Hannah (The Girls of Mulberry Manor)

Chapter 5

While the boys are discussing what they want to do next, I sit quietly and watch them. What am I doing here? I promised myself I wouldn't get involved with anyone, and here I am in a car with three boys. I will not make the same mistakes my mom did. I won't ever give anyone the power to hurt me, like she did.

"Hey guys," I say. "I should probably head home."

"Already?" Vin asks. "It's only 5:00."

"The place I'm staying has pretty strict rules. I don't want to get into trouble," I tell them.

"No problem," Myles says. "Where should I drop you off?"

"Do you know where Mulberry Manor is?" I ask.

The boys look at each other. It's like they have this way of communicating without actually saying a single word.

"Yeah, we know where it is," Vin says.

As we pull up in front of the house Myles asks, "Do you need a ride to school tomorrow?"

I tell him no and that I'll see them all in school.

I walk into the house and head for the kitchen where I hear Nan speaking to someone. I poke my head around the door and see that she's on the phone. I wave to let her know I'm here.

"Thanks for checking in," she says. "Food will be done in about forty-five minutes."

I nod to let her know I understand, then go upstairs to my room. I lie in bed trying to clear my head. I've decided that I need to let the guys know that all we'll ever be is friends. None of them have tried to make a move or said anything about wanting to date me, but I figure if I get that discussion taken care of right away it'll make things less awkward in the future.

I pull my textbooks out of my backpack and get started on homework. I've finished Chemistry and started working on math when there's a knock on the door.

"Come in," I call out.

The door opens and Kodi walks in. She shuts the door behind her. "Nan sent me to tell you it's time to eat," she says quietly.

"Okay," I reply as I start piling my books on my desk.

Kodi sits on my bed and says, "Could you do me a favor?"

"What's that?" I ask.

"Please don't say anything to Nan about seeing me with Jake today," she almost whispers.

"Why don't you want her to know? I thought he was your boyfriend or something," I reply.

She looks down at her lap. "He's not my boyfriend. He never was and never will be. I can't tell you everything. Just, please, don't mention anything."

"I just moved in here and I don't want to get into any trouble with Nan, so if she asks me specifically about you, I have to tell her." I say. "But I won't bring it up if she doesn't ask me about it."

She gives me a small smile and nods. "Thanks, Hannah."

"You're welcome," I tell her. "Let's go eat."

Nan explains to me that we eat family style two nights a week because a few of the girls are in sports and have part-time jobs. She insists on family meals, so she has a chance to speak to all of us together about what's happening in our lives. Kodi and I sit quietly while the other girls tell us about their day. Abby cracks up when she tells everyone what happened to Bailey at lunch.

Abby and Kodi set the table and Bailey and Chloe helped cook, so Olivia and I wash the dishes. After the dishes are washed and dried, I go upstairs to shower and get ready for bed. When I get back to my room there's a note on my door instructing me to go to Nan's office.

As I'm walking down the stairs, I'm trying to think what she could want to talk to me about. I've only been here a little over twenty-four hours and I don't think I've broken any rules. I hope she isn't going to ask me about Kodi.

The door is open, and I see her sitting behind her desk, so I walk in. She looks up at me and smiles. Noticing how nervous I am, she says, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Did I do something wrong?" I ask her. "Should I go pack up my things?"

"Of course not! Why would you think something like that?" she asks me.

"I don't know. I thought, maybe I did something wrong."

"No, honey, you haven't done anything wrong," she tells me. "I just wanted to check in and see how your first day of school was."

"Oh," I say, releasing the breath I'd been holding. "It was good. I still need to figure out what elective I want to take. I'm leaning toward art."

"Wonderful," Nan says. "Bailey and Abby told me you made some new friends."

"I did," I say. "One of them helped me find the office and I have classes with the other two."

"Do you mind if I ask their names?"

"Vin, Chase, and Myles," I tell her.

"Myles Martinez?" she asks.

"Yes. Do you know him?"

"I do," she says with a smile. "He's my great-nephew. His mother is my niece. He's a good boy, and they're a good family. I feel much better knowing that he and his friends are looking out for you."

I nod my head and smile shyly. That must have been what the strange look they gave each other in the car was about.

"That was all I was wondering. I'm sorry if I made you nervous, asking you to come to the office," she says to me. "You can go back upstairs and finish getting ready for bed. Goodnight, dear."

"Goodnight," I tell her as I leave her office. I go back up to my room and close the door. My heart feels like it's about to beat out of my chest. I'm not sure why I thought I would be in trouble for something. I turn my light out and hop into bed. I fall asleep thinking about three very good-looking boys and how they make my stomach flutter every time I see them.

"Shhh, Hannah, you have to be quiet."

I jerk awake when I feel someone push on my shoulder. I sit up in bed quickly and see Kodi standing beside me holding a flashlight. She holds a finger to her lips and says, "Shhh, Hannah, you have to be quiet." Hearing her say that gives me goosebumps all over my arms and the hair on the back of my neck stands up.

"What happened?" I ask her quietly.

"Grab your shoes and jacket and come outside with me," she says.

I have no idea what's going on but I do as she says and follow her outside to the backyard. It's extremely dark out here. If Kodi didn't have a flashlight I wouldn't be able to see anything. She's carrying a blanket. I wonder what it's for. When we get to a big open space she lays the blanket on the ground and lies down on it. She pats the spot beside her, so I lie down next to her.

She whispers, "It's the last night for the Perseids meteor shower. I thought you might want to watch it with me. It peaked a couple of weeks ago, but the sky is clear tonight so we might still be able to see a few."

"Really? That's so cool," I say, looking up at the sky.

She was right. We did see a few meteors shoot across the sky. After sneaking back inside and to our rooms, I fall asleep thinking I may have just made another friend.