A Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

“So that’s how this whole shebang started,” I finished, looking at Hunter expectantly for any kind of reaction.

Explaining had taken quite an extensive amount of time, trying to make him understand had been tedious, and interrupting the tale to try to make him understand had lengthened the process tenfold. Over all it was a very tiring experience that I hoped never to repeat, yet I was sure I would have to sooner or later to the others involved in the odd scheme of mine. And all of this because I fancied myself falling in love with a certain young man in their company.

Whoa... I really need to stop reading old time-y books before I start telling things to you, reader. It is effecting my story telling abilities. But who’s to say whether it is for better or worse? Anywho, back on course.

I think I counted to sixty at least three times before Hunter finally made any move to answer me. He swallowed, looked down at the floor, at Alex, at me, at the floor again, and then his face screwed up as if he was thinking really hard...or he was in pain, I couldn’t really tell which. His mouth opened like he was going to speak, but he closed it again.

“I think he’s in shock,” I whispered to Alex, who was sitting to my left. “You took a first aid class. What are you supposed to do when someone is in shock?”

So as not to confuse the setting of this scene, I will now inform you that we were in the living room; Alex and I sitting in two reading chairs facing the couch where Hunter was sitting. It felt like some sort of family meeting where the parents tell their kid something horrible. That would be weird, though, cause in that illustration Alex and I would be married. Gross. I’ve got nothing against my best friend, but he’s like a brother to me. Have I mentioned that before?

Alex just shrugged. “I don’t think that’ll work in this situation.”

“Ah, crepe,” I muttered, and studied the swarthy young man sitting across from me. Maybe he’d come out of shock soon enough for us to go to Cole’s party. I mean, what was so shocking about my story?

“You’re an idiot!” Hunter’s sudden outburst took me by surprise.

Both Alex and I turned to him, but only I spoke. “Excuse me?”

The boy’s dark eyes were trained on mine, boring into my soul.

“Why would you do that for him?” He said, pointing at Alex. “Best friend, life saver, or whatnot, why would you pretend to be him when you could’ve walked in the place as yourself and told Cole that he couldn’t come? And why would you keep up the pretense when you know Cole would never be interested in you when you’re dressed like a guy?”

I gawked at him. What did I say to that? Did I even know the answers?

“And you,” Hunter addressed my friend, “why would you do what her evil twin sisters asked you to?”

Alex shrugged. “They blackmailed me.”

“Then that’s understandable.”

“He didn’t tell me that,” I said.

“And that proves that you are an idiot,” commented Hunter, rolling his eyes.

“No I’m not-”

“Yes, you are. You need to stop this charade before someone else finds out.”

My eyes widened. “What? Why?”

I honestly couldn’t believe he would suggest something like that. He wasn’t the one in constant danger of being found out or breaking his own heart, I was. Why should he care? It wasn’t like I was putting anyone’s lives in danger.

“You’re his closest friend right now,” Hunter informed me, adding something under his breath along the lines of ‘I don’t know why.’ I frowned at him when he wasn’t looking. “And it’s obvious you’ve got a thing for him. The thing is: he doesn’t take deception lightly. If Cole finds out on his own, he will never forgive you. You will never forgive you. It would be best if you were the first to tell him; lessen the blow a bit. Maybe he’d even think about talking to you again after a while. I can assure you, though, if you don’t tell him and he somehow happens upon your little secret, you’ll be in for some major regret.”