Unbelievable (Book Four)

Seventeen: Cats Can Fight Nice, Can't They?

Wednesday afternoon, just as Hanna flopped over in her hospital bed—apparently, lying to still caused bedsores, which sounded even nastier than acne—she heard a knock at her door. She almost didn't want to answer it. She was a little sick of all her nosy visitors, Spencer, Aria, and Emily.

"Let's get ready to par-tay!" someone yelled. Four boys swept inside: Noel Kahn, Mason Byers; Aria's younger brother, Mike; and surprise of all surprises, Sean Ackard, Hanna's—and Aria's, it seemed—ex-boyfriend.

"Hey, boys." Hanna lifted the oatmeal-colored cashmere blanket Mona had brought her from home over the bottom half of her face, revealing only her eyes. Seconds later, Lucas Beattie arrived, carrying a big bouquet of flowers.

Noel glanced at Lucas, then rolled his eyes. "Over-compensating for something?"

"Huh?" Lucas's face was nearly swallowed up by the bouquet.

Hanna didn't get why Lucas was always visiting her. Sure, they'd been friends for like a minute last week, when Lucas took her up in his dad's hot-air balloon and let her vent about all of her troubles. Hanna knew how much he liked her—he'd pretty much reached in, pulled out his heart, and handed it to her during their balloon ride together, but after she'd received Mona's court dress in the mail, Hanna clearly remembered sending Lucas a nasty text confirming that she was out of his league. She considered reminding him of that now, only...Lucas had been pretty useful. He'd gone to Sephora to buy Hanna a whole bunch of new makeup, read Teen Vogue to her line by line, and cajoled the doctors into allowing him to douse the room with Bliss aromatherapy oil, just as Hanna had asked him to. She kind of liked having him around. If she weren't so popular and fabulous, he'd probably make a great boyfriend. He was definitely cute enough—way cuter than Sean, even.

Hanna glanced at Sean now. He was sitting stiffly in a plastic visitor's chair, peeking at Hanna's various get-well cards. Visiting Hanna in the hospital was so him. She wanted to ask him why he and Aria had broken up, but all of a sudden, she realized that she didn't care.

Noel looked at Hanna curiously. "What's with the veil?"

"The doctors told me to do this." Hanna pulled the blanket tight around her nose. "To, like, keep away the germs. And besides, you get to focus on my beautiful eyes."

"So, what was it like being in a coma?" Noel perched on the side of Hanna's bed, squeezing a stuffed turtle that her aunt and uncle had given her yesterday. "Was it, like, a really long acid trip?"

"And are they giving you medicinal marijuana now?" Mike asked hopefully, his blue eyes glinting. "I bet the hospital stash rocks."

"Nah, I bet they're giving her painkillers." Mason's parents were doctors, so he always busted out his medical knowledge. "Hospital patients have such a sweet setup."

"Are the nurses hot?" Nike burbled. "Do they strip for you?"

"Are you naked under there?" Noel asked. "Give us a peek!"

"Guys!" Lucas said in a horrified voice. The boys looked at him and rolled their eyes—except for Sean, who looked almost as uncomfortable as Lucas did. Sean was probably still in Virginity Club, Hanna thought with a smirk.

"It's fine," Hanna chirped. "I can handle it." It was actually refreshing to have the boys here, making inappropriate comments. Everyone else who visited had been so damn serious. As the boys gathered around to sign Hanna's cast, Hanna remembered and sat up. "You guys are coming to my welcome-back party on Friday, right? Spencer and Mona are planning it, so I'm sure it's going to rock."

"Wouldn't miss it." Noel glanced at Mason and Mike, who were looking out the window, chatting what limbs they'd break if they jumped from Hanna's fifth-floor balcony. "What's up with you and Mona, anyway?" Noel asked.