Forgiveness (Under revision)

Chapter Fifteen

"About what?" I asked Hunter.

"About... today," he mumbled to me.

"Okay. . .what about today?"

"Well, you know I helped you. I also tried to- uh- tried to kill you,"

"Yes."

"Well, I want you to know that I care about you. That day when we met. . .I was just nervous. I didn't mean to..." he started, but doesn't finish. He looked about to burst into tears. I thought he was that tough guy you would see in schools. I guess I was wrong. But it wasn't like I was going to let him off that easily. But. . .then again, he did help me. We were even now, right?

And when I looked up into Hunter's pleading eyes I no longer felt anger, but sympathy for him.

"I know, and I forgive you," I said in my best sympathetic voice. I was never good at sympathy. That was more of Everest's thing.

"Thank you. I just wanted you to know something though,"

"What?" I asked him.

"I want you to know that I... sort of like you,"

Shoot. He didn't just say that. He couldn't have just said that. I gaped. Three boys liked me now? Was this a dream? A nightmare? I knew I was once pretty, when I lived in Aragon with my parents. Our family was one of the richest there, and I was quite popular. It was rare for girls to have such rich brown hair along with lively green eyes, which was why our family was famous for our beauty and wealth.

After my parents died and I was abandoned to an old shack in Syra, my beauty seemed to be lost under a thick layer of grime. I'd no longer be attractive, I was thought of as a poor girl, working at a antique shop to get money, and depending on a rule breaker for meat and my sanity.

And when I stared at Hunter that sensation came back. The power I felt when I was once a spoiled and rich girl. An attractive and pretty girl.

And so I met his gaze. The rumors were true. I should have known. I should have seen that coming. I shouldn't have let him go that far. I shouldn't have let him say that. I just stood there gaping like an idiot. He ran his hand nervously through his brownish blonde hair.

I stood there staring at him. I didn't want this. I didn't want Finn or Hunter to like me. Yeah, sure, I was blessed with good genes, but I didn't want this many people liking me. They both broke up with their girlfriends for me. I didn't want that. That was how to make enemies 101! Especially sense I made a promise to Audrey. I didn't want either of them.

No. I wanted Everest. And even then, I hadn't even made up my mind. I was far too young to decide my love life right then. I had much time to decide, to date around, to have my heart broken and repaired.

"What about Alondra?" I asked him. I knew the answer. I just wanted to hear it from his mouth.

"We broke up," he said, gaze dropping to the floor. I sighed.

"Why?"

"Because... I like you,"

That was such a dumb reason. I didn't want this. I wanted them to be happy with the people they were with before. I didn't want to be with them. It was too much stress. Maybe it would be better if I just give up on a love life and swear to be single.

"That... isn't a good reason," I deadpanned.

"It is. I don't want to be in a relationship that I don't care about. Especially when I like you. I've never really liked Alondra, but everybody was getting girlfriends and she was the only one who was willing to be mine," he told me with an angry tone. I could see why she was the only one. Sure, he was hot, but he had a temper. His personality was far from kind. You could see it by the glower he gave innocents passing by. I wanted to say it out loud but then I remembered that he had just helped me a few hours ago.