Somewhere in Pennsylvania - Saturday Evening
Hanna was so excited. She was going on an actual proper belated Valentine's Day date with Caleb. None of this on again off again crap. This was official. It was at a fancy restaurant just outside of Rosewood, so Hanna was happy to get dressed up in a cute dress for the occasion. The coat she wore was also super cute. It's possible she and her player might have spent a lot of time on this whole outfit. It was worth it.
Caleb did everything right. There were roses and a box of the good chocolates. The hugs were nice, too.
"Everything is so amazing," Hanna squealed as they waited for their meals. "How did you even plan this out without me knowing?"
He grinned. "What, you don't think I could have done this alone?"
She tilted her head skeptically. "I suppose so..."
"I had some help from Emily and Aria...and your mom," Caleb admitted.
Hanna frowned for a moment. "Not Spencer."
She didn't ask. It wasn't a question. She knew how Spencer had been lately. It was still worrisome.
"I didn't want to bother her about me planning a date since...everything with her and Toby. You know?"
Hanna nodded. "You're a good friend. I mean, to think about Spencer's feelings like that."
Just one more reason why Caleb was the most perfect boyfriend.
"I care about your friends, too," Caleb said, reaching for her hand across the table. "And I want to keep you safe. I won't let anything happen to you especially."
Hanna was truly appreciative. "I love that about you. But if this is a whole thing about 'A' nonsense, then please stop now. I don't want to think or talk about that. This is about us tonight, okay?"
"Whatever you want," Caleb replied, smirking.
"That's right. It's all about me." Hanna couldn't help giggling. "So tell me something good."
"I've been catching up with some family," Caleb admitted. "A few weeks ago, I got a notice that my uncle's farm was being torn down. The uncle that sent me into foster care..."
Hanna made sure to listen intently. "I'm sorry."
"No, it's okay," Caleb continued. "I hadn't seen them in so long. I didn't want to at first."
"Understandable," Hanna said, nodding.
"It gets more complicated...but good," Caleb said, struggling for words it seemed. "My uncle...it turns out he's my dad."
Hanna's eyes grew wide. "What? Seriously? How did you figure this out?"
"He has a picture of me from when I was a baby in his wallet." Caleb shrugged. It seemed like a good reason. "So I just flat out asked him."
"That's amazing," Hanna replied. "I mean...is it? How do you feel about it?"
"It was hard at first, but I get he was in a bad place then," Caleb replied. "We're working on it."
"Why didn't you tell me all this?" Hanna asked. "I could have been here."
"You were busy with other stuff," Caleb said, shrugging again. "I didn't think you needed my crap to deal with, too."
"I'm never too busy for you," Hanna said sincerely, holding his hand.
"Good to know." He gave her a warm smile.
The rest of the evening went very well. Good food, good conversation, laughter...It was the perfect night. There wasn't even an interruption from 'A'.
Nothing could have ruined it.
[details about Caleb adapted from 3x19 "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted" though changed in some ways to reflect that Hanna has been away from home]
Caleb did everything right. There were roses and a box of the good chocolates. The hugs were nice, too.
"Everything is so amazing," Hanna squealed as they waited for their meals. "How did you even plan this out without me knowing?"
He grinned. "What, you don't think I could have done this alone?"
She tilted her head skeptically. "I suppose so..."
"I had some help from Emily and Aria...and your mom," Caleb admitted.
Hanna frowned for a moment. "Not Spencer."
She didn't ask. It wasn't a question. She knew how Spencer had been lately. It was still worrisome.
"I didn't want to bother her about me planning a date since...everything with her and Toby. You know?"
Hanna nodded. "You're a good friend. I mean, to think about Spencer's feelings like that."
Just one more reason why Caleb was the most perfect boyfriend.
"I care about your friends, too," Caleb said, reaching for her hand across the table. "And I want to keep you safe. I won't let anything happen to you especially."
Hanna was truly appreciative. "I love that about you. But if this is a whole thing about 'A' nonsense, then please stop now. I don't want to think or talk about that. This is about us tonight, okay?"
"Whatever you want," Caleb replied, smirking.
"That's right. It's all about me." Hanna couldn't help giggling. "So tell me something good."
"I've been catching up with some family," Caleb admitted. "A few weeks ago, I got a notice that my uncle's farm was being torn down. The uncle that sent me into foster care..."
Hanna made sure to listen intently. "I'm sorry."
"No, it's okay," Caleb continued. "I hadn't seen them in so long. I didn't want to at first."
"Understandable," Hanna said, nodding.
"It gets more complicated...but good," Caleb said, struggling for words it seemed. "My uncle...it turns out he's my dad."
Hanna's eyes grew wide. "What? Seriously? How did you figure this out?"
"He has a picture of me from when I was a baby in his wallet." Caleb shrugged. It seemed like a good reason. "So I just flat out asked him."
"That's amazing," Hanna replied. "I mean...is it? How do you feel about it?"
"It was hard at first, but I get he was in a bad place then," Caleb replied. "We're working on it."
"Why didn't you tell me all this?" Hanna asked. "I could have been here."
"You were busy with other stuff," Caleb said, shrugging again. "I didn't think you needed my crap to deal with, too."
"I'm never too busy for you," Hanna said sincerely, holding his hand.
"Good to know." He gave her a warm smile.
The rest of the evening went very well. Good food, good conversation, laughter...It was the perfect night. There wasn't even an interruption from 'A'.
Nothing could have ruined it.
[details about Caleb adapted from 3x19 "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted" though changed in some ways to reflect that Hanna has been away from home]