Burning

Part 9

She watched him walk inside. He kept his head down, took deep breaths and folded his arms like a little kid. Hana couldn't believe Luca. Her mind was a swirl of questions that it seemed would never have answers. She desperately wanted tonight to go well but it didn't seemed to be possible with a crazy wolf hunter in her house without her parents permission.
She went inside and took a deep breath, wiped her feet on the doormat to see muddy footprints on her carpet. She put the knife on the shelf next to the door.
"No no no no" she cried and ran to the kitchen to get a scrubbing brush and carpet cleaner, worry filling her, knowing what would happen if she didn't clean it up.
She hated to say it to herself, but her parents were abusive. They would be nice when they had guests or on her birthday and sometimes at Christmas, but most days were a living nightmare. She had thought about telling somebody, and even once tried to ring up childline. But soon after she'd made her decision, the thought of what would happen if dad found out scared her too much and she hung up before they put her through. Crying at night, Hana would ask herself why it happened to her. Painfully through screams, sometimes she might ask why she couldn't have died instead of her brother. But that was if it got really bad, and she would stay off school to hide the physical evidence.
Now she had cleaned up effectively all of the mud from the carpet and stood up, brushing at her knees as she did. She was somewhat pleased with herself and walked through to the kitchen where Bethan was. She had made herself a coffee, which Hana was okay with, considering what had just happened to her.
Bethan looked her up and down, quite judging her. But then her image of bitchiness washed away and her face transformed into a genuinely grateful looking smile.
Bethan and Luca, Hana decided, were just two people she would never quite understand.
"I'm- really sorry that you had to go through that. I swear it's never happened to me before, I just didn't kn-"
"Hana, I forgive you. I'm okay. Calm down."
Her voice seemed somewhat uncertain, but to avoid any further conflict Hana decided it was best to believe her.
"Okay. Good." She wiped her forehead of sweat and sat down at the table. She sat a couple of minutes thinking. Bethan and Luca and Owen. Were now her friends. She was excited to spend time with them. Kind of.
Bethan turned suddenly to the hall. The seemingly out of place brownish yellow colour beamed off the walls as Hana turned to see what she was looking at.
"Luca! Is that you?" She called. She acted a lot like a kind of bossy aunt to her brother, Hana had found out during the day.
"Is what me?" Luca shouted back. His very southern voice echoed through the small house.
"Turning the T.V on?" Her face turned to one of disgust.
Hana stood up, a little cross. Why would you do that?
"No. That's Owen."
Hana felt like a mother now, cleaning up for the boys and now telling them off.
She stormed into the living room. Luca was on the small armchair reading a library book. Owen was on the sofa with his feet up and watching police interceptors. Like anyone would be, Hana was really annoyed. Furious would be a little bit of an exaggeration.
"What are you doing?" She pointed at Owen and gestured for him to turn it off. He looked up at her and turned the sky box off without looking away. He didn't smile which would have really annoyed her. He just looked. Impatience grew inside her.
Hana glanced over at Luca who didn't respond. Bethan soon came through with her coffee looking mysterious as ever. Hana gave a glare at Owen.
Surprisingly, Owen apologised immediately and moved along to give her space to sit down.
"Sorry," he said, " what am I dong it's not my house. I'm sorry."
Hana sat down next to him. "Guys, let's just get on with this thing now. I said I'd order you a pizza, Bethan and I'm starving already." She said, looking towards the tall girl standing in doorway, still. Bethan smiled at that.
"Okay, I'll go get my laptop." She turned back to the hooks in the hall.
Hana noticed Luca was staring at her, his deep brown eyes seemed hollow in the dim light. What does he want? She walked over, trying to ignore his creepiness.
"Come on, crazy wolf stabbing boy. You've had your time. Bring Luca back."
He smiled a little.
"Fine. Boring Luca it is."