The Gray Dancer

35. FRIENDLY MEETINGS

HANNA BEAMED AS SHE CLEANED UP HER APARTMENT. After such a long time, her two closest friends would finally meet. She had only dreamed of this moment. To say that she was simply happy was almost certainly an understatement. Derrick had wanted to meet Jackson for such a long while, and today his dream could finally be a reality.

Hanna's eyes blossomed with joy, and she radiated an aura as bright as the sunshine outside. She couldn't stop smiling, thinking that two of her friends could be friends too. Together, all three of them could make many more memories. They could do the same things they did as children for once, relive those moments if they wished to.

Hanna couldn't stop letting her thoughts flutter around. Maybe it was because, for the first time, her thoughts didn't outright criticize her, that she didn't mind letting her thoughts have a little bit of fun. She didn't mind imagining all the different possibilities of the near future they'd have together.

Hanna let her thoughts run free as she cleaned her apartment, picking up the scraps that laid scattered over her apartment. She didn't know why she found herself cleaning her apartment today. Maybe it was because she finally cared enough to do so. Hanna had the energy within her to tidy up her home today. She wanted it to be clean and pristine as it once was.

Hanna knew that a cleaner room appealed more to her mind. It made it easier for her thoughts to float away, unlike a messy room. In her shabby apartment, it seemed that her thoughts continued to tangle more.

Even though Hanna knew it sounded childish, she was more than willing to give it a try by cleaning her apartment again. She didn't mind removing the clutter that filled up her home if it could make her feel just a bit better. The effort was more than worth it in that case.

As long as Hanna's thoughts didn't stay lodged in her mind, she wouldn't mind cleaning for the rest of eternity.

While she continued cleaning, her doorbell rang for the first time today. The joyful sound that it brought with it floated without a care in the world, bringing peace to her ears. She couldn't help but let her mind twinkle at the thought of her visitor.

It could only be one of two people, both of which excited Hanna.

Hanna set the things in her hand down, taking a look in the mirror to check her appearance. She brushed through her hair as she stared at herself to make herself more presentable. Once she felt satisfied with her appearance, Hanna nearly sprinted to the front door.

Hanna tucked her baby hairs behind her ears, grabbing the doorknob open. She didn't bother looking at the peephole, knowing the person outside could only be one of two people. No one else would visit her tiny apartment in the middle of nowhere.

"Hanna!" A voice greeted her as she opened the door with a smile.

It happened to be her childhood friend. One of the two she had been waiting for. Hanna could feel a surge of happiness glow around her as she noticed his curly brown hair and round spectacles.

Jackson had been standing in front of her door, a charming grin enhancing his features.

Hanna hadn't seen Jackson in a while, oddly enough, yet he looked exactly the same as the last time she had seen him. She opened her door fully to let him into her tiny apartment.

Jackson noticed the emptiness in her apartment at once. It didn't appear to be as cluttered as usual. There wasn't that huge of a mess. Papers didn't lie around everywhere. It seemed that Hanna had, in fact, cleaned her apartment for the first time in a while. Jackson's eyes widened as he stared into the apartment, his surprised eyes finding their way towards Hanna."

"Did you clean your apartment, Hanna?" His tone was almost teasing in a way as if he couldn't believe that Hanna had cleaned her apartment.

Hanna folded her arms across her chest, her eyes rolling with Jackson's comment.