her tears. Hanna looked at Lyndon, “I am?” she asked him. Lyndon slowly nodded. “I think I placed too much pepper and chili in my food,” Hanna answered and continued eating.

“Then, after submitting your projects, we will proceed to poetry,” Ella explained to her class when her eyes saw Hanna about to fall asleep. She went to Hanna and took a closer look at her. “You don’t look well, Ms. Park. You look like you have a fever,” she told her. Ella felt Hanna’s forehead and shook her head. “Ms. Do, will you please take Hanna to the clinic?” Ella asked Debby.

The nurse took Hanna’s body temperature; the nurse took note of the temperature. “How high is her fever?” Debby asked as she sat beside Hanna. “39; hopefully it lowers down, she drank the medicine already,” the nurse answered and left them.

“I think I’ll walk you home,” Debby offered as she held her friend closely. “It’s okay, I can walk alone,” Hanna insisted. “But you’re still hot and dizzy, you might faint,” Debby opposed. “I’ll walk you home,” Debby insisted. “I’ll walk her home,” Sean butted in and took Hanna from Debby. He placed his left hand on Hanna’s left shoulder. “Thank you for taking care of her,” Sean thanked Debby, bowed and left Debby.

[Closer] “What’s happening to her?” Debby asked as she watched Sean walk Hanna home. “Too much studying, pressure; I guess,” Lyndon answered as he stood beside Debby. “Since when did you have fever?” Sean asked Hanna. Hanna shook her head and looked at him. Sean was holding the spoon, trying to feed Hanna. Hanna was surprised; she looked at Sean and the spoon, alternately. “Eat,” Sean told her. She opened her mouth and ate the porridge Sean cooked for her. After eating, Sean asked her to drink medicine and let her lie on the couch.

Hanna was lying on the couch, and she couldn’t sleep. Sean was sitting on the couch next to Hanna, and he was reading a book. Hanna looked at Sean, and then looked outside the balcony when she can see the night sky. “Since when did you move here?” Hanna asked Sean with a weak and low voice. Sean looked at Hanna, “Rest,” he told her. He stood up and knelt before Hanna to feel her forehead.

Hanna looked at Sean, she looked at his eyes. “I want to know,” she whispered. “A month before classes started,” he answered her as he knelt. “Why didn’t you…” Hanna asked when Sean used his pointer finger to stop her from speaking, by covering her lips with his finger. “Go to sleep,” he told her.

Sean went back to his couch and continued reading. “Thank you,” Hanna whispered. It was low, but loud enough for Sean to hear. Sean stopped reading and looked at Hanna who was silently sleeping. He went to her and felt her forehead. “Good, the fever’s gone,” he whispered. He looked at her, and thought.

Sean went to the balcony for some fresh air. He closed the glass door and looked at the stars. “I wonder what happened to her and to her family,” he thought as he looked behind him, at Hanna. Sean took his phone and called someone. “Hello, Dave? Yes, it’s me. Can you do me a favor?” Sean asked, in a phone call.

Sean went out of his room and went to the living room. He saw Hanna was about to sit; he went to hear and gently pushed her back to the couch. “What are you doing?” Hanna asked Sean as she looked at his face. She felt her heartbeat again, pumping so hard. Sean noticed that she was holding her left chest again. “Do you want me to bring you to a doctor?” he asked her, Hanna shook her head.

Sean smiled at her and looked at her chest, “What are you looking at?” she asked him. Sean moved his left ear closer to Hanna’s chest, and listened. “Your heart seems so healthy,” Sean said as he looked up at Hanna. He then moved closer to Hanna, with Hanna in his embrace. “Stay in bed,” he whispered and stood up. “But I’ll flunk my subjects…” Hanna said. “Who cares, I would probably stop going to school next semester,” she went on. “You won’t, you’ll make it up to your subjects,” Sean assured Hanna and left. “How can he be sure of something I’m not?” Hanna whispered as she closed her eyes.

 Debby was eating donuts with a bad mood, “I can’t eat,” Debby told herself as she placed the donut back to the box. “Hanna, what’s happening with you!” Debby said in an irritated manner. “She never told us anything,” Lyndon said as he took a sip of his drink. Debby sat straight and went closer to Lyndon, “I’m so worried right now, I can’t stand not taking care of Hanna knowing that she’s alone and sick right now,” Debby said as he looked at Lyndon. “Let’s visit her,” Debby asked Lyndon. “You can’t,” Sean interrupted them. Debby and Lyndon looked at Sean with fishy looks.

“She’s not home,” Sean told them as he finished his sandwich. “How did you know?” Debby asked him, “She told me,” Sean answered. “She told you? She talked to you?” Debby asked again, “I met her in the elevator,” he explained and took a drink.

[Only Hope] Sean arrived at his place and heard the piano playing. He looked at Hanna, playing the piano, and he listened. Hanna stopped playing, “I wonder why he’s not home yet,” she whispered and sighed. She arranged the piano scores and noticed someone enter Sean’s room. “Sean?” she called him and stood up. She knocked at Sean’s door, “Sean, are you home? I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to play your piano. I was just…” Hanna explained. Sean opened his door and was topless, Hanna immediately looked away.