Once Upon a Star

Chapter 10

Hanna was turning and turning on the couch. Sean grabbed her arm, she looked at him, “Can’t you stay?” Sean asked him. Hanna suddenly sat up and hit her head. “Why am I thinking of him? Why did he have to say that to me?” she asked herself. She felt her heartbeat again, “You, why do you have to beat faster when I think of him, when I see him, why?” she asked her heart as she hugged her pillow and lied back to the couch again.

Debby placed a big bag on Hanna’s desk; Hanna was quite surprised and she looked at Debby. “You’re getting thinner, are you sure you’ll be okay there? Do they feed you well?” asked Debby with concern. “I feel comfortable there, already…” Hanna told Debby as she smiled. “By the way, who are you staying with?” Debby asked, “Uh… Family, friend; family friend,” she uttered. “Oh, good then; but if they kick you out, you can stay at our place,” Debby offered.

“Make sure to review for your exam week, I don’t want anyone to flunk my subject,” Ella announced and dismissed the class. “How about you come to my place tomorrow? Let’s review together,” Debby offered Hanna as they walked in the hallway. “Sure, I’ll call you later then,” Hanna said.

“I’m going to Debby’s place, we’re going to review,” Hanna said as she looked at Sean. Sean was reading a book, and ignored Hanna. “This guy’s got to learn how to respond,” Hanna whispered and left. Sean cooked lunch and ate; he was about to go back to the living room when the door bell rang.

He looked at the intercom screen and saw a beautiful young lady. They sat in the living room; Sean crossed his legs and laid his back on the couch, as the lady smiled simply sat and smiled at him. “How have you been, Shane?” Christine asked him. Sean looked at her, “Don’t call me Shane,” he told her. “You’re still grumpy,” she told him. “Your father asked me to come and visit you, to see how you’re doing,” she told him as she smiled.

Christine drank her juice and looked at Sean. “Your father’s doing well though,” she mentioned. “You seem fine, I know you are. You’re independent and smart enough to live by your own, aren’t you, Sean?” Christine asked as she smiled at him. Christine took a deep breath, “I just wanted you to know that I love you, that your father and I will always be by your side. If you happen to need something, just tell me,” Christine told him, Sean suddenly looked at Christine.

Hanna went back to the condominium unit and brought pizza. “I wonder if Sean likes this flavor?” Hanna asked as she stood in front of the door. Hanna was about to enter the pass code when the door suddenly opened. Hanna saw Christine at the door; Christine saw Hanna and smiled sweetly at her. “You have a visitor or is she your girlfriend?” Christine asked Sean. “No,” he whispered as got out and went to the elevator.

Christine smiled at Hanna then went to the elevator as well. “She looks nice treat her well,” Christine told Sean as they stood in the elevator. “So, I’ll be seeing you soon. Take good care of yourself, Sean,” she told him and left.

“I wonder who she is,” Hanna whispered as she changed clothes in the bathroom. Sean suddenly opened the door and saw Hanna who was wearing shorts and a thin tank top. “Hey!” Hanna suddenly looked at the door and yelled. He was looking at her; Hanna ran fast to close the door but she slipped causing her to fall on Sean, and they ended up falling to ground.

“Why did you open the door?” Hanna asked him with an irritated tone. “Why did you not lock the door?” Sean asked back as he looked at her. “But you have your own bathroom!” Hanna yelled as she stood up and closed the door, and locked it. She leaned her back on the door and breathed fast. “That was very close,” she whispered. Sean stood up and went to his room. He closed the door and saw his own bathroom.

Sean was waiting in the living room with the pizza and pasta on the table. “Did you see anything?” Hanna asked Sean. “There was nothing to see,” Sean answered as he munched on his food. Hanna frowned and just ate. “Who’s the beautiful young lady?” Hanna asked him but he did not respond. “So you like older girls,” she added. Sean stopped eating and looked at Hanna with a serious face.

Hanna noticed that Sean was looking at her; “She’s beautiful, I like her for you,” she told him and slowly, she was standing up and was about to run when she got out of balance. Sean suddenly stood up and caught her, and the couch caught them. Sean was over Hanna, and they looked at each other.

Sean moved his face closer to Hanna’s. Hanna closed her eyes, and Sean whispered to her ear. “She’s my stepmother,” he whispered. He got off of Hanna, sat back down to the floor and continued eating. Hanna looked at the stars and wondered, “Does that mean he’s adopted, or did he come from a broken family?” Sean looked at a photo with him and another lady together in it. “I miss you,” he whispered.

“Jenny, Mr. Cha is looking for you,” Mia called Jenny. “Jenny, you’ve been working so hard, why don’t you get a vacation?” Richard, the law firm’s CEO, asked Jenny. Jenny shyly smiled, “I can’t; and, you probably know why, sir” she answered. “I know you have to pay off your father’s debts and bills, and all; but look at you, you’re so pale, and you look so weary,” Richard told Jenny. “I know, but I have to work more. The unit has been taken away already, my sister’s all alone and…” Jenny uttered, “How about considering my offer?” Richard asked as he smiled at her. “I… I don’t know sir; I can’t marry yet,” she answered.

“It’s still not enough, everything’s not enough,” Jenny told herself as she stood at the building’s roof top. “Hanna probably hates me so much right now, for leaving her behind, and for ignoring her calls and text messages,” she said as she looked at the view. “Looks like you have a problem?” a guy of the same age as her asked, and stood beside her. “I have problems too, I thought of killing myself but then I realized it’s not worth it,” he said and smiled at Jenny.