The Runaways

Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Hannah

Evie came out of the bathroom, steam dancing around her. She wrung her hair out a bit, then wrapped it in a towel. "How good are you with make up?"

Before Hannah could say a word, Evie tossed her a black bag. It was kind of heavy, making her stumble to the side. She set it on the bed and opened it.

There were so many tubes of lipstick, mascara, eyeliner pencils, and eye shadow pallets, Hannah would have found it believable that she had robbed a beauty salon. She wondered how she could have afforded all of it, before she remembered how much Evie must earn every night.

Wrapped in nothing but a towel, Evie sat on the bed beside her. "My halter dress is red and I'm wearing a black South Pole jacket with gold lettering. I don't care what you use, just make it look good."

She closed her eyes and waited patiently. Hannah searched through everything, finding foundation. She took a small sponge and began dabbing it on her face. She gently applied it and then put bronzer over it, to deepen her tan just the way she wanted it.

"So, what's the deal with the others?" Hannah asked, trying to mimic the nonchalant tone Caroline's voice had held when she was telling her story.

"Well, Ashley's just quiet, Caroline is very forward, and Annabelle is a little girl. But that's not important to you, because when you say "the others", you mean Jesse," Evie smiled knowingly.

Hannah began to stumble over her words as she attempted to deny it, but Evie just held up a hand to silence her. "I notice a lot of things. It's okay. It usually throws people off at first. Well, as I was saying, Jesse's quite a character. He doesn't open up to a lot of people, but he's a good guy, I promise. It just takes a little time to get him to warm up to you."

"So, what, I have to work to get him to like me?" Hannah shook her head. "Screw that. I don't need him."

"Yes, you do," Evie replied softly. "You both do."

"Why do you say that?" Hannah was trying her best to pretend like she didn't care, but from the look on her face, it wasn't working.

So instead, she focused on Evie's makeup. She leaned over, applying a shimmery white eye shadow with her thumb. She smudged it gently, just enough so that it could be mixed in with the gold color she was going to add.

"Because I see it in his eyes and I see it in yours. You've both been betrayed, been hurt, just in different ways. I can't be to him what you can, nor can Caroline. There's a certain void that can only be filled by someone who is like you, someone who has felt your pain."

"He doesn't like me, though," Hannah said.

"Vanessa," she purred.  I winced. That name used to be hers. "He never likes anyone. At first, he was disgusted with me and my...uh, profession. Once he learned my story, however, he came to...understand. He may not like it, but he at least tolerates it."

"And he's been a good friend to you, I presume?"

 "He's come to love me like a sister. He has been there when I needed him and helped me during my darkest days. He's still a kid, but his mind far exceeds that. He's got the wisdom of an eighty year old man," she chuckled. "He gets mad when I tell him that, but it's the only way I know how to explain it. I've never met anyone like him. He didn't even react to my story like most people do. He doesn't judge people based on their past...just their hearts."

"What is your..." Hannah trailed off, knowing it was none of her business, but when she opened her mouth to apologize, Evie just waved her off.

"I was 13. My family and I had gone to visit my uncle, Louis. He wasn't related to me, but he had been my father's friend for many years, so he might as well have been. Anyways, he was having a party and there were lots of people there. I had spilled punch on my dress. I was so clumsy as a kid. Anyways, he had three daughters, so he told me I could borrow something of theirs. When we went upstairs, he found me new clothes. I waited for him to leave the room, only he didn't..." she paused. "I don't think you need me to tell you what happened then."

"Didn't you tell anyone?"

"Sure," Evie replied. "But they wouldn't listen. Actually, they did their best to cover it up. My father made me swear I wouldn't tell Mother, so I didn't. It wasn't until I started putting on a little weight that he realized I didn't have to say anything. The bump on my stomach said it all."

"What happened to the baby?" she asked, horrified. Evie winced, the gentle smile fading from her eyes.

"When my dad found out, he was desperate to hide it. He told me we were going to the store and to put on some shoes, so I did. On our way down the stairs, he knocked my feet from beneath me. I fractured my wrist, broke several of my ribs and lost the baby." She studied Hannah's expressions, watching them change from shocked to concerned, before finally fading into understanding.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly.

"Vanessa," she started. "I'm not telling you this so you can feel bad for me. I don't need your pity. In fact, if anyone else had asked, I probably would have told them to go screw themselves. I'm telling you my story so that you will understand: I know a bad guy when I see one. I lived with one, I was raped by another. Jesse is a good person. He needs someone like you, so...I'm going to ask you to stay."

"I will," she vowed, surprised with her own certainty.

"I don't mean a week and then leave. I mean for good—"

"I do, too," Hannah replied decisively. They nodded in unison, as if having reached a mutual understanding.

She hadn't realized it before, but she'd taken somewhat of a liking to everyone, even without knowing them. The differences among all of them made a collage. Somehow, every piece fit.

They looked at each other for a long while, before Hannah sighed and broke eye contact so she could return to her work. She couldn't figure out why, but she wanted to stay. She wanted to be a part of a family again.

She pulled a brush from the bag and began putting on her blush. Evie giggled as it tickled her cheeks.

Finally, after a final touch of lip gloss, Evie ran to the mirror to inspect Hannah's job. She ran her fingers softly over her face, mouth wide open.

"Oh, my God," she exclaimed. "I'm so...pretty."

"Well, the makeup doesn't make you beautiful," Hannah pointed out. "What's in your heart does."

Evie smiled, and hugged her. Surprisingly, she was comfortable with this. She was usually on edge with physical contact, but this was tender and affectionate. It was relieving.

"You know, I think this might be the start to a beautiful friendship," she said, exaggerating the word 'beautiful' in a very 'Queen of England' tone of voice.

"Thanks," Hannah laughed, brushing her bangs aside with her fingertips. She looked at the clock. It was almost eleven. "Don't be late."

"Good point. All the good lookin' men will be gone if I don't hurry," she winked.

She dropped the towel unexpectedly and grabbed the matching bra and underwear set that she'd hung from the ceiling fan earlier. Hannah looked away, immediately turning scarlet. She'd never been comfortable with other women being naked in front of her, not even in gym class. Evie chuckled at the look on her face.

 After she was ready, she grabbed her jacket and purse. Just as she was about to leave, though, Hannah found her mouth opening to call out for her.

"Hey, Evie?" she asked softly. "Can I ask you something?

"Sure., what's on your mind?" It sounded as if she were both concerned and curious. Hannah gulped, unsure how she'd react to the question she was about to ask.

"Do you ever...wish you weren't a prostitute?"

She paused in the doorway, seeming to give the question a lot of thought. She kept a faltering smile on her face as she did this and, with tears in her voice, she whispered, "every day", then slammed the door shut.