The Road Ahead (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 4 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Yes?"

"It's about Chad."

Her expression didn't change, but Elle noticed how her lips tightened at the corners ever so slightly. "I think you know what I think of him, Elle. That hasn't changed."

"I... I know. I wanted to say... when do you think someone should have sex?"

Her head snapped up. "Elle, don't tell m-"

"No! No, I haven't- I haven't done anything, I swear," she said quickly.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Well... why do you want to know? I assume this isn't brought on by absolutely nothing?"

"Well, I mean..." She shrugged slightly. "Chad's been... alluding to it. But I'm scared. I don't want to be like that. I've always looked at it as such a personal thing, something you only do when you're really sure."

"And you're not sure?"

"I don't think so. He's too rough, Ma, not gentle or soft at all. It's like whenever he sees me, all he wants to do is hide away and kiss for ages. I don't think he even knows what my favourite colour is."

"Purple. Like plums."

She cracked a small smile. "He's been texting me. We had a fight the other day."

"When?"

"I told him about... well, about me. And about how Pa isn't really-"

"You told him that?!"

"He's my boyfriend, I'm supposed to trust him!"

"Well, do you?" she demanded.

Elle didn't reply to that immediately, and took a deep breath. "That's besides the point. He started... kissing me. And tried to take my shirt off. I stopped him, and he got angry with me, and I told him I had to go. I haven't seen him since then."

Ryan didn't say much in response. "What do you plan to do?"

"I dunno." She sat. "What do you think?"

"I-"

But before she could speak, Spencer stirred, and opened his bright blue eyes.

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Hunter waited quietly, and Phoenix climbed onto the chair beside his father's bed. "Hey."

"Nick!" He smiled. "How are you, bud?"

"I'm okay. Ma's sad a lot."

"Yeah. I know."

He swung his legs on the chair, seeming tired. "Robin doesn't sleep much anymore. She just stays up. Makes bracelets. I don't know what she does with them, she just makes so many. She nearly ran out, so Grandmama bought her another set with mostly blue beads. She really likes that set."

"That's good. But you should really tell her to sleep. What about you?"

He shrugged. "Everyone's got more important things to worry about than me. I don't think Ma's talked to me in a while."

"That's not-"

"Don't lie. I know Spence is the real problem." He looked up, his black eyes like glimmering onyxes. "He's not gonna be able to do a lot of things, is he?"

"He... yeah. He'll struggle for a while."

"Mostly headaches and walking, said Ellie. Is that true?"

"I don't know."

He was quiet. "Is it true that Ma and you aren't gonna be married anymore?"

"No. We're not getting a divorce. I'll make sure we won't."