Hannah leans with her back against the wall, pretending to read her notes. She surreptitiously watches Jin, who has been accosted by a classmate. He talks to her reluctantly, but doesn't want to make her uncomfortable, so he answers the questions she asks him.
The 16-year-old wants to hear at least part of the conversation, but she is standing too far away, and the noise in the hallway prevents her from doing so. He boils inside her with anger because he sees that the girl is interested in him. He pretends not to see this or is simply so discouraged by her company that he doesn't actually notice it.
Hannah hides her face behind a notebook, sticking out one eye and batting her eyelids when he catches her peeping. The 18-year-old doesn't stop talking to him, but he doesn't listen to her at all. He stares at the younger student as if trying to read the truth from her face. He continues to be troubled by Hannah's behavior.
He sees how much sadness there is in that look, so she leaves the notebook, looking at him with an apologetic gaze. She doesn't want him to hate her. This has all gone in the wrong direction. She wants nothing more than for him to get close to her.
— Jin — she turns to him silently, moving her lips, however, he turns his face in the opposite direction and ignores the girl who accompanies him.
He walks away without a word.
The 16-year-old lowers her head and plunges her sad gaze into her white sneakers. She feels sorry for herself. She didn't mean to hurt him.
— Hannah? — The girl is surprised to hear her mother's voice. She looks in disbelief at the elegant, young-looking woman who stops in front of her. There is a serene smile on her face. — Why are you so sad, honey?
She blinks her eyelids, surprised by her presence.
— Mom? Why exactly today? I'm about to start another lesson. You promised to show up on the weekend.
— Sorry. Since I came back from vacation, I've been so busy that I don't even have a moment to myself — she defends her, putting her hands on her shoulders. — I came rushing to see you, at least for a while because I'm flying out to Washington soon. There has been a lot going on in the company lately, besides, your father... — At this point he breaks off, and Hannah looks at her closely. — Your father is back in town.
Nothing could upset her more.
— Is he in the city? Here in New York?
— Yes, he is with his woman — she says with reluctance in her voice. — I have little interest in this because we are not married, but I wanted you to know. After all, he is your father.
Hannah smiles grimly.
— Why should I be interested when he can't even call me? He has a new family, and besides, I have no blood ties to him, so let him do what he wants.
— Nevertheless, he is your father. He raised you.
— He is one only in the register... — At the last moment she bites her tongue to avoid saying anything more, and she is close to doing so. — I only have you, mom. Even though you are a workaholic, you also replace him for me.
The woman smiles cheerfully.
— Are you all right? How are the preparations for the exams? — She unexpectedly changes the subject, expressing more interest in her daughter. — I know that you suffered a bit during the vacations, so I'm worried that you should not strain yourself too much. — He picks up a strand of her hair and puts it behind her ear. — What did you mean when you called me and asked if you were sure you hadn't lost your memory?
The 16-year-old's face pales.
— It was just a joke, mom. — Her heart rises to her throat. She feels an unpleasant, warm sensation in her stomach. She becomes breathless. — The level is very high at school, so sometimes I need a joke when I take a break from my books.
The woman looks at her closely, but does no longer pursue the subject. She realizes how much Hannah suffered at that time, how much she experienced that one incident. Even then, she noticed a change in her behavior. She didn't mean to upset those closest to her, besides, she was so happy when she found out that she was going to attend the school of her dreams, she left all her sorrows behind... As a mother, she wanted to help Hannah, but the girl was stubborn and said that everything was fine.
She believed her.
She hugs her daughter. The girl closes her eyelids, smelling her favorite perfume. She misses it, even though it's only been three months. With satisfaction, she opens her eyes and the smile goes out of her face when she notices the amused Joseph in front of her. He measures her mother with appreciation, his fingers showing that she's quite a hottie. The 16-year-old looks at him with indignation in her eyes, but he just shakes his head and walks away. On the way, he pushes the boy who stood in his way.
— Soon, you will start the lesson. I'll get back to you when I get back to Chicago, okay?
The girl only nods. The woman kisses her goodbye on the cheek and walks away.
*
Joseph walks over to his roommate, who is sitting alone in a chair. He rolls his eyes as he pats him on the shoulder, yet he doesn't react.
— I'm an excellent clairvoyant, so I shoot that you had an argument with your mistress — he says with amusement in his voice. Jin lifts his face and measures him with a sharp look. — It's apparent that you haven't spoken to each other for days. You are avoiding her. It's probably because she wants more kisses — he snorts under his breath.
— I'm not in the mood to listen to your teasing. Go bully Jimmy. Invent new punishments for him — she bites back, nervously moving her leg.
Joseph puffs out his lips, having the urge to punch him; however, he refrains at the last moment. He doesn't want a confrontation with his friend, and both of them are fierce, and neither of them will extend a hand in agreement.
— Your father has quite a taste. — He unexpectedly changes the subject. — I didn't know Hannah's mother was such a hottie. I would be tempted by her myself — he claims, raising an eyebrow. Out of the corner of his eye, he glances at his confused friend. — What are you looking at? She was here a while ago. Apparently, she missed her stupid daughter.
