Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

You Were Right

Hunter's POV

Ona cleared her throat, "Do you want to talk about it?" She offered.

I shook my head, then looking to the brunette on my left, "Not yet."

"Okay," Ona's words were always soft, they felt safe, "I'm always going to be here when you are."

My eyes softened, "Thankyou."

Ona unclipped her seat belt, sliding to the seat next to me, "Come here," She pulled me into her arms and I let my body crumble into hers', "Whatever has happened, I'm telling you now that you will get through it. Shall I tell you how I know?"

"How?" I mumbled, not particularly intrigued by people's questions anymore but I wouldn't ever leave Ona hanging.

"Because you're mi soldadito (my little soldier)," She held me tighter.

I rolled my eyes, it was a sweet sentiment but a little too sweet for me, "Okay Ons," I almost chuckled as to wish her luck. I think 'her little soldier' had given up with all of the fighting. 

Ona held me for the entire journey to the airport, it did bring me comfort though her embrace wouldn't make me forget what I'd lost. I'd lost a family. That fact would never change, it was tiring just to think about, yet even more exhausting to try and forget. There were these blaring sirens in my mind to remind me, I didn't know how to disable them so one day I'd get that peace. The peace I question if I'd ever had. 

"Hunter," Ona whispered, slightly letting go of me, "We're here."

My voice came out rusty, "Okay."

"Come on," Ona weakly smiled at me, opening the door and thanking the staff for loading our bags into the plane. 

Ona always had this positive energy, I could see her trying to infect me with it as she hopped up the metal stairs, whereas I followed meekly behind her. Every step felt like a mountain, when we eventually reached the seats I was relived to collapse besides Ona because I was physically exhausted. Though my mind was in a war of its' own. 

I felt like this silence was allowing me to crawl deeper into the hole of my sorrows, it felt like I was surrendering into the darkness and vowing the never see the light again. 

My voice came out quiet as a whisper, "Ona?"

"Yeah," Ona looked towards me, her head lowered slightly to reach my eyeline. 

"You were right," I looked to the floor. 

Ona furrowed her brows, "About what?"

There's this line; on one side you are managing to hold yourself together, as soon as the line is crossed you break down. The line could probably be better described as a cliff edge, as soon as I thought about the faces of those girls, I fell right off and into the nothingness. The tears began streaming down my face, I couldn't sit there and pretend they hadn't hurt me. I couldn't sit there and pretend that I didn't care. 

Ona pulled me into a hug, my head falling into her chest as I was brought into this protective embrace, "Tell me Hunts, it will help."

I nodded, I wanted to tell her but somehow the words were difficult to find. I knew what had happened but strangely, I couldn't bring myself to voice it, "You were right about them all," I cried.

Ona had gotten the message, I knew from the lack of words and assurance that she knew. Ona knew she was right from the begining though I could hear the hitch in her throat, telling me how much that upset her; she so badly wanted to be proved wrong. "You don't need them," She told me, holding me that little bit tighter.