Bad Decisions (Sam Uley)

Chapter Six

"Did you hear?" Jared asked. He was waiting with Paul by her locker. Hannah was a little distracted due to the dirty looks she'd been getting all day.

"Hear what?" She asked, shutting her locker and walking between both the boys to lunch. They acted as if they were shielding her from something.

"Sam ended things with Leah," Jared told her and Hannah froze. Paul looked down at her and frowned before she started walking again.

They stood in the lunch line and Hannah looked around only to find Sam sitting alone at a different lunch table. It was closer to her normal table than his old one had been.

"You didn't know anything about this?" Paul asked and Hannah shook her head as they took their seats.

"Why would I?" She asked.

"There's a rumor going around that you're the reason they broke up," Paul told her and Hannah's heart dropped.

"No." She moaned and covered her face. "I've been getting dirty looks all day. Everyone thinks I broke them up."

"You had nothing to do with it?" Paul asked again and Hannah looked up with furrowed eyebrows.

"I said I didn't. Why isn't that enough for you?" She asked and he shrugged.

"Was down at the beach this morning. Early, about four am. Couldn't sleep, went for a run." Hannah's breath got stuck in her throat and she looked away from Paul.

"That was nothing." Hannah insisted and Paul shook his head in disgust.

"I was trying to tell myself it wasn't you, that you wouldn't do that." Paul pushed his chair back and took his lunch with him to the football team and sat at their table. Jared offered her a half smile and followed him, leaving her alone.

She swallowed and looked down at her own lunch before grabbing her tray and throwing her lunch in the trash. She could feel eyes on her and she stormed from the cafeteria.

This wasn't fair. She had been good, she resisted Sam. She tried to fight her feelings for him. Hannah had never been a bad person, she cared for everyone she met.

She'd been more of a mother to her mother than the other way around. She's been a good daughter, always good grades and always willing to work. She'd been a great older sister.

But it wasn't enough. Her mother still killed herself, her dad still crept into her room every night and her brother lived in fear of Alo's anger.

Now everyone knew she was responsible for ending a perfect relationship if she had ever seen one. Hannah knew nothing she ever did would be enough. She could push her whole life and she'd still get nothing she wanted in life.

The warning bell went for class and Hannah ignored it, sitting on the counter with her back to the mirrors. She wiped her eyes again and sniffled lightly. When the door opened she looked up and found Sam hurrying in, flipping the lock on the main door.

"You're not supposed to be in here," Hannah told him and he sighed, walking closer.

"Well, I had to check on you. I heard what Paul said to you earlier." Sam said and moved to stand in front of Hannah.

"How could you possibly have heard that?" Hannah asked in exasperation and Sam sighed.

"It doesn't matter, what matters is that you're hurting and it's all my fault." Sam sighed and lifted a hand to her face. Although Hannah usually welcomed his touch now was not the time and she moved her face away, leaving his hand hovering awkwardly.

"What are you hoping for? Do you think you and I will just start dating and automatically things will be okay? That no one will judge us?" Hannah asked and Sam dropped his hand.