Hanna nodded, feeling the piss and vinegar wash out of her, "Thanks."

Aimee turned and left, "Be back in a bit." She was gone from the room with a whoosh.

Giselle frowned, "Don't let it fool you. She isn’t always like this. She's super worried about her sister. She used to be, like, funny. She was a huge nerd, like I mean science camp smart."

Hanna looked up, "Seriously?"

Giselle nodded, "Dude she was like quiet and smart and nerdy. She saved my life. Now she's kind of hard and cold. You only ever see her laugh and shit with Shane. We went to school with him."

Hanna nodded, "Crazy." She couldn’t help thinking about her fathers note. She wondered if Aimee would be able to decipher the numbers and letters in the equations. If she could solve it without Marcus things would get a lot simpler for her.

Chapter Twenty-One: Look into my eyes, you are feeling sexy, very sexy

Aleksander

He felt ashamed of himself as he walked into Giselle's room seeing Hanna there.

He smirked at her, "Hey."

Hanna blushed, he could see her eyes remembering their first meeting.

Giselle seemed oblivious, which wasn’t new for her.

He cleared his throat, "Can I talk to you?"

Hanna nodded and got up from the chair, "It was nice hanging with you." She spoke softly.

Giselle smiled, "Yeah come back and visit. The circus freaks here are not as entertaining as I thought they would be."

Hanna laughed and followed Aleks out into the hallway.

He felt anxious about saying what he was about to say, "I need you to go back to Marcus."

She frowned, "What?"

He felt the shame crossing his face, "I need him to save that girl and the only way he will do it is if you go back."

She crossed her arms, "No."

He looked at the hurt on her face, "Hanna, look I know we had a weird meeting for the first time. I'm confused by it too. I can't seem to keep my thoughts on what they need to be on when I'm around you." He looked her directly in the eyes and smiled his most charming smile, "I don’t want you to go back to him but I can't let her die. It's all my fault she's even sick."

He watched as her eyes dilated, as she drank in his charms and nodded, "Okay."

He smiled again.

She reached into her shirt and pulled out a piece of paper, "I need Aimee to go over this and text me the answers."

He took the paper, "Okay I will get her to do it when she gets back. Can I take you there now?"

She smiled staring up into his face. He bent kissing her lips softly. He couldn’t help himself. She kissed him back wrapping her arms around him.

It seemed when he used his charms on her they bounced back on him.

He lifted her into the air, holding her against him.

"I need to go home. I need to see Roland first. I will go right after my birthday party. I promised Roland I would be there for it. It's tonight."

He nodded and instantly they were standing in the foyer of her house. She looked peaceful seeing her surroundings. He watched her sigh and lighten up. He didn’t know how she had been able to fight his persuasion but she had. She had chosen her birthday over Giselle. He assumed she didn’t realize the severity, not the way he did.

Roland walked in smiling, "My dear girl you made it in time. I have the dresses and all the ladies to do your hair in your room upstairs. They've only just arrived."

Aleksander couldn’t bear to smile at the old man, he had betrayed Hanna in the worst way.

Hanna squeezed his hand, "See you tonight then?"

He nodded, bowing slightly, "Tonight."

He was gone and back to the house instantly. He only hoped Giselle would last long enough for Hanna to celebrate her birthday.

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Monster's Ball

Hanna

The dresses all fit remarkably but the pale green one made her hair come alive. She twirled looking at it as her reflection floated past in the mirror. She was excited and nervous. She stood still as the finishing touch was added to her face, a small beaded black masque. It covered the top of her face only.

Roland walked into the room beaming, "You look like a princess. My word that is a dress."

She looked at her reflection and nodded. The dress was a sweetheart cut with silver beading along the bust and hemline. It was pale green with a shimmer to the material. It was strapless and fit perfectly. Her chest made attempts at escaping through the top, making her wish she had a cover of some sort.

"Your parents would have loved to be here at this moment. They would have done anything to be here Hanna. This was your mother's wish. Its tradition in her family."

She nodded trying not to tear up.

"Your guests are waiting."

She turned to him, "Who have you invited?" She honestly couldn’t think of any friends who would want to come. She had vanished from her world. She responded to no one. Her old friends had stopped texting and messaging her at all.

"Trust me." He offered her an arm. She took it, gripping for dear life.

