HANNAH’S P.O.V.

I wake up to the piercing sound of my mother’s voice. I feel groggy and I want to throw a pillow at her, but I really do feel bad for how I treated her last night.

“Did you sleep with the light on, Hannah?”

I roll over and realize that I’m still in my clothes from last night. I didn’t even get under the blankets. I barely kicked my shoes off before falling asleep.

“I guess so.”

She walks over and calmly sits on the edge of my bed.

“Sweetheart, I don’t like how we talked to each other last night.”

I sit up and rub my eyes before speaking.

“Me too, mom. I’m sorry.”

“I am too. When you get back from the Sinclair’s, we should get lunch at the clubhouse. How does that sound?”

I roll my eyes. She still expects me to go to the Sinclair's? I half expected her to compromise with me.

“I said I wasn’t going to see Harry.”

“I know you did. And I said you are.”

I can’t believe she is so inconsiderate. I may have just turned eighteen yesterday, but I think I deserve a little
more freedom than this.

“It’s not fair.”

“Hannah, it’s not fair that you were out all night doing god knows what. You weren’t in your right mind when you got home and I honestly don’t want to know why. Just please cooperate with me now. You need to start getting ready. Wear your cream Valentino.”

I fall back into the pillows as she leaves my room. Now I can’t even choose my own outfits? Normally, I would
wear something else as my minuscule version of rebellion, but I decide that last night was enough for the time being.

I get up and lazily make my way to the bathroom. I wash my face as the water warms and turn on the speakers from the wall controls. My new She & Him album starts to play and I turn it up as their cover of Sunday Girl comes on.

I sing along the entire time I’m in the shower, their music making me feel a little better. The water feels amazing and I really wish I could stand under it for hours instead of going to have tea with Harry. I don’t plan on doing what my mom wants once I get there. Sure, I’ll listen to him, but nothing he says can change my mind. The small respect I used to have for him faded instantly at my graduation. He’s absurd and pompous.
Once I am done showering, I dry off and put on a thin robe, wringing my hair out with a towel. I wipe away some of the condensation on my mirror and put some moisturizer on my face. I open my makeup drawer and start to apply a minimal amount. Once complete, it looks natural, but covers up the evidence of a long night.
As I start to blow-dry my hair, I think about Niall. Why am I even thinking about him? He’s a drug dealer in the city. I physically laugh at myself for even considering seeing him again. I just really want to.

Stop.

If I think wearing an outfit my mom didn’t pick out is too rebellious, then seeking out Niall is social suicide. It is, actually. Social suicide that I’ve craved for years. A clean cut. If I ever leave Westbury, the only way I can ensure a permanent severance is by ending up with someone like Niall. They’ll never take me back after associating myself with him. That’s exactly what I want.

My thoughts are interrupted by a knocking on my door and I turn the hair dryer off.

“Hannah! Are you almost ready?”

“Yes, mom! I’ll be out in ten minutes.”

She doesn’t respond so I assume she walked away and I set the dryer down, finding some pins in the bottom of my jewelry box. I pin up some pieces of my wavy hair so that it appears to be tamed. I brush my teeth and put on some deodorant before walking back into my room. I slip out of the robe and find a bra and panties that are nude colored so they won’t show through my dress. As I open my closet door, my cell phone starts to ring. I search for it in my purse and finally find it.

“Hello?”

“Hannah! How’d you sleep?”

“Hey, Jess. Ugh, not so well. My mom was up when I got home.”

“WHAT? What’d she say?”

“We fought... pretty bad. She’s making me go see Harry right now. Apparently he asked for me to come over.”

“Oh, lord. Get that shit over with and come over! My parents are out of town. We can have a girls night.”

I almost say that my mom won’t let me, but I figure if I make her happy by seeing Harry and joining her for lunch, she’ll be okay with it.

“Yeah! I’ll come over after lunch.”

“Perfect. Good luck with the holy Lord Sinclair.”

I chuckle and thank her sarcastically before saying goodbye. I hurry back to my closet and quickly find the
dress my mother demanded I wear, pulling it on and finding some flats to match. Once I’m dressed, I find earrings to wear a spray a little perfume on my neck and wrists. When I reach my door, my mother is rushing to it anxiously.

“Come on, Hannah. You’re going to be late.”

“I’m ready!”

I hold my purse in my hand, following my mom down the stairs.

“Joe is waiting outside. Meet me at the clubhouse after?”

“Sure. See ya.”

I kiss her on the cheek and walk out the door to see a beaming Joe below. He never fails to make me smile. I hurry down the stairs to meet him and he opens the back door of the black Rolls Royce for me.

“Morning, Joe!”

“Good morning, Miss Kensington. How are you?”

“Cut the ‘miss’ crap. I’m alright.”

I stick my tongue out at him and he returns the gesture before closing the door. Once he is in the driver’s seat
he looks at me through the mirror.

