Chapter 6

    I finally made it home from the longest drive of my life. My feet barely made it up the stairs and into my apartment and I almost decided to just lay down on the ground and sleep.
    Hannah’s letter was folded neatly under my arm, sitting peacefully yet destructively. What I was going to do with it when I got inside, I had no clue. Burning it seemed like a great idea. Maybe it would get rid of the heavy burden Kate placed on my soul, but I seriously doubted it.
    Instead, I walked passed Hannah and put it in our safe to stay stashed away forever where I didn’t have to see it. I turned from the safe, making sure it locked precisely, and standing in the doorway, arms crossed and eyes like daggers, stood Hannah.
    “What are you doing there?” she asked, refusing to move even when I tried to squeeze out from the bedroom. I slid her away and went into the kitchen to grab a beer. “Please,” she begged, following me. “Don’t start drinking. Not tonight.”
    “Hannah, it’s been a long trip. I’m tired and I need something to relax,” I said, taking a few swigs of the beer.
    “Justin, you know how I feel about drinking.”
    “Yet you let me keep the beer in the fridge,” I jumped in. “I’m not in the mood Hannah. Not tonight.”
    “You’re never in the mood. You’ve never been in the mood for anything Justin,”
    I sighed. “I don’t want to talk about this right now, Hannah.”
    Hannah groaned loudly. She crossed the room over to be and slammed the beer out of my hands. The can hit the ground while the golden fluid poured all over the oak floors.
    “You are going to talk to me,” she demanded.
    “Okay,” I stated through my gritted teeth. But, instead of lashing out towards her like I really wanted to, I just went back to the fridge and grabbed another beer. “And what is there to talk about?”
    “Kate. I want to talk about her. You can’t keep all of your emotions bottled inside and I need to know how you’re feeling.”
    “I’m fine,” I shrugged.
    Hannah’s eyes gazed into my expression, the one that gave no hint of the burning pain and regret that settled so deeply into my heart. Yet, somehow she still knew me well enough to see it.
    “Please, Justin! Talk to me!” she screamed. “I love you!”
    “If you love me, you’ll understand that I’m not in the mood. Kate just died. My father cut me off. We have no income anymore because he won’t help out. I’m too tired to think and I’m just not in the mood.”
    “You never are!” Hannah yelled.
    “Hannah, will you just shut up for one minute! I’m never in the mood because you’re always complaining. Quit being such a b***h and leave me the hell alone!”
    Leaving Hannah speechless, for once in our lives together, I took a big gulp of beer, wincing just a little as it went down. I glanced up at Hannah while she slowly lowered her bottom down to the couch. I followed, sinking down into my favorite, ugly chair that I refused to get rid of after graduating college.
    Tears stained Hannah’s face, slowly falling from her eyes.
    “Hannah, please stop crying,” I demanded. Those daggers that I noticed back in the bedroom were back, only they were stained with water this time. “What do you want me to say? Huh? I’m sorry?”
    She shook her head, her brunette hair sticking to her face when it swung across her face. She didn’t notice. Just let it stick.
    “Whatever,” I said and then got up from my chair. I crossed the living room, Hannah’s eyes barely following me until I got to the bedroom and shut the door behind us.
    I was barely in the room when I remembered that I didn’t have my beer with me. Part of me really wanted to go back and get it because alcohol seemed like the only way to ease the pain. But on the other hand, I really hated alcohol. At least beer. It was bitter and disgusting and didn’t go down as easily as it could have.
    So, instead of going back for it, I popped some sleeping pills and laid down on the bed. And then I was out.

Reviews

[Blue Moon Ice Cream]

I like how there's so much happening in every chapter and it's quick-paced. I wish there was more so I could find out how it all resolved itself!

[Daniel Thomas Andrew Da..]

Quite good storytelling. Proper drama between characters, very real life situations, and generally entertaining enough to read more. Not too long to read, which is a good thing for a lot of us reviewers, as we often are very busy. The story has potential, and you could continue writing it for quite a while. If it went over 20,000 words, even if you couldn't get it published, self-publishing it in a paperback yourself and giving it out to family and friends would always make you feel good about yourself. I hope you have a big plot you are working on, but either way, having noticed that there are previous chapters, it is an interesting and well developed enough story to deserve an audience that appreciates this type of story telling. A solid effort - well done. Daniel.

[Daydreamer54]

Aw poor hannah, all she wants to do is help and he ignored her. This seems like a movie everytime i read it! so much high emotionm and drama. he still loves kate. :(

[Bailey C. Writing]

A good chapter. I do feel bad for Hannah, she shouldn't have to be subjected to that :/
I can't wait for the next chapter! What will Justin do next? What will we discover? :) Well done

[PyroKitty24]

Another beautifully written update! I feel bad for Hannah, but I understand what it feels like to be in Justin's place. I also understand what it feels like to be in Hannah's place, though, so it's hard to take a side...
Also, in the beginning when you spoke of the letter, you accidentally used Hannah instead of Kate to describe the writer of the letter. Just wanted to point that out. I didn't find any other mistakes~

[Coyote Poetry]

A very strong story. A lot to handle for one person all the sad situations in this story. I had to do a re-read to catch-up. A powerful story with a lot of internal struggle. A excellent chapter.
Coyote

[TheElfPrincess]

I enjoyed reading this. It was good, was nice to read and had a good flow.