He led her down the stairs and through the long hall to the great room. As she entered the large opening clapping started up. She looked to see a massive room full of people. Everyone was dressed in gowns and suits. Their faces all wore a masque. They sang happy birthday, making her face blush beneath hers.

The room was transformed. She had never wanted the birthday party. She had ignored the day for years, forcing her aunt to treat it as a normal day. Her mother had made a big deal out of it every year, before she passed away. Hanna had never felt up to it after that.

"I asked Lydia to let you stay with her. I know she wants you there. I needed to prepare. I only hope I was able to do your mothers wishes justice." Roland whispered in her ear.

She felt her eyes water, "It's beautiful. Thank you Roland."

The ceiling was covered in twinkling lights and the walls were filled with vines of a sort, making it seem as if the room went on beyond them. There was a bar set up in one corner and soft music playing from a string quartet in the other corner.

Roland gripped her hand leading her into the room. It felt surreal, the room was packed with people.

Lydia was suddenly in front of her, her eyes sparkled behind a dark purple masque. Hanna would have known it was her from a mile. No ones eyes sparkled like Lydia's. She embraced Hanna warmly, "Happy Birthday dear girl."

Hanna hugged her back, "Thank you Lydia."

Instantly she started to recognize the eyes behind the masques, Aimee, Ari, Lucas, Ben, and the little kids from the breakfast table.

A man she didn’t recognize walked up to her smiling with soft looking lips, "Happy Birthday Hanna."

She nodded allowing him to take her hand, "Thank you."

"You don’t recognize me do you?"

She frowned, "No. Sorry."

He laughed, "It's Andy."

She frowned looking harder. Behind the masque she noticed his eyes and laughed, "Thank you for coming."

He shook his head, "I was stunned when Roland asked me to come."

"I'm glad you came." She was telling the truth. She liked him. He was the boy next door.

Aimee walked over with a man, Hanna was pretty sure she didn’t know.

Andy turned and smiled brightly, "Bagley."

The tall man next to Aimee put a hand out, "Paulson, nice to see you man. Weird seeing you here."

"I know right. I'm a friend of the birthday girl. You?"

The tall man pointed to Aimee, "My girl."

Hanna watched his eyes meet Aimee's. Her grey blue eyes sparkled and came to life. Aimee giggled. It was fleeting and Hanna had to pinch herself lightly to be sure she heard it.

"How did you two meet?" Aimee asked still looking randomly at the man beside her.

Andy looked at Hanna and shrugged, "Pulled her from the woods."

Aimee's eyes flashed fear, as if she suddenly realized where they were, "He found you?"

Hanna shook her head, "No he was the police officer who was on my file."

"Weird. I'm being rude, Hanna this is Shane my boyfriend. He works with Andy."

Hanna put her hand out "Nice to meet you."

"You too. Happy birthday."

"Thank you."

Regardless of the fact it was her birthday and all eyes were on her, Hanna felt someone watching her from the other side of the room. She looked up to see the most beautiful eyes in the room, fixed upon her. They watched her from behind a dark grey masque. She felt her breath leave her chest. She bit her lower lip, no longer aware of anyone else in the room.

He walked to her as she turned toward him and away from the people she was speaking with.

"May I have this dance?"

His hand came out for hers. She put her hand into his. The warmth of it sent a shiver up her back.

As his arms encompassed her, he spoke softly in her ear, "Hanna I told you not to take anyone's hand."

She smiled remembering his beautiful face.

"Sam."

He chuckled, "You didn’t recognize me?"

She shook her head. She couldn’t speak, feeling her chest being crushed into his.

"Sam why do I feel like I know you?" She spoke softly, struggling with her words. Something about him made her thighs ignite.

"I feel the same way. I find myself lost, watching you." He kissed her cheek tenderly, "Happy birthday Hanna."

He held her against him as if he were savoring every second he got. She forgot anyone else was in the room.

The song felt as if it was over too quickly. He stepped back smiling, "Thanks for the dance."

She gripped his hand, but his eyes darted behind her. She heard a throat clear in the background, but all she saw was Sam. His eyes were black pools she wanted to get lost in. He let her hand drop and stepped into the crowd. The further away he got the colder she got.

She turned to see Andy smiling at her, "Want to dance?"