Chapter 3: So after everything you needed my pity.
"I can believe the summer is over," two girls talked as they passed Hannah.
She looked at her pink Bentley, then she opened her trunk and tossed her luggage into the car.
She then opened the front seat and hopped in. She turned on the car. To her surprise, it made no noises. She sighed in frustration, then tried again. It didn't work.
"No, no, no, it can't be. Please tell me, Bentley, please," then she tried again. It made a noise, then stopped. Hannah sighed as she placed her head on the driver's wheel.
"I know that sound. It seems your car is broken," Hannah turned to see the girl who met her earlier.
"My dad restores classic cars," Stephen continued as she held her steering wheel, looking through the window. Then she continued, "Do you want a ride or..."
Hannah looked at her, speechless. Then Stephen smiled. "Or do you not want my pity?"
Hannah sighed as she opened the front seat and entered the car. Her eyes didn't dare to look at the girl by her left, who smiled at her once in a while.
Stephen decided to break the silence. "I didn't watch the video, by the way."
Hannah turned to her. "Congrats," she said before looking out the window.
Then she scoffed. "You're the only one." Stephen glanced at her before she continued driving. "Was it your ex who leaked the video?" Stephen asked as she made sure not to look at Hannah because she might give her a cold glare. Hannah didn't reply.
Stephen continued, "Is that why you punched him?"
Hannah sighed. "Are you gonna talk this entire ride?"
Stephen didn't reply. Then it hit Hannah. "How do you even know that?"
Stephen glanced at her before she turned to the road. "I'm actually transferring to Sara's High."
Hannah just looked at her. Then Stephen said, "I actually saw it on a post."
"Moving before senior year... ohh brutal," Hannah said as she nodded her head slightly.
"What happened to him, your ex?" Stephen said, still concentrating on the road.
"Oh, you know what happens to every guy. Nothing," Hannah said in a calm voice, not displaying any anger, just like a casual question.
Then she continued, "I'm the slut on probation, and his tiny little dick gets away scot-free. They always get away scot-free," Hannah concluded.
"Hmm. I know what's like to get screwed over," Stephen's voice decreased by someone you thought you could trust.
Hannah just glanced at her curiously. Stephen sighed. "When I was thirteen, uh, I went to day camp with this girl, and she existed on, like... she was untouchable, untouchable plane. She glowed."
Hannah looked at her curiously. Stephen's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "I pretty much already knew I liked girls, but I hadn't told anyone yet."
Stephen released one of her hands from the steering wheel and pushed her golden-brown hair back, then continued, "But this girl, I thought oh, if she liked me, it will like validate my entire life or something. And I finally talked to her, and... it was great."
"Like she made me so free and confident and safe. But before I know it, I told her I was queer, and it felt amazing." Stephen smiled. "It was like the single greatest moment of my life."
"But I guess I wasn't as safe as I thought, because she told everybody that I tried to hold her down and kiss her."
Hannah looked at her, not with pity, but with curiosity about what she did to the girl.
"What!" Stephen looked at her. "You cannot imagine. Damn!" Hannah said as she looked at Stephen.
"It wasn't like she outed me. I don't care 'cause everyone is like totally gay. I just—" she turned me into this predator no one would come near me." Stephen sighed. "She destroyed me."
Hannah looked at her. "No consequences for her, I assume?"
"Nope. She actually goes to Sara's High," Stephen said.
"Really? Who?" Hannah said as she looked at her curiously.
"It's Priea James," Stephen answered. Hannah turned away. "Priea? Not that grunchy granola lesbian?"
"Yes, I think I know her," Hannah said. "Damn. Outed by your own team."
"Ahhhhh!!" Stephen screamed. Hannah just looked at her, speechless.
Her eyes said everything. Stephen just looked at her. "I'm sorry."
"Oh my God," Hannah said as she looked back at the window. "Sorry, it just really helps sometimes. You should try it. It... it'll really help with NK stuff."
Hannah didn't bother looking at her. "Fine. I don't even think about him anymore."
"Just do it, Hannah," Stephen said as she smiled at her.
"No, thank you."
"It's recommended by medical professionals it's called..."
"Ahhh, wow, that feels good!" Hannah screamed, taking Stephen off guard.
Then she chuckled, looking at Stephen. "She just laughed. You really had that pent up."
"Hey, should we like go have like a grilled cheese?" Stephen suggested. Hannah looked at her. "Sounds nice."
"Let's get grilled cheese," Hannah whispered, turning to Stephen.
It didn't take long to arrive at the exotic restaurant. The place was a little filled up 'cause it was the end of summer, so people were returning from their vacations.
Hannah and Stephen sat down, and I ordered their food.
Stephen looked at Hannah. "Why don't you like transfer?" Hannah looked at her curiously. "Transfer where?"
Stephen looked at her. "Anywhere." Hannah scoffed. "I'm not like you, Stephen. I can't just transfer anywhere. I'm not like you, Stephen."
"My mum is a nurse," she continued, "who spent her whole life making sure I have a bright future."
"I can't mess this up. Sara's High is my only way to Yale, so..."
"What about your friends?" Stephen asked, eating the food that they had recently ordered that was being served when Hannah was talking to her.
Hannah sighed. "You mean NK's friends?"
Stephen looked at her, shocked. Hannah smiled awkwardly as she sipped a little from her drink. "I can't—no, I didn't even imagine all the powers he had all this while," Hannah said as she looked at Stephen, who was still in shock from the response.
"You know, he makes you feel so safe and protected, but it's all conditional, playing the role he wants you to play, which I thought I was doing, but I guess not."
Stephen looked at her. "We all love our emotional terrorist."
Hannah took a spoon from her ice cream, then nodded. "Yeah, they're so fun."
Hannah looked at her. "What about you? Why would you want to go to school when some bitch who ruined your life goes to the same school?"
Stephen sipped her coconut juice. "I did not—I begged to go to another school," she said as she drank her coconut juice.
Then she sighed, dropping her juice on the table. "But as much as I believe that I am the arbiter of my own social calendar, both my parents still haven't finalized things officially, so they believe that's the best way to go to Ivy university."
Hannah took a bite from the Cheese. "They're not wrong." Stephen looked at her. "I'm dreading." Hannah looked at her. "Same," she said as she continued eating.