Love Like A Delinquent (Remake)

{ Chapter 25 }

 Im not writing my excuses for not updating cause i know you're all sick of hearing them. i have a lot of free time now though so i hope i can get back to regular updating. thankyou for being so patient with me.

Chris

"Hey Craig, it's Chris. Again. I've been trying to call for a few hours now just to check on Hunter. Please call to let me know he's ok. Maybe let me speak to him? I really need to make sure he's ok."

"Still Nothing?"

"Fuck," I cursed, slamming my hand down on the coffee table when I heard Kat's voice pop out of nowhere. I turned around on my seat to face her and sighed. "What are you still doing here?"

"Mom's fussing," she explained. She pulled herself up onto one of the stools and rolled the sleeves up of the hoodie she was wearing which I know noticed to be Hunters. It was his Slipknot hoodie that I'd gotten him for his 16th birthday. After months of listening to him and his heavy music, I assumed he'd like what I could only think to be one of the heaviest bands of all time. It was easy enough to catch on that he only appreciated the hoodie and not the band themselves, after his refusal to put up the posters due to it being "motherfucking creepy".

"Hunter's hoodie?"

"Yeah," she smiled sadly. "I know he's only been gone for like, 3 hours but I'm not used to it. I don't wanna get used to it. I want him back,"

"I know you do," I sympathised. "I just wish that they'd call me. They know how much I worry about him,"

"We all worry about him," she pointed out before reaching across the table to pick up my cell. "Can I try? Maybe if they pick up they'll let me talk to him,"

"If you're lucky," I muttered before nodding. She smiled at me and redialed the number, jumping a little with anticipation as she waited for what I hoped would be a reply.

Looking at how Kat responded to anything to do with Hunter made me feel somewhat at peace. I knew, of course I knew, that Hunter could never really be mine. I could be his Father and I could look after him and keep him safe, but he'd never belong to me the way he should've belonged to his biological parents. I could try my hardest to be exactly what he needed to be but I'd never help him as much as Kat could. Kat was his rock. And although I knew Hunter loved me, depended on me, was forever thankful for all I had done for him, Hunter could happily only have Kat in his life and still be perfectly happy. They just clicked.

It was touching to watch and to know that somebody loved Hunter as much as I did. It was all I could wish for him. Someone to take care of him in ways that I couldnt'. And Kat could do that.

"Hey. Um, is it Paul?"

My head snapped up. "They answered?"

Kat nodded and held a hand up to silence me. "Yeah it's Kat. We just wanted to check how you guys are doing. Why haven't you been answering? Is Hunter ok? Ah right, can I talk to him? Oh no it's cool, I'll phone back later. Really? Alright thanks!"

"What happened?"

"Paul said Hunter's sleeping cause the ride tired him out," she explained. "But he said the place they're at is nice and Hunter will send us pictures."

"Oh," I sighed; feeling a little more relaxed. "They didn't need to speak to me or anything?"

"Nah, guess they were busy sorting stuff out."

"Makes sense," I agreed. "Pictures though? Hunter didn't even want to go to the place, let alone send us pictures of it."

"I know," she mused. "I'm just glad he's finding it ok. I know it's only been a little while but it's a good sign, right?"