The House On The Cliff

Then - Hannah

Hannah pulled the towel tighter around her body, shivering as she tried to find her footing on the rocks.

The sky had fallen to darkness, and they were trying to see their way back to the house by starlight. She could hear laughter behind her.

"Hey"

She turned, and Beryl smiled at her, taking her hand casually. Her hand was warm and soft, and Hannah grinned back.

"Hey"

They climbed in silence like this, Hannah relishing the sensation of Beryls' hand in hers and knowing that she could break the hold. Beryl had told her enough about her escapades for Hannah to know that she wasn't into girls. She would end up with a broken heart.

Pulling themselves over the edge of the cliff, Beryl let go and ran ahead, and Hannah felt the absence of her small hand. She shook herself. She needed to get over this, now, before she let it ruin the rest of the summer.

She turned, helping Harry over the edge of the cliff, shaking her head with a grin when he winked at her, her long hair tumbling over her shoulder.

"Rapunzel" He said bowing, and she pushed him away.

Paul and Maisy appeared, with Tina close behind, and Paul helped both ladies over.

"Such a gent' Hannah observed, linking her arm through Maisy's, 'hold onto that one"

Maisy laughed, her eyes sliding to Tina. Hannah pretended not to notice, but there was definitely something in that look... a flash of something.

"I intend to" Maisy said with a cheerful smile, and Hannah wondered whether she had imagined it.

The house was chilly, so big that the radiators weren't doing their job, so Harry went through to light the fire.

Half an hour later, the girls had changed into their pyjamas and bundled in front of the fire, huddled together in a group. The boys were flicking through an old fishing magazine that had been left on the coffee table, arguing over who had caught the biggest fish last summer.

Hannah closed her eyes, relishing the warmth of the flames on her cheeks, the smell of the burning wood, and the arms of her best friends pressed against her own.

Her knee was touching Beryls' and every time that she thought about it her heart began to race, so she tried not to think about it at all.

"Alright guys' Maisy stood, leaving Hannahs' arm cold, 'I'm going to bed."

She laughed as they all booed at her, Harry throwing a cushion across the room.

Maisy raised a brow at Paul, who rolled his eyes comically and followed her, throwing the finger as they all whooped and cheered.

One by one they all left, until Beryl and Hannah remained on the rug, watching the flames as they grew smaller.

The room was growing dark, the stars winking at them through the window from the velvety sky. Hannah felt a shift somewhere in her stomach, and her breathing grew shallow.

Beryl lay her head on Hannahs' shoulder, her curls tickling her face, but she didn't dare move. She wanted Beryl to stay there forever.

She felt her breath catch in her throat as Beryls' small, soft fingers slipped into her own, and she wanted more than anything to turn and kiss her. But what if she didn't want that? She didn't think that she could spend the whole summer here if Beryl rejected her. She would never be able to see them again, she would be too humiliated, too hurt.

"Hannah?" Beryl whispered, her voice low and gentle.

Hannah turned to her, trying to stop her hands from shaking.

They looked at each other for a long time, the oxygen seemed to disappear from the air around them, and Hannah couldn't breathe.

"Jesus, you scared the shit out of me!" Harry yelled, flicking the light switch on.

Hannah jumped away from Beryl, heart pounding, and rose to her feet, "Sorry' she grinned, trying to control her breathing, 'just going to bed now".

She moved quickly, wondering whether they could sense the nerves that were crackling all over her skin.

She could feel Beryls' eyes burning into her as she turned the corner.

*