The votes are in!
Choice #1 got 17 votes! Choice #2 got 25 votes! Choice #3 got 13 votes!
Thus I have begun with the second option. However, because so many of you wanted it, I will use all three ideas in the course of the next few chapters! The third option will be edited to avoid it being out of character/meaningless/way too fast. Enjoy! And thank you so much for reviewing!
Hanna came down the stairs the next morning and was greeted with the smells of bacon grease and fried eggs. Surely she was still dreaming and she'd be damned if she wanted to wake up. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she followed her nose the kitchen, where she found Caleb standing in front of the oven. Pealing his eyes away from the stovetop, he took in the sight before him. Disheveled blonde locks, a tiny pair of shorts and a low-cut tanktop comprised her appearance that morning. How could she stand wearing so little when it was late fall?
Not that he was complaining, of course.
"Morning," he said, smiling brightly.
The sight made her a little short on breath for a moment. Then, she reciprocated his greeting.
"Do you want me to cook you some too?" He gestured toward the pan with the spatula that was in his hand.
"I'll just grab some coffee, thanks. I've already gained five pounds just looking at that." She chortled softly.
Caleb just winked at her. "A princess can eat whatever she wants."
Grinning and rolling her eyes, Hanna strode past him to a cabinet to obtain a mug. Upon opening the door, she spotted her favorite container on the top shelf. She had to reach one hand up, press the fingertips of the other hand on the counter, and stand on her toes in order the reach it.
Out of the corner of his eye, the delinquent had been watching her. She realized this as she began to turn back to face him.
Caleb Rivers had been checking her out. The guy she really liked just inadvertently gave her a compliment. Hanna beamed and suddenly had the urge to run into another room and squeal.
"I think I might actually take a shower first," she said as she set down the container she was holding. The truth was that she just wanted an excuse to run upstairs, call Aria, and spill.
"Oh. I was hoping to jump in before you today. No offense, but I take half an hour max. You're lucky if your minimum is that short." He shot her a smirk.
Now, Hanna was more interested in bantering than using her cell phone.
"Is that so? At least when I'm done, I remove my hair from the drain, Mr. Flowing Locks."
"Hey, now. Don't hate on the hair," he jokingly replied.
"Well, seeing as it's my house and my bathroom, I think I have the say in the matter." Smirking, she continued. "If you want to shower first, you'll have to beat me there!" She sped forward, but he easily grabbed her arm. Using it to tug her back playfully, he pulled her flush against him.
"Since when do good girls cheat?"
And just like that, Hanna saw her opportunity.
"Who said I'm a good girl?" She caught his lips in a searing kiss and ran her hands down his chest. Caleb was pleasantly surprised, wrapping an arm around her waist and cupping her face with his hand. Reciprocating the embrace with one arm, she reached away from them with the other. Fumbling for the burner dial, her fingers located it and twisted it to its highest setting. It was a few minutes into their enticing activity when smoke began to waft through the air, along with the robust odor of a burning breakfast.
Pulling away, Caleb threw a glance down at the oven. "Shit!" He disentangled himself from Hanna, lifted the pan off the burner, and turned the dial to its "Off" setting. By the time he looked up, she was already racing across the living room and laughed giddily.
Oh, she was going to get it.
He took off after her and ascended the stairs two at a time. Nevertheless, by the time he got to the top, she was hurriedly shutting and locking the bathroom door. Walking over, he could hear her breathless laughing on the other side of the door and joined in.
"You fight dirty for a princess."
Hanna heard his footsteps leading away from her and the eventually creaking of the stairs. She bit her lip and smiled, then began to strip off her cloths.
Caleb crossed the living room, tread through the kitchen, and brought the used dishes from the stove to the sink. He was about to start scraping his extremely crispy breakfast from the pan when it occurred to him that she really shouldn't get off the hook that easy.
Grabbing his towel and toothbrush off the coffee table, the teen started back up to the second floor.
Hanna stepped into the hot stream of water in the shower and lathered her hair with shampoo, still giggling a little when she thought about childishness of their relationship.
Caleb turned down the hallway, away from Hanna, and into the guest room he was staying in for the week. After removing his shirt and jeans, he searched through a compartment of his backpack. Pulling out the desired item, he walked back into the hallway and picked the bathroom lock.
Because she was rinsing her hair out and humming softly, Hanna remained completely oblivious to the male slipping into the room. Grinning broadly at his success, he set down the makeshift pick on the counter and hitched his thumbs under the waistband of his boxers. Upon removing his last article of clothing, he pulled the curtain aside slightly and stepped into the shower, behind the queen bee of Rosewood.
Her ears just barely perceived the rustling sound he made. She turned around and immediately, a gasp flew past her moist lips. It took her mind a moment to register that she was being accosted by a nude Caleb with a sly smile and a cocked eyebrow.
"I can play dirty too."
You like? xD It took me a while to piece this chapter together.
Who else thinks that Hanna should give Caleb a second chance? This week's episode nearly broke my heart… T_T