Like Real People Do - Jill Roord

Find Some Common Ground

Jill's POV

"Okay," Viv sighed, standing between the two girls, she seemed to have taken to being the mediator which definitely seemed needed, "We are all sorting this out tonight because like it or not, we're a team. We can't escape that fact."

"If only," Hunter muttered underneath her breath. 

Before this, I sort of assumed that I'd seen everything from Hunter; the good, the bad, the happy, the sad. But this was some complete flipside which I hadn't seen coming, I couldn't find the soul in her eyes and couldn't even imagine this girl having that laughter which brought my heart back to life. 

"Hunter, I am going to tell you something," Viv turned to Hunter, speaking calmly, "Even if it doesn't seem like it, everyone on this team loves you-"

Hunter went to interrupt Viv's speech, "I get what you're-"

Viv shook her head, "I'm going to speak and for just a minute or two, I hope you'll listen. Hunter, everyone on this team loves you and everyone has accepted the fact that things went wrong. Everyone here needs to think about that if you love someone, think before you speak. You can still say everything you want tonight but tonight it ends, we're not continuing this and if no one can sort it out, you'll just have to keep your distance from one another. Okay?" It didn't sound like much of a question from Viv, more like an order. 

Lisa gulped but nodded. 

"Fine," Hunter huffed, sounding completely over the situation. 

"Okay then do whatever you have to do, I guess," Viv took a step back, knowing silencing that would do no good in the long run, "But please just try and find some common ground."

Hunter's tongue trailed over the top of her teeth, her expression completely vacant yet cold, "What did I do guys?" She asked everyone, "Someone tell me something that I did and I will apologize."

"We already did," Katie answered her quickly, though I could see a newfound carefulness to everyone else's words, scared to rock the boat too far. 

Hunter shook her head, "No. No you didn't. Tell me something real and then we can go somewhere with it. Because one minute you say I'm too honest and the next I'm an actress so make sure your facts add up because I'm doing the math in my head."

Lisa slowly nodded, "As mad as I probably sound saying it, I do love you Hunter."

"Don't lie Lisa," Hunter narrowed her eyes. 

"No," Lisa stayed adamant to the fact, "I do love you, you're like that little sister who's an absolute devil but they're family. You know?"

"Really sold me on the whole love thing," Hunter retorted, "Just say the 'but', I think we're past sugar coating things." 

Lisa sighed, preparing herself for what might come and so was I to be honest, "But I do think you have certain characteristic which damage those around you, even if you don't notice them."

"And what might they be?" Hunter seemed completely over the idea of a civilized conversation, I could see that she wanted to scream. 

"You're a little reckless and unpredictable which is great some of the time," Lisa had really changed her tune, I wondered why things couldn't have begun like this, "But sometimes we find it challenging to deal with."

"Well I think you're a bitch," Hunter replied, so simply yet so quietly aggressive. 

I sighed, rubbing my forehead as all sense of progress disintegrated right before my eyes. 

"Okay..." Lisa slightly questioned where this was now heading, still trying to stay calm, "And you have every right to think that, I haven't been good to you."
Lisa had been awful to Hunter, but I slightly marveled at her ability to stay calm in this situation, maybe she did want to work things out.