Hannah's Story

Chapter 47 - Hannah

    Hi. I hoped this would be sooner and that it would be longer than it is. Here you go, anyway. I figured almost two years was way too long. I hope you like it.

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This was all so weird. Jesse meant more to me as time moved slowly on, and it was getting harder to be around him and other people at the same time.
     Surviving game night without giving ourselves away was going to be next to impossible. I went over early since Hallie and Callie had asked. When I got there, Jesse opened the door.
He smiled at me before saying, "Hi, Hannah. You're here early!"
He knew I was coming early since I'd texted him, but that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been secretly seeing each other.
I smiled before answering. "Your sisters asked me to get here early, so here I am."
"Come on in," he said, gesturing into the room. I walked in and smiled as his hand grazed my butt when he went to close the door.
Hallie ran into the room after that. "Callie and I have something we want to talk to you about. Let's go upstairs," she said.
As I followed her up the stairs, I turned and looked at Jesse. I shrugged as I turned the bend that began the second half of the staircase.
     "We totally want to set you up!"  Callie said while Hallie giggled.
     "What?" I asked.
     "Levi is bringing his friend Dale over tonight to be your partner.  If it works out, he's going to ask you out!" Hallie explained.
     Oh no.  Jesse wasn't going to like this. 
     "I promised Jesse we'd be partners tonight, since he just broke up with Rachel," I explained.   "Can you tell the guys to hold off for a week or two?  I'd be glad to meet him then."
     "Stupid Jesse.  He should have invited someone over to partner up with," Callie pouted.
     "We could always just put Jesse in a trio," Hallie suggested.
     "He's already kind of sad.  I don't want to make it worse.  If you ask him, he'll let me have a different partner.  I just don't want to do that to him tonight.  Plus, I'd like to find a place to live before I start anything new," I said, hoping I was convincing enough. 
"Fine," Callie said, "we'll tell Levi to wait."
"Don't think I'm not thankful for your efforts," I said, hoping to make them feel better.
When we came down the stairs a few minutes later, I couldn't help but smile when I saw Jesse setting everything up.
"So did you guys have a good talk?" he asked.
"We tried to give Hannah here a new love interest, but you got in the way," Callie explained.
Jesse's face began to redden. "What?" he asked, looking from each of his sisters to me.
"She didn't want you to be partnerless, so she put the brakes on," Hallie said.
"Oh," he responded.
"I couldn't help it if I wanted to win tonight," I said, trying to end this particular conversation thread.
"Oh, so that's all it was? A plan to beat all of us?" Hallie asked.
"Yep," I replied, smiling.
     "Giving up a chance at a boyfriend for a win," Callie said.
     "It doesn't feel that way," I said, looking at Jesse.
"Leave Hannah alone, girls. Come help me choose what snacks I should put out tonight," Rhia called from the kitchen.
I sat down next to Jesse. "My sisters can't help themselves," he said. "They want you to be happy."
I looked around to see if anyone else was around. Ethan and Nadia were at Nadia's place tonight, Rhia and the twins were in the kitchen, Max was downstairs finishing up a project, and Levi and Daniel were on their way. Jesse and I were somewhat alone.
"I already am happy, " I said, squeezing his thigh for a second, then moving it away so no one could see.
"I am, too," he said, moving closer to me so that our legs were touching.

     Ninety minutes later we had just finished a game of Taboo.  Jesse and I had won, but only by a hair.  Max and Rhia were pretty good, too. 
     "Okay.  Everyone get up and stretch your legs.  Come back in ten minutes for Win, Lose, or Draw," Rhia said. 
     Callie and Levi went into the kitchen and Hallie and Daniel went out to the front porch. 
     "Do you two want anything?" Max asked.
     "No, thanks," I said. 
     "Nah," Jessie replied.
     "Come help me bring out the cookies," Rhia said to Max before getting out of her seat.  Max got up and followed her.
     "I want to show you something in my room.  Come upstairs with me for a second," Jesse said, reaching for my hand and then thinking twice about it.
     I smiled.  "Okay."
I followed him up to his room. He shut the door once we were both inside.
"Finally. I just need to kiss you, if that's okay," he said.
I chuckled. "Why wouldn't that be okay?"
"Everyone is here," he said, moving closer to me.
"So what?" I whispered, closing the space left between us.
Our lips met and I felt instantly calmer. My hands went around his neck while his landed on my waist, pulling my body flush against his. My need became greater as our tongues met each other. His hands traveled lower, making me jump.
"Sorry," he said, pulling away. "I got a little too eager there for our current situation."
I leaned forward and kissed him again. "No complaints here," I said, caressing his face with my right hand.
"We should probably get back down there," he said.
"Pretty soon we can just make out in front of them," I said.
He blushed. "Maybe we shouldn't be quite that adventurous," he said.
"Maybe you're right," I agreed. "Your mom and dad are pretty adventurous, though."