Hannah rests her chin on her hand, watching her roommate, who, instead of eating lunch, is looking around the cafeteria, as if stubbornly searching for something. She looks around in all directions and sighs loudly, kissing sporadically.
— Is something wrong? — asks the brunette, seeing the sadness in her eyes.
— Do you think it's a coincidence that they show up at the same time as us in the cafeteria?
The brunette shrugs her shoulders in response.
— Maybe so, but I wouldn't want Joseph to sit at our table. I don't like to eat with him.
— Why not? After all, you are friends.
— But with him, it is impossible to eat at the same table. He can't sit with his mouth closed, and the more he teases the other person. — Bella looks like a child at the moment. She is disappointed by her friend's words. — He is famous for making others uncomfortable, so I don't want him to pick on you too.
She takes the spoon in her hand and scoops the soup with it the moment Joseph enters the room. As you can see, his name has been called.
The boy sits down at the table, which is opposite Hannah's table. The girl from her seat can see him perfectly. He is in the company of a friend, presumably from his side. He looks amused.
— Apparently, your desire to see him was so strong that he was summoned — she says to Bella, at which she quickly turns around and looks at the older student with beaming eyes. — He is like the devil. Just don't sign any contract with him.
— He seems to be in a good mood. He smiles.
— It's not a good mood, but he's planning something cruel. In his head, he analyzes what he can do to make the other person unhappy. Apparently, someone teased him — Hannah replies, stirring her food with a spoon.
— How well you know him…
The brunette sighs and lowers her shoulders.
— I told you about my past. If you went through so much with him, you would also know him better than yourself.
She lifts her face as a boy approaches their table. He attends the same course as the girls. He knows Bella.
— Do you mind if I join? — He directs his question more to Hannah. She only nods in response.
— Max, how did you like the first lectures? — The blonde puts an arm around her shoulders and, at least for a while, stops being interested in the older student. — The professor seems fine, doesn't he?
The boy doesn't answer. He looks at Hannah, and his gaze is so intense that the girl finds it difficult to swallow anything. Everything stands in her throat. She doesn't like anyone watching her while she eats.
— Won't you introduce me to your roommate first? She looks like a goddess. — Hannah screams with joy at these words. She quickly sips her water, hitting herself in the chest with her fist.
— Of course she does. Hannah, this is my good friend Max. — The boy squeezes her hand, which she uncertainly squeezes in greeting.
— It's true what they say. Up close, you are so pretty, you look like someone painted you. — The teenager opens her eyes wider, surprised by his directness. She wipes her mouth with a handkerchief and glances nervously at Joseph, who still doesn't take his eyes off her. She doesn't know what's on his mind, but when he starts laughing, she grudgingly looks away from him.
— I guess whoever let go of such a rumor is now having a great time.
Hannah gets up from her chair and intends to return to her room, but in the middle of the cafeteria Joseph stops her. The boy puts his hands on her shoulders and leads her back to the table.
— You practically haven't eaten anything, so you won't be leaving here. — The teen crinkles her eyebrows, wondering what he is putting on the table. — Is your new friend teasing you? I'll deal with him right away.
She is displeased when he sits down next to her. He finds an excuse to spoil her friend's mood.
He slips a plate under the brunette's nose, telling her to eat everything on it, after which she expresses interest in Bella and her friend.
— Are you taking good care of her, kid? — turns to the blonde, and Hannah gets the impression that her roommate suddenly loses her tongue in her mouth. She is momentarily stunned. — Sometimes she may talk crap, but don't pay attention to it. You'll have to get used to it.
— What are you talking about now? — She replies, offended by his words.
— I want a roommate who will take good care of you. College is not high school, so I'm not in the dorm every night.
— You seem to have forgotten that three years ago, you were the one who oppressed me the most out of everyone at school. Because of you, everyone hated me.
A nervous smile appears on his face.