“So, off to the dreaded lair we go?”

“Don’t remind me. Just drive.”

He laughs and follows my directions. We make small talk as we drive down the brick road.

“You got home late last night, huh?”

My eyes shoot up and I smirk at him. I never worry about hiding hints from Joe. He’s like the uncle that helps you get away with what your parents don’t agree with.

“What’s it to ya? And how did you know?”

“I heard your mom telling your dad. Have any fun?”

I look down at my lap and then back at the mirror to look at his eyes when I talk.

“Yes. It was actually the best night of my life.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

He gives me a genuine smile as we pull into the Sinclair’s long driveway. Once we stop, he turns around before getting out of the car.

“I know it’s a day late, but I didn’t see you yesterday.”

He reaches back and gives me a small mint green bag.

“Happy Birthday, Hannah.”

“Joe! What the hell did you get me a gift for?”

He chuckles and waits impatiently for me to open it. I pull out a small box and carefully open it to find a white gold necklace shaped as a dove with it’s wings spread.

“Flip it over. Look at the back.”

I take the necklace out and turn it over to see engraved in the back, ‘H- Spread your wings.’

I feel warm tears surface when I meet his gaze once again.

“Joe, this is so sweet. It’s perfect, really. Thank you so much.”

He knows how badly I want out. He’s the only one who understands me. He’s the only one who encourages
me to live my dream and move to the city.

“You’re welcome, Hannah. I just know that with your dad gone and all, you’re mom is gonna be extra hard on you- so, this will remind you that you should never be afraid to be yourself. You need to be free.”

I wrap the thin chain around my neck and hook it in the back, letting it fall to my chest. I lean forward and hug Joe before he gets out of the car and walks to my door, opening it.

“Thanks, Joe. I don’t plan on being long.”

“I’ll be right here.”

I hug him again and walk toward the stairs. I climb them slowly, trying to put off this tea time as long as I can. Once I reach the door, I press the intercom and Charlie, the butler answers.

“Sinclair residence.”

“Hey, Charlie. It’s Hannah.”

“One moment, Miss Kensington.”

Within seconds, the door opens slowly and Charlie welcomes me inside with a warm smile. He’s always thrilled when I come because everyone else is rude to him.

“Mister Sinclair is waiting in the foyer. You will be taking tea there.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

“My pleasure.”

He walks away and I make my way into the front room to find Harry sitting on the couch, looking at his phone. I clear my throat and he finally looks up, not even cracking a smile.

“Hello, Hannah. Have a seat.”

He points to the chair opposite him and I slowly lower myself into it, setting my purse next to me. I don’t say a
word.

“How have you been?”

I simply look at him with an unmistakable seriousness and he finally glances up from his phone.

“Why won’t you answer me?”

“You don’t have anything to say to me, Harry? Nothing?”

“Ah, you’re still mad. I guess that should have been expected.”

He sets his phone down and I cross my arms, waiting for him to continue.

“Okay, look. Hannah, I’m sorry. It really wasn’t personal.”

At least he’s trying to apologize.

“It felt personal.”

“Well, it wasn’t. I promise. I had a lot of other things going on and-“

He stops speaking abruptly and stares out the window to his left. He doesn’t say anything at all; just stares.
Finally, without looking back at me, he continues.

“Have you ever just wanted to... leave?”

All the damn time. Wait, am I still talking to Harry? I lean forward and pour a cup of tea before answering.

“Yes, I have. Why?”

He turns and his bright green eyes meet mine and I see a glimmer of... desperation?

“I remember you talking about moving to the city. Just seeing if you still felt the same way about... this way of life.”

This is the strangest conversation I’ve ever had. Harry actually listened to me?

“Yeah, I do.”

I don’t know what else to say to him. I want to know what relevance this has to my visiting. Why did he want to see me anyway? He seems focused on anything but me. He waits a few minutes before speaking again, looking straight at me this time.

“You and I both want similar things, Hannah. If you and I get back together, I can make those things happen.”

No. This is exactly what I told myself I wouldn’t let happen.

“No, Harry. I haven’t forgiven you for what you said and how you treated me. Besides, we were never good
together.”

He reaches across the table and rests his hand on my knee. Tears are now filling his eyes.

“Please, Hannah. I know we aren’t good together, but our parents would beg to differ and if we make them
happy, maybe we can do what we want.”

Why does it sound more like a business transaction than anything?

“Harry, why me? Why now? You still haven’t explained why you acted the way you did.”

He sighs and sits back, nervously running his fingers through his tousled hair. It’s usually slicked back, but it’s quite messy today.

“Can you keep a secret?”

Notes

Hello!!! <3 What do you guys think Harry's secret is?! :O
Let me know what you think since it's still a new story and it can go many ways! I would love your input ;)
Kensington family car Sinclair's house