The First Steps (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 1 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Thirteen

❝friendzone (pronounced frɛndzəʊn or frend-zown, noun
refers to a platonic relationship in which one, usually a male, wants the relationship to upgrade to a romantic or sexual relationship, while the other does not.
eg. Where are all the nice guys, you ask? They're in the friendzone, where you left them.
Idiot.❞

It was twenty days after Hunter's twenty-first birthday, and twelve days after Lilly's when he got the call from his manager, Betsy. "Hunter, Wanted is at number one!"

"It's what?!" he asked, shocked. He had just spent a sleepless night writing, and was exhausted, but this information woke him up pretty quickly. "Number one?! On what chart?"

"The US Hot Country Songs, by Billboard!"

"No way!"

"You've got a crazy tonne of interviews and stuff coming in, and you've officially made it, Hunter! Congratulations!" squealed Betsy, before cutting the call. Hunter laughed in excitement, running his hands through his already dishevelled hair. He got out his laptop and Googled the charts, to find that Betsy was right: he was at the top of the US Country Charts!

Hunter: ANA ANA ANA

Lilly: HUNT HUNT HUNT

Hunter: GUESS WHAT JUST HAPPENED

Lilly: I DON'T KNOW BUT YOU'RE WRITING IN CAPS I AM EXPECTING SOMETHING FLIPPING AMAZING

Hunter: I'M #1 ON THE US HOT COUNTRY SONGS!!!!!

Lilly: you're #1 on the charts?!?!?! for what song????

Hunter: Wanted

Lilly: oh

Lilly: you can thank me later ;)

Hunter: Believe me, I will :D Come on over, I have food

Lilly: mmmm, i would, but i'm busy

Hunter: Sorry, I'll rephrase that. I have Oreos.

Lilly: ... strawberry?

Hunter: What else?

Lilly: climbing into my car now

He laughed to himself and began to make himself and Lilly breakfast in the form of toast, just as he heard a knock on the door. Lilly was standing there, looking wonderful in a tight t-shirt and genie pants. "I smell breakfast!" she said excitedly.

"Your nose has served you well once more!" he said, laughing, and Lilly hugged him.

"Congrats, Hunt."

"Thanks, petal," he said. "Come in, let's watch a movie or something."

She smiled and nodded. "Done deal."

It had been close to six months since Hunter confessed his love for her, and six months since she had put him in the friendzone. Since then, they had both gone on numerous dates to try and find "the one" for them, both being unsuccessful. Lilly wasn't sure why, but whenever Hunter mentioned a girl he had gone on a date with, she felt jealousy stir in her chest.

But it wasn't like she cared if Hunter liked another girl. Right?

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Hunter said, "So, what do you want to watch?"

"There's this movie called Orphan that I downloaded onto my USB. Does your TV work with USB's?"

"It sure does!" said Hunter. "What's the movie about?"

"It's a horror movie, but I only got in about twenty minutes. I was too scared to watch it alone."

He chuckled, and Lilly smiled too. "Let's watch it, then."