— Let's put the past behind us. We won't bring up certain details now, will we? — The girl ignores this. She does not intend to have any more dealings with him. — And you… — He points his finger at Max. — Stay away from her. Don't even look at her — he warns him, poking him with such an intense stare that the boy ducks his head in remorse. — This is not the right girl for you. This girl is a walking danger. You must be able to control her.
Hannah angrily puts the cutlery down on the table. She gets up from the chair and without a word heads for the exit. Joseph laughs, seeing her indignation. Nothing gives him more joy than tormenting his younger colleague. He loves it when she gets mad at him.
*
Walking down the hallway, she stares at his phone, which he can't unlock. She fiercely taps her finger on the touchscreen, hoping it will help her get out of an unwanted app, but eventually, she has to turn off the device.
She can't see what's going on around her and accidentally bumps into an older student, who at the last moment grabs her by the shoulders to keep her from falling. Unfortunately, in this collision, her phone suffers the most and falls to the floor. A smudge appears on the screen, which is a crack.
Hannah leans over and takes the device in her hand.
— Anyway… I was going to replace it anyway — she says, lifting her gaze and looking at the older boy. — I'm sorry I bumped into you through my inattention.
— Do you know how to apologize? — He wrinkles his eyebrows, not understanding what she means. The student looks amused by his behavior. — Danielle, don't you know who I am? We met in Thailand at an island party. Don't tell me you were that drunk. It's been a while, but I won't have forgotten you in my life.
The teenager blinks her eyelids, analyzing his words for a long moment. He called her Danielle… could it be that he once knew her sister?
— You mistook me for a twin. My name is Hannah.
The brunet looks at her stunned, but after a moment it begins to seem to him that he is talking to another person.
— Sorry. It's my mistake. You look exactly like her. — He raises his hands, but the smile does not leave his face. — I had a right to be mistaken.
Hannah looks over her shoulder as someone grabs her hand. It's Jin.
— Don't talk to him. Come on. — Together they head toward the exit of the building. — This man is dangerous. Stay away from him — he adds as they emerge to get some air.
— Do you know him?
— Let's say I know a few things about him.
— He thought I was Danielle. He confused us. He said he met my sister at a party in Thailand.
She looks at Jin as he puts his hands in his pants pockets and looks somewhere above her head.
— They may have known each other, but this is not somebody you should be talking to. He's only pretending to convert because he's messed up a lot in the past.
His answer surprises the 19-year-old.
— Really? So my sister was hanging around such people? She wasn't terrified of anything.
— She was clueless. You make smart decisions, that's why I'm warning you.
She nods and looks at him intently as a song melody comes from the back pocket of his pants. The boy takes out his cell phone, and for a split second Hannah notices who is calling him.
She doesn't know who the person behind the nickname "Little Trouble" is, but Jin has already had contact with her in high school, as Hannah has seen him receive calls from her more than once.
— What is it this time? — he asks, taking a few steps away from her.
The teenager squints her eyes and carefully measures his figure, wondering what he is hiding from her. The memories of that day are real, and she waits for him to finally get them back. She is sure that her mind is hiding something from her.
How cruel is the truth if she completely erased it from her memory as a result of the shock?
She crosses her arms over her chest as the boy looks at her for a split second and quietly explains something to the person on the other side of the phone.
— Hannah, what are you doing here! — Her heart begins to ache as Bella appears at her side like a ghost and screams directly into her ear. She avoids a heart attack by a hair.
— Don't ever do that again, I beg — she says, massaging her chest with her hand. — I wait for Jin to end the conversation.
The blond brushes his teeth in a wide smile at the sight of him.
— He looks like he's talking to his girlfriend. I know that expression on his face. I can decipher any guy — she announces, crossing her fingers. — I hope there is nothing between you two because he is clearly cheating on you.
— Bella! — admonishes the brunette. — We are friends. Besides, I don't think he would talk to a girl. Tom would certainly share the news with me.
— Unless… even his friends don't know about it.
Hannah watches Jin's face for a long moment, thinking about her roommate's words. Even so, it can't be true.
