By Your Side

Chapter 29: She's Insane

Knowing Hannah's secret, he locked his eyes on her confused on why she'd be willing to show off her face in the state that was in. Why isn't she wearing the glasses? James thought to himself, but to his surprise now getting a closer look, it appeared that she must have used something to cover up the bruise. However, a dark ring still happened to be peeking through in the right light, while Clare was now looking at James and started doubting herself again as she watched him stare at Hannah.

"Is everything okay?"

"Hmm, yea just admiring the house."

Giving him a slightly concerned nod, Clare opened the door of the car and Hannah came off the steps to hug her cousin. James also got out of his side and leaned up against the car, while both Hannah and Clare looked at him before turning to face each other.

"So how's the hotel?"

"Oh, it's nice, or great. I don't know."

"Really?"

"Yea I guess we got downsized, but that doesn't matter because James and I have some news."

"Oh, yea?"

Hannah looked over the car at James as Nathan stopped in his tracks when he heard the tail end of the cousin's conversation. James began to blush as Hannah's eyes pierced through him leaving him at a loss for words until Clare walked around to the other side of the car and took her new boyfriend's hand in hers and Hannah's eyes lit up. It was impossible to tell what emotion Hannah was giving off. Jealousy, hatred, confusion, surprise. They all seemed to be radiating through her pupils.

"We're dating."

"Is she telling the truth, James?"

Feeling Clare's grip tighten around his hand, he felt reassured and safe as he reciprocated the pressure.

"Ye...yes we're together."

"Well then good for you. Now come on and help Nathan unload, while Clare and I rearrange everything inside."

No longer willing to participate in the conversation, Hannah turned away from them and brushed past Nathan causing him to stumble back a little. He still had a face of terror about him, as if Hannah was holding him hostage but again he went back to the cube truck without saying a word.

"Well, that went better than expected."

"Yea, but I wouldn't keep her waiting."

"True."

Clare gave James a kiss on the cheek before going up the stairs of the apartment and entered the building to join her cousin. Outside, James walked over to the truck to help Nathan who had just pulled out another box. Hopping up onto the tailgate and into the truck's box. He pulled out a few boxes out for himself, and it hardly felt like they weighed anything to him as he piled them up before hopping down from the truck, and James looked at Nathan who was still standing their reluctant to take another box.

"You okay man?"

"She's insane dude."

"Who?"

"Hannah, I don't know what happened, but she's not the girl I knew."

"It's probably just all the stress from all the change."

"Maybe, she just seems so much more hostile."

"Yea I can kinda see it, just give it time, and she'll level out."

"I hope so."

James turned and picked up the tower of boxes he had made for himself, and lifted it again with little effort and expected Nathan to do the same. Yet to his surprise he was moving a lot faster than Nathan, which made him curious and he looked over his shoulder and saw the football team member who supposedly spent all his time at the gym now struggling to lift one box. James stopped to look at the struggling man as he finally managed to raise the box.

"Heavy bro?"

"Yea, how are you carrying three?"

"A lot of physical labour."

"Maybe I should take a lesson from your book."

"No need, but seriously are you good?"

"Yea, I'll manage."

Nathan reassured him which caused James to turn back around and head back into the house, with Nathan now following close behind him while continuing to struggle. As they entered the apartment, it appeared to be a lot smaller on the inside with only a kitchen area, bathroom and a single bedroom. The girls were already waiting in an open floor space digging in separate boxes as the boys placed the new piles. Hannah looked up to observe them and noticed the strength differences between the two boys.

Placing the boxes down, the boys turned around and went back outside. Clare watched as James left staying oblivious to the glare that Hannah was giving her from the side.

"He's certainly got some strength doesn't he?"
"Not more then most people, it's just his summer job forces him to lift a lot."

"Yea I bet."

Clare turned to face her cousin, who was staring longingly into a box and moved over to the other side of it and started digging.

"Hey is everything okay?"

"Clare, I have to know. Does he treat you well?"

"That's an odd question."

"Please, I have to know."

"Yea, he's fantastic. Why?"

Hannah didn't have an answer for her; instead, she just began to tear up as one droplet rolled down from the bruised side of her face. Clare watched the tear roll down from her cousin's cheek, as it revealed the answer to her question and the discoloured skin exposed itself from behind the makeup. Hannah waited for the tear to hit the edge of the box, using it as an indicator to rub her eye and reveal even more of the bruise.

"Oh my god Hannah, what happened?"

"It was Nat-"

At that second the boys walked back into the room again with more boxes, cutting the girls conversation off. Hannah now desperate turned her head away from Clare and spotted the purple condom packet beside her. Going into hug Clare, she used it as a means to slide the purple packet under the box. While Nathan put his box down causing a well-timed distraction for Hannah before going back outside. James followed Nathan's motions before he also went back to the front door.

"James?"

He turned around to see Clare now attempting to comfort Hannah, and he understood the urgency in the matter. Walking over to the girls, James squatted down beside his girlfriend.

"What's up?"