Hanna walked into the school the next morning with Finn’s words still echoing in her mind: You’re stronger than you think.
She wanted to believe him, to carry that strength with her like a shield against the whispers and the weight of the past few months. But as much as she tried, the ominous text message from the night before still lingered in the back of her mind like a shadow. The warning—You might think you’ve won, but this is just the beginning—had sent a shiver down her spine.
Yet, as unsettling as it was, Finn’s kiss had grounded her in a way she hadn’t expected. It was a reminder that she wasn’t facing any of this alone, that she had people by her side who wouldn’t let her fall. That thought gave her the strength to lift her chin a little higher as she walked through the crowded hallways.
When she reached her locker, she was surprised to see Finn leaning casually against the one beside hers. He was scrolling through his phone, his head tilted slightly, but as soon as he noticed her approach, he slipped the phone into his pocket and straightened. His grin, warm and easy, spread across his face in a way that made her heart skip a beat.
“Morning,” he said casually, though there was a glint in his eye that was anything but casual.
“Morning,” Hanna replied, feeling the faintest blush creep up her cheeks. She opened her locker, trying to focus on the mundane task of grabbing her books. “What are you doing here? You don’t have this hallway.”
“I thought I’d walk you to class,” he said with a shrug, his tone nonchalant, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. But the slight quirk of his lips betrayed the mischief in his intentions.
Hanna turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “What’s the real reason?”
Finn’s grin widened, and he leaned just slightly closer, his voice dropping as he said, “Can’t a guy just want to spend time with his girlfriend?”
The word girlfriend sent an unexpected thrill through Hanna. It was such a simple word, yet it held so much weight, so much possibility. Her heart fluttered, though she couldn’t stop herself from teasing him. “Is that what I am?” she asked, tilting her head and pretending to be unimpressed.
“Well,” Finn began, his tone playful but sincere as he crossed his arms, “if you weren’t before, you are now.”
Hanna blinked, caught off guard by the straightforwardness of his answer. But then she laughed, the sound bubbling up before she could stop it. It was a real laugh, light and free, and it surprised her with its ease. “Okay, fine,” she said, still smiling. “Walk me to class.”
Finn held out his hand with a dramatic flourish, and after a moment of hesitation, Hanna slipped her fingers into his. His grip was warm and steady, and she felt her nerves calm slightly as they began walking down the hall together.
The whispers started almost immediately. Hanna could feel the eyes on them, the subtle turning of heads and quiet murmurs that followed their every step. Finn seemed completely unfazed, his thumb brushing lightly against hers as they walked.
“People are staring,” Hanna said under her breath, trying not to look around.
“Let them,” Finn said simply, his voice calm. “They don’t matter.”
Hanna smiled faintly, wishing she could share his confidence. But there was something reassuring about his casual attitude, the way he didn’t care about what anyone thought. It made her feel braver, too, like she could face whatever came next.
When they reached her classroom, Finn stopped and turned to face her, his hand still holding hers. “I meant what I said earlier,” he said, his tone soft but serious now. “You’re stronger than you think, Hanna. Don’t forget that.”
She looked up at him, her chest tightening. “I’ll try,” she said quietly. “But sometimes it’s hard to believe.”
Finn’s free hand brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his touch gentle. “Then I’ll believe it for both of us,” he said with a small smile. “Deal?”
Hanna felt her cheeks flush again, but this time it wasn’t from embarrassment. “Deal,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The bell rang, breaking the moment, and Finn let go of her hand reluctantly. “I’ll see you later,” he said, stepping back. His grin returned, easy and warm. “Save me a seat at lunch?”
Hanna nodded, watching him walk away. For a moment, she just stood there, her thoughts swirling. Finn had a way of making her feel safe, of making her believe in herself even when the doubts threatened to creep in. And as she stepped into the classroom, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she could start believing that things really were getting better.
The whispers started almost immediately. Hanna could feel the eyes on them, the subtle turning of heads and quiet murmurs that followed their every step. Finn seemed completely unfazed, his thumb brushing lightly against hers as they walked.
“People are staring,” Hanna said under her breath, trying not to look around.
“Let them,” Finn said simply, his voice calm. “They don’t matter.”
Hanna smiled faintly, wishing she could share his confidence. But there was something reassuring about his casual attitude, the way he didn’t care about what anyone thought. It made her feel braver, too, like she could face whatever came next.
When they reached her classroom, Finn stopped and turned to face her, his hand still holding hers. “I meant what I said earlier,” he said, his tone soft but serious now. “You’re stronger than you think, Hanna. Don’t forget that.”
She looked up at him, her chest tightening. “I’ll try,” she said quietly. “But sometimes it’s hard to believe.”
Finn’s free hand brushed a strand of hair away from her face, his touch gentle. “Then I’ll believe it for both of us,” he said with a small smile. “Deal?”
Hanna felt her cheeks flush again, but this time it wasn’t from embarrassment. “Deal,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The bell rang, breaking the moment, and Finn let go of her hand reluctantly. “I’ll see you later,” he said, stepping back. His grin returned, easy and warm. “Save me a seat at lunch?”
Hanna nodded, watching him walk away. For a moment, she just stood there, her thoughts swirling. Finn had a way of making her feel safe, of making her believe in herself even when the doubts threatened to creep in. And as she stepped into the classroom, she realized that maybe, just maybe, she could start believing that things really were getting better.