Adventure Beyond Rosewood: A Haleb Book

Chapter 8

Before I know it the pace of my legs quickens until I am running. Running from Caleb, running from the motel, this dingy, remote village and the trainwreck that is my relationship with Caleb. All we ever do is go round in circles these days. He can't just let me find a way to deal with the guilt I have lying in the pit of my stomach by myself. He has to intervene and play saviour. Sometimes you have to save others, before you learn to save yourself. I can't just drop everything and run off into the sunset. A won't let me and neither will my settling guilt. I need to own up to what I have done and deal with the consequences. It's part of life.

So before I know it, I am on a bus-  no sorry 'the' bus as there only is one- back to Rosewood. I step and look around to find three other people on it: a skinny, teenage girl with shoulder length brown hair staring out the window, a middle aged man with dark brown hair and a handsome face reading a book and a woman with sandy blonde hair and a pale face shovelling food into her mouth like she might die any second if she doesn't.

I take a seat in front of the middle aged man and pull out my phone. No messages. No phone calls. No voicemails. I don't know what I was expecting.

I let out a sigh and run my hand through my hair. I play with the blunt ends, running my fingers through them as to neaten them.

"You OK?" A voice from behind me says.

I spin round in my seat and and look up at the guy sitting above me. I observe his features: dark brown hair, dark blue eyes capable of melting any girl's heart, long eyelashes (curse guys and their long eyelashes) and rosy pink, full lips. I raise my eyebrow at him.

"What's it got to do with you?"

He shrugs casually like asking stranger's if they're OK is a natural thing to him. "The way you ran your hand through your hair and sighed," he hesitates, "just seems like you're stressed," I raise my other eyebrow, "am I correct?"

I hesitate. This complete stranger wants to know if I'm all right? I can't just blab everything out to him like no tomorrow. That's just stupid. So instead I say, "Yes. Yes you are correct," he nods, "oh and sorry for snapping at you! It's been ... a long day."

He looks around him, pursing his lips. "But it's only the afternoon." He laughs. It's deep and genuine. It makes my heart race for some reason.

"When your Hanna Marin that's a long day." The words come out too quickly like my mind is slower than my mouth. "Sorry. Blabbermouth over here just revealed my name to you. You must think I'm a desperate woman looking for attention from a random guy on a bus."

"I don't think that of you at all... Hanna. In fact let me be the desperate one and tell you that my name is Liam Rodger Peters." He grins at me displaying perfectly aligned white teeth.

"I appreciate your humour. I really do."

"Good. You only live once Hanna Marin. Make the most of it..."

I stare at him for a second digesting what he means by his last sentence. I only live once. What's the point of being afraid of A? What's the point of fighting with the only person that has ever loved me and been there for me even when I shove him away in every bad situation? "You only live once Hanna Marin. Make the most of it." What wise words.

I see the "Welcome to Rosewood" sign up ahead and press the stop button. I stand and turn to face Liam.

"Goodbye Hanna Marin," he says grinning.

"Goodbye Liam Rodger Peters," I smile.

"Maybe that'll be our always," he grins.

I cock my head at him and laugh. "Did you just quote The Fault in our Stars?"

He smiles up at me, "Maybe. Would you smile your pretty smile for me again if I said yes?"

"Are you flirting with me Mr Peters?"

"Do you want me to flirt with you Miss Marin?"

"No."

"Why?"

I lean forward and rest my elbows on the top of the chair I was just sitting in. "Let's put it this way: I already have one dick to fuck me. I don't need another one." I grin mischievously at him and his eyes widen in surprise.

"Fairplay Hanna. Fairplay."

"Goodbye Liam Rodger Peters. See you around." I grin and turn my back. The door of the bus opens letting me off. I step off the bus and onto the wet pavement... but not before I hear him mutter, "Goodbye Hanna Marin. Miss you already..."

***

The ground beneath me is wet indicating that there must have been a downpour last night. At least I'm wearing the right shoes...
for a change.

I walk down the familiar street and glance around at the familiar surroundings: The Brew, The Church, The Apple Rose. I pick up the pace, deliberately trying not to bump into anyone I know. As far as I know Aria, Ezra, Toby, Spencer, Emily and Alison are still in Rosewood even after Em's party last night.

I don't know what to say or how to say it when I approach Emily. I picture knocking on the door and Emily opening it up only to close it in my face angrily. I also picture her asking questions and being the confrontational person that she is. She's not afraid to speak her mind is our Emily! That's for sure!

So as I approach the familiar big, white house with the familiar tall black door, I feel nervousness sink into my stomach, causing butterflies to erupt.

I pause and then knock on the door softly. There is no answer so I try again. I look over to her driveway and find her car sitting in its space. She must be in. She doesn't go anywhere without her car...

I am about to knock again when Emily opens the door. Her head is down, staring at the phone in her hand. She bumps into me knocking me too the side. She mumbles an apology and then looks up.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"What'd you mean?" I ask confused.

"What happened to you last night Hanna? One minute you were there hugging me and celebrating my birthday and the next you were in Caleb's arms and he was running out of my house like a crazy person! Care to explain Hanna?"

Well if this isn't the confrontational welcome I was expecting I don't know what is.

"Emily I-"

"You know what save it!" She puts her hand in front of my face interrupting my explanation. "I have to get to Alison's."

"Why are you going to Alison's?" I ask as she spins round and walks a few steps down the pathway of her front garden, leaving me both confused and curious at her doorstep.

"Because A has Spencer and Aria Hanna!" She shouts. She shakes her head at me biting her lip. "You getting in my car or what?"

QOTD: What is your fav computer game?
AOTD: The Sims 2!

OK so that's not the response Hanna was expecting! But in Rosewood is anything ever black and white? Aha nope! Hope you enjoyed! (Liam's character though ahahah)
-Hannah