Chasing After The PA | Complete ✔

Chapter 25 - Holiday Spirit

"Whatever you say buddy."

"Did you just buddy-zone me?" He raised an eyebrow.

I mocked him and raised an eyebrow as well, "Did I?"

"You better not have, because I am your boyfriend after all," Hunter stretched and turned onto his side, still facing me.

I adjusted the pillows on my side and moved to lay on my side as well to face him then smiled, "Fake-boyfriend, do I have to remind you of that contract we signed?"

"That contract we signed also said that I would still be sleeping with any woman that I wanted but it doesn't seem like I'm doing so, so I guess we could break a few rules," he pointed out.

"Well, how do I know that you're not sleeping with anyone?" I asked jokingly.

Hunter placed a hand on his heart, "You wound me Ms. Flores. Anyways, we've been spending most of our time together that I don't think that I'd even be able to be spending time with someone else." He pecked my cheek, "Anyways, I like spending my free time with you."

I laughed, "Alright then, I guess I believe you."

Hunter grinned then became serious again.

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What is it?"

He sighed, "Payton, you know what I'm going to talk about." I didn't say anything. "Come on, please?"

"There's nothing to talk about," I retorted looking away.

"If you don't want to talk to me, I could always have Erica come talk to you, she's a therapist."

"No," I responded quickly, "I don't need a therapist, I'm fine."

"Well obviously you're not if you wake up in the middle of the night practically everyday crying. You need your rest Payton! You're going to get sick or something if you keep this up!" Hunter then sighed. "I'm sorry I lashed out. But I'm worried about you Payton."

"I'm sorry too," I said quietly. "It's just hard to open up to people, I'm not used to it."

"I know," Hunter said placing a comforting hand on my waist. "But just think about it alright? You don't have to make a decision now but I'm not just letting this go un-noticed either. We'll go at your pace alright? Whenever you decide on something I'll be there every step of the way."

"Fine," I agreed. "I'll think about it."

Hunter smiled, "Thanks." He then got up and pulled on a white t-shirt and made his way out of the room, "Now go and get ready while I make breakfast, we're going Christmas shopping today."

As he left the room I sat up from the bed.

Christmas.

I remembered when I used to celebrate with family and friends, before everything else happened. My parents would always go full on out on Christmas decorations and dinner.

After my parents were gone, Becca would always offer for me to spend Christmas at her place but Adam restricted me from doing so. Christmas for me for the next four years after my parents died was just like any other day with Adam and eventually, I stopped counting how many days there was until Christmas, I stopped decorating and I just stopped celebrating things in general.

On top of having Adam control everything in my life, it also felt wrong to myself to celebrate when my parents weren't here.

I felt guilty celebrating anything because my parents couldn't be there to experience that happiness.

Once I finally escaped from Adam, Becca gave me time to settle down and get used to having my freedom back again. She didn't push me into doing anything I didn't feel comfortable with and slowly but surely, I got better again and started going out and having fun just a little bit more.