Jin breaks from his seat. The bell sounds, announcing the end of the long break, and he notices the girl enter the classroom. There is no sign of her mother anymore.
He was late.
*
Her heart stands up as a strong pounding on the door wakes her from her sleep. She gets sick of it all. She rises from the bed too vigorously as she loses her balance. The girl leans against the wall with one hand, feeling dizzy. She can't lose track of time, so she runs to the door and opens it wide. She spots a man running toward the stairs.
Out of all this, Hannah forgets to lock the room and runs after him. She heads down the stairs, not intending to lose the devil. She sees him enter the men's bathroom on the first floor. He stops. At this hour, everyone is asleep, no one is around, and she is about to find herself in the same room with the man who scares her every night. Her heart rises to her throat, but she finally puts her hand on the doorknob. She feels anxious for a moment, so she closes her eyelids and takes a deep breath.
What will be, she thinks as she presses the doorknob and goes inside. He closes the door behind him. A man with a mask on his face stands in front of her, remaining silent. Hannah waits to see what will happen, but neither of them makes the first move. Until... When he unexpectedly puts his hands on the mask. Hannah gets the impression that he intends to pull it off. She gets weak because she is afraid of what she will see soon.
If he shows her his face, does that mean he will kill her?
He pulls the mask off with a firm motion. Hannah is so scared that she covers her face with her hands. As she remains silent, she hesitantly lifts her eyelid. Her body is paralyzed by shivers when she sees his face in the white light.
— Why? — She whispers, shaking with fear. — Why do you hate me so much that you have been making my life miserable from the beginning?
Joseph smiles cynically. He runs his fingers through his black hair, and she only then notices that this is the first time she has seen his eyes unpainted with black crayon.
— It wasn't me, idiot. I was just trying to lure you out of the room.
The sixteen-year-old wrinkles her eyebrows. The mask is identical to the one used to scare her at night.
The boy lifts it up for her to look at it more closely.
— Are you sure this is the mask? — She nods in response. — In that case, it was stolen earlier. Someone used it.
After thinking it over, she believes him. It can't be Joseph. Although the person who uses this mask is similar to him in height, he undoubtedly looks much more slender. He is muscular.
— Why did you drag me here in the middle of the night?
— Because it was my whim. I don't want anything else from you — he announces. He leaves the bathroom and purposely closes the door in front of her nose.
When Hannah runs out into the corridor, there is no trace of him.
*
Joseph is furious. He throws the mask at the feet of the person standing in front of him, looking at her with disbelief in his eyes.
— I beg you to say that it is not you.
— What are you talking about?
— Some time ago I found this mask in your room, but I kept silent. Do you know why? Because I can't let myself think that you are the person who is doing this — he says through clenched teeth.
The person in front of him lowers his gaze and looks at the mask in disbelief.
— Did you find this in my room? This is the first time I've seen it...
He squints his eyes.
— So, what was she doing there? Did the dwarves move it?
— Stop being arrogant!
Joseph doesn't like it when someone raises his voice at him. This person knows it well, and yet he doesn't control himself.
— I swear this is the first time I've seen it with my eyes.... Where exactly did you find it?
— In your closet.
There is silence in the room. They are both silent.
— It's impossible...
— So you want to tell me that someone is trying to frame you? — Joseph at one point freezes when he thinks of the person who is actually capable of doing this.
*
Hannah enters the cafeteria and carefully looks around the interior. She sees that Jin is sitting at a table, accompanied by Tom. The other boys are not with them. For a long time, the teenager girl wonders if she can approach them, but fears Jin's reaction. He has been avoiding her ever since and doesn't want to talk to her. He is furious with her.
The brunette tentatively moves toward them, but stops mid-step. She doesn't know if this is a good idea. She feels the gazes of the students on her, but lately something has changed. No one is whispering behind her back, not to mention that she no longer puts up with the jibes from them.
Tom sees her. He smiles and cheerfully waves his hand at her, letting her know that she should sit down. Jin does not deny it in any way. She simply ignores it. She would rather he finally yells at her than act so indifferent.
— You look like a frightened mouse. Should I cut you some slack? — asks Tom as she takes a seat next to him. Hannah glances at Jin, who is sitting across from her. He is busy eating and not paying attention to her at all.
— I'm afraid even jokes won't help me today — she replies, sending him a humble smile. — Thank you for your concern, but I have had another sleepless night. — After these words, Jin lifts his face and finally looks at her. The teenager sees the worry in his eyes, but he still doesn't say a word to her.
Hannah busies herself with eating, although swallowing anything comes with unimaginable difficulty. She feels the boy's surreptitious glances on her, and acts as if he is still worried about her, although he tries to hide it.
The phone he has placed on the table begins to ring. He looks at the display and answers the call.
— Hello?
The 16-year-old crinkles her eyebrows when her attention is caught by Tom, who starts picking out vegetables with his fingers out of boredom.
Jin pierces Hannah with his eyes as he moves the phone away from his ear and puts it down on the table. The girl doesn't know what's going on because the boy looks upset.
— Will you stop playing this sick game of yours when I confess to you that Danielle is dead?