The girl lies on his side. Holding her hands under her head, she looks at the boy sleeping next to her with love in her eyes. She can't believe this is really happening. He finally opened up to her and ended the silly games, in which he explained that it was out of fear. Bella was right when she said that Joseph wouldn't last long, since he had feelings for her.
Her words, however, were true.
Hannah feels like jumping and shouting for joy because she finally managed to get close to her love. Although she had lain next to him many times before, now sharing a bed with him looks entirely different.
That night, she gave him all her love. She became even more crazy about him. And if someone had told her in high school that Joseph would be her first love, she would have surely laughed at him. How could she believe it, when at the time she thought he was an asshole?
She reaches out and gently, so as not to wake the boy, strokes his face. Many girls dream of him, but he chose her. Isn't she a lucky girl?
That's precisely how she feels.
Keeping her hand on his chest, she closes her eyes and, despite the hormones buzzing inside her, tries to fall asleep. She wants to be rested so that tomorrow she can perfectly see the surprised faces of her friends.
New York, June 2013.
8:45 pm.
Hannah pushes her sister away, which is another time she jumps at her with her hands, since the girl escaped from the car. Danielle yells at her and tells her to come back to her senses.
— What the hell is wrong with you! Wrap yourself up! — she yells, lashing out like a rabid animal. It is possible that she would have torn her twin apart, if it were not for Jin, who holds her hand and does not allow her to attack.
The teenager puts her hands to her face and bursts into tears. Her knees buckle under her, and she falls to the sidewalk.
She is terrified.
— Because of your sick idea, we killed an innocent girl — she says, between pauses for sobs. — You are a monster. You should be the one in her place!
— I will kill her. — Danielle looks as if Satan has entered her. — What do you want to do then, you stupid girl? Go to the police? Complain to mommy?
— Calm down. You're not helping her at all. Can't you see that Hannah is shaken? — Jin interjects, tugging his girlfriend's hand. — Give her a moment to think it over. Let her come to her senses.
Danielle fulminates her sister with her eyes.
— I never thought you were such a monster. Now I regret that I agreed to your game. I don't understand why I wanted to please you? — She lifts her face and looks at her twin for a long moment, then her gaze finds Jin. — Because of her sick ideas, an innocent girl was killed!
The blonde takes advantage of the fact that Jin has released her from his grasp and jumps at her sister. He grabs her by the collar of her T-shirt and helps her stand on her feet.
— You are as weak as a bug that can be trampled with a shoe. I don't understand why I trusted you. Now I regret that I decided to drag you into my plan.
— I'm the one who regrets that I didn't give it up. I'm not weak, I just have feelings. You are a monster and I regret that I met you at all. What was the real reason that you found me?
Danielle smiles devilishly.
— The real reason? I like your name. If I disappear one day, people who hate me, sister, will pick up on you.
— You are a perfidious bitch! — shouts Hannah, wanting to push her twin away, but Danielle proves stronger and knocks her to the ground. Falling down, the back of her head hits a hydrant, crippling the skin under her ear.
— Danielle, what are you doing! — She hears Jin's terrified voice, and a moment later feels a piercing pain that renders her unconscious.
Hannah opens her eyes and breathes heavily as she rises to a sitting position. It's early morning and the fire in the fireplace has already died down.
She looks to the side and notices that Joseph is still asleep, this time laid out on his stomach.
The girl takes a deep breath and with her back resting against the pillow. She realizes that she has recovered another memory. This time it is longer.
Was this the reason she ended up in the hospital that day? Her mother told her at the time that she had fainted on the street. When Hannah said she could not remember anything from the past few hours, the doctor explained that there was no cause for alarm, as the CT scan showed nothing and it could be the result of a concussion. He assured her that it was nothing dangerous.
The woman was then grateful to the heavens that Hannah was not in the car with Danielle.
— Why do you seem so scared? Is it because of last night? — She looks at the boy and for a moment tries to shake off her thoughts.
— What, no — she answers hastily. — I just remembered something.
— So, will you tell me what happened yesterday between you and Jin? What did he do that led you to such a state?
The boy rests his cheek on his hand, not taking his eyes off her.
— Is this supposed to be the first topic we should talk about after waking up?
— Well, I don't know... yesterday you were in such a state that I was worried.
Hannah smiles slightly and lays her head on the pillow.
— Were you worried about me?
— Every day you give me a reason to worry about something — he says, combing his uncombed fringe with his hand. Hannah has to admit that he looks extremely appealing in this appearance. She can't get enough of looking at him.
