One hour into the bake sale and they had sold about a dozen of the cupcakes. It was difficult keeping the stall in the shade to avoid spoilage in the hot summer sun. They had to move the table several times.
“Oh, hey, you went ahead with the bake sale.” Hannah heard the sweet voice before she looked up. She already knew it belonged to Jessie. “I’ll take two, they look really good.”
“Hi Jessie,” Hannah finally greeted her. Coco’s voice replayed in her mind, she needed to be friends with her. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. “You aren’t working today?”
“I was there this morning. Harry was too. We missed you.”
“I normally don’t work Tuesdays, Harry doesn’t usually either.”
“Harry’s so sweet,” Jessie gushed, handing over the four dollars. “He wanted to make sure I could handle it there by myself so he spent a few hours with me.”
“Kind of defeats the purpose of being on your own, doesn’t it?” Hannah asked, keeping her voice teasing like she didn’t really mean it. Except she did.
Jessie shrugged. “Work is always more fun when you have someone there with you, right? I always find that, anyway.”
Veronica shot Hannah a look, silently questioning whether this was the girl. “Oh, I uh, forgot to introduce you two. Jessie, this is my best friend Veronica. Veronica, this is Jessie, she’s helping out at the shelter for a while.”
They nodded a hey to each other before Jessie said: “Not just for a while, Hannah, for the rest of the summer. I’m completely committed to doing my civic duty.”
“We have you for the rest of the summer? That’s great,” Hannah lied. She plastered on a smile, making it seem as real as possible. She was certain it probably looked as fake as it felt.
“Oh well, I should keep going,” Jessie said, picking up her two cupcakes. “These look really yummy. Good luck with the sale, Hannah. It was lovely to meet you, Veronica.”
“You too,” Veronica replied. The two girls watched Jessie bounce away happily, taking a bite out of one of the cupcakes. “She seems nice.”
“Not you too.”
“I mean, she’s horrible. How can you even put up with her around?”
Hannah grinned. “That’s more like it.”
They remained outside of the supermarket until each and every cupcake had been sold. Hannah was determined to ensure her fundraising plans were going to work. Every dollar counted. If everyone did something small, it would add up to something big. Relying on a single concert to save the shelter was risky and she didn’t believe in risks.
By the time it was her shift at the shelter two days later, Hannah was confident she was right. She just wasn’t going to be telling anyone else about the funds she was raising. They would only laugh at her.
Harry was in Cory’s office, Hannah passed by and stopped, not used to seeing him there. “Hey, what are you doing in here?”
His head shot up to see her, instantly relaxing into a grin. “I’ve been going through the books for Cory. I think we can cut down on a lot of the costs so we can survive on less money each year.”
Hannah joined him, looking over his shoulder. “You really think so?”
“Numbers are kind of my thing,” Harry confessed. “I know this will work. All I have to do is make a few phone calls and I’ll be able to get better deals.”
“That’s great news.”
She left him to the books, keen to distance herself from the accounting ledgers. She much preferred the company of the kittens. They were all completely oblivious to the financial troubles of the shelter.
She started cleaning out the cage, doing her best to avoid stepping on any of the little fur balls. They were as playful and lively as ever. Some of them were also getting big. If they weren’t adopted soon, they wouldn’t be kittens anymore. It would be even more difficult to find homes for grown cats.
Just as playtime commenced and all the hard work was done, Harry emerged from the office to join her. He picked up a handful of kittens, sitting on the ground next to Hannah. “We can’t close the shelter, where else could we play with kittens all day?”
Hannah smiled. “I know, right? Maybe we could just charge people to cuddle the kittens, then they would get the cuteness without the responsibility.”
“That’s an idea.”
They fell into silence, the only sound being an occasional meow from their feline friends. Harry noticed. “Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”
“I don’t know, you’re just quieter than usual.”
Hannah shrugged, not wanting to get into it. She didn’t even know how to mention what was bothering her. “I guess I’m just worried about this place.”
He patted her back in comfort. “Me too. But the concert is going to solve everything. We’re going to raise enough money, I just know it. Jessie’s dad is getting someone really big for us. Jessie told me all about it last night.”
“What happened to not putting all your eggs into one basket?”
“I guess I’m just really excited about the concert.”
“I don’t think we should-” She was cut off as Jessie poked her head through the door from the dog area.
“Harry, I can’t remember what the mix of food is for the dogs. Would you show me one more time?” She asked, looking directly at Harry and only Harry. Apparently Hannah was invisible. “Please?”
“Sure,” he answered, getting up. He left Hannah alone with the kittens. She figured she should start getting used to it, it was happening more and more as the days went on.
The bell from reception rang and Hannah went to answer it, knowing Harry wouldn’t be able to tear himself away from Jessie to deal with it.
Veronica was standing at the counter. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought I might come in and say hi, see all these cute animals you’re always going on and on about,” Veronica said happily. In her sandals and pretty white dress, she wasn’t exactly dressed for an animal shelter but Hannah didn’t care. She wasn’t going to be alone for a while.
