Stuck on Earth - ONC 2020

13. Broken

Hannah sat down behind Tina on her bed. She rubbed Tina's back as she sobbed into her pillow. Hannah thought to Spencer and asked if he could leave the room while she had a moment alone with Tina. He looked sad for Tina and nodded. Excusing himself and closed the door behind him.

"I'm so sorry, Tina," Hannah whispered.

Tina picked her head up and shifted her body around to face Hannah.

"I don't understand what happened?" Tina questioned, through shuddering breaths. "Everything was going so well. Then, last night when we were driving home from the movies, he started acting differently. He didn't want to hold my hand anymore, and when I went to kiss him goodnight, he just gave me his cheek."

Tina burst into tears again. Hannah patiently waited for her friend to calm down once more.

"I have something to tell you," Hannah admitted cautiously. Tina just looked at her and waited. Hannah explained the concerns she and Jennifer had about how Eddie had been acting. She provided examples of his behavior, hoping it would help Tina understand when she finally ended and said, "So, I found a way to undo the love spell."

Tina's eyes darkened. Hannah thought for a brief moment that Tina's eyes were more intimidating than Alpharium's. "Get out," Tina demanded with a now sharp and stable voice.

"Tina –"

"I said, get out!" Tina said louder, startling Hannah.

Hannah didn't argue. She got up, left Tina's room, and bounded down the stairs as fast as she could, almost tripping on the last step. Spencer and Todd were in the living room watching sports and talking. She didn't want to be rude, but she didn't want to stay and converse with Todd either. All she wanted to do was go home and spend the rest of the day in bed.

Spencer and Hannah didn't talk all the way home. She turned up the volume as loud as her hearing could stand and zoned out to the alternative rock station. Once home, her mom commented that she was surprised to see Hannah home so soon. Choosing not to respond, she made her way upstairs.

Hannah hardly ever locked her door, but this time she did. She wanted to be alone. She even told Spencer to go find something to do and warned him to stay out of her thoughts.

Hannah tried using her runes to see if they could provide her answers on what was to come between her, Eddie, and Tina. Every cast she did, didn't answer her questions. Hannah figured it was because it wasn't midnight. Then she tried using her tarot cards, but without her guidebook, or Spencer's help, the layouts didn't make sense to her either.

She grabbed every spellbook she had, including 'Spells Real Spellcasters Should Know.' She read through every spell, hoping she'd find something that could help her and her friends forget everything that had happened. All of them were useless. Hannah gave up, got into her bed, and closed her eyes.

*******

Hannah didn't realize that she fell asleep. Or that she slept until the next morning. When she checked her phone for the time, she saw that there were only a few hours until she had to be at school.

Her weekday morning routine typically included showering, doing her makeup, and picking out an attractive outfit. But that morning, she just wanted to do her best to get through the day, so she could get back home and be alone. She took a quick shower, braided her hair, and put on an old, worn t-shirt and jeans.

"Are you okay, Hannah?" her mother asked when she saw Hannah putting on her sneakers by the door.

"I'm fine, Mom."