— If I'm such a nuisance, why did you choose me? If you had announced a call for brides, I'm sure there would have been quite a queue of girls. You could decide, like vegetables in a store.
— Apparently, I am attracted to complicated girls. — With his fingers, he grabs the tip of her nose and painfully squeezes it.
— It hurts — she says in an offended voice, pushing his hand away. — You have no tenderness in you, monster.
— I don't have? — She raises her eyebrows, no doubt planning something. — Are you sure?
— Yes — she answers quietly, and the hut is filled with her screams combined with laughter as Joseph attacks her, covering them both with a quilt. — Don't pull my hair, you beast! — Passing people look with interest at the wooden hut, from which strange noises are coming.
*
Bella blinks her eyelids, then wipes them and blinks again as she walks downstairs with Tom and notices her radiant-looking friend walking through the hall, holding hands with the devil.
— Pinch me or pat me on the butt, so I'll come to my senses — she turns to her boyfriend, who looks at her with stupefied eyes.
— What?
— Just do it!
Tom obediently pinches her buttock, but he does it too hard, as Bella slaps his arm as punishment.
— Well, after all, you wanted it yourself, so why are you hitting me?
— Just see and tell me I'm not delusional. — With his finger, he points to a talking couple walking towards them. — Don't they look like a couple in love?
— Like Tom and Jerry?
— Tom! — Another time he is hit by his girlfriend. — Be serious at this point because amazing, astonishing news is getting ready.
— And what's wonderful about it? They have been crazy about each other for a long time and once they look at each other with infatuated eyes, only to jump at each other's throats shortly. — The boy shrugs his shoulders with a puzzled expression.
— But something has changed! They are both happy and holding hands.
— We also hold each other — he claims, squeezing her hand.
Bella this time slaps him lightly on the face to make him come to his senses.
— Wake up at last because there will be a separation.
— On leave? Are you crazy?
Hannah and Joseph stop in front of them, and Bella takes a close look at their joined hands.
— A night in a romantic cabin was enough for you to realize that you are made for each other?
— Get out of my way, nosy girl — replies Joseph, pushing past her.
Hannah announces to her with a movement of her lips that they will talk later.
— Why is he so difficult to contact?
— He's friendlier now than in the past, anyway. Don't worry about him. Come on. — Tom pulls Bella by the hand, this time deciding to teach her how to ski.
*
Joseph intends to take Hannah to her room, but she lets go of his hand and shakes her head. She lets him know that she needs to get back to her place and finish her conversation with Jin, which she failed to do yesterday. She assures him that if she feels bad again, this time she will come to him.
— In that case, do what you want. It's your decision — he replies dispassionately, disappearing behind the door of the room.
— Kind and supportive as usual — mutters Hannah under her breath. — The tenderness quickly passed him by.
She sighs and enters the room, noticing that Jin is sitting on the bed with his head lowered. Hearing her footsteps, he looks over his shoulder, waiting for her to speak first.
— It's okay. I've already come to my senses. You gave me quite a kick yesterday — she says as she sits down next to him. — It's not entirely your fault. It's just that there's still something out of touch in my head, and occasionally, I have deviations from the norm.
— Hannah, you don't have to pretend it's okay. You are entitled to hate me.
— I'm just angry at you for hiding the truth and for protecting my bitchy sister. — Her answer comes as a surprise to him. — Do you love her so much that you let yourself get caught up in this crap? She is destroying your life. And me, by the way.
— I don't love her anymore. I've grown out of that feeling. Now I just keep her safe, since I let myself get caught up in it from the beginning. I can't betray her because my family and I will also suffer.
Hannah looks into his eyes and shakes her head.
— I'd like to say you're a good person, Jin, but still, you have the devil behind your ears, since you helped her with this cruel plan. And I'm no better either. We are all worthy of each other.
— Have you remembered anything?
It seems to her that his eyes are much bigger as he looks at her expectantly.
— I know that there was an argument between me and Danielle. She pushed me and I lost consciousness. Hence, also this scar. — She points to the skin under her ear with her finger. — I don't know if it has something to do with the fact that I lost my memories of that day, or is it actually my mind that erased them because of the traumatic experience? I remember how hard it was for me to bear the fact that a girl died because of my sister. I couldn't recover. I was shaken.
— It's true. She did it for money, not knowing that she was accepting death. — The brunette rests her hand on the mattress, looking at one point for a long moment. — I will tell you everything from the moment we first met that day.
*
New York, June 2013.
7:35 pm.
Jin watches the twins get out of the car driven by Danielle's friend. She only calls him that and uses him to her advantage. He is three years older than her, and they are from the same school. He thinks Danielle has sincere intentions towards him and is secretly hoping that he will eventually succeed in picking her up. Jin fulfills her every whim, and this makes her feel like a princess. She thinks she can lead anyone by the nose.
