Saving Grace

Chapter 15: Linnea

[AN: Jordan said we could only keep Hunter if I used him in the next chapter. And you all wanted to find out what happened with Kimberly and Zayn so here goes! <3 Bekah]

[LINNEA’S POV]

Was I supposed to be creeped out by the young boy who had his face pressed to the glass of the Olive Garden window watching my sister? Because the only thing I could feel was laughter climbing up my throat threatening to spill out. He looked like an excited little kid. It was way too cute.

“Have they kissed yet?” I whispered in his ear. He jumped about a mile high I surprised him so much. “Do you peep into windows often or is this your first time?”

“I—I—she’s a friend I swear,” he blustered. “I’m not stalking her or some jealous boyfriend. I don’t have plans to attack her and make a lamp out of her skin or something.” A lamp out of her skin? I couldn’t stop laughing. “What is so damn funny?”

“I’m just imagining you trying to attack my sister and make a lamp out of her skin and her crushing you like a bug.”

“Wait. You’re Kimmie’s sister?” I nodded. “How could you do that to her?” He went from nervous stalker to angry pretty damn fast.

“I’m going to ignore the fact that you claim to be a friend of my sister’s when I have never met you. Now do you want to try that again angry boy?”

“She told me about everything. How you foisted all your responsibilities on her lap because you messed everything up. How she is scared and confused and can’t even turn to her sister because she is causing all of this.” Ouch.  That hurt. “Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”

“You’re right,” I agreed crossing my arms. “I really screwed up. I’m Linnea by the way.”

“Hunter.”

“How did you meet my sister?”

“I stole a protein bar from her bag.”

“A protein bar? Those things are nasty.” He made a face. He was probably wondering why I had skipped over the stealing part to focus on the edibility of the protein bar. “You are skinnier than the pole that street sign is attached to. And you stole a protein bar so you must be starving. Want to go in and get some tiramisu?”

“I don’t need your charity.”

“I can see why you and Kimberly get along so well. Same stubborn attitude. Either way you are coming in with me. I love the tiramisu here too much to pass it up.” [AN: True story. I freaking love Olive Garden’s tiramisu. Or any tiramisu really.] He hesitated and then followed me inside. He was probably more than eager to spy on Kimberly and Zayn. I just hoped that everything went well after my talk with Zayn.

“She’s going to recognize you,” he said loudly making me wince.

“She will if you keep announcing our presence like that,” I hissed as I instructed the hostess to sit us in a back corner away from the other tables. “If we stay quiet she won’t notice because she’s too focused on Zayn. Hopefully he doesn’t screw this up after our little talk.” I had the menu up in front of me to hide my face so I didn’t notice his dissatisfaction with me until he pulled my menu away.

“YOU DID WHAT?!?” What was he so angry about?

“Hunter?”

“How could you have talked to him? Don’t you realize what you have already done to her life? Now you go and ruin this?” I couldn’t stop the tears that pricked at my eyes. Why did everyone see me as a giant failure? As a problem? As the reason everyone was hurt? “Are you seriously crying right now?”