Through the Dark

Chapter 18: Friendship And Family

Jess' throat felt parched all of a sudden. This... Boy has cancer?!

"I'm sorry," Hunter hung his head, "I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"That's... terrible, Hunt," Andrew said, his voice suddenly weak. He had lost his grandpa to the disease when he was ten. "But you don't look like you're sick, at all. How do you that?"

Hunter sighed, then smiled,"I don't know. My... Dad works hard with me, not just through his job, but he works hard to help me through everything emotionally. He's a great father. I love him for it!"

At that moment, Jess envied Squirt. Hunt's father obviously gave time for him, and gave him the attention he deserves. He seemed to have loved Hunter a great deal, and Hunt loved him just as much. Jess' dad rarely gave time to talk to her, but Jesse knew her dad loved her, too. Jesse just wished he shows it more often.

Andrew beamed at Hunter and said, "He seems great when you tell him like that, Hunt."

The rest of the time they spent there, they talked about random things. When it was six fifteen in the evening, Hunter was more than ready to go. Jess paid for their bill just as promised, and told the boys to hop in her car.

They drove and sang songs through Jesse's car radio.

"Here's me, guys," Hunter said. They stopped in front of a well-furnished house, with a man obviously waiting for someone. It didn't go unnoticed by both Jess and Drew how Hunt's eyes lit up like a little boy when he saw his Dad. Hunter went down and waved at the man, Mister Hartford nodded towards his son.

Since Drew was in the front seat, Jess and him stuck their heads out of the window and greeted Mister Hartford, the man nodded in recognition.

"So, see you tomorrow at school?" Hunter asked.

"Of course, Squirt. See you around." The boy sprinted towards the house and shouted 'Take care!'.

As both sped past, Jess' heart warmed at the love the father and son shared, for Hunter and his father's figure were hugging one another at the porch.

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As she arrived home to a dark house, Jesse's heart ached. Her dad wasn't there as usual. He's always busy with work. Rarely spends time with her. Ever since her mother died, her father changed. He was more into his work. Always inventing something.

She parked her car at the porch and entered the dark house. It was empty and quiet. She expected it of course. Her father is always away for work. Either at his lab or basement coming up with a new experiment or invention. She always envied her friends relationship with their parents like Hunter and his father figure. 

She however noticed something that whenever she calls him squirt, his eyes flash. His smiles and laughs doesn't reach his eyes. They look fake like he's pretending to be happy. 

Yes, she gets attention and special treatments from her friends and teachers because she's the daughter of Harrison Wells, a well respected man. But, she wants her father to give his attention to her, which will never happen. 

High hopes,Jesse. High hopes. 

She filled a glass with milk. She sat on the stool drinking the milk while looking at her phone. 

It was her Dad, who texted, "Got u baked mac and cheese. Heat it up when u get home. See you around, Jesse Quick."

Jesse, although still feeling rather down, texted back thanks to her Dad, and that she had just got home.

"Wait for me. I have something for u," was her dad's reply. Jesse groaned.

Waiting for Dad means I have to stay up until three, or even six in the morning. But deep in her heart, she knew she always waits for him, regardless of everything. She got out her Calculus homework and settled to do it, not bothering to heat the mac and cheese.