“Come on through,” she said, leading her back. They started with the kittens before moving onto the dogs. Jessie and Harry were outside, exercising the larger animals.
“This is Bones, she’s been here for six weeks,” Hannah concluded the tour with one of their long-timers. The dog was a mixture of something fluffy and something spotty. It kind of made a weird looking Dalmatian.
“She’s so cute,” Veronica exclaimed, turning her attention to the dog and speaking baby. “Why hasn’t someone adopted you? You’re such a cute little puppy-wuppy.” The dog just stared back at her like she was crazy. “Oh well, I tried. I see Harry the hottie is playing nice with Jessie the boyfriend stealer.”
“Shh,” Hannah whispered, grabbing her hand and dragging Veronica back to the kittens and away from the window. “They might hear you.”
“I can’t believe Harry is actually falling for her routine. I thought he was better than that.”
“Let’s not talk about it,” Hannah replied, fearing she might start to cry if she confided everything she was feeling.
Veronica could see the pain in her eyes, she didn’t need to say anything. “Is your shift over? How about we go get some ice cream, my shout?”
“How can I refuse?”
“You can’t, come on,” Veronica said decidedly. She linked her arm through Hannah’s and led her out. Nothing cured a broken heart like ice cream.
Chapter 4
“There is nothing in my closet, it’s official,” Hannah said as she slumped down on her bed. She had searched twice already for something to wear to Harry’s party and every time she came up empty.
“That’s because you never go anywhere,” Veronica declared. “Maybe if you let loose and got out more, you’d have nicer clothes.”
Hannah shrugged, she was probably right. Veronica had lots of nice going out clothes in her wardrobe. She seriously needed a closet makeover. �
��What kind of outfit should I wear? I want Harry’s parents to like me.”
“Forget about his parents, you need something to knock Harry the hottie’s socks off. You can make him forget all about Jessie.”
“I definitely don’t have anything that will do that,” she sighed. She didn’t even know if having a knockout outfit would be enough. Jessie was beautiful, confident, and from his neighborhood. She was everything Hannah wasn’t and it only made her feel horrible every time she thought about it. “Maybe I shouldn’t even go.”
“Of course you are going,” Veronica said sternly. “You will go and have a great time and by the end of the night it will be ‘Jessie who?’.”
“I think we need to go shopping,” Coco’s voice rang out from the doorway, startling them both. Neither girl had noticed her intrusion. “Who’s up for it?”
Veronica looked at Hannah, waiting for her to eagerly agree. She didn’t quite get the reaction she was hoping for. “I guess so.”
Without any further ado, Coco grabbed her car keys and the girls huddled in the back of her VW Beetle, circa 1960. They chugged down the road, the exhaust only spluttering every few miles.
They ended up at the Mapleton Mall. It was a strip of shops that Hannah normally avoided. She wasn’t a fashionista, quite the opposite. She normally dressed for comfort, if she looked good then it was a side bonus. Thankfully, Veronica and Coco were the exact opposite.
“How about this one?” Coco asked, holding up a dress covered in shimmering sequins. “It’s pretty, right?”
Hannah vehemently shook her head. Over her dead body would she want to sparkle like that. “No way. I need something plain. It’s a garden party, not a nightclub.” Coco replaced the dress and kept flicking through the hangers.
Veronica found a navy blue short jumpsuit. “This would look really cute on you, your legs would look amazing in the shorts.”
One glance at the length and Hannah already felt naked just looking at it. “I want to be more covered.” Veronica rolled her eyes and put it back. They continued that way for almost an hour. Everything they found had something wrong with it.
Growing more and more desperate, Hannah was starting to panic. The party was only a day away. If she didn’t get anything now, then she wouldn’t have anything to wear. There was no time to trawl the entire town for an outfit.
“I’ve got it,” Veronica exclaimed. She held up a cotton pink dress with straps just thicker than spaghetti. It didn’t look like there was enough material but Hannah was getting worried. The concern was evident as she grimaced. “Just try it on. It won’t kill you to just try it.”
“Fine,” she sighed, taking the hanger. She trudged off to the change rooms, with her mother and best friend in tow. Hannah quickly changed, believing it was just a waste of time anyway. Pink wasn’t her favorite colour and she liked to at least be able to bend over in an outfit without her panties showing.
With the dress finally on, Hannah stared at herself in the mirror. The outfit was simple, just a dress that went in at the waist and tied at the back with a belt made out of the same material. The sweetheart neckline was flattering but it was lower cut than anything she normally wore.
Taking a deep breath, she pulled back the curtain and awaited the reaction as they studied her.
It didn’t take long. “You look so beautiful,” Coco gushed. “Just like a young woman.”
“Seriously, Han, you look amazing,” Veronica added. Hannah turned back to the mirror, trying to see what they did. To her, she just looked like an uncomfortable girl in a pink dress. She couldn’t see the beauty or amazement they did.
“I don’t know…”
“One look at you in that dress and Harry won’t be able to take his eyes off you,” Veronica continued, her own eyes wide open with awe.
“As long as that’s all he keeps on you,” Coco said, warningly. “I don’t trust any teenage boy around you in that dress.”