— It's none of my business who he talks to. Even if he has a girlfriend…. He can do whatever he wants.
She lowers her gaze to her shoes, then looks at him with clear attention, ending the conversation and tucking the phone into the back pocket of his pants.
— Are you all right? — She asks, seeing his concerned look. She gets the impression that he has gone pale on his face during this conversation.
— Yes — he replies, messaging his neck. — I have to go to my room. I'll meet you later, okay?
The girl nods and looks at him, taking a quick step towards the dormitory.
— You know, when you went… — Hannah looks at her friend, who visibly grieved after a moment. — Joseph threatened me with his finger that he would strangle me if I didn't take good care of you. When he said this, there was a little fear in his eyes. He cares so much about you that his sincerity is too convincing.
— That's why I told you that sitting at the same table with him is a bad idea. He treats everyone like that.
— From now on, I don't think I will leave your side. He will kill me if anything happens to you. I could see it in his gaze.
— Don't worry. He just talks like that. Scaring people is his specialty. He derives sick joy from it. Joseph is a strange case.
*
After a whole day when it seemed like the lectures dragged on forever, Hannah can finally breathe a sigh of relief. She sits down on the wall that sits in front of the dormitory. This is where friends often meet and drink alcohol in secret. It's funny that grown people have to act like they're still in high school, but those are the rules and no one can change that.
— How about you? — she asks, sensing the presence of the person behind her. Tom jumps up on the wall and sits down next to her. — Finally, we can talk to each other.
— Then you tell me, what is Jin's fault that you limited contact with your future husband as well?
The girl laughs at these words.
— I'm sorry that you suffered because of it. I just felt bad, so I moved away from you a little.
— A little? Every time we wanted to come to you, you had an excuse, and Joseph was your regular visitor.
— I'm sorry. — She looks at him with remorse in her eyes, noting how sad his look is. — You don't even know how much I missed your sense of humor.
Tom playfully brushes her hair.
— So you lost out on this breakup because I've already started to mature, and I don't behave the same way as before. I'm trying to control my stupidity.
— I noticed — she replies with amusement in her voice, recalling the situation in the parking lot. — There comes a point when a person finally matures.
He embraces the teenager, and she rests her head on his shoulder. She feels extremely comfortable around him.
The boy pulls his phone out of his sweatshirt pocket and makes a disappointed face when he sees that he has received a message from Joseph.
— What's wrong?
— The devil asks where I am. Jin left the dormitory and wanted a drink. I'm forced to take him in. Otherwise, he won't let me live.
Hannah sighs with resignation.
— I thought that at least today I would relax in your company, but he has to be everywhere. Can't he have a drink with his colleagues from the direction?
— I texted him that I'm with you. He will be here for a while. Apparently, he prefers our company.
— I swear I'll throw him out of here if he irritates me.
Little misses, and a moment later it is she who almost falls off the wall. Joseph gets her from behind and punches her in the arm, making her heart stand still for a moment. This is the second time today that she almost dies of a heart attack.
— You want to kill me! — she shouts to him, putting her hand to her left breast. She feels more and more that she has something on her conscience, since she is still afraid.
— Just don't raise your voice at me, little one.
She watches with rage as Joseph hands his friend a beer.
— And where am I?
— You're too young to drink. You are two years short of the age at which you can legally drink alcohol.
— After all, no one will know about it! — She waves her hand and inadvertently hits him on the knee with her palm.
— Are you hitting me? Didn't I spoil you too much? I think I need to start using threats from high school because you began to feel too comfortable in my company. — He chastises her with his eyes, and she crinkles her eyebrows like a child and snatches the bottle from his hand.
She takes a solid sip, then returns the beer to him. An innocent burp rises from her throat.
— What a pig's snout — he announces, looking at her with distaste. He puts the bottle to his lips, and Hanna's eyes open wider as she realizes that it looks as if they have just joined in a kiss.