— I don't understand. Why did you take me to New York? Didn't you want to escape to Chicago from your boyfriend?
— Another city won't help me. It was just a temporary lifeline to devise a plan. I need to get rid of the intruder. — The blonde looks around her and tosses her hair as her gaze finds Jin. — And it's not at all about my handsome man, who is already here.
She sends him multiple kisses, which Hannah completely fails to understand.
— Didn't you want to get away from him?
— It's just a little lie. I wanted to hide from him the fact that I'm in trouble. I know how worried he is about me.
— What are you talking about, Danielle?
— Let's say I'm being stalked by a bad guy. The man seems threatening. He wants revenge because I insulted his girlfriend in public. I made such a laughingstock of her that she became depressed.
He leans with his hand against the car, and Hannah wrinkles her eyebrows.
— Why did you do this to her? What was your reason?
— I think Jin is still angry with me for lying to him. — She ignores her sister's question, focusing all her attention on her boyfriend. — He is furious with me, but he will do anything to save me.
— What are you talking about?
Hannah is increasingly disturbed by her words. She doesn't understand any of this. Danielle has been telling her all along that she wanted to stay in Chicago to get away from her boyfriend because they can't be together because of their parents.
— What am I talking about? About the fact that I'm just trying to save my ass, and you and Jin are going to help me.
— Damn it, Danielle, I'll help you, but you have to explain to me what's going on because I'm starting to get lost in your words.
— Someone is following me all the time and I just feel it in my bones. I know I'm being watched by him now, too. — Hannah can see that her hands are trembling. — The man has something wrong with his head. He has been doing this for a long time. I'm not stupid. I know he's planning something.
— You're just putting something in your head, Danielle. Do you think he's capable of killing you for ridiculing his girlfriend in public?
The blonde puffs out her lips and shrugs her shoulders.
— I don't know if he wants to kill me, but you can see from his face alone that he is. He already got to me twice, that's why I ran away from New York.
— What then are you planning?
— I have a plan laid out.
— Can't you just go to the police? Why all the show?
— I can't! — she shouts in a whisper at her sister. — Because I will suffer from it myself. I just want to prove that this bastard is following me and teach him a lesson! — She pierces Hannah with her eyes. — Get in Jin's car. He knows about the whole plan, and meanwhile I will arrange the details with the orphan who is waiting for me at home.
She puts a navy-blue baseball cap on her head and heads toward the building. Hannah, on the other hand, heads to the car where Jin is waiting for her.
She gets into the back seat.
— Hi — she says in greeting, feeling uncomfortable in his company. — Danielle mentioned to me that you already know the entire plan. Why is it also complicated?
— Nice to meet you, twin. You look identical, but your face seems much friendlier. — He glances in the rearview mirror, and it appears that his smile is forced. — We need to help your sister, although I don't like her plan too much either. It's not clear who the man who is following her is.
— So meanwhile, why don't you explain to me exactly what the plan is? Does she want to get him and teach him a lesson with her hands?
Jin sighs heavily. He starts the engine and drives off a bit further, hiding the car in a side street.
— The girl who is about to come out of this building dressed in your sister's clothes was hired by Danielle. — He points with his finger to the place where Hannah's twin entered. — She is to get into her friend's car and simply pretend to be her so that we can track him down.
— Are you guys crazy? In my opinion, Danielle should go to the police and report that she is being stalked. Why does she want to get him? What if he accidentally harms that girl?
— Your sister can't do that because she will bring trouble on herself. Danielle has a bit of a history, and besides, she doesn't get along well with her mother now. She rebels and has been on the warpath with her for some time. Her parents are fed up with her transgressions, so I have helped her many times to conceal from them all the antics she has committed. — Jin glances toward the building, waiting for Danielle to come out the back door and join them. — She is like this because she keeps saying that she can't imagine becoming siblings. She even dreams of breaking free from her mother.
Their attention is caught by a girl who comes out of the building dressed in Danielle's clothes. She gets into a car in which a friend of the twins is behind the wheel.
— Now he should make his presence known. I'm sure he will follow them.
Danielle hurriedly jumps next to Hannah in the back seat and extends her hand in front of her, with her finger pointing to a truck standing in the distance, which starts the engine then pulls out into the street.
— Just take a look. I'm one hundred percent sure it's that motherfucker — she says, pulling a pink baseball cap over her head. — Let's go after him, Jin. Just be careful that he doesn't realize we're following him.