“It shows too much, doesn’t it?” Hannah asked, looking at her figure. The only good thing about the dress would be that it was cool. She wouldn’t swelter under the hot afternoon sun.
“It shows just enough. You have a cute little body, Hannah, I would have killed to look like that when I was your age. You should make the most of it while you have it.”
Hannah ignored her mother and turned to Veronica, trusting her opinion more for things like fashion. “Do you really think I look nice?”
Veronica rolled her eyes, frustrated that she couldn’t see it for herself. “It’s a twelve on the scale of one to ten. Trust me, Han.”
With one last look in the mirror, Hannah was resigned to the fact that this was her outfit. She just hoped Harry and his parents liked it as much as her cheer squad did.
Chapter 5
“Are you sure you want to wear that?” Coco asked, for the twentieth time since Hannah got dressed. “It looks a little… odd. If you’re quick you can still take it off.”
“I don’t care, it makes me feel better,” Hannah replied. She was wearing the pink dress but she had put a white singlet underneath it to cover what cleavage was showing. Layering was in, right? She was just getting into the swing of the fashion while ensuring her modesty was maintained.
Pulling up outside Harry’s house and seeing it for the first time was enough to make her forget about her outfit. She had much bigger things to worry about. The house was huge, easily as big as four houses combined. The white fence that surrounded the entire structure was tall and imposing.
“Are you going to be okay?” Coco asked, seeing Hannah shrinking into her shell right before her eyes. “You can call me whenever you want to come home. I’ll drop whatever I’m doing and race right over.”
Hannah took a deep breath, she knew she had to go in there. If she didn’t, then she would lose Harry and that was the last thing she wanted. She needed to be brave, even though it was completely scary.
“I’ll be okay,” she finally replied, not convincing either of them. “Thank you for dropping me off.”
“Remember I’m only a call away and these people are not better than you. Don’t forget that they only have money, that doesn’t make them special. It just means they can afford more stuff.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Hannah said, actually smiling for the first time since they left home. She left the safety of the car and headed towards the gates.
Inside, there were people everywhere, huddled together in little groups. Hannah felt like she stuck out, like every time someone looked at her they knew she didn’t belong there. She desperately wished to find Harry.
She weaved her way around the ground floor of the house. Every wall held an expensive looking painting and every table boasted a valuable ornament. She worried about accidently knocking one off, they were probably worth more than a month of her mom’s salary.
In her growing unease, Hannah considered leaving. She hadn’t seen Harry which meant he hadn’t seen her. She could slip out and pretend she was never there, overcome with the flu or something.
She turned to leave, deciding that flight was a better option than fight. She headed for the door, her hand grasped tight around her phone and ready to call. Her mother wouldn’t have gotten too far away yet.
She almost made it out too before a hand gripped around her arm, stopping her mid-step. “Hannah, you made it!”
She spun around to face Harry, sighing with relief at seeing him. “Yeah, I just got here,” she lied. “Everything looks great.”
Harry shrugged. “It’s all boring. But now you’re here, that’s definitely going to change. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Without a choice, Hannah gripped onto Harry’s hand tightly and allowed herself to be led through the people. She had already seen a lot of it already but didn’t want to admit that. They stepped outside where more tables and people lingered underneath a large makeshift tent. The entire party looked like it could have been taken out of an entertaining magazine.
They stopped in front
of a couple. “Hannah, I’d like you to meet my parents, Barry and Katrina Shephard. Mom, Dad, this is Hannah.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Hannah said quietly, trying to remember every manner her mother had taught her since she was born. She didn’t want to put one foot out of place.
“It’s a pleasure for us too,” Katrina replied, smiling warmly. “Harry has told us so much about you. I feel like we already know you.”
Hannah stole a glance at Harry, wondering what on Earth he had told them. She was too mortified to speak. Thankfully, she didn’t have to.
“Anyone that keeps our son out of trouble,” Barry added. “Is fine with us. You keep up the good work, Hannah.” He winked.
Harry tugged at her hand. “We’re going to go dance. See you around.”
They watched them leave. Hannah’s brain started functioning again. The couple had seemed too young to have a son Harry’s age. Perhaps her mother was right, rich people didn’t get wrinkles because they didn’t have to worry so much.
Harry didn’t stop walking until they reached the nearly empty grassed area in front of the live band. A few brave couples were dancing to the music. He spun her around and moved into a dance position, his right arm around her waist and the other gripping her hand tightly at shoulder height.
Flashbacks to the only other time they had danced together kept repeating in Hannah’s mind. The uncoordinated movements, the guy who spilt his entire drink on her white shirt, the panic. It wasn’t a good movie reel to watch.
“So, you really live here?” Hannah asked, trying to distract herself. She was in Harry’s arms, surely she couldn’t go too wrong on the dance floor when he was leading her? She hoped not, although her own clumsiness never ceased to amaze her sometimes.
“Ever since I was born,” Harry replied. “Do you like it? I know it’s a bit… much.”
“It’s beautiful.” Images of her own home in comparison popped into her head. What must Harry think about her tiny little house?
Hairy Tail Collection Page 10