The Hunter's Angel

Cream Cheese and Confessions

"Who wants cream cheese?" 

Liam and Kat distantly nodded their heads, the two of them looking at me like I belonged in a psych ward. 

Following their ambush at my front door, I quickly ushered them inside and ripped the bag of bagels out of Liam's hand, setting it down on the kitchen counter. Anything to serve as a distraction while I picked through my mind, attempting to come up with an explanation. 

As I slathered cream cheese onto the doughy goodness, Kat voiced her confusion. 

"Layla, what's going on? Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine!" I urged. "Amazing actually."

Glancing upwards, I saw her throwing Liam a look of concern. 

"Amazing," Liam repeated, doubt ringing in his tone. 

"Yup," I quipped, handing them each a bagel. 

"Babe, come on. You show up with your missing phone looking good as new after an insane night, and you're acting like your life's purpose is to put cream cheese on a bagel. Spill," Liam insists, placing his bagel on the counter and taking a seat. 

Kat does the same, watching me in anticipation. 

Shit. I didn't want to lie and say I went to the police station, because that was such a far stretch and I know they'd have endless questions that I didn't have answers to. But I couldn't tell them the truth, I gave Hunter my word. 

So stick to my word, and lie, or say the truth, and break my word. I really was caught between a rock and a hard place. Scratch that - a rock and the fucking Great Wall of China. 

Maybe I didn't have to lie though. Maybe, I could just...withhold some information. 

 "Look," I started, taking a seat at the other side of the counter. "I didn't go to the police station, but it's not what you think," I assured, growing nervous at their confounded expressions. 

"I was fully prepared to head over to there this morning," I continued, "but something happened last night."

Liam's eyebrows pinched together. "You mean after I dropped you off?"

I nodded. "It's not a big deal, and I don't want you guys to freak out or anything, because everything's under control." 

"Layla, what is it?" Kat asked hesitantly. 

Exhaling deeply, I prayed they wouldn't ask questions or think I was insane. "So, after Liam dropped me inside, the guy stopped by to talk. Just to talk," I reiterated, emphasizing the fact that I wasn't harmed. 

Liam tilted his head. "The guy? As in the...murderer?"

"Oh my god!" Kat shrieked, shooting up. "Oh my fucking god, a murderer knows where you live? He came to your place?"

There went my prayers. Though, I couldn't really blame them since they didn't know Hunter's story. And since it wasn't my story to tell, I had to work some serious magic to get them to calm down. 

I raised my arms up, motioning for Kat to sit down. "Kat, it's okay, I swear. Just take a breath and let me explain." 

She eased back into her seat, looking paler than a ghost. Liam, on the other hand, was showing no expression whatsoever. 

"Obviously, I was scared shitless when I saw him," I stated. "But he told me that he just wanted to explain what was going on, that I didn't understand what I saw. He even let me hold a knife as he talked, for protection, but he didn't touch a hair on my head."