She shakes her head, thinking that the alcohol has blown her mind out of proportion.
— How about you?
Tom covers his mouth with his hand, unable to contain his laughter.
*
Hannah will regret her decision the next day, although for now, she is having a great time after drinking a small amount of beer.
She sits with her legs crossed on the grass, watching the guys, who still haven't gotten off the wall. They savor the taste of beer without taking their eyes off her. They are laughing, seeing that the younger colleague has drunk such a small amount of alcohol.
— How is this possible? — asks Tom as the girl pulls the grass from the ground with her fingers. She can't get up because she feels everything spinning in front of her eyes.
— I think I know what is causing this. — Joseph realizes what caused the girl to take a few sips. He jumps down from the wall and briskly walks over to the nineteen-year-old. The boy crouches by her side and grabs her chin. He cautiously looks into her glassy eyes. — Do you take antipsychotic drugs all the time?
She stares at one point for a long moment. She blinks her eyelids, then nods.
— Oh shit! — it breaks out of his mouth — I had completely forgotten about it. — He grabs her hand and forcibly lifts her off the floor. — I'll take you to your room. Come on.
— Why are you spoiling the fun? — Tom is indignant.
— Hannah is feeling bad. I'll take care of her, and you clean up the bottles after us.
The girl laughs to herself, and her legs bend to all sides. Joseph tightens his lips and takes her in his arms, so you can't see what state she's in. If they meet the dormitory supervisor on the way... they'll both be in trouble.
— Hannah? This is uncomfortable for me, but hug that little face of yours to me, pretending to be happy in my arms.
— What for? — She lifts her face and looks at him with misty eyes.
— So that you can't see how drunk you are.
As they go inside, they pass curious students, who start whispering among themselves about them. The girls are not happy about this sight. They don't like the fact that the freshmen are so close with their object of sighs.
— They appear to be friends. Are they a couple?
— Watch yourselves, dullards — mutters Joseph under his breath, furious that people are gossiping about him.
He goes up to the second floor and stops in front of the room Hannah shares with her roommate. He knocks on the door, but she doesn't answer.
— What is the code for your room? — he asks the teenager, but doesn't get an answer from her, as she has completely drifted off. — Where the hell is that stupid idiot? Just let me find her… — he hisses through clenched teeth.
He looks around the corridor and realizes that he has no choice but to take Hannah. He can't stand here any longer, or he'll be caught eventually.
The boy drops her lightly as his hands suffer. He heads to the second floor and passes his colleagues, who whistle with appreciation.
Joseph ignores them and goes inside. He puts the girl on his bed and crouches on the edge of the mattress. He glances at her out of the corner of his eye as she twists to the side. She accidentally kicks him in the back with her foot, and he only clenches his teeth to avoid betraying her. It won't do any good, since she's unconscious anyway.
*
— Your roommate went missing without news, and you had to bring her to us? — asks Tom to introduce himself when he returns to the room. He lays sideways on the bed, resting his head on his hand. — This was to be expected. Usually, girls with bleached hair are kites. That's how it's accepted — he says, reaching for his balls. — It reminds me of the days in high school when Hannah used to hide in your bed.
— What — Joseph looks surprised.
— One night, she ran to Jin and said that something bad was happening in her room. You weren't there because you were probably having a chat with your boarding school babysitter. — Scott squirmed at the memory. — She scared me so much that I started screaming and dragged our guardian to the room. Hannah saved your ass.
— Our floor supervisor was an idiot. How could he not realize that there was a girl hiding under the quilt?
Tom looks above his head at the wall and blinks his eyelids.
He hadn't thought of that before.
— It's true. Our guardian was an idiot.
Joseph turns his attention to Jin's bed.
— Where is he? He never goes out alone at night. Do you think something has happened?
— It puzzles me, too. This is the first time since we started studying. Jin is not the partying type, and when he is invited somewhere, he takes us with him. — Tom shrugs his shoulders. — It's a little disconcerting, to say the least.